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olliepig · 4 years

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Centre Stage chapter 2

The next chapter is here! Massive thanks as always to the amazing @willow-salix for all her help, cheerleading and betaing prowess with this.

As always, the whole thing is available on AO3 here

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“Thank you so much for this week, it’s been amazing,” Cat smiled, leaning back into Scott, her head comfortably nestled on his shoulder as she watched the stars, John and Selene’s voices fading to nothing behind them.

“Tell me about it,” Scott grinned, barely aware of anything but Cat, wanting to savour the feeling of contentment that had been ever present since they got together and the tranquillity it had brought to him that only nagging thoughts of their imminent separation could disturb. She was warm in his arms, her body pressed against him as he dropped a tender kiss on the top of her head, taking in the scent of her hair as it tickled his nose.

Cat nuzzled her head further into him but didn’t reply, lost in thought as she listened to the distant waves rolling onto the shore and the gentle breeze rustling the leaves of the palm trees behind them.

Their final day together had been remarkably free from any rescues and they had spent it relaxing by the pool before everyone assembled on the beach for an impromptu family barbecue to bid her farewell.

Good food and company had led to the whole family sitting around, talking and laughing until late, and it had felt to Scott like a lifetime to wait before everyone finally went to bed, leaving them sitting alone on a blanket spread out on the sand for the second time that week.

Unlike the last time, Cat’s mind was calm and, like Scott, she was savouring their closeness and the peace that it brought over her. Spending the evening with the whole family had been wonderful but she hadn't been able to take her eyes off him all night and had been counting down the minutes until they could be alone together once more. Having finally started their relationship, it seemed so unfair that they had such a short amount of time together before they had to go back to their own lives on opposite sides of the planet.

“When do you think we’ll see each other again?” Scott asked, breaking the silence and finally voicing the question that had been plaguing them both for days.

Cat sighed, not wanting to face the reality of the conversation just yet but knowing that she must.

“I don’t know,” she answered honestly. “I’m going straight into rehearsals on Monday for that tour in Italy I told you about. That’s going to pretty much take up the next month or so, and then I’m back in rehearsals again for the next season. I’d say it’s going to be into September anyway before I have a free day to meet up, and that’s only if you can get to London.”

Cat’s heart clenched painfully as she spoke. She hadn’t allowed herself to think about it before, preferring to bury her head in the sand for as long as possible and enjoy their time together without the added pressure of knowing for definite that it could be months before they next were on the same continent.

Scott hugged her tighter at the news he’d been dreading. He’d known before he even asked that it was likely to be a number of weeks but having it confirmed that it was going to be more than a month was definitely not what he was hoping for.

“I’ll do my best, but by then we’re probably going to be getting close to having the T drive sorted, so I don’t know how much time I’ll have to come over,” he admitted, already feeling the ache in his chest as he imagined being without her again. “Isn’t there any way you can get some time off before then? Even just a day?”

“I really don’t think there is. Tour schedules are a nightmare and every day is already accounted for, and in the couple of days I have when I get back to London, I’m going to have to get organised for starting back with the company,” Cat explained, her heart sinking as she spoke, the thought of not seeing him making her feel strangely hollow.

“We knew this might be the reality for us,” she continued softly, shifting herself round to look at him, hating how downcast he seemed, his eyes lowered and his whole demeanour screaming disappointment. “We’ve both got stuff we’ve arranged that can’t be changed, but it’s not forever. Once these existing commitments are over, then I can factor our relationship into anything new I get asked to take on, but until then I can’t do much I’m afraid. I can’t let people down who’ve already bought tickets.”

“I know that, and I’m not asking you to change anything. I’d just hoped we’d be able to see each other sooner. Not being able to really fucking sucks, that's all,” he finished, meeting her eyes, hoping that she understood what he was saying.

“You’re not wrong there,” Cat smiled sadly, reaching out to gently stroke his cheek, feeling the faint roughness from his stubble prickle her hand as he leant into her touch. “But Scott, this is going to be the reality for us. Are you sure it’s what you want? I’m not going to be someone who can be available whenever you are. I’ve got my life and my career. However much I want to be with you, I’m not going to give that up.”

“Who said anything about that?” Scott exclaimed, horrified that she could even think that was how he was feeling. “If I’d wanted the kind of girlfriend who was at my beck and call whenever it suited me, I could have had that years ago but it holds no appeal whatsoever. I want a partner. I want to be able to support you in everything you do in the same way that I know you’ll do with me. I don’t expect you to be here all the time.”

