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nvzblgrrl · 3 years

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Look. It's 2022. There have been loads of NuWho companions and I think I should be relatively safe to say that I really Do Not Like Rose Tyler.

Gonna just stick the read more here so anyone who doesn't want to hear me complain can dodge it, because Honey You Got A Big Storm Coming.

So yeah here it is - my anti-Rose bitch fest.

It's not about her fandom constantly going on about her being the Doctor's 'Wun Tru Wuv' - though that's eternally an annoyance when I'm looking for fic to read or when someone has the brass set it takes to manifest in my DMs to bitch about me having both of them in a fic that's not focused on Their Grand Romance and how that means I hate Doctor Who, David Tennant, love, democracy, and free will when I'm the one who ended up writing about 10 thanks to the gods of random numbers -, it's more about the fact that her flaws, of which there are many very solid ones broadly displayed in the show, are glossed over by them.

And most of those problems boil down to the fact that Rose Tyler is selfish. I would say that it's impossible to gloss over that fact, but people do constantly, for some reason or another, so I'm just going to lay it out.

Rose Tyler is selfish and it is, 99% of the time, never to the betterment of anyone else.

I'm not saying that Rose is incapable of being compassionate - that's one of the few praises I can give her character is that she can switch from contempt to compassion rather easily - but she is largely incapable of putting herself in another person's shoes or understanding the differences between Her Situation and Theirs, and often outright refuses to change her mind even with presented with evidence to the contrary.

This is best evidenced by her actions in the Idiot's Lantern.

'How so?' you might ask. 'Wouldn't it be easier to just point out all the shit she's done in the name of getting father-daughter time with Pete Tyler?'

Well, Yes, but that's so direct I think people would take that as a given and miss the fact that Rose Tyler can and will actively project her Daddy Issues onto anyone and everyone else, despite actively seeing evidence that that is a Bad Idea.

Because in the Idiot's Lantern, Rose Tyler makes the jump towards being an active Abuse Apologist. Not in a 'didn't know any better' sort of way, but after watching Eddie Connelly terrorize his family - AND GETTING SCREWED OVER BY HIM TOO - she turns to Tommy and goes 'well, you should go talk to him. He's Your Dad.'

And the Doctor Goes With It, despite being the one who actively tried to counter any and all of Eddie's bullshit through the episode before this point.

(Seriously, 10 is his own can of worms for me, but Rose with 10 is just a perfect storm of 'what the fuck is wrong with you two'.)

Also - let's talk about the Dimension cannon, I've been dying to talk about the Dimension cannon.

You know how the Doctor ended Doomsday by pointing out that he couldn't just come and pick Rose up from the alternate dimension because doing that would risk destroying not just the Earth (Earths?) but both universes?

(in case this was unclear, this is a bad thing)

Remember how Rose immediately goes 'so?' Remember how in Series 4, Rose starts randomly Showing Up?

Yeppers. You know what that means - she got that information and decided that, you know what? I want my Ballerina Barbie in the pretty pink tutu Wun Tru Luv, and I will happily burn down the house destroy two whole ass universes to get that, damn the consequences.

(Okay, maybe Rose isn't a complete Debbie but like... seriously).

Now, you might argue that she wouldn't have used the Dimension Cannon at all if it wasn't Safe if only so the Doctor wouldn't be upset and that she would be able to have him to herself longer.

But the thing is that - thanks to the Audios, we know that she was testing the damn thing way before the whole Reality Bomb thing with Davros was going on. You don't test something to see if it works if you don't intend to use it. And you don't test it a bunch if you're sure it's safe to use.

Rose Tyler is 100% willing to risk killing off not one, but two universes if it means getting back to the Doctor, even for a split second.

That's Not Exactly Great *understatement*. Also, I don't want to hear any Rose stans call Clara 'unstable' and 'possessive' when they're willing to excuse this shit.

Also, I feel the need to point out that the weird 'but The Age Difference' argument a lot of people take against Clara/12 (the Doctor being massively older than most of their shipping partners is fairly standard?) falls apart even further considering the massive amount of shipping/erotica for Doctor/Rose which shacks her up with every single incarnation currently known.

So, idk, just be straight forward and say that you don't like anyone that isn't Rose. You were just as clear on that when Martha became the Doctor's companion, considering the amount of racist harassment Freema Agyeman had to deal with in real life.

(is it bad form to reuse the same meme twice in a rant? Probably. But I think the problem of fans being racist bastards is more concerning)

And if you're quibble is something more like 'but Doctor/(whatever companion isn't Rose that I want to rail against) isn't Heaallthyyy' - Rose and 10 aren't healthy either. Together, they constitute one mega asshole, one who is willing to make jokes about Queen Victoria not being amused after a shitton of people got mauled to death by a werewolf, not to mention the time in Love and Monsters where the Doctor brought Rose around to see a guy about to get eaten by an alien explicitly so she could ream him out which was immediately followed up by the Doctor straight up telling the Absorbaloff 'yeah, go ahead and kill him, I don't care' with Rose not showing any emotion that wasn't 'How Dare You Hurt My Mum's Feelings After I Hurt Her Feelings' until she realized that the Absorbaloff had eaten Elton's girlfriend and even then, it was rather vague sympathy.

(a joke about the state of the universe or the 10/Rose stans screaming at me for making this post? you decide)

But back to Rose being Selfish - you know how she drops Mickey like a sack of hot garbage at the end of her first episode for having a PTSD response instead of being 'oh yeah this is Tuesday' like the Doctor? and how she just continues to pick him up and drop him throughout the rest of his time on the show however she feels like until he just flat out leaves the TARDIS in Age of Steel?

Now remember that during this same period of off-and-on again with Mickey as Convenient, she also picks up Adam Mitchell (on hardly any interaction at all and looking like a barely toasted piece of white bread) and Jack Harkness (self-explain), while also going for the Doctor's attention.

I don't have any problem with Poly-Am or swinging, if done respectfully with all parties, but this was very much not the case here - Mickey being constantly treated as a rebound option is already bad enough without bringing in the fact that he's black and Rose is consistently dropping him for white men and then coming back the second the white guy doesn't work out.

(sometimes all you need is a 7 year old Cracked article to sum up how you feel about a certain character).

And let's not forget the fact that Jackie spent a year harassing Mickey over his supposed murder of Rose and Rose's lukewarm concern about that whole kettle of fish when she finally came back.

But then we have the secondary problem of Rose immediately going cold and territorial the moment someone gets close - and I mean even in the mildest sense of talking to or even breathing the same air as one of her boys.

We see it with Jabe (literally episode two), Lynda with a Y (Bad Wolf/Parting Of The Ways), Sarah Jane, and even in non-direct interactions such as during the group call during The Stolen Earth. She immediately will point out that 'she was there first' or - in Sarah Jane's case - is the Doctor's current companion.

So yeah. Rose Tyler. The worst? Probably not. She's certainly an interesting character to study (a bit like those people who seem to think they're one encounter with Truck-kun away from living the isekai dream). Would she be someone I'd like to be friends with? No. Absolutely not. Would I want to engage with her fandom? Hell no. Been there, done that, been accused of being the Anti-Christ on the merit of not liking her.

#anti-rose tyler #rose tyler hate #doctor who rant #will not be putting these in the main tags for either rose tyler or doctor who #because there's no joy in throwing negativity into the tags for people who like the character

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nikatyler · 3 years

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Sim Yearbook Challenge by @bauhauzzz

Just a challenge to brush off the dust of that old yearbook and show the world how your oc or ocs looked when they were teenagers! were they edgy? were they more on the nerdy side? you can share as many pics as you’d like but please if you do join I’d love to see your entries, so tag your posts using the tag #yearbookchallenge and have fun!

Do I know how yearbooks work? No. Was I tagged? Also no. But I wanted to do this so I could have an excuse to take awkward teenage pictures of my main sims. Rambling under the cut.

Okay sooo. I imagine they’re all like 16-17 here, but they’re not actually the same age and they didn’t go to the same schools. When they were 16, Sharon still didn’t attend the same school as the triplets, and well, Rachel was about 10 when the triplets were 16 lol (don’t forget Rachel met Caleb when they were both all grown up already). Ross is canonically a year and a half younger than the triplets. So yeah, these photos weren’t taken in the same school year. I know you don’t care but I had to get it out haha. Moving on.

