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kelkat9 · 3 years

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3 and 4 look sooo good. Would you mind telling a little bit more about either of them or sharing a sentence or two? 😍

3. Nine/Rose Human Nature AU This is a fic set after they meet Jack but he's not with them. They are running from the family and Nine is fobbed leaving Rose to look after him. It's August 1984 in Arkansas. Oh yes this is fake married.

I'll put #4 in a reblog :)

“Hi Maria,” Rose greeted, shifting the weight of the box of supplies she carried. “Como esta Ana, Reyna y Marquito?” By Maria’s smile she must have gotten at least some of the language right.

“Bueno, good, Senora Smyth,” Maria said in tentative English, shifting her infant daughter, Ana, closer to her left shoulder. “Muchisimas gracias por tu ayuda and the Doctor for la medicina y los libros.”

Rose flushed at the word Senora. She wasn’t. But they’d gone with it when everyone in town made the assumption. The Doctor hadn’t said anything other than tease her about how she’d made an honest man of him. Oh, if he only knew.

“We’re, el Doctor and me, are just um muy feliz los ninos are uh better, yeah.” Rose reangled the heavy box. “Lo siento, I have to get this into la clinica. We’ll drop off more books and stuff for the kids later. Que tengas un buen dia.” She winced even though the other woman smiled and wished her the same. Or at least thought so as she squeezed by a few people to walk into the tiny reception.

“Hey Dot, is he with a patient?” The older woman with a helmet of poofed gray hair arched a brow at Rose even as she helped one of their patients fill out an intake form.

“Always with someone. I swear that husband of yours never stops talking or passing out bananas. I can’t even stand the sight of them things after smelling them all day. And we have worse smells here, ya know, hon?”

Rose bit back giggles. Human or Time Lord, bananas were a prioroity it appeared.

“Sorry, he’s a bit of a health nutter sometimes. I’ll have a word with him and get the banana crate moved further back so you don’t have to smell ‘em.”

“I’m teasing you, sweetheart.” Dot waved her on before slipping an intake form into a manila folder and waving the next person forward. “He’s a good man. Cares for his patients and don’t put up with crap from anyone. Solved my gout and never took a dime from me. Did the same for Mrs. Rayburn even though she was complaining about the clinic and our patients chasing off her nonexistent customers. A load of bull hockey, if you ask me. That store’s only open two days a week and she does all her business at the flea market.”

Gossip was a commodity traded like gold. Rose did her best to stay out of it. Although being white, blonde and married to a Doctor seemed to make her part of the inner circle whether or not she wanted to be.

She’d had to run interference with the whole church crowd early on. God, the last thing she needed was to be run out of town because the Doctor got into a philosophical debate over religion. They’d moved so much already. And they had good work to do here. Unless the aliens found them.

She lugged the box to the storage area which doubled as the Doctor’s office in their cramped three room clinic. The flourscent lights flickered in greeting.

“There’s my lovely nurse slash wife slash favorite pink and yellow human!”

Rose startled as he popped up beside her shoving his arm into the box she just plunked down on his desk. Stacked with files, a rotary dial phone, and ripped apart radio and cassette recorder along with stacks of pink while you were out notes, it was his own personal chaos.

His appearance still caused her breath to catch, tight short sleeved t-shirt and jeans revealing his muscled biceps and oh she never knew she had a thing for forearms.

“Fantastic,” he exclaimed pulling plastic bags and wads of ace bandages. “Amoxicilin. Henry came through. Have Dot get a hold of Jazmina to stop by for her husband’s infection. Not as much as I’d like but we’ll ration. Hydrocortisone cream was a nice surprise. So’s the Benadryl. You’re too quiet,” he set everything down and cupped her cheek. “Flushed and temperature a bit elevated.”

Rose tried to calm her racing pulse but too late, he already had one calloused finger pressed to her wrist.

“I appreciate you running the errands, love but you’ve got to hydrate. Don’t need another heat stroke patient.”

“M’fine.” Rose shook herself out of the state of stomach fluttering attraction. “Like they say around here. It’s a scorcher. I got stuck in front of the post office by that cow Mrs. Trowsly talking shite about our patients.”

He snorted and dropped his hand grabbing an armful of supplies.

“Stupid ape.” A bit of her Doctor slipped out. “She thinks she’s some grand time lady, overseeing the town like her own personal Gallifrey.” His brow furrowed as his words caught up with him. Time for Rose to intervene.

“Don’t worry, I sorted her. Promised we’d take people in through the back during the town’s big end of summer festival.”

“What did you do that for?” He shot over his shoulder as he darted into his patient room and began stowing supplies in a cabinet.

“Cause it was easier than listening to a bunch of accusations and her calling the Sheriff. You know how he is and he doesn’t like you very much.”

“Good. As the American’s say, he’s a dick, harassing my patients for walking through town and buying groceries.”

“Yeah,” she agreed and helped unpack bandages and stow rubbing alcohol and sterile pads. “But we’re stuck with him and all of them for now. We have to do the good we can. When we leave, our patients have to deal with it.”

Fall out. The one thing they’d never had to deal with before.

“Always a step ahead in the domestics,” he added with a soft low burr in his voice. Blue eyes lasered into her until Rose practically heard the hum of the TARDIS. She dreamed of it so much now. And a whole lot more, if she was honest. Which she tried not to be and especially with the Doctor nearby. Honesty led to her possibly saying something dangerous. Like talking about her feelings for him. Or the past. Like everything that happened at the Game Station.

“I’m sorry,” He startled her, his tall frame filing the small cubical of a room. Heat poured off him as he took her hands in his. “I drag you into so much. Cross country, small towns, tyrants, old enemies and war. You deserve better.”

“Told you, wouldn’t trade it for the world. You’re stuck with me an we’re going to keep going, yeah? Help these people till it’s time to move on and then we’ll help someone else. It’s what we do…who we are.”

#Nine x Rose #snippet #Human Nature AU

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blankdblank · 4 years

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Next Caller Pt 34

“Let’s see, everything’s in here,” after checking the bathroom you said, “Got the swimsuits and my wrap,” looking through your satchel you said, “All there,” You looked around, “What am I missing?”

Thorin looked you over asking after noticing you were barefoot, “Shoes?”

Looking down you groggily said, “Shoes...” shifting on your feet you circled your bed asking, “Where are my shoes?” Crouching down lifting the bed skirt seeing only the platform base to the bed making you huff and crawl around the bed, “There is no under to hide...” lifting the sheets all the way around only for the door to open and Kili to come in holding your shoes.

A smirk ghosting across his lips when he walked around the bed finding you plop down cross legged with a huff when you ran out of bed to search. “Auntie your shoes, left them outside near Mal’s.”

“Shoes! Thank you.” You said popping up to sit in the bed and pull them on over the socks you added.

Grabbing your case he said, “I’ll take this down for you.” Walking to the door smirking at his uncle whose bag he had wheeling behind him.

When you were done Thorin led you out for the last time and smirked up at Roac when he landed on his shoulder ready to be eased back in the carrier waiting with your van.

