Doctor Who Imagines #Wattys2016

Found this one on tumblr!

The TARDIS whirred and beeped as you sat down to the dinner table, your plain ordinary salad looking decidedly boring next to the Doctor's concoction of s'more fondue and chicken tenders. Rolling your eyes toward the ceiling, you subtly flipped the ship off before digging into your meal with a sigh. That may have silenced the TARDIS for the moment, as she very much didn't like being treated rudely. But the Doctor stared at you as you ate listlessly, trying to make sense of the situation.

"Y/N, if you don't like what you're eating, just make yourself something else. Why force yourself?" His tone was not overly patronizing, but genuinely curious. Was this some strange human custom he didn't understand? His curiosity morphed into concern when you gave another heavy sigh before answering.

"Because I have to. It's not fun, or appetizing, believe me. But I've got no choice." Nodding sympathetically, the Doctor went back to his own strange meal, noting your desire to be left alone and respecting it. Internally, his brain whirred with thoughts, theories and continuums, just as it always did. He'd have loved to share them with you, but he didn't want to make you any more upset than you already seemed to be.

***

Long after you'd gone to bed that night, the Doctor was still up and in the console room, perusing the TARDIS' formidable databanks. With rapt concentration, he read through various reasons why a human diet would have to be restricted in such a way. Many of the results he uncovered were medical conditions, like food allergies or diabetes, but he sincerely doubted any of those applied. All the same, having the TARDIS scan you would clarify that for sure. He knew that humans prided themselves on concealing things they didn't really want others to know, and often their medical histories were held with the utmost privacy unless necessary. He'd have to convince you divulging such information was necessary the following morning. There was no question he valued having you as his companion, and he would adjust things aboard the TARDIS and otherwise to keep you healthy, no matter what.

The next morning certainly didn't go as the Doctor expected...

"Y/N...would you mind getting a physical done in the TARDIS medical bay? Standard procedure for all my companions, just to be sure they haven't been placed in any medical danger thanks to our adventures."

You responded with a bright smile, hopping up at once.

"Sure Doctor, just lead the way." What the Doctor didn't know was that your compliance had an ulterior motive. One, you knew for sure that you had no major medical issues for the TARDIS to find. Two, perhaps if you complied and showed the Doctor that everything was medically normal, perhaps he wouldn't dig any further into things. You were so ashamed of your weight, and him prying into the way you chose to handle your body image issues was something you really weren't sure how you would deal with. For the first time you could remember, you were glad of the Doctor's distractibility. It might just save you.

***

You barely registered the physical in the medical bay, as it was over so quickly. You knew this much, it was unlike any physical you'd ever had in the past. Much less invasive too. A few simple laser based scans, and some breaths into something like a breathalyzer and the TARDIS signaled that she had all the information she needed.

"Y/N is physically healthy, even if by current BMI standards she is a bit overweight. All scans and tests otherwise normal."

You knew you should feel relief at such a good report, but the mention of your weight blocked out everything else and consumed your thoughts, darkening them rapidly. As quickly as you could manage, you jumped off the table in the medical bay where you'd perched for the exam, and fled to your room. Thankfully, the door shut firmly behind you before you lost your composure. Flinging yourself down onto your bed in a huff, you screamed into a pillow until your throat was raw and protesting, and the screams gave way to silent sobs, hot tears coursing down your flushed cheeks. In time, even that ceased and you sat up, slightly dazed from your emotional outburst.