Work Text:
Confessions
The spinning bottle came to a stop in front of the Doctor.
Ryan grinned, “truth or dare, Doctor?”
Thirteen looked at him with an unreadable look.
“Truth.”
Ryan, Graham and Yaz conferred, before settling back into the sort-of circle they’d been sitting in.
“Give us a confession.”
She looked at them each in turn, put on her most serious face, and spoke, “I don’t like custard creams,” she paused dramatically, “I love them.”
Yaz laughed while Graham looked exasperated, “Doctor, that’s hardly a secret.”
“You never said it needed to be a secret! Besides, the custard creams deserve to know how much I love them.”
She reached out, above her head and pulled what she had affectionately dubbed the Wonder lever. She munched into it, thoroughly satisfied, as Graham stood up.
“That’s it, I’m off to bed.” He wandered down the corridor to his chambers, muttering about ‘children’s games’ and ‘not following the rules’ as he went.
Ryan stretched and rose, “I think I’m out too, gonna play some of the new Fifa before I turn in.”
“You’re leaving us, for a video game?” The Doctor spoke mock sternly.
“Man’s got priorities,” he gave them a cheeky grin and left.
After a moment of silence, the Doctor got up and flickered what seemed to be a random string of levels, before pulling the Wonder lever again. She took the biscuit that slid down and munched, re-crossing her legs as she sat, before lying back on the floor of the main console room. Above them, the lights vanished before the ceiling seemed to open up into the night sky itself.
Yaz whistled. “You’re just full of surprised, aren’t you?”
The Doctor gave her a pretend modest look with a smile, “I like the keep a few tricks up my sleeve.”
Yaz settled back too, one arm under her head and another resting on her stomach as they looked up at the millions of stars together. A comfortable silence fell as they admired the might of the universe above them.
“It wasn’t really a fair question. I supposed you’ve got a lot of secrets we can’t know, what with you being a Time Lord and all.”
The Doctor tilted her head consideringly, “yes, I am very wise and if you knew all the things I knew, you could die.” She managed to maintain the serious façade for a full two seconds before melting into giggles.
Yaz rolled her eyes; the Doctor was being even sillier than usual tonight. Not that she minded, they all needed a breather to relax and unwind after the day’s adventures. Besides, she had yet to see a side of the Doctor that she didn’t like.
The comfortable silence returned as Yaz got lost in thoughts of potentially maybe one day actually telling the Doctor how much she liked her.
The Doctor turned to look at Yaz for a moment, before returning her gaze to the stars.
“There are a lot of things I couldn’t tell you,” she paused, “and a few things I could which wouldn’t count as confessions.” Her voice had become serious suddenly.
Yaz looked at the Doctor, but her gaze was locked onto the sky.
“There’s one thing I could though,” it came out as a whisper. “But I-“
She gave a gasp as a shooting star passed above them, “quick Yaz, make a wish!”
Yaz did make a wish, but she couldn’t tear her gaze away from the Doctor in that moment, so she wasn’t sure if it would count.
“Did you make a wish?”
The Doctor finally turned towards her when she received no verbal reply. Yaz swallowed and nodded. The Doctor gave Yaz her usual dazzling smile and turned back to looking upwards.
After a moment, Yaz realised she would have to prompt the easily distracted Time Lord.
“You were saying, but…?”
The Doctor turned to face Yaz with an unreadable expression on her features. She seemed to consider her next words carefully.
“But I’m not sure I should.”
“What’s stopping you?”
The Doctor broke their gaze.
“You know, things can never be unsaid. It’s a strange concept, that once I say something, it’s out there. Maybe no one will hear it or remember it or think anything of it, but that’s it. It’s like the internet, once it’s out there, it’s out there.”
Yaz switched which arm was under her head.
“True. But that goes for positive things too – if you only think someone’s great, but never tell them….”
Yaz trailed off.
“I think you’re great, have I told you that?
Yaz pretended to consider for a moment, “I think you might’ve mentioned it.” She grinned, “and you know I think you’re like the best person I’ve ever met.”
The Doctor gave her a pretend thoughtful look, “I think I remember you saying something about that, yeah.”
“I meant it too, and I know some pretty great people.”
The Doctor laughed, propping herself up on her elbow and looking at Yaz. “I’m sure you do,” her voice dropped to a murmur. “Who could resist you.”
Yaz looked at her as she flushed and stumbled over her words, “I meant, like, uh- getting to know you, you’re brilliant Yaz.”
She stopped herself before she dug herself in any deeper, giving Yaz a smile and turning to lie back down before she injured something in her fluster.
Yaz scooted a little closer to her until they were lying side by side, brushing her hand against the Doctor’s as she rested her arm against the floor. The Doctor didn’t pull away. Yaz took a breath and took the Doctor’s hand in her own, intertwining their fingers loosely enough so that the Doctor could pull away if she wanted to. She didn’t, instead she took their hands to her lips and kissed the back of Yaz’s hand before Yaz caught her eye and the Doctor gave her a smile.
They lay like that for a while, and as they did, Yaz thought that maybe you didn’t have to look at a shooting star for the wish to come true after all.