“So, we fly back, drive to drop you off, I grab the trunks and then the painters will be over in the morning after your show but before I come since I’ll be packing. Then I should be there by the time the washer arrives.”

“What about Roac?” You asked once you were seated in the plane between the brothers once again.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean if you wanted to leave him when you get the trunks so you won’t have to move him and the stuff tomorrow you can.”

Frerin tilted his head in Thorin’s quick glance at him, “Would simplify things.”

Looking at Roac he asked, “Would you be alright with that? Or would you want to help pack your things?”

Roac grinned with cheeks puffing up at you for the offer you made, “I shall allow you to pack my things.” Then proceeded to go into detail on how he wanted them pack making you smirk and write them out for the stunned Dwarf holding his carrier while Frerin tried not to laugh at the absurdly long list lasting more then half the flight.

In his try to think of what to say while Roac began to chat with Dwalin’s Raven Thorin’s eyes dropped and he smirked seeing your head resting against his arm. Carefully he shifted his arm closer to your side so you wouldn’t be laying against the armrest and he settled in that slightly out of place position aiming for your comfort over his. The position captured on camera by Frerin when he noticed the landing was coming up. And in the aftermath of the flash he reached over to tap your arm causing you to shift mumbling, “I’m up, tube socks, we were on tube socks.”

Frerin chuckled, “Yes we were.” Smirking as you sat up smoothing your fingertips on one hand around your eyes in a try to wipe the urge to sleep away before your furrowed gaze at the window. “Almost to landing.”

You nodded and struggling to stay awake he had to bite his lip as you lowered your legs and wrapped your arms around Thorin’s arm. Each breath deepening and your head kept nodding into and away from his arm until you were on your feet and led out to the van under Thorin’s arm to ensure you didn’t fall asleep while walking or waiting to climb into the van.

The teens with you were first to be let off and somewhere between the door closing and your house you had dropped into another nap.

A sharp inhale when the door slid open again had you blinking the stop into focus and you unbuckled climbing off of his chest to be your pillow. Carefully you got out of the van and behind you Frerin grabbed your bags and Thorin brought Roac up to your door in front of his brother. Finding your keys took you a moment and you were inside your home that beckoned you to come back to your bed. Roac free from his carrier sat on Thorin’s shoulder being patient not to fly through the house to wake the others until you informed them of the news. Frerin took your bag to your room and left Thorin’s and the carrier in his new room and followed you to the larger storage room to gather up some trunks that would help aid his packing greatly.

“Keys,” turning in a circle you pursed your lips and the pair smirked following you, “Where do you live now...” Into your closet you went after checking your study and from your sock drawer you pulled out a pair of orange socks rolled up you un-tucked revealing the spare house keys and the small mithril spoon charm Gloin’s firm hands out with each new house. Offering the keys to Thorin you flashed him a sleepy grin, “Keys, Mug Dealer.”

“I’ll make copies so you can put a pair back in your socks.”

Frerin pointed to the socks and you said, “It’s a Maiar thing, you keep your spares by orange. I would hang them in my tree but Belly might take them to add to his chimes.”

Roac in a downward glance shifted on his feet and hopped down to your shoulder in the guys’ path back to the van. At the door Thorin stated, “I will call tomorrow when I’m on my way.”

“You do have a key you know.”

Smirking at you he replied, “All the same. I’ll call first.” Your finger rose and he paused only to see you hurry to the coat rack pulling off your spare garage key fob he added to the ring already in his palm. “Get some sleep.”

You nodded and they stepped out allowing you to close and lock the door. Turning around however with your head hanging back in a grumble your eyes opened hearing wings shifting only to see Belly hanging from the arch there. “Hello Belly.”

Roac shifted his feathers anxiously and the upside down raven replied, “Welcome home! I see you have brought Roac, Dot is sleeping however.”

Roac replied, “There is no need to trouble her.”

Belly looked to you as you said, “I should tell you and Kuu together.”

Belly smiled and let go leading the way, “He is watching a film.”

Following him you reached up to stroke Roac’s nervously tapping toes in a try to calm him then sat on the edge of the lounge when Kuu fluffed up excitedly seeing you. “You are home!”

“Yes, I wanted to let you both know that Thorin and Roac are moving in with us.”

Belly fluffed up his feathers excitedly, “At last. Dot will be pleased, Darling as well missed your jokes.” He looked to you, “Where is Thorin?”

“Packing, loaned them some of the empty trunks he will be here tomorrow. His family will paint his room and he will set it all up and he has a home for Roac until Dot would be alright with sharing a dwelling with him.”

Roac nodded, “It is a lovely dwelling, Dot would be pleased to see my pictures as well I will hang around it.”

Kuu looked you over stating, “You are tired, you should sleep. We will aid in welcoming Thorin tomorrow.”

Belly nodded, “At sunrise I will pick the freshest berries to offer him,”

Kuu, “I shall find him a shiny smooth pebble.”

The offer making you smirk and say, “Thank you. I missed all of you. Tomorrow after work I’ll show you the pictures I took as well.” Making them grin and wish you a good night. Kuu turned his film back on when you left and Belly hurried back to his dwelling to nestle up next to Darling after having stayed up to welcome you home.

Down the hall you went and climbed onto your bed turning to untie your shoes you dropped beside it, laying your bag on the nightstand where you set your phone on it’s charger. Across your arm Roac walked to the table and settled next to your bag in his belly wishing you good night as you laid back in his fluffing up to sleep himself. His content sigh muffled as your head hit the pillow and were lost to the world.

Pictures can say a thousand words, a text message with four however had Ecthellion up half the night wondering what it could mean, “We need to talk.”

Those words he repeated when you had parked. Turning around you said, “Right, sorry, I was falling asleep when I texted that. Meant to elaborate a bit.”

He nodded and said lifting a Manila envelope, “I received this not ten minutes ago from a lawyer representing a Thorin Durin.”

“Yes, it’s about that.” You said pointing to the folder in his hand.

“Have you read this?”

“No. But I have a fairly good idea what it says.” He gestured for you to walk inside the building so you wouldn’t be late and you pocketed your keys.

“Because it reads a lot like a prenup.”

You nodded as he opened the door for you, “Ya, I kinda got that vibe when we were discussing it.”

“Jaqi,”

With a sigh when you were in the lift you turned to him saying, “Ok, I told you I was going to the Durin home?” He nodded, “Well we get there and there’s a dinner then Thorin is asked to show me to my room, only we’ve been assigned the same room,”

“If you tell me there was only one bed I’m going to scream like a schoolgirl.”

“There wasn’t,” And he huffed, “but there was no fireplace,” and his grin crept out, “I ended up on his back and apparently holding his beard,”

“Ooh,”

“Which apparently means we had to get married,” he gasped excitedly. “Or move in together or he’d lose all his hair and all of his babies would be bald for their lives.”

“Oh that’s bad.”

“I don’t get how Dwarves survive with all these rules, donkey days, now this, and Mal never told me why not to touch his hair she just said not to,”

“Bad idea for you, like a big red,” you finished the sentence together, “Button!”

