A/N: HI! So sorry for delaying! So I've been wanting to try the Whumptobr challenge for ages but med school is making me scream so I have very limited time (you all know I'm always up for some whumpy fics 3 ) this is a relatively long one-shot from the prompt "9. Shackled". Whouffaldi mostly friendship wise... couple if you squint.
They ran... They ran as fast as their legs could hold. Their fingers intertwined intricately, as always, enemy running behind them.
The Doctor had managed to escape his cell just a few minutes after he and his companion were imprisoned for inspection by a group of local aliens. He ran to find Clara in a cell just a careful 30 second run away from his, dodging any guards nearby. When he opened the cell door, she looked so relieved. "I knew you'd come daft old man." She breathed. He soniced her out of the shackles, helped her to sit up and ran together before the guards noticed and found them just slightly after.
"We're close. Just 2 bends and we're done." He panted.
Slide to right, dodging laser beam, slide to the left, dodging 3 laser beams before the TARDIS opened her doors for them. Clara looked back. "They're close!" She shouted trhough the sounds of lasers and laser guns recharging.
"Just run!" The time lord shouted back. They continued running the final sprint before slumping against the console. The machine closed the door and the Doctor pulled down the lever.
"They're... Fast." Clara panted.
The Doctor nodded with difficulty. "Long legs." He simply replied.
They were able to catch their breath after a few seconds, still holding onto the console, facing the console column. The TARDIS shrilled.
"What is she saying, Doctor?" Clara asked him. He turned to look at her hands, resting upon the console. He looked worried. "What's wrong?" She asked. When Clara noticed what he as looking at, she glanced. Upon noticing what was wrong, she swiftly retreated her hands from the console, turned her back on the Doctor and was going to walk to her room hadn't the Doctor held her arm and pulled her swiftly towards him. "Ow!" She exclaimed, turning back facing the Doctor. But he didn't let go. His teeth were gritting against each other.
"You were fighting again, weren't you?" He asked. His eyebrows were frightening.
"No!" She shouted, jerking her hand back, her eyes filling with tears; both due to the pain and to the Doctor's reaction. "Stop yellng at me!"
"I'm not yelling, Clara." He said. "I just want to reply to my question."
"Why the hell are you asking if it looks that obvious for you?" She yelled, her eyes brimming with tears at this point. "Nothing I tell you is going to convince you because you're so damned hard-headed!"
"I'm asking because I know you fought again. You can't lie to me, Clara. You're hurting yourself. You can't simply pretend to release your hands from metal shackles! No matter how thin they are!" His voice was slightly softer this time.
"I have to try!" She broke down, tears trickling down her cheeks. "I'm..." She hesitated. "I was scared, ok? I wanted to escape. I don't want to go down without a fight. What happens if you can't come, or if you're tortured and I can't save you?" She sniffed, trembling badly. "What if..." Clara couldn't continued The companion looked away. She wanted to run... but her legs weren't strong enough. She had to hold on against the console.
She was vulnerable...
A heavy hand above her shoulder made her gasp, pulling her out of her thoughts. "The TARDIS got us some ointments and some warm water." He gestured to the jump seat. She knew she had to obey. That was the best thing to do. Clara sat down silently, looking at the console in front of her as the time lord took the chest filled with ointments and swabs and bowl of warm water and brought them next to Clara. He placed the bowl in her lap. "Hold it for a bit." She did as she was told, holding the bowl with both hands, clearly showing the red-pink bands around wrists, a few points of which were bleeding.
He wrung the cloth from most of the water and gestured for a hand, to which Clara surrendered. As soon as the Doctor placed the cloth delicately on the wound, the girl flinched and jerked her hand away from him. "Sorry," she mumbled.
"It's normal, Clara. It's a pain reflex; you can't fight it." He reassured her. No matter how many times she tried to stay strong and show her relentlessness... the Doctor knew everyone had a weak point; even himself...
The time lord offered his hand once again, and Clara gave her hand yet again. The companion bit her lip to try and fight the pain, but he tried to be as gentle as possible... which is not that usual of him, to say the least.
Clara continued to look at the time lord as he nursed her in a delicate manner... dabbing her wounds with warm water, wringing the cloth, repeating, spreading some ointment (adding to the stinging sensation) and gently wrapping her wrists in light bandages.
As the Doctor wrapped the last gauze and started packing the things back into the chest, she got the courage to talk. "I'm... I'm sorry, Doctor." He stopped slightly, before continuing with his job. Nonetheless, Clara continued with her apology. "I'm sorry for fighting, for shouting... I know you have good intentions."
After a few moments, he was ready. Eye contact was still not established. the Doctor sat up. He looked at her, a pure smile flashed on his face before pressing a soft, haste kiss in her hair as his hand passed through her hair. He then pulled away, bent for the chest and bowl before heading to medbay.
Clara saw him disappear into the corridor.
Regardless of her vulnerabilities as a fragile human, the Doctor still cared for her.
In a cruel Universe, the Doctor made her feel loved.
A/N: Hope you enjoyed it! Feedback appreciated as always :D Stay safe and will update with another whumptober prompt asap