θ 3

[bit_impossible]

[currently, the Doctor is crawling on the floor in the entrance of the ballroom, occasionally stopping to look and feel under the couches for something. he doesn't show it, but he's been rather shaken up--and he certainly is not happy]

Come on out! I know you're here somewhere. You've got to be! I felt you before you--[he pauses, his hand suddenly darting under a plush chair]--did whatever you did a few moments ago.


[ooc: The Doctor had to make a choice! When you tag in, I'll leave you a little message in his reply back so you know what's up~]

Comments

[bit_impossible]

[he sees her feet--or rather a pair of feet as he isn't too sure who they belong to just yet] Hello, what have we got here? [aaaand he feels them, squeezing one foot to make sure disembodied feet haven't joined the disembodied hands crawling about]

[brandyhabit.livejournal.com]

Hey, what the bloody hell do you think you're doing? [she kicks his hand and then pulls away from the chair] I - [she was about to make a joke about weird kinks and regeneration to make him feel uncomfortable, but she finds herself unable to deliver] - realize there's probably some reason you're manhandling my feet which is absolutely logical to you, but right now, I'd just like to repeat what the hell are you doing?

[bit_impossible]

Ow! [he pulls back his hand] At least you had the decency not to step on my hand!

And since you asked, I wasn't manhandling your feet--not that I ever would; I know where they've been--but I was making sure they weren't like those disembodied, decaying hands that have infested the ballroom here. And more specifically--[he doesn't want to say this or anything else he's just said, but he's having trouble fighting against it]--I'm trying to find the one that grabbed me and sent me back here. I was in the back rooms a few minutes ago.

[brandyhabit.livejournal.com]

[she gapes at him, horrified. She is honestly at a loss for words for a good minute.]

I beg your bloody pardon? [she comes around to him, and starts poking him in the chest, another poke for every insult] Listen you, you sodding prat, I don't know who the hell you think you are, or where the hell you think my feet have been, or why the hell you would say my feet look disembodied or decaying, but if you know what's good for you, you'll start thinking up an absolutely brilliant explanation, or else I'll...

[and she can't even truthfully finish that sentiment, because she doesn't know what she'll do to the Doctor in that case.]

Well, I don't know what I'll do to you, but you'll be wishing you kept that mouth of yours good and shut.

[bit_impossible]

[rubs his chest; really, did she have to poke him so hard?] A prat, am I? Oh, sure, you might have a point there, but I think I'm the one who is trying to find these creatures before they get a hold on you and everyone else trapped here and do something horrible to us. Or perhaps you'd like to take your chances with those other creatures out there?

And what the hell's gotten into you, anyway? I never said your feet looked disembodied or decayed! It was dark from my perspective under that sofa. You had nice-looking feet from what I remember, but you've been to an awful lot of nasty dig sites as well. That's all I meant!

[brandyhabit.livejournal.com]

I don't bloody need you to save me. I'm perfectly capable of getting myself into dangerous and awkward situations and somehow managing to come out of it alive... [that didn't come out exactly as she had planned]

[she looks down at her feet, shuffling them for a moment, before looking back at the Doctor]

Yes, well, good. I'm glad you think so. That's better, I suppose.

[bit_impossible]

[blinks] Yes, I know--I've been with you through how many of those dangerous and awkward situations?--but that isn't going to stop me from wanting to help an old and dear friend if I know she's in trouble and I'm able to help her, even if there are times when I honestly and truly never can, no matter how much I desperately want to.

[puts his hands on her shoulders, managing a slight smile despite what he just alluded to.] Of course it's better! And not just because I say it is; don't deny that you were going to go there.

[brandyhabit.livejournal.com]

[she just stares at him] What in god's name are rambling about?

[the fact she notices that enough to ask means she loves you, Ten?] Yes, but I didn't expect for you to go there!

[bit_impossible]

[oh hell, he really doesn't want to say--] The Fifth Axis. [but once it's out, well, can't exactly take it back, can he? even if he still does love her in his own way.]

Why not? There are many places I could have gone--still could.

[something tells him he's probably due for more bodily harm in the very near future]

[brandyhabit.livejournal.com]

Yes, well, I'm sure it can be helped. You do have a bloody time machine, so - [she stops, horrified, clapping a hand over her mouth. That is not at all what she meant to say.]

[she takes a breath and is distracted thankfully by the Doctor being dumb.] Exactly what places do you think you could still go?

[Time Lords really do have a grasp of what the future might hold~]

[bit_impossible]

[frowns] Benny, you and I have talked about this before, well, I have done, and you will do sometime in the future judging from your reaction. But like I said a moment ago--see, there is a reason for my rambling--I can't no matter how much I want to. You've lived through those events, and by the time I get to see the results of things with my own eyes, I've established myself in the timeline and that adds another big reason why I can't change it. No amount of apologising will ever make up for it, and I'm pretty certain you'll always be angry with me because of it for the rest of your life. I know Brax is, though we'll never admit it openly to each other.