He paused for a moment, reaching out and taking her hand in his own, needing the comfort of her touch as he brought it to his lips and kissed it gently before continuing.

“Like you say, you’ve got your life and your career, and you have no idea how proud I am of you for everything you’ve done. I’m never going to try and take that away from you, I just want to fit in around it and complement it. I was just disappointed because we’ve only just got to this point and it feels like it’s ending far too soon,” he finished, hoping that he’d done enough to convince her that he wasn’t trying to turn her into something she wasn’t.

Cat held his gaze for a moment, pinned in place by the intensity she found there as he implored her to understand before closing the gap between them and brushing his lips with her own. She didn’t prolong the kiss, choosing instead to rest her forehead against his, allowing them to draw comfort from each other as she took in what he had just said.

“Sorry,” she breathed, pulling back to look at him once more. “I didn’t mean to imply any of that. I’ve just dated one too many guys who didn’t like how much of my life my job took up. I know you’re not like that but it’s hard not to fall back into old habits sometimes.”

“I totally understand that. I’ve not managed to have a proper relationship since we moved here and started this,” Scott replied, turning and gesturing towards the villa and the craft held far below, before looking back to Cat.

“My life is so unpredictable that dates kept having to be reorganised at the last minute and, in my experience, that didn't usually go down very well, so I gave up after a while,” he continued with a shrug and a small smile that made Cat’s heart ache for him. “I don’t want to go into this worrying about what’s gone before, either with you or with others. It’s why I was so happy when you said what you did about talking to each other about stuff. If we can do that as soon as there’s even a hint of a problem, then there won’t be any misunderstandings and we’ll be fine.”

“Couldn’t agree more,” Cat smiled, shivering slightly as the gentle breeze raised goose bumps on her arms, looking away as she tried to rub some warmth back into them.

It wasn’t cold on the beach by any stretch of the imagination but the temperature had definitely dropped since the sun had set and she found herself wishing that she’d brought another layer with her.

Sensing movement beside her, she looked up just in time to see Scott pulling off his hoodie, giving her a tantalising glimpse of toned stomach as his t-shirt rode up before he tugged it back down and covered himself again.

“Here, take this,” he offered, reaching around her to drape it over her shoulders, the action leaving them briefly cocooned in it, safe in their own little world.

Time seemed to slow for Cat as she watched him getting nearer; even though she knew it was allowed now, the thrill of being so close to him hadn’t left her and she could feel her heart starting to pound in her chest as she was drawn to him, unable to resist any longer.

“Scott…” she almost whispered, snapping his attention to her from where it had been focussed on just getting her warm.

He froze in place, his eyes meeting hers, the tone of her voice sparking something in him. He was captured by the intensity and longing in her gaze, his heart rate skyrocketing as he lost himself in the moment, drawn towards her as his lips met hers in a soft, lingering kiss.

Cat moaned quietly, feeling her heart rate increasing further as she deepened their kisses, snaking her tongue along the seam of his lips and encouraging them to part, his lips warm and impossibly soft under her own.

His hoodie forgotten, Scott buried his hands in her hair, cradling her head as she slid her arms around his back, pulling herself into him and pressing their bodies together. There was an urgency to her kisses which excited him and his breathing quickened as they clung to one another, his blood starting to pool in his trousers, making him shift uncomfortably.

No longer feeling the cold thanks to the burning heat starting to build in her, Cat was desperate for more. Her whole body was crying out for his touch and, powerless to resist any longer, she shifted her position and lay back onto the blanket.

Scott’s eyes flew open in surprise as he felt himself being pulled onto her and he tucked himself alongside her, his need to feel the closeness of her body matching hers. Propping himself up on an elbow so as not to squash her, the sight that greeted him took his breath away and he hungrily took in her long hair spread out beneath her as she looked up at him, desire darkening her eyes and her lips slightly parted.

Dipping back down to kiss her once again, he felt her hands roaming across his back, clawing at him and sending all his remaining blood flooding south, leaving him slightly lightheaded. He had always loved this wild side to her, and knowing that behind the controlled public persona was someone who was able to completely let go was a massive turn on for him so he replied in kind, his hands tangling in her hair, pulling on it slightly as he kissed her again and again.

A thrill of recognition passed through Cat as she realised the last time Scott had kissed her like that had been at Penny’s, and her need for him now at least matched how she had felt that night. He had an irresistible draw on her, and his words of reassurance earlier had ensured that any lingering reservations about taking their relationship further before she left the island had been forgotten.

Frustrated that they still weren’t close enough, Cat slid her hands lower, grabbing his ass and pulling his hips into hers, feeling the unmistakable bulge in his jeans press into her.

