Chapter Text
Professor John Smith never really saw his life as an exciting one, to the contrary; it was mundane at best. Not that he didn't enjoy his life, it's others that found it boring. As far back as he could remember he found things like science and history rather entertaining subjects. And by far back, he meant all the way back to his early childhood.
Ah those days, days he had no problem forgetting. He had been teased and bullied for pretty much the entirety of his school years because of his interests, and of course his brains.
He was damn intelligent and it showed as he breezed right passed the rest of his classmates. He was one of those over intelligent kids that ended up in college by the time they were fifteen. And so it was by twenty five, which is his current age, he already had a full Professor ship for over five years now.
It made him happy to be doing what he loved, this being a History Professor, but, it had it's down sides. For one, he probably had a total of three dates and two girlfriends in the whole of his life. So he unfortunately had to admit he was still the dreaded word, virgin. Now, he never was one to say it was a bad thing, to the contrary. One should always be careful about giving up that part of their life. But at his age it was starting to stress him out. Especially when his friends constantly reminded him with the looks that he had, he should have girls crawling all over him.
All he manged to have crawling all over him, to his disdain, was his friend Jack Harkness. But then again...Jack tended to crawl all over everyone these days. Though he seemed to be relatively fixated on a one Ianto Jones right now. John thanked the gods that may or may not exist for that.
He removed his glasses and set them down on his desk, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He quite enjoyed going over his lessons for each day but, too much time spent on it always lead to him thinking of things like this.
He ran a hand up and down his face, eventually running it through his unruly hair on the final up run. Something he normally did when he was frustrated or at a loss.
His mum always used to complain about his hair when he visited back home in Scotland. He loved to leave it wild and everywhere. Older people called it messy. Younger ones thought it was something that defied gravity and all sense of reason. Pretty much what he was, so he thought it went quite well with himself.
That thought though brought a frown to his face rather then the smirk it normally would have. He had lost his mum and dad in a car accident the year before and the wounds to his heart was far from healed yet. Despite the friends he surrounded himself with...he felt alone.
He ran a hand over his face again before standing. He would have to put an end to all this for the night. When he got like this he tended to lose all control over what did with is time at home, and so usually ended his day with a bottle of scotch and little memory of anything else after.
He still refused to consider himself an alcoholic...though by all standards he really was. He'd counted on the stuff since he returned from his parents funeral back in Glasgow.
Growling, he ruffled his hair with both hands this time, causing his hair to become total bed head now. It was time to call it a night. So he grabbed his satchel and threw his books and papers to correct inside. Throwing his glasses back on his face, he grabbed the satchel and his brown trench and headed out of his office.
The school was rather silent as it was half passed six and most the staff had gone already, leaving only the cleaning crew.
He had to admit, that gave the college a rather creepy atmosphere, especially since he didn't even see any of the cleaning staff.
He inwardly kicked himself as he sped up, calling himself a complete git for getting scared of a quiet school.
Just as he reached the front entrance, stopping just below a sports banner that read, 'Gallifrey College', he remembered he needed to grab something from the library. Cursing loudly, something he rarely did, on a high level anyway; he headed back for the west wing.
He was a bit surprised to see the doors were still open and the lights still on. He had expected it to be locked up for the night and he'd have been out of luck till the morning.
But luck, it seemed, was on his side. So with a renewed jump in his step, he made his way into the library and headed towards the staff only section.
Just as he was nearing the door to that section though, a woman suddenly appeared from behind some shelves pushing a cart. Needless to say he gave a rather undignified, unmanly yelp.
He took solace in the fact she too gave a similar yelp. Wait...could he really call that solace? He yelped just like her.
Pushing his damaged masculinity to the back of his mind for the time being, he moved to be sure she was alright.
The woman had managed to stay upright but a good many of the books she had been pushing on the cart had fallen to a jumbled mess on the floor, causing her to curse rather unladylike like.
“I do apologize.” He said in his heavy Scottish accent. “I really wasn't expecting anyone back here honestly.”
“It's alright.” The blond replied as she bent down to begin picking up the books.
John was quick to follow suit, gathering up what ones had flown a bit farther and placing them back on the cart. “I don't remember seeing you here before.” He commented, not trying to sound nosy but, he was curious nonetheless.