“Yes! You get it! So I’m at breakfast and they drop the bomb on me and Thorin is packing and apparently moving in requires a prenup contract, so, ya.” You said gesturing at the contract.

“Well this seems like a fair contract but after your shift I would like to go over it with you at your house all the same.”

“We’ll have company though, his cousin’s kids are coming to paint his room and then more to move in and he bought a washer and dryer.”

“Yes that was in the contract.”

“Oh and Gorgo is coming too. I let the cat out.”

“She did leave me a message as well she had set an appointment with you.”

“She’s just so nice,”

He chuckled and said, “It is good that you are having friends in your new clan.” Deeply you sighed and he said, “I am going to talk to Glori and I will follow you home after the show. Just relax. This will be a painless as a salamander.”

Trunk open with shelves on display steadily being filled Thorin’s room steadily was being emptied and his grin deepened the less there was to move. Sheets pulled from his bed he pulled his mattress off the frame him and Frerin got to taking apart. Large yawns broke the efforts for the night and on a pile under his sheets they collapsed to get some sleep with an alarm set to finish the work and get over to his new home by the time things picked up.

With radio playing he finished gathering his things and into the truck waiting downstairs him and his relatives. Every single thing was cleared from the room eventually with his tidbits around the living room and office next, bitter sweetly Frerin helped to ensure all was gathered up knowing he was next to pack up and move out with the boys eventually leaving this place clear when his house was modified a bit. Touring through the kitchen he eyed his blender and sighed remembering his challenge of finding one that the birds wouldn’t be able to go crazy with. It was one challenge in his path of settling into the home you had made. Just like having coupled with a single mother there were children of sorts to be nestled together including one of his own, and children could be a blessing and a disaster depending on what you leave them around unattended. But he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t excited for it just to get closer to you.

A confirming message that the painters were on their way had him inching a bit towards rushing just to be there with you having hoped that he had been there before his eager family showed up to start his moving process already. Fully loaded up the tuck door was closed and inside his car he turned off his phone display seeing the confirmation email on his change of address form including the copy of his new license to print out until the one with his new address on it. Another notice however popped up that the appliances were on their way and soon to arrive.

“Excited?” Mal squeaked out and you shrugged, “Oh come on, having your practical boyfriend moving in with you.”

After a sigh from you she smirked as you said, “This is not a boyfriend situation. I wouldn’t even know what to do with a boyfriend, clearly you feed it but past that-,” she giggled and you said, “Day one, just saving the poor Grump’s hair so his babies-,”

“Your-,” She cut you off making you arch a brow at her, “Your babies, be honest, you can say his babies but you are crushing on him at the very least and ‘his’ babies in your mind are yours too.” You rolled your eyes, “Hey, I’m planning on jumping into the clan too, I can say he’s stunning from a long line of stunning.”

Turning your head you spotted Echtellion with another bag of mail for the show and the envelope in hand stating, “Sorry, took a bit to finish something.”

Shaking your head you said, “Not a problem.” Joining him to the lift telling Mal, “I can feel you still looking at me with those boyfriend eyes.”

Ecthellion smirked as she fired back, “He’s your boyfriend, in the least.”

“Roommate.” She looked at you readying to say something only for you to add, “Whose family is expecting a wedding in the future.” You sighed and looked up at Ecthellion, “Does that make him my boyfriend? You had a boyfriend, now husband, what do you do with a boyfriend?”

He chuckled and replied, “Same thing you do with your friends, not counting the kissing part, and dates obviously. Or the talks about planning your wedding.” He smirked in a glance down at you seeing your helpless gaze up at him, “You like him, give it a few days, if he doesn’t bring up the conversation you bring it up.”

“I don’t want to force it,” Mal groaned making you look at her, “Guh?”

Looking you over she said, “From someone who loves you, just plant one on him. Put us all out of our misery.”

You looked to him again for him to say, “Few days.” Making you smirk in his flinch of a wink and glance forward in the doors opening.

A brief pause on your scooter, while he loaded up the bag in his trunk and climbed in his car to follow you home, and you were off. Shortly after and you were home again with the garage open and he parked on the street keeping the driveway open for Thorin and the moving truck then strolled his way through the front gate while you went to check your mail. Eyeing the box with your runes on it you turned back to the door wondering if he would want to have his name added today. The front door was unlocked and you showed him through to your study that he left the bag in, pausing to admire your desk and chair while you closed the hidden doors closing it off and taking him back to your dining room.

Next to you he brought out the contract stating turning over the first couple pages after describing what each section was, “It all seems fairly simple, beginning this is a listing of his assets and I have supplied what I am aware of yours, with an estimation on future liquidated assets to be left open. This whole paragraph is stating that up until the date of cohabitation all these assets are yours, separately not jointly and will remain so unless chosen upon at a later date which would involve an amendment on the contract.

For this next section it states that upon arrival Thorin has agreed to pay half of the rent and the trash fees, both of which are listed here, from steadfast funds, meaning funds that would not be subject to sway from the market or otherwise. Then this is the detailed part. It is a full financial grid on his tea shop earnings that he co owns with a ‘Balin and Dwalin Durin’ all funds of which are strictly barred from being used to pay bills or for funding the furnishing of this house. That those funds as agreed upon by Thorin will remain strictly for preservation of the company.”

“I was very adamant on that clause.”

His brow arched up, “You added that clause?” You nodded and he said, “Hmm, impressive.” Shaking his head he got back into the contract, “This next part goes into the clauses for his move here. Thorin agrees to take up residence in the back room as to not disturb the designs for the guest rooms already in the process of being decorated to your original designs. A washer and dryer set has been agreed upon to be supplied by him, as well as furnishings for the parlor, an agreed upon communal space to be designated as a possible game room for future guests or yourselves.

There is a clause here, further discussions of additions to communal areas have been welcomed for discussion on each item suggested to ensure the comfort and taste of both residents.” You nodded and he wet his lips to continue, “For outright refusals the use of an open faced blender has been barred with an agreed upon trial basis of a single cup contained blender that will be kept in the possession of Thorin on an as needed basis and stored to ensure the preservation of the harvest grown for your joint consumption. Negligence upon this clause resulting in damage to the harvest levels due to its undesignated use by the winged population inside the dwelling shall find complete removal of said appliance and reimbursement of lost goods by him.”

He looked you over again and you said, “It sounds a bit over the top on paper but he insisted.”

Flipping the page he said, “It’s a good thing. Moving on to the greenhouse, a designated plot has been assigned for his sprouts. Not much flourish on that one, just stating another agreed upon point. Above the statement that jointly a chosen mate has been presented to his bonded Raven, and upon the regrettable dissolution of cohabitation said raven would remain here should it be his and his mate’s wish. Any and all hatchlings would be subject to the wishes of their parents over either of you, then there is a listing of your flock that have all been listed as above his request to take custody of should a split occur.” Your eyes met his and he said, “Best to have that down now rather than later.”