[he tries to smile, but considering what else he's said...] I could go anywhere I wanted. Where would you want me to go?

[brandyhabit.livejournal.com]

As I'd rather not address any of that and pretend it doesn't bother me at all, I'm just going to seemingly dismiss - [she makes a face] - cruking hell, why do I keep doing that?

[she makes an indignant and horrified face] What the bloody hell is wrong with you? I - you - I didn't bloody realize you lot could be reborn as - [and she is failing at talking, because she is very shocked and appalled by you, Doctor, so she punches him in the arm] Sodding pervert!

[bit_impossible]

[somewhat indignantly] I'd like to know the same thing! I never wanted to talk about that incident ever again. I thought that I was done with that.

[rubs his arm] I am not! I never have any time to do anything anyway. Far too many important things going on! Bernice Surprise Summerfield, are you sure you're not the one who's the bigger pervert? After all, you never did say.

[brandyhabit.livejournal.com]

[she huffs, her shoulders visibly shaking, and if looks could kill, well...you'd be wearing a bowtie right now, Doctor. She's completely ignoring the first point, because she's too offended right now to think straight.]

I'm not a bleeding pervert and I'll tell you where you could go with me you [she seethes, unable to find words, so she punches him in the arm again] - you can go absolutely bloody nowhere! I'm not the town bicycle that you can just hop on when you fancy a ride.

[she waves her hands around, her voice mocking] Oh, I have no time because I'm a galactic wag so I'll just hit up Benny when I'm stuck somewhere, because she's always good for a go.

[the voice goes away and she glares up at him]

Not to mention that I have an ex-bloody-husband at home and I'm not about to trot off with you to do goddess knows what because you are [and she punches his arm again] a giant perverted sod!

[bit_impossible]

[firmly, seriously] Stop it. Just stop it! You should know me well enough to know that I'd never treat you like that, and that I'd never think of you like that either! Contrary to all evidence you've seen so far, I'm older and wiser than I was when we...had a go. [his voice softens and he reaches for her again] You're my friend, first and foremost, and I'm more than aware when a ship has sailed. Any fleeting feelings, perverted or not, don't matter.

[he tries to smile] You and Jason were always meant for each other, you know.

And you can really stop punching me in the arm.

[brandyhabit.livejournal.com]

[she turns red and looks away, embarrassed and humbled.] I don't know what to expect when there's a new you. Every time I meet you again you're, you're you, but you're not. [and then the moment of being humbled is over] You're still a sodding idiot about certain things, but overall you're very intelligent. [she makes a face, that sentence should have ended earlier and not included anything about him being intelligent] And there we are again! What the hell is going on with that? I don't even - [deep breath]

I actually really would like to say I'm sorry, because what you just said there was oddly touching [she makes a face at that sentence too, as she meant to say something about waiting for his apologies and being completely blameless and instead said...that], but it still doesn't change the fact that you might want to think of how you say things before you bloody say them.

[bit_impossible]

[he smiles] I don't really have a choice right now, but what I said just now is the absolute truth. ...And so was that! Thanks for the compliment, by the way--and yes, I'm taking it all as a compliment, even the idiot part because by virtue of the 'very intelligent' comment, it overrules it and I'm still damn clever!

[a pause] That really isn't helping. You've got to admit, though, it is interesting what's going on. We must have made the same choice.

[brandyhabit.livejournal.com]

Oh, I hate the truth. [she laughs] And that must be the truth as well. Isn't that fantastic? I prefer denial to - ugh, we make absolutely rubbish choices.

[bit_impossible]

[he chuckles; softly] They weren't all bad. I'm glad you travelled with me.

[brandyhabit.livejournal.com]

And I can't even accuse you of lying just so I can pretend that your words don't mean as much to me as they - oh, this is going to be an absolute misery, isn't it?

[bit_impossible]

Nope! [he grins cheekily] I can't take them back either, not that I'd want to. And, well, I wouldn't say "absolute misery". Close to, maybe, but more like a temporary unpleasantness that, if we're not careful, could turn us against one another--or at least leave one of us with an awful lot of bruises, namely me.

[brandyhabit.livejournal.com]

You absolutely deserve it, except you don't, since half the time I think you're not even aware of what an idiot you're being. So, any ideas on how to fix this before I hurt you even further?

[bit_impossible]

[he just smiles in reply]

Well! For starters, I think we need to stay away from topics that incite a certain emotion in us. Well, not just one.

[brandyhabit.livejournal.com]

We need to learn to not say obnoxious things, too. Honestly, no pun intended, how did you expect me to react to something like that?

[quickly] Also, let's agree that we can retain the right to remain silent if it fits us.

[bit_impossible]

I wasn't expecting anything, really. I'm a bit rude in this incarnation and really, I can't help it.

You do realise if we agree to that, we might not end up saying anything at all. Of course, we could always switch to Delphon, but I can't remember how up you are on that or if I taught you at all.