13 Novella 6

Pride

"I swear if you name the poor kid that I'll put him out of his misery"

"Missy be nice, I think it's sweet" you say and The Doctor nods with a face scronch.

"Yeah well, we don't know if it's a boy or a girl yet" adds Jenny as you lean back into her. She smiles and looks down, nuzzling your neck softly and making you grin and blush.

"Boy, definitely" says The Doctor confidently.

"Actually I was thinking boy too" says Jenny and you turn to Missy, leaning gracefully against a pillar just above you and Jenny who were curled up below on the Tardis deck.

"Girl" she shrugs.

You raise your eyebrows at Yaz who looks thoughtful as she paints your face gently. You squirm and she rolls her eyes. You've no idea what she is painting, but her colour palette looks very bright.

"I really don't mind, but I think it may be a boy, (Y/n)?"

You scowl and cross your arms playfully, Jenny holding you as you try to fidget. "Well I could just tell you if you'd let me" you say and Yaz scowls, swiping you playfully on the nose with the wet brush.

"Absolutely not! I want it to be a surprise" she says, same as she's been for the last couple of months. Annoyingly stubborn. "Anyway, I think it's time I told my family" she says carelessly and you sit up suddenly.

"You haven't told them?" You gasp and she blushes.

"And how would I explain it?"

That shuts you up. Two women. According to human biology, it shouldn't be possible. Apparently Yaz is thinking the same thing...

"Yaz" you complain with a wince and she chuckles apologetically.

"Stay out of my head then!"

"I can't help it! Would you just mind not thinking of The Doctor like that until later...?" You plead before looking up and seeing Missy very amused.

"Yaz you need to tell them. Today." says The Doctor bluntly and Jenny rolls her eyes.

"Mum chill"

"I won't, this is serious!" She snaps and your smiles all disappear. But this wasn't totally unexpected.

Over the course of Yaz's pregnancy The Doctor had been unpredictable to say the least. Constantly finding reasons to check Yaz for problems, not letting her on certain adventures, ensuring she got the best treatment at all times and carefully directing stress away, all of which would have been ideal had she not refused to allow herself to get attached to her baby.

She simply called it "the baby", and often refused to partake in discussions about its future. She walked out the room at random times when the conversation got too real, so you were quite frankly surprised she had made it this far into the name discussion.

Yaz was tactful in not worrying the clearly stressed woman any more than she had too, but you could sense it bothered her. Occasionally you would catch an image of what she really wanted; The Doctor smiling and holding her baby with Yaz leaning lovingly at her side. It hurt to see this, unsure as to whether she would ever actually get it but you could only hope.

The Doctor gets to her feet and starts fiddling with the controls while you all take it in turns to stand. Missy reaches down and pulls you to your feet, holding you securely as the ship takes off with the usual dramatic flair.

The journey is quieter than usual, all of you thinking internally. You keep an eye out for disturbing images but catch nothing. You land with a thump, both your girlfriends steadying you. Yaz is first out the door, The Doctor following quickly.

You are parked on a dying patch of grass outside a tired apartment complex. Yaz looks up apprehensively, you get the feeling she has not allowed herself to think too much about what was happening next.

In one gentle movement The Doctor slips her hand into Yaz's, squeezing tightly as the girl visibly relaxes. You detect noise around you and brush it off as someone's particularly loud thoughts. That's when Jenny turns over her shoulder.

To your surprise there is a long procession of people wearing pretty coloured clothes and chanting and waving flags. Missy raises her eyebrows.

"Ooh!" Utters Yaz with a cheeky smile. You frown and tuck into Jenny who holds you securely; You had never liked huge crowds, they intimidated you especially seeing as you found it difficult to separate that many thoughts.

"Welcome to pride!" says a grinning Doctor. You finally understand what Yaz had been painting on your face: pride flags. The Doctor must have planned this and decided on a date coinciding with Yaz's family.

"Pride? "Asks Missy clearly not liking the happy eruptions of laughter from the crowd. Surprisingly, this makes you smile.

"Yeah it's a celebration of sorts, people like us" smiles Jenny, looking at you happily. Your cheeks warm as you realise she is genuinely proud to be called your girlfriend. This is a new feeling to you and you love it almost as much as her. Missy chuckles as she catches on.

"Well do you want to join in?" She asks and you look at her sincerely. Everyone looked so happy and carefree, you weren't sure you belonged.

"Aww come on (Y/n), this could be fun!" Giggles Yaz, and you don't quite dare disagree with her.

Shrugging, you head forward but the she pouts, taking your arm and dragging you back into the ship, the others following warily.

"Well we can't go looking like this "says Yaz as though this were obvious. She pauses in her tracks and wheels round to look at you.

"And why is that? "Ask Missy, hands on her hips, chest puffed out. It's a very attractive site. To your dismay your face heats up.

Trying to shake this particular image you turn back to Yaz with an expectant expression only to catch one of her thoughts. You smirk triumphantly.

"Yeah good luck painting this one" you say, indicating Missy with a head jerk. Both Missy and Yaz scowl.

"Oh she'll be painted" says Yaz forcefully, appraising Missy who widens her eye.

"Don't you dare" she hisses as Yaz dips into the paint stubbornly. She turns, wielding her brush, and attacks Missy who shrieks and runs a lap of the console while you rock with laughter against Jenny.

"Love!" She complains and you notice she is painting a red stripe under her eye in a pocket mirror.

"Oops, sorry" you say, kissing her hand gently. She thawes with a face scronch, just like her mother.

Missy has by now turned on Yaz and is flicking purple paint at the girl who runs past an unamused Doctor. The blonde catches the human and swings her round so their faces are very close. Yaz's smile fades slightly.

"Babe this is serious" she says and Yaz nods and swallows.

"Now, that lot can go to pride and we'll join after telling your family." Proposes The Doctor while Yaz bites her lip. You look at the girl curiously as one picture of a pair of very disappointed adults plays around her mind.

"Actually I think I might just go by myself" says Yaz quietly and they break apart a little awkwardly.

Missy stops sulking and Jenny lowers her mirror, a
half finished polyamorous flag on her face.

They can't see what you see of course, but they felt the atmosphere change.

This was about more than just the impossible biology of The Doctor.