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It happened by chance to land in the middle of someone’s front garden.
By the time Jamie and the Doctor stumbled out of the ship, a gaggle of humans had already surrounded the Tardis, wondering how the constable could deign to place a police box on their property. It took some explaining, and some poorly conveyed lies to get the inhabitants of the house to understand them as time travelers- which was a mercy. The family of the house, the Richards, were an excitable bunch, and couldn’t wait to get their time-meddling friends around the table for Christmas dinner.
“Hey, Doctor, ye don’t know anything about this gift exchange thing, do ye?” Jamie held up the family’s schedule, his toothbrush hanging out of his mouth as he wandered into the bedroom conjoined to his own.
The Doctor took the slip of paper from Jamie’s hand, letting Jamie continue to brush his teeth. “Ah, I see, the white elephant. Why, it’s a tradition where everyone buys a gift within an allotted budget, this here says to spend between 5 and 15 shillings, and then everyone wraps them up and puts them in a pile, not knowing who bought what gift, and then everyone gets one of the gifts back!”
“Through what means?” Jamie mumbled around his toothbrush.
“Well, a game!”
“An’ I have to spend money?”
“Well- I guess you could make something, are you any good at art?” The Doctor passed by Jamie, flitting into their shared bathroom in the hallway. He looked at himself in the mirror and adjusted his pinned-on bow tie, flashing a great grin at his reflection.
“No’ that I know of.” Jamie frowned and spat, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He set down his toothbrush. “So to participate I need to go shopping. Well, first I would need-“ Jamie checked the paper in the Doctor’s hand, “Five shillings. Where would I get that kind of money?”
“You could find a job, but I have a better solution.” The Doctor dug into his deep and dilapidated pockets, pulling out a few coins with a happy sigh. “There’s a whole pound!”
Jamie took the outstretched coin, staring at it on his palm for a moment. What was there to buy? He slipped it into his sporran.
The department store was a maze itself. Jamie watched his back, half expecting something to reach out for him as he made his way around the towering shopping metropolis. There was so much hard cardboard and tough plastic on the tall shelves displayed all around him. Radios and televisions caught his eye, but they were far out of his budget. It was difficult to remind himself that the gift was for the family, not himself.
Eventually, he found himself past home products and into a furnished section. Around it were aisles upon aisles of bedding. Jamie wandered through the selections leisurely, finding a few different types of fabric coming up again and again, and noted similar motifs. The ‘sixties’ as they were, seemed to have quite simplistic but stylistic tastes.
Jamie’s boots squeaked on the linoleum flooring as he stopped in his tracks. There was a wall of plaid blankets, soft to the touch with finely woven wool, in many varieties of tartan. His jaw dropped slightly as he sifted through them, not finding his own among them, but was drawn to an orange blanket besides. The color was somehow comforting, reminding him of a few of the lights on the Tardis console. He grabbed it off the shelf. It was tightly bundled into a rigid block. He hugged it to his chest, wandering further into the store.
Jamie checked the time on his watch, realizing it was getting close to when he would meet the Doctor down the road.
He made his way to the front of the shop where he’d come in, finding the unusual register area, a long queue from each of them, as everyone seemed to be doing last minute Christmas shopping. Reluctantly Jamie joined a queue, his heart racing.
After the long wait was over, Jamie set the blanket down on the counter. The clerk was stiff-lipped, a man in a white dress shirt. The man eyed Jamie, his haughty manner ebbing from him before he could even open his mouth. The clerk shifted the blanket closer, checking the price. “Good afternoon, sir, that’ll be eight shillings and four pence.” He outstretched his hand and Jamie dutifully dug into his sporran and retrieved the pound coin. He set it into the man’s hand.
The clerk’s face darkened. “We don’t take foreign currency.”
“That’s a pound coin!”
“A pound coin? You’re pulling my neck!” The man flipped it over, the visage of an aged Queen Elizabeth causing him to squint harder. “Where did you get this?”