“Yeah, new. Started at the beginning of the week.”
“I see. Rather rude hello this is isn't it?” He asked as he scratched the back of his head.
“No, it's alright. You didn't mean it.” She said as she let a smile slip, sticking her tongue out between her teeth, an action that made John rather fidgety.
“Uh...John Smith by the way. History Professor.”
“John Smith huh? History Professor? Did you know Pocahontas then too?”
He chuckled nervously at that. “Yeah, don't know what my parents were thinking...”
“Uh...Rose Tyler by the way.” She held out her hand in greeting and waited while John stared at it, still a bit dumbfounded. Finally he shook his head vigorously and took her hand.
“Pleasure. So, how are you liking it here so far?” He asked as he released her hand.
“A bit rough still. Only my first week here so, still learning the ropes. Not that working in a library should be difficult. I just sort of...have the attention span of a sloth really.”
John chuckled a bit at this. “I don't blame you. But a jobs a job eh?”
“Suppose so. First one I've held since I worked at the shop.”
“Which shop was that if I may ask?”
“Henrik's.”
“Oh yes. Guessing you were working there round the time the gas line went hm?”
“Yup. Thus, here I am.”
“Well, glad you weren't caught up in it at least.”
“Almost was. Was just crossing the street when it went.”
“Oh. Lucks on your side that's for sure.”
“Seems so. But, anyway. I don't want to be keeping you much longer. You're obviously on a mission.”
“Hm?” He grunted, tugging at his earlobe.
She nodded towards the door behind him with a bit of a grin.
“Oh, right. Just had to grab a book real quick before heading home. You're the one I shouldn't be keeping. Looks like you have quite a bit of work left there.”
She shrugged slightly. “Doesn't bother me. Not much to do after work anyway, just head back to my flat and watch telly.”
“Sounds...incredibly boring. I should know, pretty much what I do.” He let out a half hearted chuckle.
“Quite a pair we are. But seriously though, I won't keep you. You probably have papers to go over.”
“Suppose so. Was a pleasure talking to you Miss Tyler.”
“And you Mr. Smith.”
With that, he made his way through the door and into the staff area. It didn't take him long to find his book; as he frequented this area many times, and was soon making his way out of the library and back down the halls.
He pushed his glasses up further on his nose as he thought about the quiet night that lay before him. The long...boring...quiet night. He momentarily played at the thought of calling Jack or Donna or something, head out to a pub. He was just getting tired of the boring and the mundane.
He sighed as he reached his car, a light blue affair that he affectionately called the TARDIS. He had no idea what at all that was supposed to mean honestly. He had just played alone so much as a kid, and made up the title for a magical transport for the imaginary world he often played in. It just sort of...stuck.
Shaking his head, he tried to push the thought to the back of his mind. It really was a rather stupid thing to still carry with him, so he shook his head again and got in the car and headed for home.
He followed the same route, listened to the same radio station, nodded to the same people walking down the street. It was like being caught in a never ending loop. He knew it was entirely up to him to change it, and he was completely capable of changing it. But in all honesty he didn't want to...but he did want to as well. It was becoming a jumbled mess of confusion that he hadn't really faced before. Yes, he thought about it, but never had it taken over him so completely. So much so that he got way too distracted and nearly hit a pedestrian crossing the street.
He held up his hands and mouthed an apology as the man flipped him off and pointed to the red light. John could only put a hand over his face and hope the man would keep going and not try to drag him out of the car. Thinking of that possibility, John quickly hit the power locks. Better to be safe than sorry.
Fortunately the man continued on and the rest of his drive home was without incident. His arrival at home though, was not. He groaned when he saw Jack sitting on the front steps outside his house. He knew he had humored the thought of possibly asking Jack if he wanted to head to the pub, but that was half hearted at best.
Jack Harkness, a friend, but an annoying one. A Scotsman like himself but with a rather good American accent, as for a time his parents had moved to America and were there long enough for Jack to get the accent down pretty good.
He swallowed what was left of his pride as he parked and got out, grabbing his satchel.
“Hey John!” Jack said as he raised an arm in greeting, trotting over.
John took a moment to compose himself before turning to him. “Hello Jack.”
“Figured you'd be home soon.”