Scott groaned loudly as the added pressure made him see stars, dropping his head onto her shoulder for a moment to try and regain some composure.

“I hate you so much right now,” he complained once he was able to speak again, a faint smile curling the edges of his lips.

“No, you don’t,” she grinned, kissing his neck, gently nipping the skin as she went.

Scott tilted his head, giving her better access as he considered his answer, his eyes closed, lost in the sensations.

“You’re right, I don’t,” he conceded after a moment, crushing her lips under his once again as desire ripped through him.

This time, his free hand didn’t stay tangled in the long strands of her hair. It roamed up and down her body, making her writhe under his touch.

“Scott,” she mumbled into his mouth, feeling his hand slide up inside her top just as a memory from a decade before materialised in her head, making her pull back.

“Yeah?” his head shot up, concern that he had gone too far in his eyes.

“If we’re going to do this, maybe we should take it back up to the house? Cos I’m guessing we don’t want a repeat of what happened last time,” she grinned, quickly dissolving into laughter as their eyes met.

“Oh God, their faces!” Scott choked, unable to hold in his mirth as he collapsed over her, all desire evaporating as amusement took hold. Their escapade on a Virginia beach was something he hadn’t had cause to think about in years, but now that he’d been reminded, he couldn’t quite believe that they’d ever done it, although he had to admit that it had been very, very funny. “They looked so shocked.”

“As well they might. I’m guessing it wasn’t what they were expecting to come across on an evening stroll,” Cat giggled as Scott pushed himself up, wiping his eyes as he helped straighten her top back out.

“I don’t think I’ve ever moved that fast. They can’t have seen anything too incriminating though, can they?” Scott asked, still chuckling to himself as he helped Cat sit back up again.

“I doubt it, but I reckon they knew exactly what we were up to. It was pretty obvious,” Cat grinned, thoroughly enjoying the sound of Scott’s laughter as it flooded through her, filling her heart with joy.

“I guess it was… oh God, the sand,” Scott cried, exploding with laughter once more as he remembered the worst part of the endeavour. “So much sand everywhere.”

“Don’t remind me,” Cat groaned. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a more uncomfortable drive home. Good shower to get it all off afterwards though, wasn’t it?”

“Now that’s a much better memory,” Scott replied, a rasp in his voice as his eyes glittered dangerously, darkened in desire again.

“Certainly is.” Cat leant in and caught his lips with hers in a lingering kiss that sent shivers down his spine. “So, um… you wanna call it a night down here?”

“Sounds like a good plan to me,” Scott readily agreed, standing and offering her a hand to get up.

Cat smiled as she took his hand and pulled herself up before tearing herself away from him, feeling the loss of his touch keenly as they worked together to fold the blanket and gather what little had been left for them by the others.

She couldn’t help but glance up to look at him and they paused as their eyes met, matching grins spreading across their faces before she wrenched her gaze away and went back to what she was doing. Packing up was slow progress, their eyes meeting often and always with a pause to take each other in with a smile but they eventually had everything ready and set out up the path.

Scott found that a surprising calm came over him as they wound their way back up to the villa, her hand tucked securely into his. Walking together, hand in hand like that felt so right, he thought, like that was how they were meant to be. Despite the promise of things to come that Cat had seemed to make on the beach and the fact that his whole body ached for her touch, he was perfectly happy to let the night run its course, knowing that whatever happened next would be perfect for them.

Beside him, Cat was still lost in the sensations of their embrace, feeling where the heat of his body had seared into her side and the comfort of having his arms around her. Her lips still tingled from his kisses as the memory of them played on a loop in her head, making her body long for more.

Scott had been a perfect gentleman right from the start, she realised, always letting her know what he wanted while also being completely respectful of her wishes. She had no idea what else she would have expected as that was just who he was, but it was reassuring nonetheless and their communication had allowed her to relax into their relationship much more quickly than she had expected.

Before they knew it, they were back up at the house and busied themselves tidying away the blanket and lights in the big cupboard in the kitchen, working together quietly and efficiently.

“We should probably head to bed. It’s getting late and I’ve got a long journey tomorrow,” Cat said, turning to face Scott as they finished up.

“I guess you do,” Scott sighed, his shoulders slumping at the reminder of her imminent departure before he caught the look in her eyes which left him in no doubt of what she was thinking.