He turned the page again showing the final page of the contract. “Thorin has accepted custody of a ring of spare keys, one garage key fob in accordance with his moving in. The latter to grant access to the communal garage agreed upon by yourself to share in protection for your vehicles. He has agreed to purchase mattresses for the sea foam guest room as well as the orange and blue guest room in anticipation of his kin and yours possibly visiting in the future to ensure comfort of guests and protection of private sleeping quarters between the pair of you from the guests. And the final clause is that he agreed not to take the itemized lists of furniture you have already purchased or chosen for communal or non communal areas based solely on the matter of who purchased them should the cohabitation dissolve. Each item inside those spaces, should he wish to take them with him, would be discussed concerning custody of it.”

“And that’s it?”

“Yes. It is quite the agreement hard to imagine how much time all of this took to be hammered out.”

“Again, ambushed in a breakfast.” His eyes flinched to you and you asked, “Why does everybody look at me like that?”

“You managed this in a breakfast?” He asked removing the lid from his pen he had been trailing along on the contract that he read out to you. “How long was breakfast?”

“30-45 minutes?”

“Jaqi I’ve worked with Dwarves before, how hard did you press these issues to get them in the contract in 45 minutes? Sometimes it can take weeks for these to be finalized.”

“Well it’s just common sense most of it. Basic rules it wasn’t that hard we talked civilly, I told him up front I wouldn’t accept embezzled funds to pay the rent in the expense of his shop.”

“You said embezzled?” He asked with a smirk.

“Well I couldn’t think of the term in any language but Troll and none of them speak that,” you said taking hold of the pen he offered you to sign beside the signatures already there. Passing the pen back you asked, “How is it all so astonishing?”

He signed and dated the contract blowing the ink dry before closing the contract he slid back into the envelope to smirk at you, “Because writing out contracts is possibly one of the most intimate forms of courting duels between couples. This, my dear, is possibly one of the most romantic battle of wits you could have mustered up. And you managed it in 45 minutes, you are an assassin at that rate. Protecting the home and his future in his business. Granting him a communal space to his own taste to shape and guaranteeing him input on others. Allowing him to shower you with objects of your desire while still holding the reigns on how far you will allow him to splurge granting you your own show of wealth security and grounds to aid in provision for the future of your coupling. All that aside of the custody of those birds you have given him keys, half the garage and a patch of your earth before he even stepped foot in the door with a box.” Tapping his finger on the contract he continued, “If he managed the discussion without blushing it is a marvel because terms like these issued verbally could have very well ended in an elopement had you mentioned it.”

You let out a sigh, “I’m never going to be able to keep up with all of this.”

He chuckled again and patted your shoulder, “For now, I am off to deliver these, enjoy your day, try to relax.”

Rolling your head you stood to show him out only to grin at the paint crew all smiling, allowing him past before following you through to his bedroom to allow them to get to painting.

Across your kitchen counters bubbles spread as you scrubbed them down and wiped them dry after with wash rags added to your laundry. Bowls sat with supplies around them in your usual conveyer belt fashion for your bread making. To the end of your supplies you mixed a bowl of dough that you kneaded then left to rise while you started on the next, adding the first into the heated oven while the second rose. On top of a heat resistant set of wood blocks you laid over your counters you left the hot trays of bread to cool while you started to mix the next bowls worth. Knuckle deep in dough was how Gorgo found you. Passing one of the paint crew heading out for the detailing brushes she was pointed your way and in the doorway of the kitchen she stopped and gave the frame a knock after noting just how much bread you were making.

“Hey Gorgo, nearly done.”

“Take your time. Do you always make this much bread?”

“Usually, ya. I tend to have a lot of soup jars I set up for easy meals.”

“Soup jars?” She asked and you glanced at her.

“Pre diced and mixed soup ingredients you just have to throw into a pot to boil up.” A final push, turn and plop of the dough back into the bowl you covered with cling wrap later you moved to scrub your hands and dry them. Using the rag by the stove to pull out the loaf of bread filling the room with its tempting scent making Gorgo inhale deeply watching you set it aside and replace it with the next in line. Keeping hold of the rag you said, “I bet you’d like to get started on the reading.”

“If you don’t mind.”

You nodded and said, “If you like you could read in my sisters’ room so you can relax on the bed and stretch out. Door should block out the music from the crew or any noise the guys make when they come to unpack Thorin’s things.”

“That would be nice, ya.” She looked over everything on her path seeing how lovely you had made the house so far even half furnished. “Have you considered the format for the etching reels for your books yet? We could give you a few drafts of you like?”

“I’ve already etched it,”

That had her look at you when you pushed on the door to your closet, inside which you had set the quartet of leather bound books parting her lips at its foot and a half stance. Once you had reached them you lifted the first from the wooden case you had made to hold them in place as a set coated in etchings from the tale. “Best you pace it a movement at a time.”

“You bound them?”

You nodded, “One of my friends’ father runs a binding shop and they might have conveniently left the shop unattended all night so I could get my draft together.” Flipping through you said when you landed on a certain page, “There are three edits written in, actually written in, but I changed them on the etchings. Everything else is ready, illustrations and all. It’s still single sided so I could bond in my illustrations so the final books won’t be so intimidating.” Her eyes scanned over your face and she asked, “You did all this thinking that no one would ever publish your books?”

You nodded patting your hand on the closed book, “Every story deserves to be respected. And this one’s very old. So it deserves to be pampered.”

She smiled awkwardly trying not to tear up and nodded turning after cradling the book you passed to her she pressed against her chest for the walk from your room to the peach guest room. “I would have you in mine but the birds sometimes like to hide there with company. Bath is through there and there’s plenty of pillows and the blankets-,” all of which was stacked near the steps between the beds making you nod then step out of the room, “Leave you to it then.” Behind the closed door her lips quivered and she inhaled sharply tilting her head back fighting her tears then turned to build up he perfect reading fort to get started already feeling her skin tingling in anticipation.

Again with their paint cans emptied and the now navy and silver accented room sat ready to be filled barely an hour after their arriving. Simply leaving the windows open for some spare time to air it out some more. They had it down to a science and confirmed Thorin had already paid and hurried out to let you relax waiting for Thorin to finally arrive.

All your bread had cooled and been put away and halfway through the second book Gorgo accepted your offer of lunch to pause her eyes and just internally buzzed about what was coming up next and just how much more phenomenal the book had been compared to the three chapter draft that got her through the past five years. While you ran your dish washer you stood alone uncertain of what to do, only making your way back to the couch to stare blankly at the show playing as your birds decided to remain in the greenhouse until Thorin was the only other person here with you.

Pt 35

#Thorin x Reader OC #Hobbit #lotr #Ecthellion #Glorfindel #Gorgo

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nilikhangdiwa · 7 years

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Oh so you don't like Folie a Deux?

Me: Folie a Don't Me

#fall out boy #fob #folie a deux #philippines #manila #tagalog #filipinos will understand #why did i make this

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purplesurveys · 4 years

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711

How fast can you say the alphabet? I can say it quickly without my accent failing me, I guess? I’m too lazy to time it. What are you allergic to? None. How many serious relationships have you had? Just one. If you could read one person's mind, who would it be? I wouldn’t want to target one person like that. I’d only be picking my dog’s so I can hear what he thinks of me, ha. If someone dared you, what dare would you be afraid to attempt? Eating/drinking anything rotten.

