[ OPEN LOG ] Moonage Daydream

[attackbrows]

||| Prelude — Eternal Melody | ???? ( Dreamshare );

[ When the crew returned to the station and resolved their 'internal problem', the air became thick with uncertainty. Another orb was in their possession and yet (once more), their accomplishment came with nothing but bittersweetness. He returned to his room with far too much on his mind. And that made the rest of the station sound noisier than usual.

In times like these, The Doctor needs a reprieve from the rest of the universe. Being stuck within the confines of four walls will not cut it. Being stuck within the confines of four walls would not cut it. The Doctor steps out of his room and makes a beeline for the Sunlight Room. There, within the vast array of plant life and water, he finds a secluded sit-down and have a think… ]

[ Perhaps you are a telepath, or perhaps you are a big sleeper who falls easily into the realm of dreams. At some point, you will find yourself in a whole different world. A world that from any place you haven’t travelled to or from any of the previous mission locations.

There doesn’t seem to be a lick of sunlight bursting from above, but everything around you is perfectly lit to a cool, blue-green daylight. It is a bright and vibrant village full of calming song. But eventually, you will find The Doctor standing in the middle of the forest. The most unordinary object in this scene is the wheelable chalkboard in front of him, filled to the brim with equations and markings of a different world.

He knows you’re here. After all, you’re in his dream. Instead of turning to acknowledge your presence, he continues to write on his chalkboard. Before you begin to speak (or approach him), he interrupts you: ]

...Your regret. How much does it mean to you?

||| Part I — Soft Machine | Common Living Area;

[ The living area isn’t exactly the epicentre of excitement. A quiet sit down here, a friendly game of chess there… The Doctor is a night owl by nature. His sleep cycle comes few and far between. When it comes to keeping himself occupied, he has to get creative (literally)...

He finds a blank sheet of paper and a pencil. Two seemingly innocuous tools and begins sketching out different things that pop into mind: foreign star systems, skulls, flowers. As much as he can to fill the page. ]

||| Part II — Wicked Vibrations | Mess Hall;

[ You know what they say: Don’t play with your food. Especially on a space station with finite resources. But The Doctor is a respectful old chap. He can behave himself (mostly).

There really shouldn’t be a reason for him to have his electric guitar, but he brought it with him, anyway. A large mug of coffee sits by his side as tunes his guitar. All his attention is on fine-tuning his instrument until a thought pops into his head— ]

I missed my game with Chopin!

||| Closed Starters |||
Clara Oswald | River Song | The Doctor (11)
Xichen | Rosinante

Comments

[attackbrows]

[ He doesn’t know how to feel about being a designated headrest. A very odd request of a person who has very little body mass to offer. But The Doctor takes it on the cheek as he slinks further into the covers.

Her cold feet rub up against his leg. Not exactly icy by his standards, but enough for him to raise his leg and wrap it over her thighs. ]

Rule Two: No drooling on each other’s appendages.

[bossily]

[She probably shouldn't be laughing as much as she is right now, what with him trying to lull her to sleep. But she can't help but giggle at that suggestion, giving him a nudge. As if she drools in her sleep!

Honestly.]

Rule three: snoring is a punishable offense.

[This feels so close to how easy things had been between them when they were back on the TARDIS that there's almost an ache in her chest as she realizes how different things could become before their time here is over.

Beneath his worry about what this place is doing to her, beneath his thinking on regrets, there's just a scared Time Lord in need of closeness with the person he cares for the most. His duty of care is something he takes seriously, and Clara drops the need for rules and laughing together in favor of cuddling up at his side.

Her face dips down, burying itself against him. And she breathes in the familiar scent of him, smiling as things feel calm and right for the first time in a long while.]

Doctor, you'll stay, won't you? Until after I'm asleep?

[attackbrows]

[ He hooks his arm around her waist and threads his fingers through hers. ]

Just this once…

[ The Doctor is lying. If Clara needed him to be at her side to have a restful sleep, then he’d do it for a billion eternities. ]

Can we have that breakfast meal we had a while ago? The one with pancakes and that bowl of breadcrumbs with sugar on it?

[ Cereal. He’s thinking about cereal. ]

[bossily]

[She's still and quiet as she tries to piece together what he means. It's easy to be distracted by the comfort of cuddling with him. But it's not often he actually asks her for something.]

I think you mean cereal, Doctor.

[It's said with every ounce of fondness for him that she has.]

I didn't know you liked it that much.

[Which of course means that yes, they can have pancakes and cereal tomorrow when they wake up.]

[attackbrows]

[ Yes! That’s the one. The incredible portable meal you can have right out of the box. There were times he thought about taking a box or two with him to the TARDIS whenever he needed to make a detour without Clara. He had the spoon for it, might as well put it to good use. ]

Of course I do. They’re a marvel.

[ This Doctor’s palate had become more refined since his regeneration. He can handle entrees with varying complex textures and flavours. But if he had to choose a plate of tuna tartare over a bag of crisps. He’d choose the crisps any day. ]

A flat cake that you can have copious amounts of sugary syrup. It’s like you lot had a full-on rebellion against the notion of vegetable consumption.

[bossily]

[She doesn't have the heart to criticize cereal and tell him how American and sugary it is. He seems really into it, and there's so little that brings him such innocent joy. So she presses her hand more firmly against his, nuzzling back against him a bit more.]

Syrup and cereal, two of the most important sources of your daily sugar intake.

[Agreeing with his assessment with a laugh, she realizes how domestic things here have become. She knows that isn't easy for him, and it isn't necessarily something that comes easy for her either. But she's grateful to get to experience this time with him. It's as close as they'll ever get to living a life outside of what's waiting for them in his future.]

You'll be buzzing around the lab for days if I make it for you.

[attackbrows]

[ He pauses, picking his head up only a few inches off their pillow. ]

I don’t buzz!

[ Is that a hint of a pout? Maybe. Only because Clara may be one of the few who has the remarkable ability to read The Doctor like a book.

He then turns over his body so that he is lying on his back. ]

My distribution of energy has and always been laser sharp.

[bossily]

[When he turns, she winds up sitting up in the process. And she stares down at him with an amused smirk, resisting the urge to call him out on his distribution of energy.]

When you have something to focus your energy on, maybe.

[Clara winds up teasing him gently instead, laughing as she slouches back down to lay at his side.]

Which is why I think that tomorrow, Doctor, you and I ought to go on an adventure in the simroom. After breakfast.

[Is it hogging his time and attention? Possibly. But she knows that if he minds, he'll make an excuse and get out of it.]