Reaching out, he brushed her cheek gently with his fingers, carefully tracing the pad of his thumb over the soft skin beneath her eye as she sighed, her eyes closing and a small smile appearing on her full lips before she nuzzled into his touch and placed a gentle kiss on the palm of his hand. Fire spread through him once more and he closed the gap between them, his hand sliding into her hair and grabbing a handful, pulling her head back as he hungrily met her lips with his own.

Breaking the kiss as suddenly as it had started, he let his hand slide down her arm and took her hand, turning and wordlessly leading her towards his room.

*****

“Well, this is a bit of a first,” Cat commented, looking around in interest as Scott closed his bedroom door quietly behind them.

“In what way?” Scott asked, turning quickly to look at her in confusion, his brain busy thinking about something which was most definitely not a first for them.

“I’ve never been in your bedroom before,” she smiled, knowing exactly where his mind was. Hers was still there too and was unlikely to be waylaid for long, but she was more than prepared to delay things slightly in order to satisfy her curiosity.

Unsurprisingly, she saw that the bed took up most of the space but a small sofa and an armchair sat in a corner with a low table between them and there was a desk in the corner next to the door that she assumed led to an en suite. It was neat, effortlessly stylish and altogether exactly what she would have expected his bedroom to look like.

“God, you’re right. You weren’t allowed on the base were you?” Scott recalled.

“Nope. Every time we’ve seen each other, you’ve always been at mine so this is the first time I get to see Scott Tracy’s bedroom.”

“Please don’t start referring to me in the third person again,” Scott pleaded with a smile, knowing that this argument had been going on for over a decade and that he was unlikely to win now.

Cat grinned at him and stuck her tongue out instead of answering as she wandered over to the desk, and Scott contented himself with good naturedly rolling his eyes in response. It was something she did to everyone and, as such, it actually wasn’t something that bothered him, but he loved that it always made her smile so it was one of the first things he had picked back up again after they had met at Penny’s party.

“I love the family photos,” Cat commented, bending down to look at them as Scott came up behind her to see which ones she was looking at. “That’s a lovely one of you all. Is that where you grew up?”

Having a guest in his room, looking at his pictures was a new experience for Scott and the fact that Cat was already making herself quite at home made his heart swell in happiness, reminding him of the time he had been the one investigating the pictures on display in her dressing room while she got ready after a performance of Swan Lake a few months before. Watching her, he found he was thinking ahead, looking forward to the day there would be pictures of the two of them together, nestled in amongst his treasured family photos.

“Yeah, that’s the farm in Kansas. Grandma took that photo and it’s the only one I have with all of us together with Mom and Dad too. Look at Alan, he’s so tiny,” Scott pointed to the blond toddler, barely being restrained by a tall, red haired boy who could only have been John.

“He’s very cute,” Cat confirmed, as she moved on to look at the next picture. “Is that Gordon with the gold medal?”

Scott looked at the picture of his brothers, arrayed around Gordon, whose smile beamed brighter than the medal around his neck. “Sure is. That was taken right after the ceremony, before he had to go off and do all the official interviews and the big party afterwards.”

“You look so proud of him,” Cat smiled, taking in the enormous grin on Scott’s face in the picture.

“I still am,” Scott admitted. “He put a hell of a lot of work into it, in less than ideal circumstances.”

“God, yeah! It must have been really tough.” Sensing a sudden wave of emotion rolling off Scott, Cat looked up at him, taking in the set of his jaw and his almost indecipherable expression as he kept his gaze trained on the picture. “For all of you.”

“We got through,” Scott deflected with a tone of forced joviality, glancing at her with a small smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, shutting down any further conversation on the subject.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry,” Cat said quietly. She hadn’t meant to stray onto something that was clearly still a difficult subject for Scott and the sudden change in his mood unsettled her. He had never given any hint that Gordon’s Olympic win was anything other than a positive event but his reaction now told her there was more to it than she was unaware of.

“It’s OK. I’m not upset, it was just a tough period, that’s all,” Scott soothed, reaching for her and wrapping her in his arms, lowering his head so their foreheads leant together for the second time that night, the solid warmth of her body calming him and taking him away from memories of a time he’d rather forget. “I’ll tell you about it another time, I promise. I just don’t want to spend our last night together for a while going through it all.”

“Whenever you want to, I’ll be here,” Cat murmured, holding Scott tightly around his waist, feeling the slight tremor in his breathing settle as they stood, drawing strength from each other.

“I know you will,” Scott replied at length, pulling away and meeting Cat’s gaze, the heat in it making him feel giddy once again, unpleasant memories forgotten as the magnetism of the woman in front of him took over once more.

