Into the 51st Century, for the_corsair

[thecricketer]

The Doctor was nervous.

It wasn't a sort of anxiety he was used to - it didn't concern mortal peril, or faulty circuits, or Gallifreyan politics.

No, those all made sense.

He was simply taking Byron on a trip, one he'd suggested a long time ago. Their first trip in his TARDIS, yes, but that was hardly cause for fidgeting so much.

Really, it made him feel so very young and it was both irritating and exhilarating.

He took a breath before striding out of the TARDIS to wait outside the door. He was still, finally, silently hoping that nothing would go wrong.

Comments

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

The Doctor concentrated on getting his shoes off, because really, pouting was hardly fair.

He rose slowly, though he took Byron's hand eagerly enough, and turned towards the door, swallowing.

"...Is it odd, do you think, that I'd be less anxious if we were about to confront a vicious mob?"

[the-corsair.livejournal.com]

Byron had snagged his cane in his free hand and looked down at his mangled leg with a grimace.

"No."

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

The Doctor turned toward him, gaze following his, passing easily over his foot and rising again to meet his eyes. He squeezed his hand as he stepped closer, placing a gentle kiss on his lips.

"When I said this was a time of acceptance, I did mean of everything," he said softly; and he allowed his eyes to roam with that daring, desiring look very few people got to see, and beneath that, unyielding admiration.

"There are far more interesting things to notice regardless." He smiled, then, brightly and truly.

"You may not have noticed, but you're quite beautiful and engaging."

[the-corsair.livejournal.com]

The look made him smile, and the idea of acceptance, while nearly impossible to accept, was enough to let him truly wrap his fingers firmly around the Doctor's.

"I don't know how I can be called that..." It had been the bane of his existence, truly.

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

"I do." His voice was quiet, still, but very firm; absolute in its certainty.

"Shall we?" He seemed to have forgotten about his own anxiety.

[the-corsair.livejournal.com]

Byron nodded, a little tight, eyes wide, and then the mask fell, the work of a moment and the poet and libertine was back in the confident twist of his lips.

"I'm ready."

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

His smile, he knew, was rather weak, as encouraging as he wanted to be. Now that Byron was ready - as much as he would be - the Doctor was growing anxious again.

He didn't do things like this, and for good reason, but the rules had changed a bit, hadn't they, and perhaps this would be good for him anyway, and...

Right. Leading Byron through the door, outside. Vulnerable.

He gave their greeter a jaunty wave.

[the-corsair.livejournal.com]

Byron's fingers were tight on the Doctor's, so aware of his leg that it hurt, though really, the rest of him he had no issue showing off. Had done, on stage, far more than the one time in Miami. Some might call it pathological in some ways, but he didn't care.

But his foot made him nervous and twitchy. Still, he smiled at the handsome young man as well.

"We decided to stay.,"

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

His eyes had widened when they stepped out - which was fair, the Doctor supposed - but then his expression softened into a warm smile, and he stepped forward.

"I'm glad." He kept his eyes on theirs; not with the strain of someone trying not to look - at something either pleasant or not - but the ease of one who wasn't particularly bothered either way.

He gestured widely at the expanse of sand and sea in front of them.

"You can stay here, if you like. There are also private rooms, recreation halls, diners..."

[the-corsair.livejournal.com]

"Thank you," Byron said with a quiet smile. "It's quite the set up, it sounds like."

Really, he was impressed. He'd only been to a few nude beaches, and granted that was in his time, but none of them were quite so...open and accepting about everything. He relaxed a bit more.

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

His response was a bright grin.

"Thank you. We do try our best." Even the Doctor was smiling faintly; he was still keenly aware of his own nudity, and he was fairly certain his cheeks were rather pink, but...

"You succeed," he said quietly. Such tolerance could only be admired, only be exhilarating.

He looked at Byron, and his smile widened, if nervously.

"What do you think?"

[the-corsair.livejournal.com]

"The water," Byron said, almost immediately, casting a longing look at the ocean. That was what he knew, where he was comfortable, where he could shine more than he ever could on land, physically.

And it would ease both of their discomfort, he thought, though coming back out might be hard.

ooc: You're on! During the day! I'm on GMail if you're bored.... *g*

[thecricketer.livejournal.com]

His smile widened slightly, and he nodded - just as their greeter did.

"Enjoy yourselves," and it sounded very sincere, enough that the Doctor thanked him before he turned away.