Caleb my beloved. Nothing to say here. Good unproblematic boy who never participates in any drama...unlike his brother.

“Redheads have souls, you guys are just mean.”

We talked about Tyler’s name enough, but look, he can make fun of it. Wouldn’t be Tyler otherwise. Here you can see him shortly after he made the decision to grow out his hair, but he has yet to grow into the person he’s now. Ohh and he’s lying. He was a Whovian. He watched Doctor Who with his little sister Zoey and secretly enjoyed it.

“Roses are red, violets are blue, I swear I do not watch Doctor Who.”

Bianca still had long hair back then! It’s strange to see but she looks good in anything. She stole that quote from some scientist, I think. Idk, I googled funny science quotes and forgot to write down who said it 😅

“Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us.”

Ross 🤝 tumblr user nikatyler

strong hatred for their surname

(and also the same terrible haircut in freshman year. dark times.)

No seriously, who let me pick Breeze as the legacy surname. Thank god Ross’s father had a normal surname so I can go with that 😂 And look, the yearbook kids granted Ross’s wish...sort of.

I’m still sad I didn’t give Ross an awkward edgy teenager phase for at least a few posts when I played the legacy, but oh well. This picture is enough. He’ll always have an awkward edgy phase around 16 in my heart. Then something happened and he suddenly got handsome and took advantage of it.

“Don’t you dare to call me Ross Breeze in the yearbook or else I’m sending my vampire best friend at you.”

Sharon! In the sims 3 story that I’m writing, she lived in quite a conservative environment for most of her life, not to mention her father is very strict...I think she’d look a lot like a basic white christian girl for a little bit (nothing wrong with that at all, it’s just not her). I wasn’t sure what to do with her quote, so in the end I picked this because she’s an athletic gal who loves running (and even does it professionally later).

“Sorry, gotta run.”

Rachel was a pure innocent bookworm in high school. Well, on the first sight. You best believe she ran a fandom tumblr and wrote terrible smut fanfiction about her favourite characters. I also considered putting “fictional characters made my standards too high” as her quote, but then I thought the one I chose is a bit more in character for her.

“Books before boys!”

I wasn’t tagged so I’m not officially tagging anyone either, but please please please do this too, it’s so fun.

#ts4 #sims 4 #yearbookchallenge #rose legacy extra #breeze nsb legacy extra #oc: caleb #oc: tyler #oc: bianca #oc: ross #oc: sharon #oc: rachel

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bisexualterror · 4 years

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(banner not mine, simply copied from @ao3commentoftheday)

so i have a lot of bookmarks saved on google chrome (hmu if you want me to do a writing resources list or a second fic rec), and i thought might as well do a fic rec! i seperated them by fandom’s and i did my very best to tell you why i love the fic, but i think i just rambled lmao

tagging my friends who i think might b interested: @ocfairygodmother @phoenixwench @leftzonkpsychicland @artish-calamity

minor warning, this is a long list~

Vampire Diaries:

Bits of Sunshine is my favorite Vampire Diaries fic, it has a really funny and charming OC and gives you a different perspective of the main characters and it really inspired me with my own TVD fanfic, it’s still on hiatus but it’s nearly 500k makes up for it

The Bystander offers a unique view to OCs, where the OC is separated from the main plot for the most part but interacts with main characters that eventually pull her in

Crimson Peak is really good if you love a powerful Bonnie Bennett, it explores the magic of Expression more and her family background and OC Bennetts and it offers a interesting plot and a rare pairing of Klaus/Bonnie

The Next Chapter is a Buffy crossover fanfic, it puts Buffy in the Vampire Diaries, and though I still haven’t finished it was pretty good at meshing the two shows and exploring more of an older Buffy ~

My Paper Heart is really good if you’ve been trying to look for f/f in this fandom and haven’t found it, it not only explores the oc’s sexuality but also their supernatural identity

beneath the steady waves of fearless hope and grace is also a really good queer bennett witch oc, the oc wakes up in TVD in the body of her parallel fictional universe self I guess you could say, and it has a lot of angst like whoo boi, prepare yourself, it’s so good!

Human is pretty good, love their oc, it hasn’t been updates in a very long while but it has 100k+ and it’s 100% worth it if you’re looking for something different

Harry Potter:

Changes Everything is really good at addressing the potential problems in the Wizarding World through the lenses of an OC, and it has Harry getting the family he fucking deserves sooner rather than later, and it goes into amazing detail and depth over the magics of the universe. also, lots of lgbt+ characters~

@nonchalantxfish ‘s Rose Petal Red is so good, like, you want Slytherins being amazing and devious, this is the fic for you! you want ocs galore?? this is for you! you want changes to the plot but with serious consequences?? this one is for YOU! Although it’s on haitus rn, it has a shit ton of words, like 500k+ and it’s 100% worth it~

The Clockwork Locket is so good guys, it’s an Marauder era fic, and it has an amazing mix of humor and mystery and romance and friendship and by the end you’ll be shipping the oc with literally everyone lmao, but overall it’s just really good if you’re looking for a Sirius/OC but still want to read about the mysteries in Hogwarts and the OC has her own plot and storyline. The second installment is still in progress but the first installment is like 270k words

Daphne Greengrass, Side Character is what it says on the tin, it’s about daphne and takes a different approach to the character with humor and wit, it’s very enjoyable, still not finished but it’s at 100k+ words

To Be a Slytherin, pretty sure everyone’s seen this one at one point, it’s a really good oc potter twin fanfic, goes into detail with magic and it’s just really good and has one of the longest word count i’ve ever seen at 1,166,349

The Observer Effect is a MCU crossover with adult fem!Harry, it hasn’t been updating in a while, but from what I remember it’s super good and funny!

Naruto:

A Holmes in Konoha is super good, an Holmes OC is reincarnated as a orphan in Konoha, it explores the Nara’s more and it’s just so good at meshing investigation, friendship and relationships, action and drama~

Deja vu no Justu is a time travel fic, it’s really good, have not caught up to it since it first started but it has 500k+ words written and from what I remember it was very well written, like holy shit that was good writing ~

How to Obtain a Reverse Harem in Naruto by @burntpetal16 is pretty freakin good at making me laugh, it’s a remake of their finished fanfic, Sakura, which is equally as good, it’s about an self-insert OC suddenly waking up as Sakura, and Sakura def does what it says on the tin but also there’s an air of mystery surrounding the OC and how they got in the universe who she was before

The Yondaime’s Assistant is finished at 165k+ words and it’s good, like so good, it’s an OC reincarnated into Naruto fanfic, and it’s different from a lot of other OCs in the fandom because the OC goes into the Genin Corps instead of going out into the field, the writer manages to enthrall you with paperwork basically as the OC saves people from the background, it’s also endgame poly relationship between her, Genma and Kakashi!

After the Rain is a fem!Naruto time-travel fanfic, another fic which i haven’t finished, but from what I remember it was it’s done really well and has a lot of angst and drama and action and it’s just, prepare YOSELF for HEART wrenching ANGST!! also it’s 500k+ words!

The Witcher:

The Sorceress, The Witcher, The Bard and a Girl is what it says on the tin, it’s AU and an established ot3 situation w Yen/Geralt/Jaskier and it’s just,,, family fluff, disgusting domestic with all the drama that comes with three emotionally... complicated people trying to raise a young girl who has powers, starts off in a small town

Lullaby of the Isles is more so the game/book fandom, but it’s so good that I just didn’t care about that small fact, it’s still only four chapters but all together those four chapters have 17k+, and it’s about an OC suddenly waking up as a siren, a boss monster siren to exact, right after the siren had killed someone, and it’s just really good and different

And Yet Here We Are is a collection of more ot3 fanfic of Yen/Geralt/Jaskier, it’s basically a lot of sexy times, but also some funny situations

to grow in adversity is the only fanfic that on this list i haven’t actually read, but the premise seems interesting enough, it’s about Renfri surviving and it has Jaskier as her baby bro

Better Love is surprise! another ot3 fanfic, only this time, you get to feel the pain of an unestablished relationship, it’s basically just Yen & Jaskier bickering while Yen tries to get Jaskier to fuck Geralt. It’s v horny, with a big hunking side of angst and some fluff. Completed and waiting for me to finish the last two chapter!

Teen Wolf:

Sonder is @musiciatee ‘s OC fanfic, and it’s so good??? like every update I get to read blesses my imaginary crops, cures my depression and makes my skin glow like an goddess. If you’re looking for a good POC OC in this fandom, this is it okay.

