Work Text:
New Year’s Eve, 11:50pm, around 400ft above London
The TARDIS let out some quiet whooshes as it was parked right above London, high enough for them to see the fireworks without (hopefully) getting hit by them.
The Doctor walked lazily around the console, checking that everything was ready for the midnight firework show, humming a slower tune for Dua Lipa’s “Levitating” (he had heard that song a few weeks back when they had been visiting a karaoke bar, where Clara had sung it, and it had been stuck inside his head ever since).
And as usual, Clara was staying over.
The Time Lord stopped humming when he heard footsteps coming toward the room, his gaze never leaving the console. Clara had dived into the TARDIS’s wardrobe, as (in her words) she needed something more comfortable to wear.
“Took you long enough. Here I thought you had found Narnia from there,” he joked, knowing full well she knew almost every corner inside his ship.
“If Narnia has a liquor store there, then yes,” Clara replied, holding a wine bottle and a couple of glasses in her hands, getting the Doctor to raise his eyes from the console. “I thought we could share the drink. It is New Year’s Eve after all.”
The time lord stared at her with his calculating gaze for a couple of seconds before tilting his head to the side slowly.
“Are you sure? Remember what happened the last time when we were drinking?”
He couldn’t say that he remembered much from their last get-together at UNIT HQ but then again, Clara loved to remind him about it, and he was kind enough to let her do that.
“Well, considering that I was not the one who got so wasted that Kate gave me a ban from the HQ for the rest of the night, or tried to pick up a raccoon to keep it as a pet, or had to walk my best mate back to his TARDIS, then yes. I remember.”
The Doctor sneered at that with a smile. His only memory from that night was the massive hangover and the countless claw marks from that bloody raccoon.
“I can take these back where I found them if you—”
“No no,” the time lord said quickly, clearing his throat and giving her a smile. “A drink would be lovely.”
His companion nodded and walked down the stairs, wearing one of the Doctor’s hoodies. He only recognised it because it was black with a red lining (definitely not something she would wear in public), and it was also a little too big for her.
The Doctor turned his head back at the console, making the last check-up before deciding everything was fine.
“How is it looking?” Clara asked as she poured equal amounts of wine into the glasses.
“Everything is ready and set… now,” the Doctor murmured as he flipped the last switch that made the lighting inside the TARDIS a bit dimmer and softer. “There.”
“No rest for the wicked, huh?” Clara asked, giving him a wine glass, which he took carefully before giving a sniff.
“Oh, I recognise this one. I got it from Leonardo Da Vinci when I was visiting Clos Lucé. He threw this bottle at me after I made a comment about his beard, which was too thick, too long, uncombed, and smelly.
“I’m surprised you weren’t in his punching range considering that you could smell his beard,” Clara commented dryly, giving a smile to assure him she was just joking. He shrugged and took a sip of the wine and she did the same.
“So, do you want to watch the fireworks?” he asked, lowering the glass, eyes widening in horror as Clara gulped down the rest of the drink in one go.
“Yup, that was the plan, wasn’t it?” the companion said gleefully and poured another round to herself.
The Doctor nodded, walking to open the TARDIS’s doors with Clara trailing him a couple of steps behind, the bottle in her hand.
Rockets were bright and visible against the night sky as they took a seat by the edge of the TARDIS entryway. The Doctor sipped his wine slowly, hypnotised by the beautiful fireworks. He loved to watch them create colourful blasts and enjoy humanity’s cheerful screams of celebration as midnight approached.
“What’s on your mind?” Clara asked softly, getting him to wince as she leaned against him, her head resting on his shoulder.
“Just enjoying the view,” he murmured, giving her a glance. “And wondering about humanity’s love for explosions.”
Clara gave him a quiet laugh before the silence fell between them for a moment.
Luckily, it didn’t last long.
“A minute until midnight,” she informed him, and he nodded, starting to do the countdown in his mind.
It felt like the longest minute ever.
“10… 9… 8…” he said quietly, and the fireworks were getting more intense second by second. “5… 4… 3… 2… 1… Happy New Year, Clara Oswald.”
She straightened herself and met his eyes with a wide smile. “Happy New Year, Doctor.”
His mouth had also formed a smile, but it vanished in seconds as Clara leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek, taking the time lord totally off guard. He sat there, frozen, while Clara got up, taking the glass and the wine bottle with her.
“I could use some sleep. Mind if I borrow your hoodie?”
The Doctor shook his head, hoping to get his thoughts running again. “Not at all. Sleep well.”
Clara ruffled his hair. “Good night.”
The time lord listened as she walked away, disappearing into the depths of the time machine while he sat there, trying to form even one clear thought. After a while, he was only able to whisper one sentence to himself: “I love you.”