Jamie reached out with a yelp, taking the coin back from his palm. “Ye know, I never actually wanted the blanket,” he lied, and ran from the till. The man shouted at him, but Jamie didn’t take notice of what he said, running from the doors of the department store.
The family was on a tight schedule, Jamie remembered as he stepped outside. People pushed past him, tall cardboard bags in hand as they exited the shop.
As much as he wanted to laugh at the Doctor for giving him the wrong currency, Jamie really wanted that blanket, and the shopkeeper already didn’t like him. Time was of the essence. The idea that came to mind wasn’t startling. It seemed the easiest way about it.
A young woman exited the department store and Jamie scooted to stand before her. She startled slightly and clutched her bag closer.
“Ah, excuse me miss, but do ye think I could have that bag there? Not what ye bought- just the bag.”
The woman’s face scrunched up in surprise momentarily. She went a little red in the face, and Jamie tried to smile in a trustworthy way. She huffed, “Well, if you must.” She pulled the item of clothing she had bought from the bag, shaking it out slightly before offering it to Jamie.
“Thank ye.” Jamie flashed a grin and the girl gave a quick one back, clicking off down the road in her heels.
The bag clutched tightly in hand, Jamie made his way back into the store and took the long journey back to the blanket section. Stealthily he shifted another orange blanket into the bag and beelined for the till. Mercifully he made his way around it and out the doors.
At last- he had the blanket. The means didn’t seem too unsavory either.
The game was simple. Even the kids of the family were in on it.
Everybody drew a number, and in that order picked a random gift, or stole one they liked from someone else. Three possessions of an item, and it could no longer be stolen.
Those were the rules, and they were simple.
Jamie watched his gift, wrapped in plain brown paper, in the center of the living room.
The kids went around first, finding themselves with books and other tat Jamie had no care to register at the moment. His eyes were on the brown paper package.
Mr. Richards guffawed when it became his turn, rubbing his old-fashioned beard, and after hamming up his selection, took Jamie’s gift. He made a show of tearing off the paper.
Jamie restrained himself from seizing up, and watched as the chuffed older man marveled over the blanket.
“What a lovely pattern, wouldn’t it look nice over the settee, Margot?”
Mr. Richards shoved it onto his wife's lap enthusiastically, who fondled it and hummed. “Oh, how delightfully soft it is.”
Jamie checked his slip of numbered paper anxiously. It was Jamie’s turn, and he stood confidently. Taking from the hosts didn’t seem right, and his face contorted guiltily. “I’m really sorry to have to do this, but can I have that?” It wasn’t a question.
Mr. Richards sighed and handed it over, quickly getting over it as he picked something new, and his brother went on to do his turn.
Jamie clutched the soft plaid between his fingers, squeezing it against his chest. Out of the corner of his eye he could feel the Doctor looking, but decided to ignore it.
“Oh that looks lovely, I think I’ll take it.” The Doctor reached into Jamie’s lap, sliding the blanket off him, and bundled it into his own arms.
“Hey, that’s mine!” Jamie crooned, his eyes drooping. He tried to reach over and snatch it back, and realized belatedly it was the Doctor’s now. His mouth gaped like a fish out of water.
“Well, now it’s mine!” The Doctor guffawed, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. “And nobody can take it from me!” He was much too pleased.
Jamie retracted his arm and muttered a dejected, “Clown,” under his breath. “Of course you would steal it, of all the-“ Jamie stopped himself as he noticed the chatter in the room dying as the family waited for him. Jamie blushed, scratching the side of his face. “Sorry.”
“There’s only one present left,” informed Mr. Richards. It was a small-sized box, wrapped in silver paper. He was biting down a grin.
Jamie side eyed the Doctor, crawling forward out of his chair to retrieve the package. He sat on his knees on the carpet, surrounded by paper, peeling the wrapping away.
It could be a toy, or an oddly shaped bottle of drink, but it wasn’t nearly heavy enough for that. It could be any form of exciting technology 1960 had to offer. Maybe it was more interesting than the blanket!