Kerosene Hearts and Matchbox Bodies is an OC fanfic, by @thegalanerd, it’s being reworked right now, but 100% worth the read, but like, I would recommend any of their fanfics, it’s all very good like HOLY SHET it’s good.

Red Rover, Red Rover is a pretty damn good OC fic, it’s on hiatus but it has 73 chapters and like nearly 500k words, it’s very dramatic, angsty, slow burn, mysterious, and the OC has their own little drama to deal with outside of the main plot

The Unconventional Life of Abigail McCall is probably one everyone has read by now, but if you haven’t, give it a shot, it made me smile a lot

Doctor Who:

Three of a Kind, The Stuff of Legends is an male OC Tyler fanfic, and by god it is so good, very angsty, lots of drama, very AU, lowkey domestic, this drama gay OC must be protecccted at all costs

London Born is another Tyler OC, but Rose and her have different dad’s and she’s a character of color and bisexual, it’s just such a good fucking story and a favorite of mine, it’s also very AU and has a lot of original stories that the OC goes on, sometimes by themselves. It’s the first in a series, but this first installment is finished so I’d suggest subscribing to the collection for the second installment~

The Blonde Girl is the first installment of an AU of Rose’s start in the Doctor’s life, starting with them meeting randomly during different parts of their life and it basically slowly weaves Rose into the Doctor’s life/past. It’s really good, haven’t finished it yet, but I liked how they changed/expanded Rose’s character. Once you finish that you’ll want to start Defender of the Earth and The Companion Connection, the other’s I haven’t read yet so I don’t know the order they go in, but they’re all like 100k+ words and the author is still regularly updating their newest installment so enjoy~

Alexander-The Seer and Changer of Time is probably the longest DW OC fic out here, and was only last updated early last, but at a word count of 1477k+, I’m sure we’ll survive. This is another fic I haven’t finished reading, but one I’d high recommend either way. If I’m remembering correctly, don’t like quote me on this, but I believe their OC was non gender conforming.

The Dread of Tomorrow and Yesterday was sadly cut short before the author finished, but the OC is so amazing and just my hero, and a character of color, will fight everyone and probably win, and just I love this OC so much and even though it probably won’t ever be finished it’s worth the read and it’s at nearly 800k so, enjoy each word~

Sailor Moon:

Rabbit of the Moon, is literally the ONLY fic I’m rec in this fandom, mainly because it’s the only fanfic I’ve ever read in this fandom, but it’s so good, like I was just feeling nolgastic over what was my first anime, but the OC is so...scary and smart and cunning and intense af

Twilight:

Twilight'd is a really good OC, it made me laugh a lot, and it makes you love the characters more than the actual writer made you like them

A Hundred Winks of Sunshine by @tsume-yuki is so good, like, I don’t know how to articulate how much I love their SI!Bella, like, I don’t read these types of stories a lot, but, tbh any story made them is just worth taking the risk to read because you won’t be let down. It’s very funny and charming and so good!

GOT/ASOIAF:

How To Lose Your Dragon is not really what it says on the tin, trust me I would never read a fic that would have anyone steal Dany’s dragons, it’s just the dragons like Jon, hmm I wonder why?? kind of fic, and I really love the way the writer writes Dany

Can beauty come out of ashes is another Dany-centric fanfic, and it’s really good so far, but I’m only on the second chapter so I can’t say much but I like the idea of the Starks and Dany becoming pack. It ignores s7-8, so we already love~

MCU:

The Scientist is a good Loki/OC fanfic, like it’s so good because the OC doesn’t put up with any shit, and is very smart and it’s just so freakin good and cute and such a fucking slow burn, like get ready for some slow burn

Just An Old Fashioned Love Song by @izhunny is such a good Frostiron fic, like, so fucking good, just THE FLUFF~ THE DOMESTICS??? SO GOOD!! ALSO!! ALMOST ALWAYS MAKES ME FREAKING HUNGRY!!! haven’t finished this, but I’d highly recommend it

Code Blue by @jarvis-is-my-copilot likeee, I haven’t finished reading this either, haha sorry, but I really like the OCs and it’s just.....SO....GOOD!!!

The Wooden Puppet is a really good OC fanfic, very different from ur usual OC, love the way the OC interacts with the characters and I love the way it started, it’s hilarious

Archaic Kinds Of Fun is like, all of my dreams and hopes for the Avengers put into one fic with an amazing OC, like did you want the team as a family, or hell even friends??? do you want them to get fuckin therapy??? HERE YOU GO! It hasn’t been updated in a while because the author has been through a tough time, but it’s at 370k+ and it’s just really good. an inspiration to me. Bruce/OC too, which is rare, but like, it’s just so fuckin cute and the OC is super fucking close w Tony too and Loki joins in later in the fic and it adds some comic book characters but, WOO, it’s just...SO GOOD!

Lilies Say Sorry is another Loki/OC fanfic that I liked that didn’t make me concerned over the power dynamics of Loki being a, well god. It’s the first in it’s installment, still haven’t finished the second installment, shocking, I know, it’s almost like I have a habit of doing that. But I’d highly suggest reading this, it’s just so good and the DRAMA!

I Need You is a Tony/Reader, and like, I usually don’t read Reader fics, but holy shit this is so good and the Author doesn’t do Y/N to address the character, but like, it’s just really good at drawing you in and it’s good at putting the character into the movies in a fresh way. It cured my acne. Very regular updates. almost at 400k.

Caught Hot-Rod Red Handed is a Stony fic, it’s really fucking good at making me laugh so I’d highly suggest reading this if you’re feeling low, but also don’t read this late at night, you’ll wake up ur family and make them think ur laughing in ur sleep

Life In The Fast Lane is a Fast and Furious crossover fanfic, it’s the first installment, but you don’t need to know anything about the movies to be able to read it, it’s Tony/OC, (hahha you can literally see who I favor from my recs), and it’s so good, and the OC is bisexual and I love her and more people need to read because the author writes romance and action so freaking good

ps: please leave a nice review on their fanfics if you do read and enjoy some of these, because just one nice comment can make a fanfic writers day if not week, it lets them know that real people really are reading their stuff, even if it’s just a ‘good chapter’

#lol what is life??#i've been doing this for days/hours #ocappreciation #like holy shit a lot of ocs #fanfiction recommendation #fanfic rec list #fanfiction rec #i'm a fuckin zombie rn guys #and this barely fuckin scratches the surface of my bookmarks #if i made a mistake pls forgive me #might reblog this early tomorrow so this won't flop #long post

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darth-tella · 6 years

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Ten/ Rose, kissing on a Ferris wheel at a fair while fireworks go off in the distance.

This one was so fun!

Also tagging @doctorroseprompts

All agesRead on AO3

Fireworks

The air was full of the sounds of people screaming, but it didn’t bother either the Doctor or Rose. In fact, their screams were occasionally added to the cacophony. But it wasn’t the sounds of people in danger. Yes, a few of the screams were from people who were scared, but only of things like the 88° first drop of the biggest, longest, fastest and most thrilling roller coaster in the Ernstrom Galaxy that was known as Death’s Drop.

“I cannot believe you scream like a little girl.” Rose giggled as they reached the bottom of the coaster’s exit ramp and joined back in with the main crowd. The Doctor gaped at her, looking thoroughly offended.

“Rose Tyler, you take that back this instant! I’ll have you know my scream is very deep. And manly. It is not as you describe.” He waggled his finger inches from her face, his voice sterner than she had ever remembered it being. She laughed even harder.

“Oh, so that’s why it sounded all ‘aaaahhhh’!” She let out an exaggerated high pitched wail. The Doctor just narrowed his eyes at her. “Your voice before was deeper, I’ll grant you that. But now it goes all squeaky when you shout!”

“It doesn't!” He shouted with a squeak that caught him off-guard, causing him to roll his eyes. Rose had to put a hand out on his arm to keep herself upright she was now laughing so hard. She heard his long suffering sigh, but could see the smile beginning to take over his face. After a few moments, he lost that particular battle and was now grinning like a loon. “Now if I’m done being insulted, what would you like to do next?”