“...why didn't you just call me instead of waiting and hoping? I might not have been coming right home.”
“Where the hell would you go? You're the biggest introvert of them all.”
John opened his mouth to make some sort of retort but found he had none. Jack kind of had him there.
“Ha ha. Got you there.”
“What do you want Jack?” John asked, a grumpy tinge to his voice. He hated when Jack got a one up on him. “You've got Ianto around to bother don't you?”
“Nah. Not tonight. He got called in cause the company had a major hacking incident or something. He'll probably be working all night.”
“Hm.” John grunted as he headed for the side door, choosing to enter by the kitchen instead. He wanted to get the tea going right away and have himself a cuppa. Jack followed closely behind, taking in his surroundings.
“You know John...you really have a thing for blue don't you?” Jack asked as he took in the blue siding of the house. It was much lighter than his car, more a light sky color, but blue nonetheless.
“I suppose I do. Got a problem with that?”
Jack scowled a bit as he shut the door behind them. “Bad day at work or something?”
John slipped off his coat and draped it over a chair for the moment. “You could say that. Lot of the students are a bit distracted right now. What with Halloween and Bonfire night creeping up. They've taking to prank me at every turn instead of listening in class.”
“Well that's kind of a lost cause. You're about as easy to prank as it is to melt an iceberg with a blow dryer.”
“...” John just stared at him, giving him one of those looks that a more brilliant intellectual can't help but give sometimes. “Where...do you come up with these things?”
“Hey, I can be a funny guy. You just don't get it cause you're so dull.” He said, poking him in the forehead with his index finger. “That brain of yours is for more than smart stuff you know.”
“Aye. And yours is filled with not safe for work subjects.”
Jack only grinned at that.
John rolled his eyes.
“Seriously though John, just stopped by to check on you. You've been overly quiet the passed few weeks. Haven't called or texted any of us.”
“Busy with school Jack.”
“John.”
“Jack.” John gave him a warning glance before grabbing his coat and leaving the kitchen, after having gotten the tea pot going. He settled down on a bench by the front door and slipped off his shoes, before hanging his coat up on the single hook on the wall.
“Look, I know you're all about your work and solidarity but, you could let one of us know you're still breathing every once in a while.”
“Well look at me, I'm breathing, so stop worrying.”
Jack walked over and slapped a hand on his shoulder, grinning. “I think Mr. grumpy here needs a girlfriend is what I think.”
“Oh really? Wouldn't that make Ianto sad?”
“Oh ha ha. You know I mean you you git.”
“My brains are my curse Jack. Now if you're going to stick around and annoy me all night, do you want a cuppa at least?”
“That'd be great.”
“And take that ridiculous coat off. Not even the right time period.”
“Hey, Ex-military.”
“ Why do you like that coat so much?”
“Have you seen how good some of the blokes wearing this kind if coat look?”
“...I'm fairly sure I know what you mean there and I will not ask you to elaborate.”
Jack only grinned as he slipped out of his coat and hung it up on top of Johns before heading into the sitting room. He flopped down on the couch and looked around the small room. A person's home always spoke volumes about them, and John's was no different. A lot of his décor was History oriented. Pieces from all parts of the world, photo's and paintings depicting different points in time; and of course a globe over by one of the windows dotted with little red circles. Jack assumed these were places John wished to travel to one day. If there's one thing Jack knew best about his friend, it was despite his almost hermit like attitude, he really wanted to see the world. Good ol' John, looked like such a simple man but he really wasn't. He was complicated and a bit tortured. He was easily effected by tragedies in his life and took them very hard, as his parents deaths had attested to. He could hide it from the rest of the world but not his friends. They knew when he went quiet, it was time to intervene.
Jack shook his head a bit and crossed the small room to a bookcase that stood to the rear of it, near the archway to the room. As could be guessed it contained mostly History books along with the occasional novel and a few books on folktales. Jack smiled a bit at that, a man so into finding the truth of the worlds past, and yet he still was into these...fairy tales essentially.
John walked back into the room, pausing in the doorway as he studied Jack. “Nothing there is different Jack, why do you find it so interesting?” He asked as he handed one of the mugs to Jack.
“You know me, can't sit still for long. So, even if I've seen it a million times I still look around.”