How do you like your eggs? Scrambled or over easy. What's your most expensive piece of clothing? Probably my shoes. Most of them are several thousand bucks. What was your last big achievement? The last objectively big achievement I made was finishing the first half of my thesis and getting the go signal to finish the rest of it. But if we’re counting tiny steps that feel like big achievements, it’s having an article published in my org’s publication this week. I co-wrote it with JM and Rick, but it still feels nice to get to say I was productive during the quarantine. What famous person's memoir would you like to read? I’m willing to read anyone’s biography/autobiography since it’s one of my favorite genres. But at the moment I’m probably most willing to read something about Kim Jong Un since it’s generally hard to find material in North Korea as it is, and it would be fascinating to hear about their life and culture there. Have you ever had a "false alarm" moment, what was it about? Sure. A few months ago I was in Manila for a workshop and my car wouldn’t start when it was time to drive back home. Pressing any button on the key fob wouldn’t work and I couldn’t open the doors, so I was pretty much just locked out. I was already stuck there for a while and I was starting to panic, so I called up my parents to ask for help and they were already getting dressed to drive all the way where I was. Right before they left the house Jhian was mysteriously able to make stuff work and opened my door and I gave my parents the happiest “false alarm” ever haha. Do you know how to ride a bike? I don’t. My dad recently pumped air into the wheels of the bike that we have in the house so I can practice riding it throughout the quarantine, but I just can’t. I never did learn what my friends say when they tell me to just “find my balance.” If you could breed two species together what new animal would you create? No thanks. What 5 world leaders would you make sit down in a room to discuss issues? Isn’t that already the point of UN? If you were in the hospital who are the two people you'd want by your side? Gab and my dad. When was the last time you cried and what made you cry? Ooh ya got me. With this quarantine not letting me go anywhere and giving me new experiences, I’ve had no reason to cry lol.

The last most vivid reason I remember crying was that one Wednesday in February where everything went wrong – Andrew and I got red marks all over our thesis and we got practically yelled at over how bad our work had been so far; accidentally spewing peanut sauce all over the said thesis draft immediately after it was returned to us; almost losing this one thing for the org that I 100% WAS NOT allowed to lose, and having to ask Andrew to go back to campus at mid-fucking-night just to retrieve it and feeling shit the whole time for asking that of him; and having to deal with an unresponsive source for an article I needed to write and finish ASAP. I cried nonstop until like 2 AM that night. If you could ever take a street sign, what sign do you want? It’d be such a pointless steal, so no thanks. What is your favorite ride at any amusement park? Haha anything mild and for kids tbh. My stomach can’t handle rides. Have you ever raised money for charity? I haven’t spearheaded any fundraisers but I’ve donated for some, like whenever workers from exploitative corporations go to UP to visit some classes, talk about their struggles, and ask for support. How do you feel about growing older? I’ve got little time to be scared of it because getting old just happens all the time and constantly. I just take it for what it is and learn along the way. What wild animal scares you? Probs lion. I’ve never seen one in real life and movies and shows have conditioned me to think they’ll attack any human that comes close enough, soooooooo no thanks. I’d love to be corrected and to find out that they’re big softies, though. Do you think actors and athletes are overpaid? I can argue that for some actors, but definitely not athletes. Athletes bust their ass day in and day out and are in constant need of training, transportation, and the adequate gear, equipment, etc. Some actors just have to sit pretty and they wouldn’t even be good at it. Have you ever been alienated, if so for what? This was me for most of what you’d call middle school. People were starting to be more conscious of trends and using it as a basis for who to hang out with, so while everyone had a Blackberry, got side bangs, and listened to The Summer Set, I was struggling to fit in a place where my love of wrestling would be accepted. Of course there was none, and I felt left out for a while.

More recently, this was also me in applying for AIESEC but I’ve already touched on that a couple of times here. The alienation was so bad my friends and I just resort to laughing about my experience whenever it gets brought up. Have you ever not returned something you borrowed and if so what was it? I have a couple of Gab’s jackets, but she doesn’t mind me keeping them since I get cold quicker and more often. When you pack your lunch, what's your favorite packed lunch? Loooove when my dad makes curry for me to bring to school. What was the one most important thing you learned from your parents? It’s impossible to start at the bottom and work your way to the very top. I’m constantly worried about staying at the bottom, so it’s always comforting to see how far they’ve come.

On a parenting note, I’ve learned that I should talk to my future kids the way they are – kids. Ever since I can remember my mom has always gotten mad at me as if I was already an adult, so it’s made me permanently terrified of all adults/the idea of pissing anyone off. She would always just get mad, banging stuff around, and never explain to me what I did wrong, so to this day I get very self-punishing when I feel like I’ve done something wrong but don’t exactly know what it was I did.

How fast can you run? I used to be good as a kid which is what landed me on the track team in grade school, but I didn’t enjoy running so I did it less and less every year. Now I’m just meh at it. Have you done something you worry could come back to haunt you, what? Nothing that bad, no. What is your most favorite feature of your favorite electronic device? I’m very happy with the battery life of my laptop, considering how 1) my old Macbook Air only had a battery life of one hour, and 2) the laptop I had before had a damaged battery to begin with so I couldn’t even use it/bring it anywhere unless it was plugged in. The 10-hour battery life for my current one is a fucking dream for me lmao. If you had to build a small ark, what 7 animals would you save? All the endangered ones so like an elephant, Philippine eagle, panda, orangutan, tiger, and a rhinoceros. I’d save the last slot for a stray dog. What is your favorite Christmas or holiday tradition? I love going over to my mom’s cousins’ place and have our tradition of exchanging gifts singing My Monito/Monita. What novel would you love to be transported into to live out your days? I prefer non-fiction, soz. What is your favorite hiding place? MY CAR. It’s seen my worst breakdowns, my sleeping sessions in the middle of the day, and the days where I’m okay but simply need a break from everyone. If I feel like being alone I just head inside, recline my seat, and tune out the whole world. What is something your parents love that you actually love too? Indian food. Have anyone ever said "I love you" and you couldn't say it back. This is me with my mom. I’ve stopped saying “I love you” ever since I came to terms with the fact that she has brought a lot of trauma into my life and it would be unfair to the both of us (mostly me, heh) if I said it back. Have you ever ridden a camel? I haven’t. It would be very difficult to find a camel on this side of the planet.

What's been the hardest loss you've had to take? My grandfather and Nacho. What emotion is your least favorite and the one you are not in touch with? I hate feeling embarrassed obviously, but I’m regularly in touch with it because there’s always at least one event a day where I fuck up and I feel extremely embarrassed. Do you think facial moles or freckles are cute? I don’t mind them. They’re not a common facial trait where I live, so I’m more fascinated by them than anything else. Would you ever pick up a hitchhiker? I’ve read too many accounts of serial killers where hitchhikers were involved to feel skeptical about them but I know I’d also feel bad if I ignored them. I honestly don’t know what to feel about them as I don’t live in a hitchhike-y area.