Rose looked around thoughtfully. They were surrounded by all sorts of rides and attractions. With so many lights and sounds, it was easy to get overstimulated. She’d been walking around for hours and she was beginning to regret all the greasy food and sugar she’d been eating all day, but she couldn’t for one second say she wasn’t enjoying herself. In fact, she had more fun packed into one day than she’d experienced in a very long time. Rose really didn’t want to admit she was tired, because then this wonderful day would end. The Doctor seemed to have sensed her mood. He took her hand and began to slowly lead her away from the more noisy attractions saying he knew exactly what she’d enjoy.

It didn’t take Rose long to realise where they were heading. At the edge of the park stood one of the largest Ferris wheels she’d ever seen. But unlike like the London Eye, the seats weren’t connected to the main structure at all. They were gently floating in mid-air on their own.

“Grav-pods.” The Doctor explained picking up on her curiosity. Rose grinned at herself knowing he was about to launch himself into ‘geeky lecture mode’. True to form, he began to explain how each pod was suspended by a series of force fields and magnets. Most of the science of it went straight over her head, but Rose just loved listening to his voice. His happiness and excitement was contagious and she let those feelings wash over her.

Since it was the tamest ride in the park, the queue for the big wheel was quite short. Rose quietly observed the other riders and she immediately noticed a pattern: they were all couples! Everyone was paired up and, although they were aliens (some weren’t even humanoid) she recognized that they were displaying very affectionate behaviour towards one another. It didn’t take much for her to imagine what she and the Doctor looked like as they strolled up. Their hands were clasped tightly together, and Rose had even rested her head against his shoulder while she listened to him talk. She didn’t even register the fact that she had been gently running her thumb along the back of his gently.

Realisation suddenly hit her like a tonne of bricks. Sure, she and the Doctor constantly joked and even flirted with one another during their adventures. And neither of them batted an eyelash when Rose had joked that their time on Platform One had been their first date. But this, the casual day out to an amusement park, this seemed to be an honest to goodness date! And now he was leading her right towards the most romantic spot in the entire park!

Was the Doctor doing this on purpose? He did seem awfully clueless when it came to certain social cues. But he was also a genius. Rose worried her bottom lip with her teeth, trying to not seem like she was suddenly a nervous wreck. To say that she had been harbouring feelings for him for months, especially since he kissed her back in Rome. But they had quickly reverted back to their normal selves after that, or had they? It was hard to tell with someone like the Doctor. He had such a charming personality and he had become even more personable since his regeneration. But for someone who talked so much, he often said surprisingly little. Rose found it was almost impossible to figure out what was really going on in that brain of his. Sometimes she forgot how alien he really was.

Rose was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn’t even notice they were the next ones to board until the Doctor had stopped walking and turned slightly. She barely corrected her stance as the grav-pod literally scooped them up and she plopped ungracefully into the seat. The Doctor helped her sit up, and Rose felt even more butterflies take residence in her guts as wrapped his arm around her shoulders once she was sitting upright.

“This is nice.” Rose said trying to sound nonchalant as if being in such a romantic setting by choice was a common occurrence for them.

“It is.” The Doctor replied softly as he scooted ever closer to her. “You can see the entire park when we reach the top. Plus we’re just in time for the fireworks.”

Rose swallowed down her jitters. There was no way the Doctor was this clueless. She had an overwhelming urge to give him a quick kiss on the cheek just to gauge his reaction. After debating whether it would be a good idea or not for several moments, she finally chose to throw caution to the wind and just go for it. She hesitated for only a moment before leaning in, and didn’t realise until it was too late that the Doctor was beginning to point at something behind her and was turning his head as well. Her lips brushed his own momentarily and she froze in shock. The Doctor had recoiled slightly, clearly not expecting their accidental kiss. They both just stared at each other wide eyed for a long moment. Rose’s heart pounded against her ribs. She wanted to apologise to him, but she couldn’t get the words out. Even in the dark, she was certain he could see how red her face was. She was about to pull away, but he was still holding her tight. In fact, he was pulling her closer! His lips brushed against hers intentionally this time, before he sat back slightly again.

Identical toothy grins appeared on their faces as they both broke out in nervous laughter.

“Sorry, I was trying…”

“Rose Tyler, I…”

The pair of them giggled awkwardly at their inability to speak at the same time. Rose licked her lips self-consciously and her breath hitched when the Doctor seemed to zero in on the movement. She leaned in slightly again, hoping she was reading him right, and sighed in relief when he met her in the middle.

Fireworks lit up the night sky, but they ignored them. The fireworks they were creating were far more enjoyable.

#ten/rose #fic and chips #fluff #prompt fic #lizziea2

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khaelisfics · 6 years

Text

Classroom War - Chapter 4

Paring: John Smith x Rose Tyler Chapter: 4/? Rating: T Word count: 2100 Tags: Enemies to Lovers, Slow Burn, University AU

Read on AO3

Tagging @doctorroseprompts for the fourth chapter of this University AU! :)

Hope you’re ready for it. Coming in five minutes, we can go together. Just need to get my prints. Dr Smith

She frowned at the message that popped up in the corner of her screen and gulped down her small sip of boiling coffee. She had no idea where they needed to go, and she didn’t know much more about the nature of that it. She checked her schedule of the day on her computer, but there was nothing out of the ordinary about her planning - same boring classes given to first year postgraduates, same annoying photocopying sessions, same nerve-wracking research for her article. Nothing that justified such a message and a visit from her archenemy. He must have gotten the wrong date, or better yet, the wrong person. She wasn’t exactly in the mood to deal with that contemptuous man. It was just that kind of day. An alarm clock that didn’t ring, a shower with no hot water, a car that broke down in the middle of a busy avenue. The last thing she needed was an insufferable git over her back.

She shrugged it off as a simple miscommunication and leaned back into her chair. Hopefully, time would fly. She usually wasn’t in any hurry to go back to her cold and empty flat, but that day was an exception. She was sure her exhaustion showed, no matter how well she had hidden the black circles under eyes with her miracle foundation. She was just as sure she looked completely dishevelled, that her clothes didn’t match, and she was almost certain she had forgotten to put her eyeliner under her left eye. Yes, it was most probable she looked like a downright mess that morning. It didn't matter. Just two lessons in an auditorium so big no one would clearly see her face, and then she’d scurry back into her office and lock the door. That was a good plan.

The mail bell chimed again, and while she expected another message from the same Doctor, the name of a very different sender appeared on the screen. A certain President Marshall.

“Are you shitting me?” she cursed through a whisper, eyes roaming over the message and a big ball of anxiety settling low in her stomach.

Dear staff,

I hereby confirm the annual meeting about the extracurricular trip budget will take place this morning at 9:00 in conference room 2.

Friendly reminder to all, no pipe dreams, part of this budget was allocated to the science faculty earlier this year and the funds are limited. History and languages will be favoured over physics and biology, but every proposition will be carefully studied.

Please do not forget to mail students about cancelled lessons.

I’ll see you all in 15 minutes. Good luck everyone!

P. Marshall

Her head shot up at the sound of the door opening, and she gaped at him. Doctor Smith, full formal suit with a matching tie, old chucks turned into black polished shoes, glasses perched on the bridge of his nose, a full stack of copies cradled against his chest and a computer case dangling in his hand.

“Doctor Tyler,” he greeted with a smile - a smile that disappeared when he noticed her appearance, replaced by pinched lips to keep a laugh in. “Oh my, did you get hit by a truck this morning?. That must have hurt.”

“Shut up, Smith, now is really not the time,” she snapped as she feverishly sifted through the papers in her drawer in the vain hope of finding something, anything that could save her.

“Quite right,” he nodded, clearing his throat to chase the persistent tickle that wanted to turn into a giggle. “I thought you’d have prepared better, you know, given I already won the main department budget. My centrifuge works perfectly well, by the way, thanks for asking.”

“I didn’t ask about your bloody toy, and shut the Hell up, I need to think.”

She looked at the time, realized there was only a few minutes left before they’d have to go, and realized there was no point in going to the meeting at all. She had nothing. She groaned into her palms as he put his copies down on her desk and plopped down on the chair with a grin she wanted nothing more but to erase it from his stupid face with a slap.

“Shame you didn’t know about the meeting, isn’t it?” he chuckled, proudly rubbing a hand over his stack of paper. “What city would you have chosen?”

“Don’t know. Milan, probably, they have the most amazing Latin section I know of,” she shrugged, staring at the desk as if she could picture her chances turning to ashes. “We did Exeter last year, because there wasn’t enough budget for that kind of activities, but.... Wait, hold on a minute.”