Something shiny caught the corner of her eye, and Cat pulled her gaze away, turning back to the desk, a smile appearing on her face when she realised what it was.

“Are those your wings from the air force?”

“Sure are,” Scott grinned. “I’ve still got the uniform too, packed away in storage somewhere.”

“Oh, do you now?” Cat cocked an eyebrow, images and sensations flooding back to her that she was keen to repeat. “I have very fond memories of you in that uniform.”

“I have some very fond memories of you taking me out of it,” Scott grinned, moving behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist, nuzzling into her neck and kissing it gently.

Cat leant back into him, reaching up and caressing the back of his head with her hand, running her fingers through his soft hair as he worked his way up her neck and along her jaw before spinning around and meeting his lips with her own.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked, pulling back to meet her eyes again.

“I really do,” Cat breathed, held by his gaze as her lips still tingled from his kisses and her body cried out for more.

“You absolutely sure it’s not too quick for you? I don’t want you feeling you have to cos we’re not going to see each other for a while,” he persisted, wanting to make absolutely sure that he was doing the right thing before going any further.

“Absolutely sure,” she confirmed with a smile. “It’s maybe quicker than I thought but it feels right. Now shut up and kiss me again.”

Not needing told twice, Scott captured her lips with his once more, keeping their kisses slow and sensual. He could feel a burning heat starting to build that, if left unchecked, could easily consume them but, unlike when they were at Penny’s, there was no sudden dam ready to burst tonight; they had all the time in the world and Scott for one had every intention of using it.

He pulled back, meeting her eyes briefly before bending to trail kisses along her jaw and down her throat, the scent of her skin filling his nose as he inhaled deeply, feeling the faint tickle of her hair on his face as he did so.

Lost in the sensation of his soft lips working down the sensitive skin of her neck, Cat dropped her arms and slid her hands up inside his t-shirt, feeling the silky-smooth skin of his back as he shivered at her touch. Keen to feel more, she started to pull his top up further as Scott broke contact for a moment, taking the garment, lifting it over his head and dropping it on the floor as her eyes raked hungrily over his bare chest.

Despite knowing that it was allowed, she felt something akin to apprehension as she reached out, tracing down the hard plains of his chest and onto his stomach, feeling the soft dusting of hair tickling her fingertips as she went.

Scott simply watched as she took him in, feeling a strange mix of desire and protectiveness. Her gentle touch set him on fire but she looked so unsure of herself that his first urge was to look after her. Reaching for her, he brushed her hair over her shoulder before bending down to kiss her again, gently but firmly, feeling her hands slide around his waist, pulling herself into him as she returned the kiss.

Standing up on her tiptoes, it was Cat’s turn to bury her face in Scott’s neck, any apprehension melting away as she nipped the skin playfully, making him groan in pleasure as he pushed his hands up under her top, leaving her stomach exposed and sending shivers through her that were from more than the cool night air coming in from the open window.

Pressed together, their bare skin met, sending a jolt through him and causing even more of his blood to head southwards. Needing to feel more, Scott lifted her top off, discarding it on the floor as she reached behind her to unhook her bra, tossing it out of the way before she pressed back into him, kissing his chest and neck as he ran his hands up her muscular back.

Cat pulled away, smiling at the small whimper that came out of him at the loss of her kisses. Taking his hand, she led him toward the bed, pushing him back onto it and quickly climbing up beside him, desperate to feel the warmth of his body against hers once again.

#Scott Tracy #thunderbirds fanfiction #thunderbirds 2015 #thunderbirds are go

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elialys · 4 years

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Ten(too?) x Rose - How to Baby Proof Your TARDIS

This is a gift for @lastbluetardis as part of the Secret Santa (@dwsecretsanta) exchange ^^ The title pretty much says it all. Don't expect anything from this except cavity inducing domestic pregnancy fluff.

Writing this, I could literally not decide if this was Ten x Rose, or Tentoo x Rose in their new TARDIS a few years down the line. Whatever works for you, I guess :D

Happy holidays ♥

[READ IT ON AO3]

HOW TO BABY PROOF YOUR TARDIS

The straw that finally breaks Rose’s aching back happens that night, when she tries using the loo adjacent to their room, and the lid simply refused to be lifted.

No matter how much she pulls, huffs or puffs (with an increasing amount of loud cursing), the bloody thing will not budge, for reasons unknown to her. From what she can see, there is no obvious mechanism that she can snap off, and no Doctor around to tell her what he’s done – and more importantly, how to undo what he’s done.

The thing about being thirty-five weeks pregnant is that she needs to pee.

Often.