It wasn’t any of those things.
The Doctor was not receptive to Jamie’s stink eye. Jamie cursed under his breath, leaning forward on his knees to press his forehead into the carpet.
“Oh, it can’t be that bad!” The Doctor’s consolation was clearly staged as he lost composure, laughing to himself.
Jamie slugged to his room, the melamine-cased toaster under his arm. The mulled wine had him feeling warmer, slightly looser too. Jamie flopped down in bed, and he could hear the Doctor open his own door. Jamie pulled the toaster closer, jutting his chin into it, pouting.
Jamie wasn’t sulking. He wasn’t.
It didn’t take long for him to get an idea.
“Och, I’m getting that plaid back.” Jamie stood, maybe too quickly, but Jamie was glad to have good reflexes, and after jumping off his bed, made it to standing height, stormed to the connecting door and pulled it open.
The Doctor was just pulling his coat off, draping it over the back of his chair. “Oh, Jamie! What a night, huh?”
“I don’ need a toaster.”
The Doctor paused what he was doing for a moment. “Well, that’s just the nature of the game. You chose to take a chance.” The Doctor unpinned his bow tie. “You could have taken someone else’s gift.”
Jamie crossed his arms. “Like you did? I’m not so cruel.”
“You seemed overjoyed by that blanket. I couldn’t help but take it,” the Doctor murmured.
“Real mean thing to do, Doctor.” The blanket rested on the end of the Doctor’s guest bed, unraveled. It was spotless and Jamie knew of its silky softness. Jamie frowned, tapping the toaster in his hands. “Hey, wouldn’t ye like to make a trade? The Tardis could use one of these.”
“We already have one, Jamie.” The Doctor had his back to Jamie as he slipped his braces off his shoulders and untucked his shirt.
“Well ye could use another one. We do eat a lot of toast.”
“You eat a lot of toast. Now, would you let me get dressed for bed? I see it’s been a long night.” The Doctor faced Jamie, whose face was growing red and impatient. “Come on!” the Doctor sighed.
The Doctor approached Jamie, pushing him by the shoulders back through the door into the other bedroom.
“Come on, sit there, with your toaster.” The Doctor led Jamie by the hand to his bed, pushing him down to sit on its edge. “Well, have a glorious slumber, my dear!” The Doctor then breezed back to his own room, shutting the door firmly behind him.
Jamie looked down at the hunk of plastic and metal on his lap and ground his teeth.
He’d bought that blanket for himself! He thought he had the game rigged! Why would anyone else want it?
Jamie set the toaster aside and got dressed in a set of flannel pajamas. He liked them very much, modern with their pointed collar and pastel green pinstripes. It was a little bit of comfort.
Faintly the door leading to the hallway shut, and Jamie knew the Doctor had left to use the bathroom.
Jamie jumped at the chance.
He slipped through to the Doctor’s room. The blanket was spread over the bed, ready for him to climb underneath it. Oh, Doctor.
Jamie took the blanket and wrapped it around his shoulders, and to add an extra dash of childishness flipped the Doctor’s duvet to the end of the bed and onto the cold floor. He placed the toaster on the center of his bed.
The Doctor, taking his blanket.
Jamie smirked, going back to his own room, and locked the door behind him.
He pushed back the covers, inhaling the scent of the new material. It smelled like the department store. Clinical, and plastic, and faintly of that fragrant room he hated- perfume? He curled it around himself and fell back into the headboard.
Then there was a rapping on the partition door.
“Jamie! Jamie!”
“No’ home!” Jamie chirped, snuggling deeper into the blanket. It was becoming quite the warm cocoon.
Quickly the Doctor left the door, his footsteps receding, and Jamie’s smirk fell slightly. The Doctor had given up already? But then the footsteps were back.
The other door! He’d forgotten about that. The Doctor snapped it open and shut, storming through, his face blazing. He stomped up to the bed, his hair astray, black and fluffed up, with his pajamas large on his stocky frame.