She squinted at him suspiciously, and her suspicions were only confirmed when his lips twitched and his grin faltered.

“How come you know I didn’t know about it, Doctor Smith?” she asked, much calmer on the outside than on the inside - inside, she was positively boiling and ready to explode.

“I meant, you forgot,” he hurried to correct, though it was obvious from his nervous shrug he had betrayed himself. “Or didn’t get the email, or didn’t read it. How should I know?”

He seemed to shrink on his chair when she rose from her own seat and leant towards him, eyes shooting daggers and whole body oozing anger. He tried to look away, but she was pinning him. He loved it when she looked furious, but that day, he believed he might have gone a step too far. She knew he had something to do with it and she wasn’t about to let him survive this, by the looks of it.

“Do you really think I would have forgotten about this?’ she seethed, dangerously close to his face. “That I would have missed the opportunity to get something I deserve so much more than you do?”

“Probably not,” he shook his head - and he was quick to put his computer case between his feet, should she decide to snatch it away from him and throw it against the wall. “But like I said, maybe you didn't read the email.”

“I read all my emails, just like every goddamned professor in this university, and you know it.”

“Then you didn't get it, so what? I'm not to blame, alright?”

“I receive every useless email about broken toilets and painted doors but I don’t receive the one about this bloody annual meeting?” she chuckled bitterly. “Quite a coincidence, isn’t it?”

“Well it is,” he huffed as a meager defense, folding his arms over his chest.

“Really? A coincidence? Come on Smith, say it. This is your doing again.”

He opened his mouth, closed it, crossed his hands over his stack of paper, opened it again. But no words came out. Either he insisted it wasn’t his fault when she was perfectly aware it was, or he admitted he might have played his part in this scheme when he was perfectly aware she would hate him for the rest of his days and beyond. He didn’t know which was the most dangerous. The worse was, to see the anger and the sadness in her eyes made him feel something he had never felt before - not when it came to the war they waged anyway. Guilt. Because this time, he knew she really deserved it more than he did. Of course, he would never confess that. And a faculty trip to Tokyo he had been planning for weeks was still involved, so part of him was very much eager to fight for it. But then…

She blinked several times as if to dry a tear or two and her knuckles whitened almost imperceptibly, fingers pressing hard against the wood.

“I’ve had a very shite morning, Doctor Smith,” she said with a dejected sigh before she let herself fall back down on her chair. “Please, just tell me it was you so I don’t have to believe a bloody email ruined the last chance I had of getting something out of this sodden university.”

He took off his glasses with one hand a fiddled with a corner of a page, doing his best not to look at her.

“No one received an email about this meeting, actually,” he started, carefully picking his words so it all wouldn’t end in a bloodbath. “It was decided at the half-term meeting three months ago. The meeting you couldn’t attend because you were on sick leave. But everyone else was there. For whatever reason, the President asked me to tell you about it, as if we’re mates or something, but I…. Forgot.”

“Forgot, or chose not to tell me just to rob me of the opportunity? Again?”

“I did want to tell you,” he assured her, hoping she would see the truth in his words. “I just… Wanted to wait a little so you’d have less time to prepare. You know you’ve always been better than me for this kind of stuff, and I thought it would be good to have a bit of a head start. And then, I really forgot.”

“So, you mean to tell me that during those three long months you’ve been working on your project, it didn’t occur to you just once that it would be good to, maybe, I don’t know, bloody tell me about it?” she stated much too calmly to his liking, her frustration obviously ramping up into the kind of quiet anger he knew didn’t bode well. “Tell you what, if you don’t want to play by the rules, then fine, we’ll both play by my rules.”

“How do you mean, your rules, Doctor Tyler?” he asked, shuffling nervously on his seat.

“Fear not, I am a woman of fairness and equality. Unlike you, it seems”

He watched, just a bit scared, as she rose from her chair and offered a mischievous smile he was quite sure wasn’t meant to be reassuring. She took a sip of her coffee, winking at him above the ridge of the cup, then slowly brought it up over his stack of copies.

“No reason why you can have notes when I don’t.”

He jumped from his chair with a loud shriek when he understood what her intention was, but it was too late. It was just a drip, at first, but a drip that turned into a steady stream splashing over the neat piles until it was swimming in a pool of hot coffee.

“Are you out of your mind?” he barked as he shoved her away, mindlessly wiping the top with the back of his sleeve. “I don’t have time to get more copies, you’ve just ruined half of my presentation, stupid woman!”

“And your suit,” she grinned, purposefully looking at the soaked deep blue material of his jacket. “Now, we all know Doctor Smith is useless without his notes, don’t we? All you ever do during your presentations is read. Boring. This will add some spice, won’t it?”

“I still have my slides, you won’t get away with this, Tyler!”

“Your slides? What slides?”

He looked up from the disastrous mess his papers had melted into and gasped, glancing down between his feet to make sure it wasn’t his computer case in her hands. He found out it was. She must have stolen it from him while he was busy trying to save bits and pieces of his notes - she hadn’t been wrong when she had said he was useless without his notes. So, if he didn’t get his computer back with his precious slides… He didn’t want to think about it.

“Doctor Tyler, this is my property and I demand you give it back, right now,” he ordered, pointing a threatening finger at her, a hard scowl spread over his features.

She simply raised an eyebrow, shoved the case inside a drawer, turned the key in the locket to secure it, and offered the key in the crook of her palm. Just as he was about to snatch it back from her, she threw it through her open window and faked a moan of apology.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Doctor, it appears I’ve lost the key,” she smiled, mockingly tugging on her drawer to make sure it was properly locked. “I’m afraid we don’t have enough time to look for it, you’ll have to do without it. But surely the brilliant Doctor Smith doesn’t need slides to convince the committee of the utmost importance of a trip to Backwater-Upon-Moron to learn more about, what was it, ass fissioning?”

“You’ll pay for this, Doctor Tyler,” he growled, a low rumble in his throat. “I spent hours and hours on this and you’ve just ruined all of it.”

“You ruined it all for me the moment you decided not to tell me,” she shot back, picking up the soaked papers to throw them in her bin. “That’s all you ever do, ruin my career, ruin my faculty, day after day, you just stand in my way and make sure nothing good ever happens to me! I’m tired of you and your bloody childish pride and ambitions!”

“They are not childish....”

“You want to wank at night, oh yes, I’m so good at what I do, I’m the best, look at me, ‘m Mister Clever Scientist, king to the humanities peasants,” she continued in a high-pitched voice, as if she hadn’t heard his interruption, “then please, wank away all you want, but don’t expect me to give you a hand. I’m going to this meeting, and I’ll give it my best shot just because I don’t want to make it easy for you. Now get the Hell away from here and tell the President I’ll be five minutes late.”

“You can tell him yourself, some ginormous head case told me I’m not good at delivering messages,” he muttered, kicking the chair back under the desk. “I meant it, by the way. I really wanted to tell you. You’d better give me my computer back after the meeting, Doctor Tyler.”

“Sure, just find the keys, Doctor Smith. Now go.”

“With pleasure. Nutter.”

He made sure to slam the door on his way out, before he leaned against it, a heavy sigh flowing out of his mouth. She made sure to throw her empty cup of coffee at the door, before she leaned back in her chair, a tired moan flowing out of her mouth. Well, at least, neither of them would get what they wanted at that meeting, he believed. And, well, at least, both of them would make a poor impression on the committee, she believed.

He pondered for a moment if he ought to go at all. No notes, no slides, mouth full of anger and head full of resentment. No use in going. And Doctor Tyler was right, anyway. She deserved that budget more than he did. She was right. He should have played fair and square from the beginning, told her about the meeting and give her a chance, just like everyone else had, but he hadn’t. Because of him, she wouldn’t get her chance to go to Milan with her students, just like she hadn’t gotten her chance to get a few lousy books. He understood why she hated him. And she was right to.

Instead of taking the elevator to the conference room, he kept walking towards his office. That was a battle he didn’t want to fight, much less to win.

