fic: drabbles (hdm; will/lyra), (dw; sally/larry), (dw; rose/romana)

[noblealice.livejournal.com]

Title: Special Features
Pairing: Sparrow/Nightingale
WC: 200+
Summary: Set very soon after meeting the Doctor, pre-established relationship. Sally's still testing out her feelings.

She heard him before she saw him, his voice booming out from the back room, causing her to smile as she took off her coat. "Sals, you did it again."

"Did what?" She asked loudly while straightening the front display, before realising that he was right before her. Embarrassed that she had yelled, she mumbled a sorry and they negotiated around each other in the narrow aisle until they were both at the front counter.

Despite herself, she had to bite her lip to keep from giggling at his exasperation. "You bought another DVD before the special edition comes out."

"But I wanted to see it."

"But now when I buy the special edition we’ll have two of the same film."

"Will we now?" She raised her eyebrows, only to quickly stop when she noticed that he was blushing.

Stammering, he walked to bring her tea, "you know what I mean, it’s erm...it’s just a waste of your money because you could’ve borrowed my copy."

"But I’ve got this one now."

He continued on like he hadn't heard her, "mine’ll have special features, deleted scenes, cast commentary and behind the scenes videos!"

"I don’t much like the magic being ruined like that."

"Ruined? It adds to the wonder of it all." And now she could see that he was fighting to keep his eyes from rolling.

"Now you're doing it again." She remarked with glee.

"What?"

"Your voice gets high when you get excited!" She smiled into her coffee, just barely keeping her eyes trained on his face.

"Does not." He scowled like a rebuked five-year-old and she twirled around in the chair, loftily telling him, "whatever you say."

"Will you at least let me show you what you're missing?" He asked, a little too earnestly for her liking, when the chair slowed to a stop.

"This isn't another ploy where the movie is so boring I fall asleep on your couch and you joke about how I 'slept over' for the next week?"

"For the last time, that wasn't a ploy! I honestly thought you'd enjoy the re-enactments of the Boer War as interpreted by David Flinch!"

"Yeah, all 8 hours of it." She intoned sarcastically while searching under his messy piles of paper for a working pen.

"Not my fault that your taste in films isn't as refined as mine."

"Tell you what, I'll return this movie if we can just sit and watch old episodes of Flying Circus. I've got some on VHS somewhere."

"Arg, you're killing me, Sparrow. VHS? Monty Python? We might as well be watching cavemen carve the wheel."

She stopped to lean over the desk, her elbows crushing some sort of candy wrapper. "Is that a yes?" She breathed, so close to his cheek that it felt adventurous.

Slightly flustered, he blinked briefly before whispering, "deal."

"Good." She smiled and was about to settle herself back in her chair when he interrupted her thoughts.

"We should shake on it."

For some reason, maybe the fact that he'd remembered she took milk and not cream today, she grinned with her whole face and said, "yeah. We should."

He leaned in, one hand clasped with hers, the other cupping her cheek so as to tilt her chin up to his lips for a chaste kiss. It was awkward and tasted of whatever chocolate sweet he'd been eating but her stomach turned for the first time since she had been in the old abandoned house with the angels.


----



Title: Sometimes We Wish...
Pairing: Will/Lyra
WC: 500+
Summary: Nitya asked for both before and after the Separation.

His arm draped around her waist, lifting her up as she leaned into him. All he could sense was the warmth that was fading from her, leaving only the skin that directly touched his with electricity. Lady Salmakia had flown as far ahead as her dragonfly would take her and would return soon with a progress report and Will hoped desperately that the report would tell of an escape from this endless dust and despair. His lungs hurt from gasping and his eyes itched with exhaustion. So it was that he didn't at first hear the small voice float up from his chest to his ears.

"Will?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry."

"Lyra, don't worry, we'll find Pan and--"

"No, I mean, that you've got to help me. You should be spending time with your Dad, talkin' with 'em, gettin' to know 'em."

He looked down at her ashen cheeks, her eyes sparkling especially bright in contrast. He didn't know how to tell her that looking into her eyes, so full of life, gave him more than years with his father would.

"Do you wish you could talk to your father, I mean, now you know?"