“Jamie, why must you be so childish? You bugger, you’ve taken it back!” The Doctor frowned and pointed down at it.
“Of course I have, it’s mine!”
“I won it!”
“I bought it!”
The Doctor paused, rubbing his knuckles against one another, his brows knit together. “Jamie, that’s not how the game works. I thought I had explained it.”
“Ye did.”
“Well, why did you put in a gift for yourself? It’s not yours anymore.”
“It is now. I stole it back. I think that means it’s mine now.” Jamie nodded assuredly.
“The game is over, Jamie.” The Doctor took a step closer to the bed.
“Yer right.” Jamie squinted, taking a good grip on the blanket. He could see where this was going.
The Doctor sighed through his nose. “You are being quite childish, Jamie. You have your toaster.” He tried kindness, threading his fingers together.
Jamie wished he’d get on with it. “I don’ need a toaster!” Jamie parroted, bundling the blanket closer to himself.
“Well, if reasoning won’t work-” The Doctor dipped down, and pulled on the blanket.
Jamie was ready though. He clutched it to himself and tugged, causing the Doctor to tumble over his lap.
Jamie cackled and held on tighter to the blanket. He rolled, pinning the Doctor to the bed.
The Doctor frowned, and Jamie was suddenly very aware of the tone the Doctor’s eyes held. He was not done playing yet.
With a grunt, the Doctor flipped Jamie, bracketing his hips with his knees. The Doctor wrestled the blanket out of Jamie’s hands, using a firm grip on Jamie’s arms to stop him from grabbing it as the Doctor kicked it to the floor and started to stand.
“I hadna known ye to be so territorial!” Jamie pushed him back into the bed, the Doctor falling flat on his back at the end of the bed. Jamie climbed over him, pinning the Doctor’s hands to the mattress. Jamie laid flat over the Doctor.
“I didn’t know you had such a knack for thievery!”
“Oh, do I!” Jamie dipped forward, crashing his face into the Doctor’s, and sealed his lips around the Doctor’s own.
The Doctor readjusted how he was sitting, his legs slipping out from where Jamie had trapped them. He tucked his ankles around Jamie’s and swooned, letting Jamie be in control.
The Doctor broke away momentarily. “Was this your plan?” he squinted.
Jamie ruffled the hair at the back of the Doctor’s head, grinning superficially. “Aye. Ye look good like this.”
The Doctor immediately frowned, and Jamie tilted his head down to kiss him softly on the cheek.
The deep lines in the Doctor’s face softened as well, his forehead smoothing. His black mop seemed to have turned into a bird, licks of hair likened to wings wanting to fly off.
“Yer so pretty, Doctor.” Jamie tucked the Doctor’s hair behind his ear, and the Doctor kindly smiled.
The Doctor squirmed. “You too. Although, quite heavy.”
Jamie scoffed and slipped to the Doctor’s side, leaving one leg wrapped around the Doctor’s. Jamie curled into him, wrapping his arms around him like always, squeezing his soft body into his angular one. He nuzzled his cheek into the Doctor’s shoulder.
The Doctor rubbed Jamie’s arm, and wrapped his other arm under Jamie, cradling him closer.
Jamie always felt safest like this. He could breathe freely, was warm, close to the one he loved.
Jamie pecked the Doctor’s neck, once, twice, and then again. The Doctor chuckled and Jamie continued, only stopping when a shiver wracked through him.
“Any chance you could get my blanket off the floor?” The Doctor asked, nodding to the side.
Jamie pressed himself up using a hand on the Doctor’s chest. The Doctor squawked in surprise at the weight on him.
“I know yer nearly five hundred, a little roughhousing won’ hurt ye.” Jamie reached over the Doctor, his head sticking off the bed in search of the blanket. “Neither will a little defeat, this thing is mine.” Before his hand could grasp it, there were fingers on his side, causing him to gasp. They were feather-light, too close to his armpits, and made Jamie’s skin hop and heart race.