She pondered for a moment if she ought to go at all. No notes, no slides, blood boiling with frustration and head full of furious thoughts. No use in going. And Doctor Smith would go anyway. Even without his stuff, she knew he would be better than she could ever be. She had nothing. If he had played fair and square, she would have had her chances, she could have presented something worth at least part of that budget, but he hadn't. Because of him, she wouldn’t get her chance to o to Milan with her students, or anywhere else for that matter. Just like she hadn’t gotten her chance to get a few books and a modicum of money to revamp the department. She wanted to hate him, but she couldn’t. She could blame him for not telling her about the meeting, but she knew he hadn’t lied, and just forgotten. Just another vile trick that had turned sour. And she had ruined his chances, too. He had worked hard for this, and she had destroyed all of it. She understood why he was angry. And he was right to.

Instead of preparing a sketch of ideas she could present at the meeting, she crossed her arms over her desk and buried her face in the crook of an elbow. That was a battle she didn’t want to fight, much less to win.

#doctorroseprompts #ten x rose #university au #enemies to lovers #trope #fun #humour #john smith x rose tyler

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moonlightmolly · 7 years

Text

Fandom Tag Meme

Thank you to @gallihafry for tagging me! Sorry it took me so long to do this!

1. Your current OTP(s)/OT3(s)/OTX(s):

I've never been super into shipping (I've actually distanced myself from a few fandoms because some of the shippers were so rude to people). I've found that most of my favorite relationships on Doctor Who have been mainly platonic ones, like the friendships between Eleven and Amy, Ten and Donna, and Twelve and Bill. The exception to this is Doctor x Clara. I liked her with Eleven, but she and Twelve are just brilliant together. And even this pairing is a little different than most because Clara and Twelve never kiss or do anything overtly romantic (at least not onscreen). And I think that's what appeals to me about it. It's clear that they love each other more than life itself, but their relationship defies categories and stereotypes.

2. A pairing you initially didn’t consider but someone changed your mind (bonus points: who was that person).

I can't think of any.

3. A pairing you used to love, but it all fell apart for you.

I wouldn’t say it all fell apart for me because I still like River x Doctor (The Husbands of River Song is my favorite Christmas Special), but the whole "You're destined to fall in love with me" aspect bothers me because I'm a big believer in free will. However, I do really love the idea of River loving the Doctor throughout his different incarnations, in spite of the huge changes in personality and appearance. Apparently, there’s a Big Finish story where River goes on an adventure with Six and Seven, which sounds pretty entertaining. And I have absolutely nothing against Alex Kingston herself. I got to see her at a panel in my hometown a year ago (my first ever Doctor Who panel!), and she’s so funny and charismatic. I think even my Dad enjoyed listening to her, even though he’s not a Doctor Who fan. And her hair is even more amazing in person.

4. Have you added anything cracky/hilarious to your fandom, if so, what?

Not yet, unfortunately. However, I'm planning on getting Photoshop soon, so maybe I will someday. 🙂

5. What’s the longest you’ve ever been in a fandom?

I've loved Star Wars since childhood. I think I was around seven when I watched A New Hope for the first time. It’s still my favorite Star Wars movie.

6. Do you remember your first OTP, if so who was in it?

I think it was either Raven x Beast Boy (Teen Titans) or Aang x Katara (Avatar: The Last Airbender).

7. Name a fandom you didn’t care/think about until you saw it all over Tumblr.

It was a gifset of Vincent and the Doctor that sparked my interest in Doctor Who. Also, I printed out a Twelfth Doctor quote and put it on the bulletin board over my desk before I ever started watching the show. It was his "scared is a superpower" quote from Listen, which is now one of my favorite episodes.

8. Say something genuinely nice about a character who isn’t one of your faves (chars you’re neutral on are fair game, as are chars you dislike).

While I don't hate any of the Doctor's companions, Rose Tyler is my least favorite. Her possessiveness of the Doctor bugged me. However, I liked her friendship with Nine and I know she played a critical role in healing him after the Time War.

9. Name three things you wish you saw more of in your main fandom (or a fandom of choice).

I have to agree with @gallihafry here: 1) Less hatred of the showrunners. Constructive criticism is good, personal attacks are not. 2) More respect towards those with differing viewpoints. 3) Kind of ties in with 2, but less "us vs them" attitudes when it comes to ships. We can become so divided over characters and ships that we forget that we all love the same show.

10. Choose a song at random; which ship or character does it remind you of?

"Answer" by Sarah McLachlan makes me think of Twelve and Clara. If I had any video editing skills, I'd make a video for them with that song (and probably cry a lot).

11. A pairing you ship that you don’t think anyone else ships.

This would obviously be an AU ship, but I really love the idea of Donna x Nine. It all started with this artwork by Kelly Yates. I bought a t-shirt with this on it, and my favorite little detail is the heart between Donna and Nine. I can totally picture those two together, rocking their leather jackets and sassing their way through time and space. They’d probably get into a big argument at some point, then one of them (probably Donna) would randomly interrupt the whole thing with a kiss. How cute would that be? Okay, now I really want to see some Donna x Nine fanart.

12. Your most scandalous headcanon for your current OTP(s)/OT3(s)/OTX(s).

I only recently became a Whouffaldi shipper, so nothing yet.

13. Do you have any hard and fast headcanons that you will die defending, about anything at all (gender identity, sexual or romantic orientation, extended family, sexual preferences like top/bottom/switch, relationship with poetry, seriously anything)?

I believe that Twelve has a Scottish accent because of Amy, and no one will ever convince me otherwise. It kind of makes me hope that Thirteen will have an accent like Clara's. I really like the idea of remembering a companion through a trait like that.

14. 5 favorite characters from 5 different fandoms.

I’ve already listed some in this post, but I left out some good ones, so I'm glad this question is here!

Ellen Ripley (Alien) Amy Pond (Doctor Who) Aragorn (Lord of the Rings) Sophie Hatter (Howl's Moving Castle) Furiosa (Mad Max: Fury Road)

15. 3 OTPs from 3 different fandoms.

Whouffaldi (Doctor Who), Sherlolly (Sherlock), and Ellie x Alec (Broadchurch)

16. 5 favorite ships.

Since I’ve already listed my three main romantic ships, I’m going to use this space to list my favorite platonic ships!

Amy & Eleven

Donna & Ten

Bill & Twelve

Red & Liz (The Blacklist)

Sherlock & Watson (Sherlock, Elementary)

17. Just ramble about something fan-related, go go go (prompts optional but encouraged).

Time for a little soapbox rant. One thing that really irritates me is the attitude that platonic relationships can't be as interesting and complex as romantic ones. The majority of my favorite fictional relationships are platonic, but I wouldn't call any of them boring. What's even more upsetting is when people attack writers for not making their ship canon. It's fine to disagree with the direction of a show or story, but as I said above, personal attacks are never okay. This is something I've run into in multiple fandoms, unfortunately. However, the people I follow, along with my followers and mutuals, are giving me hope that not all fandoms have to be that way. I’m thankful for the community I’ve found here. Y’all are helping my attitude both toward fandoms and (for those of you close to my age) toward my age group in general. I have a history of disliking other millennials. But I’m learning that it’s not fair to generalize just because I’ve had some bad experiences in the past. Seriously, thank you, everyone, for the follows, likes, reblogs, tags, comments, etc. Whether you know it or not, you’re helping me heal. 😊

Well, that got rather long and personal! Congrats if you read this whole thing.

I’m going to tag: @impossible-stardust, @gallifreyland, @twelveclaraisreal, @lullapiee, and @sea-sands. This is purely for fun, don’t feel pressured to participate.

#about me #fandoms #tagged #text post #long post

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tenroseforeverandever · 8 years

Text

The Cupid’s Arrow (Revised Edition): Chapter 1

Characters: Nine x rose; Original Character

Rated: Teen-Adult

Tags: Fluff; Angst; Humour; Aphrodisiac

Summary: Rose convinces the Doctor to take her to "Planet Valentine" for a lark.

Notes: For @caedmonfaith, who has told me this one of her favourite stories of mine. ((((hugs)))) darling.

I have been meaning to tidy this story up for a while now! What better occasion than this year's Valentine's Day. (No major revisions; just housekeeping.) The original will stand as it is, as part of my Domestic Bliss series.

Second half to be posted tomorrow!.(This revised edition will only be posted here, on AO3 and on Tumblr.)

Also read at: AO3

The Cupid’s Arrow (Revised Edition): Chapter 1

“Honestly, Rose! The things I do for you! Your Nan’s birthday!” the Doctor whinged.