What was your funniest computer or phone wallpaper? Eh, I don’t really pick wallpapers to find them funny. If you're searching for a relationship, where is your go place to look? Unapplicable for my demi ass. When and where are you happiest? Either anywhere with Gab or Skywalk with my orgmates. What was your favorite age, so far? 16 has so far been the year with the least fuckups. What is your favorite part of the day? Typically, it would be the moment I realize I’m done with everything that needed to be done for that day, like if my last meeting has ended or if I’m finished with my last class, and all that’s left to do is to drive home. What book have you read multiple times? The Septimus Heap series up til the 5th book (there are 7) only because in the past I had always made plans to restart and finish the whole series, but I never did get around to finishing it so I’ve only just kept restarting and restarting the books. Do you keep a budget? No budget. What matters to me is at least being able to have savings at the end of the week, which is tbh not the smartest thing to do. Have you ever test driven a car you knew you weren't going to buy? Nope, I’ve never gone car shopping like that. Pretend you're doing an interview, what's the first question? Uhhhhhhhhhh idk depends on what the interview is for? What do you have a hard time visualizing? Everything. I’m not a very visual person and creativity is my weak point, so I genuinely struggle if I do have to imagine anything. Abstract reasoning has always been my least favorite part of tests. What makes you feel uncomfortable in group settings? If all of them already know each other and I am just starting to try and fit in – it’s worse if they’re all loud and extroverts. The former is what made my internship hard for me in the beginning, but thankfully they were all very nice and could tell I was shy so they knew not to overwhelm me by being too loud. What was your worst date ever? I haven’t had a bad date. Have you ever gotten in a bidding war on Ebay, if so for what item? Nope. If you had to pick one food to eat everyday for life, what would it be? Risotto or chicken wings. For dessert, macarons. Are you supportive of your friends even if you don't agree with them? As long as their choice doesn’t entail stepping on human rights, e.g. not being pro-choice or supporting a president that supports killing the poor, I’ll be fine with the disagreement. Have you ever used the opposite sex restroom in an emergency? Yeah I had a bad nausea attack one time and needed to vomit but I only had enough time to run to the men’s bathroom before I started throwing up everywhere, so that’s where I ran. What did you think was stupid until you tried it? Ube cheesecake. I really hate ube flavor and I hate everything it’s in, but I gave it a chance when a local bakeshop incorporated ube in cheesecake since it’s my favorite kind of cake. I ended up really liking it and now I often look for it when we have family get-togethers. What subject do you and your parents never see eye to eye on? Politics, duh. Where do you see yourself in 1 year's time? Having a job, out of the quarantine, maybe saving for a trip. How scared of the dark are you? I’m fine with the dark as long as I’m not somewhere that’s meant to be haunted. What is your favorite type of seafood? Crab fat, sashimi, eel, and sea urchin. What triggers your inner shopaholic? I don’t really have a trigger. I don’t even consider myself a shopaholic. I just shop for new clothes once I feel like I’ve been repeating my clothes too much. What is the rudest thing a person can do to another person in your opinion? Insulting dead parents is one. Except if you’re the Marcoses, heh. What public figure do you disagree with the most? President Duterte, obviously. I wanna barf just having to call him President. Do you think you could ever be a firefighter, why/why not? Nope, because I’m terrified of fire and I don’t have half the stamina needed to carry the shit they have to lift when they have to put out fires. What is/was your favorite bedtime story? I don’t have any. My favorite kids’ book was Corduroy, though. What was the last thing to make you feel happy? My dog going down the stairs and going straight to me for pats once he was done. What is your opinion on rats as pets? Rats are pests here so I find it pretty disgusting. I think hamsters are fine, though. What is something you're afraid to try? Cliff diving, bungee jumping... anything that would give me the sensation of leaving my stomach behind lmao. What cartoon character best describes you? Mr. Peanutbutter from BoJack Horseman. What keeps you interested in your goals or dreams? The fact that I went through so much shit as a child/teenager that I absolutely have to make myself happy in the end, and I can only do that by achieving my goals. What is your favorite actress beginning with the letter J? Jessica Chastain. What song makes you dance uncontrollably? Crazy in Love by Beyoncé, heh. If you wanted to live off the radar where would you live? I was gonna say Sagada but everyone knows it’s my favorite place so it’d probably be one of the first areas they’d start to look... so I’d go with Batanes. That place can’t get any more secretive with their sporadic phone signal and nonexistent internet/data connection. Do you like nachos, if so what topping is a MUST have? Melted cheese. Do you have any subscriptions? Netflix and (technically) Spotify. Which is better, Mario or Sonic? Mario. I’ve never played a Sonic game and I’ve only ever encountered him playing Super Smash Bros. Brawl, which is a Mario-themed game to begin with. Who is the most creative person you know? Alex, someone from my high school who can recreate any. thing. Art is in her blood; she was my seatmate for one sem and she was constantly doodling and drawing and making new stuff in every class we were in. Besides a pickle, what is your favorite thing pickled? I hate pickles and anything pickled :/ Not really in the Filipino palate. What did you do for your 21st birthday? If not, 21 what are your plans? I celebrated it mostly alone because Gab couldn’t be present. Angela made me feel better by taking me to dinner and an arcade.

Are you a role model for anyone in your life? I dunno. I hope so, for at least one person. What song do you hate the most? Any song by The Vamps or Meghan Trainor. Do you think you need to slow down and enjoy life more? Isn’t slowing down what we’re all kinda forced to do right now? Can you impersonate anyone famous? Eh, sure. It’s fun to copy Gordon Ramsay for one hahaha. If you could go back in time to change one thing what would it be? Going out of my shell as early as freshman year and avoiding the semester-long breakdown/depressive episode I had. Can you honestly say you're enjoying your life right now? I can’t say I’m unhappy lmao. I have no problem doing nothing at home for more than a month – besides, this already serves as the break I planned to have shortly after graduating. After this I’ll be really ready to start looking for a job. What is your favorite salty snack? Pringles. What is your favorite restaurant? Yabu, Torch, Pound by Todd English, or Frankies. Idk man, I’m craving so much shit now that I haven’t eaten out for more than a month. Have you ever been in a play for school? Yeah, we were all required to be in all the annual school productions from kinder to senior year.

#survey #surveys

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lotsofthinkythoughts · 5 years

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The Catch (and Release)

This is the latest of the Bank Robber AU @gingerteaonthetardis and I have been spamming everyone with, so... enjoy? The rest is here.

He told her to run, shoved her away and stood like a barrier between her and the police. And it had worked. He meant for her to leave, to take the duffel to the car, use the keys he’d shoved into her hands and drive away.

“That’s never gonna happen,” she mutters shoving the duffel in the trunk.

She stares at her reflection in the rearview mirror and plans. She’s not sure how long she sits there, cracked leather of the steering wheel beneath her palms- mind running over everything that had happened that night.

“See, easy!” He said, placing the last of the cash into the duffel

“And for your next trick?” She teased, bumping her hip against his as he zipped it.

