Chapter Text
There were hundreds of places that the Doctor wanted to take Rose Tyler. Thousands of places. Possibly more: he’d never bothered to count, and ideas for fabulous destinations and things she may love kept popping into his brain. He had offered her the whole of space and time as her playground, and the possibilities were infinite. So many beautiful things to show her, so many places, so many people to meet…
But for this trip, this all-important trip, he knew exactly where he needed to go. There wasn’t really much debate about it.
The date that marked he and Rose travelling together for a year had passed three days before, and he’d wanted to take her somewhere special - somewhere he could show her in some tangible way just what she meant to him, just how much he cared about her. But he’d lost his nerve and had the ready excuse of the TARDIS needing a refuel, so they’d gone to the time rift in Cardiff during Rose’s timeline, instead. And although things had ended well - very well for him, considering she’d kissed him - it was certainly not the fun and possibly romantic trip he’d hoped for on that day.
But now, three days after Margaret the Slitheen, Mickey, and Rose snogging the breath out of him, it was time for him to pull his head out of his arse and take her somewhere special. Somewhere meaningful. Somewhere he could finally tell her just what she meant to him.
And, yes, it was time to tell her. He really couldn’t conceal how he felt about her anymore, especially after they’d kissed in her room seventy-three hours, twelve minutes and fifteen seconds ago. He’d almost told her then, but his brain...it just… When she’d tugged him down by the lapels of his jacket and kissed him, she’d literally snogged him senseless. Neurons misfired everywhere until all he had been able to think of was Rose: the softness of her lips and the way his own lips slid against the lip gloss she wore; the way she made the tiniest little sounds of pleasure, need, and want when he’d deepened the kiss; the way his senses had been overpowered and confused by her scent surrounding him, and her taste in his mouth. He’d pondered on it later, at length, and finally concluded that she tasted of joy, eternity, spearmint and Rose. She smelled of promises, warmth, jasmine and... Rose. Rose was, by far, the sweetest taste and most enchanting scent he’d ever known.
It was time to tell her. Well past time, actually. Time to give her a symbol of what she meant to him. Nothing she’d find overwhelming, mind - he was still worried about scaring her away. The emotions she’d been unwittingly blaring out towards him spoke of commitment and permanence, and oh, gods, how he wanted that. The primal male in him had been roused and he often felt like those caricatures of cavemen in 20th century cartoons. They were inaccurate representations, sure, but they certainly reflected his state of mind when he was near her. He just wanted to drag her into his room of the TARDIS and keep her there. Forever.
His lip curled up at the corner when he thought of it. Rather domestic, that.
Too damn right it was. Domestics with Rose Tyler? A lot like bananas. Both were good.
But before anything else happened (and before he lost his nerve) the Doctor felt compelled to tell her just what she meant to him, what she’d done for him. In hindsight, he was glad he hadn’t blurted his feelings out to her when they were kissing on the way to Raxacoricofallapatorius. Any stupid ape could just blurt out how he felt without thought. He was the Doctor, Time Lord of Gallifrey, and most intelligent being in the cosmos. Surely he was above just bursting out with three little words that her species applied to everything from coffee to shoes to each other. No, Rose was worth more than that. She was worth a little forethought and a meaningful gesture. Something to help him explain to her that his feelings went far, far beyond a simple I love you. This went way beyond that trite, little word that humans throw around like confetti.
And given that they had just passed the one-year anniversary of the two of them travelling together, he’d decided to make it a special trip that she could participate in. He wouldn’t just shove some trinket in her hand. Again, that’s what normal blokes did. The Doctor was anything but a normal bloke. He and Rose were anything but a normal couple. They were...they were more than that. Better than that.
Well, not that they were a couple-couple, really...but they were a pair. Right? Sure they were. Everyone knew it. Everyone had seen it. Even on their very first trip together - a year ago now - people had assumed they were a couple. Jabe had called her his partner that day (among other things) and he’d denied it.