Jamie quickly grabbed the blanket, and sat up, one leg resting over the Doctor’s as he knelt above him, wrapping it around his shoulders. “Ye wan’ tae wrestle again, I see?”
“No, no, I’m sorry, Jamie.” The Doctor smiled below him. “I’ll play nice.”
“Good.” Jamie lowered himself, happy as he shrouded the two of them. One of his legs splayed over the Doctor, his arms encircling him. Jamie’s fingers played with the buttons on the Doctor’s pajamas, while the Doctor couldn’t help but run his fingers through Jamie’s hair. The Doctor’s two hearts pounded beneath Jamie’s head.
Jamie shivered again, wrapping them tighter with the blanket.
“Do ye think we’ll ever get to bed?” Jamie asked, sitting up a little to cradle the Doctor’s cheek in his palm.
“Not like this, no.” The Doctor nuzzled into Jamie’s palm.
Jamie dipped down, stealing another kiss. The Doctor diligently returned it, and squeezed Jamie’s shoulder, pressing him closer. They pressed their lips together innocently, until the Doctor opened his mouth slightly, budging his tongue against the corner of Jamie’s lips. Jamie gasped and in a frenzy, moved to press soft kisses from the Doctor’s ear, along his cheek, and then met him again at his lips. Open mouthed, and with so much warmth, Jamie kissed him, rubbing his forehead against the Doctor’s as he pulled apart.
Jamie couldn’t stop grinning. His teeth on full display and eyes nearly shut. He held the Doctor by the sides of his head, rubbing their fringes together as the Doctor’s fingers curled around Jamie’s shoulders.
Jamie pecked him on the lips giddily, and sighed when the Doctor copied him, pecking him on the cheek, and burying his head into Jamie’s neck as Jamie slid to the Doctor’s side once more.
The Doctor reached behind Jamie, pulling the blanket back up his shoulders where it had slipped. “Jamie…” He hummed. The Doctor’s eyes were drooping, his lips puckering a bit like he wanted to continue, but he was dropping off.
Jamie pulled him closer by the neck, kissing him once more. “Yes?”
“Oh, dear, Jamie,” the Doctor opened his eyes wider.
Jamie was at the tip of his nose, heart pounding a little faster now.
“What?”
“I waited, you know, four hundred and fifty years for someone like you.” The Doctor’s smile dropped slightly. “What I’m trying to say is you’ve become quite special to me.” His fingers fiddled with the blanket at Jamie’s shoulder.
Jamie smiled serenely, eyes flicking down for a moment. He blushed lightly and touched his fingers to his lips contemplatively. “Special enough to give this blanket back to me?” Jamie grinned.
The Doctor snorted, pulling the blanket up to cover Jamie’s head. “Away with you!” He tucked it under Jamie’s chin.
Jamie laughed loudly, peeking a hand out from under it, slowly revealing his round, sad eyes. “Oh, but you like me ever so much!”
The Doctor huffed, glancing down at Jamie where he’d settled in the crook of his arm. “Why can’t we share ownership of this blanket?”
Jamie clung on tight to him, peeking up to kiss him on the cheek. “I love ye too.”
The Doctor gasped as Jamie pillowed his cheek on the Doctor’s shoulder. The Doctor traced the crown of Jamie’s head with his fingertips, kissing his forehead. “Goodnight, my dear,” the Doctor’s voice was gravelly and deep, swept up in an emotion Jamie was all too familiar with, “I can’t wait to do this all again tomorrow, and every day after.”
Jamie chuckled into his side and sighed.
He was safe, and warm, wrapped up in the Doctor and their burgled blanket. Jamie smiled. He breathed in deeply, the Doctor’s being comforting all his scenes, as his scent travelled through Jamie, his warmth protecting him, his touch loving him, his eyes basking in him, his twin hearts beating for him, and his mouth tasting him. Electricity passed through Jamie, reaching the tips of his toes as he stretched happily, causing the Doctor to coo and brush his cheek.
Jamie fell asleep with a smile.