John nodded slightly at this and walked over to take a seat in a chair just opposite the couch. Jack returned to his seat, sipping his tea. An uncomfortable silence fell between the two men as they enjoyed their tea.
John was the first to dispel it though. “So how is everyone?”
Jack looked up, a little caught off guard. It was usually he who had to speak first. John had a tendency to get lost in his own world and forget people were there often times.
“Uh...well, Mickey proposed to Martha...finally. And Donna's been seeing someone.”
John nearly choked on his tea as he looked up, eyes nearly bulging from his head. “Donna? Donna is seeing someone? She's not going to scare this one off too is she?” He asked as he shifted his eyes to the side a bit.
Jack only laughed at this. “No. Shes uh...shes amazingly calm with this one. Don't really know his name off hand yet but, she says he has a bit of a stutter. But says he's a real nice bloke.”
“Well...worlds just moving right along around us eh? Even Donna's beaten me...”
“...being alone really does bother you doesn't it?”
“I didn't say that.”
“It sounded that way. Christ John, if you'd give it a shot from time to time you might just find someone who's into that mind of yours.”
“I'm boring Jack.”
“You're an intellectual John. You know more about places around the world then most scholars do. You've dispelled thoughts that have been held for ages, proven them wrong. And you want to see the world, not just sit in a chair all day and watch the world pass by.” Jack punctuated that by waving his hand over to the globe by the window. “There's always someone in the world that finds that fascinating. That...that doesn't want to sit on their arse all day either while the world spins on around them. You never know if you don't take the leap John.”
“Like I'd take that kind of advice from you. You don't have enough fingers on your hands to count all the men you've been with.”
Jack cleared his throat nervously for a minute, shifting in his seat. “My life isn't part of this John. Besides, I'm happy where I am now. If I can even manage to settle down then you can find a girlfriend.”
“Why is it the only time anyone comes around, it's to lecture me?”
“I'm not lecturing you, I'm trying to help you. You keep on like this, you'll end up being that grumpy old man waddling outside and shaking your cane at kids; just because they walked passed your house too close.”
John's only response was to raise his left eyebrow. “The imagination you have Jack...” He said after a moment.
Jack only shrugged, finishing off his tea. He stood up, making his way for the kitchen to deposit the mug in the sink. John followed, knowing better than to let anyone lurk alone in his kitchen.
And he had been right as usual. Jack had already found one of his bottles of scotch stashed away.
“Anyone ever tell you not to dig around in someones house?”
“Anyone ever tell you this stuff only works for a while? Seriously John...why don't you take a break for a while? Go on Holiday somewhere? Hell, actually take up on our offer for Christmas. You have to get out every now and again. Get your mind off things for a bit.”
John gave him a warning look before walking over and snatching the bottle from him, placing it back in it's spot in the back of the cupboard. “I'll think about it alright? If only to get you lot off my back.”
“Better than nothing I suppose. But uh, I suppose I should get going. I do have a busy day tomorrow. Just...think about what I said ok?”
“I will alright?”
Jack nodded slightly, not a lot of hope written on his face. “I'll let myself out then.”
John waited till he heard the door close before pulling the scotch back out and grabbing a glass.
The next morning found John in his office bright and early. Well...maybe early, but not bright. He had such a rough night that he didn't even get near finishing any of his paperwork. He scowled as he tried to wrap his head around the papers in front of him, trying to get them corrected. He was starting to entertain the thought of just putting it off another day and just giving the students a break before starting on the next section.
He growled slightly as he yanked his glasses from his face, pinching the bridge of his nose. He was really wishing people would stop tracking him down all the time. It always ended this way. Him stressed out and little to no work done the next day.
He was brought out of his thoughts by a rather light knock on his door. Despite the knock, his first reaction was to look at the clock. It wasn't even quarter to eight yet. He never had any visitors till after eight-thirty and even then it was usually a student.
He turned to the door, contemplating for a moment before slipping his glasses back on. “Come in!” He called out.
In stepped the young blond from the library the night before, looking rather sheepish.
“Oh...good morning...Rose was it.”
“Uh, yeah. Saw you come in this morning. You looked pretty...run down.”
“Rough night is all. Can I help you with something?”