Now, though, after a year together, the Doctor knew he’d been wrong to dismiss the title that described Rose as his equal, not just his companion or ‘plus-one’. Rose had been his partner from the moment she took his hand in Henrik’s and ran with him. He couldn’t imagine life without her. A life without her wouldn’t be a life. They didn’t need to label their relationship in human terms, surely. They could just be the Doctor and Rose Tyler, a pair of time-travelers and explorers. No need to identify themselves to the universe as a pair, a couple.
The Doctor scoffed to himself. Sod that! Rose was a human. There weren’t any Time Lords left, and if there had been they wouldn’t have approved of what he was doing anyway. There was absolutely no reason not to give Rose the pleasure of a traditional human courtship from her time. In his species, there really wasn’t a lot of precedent for what they were doing anyway, so it would be rather pointless to force her to play by non-existent rules.
They were a couple. And if they weren’t, they would be. Soon. The Doctor was finished denying himself what he wanted and needed, the contact and happiness he craved every minute. He was done pretending that his misery and loneliness was just the way it was meant to be. He wanted Rose, she wanted him, and that was that. The universe could fuck off.
He grinned to himself a little ruefully. Sweet Rassilon, he was besotted. Not all that bothered by it, either, him. He’d found someone that made him happy, even though just a year ago all he’d wanted to do was to die and never regenerate. She’d brought sunshine into his life at the same time she coaxed him out of his misery. She did both without any effort, just by being….Rose.
Yep. He was in love, and not a bit fussed what anyone thought of it. Jack would, no doubt, never let him hear the end of it, would crow about his matchmaking prowess for years. But Jack could fuck off, too.
It was time to tell Rose.
Mind made up, he set the coordinates for medieval Kyoto and called out to Rose and Jack.
~*~O~*~
The TARDIS had taken to Rose quite a bit, if her living quarters were any indication.
Rose’s room had started out looking like something of a hotel room: a single bed with some spartan furniture, all in neutral colors. Her bathroom had been similarly sterile, with just a shower stall, sink, and toilet. Rose hadn’t minded. She’d just been excited to come along on the trip.
It had been a surprise to her when she came into her room after she’d been traveling with the Doctor for a week or so and found that her bed was larger and covered with a duvet and pillows in a light turquoise color, accented with gold satin. A week or so after that, she discovered that her loo had been similarly upgraded. Two weeks later, she found two windows in her expanding room with a view of beautiful landscapes by day and the magnificent cosmos at night. And the expansion and upgrades still continued at the TARDIS’ leisure.
Today, her room was nearly as big as her mum’s flat. The large canopy bed still featured the same duvet, which was now matched by curtains on her windows and throw rugs all over the now-parquet floor. The TARDIS had provided her with a fireplace, bookcases and a pair of snuggly armchairs. Her en suite was large, now sporting a garden tub, spacious shower stall, and vanity to the right of the sink, all the surfaces being marble. A window appeared over the garden tub, which Rose had been hesitant about until she noticed the TARDIS shading the window every time she disrobed, then opening it again as soon as her modesty was preserved in the tub. Plush ivory and black towels were always available, always warmed, and always ready for her.
It would be nearly impossible to pin down the most impressive thing that the TARDIS had done for her, but her most recent addition was certainly in the running. Rose had spent a fair amount of time in the wardrobe room, playing dress-up or getting ready at the Doctor’s instruction. When she’d first arrived on the TARDIS, her closet had been a chifferobe against one wall. Over the course of the last year, it had grown from a chifferobe to a proper closet to a walk-in closet to nearly a dressing room. In the past month or so, the TARDIS had just begun bringing a selection of clothes for Rose directly to her closet, saving her the trip to the wardrobe room.
It was there in her expansive closet that she stood now, looking at the multiple silk and embroidered garments that were hanging there, waiting for her to choose.