“Oh, I don’t know, perhaps a disappearing act? Appropriate for a show like this, don’t you think?”

“Mmm. Perhaps.” She ran her hands through his hair, still shorter than normal, but long enough to grip nicely. The sensation wasn’t as nice through the black leather gloves the both always wear, but needs must.

“Rose,” he half-reprimanded, half-whined, nose brushing against hers in that way that he always did when he was so close to giving in and kissing her but knew he shouldn’t.

“Yes, I know, you don’t have to remind me. I have plans for you later.”

“I’ll bet you do.”

She grabbed the duffel, sauntering away with a swing in her hips put on entirely for show.

They nearly made it to the exit before things went wrong. The single night guard turning a corner just a moment too early, catching sight of them, and a police car passing at the same moment they came bursting out of the back of the bank.

“Run!” John shouted, scrabbling at his pockets for the car keys and tossing them to her and she ran beside him. She caught them out of instinct, fingers closing around the fob and chain, metal biting her palm.

“I’m not-” She started to protest, but he cut her off sharply.

“Yes, you are. GO.”

Then he was gone, pivoting on his heel and running away from her and Rose didn’t know what to do but what he said.

She leans forward, folding herself up tightly, her forehead against the backs of her hands. She knows there was always danger, that this life wasn’t easy or simple or without sacrifice. But the thought of John in handcuffs, shoved around by the police while she sits here and free roils bile over her tongue. Swallowing it down, she drives, all the way to motel.

The sight of the little room, with it’s dingy wallpaper and dirty carpet, maps and suitcases on the wooden dresser turns her throat dry. She thinks of the money in the car. “You know what to do,” his voice, soft and low and serious echoes in her mind.

She should pack everything. Throw it in the trunk, break up the money in another motel in another town- give some away, spend some, tuck the last away just in case. Instead, she stands against the closed door of the room, glad it’s a by the night establishment that asks no questions.

A long minute passes as she stands there breathing out stuck between doing something, and running. She turns, forehead pressing against the wood of the door, fingers half wrapped around the doorknob- thinking of going to the police station- she knows where it is and how to get there in under twenty minutes.

They could plan together, they always worked better together after all.

But she couldn’t shake the vision of John’s face, eyes sharp despite the worry in his tone, just before he turned away from her. She couldn’t ignore that.

She has work to do.

She spreads the city map on the bed, looking at the surroundings of the station and tries to find a way in; first by lamplight, and then by sunlight as dawn shifts into day bright enough for the sun to penetrate the thin curtains. By then her eyes are bloodshot and her head is heavy but she can’t stop. If she stops now, it’s giving up.

“I can’t do this,” she whispers under the steam of the shower, hot enough to burn. The phrase bubbles up inside her, a negative mantra, one that she can’t squash until she’s leaning against tile, tears running down her face hot and ugly and pained. The water abruptly goes cold, and she stands in the stream, the shock of it against her skin sharp and biting. It hurts, but the pain gives her some clarity and pulls her back into herself.

Maybe she can’t do this- not the way they usually do, where John proposes a mad scheme and they laugh and walk it back until it’s realistic. But she can plan. And sneak. She’s done it before, so long ago it feels like a lifetime. The stakes are higher now.

(In her mind’s eye she can see John frowning at her.

“No they aren’t,” the ghost in her head says clearly enough that she can almost feel his hand against her cheek.

Even in her own mind he won’t let her think he’s more important than she is.)

It doesn’t matter if she thinks she can do this. She has to. She refuses to lose him.

It takes her a week to come up with a plan. A week of a stone growing in the pit of her stomach. A week of fighting off the voice inside her screaming at her to go- that she can’t waste anymore time.

The first day, she drinks cold coffee with a grimace while pouring over a library microfiche, looking at blueprints and sketching them out for herself in a tiny notebook. She finds so many ways that won’t work. Double enclosures and checkpoints abound and it gives her a headache after a while.

Prisons, Rose decides, are more trouble than they’re worth.

She shakes her head when the librarian asks her if she needs assistance, internally giggling at the face they would make if she said ‘Well, if you have any books on prison breaks’. She’s not foolish enough to make even a joke, but she has to find her amusement where she can. She tries not to think about John all alone in a cell.

She spends her evening eating Chinese food from a carton - looking at the city map and her blueprint sketches. There’s a plan in them somewhere, between the station and the city and the prison. She balances the box on her sock-covered knee with one hand as she leans forward to grab her notebook. The sleeve of John’s sweater falls over her hand from where she’d shoved it up to her elbow earlier.

She lets the notebook balance on the knee of the leg that’s tucked under her, as she goes back to eating, wrinkling her nose when one of the noodles drops off her chopsticks to the paper below.

There was no way to get him out from the outside.

So how did she get in, then?

She spends two days contemplating that question. She couldn’t imitate a police officer or guard; it was too obvious and too difficult to get hold of the uniform regardless. So then, who else could she be. She drives in loops around the prison, where she knows they’ve moved him by now, and it’s in one of these that inspiration strikes. She sees the nice suits of the lawyers who go in.

That, she thinks, is an uniform I can get.

It takes another three days before she’s ready to go forward with the plan. She spends those nights sleeping in the car, running over the details as she stares at the roof of the car using John’s sweater as a pillow. Her maps and notes and blueprints burned in the sink before she left, dwindling to ash as she kept the window propped open to let the smoke out. She drives away to buy herself a smart skirt suit and a briefcase, one with a hidden compartment, then to another town for the tools she needs, and then to one last to make altered copies of the business card she’d stolen from the public defender's office the morning she left. (It was frighteningly easy, but then, Rose supposed they must have all sorts in and out of there why would they notice a single quiet blonde.)

The altered cards take most of an afternoon, but they’re cheap and the teen manning the cash register is more occupied with the magazine she’s reading than the face of the girl fiddling with cardstock in the printer. Nothing jams, and the knot of tension eases as she starts the drive back.

It turns out she needn’t have bothered with the second step, because when she walks up to the prison saying the public defender’s office sent her, they don’t ask for identification. Her hair is pulled into a sleek chignon, a pen holding it together, because it was what she had on hand. She waits, the guards moving around as they get John from holding. Her fingers clench and unclench around the handle of the briefcase as she walks herself through the plan again.

Get in. See John. Give him the tools. Tell him where to meet her. Wait.

Simple and easy to remember. She just has to remain calm.

“What happened to other guy?” the guard asks her casually, as he lifts up the lid of the briefcase.

There’s nothing to find except papers and a manila folder she’d stuffed with copy paper and clipped with paper clips. He doesn’t open the folder.

Rose shrugs, schooling her face into a neutral mask. “I don’t know, I just go where they send me. Maybe they thought I could get him to talk.”

The guard grunts, a noise she thinks means agreement, as he snaps the case shut and hands it back to her. She watches as he crosses over to unlock the door leading to the interview room. There’s a CCTV camera in the corner, but that’s the least of her worries.

John’s face when he sees her, concerns her far more than the fixed lens she knows how to avoid.

