Just a little warning at the top: this is utterly random, pointless, just a bit silly and - did I mention random? It's inspired by real life though and while I was busy being a source of great amusement for my colleagues this scene popped up in my head. Have fun. :)

Lesson to learn

inspired by: Something In The Water by Brooke Fraser

time frame: late Journey's Beginning

Hiccup.

„Rose!"

„Yes, Doctor?" She feigns innocence, furls her brows in a frown while already she fights a losing battle against the smile that wants to bend her lips.

Nothing can quite unsettle him like this.

Hiccup.

"You said it would work. Well, it doesn't." Grousing, he paces restlessly in front of her. His forehead is laid in wrinkles, his pale gaze piercing her. This is her fault, he just knows it.

Hiccup.

"Did you swallow?" Her voice is soft but it does nothing to hide her amusement.

"Of course I did!" Sometimes, he can be as petulant as a child – only that he never stomps his foot. Though, if Rose were to make a guess she thinks he'd probably do that, too, if only it weren't below a Time Lord. Well, human Time Lord but she reckons that makes no difference.

Hiccup.

"Counted to ten?" It is a cruel game she is playing but she cannot help it.

He snorts. "A quadrillion's more like it. Would've made it farther but-"

Hiccup.

Instead of finishing the sentence he just growls, now truly frustrated. Long fingers twitch in irritation and she has to suppress a giggle.

"Useless ape body. Can't even breathe decently. How d'you lot ever-"

Hiccup.

"manage?"

By now his whole face is scrunched up, the utterly disgruntled look rendering her incapable of keeping her composure. She has to laugh and if that is the last thing she does. Telling by the scowl he sends her way it might well be.

"What?" He grunts, just a little bit mad at her but beyond the annoyance she can see a spark which tells her that, although he would not admit to it in a thousand years, he understands why to her this is so funny.

"You shouldn't talk so much, only makes it worse." Working around a giggle that she just cannot keep from breaking lose, Rose shakes her head. She knows she really shouldn't but in moments like this she thinks him to be quite adorable. Hopefully, he can't read that in her eyes – she supposes he'd regenerate on the spot if he knew. Never mind that he can't do that anymore.

Hiccup.

"And I was thinkin'," casually re-arranging a strand of hair that has come loose from her ponytail she shrugs. Maybe it is time to help him after all.
"Mum invited us to spend the holiday with her. Two weeks in Bath. Pete will look after Tony so it'll be just the three of us. Thought it would be a good idea, so I said yes. You and her could have some proper bonding-time, yeah?"

For a very, very long heartbeat silence descends.

Not one of his muscles moves, he doesn't seem to breathe and she worries he might have forgotten that he has no respiratory bypass anymore.

"Doctor?"

No response. Just nothing.

"You alright?"

"You set out to kill me?" At last, he blinks. "Two weeks with your mother!?"

She puts on her sweetest expression while he croaks.

"Why, the two of you got on pretty well lately so I figured you wouldn't mind."

"Yeah well, dogs and flea get on. Doesn't mean it's a good idea to put them together." He huffs spectacularly, glowering at the young human that suddenly grins from ear to ear – obviously not affected by his comparison at all.

It takes him far longer than it should but as he stands there, watching her smirk finally something clicks into place. "You're havin' me on."

"Yep." She pops the 'p' before tilting her chin, pride and mischief practically radiating from her. "Getting distracted usually works best. Got no problem anymore, do you?"

Like she had just explained the theory of relativity to him he now stares at her, his expression blank. Oh, she is clever. Not that it surprises him.

"Not counting the heart-attack you just gave me," he sniffs, crossing his arms in front of his chest in mock affront. Suddenly he finds it hard to keep a straight face himself and it doesn't help that Rose rolls her eyes in fake exasperation.

"Oh, the gratitude." She sighs greatly, playing along just because she wants to. "Here I go saving the almighty Time Lord from an awful fate and what do I get?"

Really, she would have loved to elaborate on that, lament how ungrateful he was being but she squeaks before she can even say another word.

In the blink of an eye he has moved. His long arms are now around her waist where nimble fingers find tender points she often wishes he had never discovered in the first place.

"That's no fair," she cries in between tears of laughter as, expertly, he works her ticklish spots.

"Never said anything 'bout me being fair." His voice is far too close to her left ear, the low whisper causing her to shiver with glee and something else she cannot quite name. And then, as quickly as he started it he releases her again, looking terribly smug. "Think you're right though. Gettin' distracted helps. Thanks."

Showing her a toothy smile the Doctor claps his hands and suddenly she considers not helping him ever again when he whines about his human body. It might just teach him a lesson or two.

But then again, who is she fooling?

Rose can see the glimmer in his eyes and she loves to see it there. If it was for her to choose she would make sure to always find it in the blue and know that he is content (in spite of his frequent complaining).

Which doesn't mean though that she cannot gloat a bit when he gets what he deserves.

Hiccup.

She grins.

Really serves him right, this time.