Chapter Text
“Jake, can I talk to you for a minute?” The Doctor cast a quick look around the massive cafeteria, doing his best to avoid being spotted by Jackie. He didn’t feel up for another lecture about making Rose late for Sunday dinner the day before.
“Sure, Doc. What’s up!” The blonde, spikey haired man whom the Doctor counted as one of his few actual friends grinned and kicked the chair beside him out. Jake was in the know, that he wasn’t just some scientist Rose had met while on a rescue mission like the tabloids had said.
This Earth knew all about aliens, well not all but enough that Torchwood’s reputation as defense of the Planet was public knowledge. According to the Doctor’s official paperwork, he had been born off world to two humans who had been abducted years ago. He’d met Rose and her team when they’d gone aboard the ship in order to talk peace and recover any humans. It amused Rose to no end that she was considered the rescuer for a change.
“I need advice, ermm dating advice.” The Doctor blew out a breath, as he ruffled his hair and sat down. “See, before, I didn’t really have all these... things, in my head.” By things he meant ‘Donna like quirks.’ There were emotions, humany, strange emotions that conflicted with his Time Lord instincts. “I’m afraid I’m not getting it right, with Rose. I can’t exactly whisk her off to the first Coronation of Klistra’s female ruler, or show her the birth of a new galaxy, or even run in all laughing and sonic her out of some prison seconds before her execution anymore. I don’t know how to... ugggh what is the word?!” It was there, on the tip of his tongue.
“Woo her?” Jake chuckled, patting his shoulder. That was the word! The Doctor nodded emphatically, scooting closer. “Well, before I admitted to myself that I prefer men, my mum made sure I knew exactly how to treat women. It translates over to my preferred tastes now, as well, but I can help you out.”
The Doctor whipped his notepad and pen out of his pocket, slammed his glasses on, and clicked the end of the pen in rapt attention. “No, don’t write it on there, you’ll just lose it. Where’s your mobile?”
“Here.” Dropping his things, the Doctor pulled it out and opened his note app. “Ready.”
“First, this is gonna take longer than my last five minutes for lunch. We’ll need to get together a few nights a week. Mark down times on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the rest of the month, with a notification. Because you’ll forget like you do the weekly briefings.” The Doctor felt his ears burn, because he did forget those, often, okay, all the time. Swiftly, he accessed his calendar and blocked off the required slots. “Now, for tomorrows meeting. I want you to make a list of all the important people in Rose’s life. I also need a list of important dates in yours and Rose’s life.”
“For what?”
“I’ll explain. Just have them ready, oh, and you’re paying for the drinks.” Jake laughed, and the Doctor could practically hear his debit card sob. He’d never had to worry about money before now, but he and Rose had things like a mortgage, and utilities and groceries and and and clothes! She handled most of it, but he was trying to be more aware of how much he spent, just in case. “I’ll be bringing some lists too. So, be prepared to really learn.”
“I will! I have to get this right!” The Doctor had only been a human half a year, but he had the most sinking feeling, mostly in Donna’s brusque tone in his mind, that he wasn’t quite the boyfriend? No, life partner? Lover? Ugh, he didn’t know what to call it! For Rose. Now that he only had one life, the thought that she might get bored with him and dump him was terrifying.
“See you tomorrow!” Jake clapped his shoulder again, and then he sauntered off sipping his soda while chuckling.
“Oi! You!” A hand collided with the side of his head, and he groaned internally as he looked up into Jackie’s eyes. “Rose said you were havin’ lunch in her office! What’re you doin’ down here?!”
“Bollocks!” The Doctor leapt to his feet, rushing into the hall with a glance at his watch. He was fifteen minutes late. This was exactly why he needed Jake.
DRDRDRDR
Rose came into the kitchen, drying her hair, puzzled by the lack of the smell of food almost burning. Normally, the Doctor came in after her, since he always wanted to be the last one out of the labs to make sure everything from day shift wasn’t left out for night shift to ‘bugger it up and turn it into a headache’. She’d be in the shower, washing the sweat off from her afternoon physical training session with her team, and he’d start dinner. She’d come downstairs, always just in time to keep it from burning, and summon him from whatever project he’d been distracted by in the basement.
The kitchen was empty. His shoes weren’t at the door, and his mobile wasn’t charging on the counter. “Weird.” She knew he wasn’t hurt at work or something, because HQ would have called, so she wrapped the towel around her hair and snagged her mobile up from its charger. Pressing his contact, she raised the phone to her ear. It rang twice, and then she heard the sound of voices, music, and, was that a match on in the background? “Doctor, you there?”
“Yeah! Hi! What’s up, Rose Tyler?” His voice sounded slightly slurred.
“Um, where are you? Are you okay’?” This was really weird. The Doctor didn’t go out, not without being dragged by her anyways. She glanced over at the empty stove, stomach growling.
“Jake and Andrew invited me out for drinks. Didn’t I tell you?” Briefly, Rose checked her texts, finding nothing apart from the one she sent saying she wanted his spagbol for dinner.
“Nope. Are you drinkin’?” Rose knew if he was out with Jake and his boyfriend, that they’d be goading the mostly human Doctor into a contest. She smiled to herself, making a note to leave a bottle of sports drink and paracetamol out on his nightstand if he came in too late and she was asleep.
“Maybe, um, yes. I am. I am consuming alcoholic beverages.” This was followed by the sound of a swallow. “I’m good at this bromancing thing!”
Rose nearly choked on her own saliva. “Doctor, I love ya. I do, but please, for your own reputation, never say bromancin’ again.” She wandered over to the fridge, pulling out the leftover meat from tacos the night before. “And don’ drive home. Take a taxi or call dad’s driver, ‘kay?”
“I won’t! Love you!” He chuckled, and Rose rolled her eyes knowing there was no way she was going to sleep through him coming in. “Gotta go.” The line went dead.
Six hours later, Rose dragged herself out of bed when the sound of a crash, a swear, a stumble, then a groan echoed up the stairs. Rubbing her eyes, she took one look at the rumpled suit snoring loudly on the sofa and laughed. “Lightweight.” She shut the front door, locked it, eased his shoes off, slipped the tie from around his forehead head, and tossed the afghan they snuggled under on movie nights over him.
Then she spotted his mobile on the floor. Shaking her head, she picked it up and carried it over to the charger. Rose clicked on the home button, intending to make sure his alarm was set. His photo gallery app was open, and she snickered groggily at the funny, drunken selfies Jake and Andrew had taken of him. Closing the app, she sent a brief ‘It’s Rose. He’s home safe’ text to Jake, then set his alarms and dragged herself back up to the bed.