“Knock, knock,” she heard from the doorway.
“Come in, Jack.”
“Where are you?”
“In the closet!”
Jack came around the corner and leaned against the door, grinning at her. “Well that’s no way to live,” he said with a grin. “You should totally come out of there.”
“Haha, Jack, very clever,” she said rolling her eyes and elbowing him. “You’re funny.”
“I try.”
“What’s he doing, Jack?” she asked without preamble.
Jack didn’t need any explanation to her question. He gave her a cheeky, knowing grin. “I think I have a pretty good idea. And he wants it to be just the two of you.”
Rose felt a jolt in her abdomen at these words. “Why?”
Jack snorted and stepped into the large closet with her, reaching for the sleeve of the nearest garment. “You don’t need to be coy with me, Rose. You know why he wants you to himself.”
“You think?” she nearly squeaked.
He chuckled without looking up from the racks he was sorting through. “Oh, yes. It’s time.”
Rose swallowed hard, willing her heart rate to slow down. She’d wanted this, wanted the Doctor for almost the entire year they’d traveled together. Month after month of soft touches and yearning looks had passed before she’d just thrown caution to the wind and finally kissed him, caving to the impulse when they were leaving Cardiff with Blon Fel Fotch in egg form. Apparently he’d thought, until that day, that she still wanted Mickey, and she’d felt a strong need to disabuse him of that notion. They’d only kissed, but oh, those kisses. She was both starved for more and sure she could live off the memory of his lips on hers for the eternity of time and space.
Rose had expected that everything would be different after they kissed, but she’d been terribly disappointed when it didn’t happen again. For the most part, they went back to the way they had been for months before - but there was an increase of heated glances, fingers lingering in each other's hands a bit longer than usual, and clandestine, knowing smiles. The feeling in the air was one of anticipation and excitement. It wasn’t a question of if they would come together again, it was a matter of who would flip the lever first.
Now the Doctor wanted to go to Kyoto. Jack was coming along, but the Doctor had made it clear that he could find some entertainment of his own. The implications were dizzying and Rose was afraid to believe them: the Doctor and Rose would be alone together, and he had planned it that way. A thrill shot down her spine at the very thought, and her heart raced.
“You should wear the pink one.” Jack burst into her thoughts and Rose jumped.
“Hmm?”
“The pink one,” Jack repeated, lifting the traditional garment from the racks. “It’s a good color on you.”
“What do I do, Jack?” she burst out.
“What do you do?” Jack gave a lewd smile. “You do that Time Lord. Do him for both of us.”
“Oh, stop.” She swatted his arm, blushing. “You know what I mean.”
The lothario Time Agent gave her a warm smile. “Quit biting your thumb, for one.”
Rose dropped her hand and immediately began chewing on her lip. Jack laughed and took her by the shoulders.
“Rosie, hon. Relax. We’re talking about the Doctor here. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”
“I’m not afraid,” she protested, not meeting his eyes.
“You’re nervous.”
Rose nodded and Jack pulled her into a warm hug. “Oh, Rosie,” he sighed with his chin resting on the top of her head. “I envy you. The man you’re in love with is in love with you and taking you on a romantic trip. You two are going to be so happy now that you’re pulling your heads out of your asses. I’ve never seen a couple that are more perfect for each other than the two of you.”
“We’re not a couple, Jack,” she muttered into his chest through sudden tears, the origin of which confused her.
“Bullshit. You’re more of a couple than any two people I’ve ever known.”
“What if he’s taking me somewhere as a farewell trip or something?” she cried irrationally. “What if he says kissing me was a mistake?”
“Never happen,” Jack reassured her. He kissed the top of her head and pushed her back, smiling at her bracingly. “Now, get dressed! You have a romantic getaway to get to, and I have to get myself ready to make some lucky medieval Japanese courtesans very, very happy.”
Rose blushed again. “You’re incorrigible,” she admonished.
“You love me anyway.”