He doesn’t say anything, not until the door is closed behind her.

“Why are you here?” He asks, angling his face so the camera can’t catch the movement of his lips.

“You know why.”

I told you to leave, he mouths, his face serious and blank as she takes a seat across from him at the table. “I don’t have anything more to say,” he adds aloud, for the benefit of anyone who might be listening in.

“Well that’s unfortunate,” Rose says, attempting to portray an ice-queen to any security room voyeur even as her stomach turns. She sets the briefcase on the table, angling it just so, to block the edge of the hidden compartment being revealed in a moment.

She pulls out the manila folder and slides it over to him, watching his brow crinkle in confusion. “Review that for me, would you?”

He reaches out, slides the folder toward himself and flips it open, slowly flipping through the blank pages until he finds the one in the center. At the heart of the folder is the plan, in all it’s deceptively simple glory.

She helps him save himself.

The paper contains a sketch of the central wall of a cell, an arrow drawn to a panel beneath the bed. It’ll be a tight squeeze through vents for him, but he’s been in tighter spots, she knows. There’s also a note: one that Rose wrote and rewrote a dozen times.

I’m never gonna leave you. I want you safe. So be careful. And quick. Tonight, preferably.

The vents are open- turn at first left, second right, third on the left, go straight ahead, and drop down. Go past the bins, and take the fifth door on your left. The blue door, not the red.

Meet me at the abandoned lot behind that coffee shop - the one with the graffiti of the golden eyes.

He reads it and looks at her curiously- watching as she palms a screwdriver up the sleeve of her suit coat, an action blocked by the raised lid of the briefcase.

“Well?” She asks

“Seems reasonable enough.” He nods once. Then his eyes shift and his expression softens. It’s an expression Rose doesn’t dare think about at this moment. If she does the mask of professionalism and carelessness will absolutely fall. She’s spent too long worrying and planning to ruin things now because she couldn’t keep a lid on her own feelings.

“Are you certain you have nothing to add in your defense?”

His brow furrows, and then he seems to read between the lines, seeing the question she couldn’t ask. His fingers curl into themselves and she knows if she reached across the table he’d hold her hand in his.

“I’m absolutely certain. Anything that happened was my fault alone.”

She exhales through her nose, not surprised by the response. They’d talk about this when he was free- talk about his tendency to protect her, keep her from harm sometimes at the detriment to his own health. She thinks about that summer when they’d escaped by falling out a second story plate glass window. How he’d pulled her over him, cushioning her landing, breaking a leg and gashing up his back for his trouble.

She carefully circles the table, heels clacking on the floor as she goes to stand beside him. “I promise you, Mr. Smith, you’ll have the best defense we can provide.” She lets the screwdriver fall silently into his lap, watching as he tucks it away.

“I’m sure I will if you’re on the team, ma’am.” He grins up at her, and she can’t stop herself from rolling her eyes at his smile.

She packs everything up, careful to keep her face straight as he smirks at her- he knew full well what that look did to her. And she might not be able to tell him off for it now, but she would soon. Very soon.

---

The day drags by, leaving her feeling frayed and worried even after shedding her disguise for the sweater she’d been wearing off and on the past week. She considers the idea of going to the laundromat, spending time mindlessly watching clothes tumble around for a few hours, but the idea of shedding the comfort the sweater gives her makes the knot of tension pull tighter. Instead, she buys herself a coffee and lingers in the tiny play park on the edge of the town, sitting on empty swings and staring into the middle distance.

She only moves to the abandoned lot after dark, parking the car on the far side and leaving John a change of clothes in the backseat. Now all that’s left for her is to wait.

She’s never been good at the waiting. She thinks of all the days they’ve spent making waiting something else, filling up hours with the press of skin and the slickness of sweat between them. She thinks of the hushed conversations about what they both want from the future.

Her fingers clench and unclench around the steering column until she has to leave the car because the air is thick with memories and uncertainty. She waits under the graffiti instead the night air cold against her skin where she’s rucked up the sleeves of the sweater one more time.

Rose doesn’t know how long she stands there, running her fingers over the fabric pilled from hours and days of wear. She loses herself in the feeling and texture, so much so she almost misses the sound of soft footsteps over gravel.

John comes into view, looking tired and drawn in the dim moonlight, and Rose feels the knots of tension that has been her constant friend this past week vanish. She takes one step, then two, until she’s running full tilt at him so she can meet him sooner. He’s not close enough, not yet, she thinks.

They crash together like tides on the shore. It’s almost violent, the embrace they share, both exhausted and wrung out now clinging to one another. He’s saying something, whispering words into her hair but she can’t hear them over her tears. She pulls her head back from their tangled embrace, and he follows, arms clenched tight around her.

“Stay,” he says, grip on her so strong she’ll have bruises tomorrow. But she’s holding on just as tightly, unwilling to let him go, even for a moment.

“Always.”

She leans back in and kisses him. It’s more than words could ever say, hot and hard and desperate. His mouth is open under hers and they give and take equally, trying to take root in one another, to find the ground that’s always been between them solid and steady. She feels him backing her up, looking for something to lift her against and oh she wants, she wants, she wants.

“Wait,” she breathes, pulling her mouth away from his. “Car. We should - car.”

She can’t manage more of a complete thought than that, her mind still screaming with his presence and the feel of his skin against hers. He understands anyway. Their hands fall together as they run, fingers entwined. It’s barely any distance really to get there, but it feels like miles.

She finds herself shoving the carefully folded set of clothes she’d left out for him to the floorboard as she pulls him into the backseat with her. They should wait, until after they’re farther away, safer, but she can’t. And based on the feel of him as his hips press her down into the leather seat, neither can he. They lock eyes in the darkened car and she nods once, her hands already drifting to the button of her jeans.

It’s hot, messy and desperate, a metaphor for their lives even, if she was given to being poetic about such things. She kisses him hard as he presses inside, trying to pull him closer, and closer still. It’s not close enough. She’s not sure it ever will be again. Her hands trace over what she can reach of his chest and over his shoulder to his back, before burying one hand in his hair and holding on. His mouth is at her neck as his hips rock in a rhythm that’s chasing, motion as desperate as her heart feels. She’s not sure she can match his fall, but he knows her, and knows what she needs and so he works a hand between them and gives it to her.

They let the tide carry them away, clinging to each other the whole time. The world narrows to nothing but the sweaty stickiness of the leather under her back and the warmth of John above her. There’s nothing else that matters. It’s him and her and them together, clinging to the skin of an empty world tilting too fast for them to keep up. They lay like that for a while, coming down from the high.

By morning, they’ll find themselves somewhere new, somewhere quiet where they’ll drink coffee overlooking a lake vista. They’ll talk then, about what they should do differently, about his tendency to sacrifice himself for her, about her refusal to let him. But right now, they’re at home. And no matter the danger, it’s as it should be.

#Eight x Rose #bank robber au #this got... a bit out of hand #I'm not apologizing but there's a reason it's got it's own post #that's all #gingerteaonthetardis #is an excellent accomplice in this AU we're committing #bless her for starting this particular train #fic I wrote

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