It also means that if she doesn’t get to do it in the proper place in the appropriate amount of time, there will come a point when her body will go ‘tough!’ and pretty much make her pee no matter what.

Which is why Rose waddles away from their bedroom, making her way to the next available bathroom as swiftly as she can manage in her state…only to find the toilet just as inaccessible.

Now, the other thing about being thirty-five weeks pregnant is that if she gets remotely upset (and the prospect of peeing herself in the next two minutes is definitely upsetting) she will respond in one of two ways: wrath, or tears.

That night, she does both.

The way she hollers his name is quite terrifying, even to her own irrational ears. For one thing, she sounds exactly like her Mum does on a bad day. She also sounds like someone about to commit a murder.

Wherever he’s been, the Doctor hears her call well enough. Unfortunately, she’s too livid and desperate by then to be impressed in any way by how quickly he reappears, nothing short of tripping over his own feet as he staggers into the small room.

His panicked expression only worsens when he takes her in, tearstained face and all.

“What is it? Contractions? Spotting? Vitamin deficiency?”

“I need to pee!” she barks at him, pointing at the closed lid. “Open that bloody thing up!”

“Oh,” he says, having the nerves to just stand there and blink for a moment, until her nostrils flare and she fixes him with a glare so intense that he startles back into action at once. “Oh! Of course, just a tick!”

“I don’t have a tick,” she snaps back, miserable, as big, fat tears stream down her face, along with an impressive amount of mucus from her nose.

His screwdriver is already out and buzzing away at the lid, soon leading to an audible CLICK.

“There you go!” he exclaims, bravely beaming at her, although there is unmistakable terror in his eyes, well aware that he’s mucked this up.

She points at the door, sniffling and swallowing down more gunk in the process. “Out,” she whispers, and that soft, furious word seems to terrify him more than any shouting.

He does not argue, swiftly leaving the room, having the decency to close the door behind him, allowing Rose to do her business on time – and in the right place.

“I’m sorry.”

His voice comes muffled through the door, and she has no problem whatsoever picturing him as he must be, pretty much splayed all over the wood, already self-flagellating for upsetting her.

Now that her desperate urge to urinate has been dealt with, she feels immensely better, and a lot more rational – as well as a tad embarrassed. How much crying, snotting and peeing can someone manage in a day, exactly?

“We’ve talked about this,” Rose reminds him thickly, blowing her nose with toilet paper.

“I know.”

“It’ll be months before she’s big enough to move around on her own, let alone find herself near a loo.”

“I know.”

Rose sighs, finishing cleaning herself up. She takes some time at the sink to splash cold water on her blotchy face, looking as blotted and uncomfortable as she feels.

When she opens the door, he’s moved, leaning back against the opposite wall. He looks like a puppy who’s just been kicked.

“Is that really what you’ve been up to all night?” she asks him, more softly. “Baby proofing the TARDIS?”

The Doctor doesn’t answer, but the way he ruffles the hair at the back of his head is telling enough.

To be fair, he’s been good for a long time. Months, even.

He’s been protective of her, obviously, and the way he’s been insisting on doting on her from the moment they found out she was pregnant has been both endearing and frustrating. She regularly gets annoyed with the way he seems to think she cannot perform simple task by herself anymore (including wrapping a towel around her own body after showering), but she cannot stay mad at him for long when he keeps on looking at her as if she was the most mesmerising being in the universe.

Unfortunately, he’s become more than protective and attentive, these past few days.

He’s become paranoid.

She’s partly to blame for it, as she’s the one who suggested they tried out one of those Lamaze classes her Mum kept badgering her about…which had not been a success.

They’d both felt terribly out of place amongst those cooing couples, especially after the Doctor told one of them that their birth plans involved taking Rose to the soothing waters of Lusthion III in the Tresush Cluster, known for their naturally numbing properties, at which point they all started looking at them the way most regular people did.

Awkward social interactions aside, the instructor made the mistake of reminding everybody that it was never too early to start making a checklist of their home, in order to determine what could be a possible hazard for their child.

The Doctor obviously took it as a challenge.

“Did you know there are three-thousand-six-hundred-and-forty-nine ways for a child to get harmed on this TARDIS?” he’d asked her a couple of days ago, once he was done with his thorough inventory.

He’d looked slightly crazed by then, having obviously imagined in great details how their offspring could get hurt in every single one of these ways.

“Is at all?” she’d antagonised him instead of thinking up something sensible to say that would have calmed him down. “Thought it would be more, to be honest, seeing how children can literally hurt themselves just by walking from one end of a room to the other.”