“Well, you could just drop me off, and come back for me later…,” Rose nervously fingered her cheek, “but I wouldn’t mind the company. ‘S not exactly gonna be a wild party.” She rolled her eyes. “And it would be better with two.” She coyly bumped her shoulder against his leather-clad arm, and flashed him her Rose Tyler-patented tongue-touched smile.

“I suppose…” he began, and Rose’s grin widened significantly. She had him: hook, line, and sinker. “But I’m not going to sit there and listen to some old biddies prattling on about their knitting patterns or what happened on EastEnders yesterday.”

“Nah, don’t worry, Doctor. We’ll lay low, yeah. And we can play that game. You know, the one we played at that booooring convention on Mugwarf: “Guess the Alien”. I’m sure loads of Nan’s friends could easily be mistaken for aliens. Very dangerous, old ladies are… There’s one – oh my God! – I swear she’s a Raxicori… um Racico… Slitheen! I’ll be lookin’ for the zipper, I will!”

“Hmmph,” he grumbled grudgingly. “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Rose Tyler,” he performed his dance around the TARDIS console flipping switches in a seemingly random sequence as she watched, bemused, “I will never quite understand the human proclivity to commemorate certain dates! You lot and your need to compartmentalize everything into neat, little categories! A lot of fuss over nothing, if you ask me!”

“Yeah, well we like it,” she proclaimed. “Gives order to things. This travellin’s excitin’ and all (I love it, Doctor!) but it gets so… timeless sometimes, yeah. Now and then I feel like I need somethin’, you know… real to hold onto… to keep me from goin’ spare.”

He responded by grabbing her hand, entwining their fingers. “You have me.”

“Yeah, I do,” she beamed up at him, stunned by his rather significant little statement, and pressed her cheek gently against the cool leather of his sleeve, breathing in the comforting scent of him.

“Hold on tight, Rose,” he warned as, still gripping her hand, he flipped the final lever that sent the TARDIS spinning wildly through the vortex.

--oOo--

Several hours later, hands swinging, linked between them, they walked back to the TARDIS from the Tyler flat, chattering cheerfully to one another. “Blimey, Doctor! I nearly weed myself when old Tessie pinched your cheek and told you what a handsome young man you were!” Rose burst into gales of laughter. “If she only knew!”

“Oh, laugh all you want, little ape.” His expression suddenly sobered. “I’m just relieved Jackie didn’t have a go at me.” He subconsciously lifted his hand to his cheek.

Rose just laughed the louder, taking advantage of his insecurity. “I swear Tessie fancies you! And it’s nearly Valentine’s Day, Doctor,” she sing-songed. “Maybe she wants you to be her Vaaaalentine, yeah? What d’ya think, Doctor? She’s nearly your age and all!”

“You can shut up now, you!” he reproved with a growl, dropping her hand.

Rose felt her heart sink at the loss of the strong, reassuring grip, an enduring symbol of their friendship since the first day they had met. She was silent for a long moment, her mood turning sullen. When she finally spoke, it was in a sour tone: “Now there’s a rubbish celebration…” The disagreeable subject fit rather well with her change in mood.

“What’s that?”

“Valentine’s Day! One human date we could very well do without commemorating!” she huffed, stuffing her hands into her pockets.

“Why’s that, then? Ricky forget to bring you chocolates and flowers?” he taunted, a possessive smirk curling his lips. He reached for her hand again, and gave a disgruntled snort when he found it absent. Rose kept it pointedly tucked in her jacket.

“It’s jus’, ya know, it sets people up with a lot of false expectations. It’s forced. It’s fake. And all the pressure: what to give; how much to give; and who really wants chocolate and roses and dumb poetry anyway? And, then, when you don’t have someone to celebrate with… it’s so lonely, yeah.” She pulled her hand out and linked her arm through his, her lips twitching up a little when she heard him release a self-satisfied sigh.

“And to think, your lot created a planet entirely dedicated to Saint Valentine and his day.”

“No way! You’re takin’ the mick! Really?”

“Oh yes, Rose. You intrepid little humans, you forge your way out across the galaxy, bringing all of your traditions and customs with you. There must a special planet for every Old Earth holiday, and then some! Species from all around come to partake in human traditions! It’s a huge tourist industry. Just imagine!” He pulled out his key to open the TARDIS door, and let Rose step in ahead of him.

“You’re serious?”

“Yup!”

“Prove it.”

“What? Now?”

“Yeah.”

“Aren’t you tired?”

“Nope. You?”

“Of course not, Rose. Time Lord, remember?”

“Well then, Time Lord… take me to this Valentine’s planet.”

“Thought you hated Valentine’s Day.”

“I do. But this might be good for a lark. Could be fun: people watching. Guessing what their relationships are, yeah. Married; first date; newly-weds. Like that!”

“Rose Tyler, you and your games! Alright, then, you asked for it.” He strode to the console and began to set the coordinates. “But I’m warning you. Stay away from love potions and aphrodisiacs of any kind. Let me taste anything you plan to eat. My sensitive taste buds can detect any of them, and,” he grinned cheekily at her, “my superior physiology can neutralize them in record time!”

“You really think you’re so impressive, don’t you?”

“I am! And most importantly, no wandering off. All I need is a lovesick Rose Tyler on my hands. Bad enough as it is, sullying the TARDIS with all your domestics: trips home to see Mummy; grocery shopping; laundry…”

“Oi, you invited me! Twice!”

“All I’m saying is that I want you to be safe, Rose.”

She gave him a little kiss on the cheek. “I know, Doctor. Let’s go, yeah? I’ll be careful, promise.”

--oOo--

Rose poked her head out the TARDIS doors. “Doctor, this is soooo cheesy! Raining rose petals? Really?”

“Not too late to turn back…” The Doctor peered out distastefully at the red, pink, and white glitter that was Planet Valentine.

“No chance! This is brilliant!” She grabbed his hand and dragged him out into the shower of drifting petals. Letting go of him, she twirled around ecstatically in wonder. “Doctor, this may just be enough to make me see Valentine’s day in a whole new light!” She stopped spinning to face him, and found him with an incongruous grin brightening his face. She swore his eyes actually twinkled at her. “W’at? W’at is it Doctor?”

“Oh, c’mon, you.” He switched rapidly to a more surly expression, as was customary when he had been caught looking at her. “Let’s get this over with.” He took her hand again and directed her to what looked like the main street, filled with throngs of creatures representing species from all across the galaxy, although the majority appeared to be human… or human-ish.

Rose observed most of the planet’s visitors walked around in pairs, although a few individuals strolled about, either procuring gifts for a significant other or perhaps seeking companionship. Then she saw something remarkable: “Doctor? Those blue, glowing people over there… do you see them?”

“Those are Trinitarians, Rose. Their skin begins to glow like that at the peak of their reproductive cycle. Truly beautiful species.”

“Yeah, they are,” Rose sighed in awe at the tall, slender, willowy forms whose skins seemed to dance with shimmering blue radiance. “But there are three of them? Do they need three to reproduce?”

“Blimey! Aren’t you perceptive? Clever!”

“No need to sound so surprised.” Rose couldn’t help but feel miffed by the Doctor’s double-edged compliment, and let it show in the tone of her voice.

She was aware of the Doctor glancing warily down at her as he forged ahead on the topic of the Trinitarians: “There aren’t many species that need three participants for procreation, but they do. There are a handful of others, too. Mind you, it’s not the most complicated mating system out there. Now, take the Spredifriat-mwooguds from the Delta-Frimori Sector! They–”

“Blimey, that must be a difficult relationship, yeah? Imagine how hard it is, even for us humans. I’ve been searching for ages just to find one decent bloke out there. I can’t imagine how complicated it would be if I needed to find two!” She nestled into his arm again, suddenly needing the comfort of his presence.

“C’mon. How about some hot chocolate?”

“You buyin’? ‘Cause I don’t have any credits.”

“Yeah, ‘course. Still owe you for those chips, don’t I? If I remember correctly, there’s a little shop just down the street that makes the best hot chocolate in the galaxy. They even put heart-shaped marshmallows in it!”

“So, you come here often, then? To the Valentine planet… the planet of loooove,” she ribbed him.

“Very funny.” He crossed his arms defensively over his chest, and glowered at her. “It just so happens that I’ve had a sweet tooth… in the past. And if you want a chocolate fix, ‘The Cupid’s Arrow’ is the place! They specialize in exotic chocolates from around the universe. Bon-bons and fudge and… ah, but, you mentioned earlier that you didn’t really care for chocolate. I’m probably just wasting your time taking you there.”