She walked in and it was now that he saw she had two cups of coffee. “Figured you didn't get one this morning by the looks of you. And since you were heading right for your office instead of the lounge...thought I'd just bring you one since I was getting one anyway. Not sure how you like it but...hopefully it's passable...”
He stared for a moment, his jaw a bit slacked. No one had ever really done anything like that for him before. They usually just avoided him on days like this. They came to know these moments as 'The Oncoming Storm', because you could almost feel the power ready to unleash when he was in moods like this.
“Um...thank you. I appreciate it. Would you like to take a seat?”
She nodded, a small smile on her face. She closed the door gently with her foot before making her way over and handing him his mug, taking a seat right after.
“Thought you were a bit upset about this for a moment there...” She said quietly.
“Hm?”
She nodded her head to the coffee mug.
“Oh, no. People aren't usually kind enough to bring me a cuppa. They think I'm going to tear their heads off on days like this or something. I admit, I do feel like it sometimes but, I try to keep my composure at work.”
“And out of works different?” She grinned a bit, the tip of her tongue sticking out between her teeth.
“...” He laughed a bit at that. “Weeeelll. I do admit I can get a bit of a temper at time, and I can yell...oh I can. But I'm not a fighter really. I'd never lash out at anyone. Usually just stick to home anyway so, no one really gets to feel that wrath.”
She laughed a bit, taking a sip of her coffee. “I understand. I can get a temper a bit at times too but, really got to get me into a state for that.”
“Heh. A pair we are eh?”
“Yeah.”
He was quiet a moment before he remembered the work sitting in front of him. He sighed a bit and tried to get back to some of it at least.
“Should I go then? Looks like you have a bit to do yet.”
“No, that's alright. I can talk at the same time. Normally when people want to talk with me they just want to nag.”
“...nag? Why?”
“Cause I shut myself away so much...why am I telling you all this? You must find this all a bit...much?”
“Oh, not at all. I don't mind. Sometimes it helps a person more to get it out to people that listen rather than shoot their own opinions back...if that makes sense...I'm a neutral party after all.”
“That's true. I just...I can see why they worry, I just wish that their visits would consist of more than worry.”
“Some people can't help it I suppose. Got big hearts, just don't get that some people don't want the negative stuff and just...want to talk about other things.”
“...you too huh?”
“Yeah. My mum can be a bit...eccentric.”
He smiled a bit. “Nice they care, but there is something called caring too much.”
She smiled a bit at that, going quiet as she let him get a bit of his work done. She glanced around his desk in the meantime, noticing his organized clutter. Typical of A Historian she supposed. But then she spotted the one book out of place on his desk. Tentatively, she reached for it. “...Folklore of Scotland?”
He looked up when she read the title out, eyes glancing from her to the book. “Yeah. People build models or garden, run clubs for hobbies. My hobby is...more research...”
“...but a History Professor...who reads Folklore?”
“...well, my dad used to tell me all the stories when I was a wee one. Becoming a Historian doesn't damper those days. I still like the stories, regardless of their fantasy. But then...on occasion there's always the what if? It's true that many stories are based in fact, even if it's only a tiny portion of it. It's fun sometimes...trying to discover which ones might just have that glimmer of truth. Of course Gnome's, and Fairies...Giants, those likes can't be entirely true. Misidentified bugs or, just what people may have called...uh...short people way way back when. To of course the people with genetic conditions that make them grow to extreme heights. Fact in myth, see?”
“But that can't be all there is to it, yeah?” She asked as she leaned forward a bit. “It's more than just proving what a creature might be, or how a supposed fairy mound might actually come to be. Stories have truth in myth...then why the myth? Just stories to explain what people don't understand? Something done to make a dark night around the fire less scary...or more scary? Or...to hide the literal truth in myth?”
Again John's mouth found it's way into that slack jawed position. Never had anyone even so much as went along with his rants when he got on this subject, nevermind actually return the same wonderment. Suddenly, in that moment, he felt so very not alone.
“...you are the first person to ever...well, dare I say, have the same interest as me of anyone I've met.”
Her grin deepened, the tip of her tongue once again finding it's way between her teeth. “Never judge a book by it's cover, yeah?”
He smiled broadly at that. “And just what peaks your interest the most hm?”
“A story of a sword, a horn, and an army.”
John stared at her. Oh, this certainly was getting interesting.