That stupid remark had put a fire under his arse, for lack of better word.

They both know from his constant blabbering of facts that Rose should have entered the nesting phase of her pregnancy by now. And yet, while she sometimes feels compelled to work on the nursery some more, the Doctor is the one who’s been reorganising the entire TARDIS for the last two days.

It hasn’t been all bad, as he did get rid or fixed some implements that had been a danger to them both for years – including loose wires and other exposed mechanical hazards.

Rose began losing patience a few hours ago, when he started putting carpet all over the floors.

“Carpet?” she’d asked. “Carpet?”

“It’ll be softer on her little hands and knees when she starts to crawl.”

How he could be so endearing and infuriating at the same time was beyond her.

“She’s still getting oxygen through an umbilical cord,” Rose pointlessly reminded him. “It’ll be a while before she crawls.”

“Well it’ll be softer on your toes, then. You’re the one who’s always complaining about having sore feet.”

That’s when Rose had gone to bed, too achy and uncomfortable to attempt to reason with him again, aware that there was nothing much she could do or say when he was in that mood.

She’s drawing the line at toilet lids, though.

She walks to him, now, reaching up to cup his face. “Doctor,” she tells him calmly, her own bout of hysteria having receded for the time being. “I need you to get it together. You can’t expect me to be the only sane person on this ship. ‘m way too hormonal to pull it off.”

He scowls at her. “I am fine.”

“Yeah?” she asks with a scoff. “How did you lock all those toilet lids, exactly?”

“Magnetism,” he explains at once. “I gave both the lid and the seat strong magnetic properties by tinkering with the spin of their electrons.”

She blinks at him.

“Ah,” he concedes, tilting his head. “I get how that could be seen as me being somewhat irrational.”

“Somewhat?”

“Fine. Unreasonably irrational, then.”

She trails her fingers from his cheek to his hair, shaking her head a little. “Look, ‘m not against you being protective and taking precautions. I love that you’re thinking about all that stuff, when all I can think about lately is how many fried pickles I can eat before it makes me wanna spew. But I almost peed my pants tonight.”

“I’m sorry,” he repeats, swallowing hard.

She caresses his hair. “I know,” she says, before giving him a soft kiss, her protuberant belly pressing against his chest. “Can we wait until she’s born and mobile before we turn every toilet into giant magnets, though?”

“Sounds fair,” he says, briefly nuzzling her nose with his.

“You can make it up to me by feeding me,” she informs him.

“Ah,” he says again, tugging at his ear, before he starts wriggling out of her embrace. “Why don’t you…get changed first, eh? It’s a tad chilly tonight, I’d say you need another layer.”

As he spoke, he managed to escape her hold, slowly moving away from her.

“What have you done to the kitchen?” she asks.

Surely he knows better than to mess with her food.

“Nothing!” he splutters. “Much.”

She glares at him.

“Five minutes,” he tells her. “That’s all I need.”

“Fine,” she says. “But if I find out you’ve done anything to my pickles, ‘m moving out.”

She’s barely done talking that he’s dashing out of the corridor.

Rose follows with a waddle.

#doctor who #ten x rose #tentoo x rose #dwsecretsanta #ficandchips #fic of mine

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buckybabybaby · 5 years

Text

Mr Hollywood (Chapter 4)

Summary: Bucky Barnes, an underpaid teaching assistant in a small English village, dreams of a movie career back in his home country of America. He finally gets the break he's always wanted, and if it wasn't for you, his best friend, he wouldn't have been able to take it. But is that fact enough to save your friendship when it's tested by the pressures of Hollywood?

Pairing: Bucky Barnes/Reader (Gender Neutral)

Word count: 1163

Warnings: None I think!

Chapter 3

Mr Hollywood Masterlist

Masterlist

*****

Turns out, what you're going to do over the summer is hide. Not for the whole holiday, but it takes you a good couple of weeks to get used to Bucky's absence, and it's the middle of August before you actually accept any of your other friends invitations to meet up. Up until then, you really didn't feel like company, and as a result your little home has never been tidier.

You've rearranged the living room, reorganised the airing cupboard and the abundance of spare towels it contains, and even finished painting the spare bedroom, a project that had been abandoned many months ago.

Basically you've done everything you can to keep yourself distracted.

September creeps up on you, as does the start of term, bringing with it good and bad news. The good is that Bucky's replacement turns out to be a super sweet, fresh-out-of-university trainee teacher named Peter. You've been tasked with settling the new staff member in, meaning you're too preoccupied most of the time to notice how odd it feels without Bucky. Peter's enthusiasm is infectious, and for the first time since the end of the last school year you're looking forward to the challenges of this new one.