“I never said I didn’t like chocolate!” Rose blurted. “Just think they’re a rubbish Valentine gift, s’all.” She flushed at the sight of the smug grin that spread across his face. “Oh shut up and get me some of that hot chocolate. And just for givin’ me that cheek, you can spring for a nice, big piece of fudge, too.”

“Done!”

--oOo--

Hand in hand, they walked into the shop. The décor was flamboyantly tacky: walls, ceiling, and floor painted in a trompe-l’oeil chocolate bar motif. Tables for two hovered on micro-gravity platforms, showers of heart-shaped confetti sprinkling down in a twinkling column over each red and white laced tablecloth. Ultra-high definition holographic cherubs darted around the tables, shooting little holographic arrows at seated customers. Against one wall was an enormous display cabinet with the largest assortment of chocolate sweets Rose had ever seen. Several customers were buying the confections to take away in shiny heart-shaped boxes wrapped in extravagant glittering tulle ribbon.

Rose fought to supress the giggle that threatened to erupt from her throat. “Oh, this place is just so… you!” She broke into howls of laughter, unable to hold in her mirth any longer.

“Just you wait, Rose Tyler,” the Doctor responded with his see-how-clever-I-am smile. “When you taste that hot chocolate for the first time, you’ll understand why I am able to put up with all this. I’ll be waiting for the apology.”

“You’ll be waitin’ a–” Her tart remark was cut off when a tall, wispy alien with purple skin, and a towering, domed head approached them.

“Table for two?” He spoke in a high-pitched, reedy voice, accompanied by a distinct roll of his emerald-green eyes. “As if it would be anything else around here,” he remarked disdainfully.

“Yes, please!” the Doctor chirped, seemingly oblivious to the Maître-d’s acerbic comment.

Rose goggled as the Maître-d’ punched some codes into a touch screen device and led them to a table that descended, confetti stream disengaged, ready for them to board. He pulled a chair out for Rose, and then one beside her for the Doctor. “Please place your order from the menu on the touch screen in the centre of the table. When you wish to disembark, just notify me by tapping the red heart at the top of the screen. Enjoy your stay at ‘The Cupid’s Arrow’. Please leave smitten.”

“Oh, we’re not together… not like that,” Rose announced, sitting down. “Just mates, yeah.”

“Pffffft,” the Maître-d’ hissed, “of course you are. Just look at the two of you! Just like every other couple that comes in here. Sickening really,” he added under his breath.

“Excuse me?” Rose bristled at him. She felt the Doctor tense up in the chair next to her.

The Maître-d’ gave a thin, squeaky gasp, “My sincere, apologies, Miss!”

“’S all right, mate.” She forced herself to relax and smiled warmly at him. “Sounds like you need a vacation. What’s your name, then? I’m Rose, and this is the Doctor.”

“Hello!” The Doctor waved cheerily.

“I am called Zoorgraps. Please enjoy your refreshment. In just a moment, your table will ascend, and you may place your orders.” His expression, Rose noted, still seemed perturbed and angry, but maybe that was just the way his species was. “If you’ll excuse me…” he whiffled, and drifted off to greet another couple at the door.

Rose opened her mouth to comment on Zoorgraps’ attitude to the Doctor, when she suddenly found herself gripping the sides of her chair in momentary shock as the table began to rise up off the floor. She glanced at the Doctor, a little peeved at his nonchalance, and quickly schooled her features to one of casual indifference. The confetti curtain (holographic also, she noted) resumed its descent around the table. She tried to pass her hands through it and was startled when a mild buzzing resistance impeded her.

“Forcefield,” the Doctor smirked at her, “to prevent us from tumbling to our doom.”

“Oh, well, that makes sense.” She flushed at her naïvety and quickly changed the topic. “So, what are you having?”

“Oh, I’m not hungry.”

“What? You’re going to watch me stuff my face? I don’t think so! Please, Doctor? Anyway, I thought you said you had a sweet tooth.”

“Yeah, not so much this time ‘round.” Rose was perplexed by his choice of words, but immediately dismissed it to a place at the back of her mind as he continued to speak. “But, I suppose a banana hot chocolate with whipped cream would provide a nice boost of energy.”

--oOo--

While the Doctor placed the orders, Rose became engrossed in observing the customers at surrounding tables. “Look at those two, Doctor! What ya think? They’re way beyond first date. I bet they just got engaged! Oh, my God! They’re feeding each other!” She began to laugh, wrapping an arm around her stomach in a hopeless effort to control herself. “Definitely. Engaged! Or about to be…”

“I dunno, Rose,” the Doctor looked up, having finished placing their order, “I think they might be beyond engaged.”

“Why’s that then?”

“Because Rose,” he gestured with a nod of his head at the couple in question, “while he’s feeding her with one hand, the other hand is occupied in a much more entertaining activity.”

“You’re havin’ me on! Oh – my – God!” Rose felt the heat of a blush redden her cheeks as she glanced under the couples’ table. “Well that explains why she looks so dreamy and flushed, then. I am officially upgradin’ their status to newly-wed!”

“That seems more appropriate, I’d say,” he agreed, infuriatingly unflustered by the activities at the next table.

“’Course, could be anything… they’re probably just randy, or this could be... normal behaviour for the, what was it? 47th Century…?” Rose’s attention was (thankfully) soon diverted by the arrival of a tiny flying droid. Its body was a sparkly fuchsia, and its heavily lashed eyes were bright red, heart-shaped deely-boppers. Rose sputtered in shock as it delivered their food, confirming their order in a sultry voice.

The Doctor chortled at Rose’s bemused reaction. “It’s all jus’ a lot to take in, ya know,” she stammered, “what with Mr. Happy Hands and the wife sittin’ next door, and Lou-Lou the Love-Bot delivering the–” She was interrupted by a muffled, impassioned cry from the woman at the next table, causing Rose to roll her eyes in an attempt to affect disdain and indifference.

The Doctor simply chuckled harder. “Keep up, Rose! I thought you’d be over the culture shock, by now,” he teased mercilessly.

“Shut up. ‘S not like that stuff didn’t go on ‘round the Estate, but it wasn’t done out there for everyone to see: usually down some dark alley… or on the dance floor at one of those seedy clubs. And the robot’s just daft! Besides, you’ve had nine hundred years to get used to all this. I haven’t even had nine months!”

“Still, Rose…” He gulped down his mug of hot chocolate in one swig. “Oi, what’s goin’ on down there?” he asked, responding to the noise of shouting rising from below.

Rose craned her neck to give her the best view of the floor of the restaurant through the confetti forcefield. “Looks like our friend, Zoorgraps, has gone completely bonkers, he has! Right cheesed off about somethin’. He’s natterin’ on about how unfair life is, havin’ to work here. Doctor, he’s getting really worked up… Doctor?”

Rose looked across at the Doctor. He was leaning on his elbow, chin in his palm, gazing at her dreamily. “Doctor?” her voice rose in alarm. “Earth to Doctor…” She waved her hand in front of his face.

“Right here, Rose. Don’t worry, love, I’ll never leave you.”

“Right comforting, that is! Not quite relevant, though, Doctor. Wait… did you just call me ‘love’?” She felt a strong prickle of concern rush over her. “Doctor, could you answer me a question, then?”

“For you, my Rose, I would do anything.”

“Yeah, ‘bout that… Did you happen to detect an aphrodisiac in that hot chocolate of yours? Just guessin’… on the off chance… that you did, yeah?”

“Oh, yes! There was enough potion in there to make a Geruhundian Greehog fall in love with an Ooktee.”

“Thought so.” She wrinkled her nose in trepidation. “And your superior physiology…?

“Still superior, but that was a rather large dose... You know, that’s what I love about you, Rose! So observant! So beautiful… and not just for a human.” He snatched her hand from where it lay across the table, pressing his lips to the back of it.

Rose shivered, and quickly turned away from his piercing stare. She was about to suggest that they get back to the TARDIS post-haste, when she became aware of an enormous commotion, not just from Zoorgraps at floor level, but also taking place in the air all around her: it seemed the holographic cherubs were continuing to fly about, shooting arrows at customers, but the arrows were no longer holographic recreations. They were very real and very dangerous.

#valentine's day #nine x rose #ficandchips #angst #fluff #aphrodisiac #humour #caedmon #the cupid's arrow #tenroseforeverandever's fic

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