"I dunno. Pan and I were all each of us ever had, an' if I think that he was trying to protect me I can understand. I'd tell him about Roger though." Her jaw set and her eyes scanned behind them for his form before becoming very sad. His only response was to hold her closer, hoping it was enough and knowing it never could be. He knew what it felt like to carry guilt with you.

She sniffed and he broke the silence, "I'm glad you're here, I don't think I could've properly told my father about you. Not getting everything right anyways."

"I'm glad you're here too, Will."

---

"Now we present one of the leading experts in the field, Miss Belaqua."

There was a large uproar of applause from the student as she walked up to the podium, hand extended to greet the newest Master of Jordan.

"We thank you, ma'am for taking the time to come here so soon before your next village North."

"It was no trouble, I had to come back to London anyways. I had a previous engagement." On the last words, her voice faltered and Pan rubbed his soft fur against her legs for comfort.

"I was once myself a resident here at Jordan college, contrary to the rumours that I was born fully grown from the head of Zeus." The audience chuckled in response to her mention of the most recent headlines that tried to defame her.

"This is to be a lecture on the customs of the Panserbjorne and the history of their regal succession," she paused over her notes before pushing them aside. "Instead, I would like to talk to you about the Republic of Heaven." There were a few audible gasps and no doubt the Master would be disappointed that the only human accepted at the Royal Court would deny them the secrets within. Bravely, and without pausing again, she related her vision of the future, leaving them with the immortal words that would one day be engraved on her tomb, "tell them stories."

After the lecture, she stayed to chat and answer questions over bad coffee and dry biscuits.

"It's almost time, Lyra." Pan nudged.

"I know Pan. Its just that sometimes I wish--"

"I'm sure he does too."

With Pan darting ahead and returning to weave between her ankles, they walked to the Botanical Garden together.

---


Title: Flipping to the end
Pairing: hints of Romana/Rose & Romana/Ten/Rose, implied established Romana/Doctor relationship
Summary: She didn't ask for it, but she passed along a link that this fic is inspired by and based on. (See: these comics - 1, 2, 3) Right after Romana II boards the TARDIS. In my mind, it goes AU after School Reunion.
Warnings: because Romana dares call Rose that "s" word. GASP!

"Rose, was it?"

"Yeah," Rose stammered, a little self-conscious in her jumper and jeans, "he said you also go by Fred?"

The imperious woman chuckled, causing the sequins on her cloak to sparkle. "Romana is fine." Then, with a conspiratorical wink, she leaned down close to Rose to whisper, "don't worry, it works out fine. Or I never would have let him name one of our daughters Rosetta!"

It took Rose a second for comprehension to make its way through the shine of the jewels, only to find that she was now already behind on Romana's next thought.

"...only I always thought it was for the Stone, you know. Great monument in your planet's history and he sure does seem fascinated with it. Wonderful concept, unifying nations and languages. Too bad you've translated it wrong."

Romana turned back to look at Rose again, whose mouth was slightly agape.

"Still, I know we'll be friends."

"So long as your daughter's not as stubborn as I am."

"Oh, is that where she gets it from? I'll have to inform her. Though she prefers to call it 'strong-willed'. Hmm, she's not blonde. Yet. Though there's still time, of course." Romana divulged, as if it was the most simple thing and not cause for a weekend questioning your relationship over Christmas.

"Was it hard? Leaving him?"

"Not terribly. It's loads of fun, but after a awhile..."

Rose laughed, "I know what you mean! One second he's telling the Dalek Emperor that he's going to save you and you think 'I could spend the rest of my life with this man' and then next, he's trying to taste the inside of your ear and you need some space."

"Ugh, sorry 'bout that, part of the new body, it's all so different you see. Had he uh.."

"Tasted my ear before? No...it was one of his more odd requests."

Romana laughed, encouraging Rose to continue with more confidence.

"Sometimes it's fantastic, like when everybody lives or an alien causes you to kiss. But other times I hide out in the closet that holds all the animal food, he doesn't know it, but beneath the pellets there's a passage to this lovely, relaxing spa-like place."

"How clever! I would always just nip off for a year or two before I could come back, most often so recently after I'd left that he never noticed."

"I think it's brilliant that you can fly the TARDIS that accurately."

"It's all the manual. I don't know why he refuses to read it."

They giggled over the image of the Doctor ever following instructions other than his own for a few minutes before Rose sat up a bit straighter.

"Is your life always like this, knowing the end before you start the book?"