The bad news comes from Bucky himself. Apparently, time away from set has been restricted to family emergencies only, and therefore his trip back here has to be postponed, as production has been slow due to bad weather.

“Who'd had thought it? In California!” He laughs down the phone.

“So you're not coming home?”

“Not unless I pretend Dayton got in another crash or something.”

“Well...”

“I couldn't! Besides, he's got too many followers on instagram. If I say he's in a coma and then he's posting pictures it's going to look a little suspicious.”

You only just stop yourself from suggesting other excuses he could try, knowing it's useless. Bucky was the riskiest casting for the film company, being an unknown with no big name pull or any sort of fan-base, so he doesn't want to jeopardise anything by getting on the wrong side of the producers. And you don't want him too either. Glancing around the empty playground, having taken his call on your way home, you kick at the first fallen leafs as you think of something positive to say. The signs that Autumn is approaching reminds you of what you had planned for Bucky's return, and the thought of tackling it alone has you whining at him despite yourself.

“What am I going to do with all those apples now?”

“Ask Peggy to help?” She's never wanted to in the past but it's worth a shot. “Or Dot.”

“Dolores is a chicken! And you know how they just get in the way.”

Bucky chuckles, clearly remembering all the times he's nearly tripped over one of your pet hens. “How are my favourite girls?”

“Good. Missing you sneaking them raisins so maybe it's better you stay over in America.”

“Rude.”

“I got the money you transferred, by the way. Thank you.”

“Don't thank me Y/N, I'll never stop thanking you for giving me this opportunity. I wouldn't be here without you.”

“Glad I could help.”

Someone shouts in the background on Bucky's end and you hear his muffled reply, before he informs you he's got to go get ready.

“What time is it over there?” You ask.

“Nearly nine. We did a night shoot yesterday so we're starting later today.” He sounds so tired you wish you could be there to make sure he's looking after himself.

“Do you have any idea of when you'll get a break?”

“Christmas, definitely, the director is going to Thailand for new years so I'll see you then. I'll make sure of it.”

You say goodbye, trying not to think about just how long away December is.

*****

“And James actually volunteers to do this?” Peggy huffs, picking twigs out of her hair. The sun is high in the sky when you finish chopping the apples, ready to be crushed in the press, and you agree now is the best time for lunch, along with a well earn sit down. You're grateful for her help, even if she's only here on the condition you provide sandwiches and cake.

“Bucky never needed such persuasion,” You tell her as you pour her a glass of lemonade.

“Then he must really like you.”

“Are you saying you don't?”

“Not in the same way.” You pout at her and she rolls her eyes. “You know what I mean.”

You do. She was the first person to suggest that there could be something more between Bucky and you, and every so often she brings it up again. You're not really in the mood to have this conversation again, and it seems one of your chickens can sense this, choosing that moment to flap up on to the table in search of crumbs, or in this case, a whole shortbread biscuit. Peggy looks at you in question when you don't move to take it off her.

“There's no point trying, when Gloria has something she wants you won't get it back. It won't kill her just this once.”

“Did he name her too?”

You nod, watching as the other hens spot what she has and chase after her. “And Martha, the yellowish one.”

She knows this, she just likes teasing you that the chickens are like yours and Bucky's children. You don't let her mention it again, changing the subject by offering her more crisps, and the afternoon passes quickly once you start working again.

*****

Even Peggy has to admits she enjoyed herself as she leaves later, clutching several full bottles of juice, and you thank her again as she waves from your front gate.

Back in your kitchen, you sort through the many different vessels you've used, placing the bottle with the prettiest pattern and shape at the back of your store cupboard. That one is for Bucky. You're not sure of the rules around sending liquids in the post, so you're just going to keep it here until you can give it to him in person. You do know it's a bit of an unusual present, but it's the sort of thing he'll like. Or at least you hope he will.

Closing your eyes, you lean your forehead against the edge of the shelf, wondering just when it will be that you can think about something, anything, without it inevitably leading to Bucky. If one of your friends was behaving like this, you'd tell them exactly why you think they're feeling so lost, that it's clear they feel more for the person in question than 'just friends', but you can't admit it to yourself, not now he's gone for good.

Of course you're allowed to miss him, you think to yourself, and obviously you can look forward to seeing him at Christmas, but until then you really need to find something else to occupy your thoughts.

*****

Chapter 5

#bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes imagine #buckybabybaby #Mr Hollywood #bucky x reader

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