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You were a person who enjoyed all kinds of jewellery. Necklaces, bracelets, rings – you name it, but it were piercings that you had particular fondness for. There was something about them that really drew you in and thanks to that, while still on Earth, you’d got quite a lot of them.
Little did you know that your alien companion did not exactly share that enthusiasm.
It was wash day. Hair tied up in a messy ponytail, you were roaming about the TARDIS in just sweatpants and a simple shirt, reading the Black Orchid in between doing the washing and hanging the laundry. Once the tedious task was done, you made for the console room to inform the Doctor.
“Doctor, the clothes are drying now—”
His bewildered face made you stop in your tracks.
“What?” you asked, brows furrowed. The Doctor was staring at you as if you’d just grown a third arm.
“What’s that on your ears?”
“On my ears?”
Confused, you poked the inside of the shell of your ear. Were you dirty somewhere? As you desperately searched for a ‘something’ on your ears, you noticed Adric leaning on the door to the inside of the ship, smirking at you as if the whole situation was very amusing.
“I think he means your earrings.”
“Oh, that.” You patted your ears in relief. “Well, what about them, Doctor?”
The Doctor let out a sigh. Right, you noticed vaguely, he’d never seen your piercings before because you always wore your hair down. But what was the big deal anyway? His exasperation, as well as Adric’s amusement, weren’t only inexplicable – they were also starting to get on your nerves.
“Nevermind. I tend to forget Earthlings are aeons behind in evolution,” the Doctor muttered under his breath, flickering some switches on the console.
“What was that?” You snapped back, now full-on ready to defend your honour. “Excuse me if I’m not as smart as you two, and that I’m only human. However, I don’t see what’s that to do with my choice of jewellery.”
Adric half-scoffed, half-laughed. “Wearing metal in your ears? Only women could have come up with something like that.”
“Could they now?” You eyed him head to toe, and his expression froze. His sudden uneasiness brought you a great deal of delight as you dropped the bomb. “In my time, boys and men often get piercings to look cool, you know.”
Taken aback, Adric fell silent, contemplating your words. He looked torn between wanting to keep teasing you and inquire about this ‘cool looking’ matter. You gave yourself a mental high-five; there was no way he would be able to help it. He was a teenager after all.
And you were right.
“Hey, Y/N,” having walked up to you, Adric poked at your elbow curiously. “Do you think you could get me one? Piercing, I mean.”
“Adric!” The Doctor made a scandalised face, but neither you nor Adric paid him any mind.
More than satisfied, you beamed at the boy. “Why of course. I’m no expert, but if you want to trust me on that—”
“I do! You’ve got so many of your own.” Adric stared at your ears with faint adoration now. “Can you help me choose the right one for me? I want to look cool like the boys from your time.”
This satisfaction really felt like you’d just won a battle.
“Sure thing, my dear. Come along, I should have some videos and pictures saved on my phone.”
As you and Adric headed back inside the TARDIS, you threw a single glance at the devastated Doctor. Bidding him goodbye with a smirk, you patted Adric on the back and left the console room.