"It's a bit comforting, isn't it. You know who lives and dies and what to get attached to. It feels safe."

"The Doctor seems to just jump into the middle of any old plot and then expect congratulations when he makes it to the climax without help."

Rose grinned to her ears, realising that she had been more relaxed after Romana assured her they'd be friends.

"You know, I only just found out that I'm the latest in a long line, and I was a bit upset, y'know."

"He's wonderful."

"Oh, fantastic! But there are days when my mind reels or he takes me by complete surprise and it makes me glad that there were others, that there's you. I could never contain all of him, not if I lived a hundred years. He needs to be shared to survive."

"I'm glad he had you with him, right after..."

"Did you know? When it happened, I mean. Could you feel it, even out there in E-space?"

"There was a sudden pang of loneliness in my chest, but I didn't interpret it as this until... until he stepped out of that door, I suppose."

Rose went silent, studying her trainers, wondering if she should tell Romana that she'd seen her planet burn as well when she felt the heat of Romana's eyes on her face.

Romana had been studying Rose's features for quite some time and the composed Time Lady actually seemed startled when Rose finally asked, "wot?"

"Just - I can see why he travels with you, you're quite special. I hope you stay long." Romana moved a piece of hair behind Rose's ear and let out what Rose thought was her first genuine smile since they'd met.

"As long as he'll (you'll) have me, I can't imagine this ending."

"Careful, you might regret that when you're stuck in an alien prison--"

"--because he can't shut his mouth long enough to remember the rules and said break some sacred law!!" They said in unison before cracking up.

"Romana! Rose!" Called the Doctor's voice from far off.

"K-9 just put down 'Adver-pyscho-tising' in Scrabble and we need an impartial judge because he thinks I cheat when I challenge his words!"

Romana raised her eyebrows, to which Rose responded, "tea?"

Romana smiled in reply and Rose led the way, promising to point out the closet during their trip.


.

Comments

[noblealice.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

I always felt like after she grew out of her child-like awe of him there would be so many complicated emotions there
It's such a complex relationship, she is in awe, as you said and then she realises suddenly how utterly cold he can be when she races to find Roger. It just wasn't a possibility that Asriel was capable of that before and then something clicks. He's human. He makes mistakes. And she bolts.

I wish she could know what they sacrificed for her.

[deadduck008.livejournal.com]

I adore the Will/Lyra, I seriously need to reread those books.
And this:
leaving them with the immortal words that would one day be engraved on her tomb, "tell them stories."
made me smile a lot :)

[noblealice.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm thinking of going through the books again looking for quotes for them. They totally deserve some sort of essay/manifesto/thingy.

This comment made me smile a lot!

[hjea.livejournal.com]

Aw, thank you! You wrote me Sparrow and Nightingale, and I will love you forever for it. I need to watch "Blink" again! And long for the day when they'll get their own spin-off. (one little thing: heard him before she say him I think you mean "saw") Favourite was this: "Is that a yes?" She breathed, so close to his cheek that it felt adventurous. Made my heart flutter. *g*

And Will/Lyra! I think you got Lyra just right, especially in the pre-seperation. Having just returned from the movie, I like the... authenticity of how yours feels. ;)

[noblealice.livejournal.com]

Aww, thank you! I'll change that. Proof that even drabbles should have betas!

Really? Authentic? I'm so glad. I was very intimidated because I love them so much.

So happy you liked it!!!

[asweetdownfall.livejournal.com]

Um, hi. So somehow I managed to see this now and I feel like the lamest person ever.

You know, every time I read one of your fics I keep falling more in love with your prose and how you say so much with so few words.

I love the fic! It's so beautiful, so heartwarming and touching that I find myself at a loss for words. I love the little glimpse you gave of Lyra's future and past (OMG and Pan! AND WILL. ♥♥) And I absolutely adore this line: "leaving them with the immortal words that would one day be engraved on her tomb, "tell them stories." The sheer imagery is just gorgeous..and I can imagine her saying that.

I would honestly say more but mere words aren't enough to convey how much I love this capture of Will and Lyra.

Thank you so much, Lily! I'm really sorry that I didn't read it until now..but I don't regret it. It was definitely worth the wait. :) ♥

[noblealice.livejournal.com]

Aww, don't worry about it, I know that you're really busy with school. I'm just glad that you like it!