Yowzah Oneshot Collection (1)

140(G)

             Baby It's Cold Outside

                   cinnamonears

“I’m taking you somewhere very special today, River.”

She looked up at him from the controls (oh, he hated when she did that, swaying about and flicking buttons, so pompous) with a look of sparkling delight. Looks like these told him that she was still young, so young, but today that was a good thing. Well, as good as meeting completely out of order could possibly be. There were days in which he wished for her saucy confidence rather than her testing enthusiasm, but watching River experience things, old traditions of theirs, for the first time was magical.

Her eyebrows furrowed as he watched her, alerted by his reluctance to immediately announce the evening plans. “And what’s that?”

The Doctor swung his arms, pointing towards the hall that had already become a tradition for her arrival. “Pick out something festive, dear.”

“Festive? What sort of festive?” She stepped down from the console obediently, eyes never leaving him.

The Doctor clapped his hands together. “Oh, you know, something Christmas-y. Or Yule-y. Or Solstice-y. Blimey, what do they call it in the 51st Century?”

“They called it the Solstice at Luna University, but I grew up in the 21st Century, remember?” She looked at him curiously. “Is it Christmas already?”

“Oh, River, River, River, we’re in a time machine! It can be Christmas every day if we like! But yes, today is Christmas. At least, it is where we’re headed it is. So go on, festive clothing, something fun.”

“Oh, sweetie, my idea of fun and your idea of fun never seem to agree.” She flashed him a flirty smile just before she disappeared down the hallway. He bounded to the platform, eagerly flipping switches and typing in coordinates; this was going to be a very special day, no exceptions.

It didn’t take River long to return to the control room. He hadn’t rightly expected it to, as she was becoming better and better at picking out clothing from the wardrobe, and the TARDIS was learning what the woman liked. So he wasn’t surprised when he heard her footsteps behind him a few moments later, but he was surprised when he finally did twirl around. “River. What are you wearing?”

The curly haired woman beamed at him. Though her outfit was particularly normal, brown pants and a vivid red coat, it was the thing draped around her neck that caught his attention. “Isn’t this so interesting? I’ve never seen it in the TARDIS before, so I suppose she’s just hidden it from me in the past. It’s delicious, though, isn’t it?”

It took the Doctor a moment to recover. “That’s… That’s mine!” Wherever she had found the scarf from his fourth regeneration, he hadn’t expected her to embrace it. It did look good on her, wrapped multiple times around her neck and trailing to the floor, but the eclectic nature of the thing should’ve been enough to steer her away from it.

Apparently not.

“What’s yours is mine, Doctor, or have you forgotten?” She gave him a grin and tugged at his bowtie, while he stared at the thick wool hugging her neck. “Anyway, you said festive, and this is certainly interesting enough. Now where are we going?” She sidestepped him and headed for the console, sliding her hands against it with intimacy that few people other than the Doctor ever showed the time machine.

He decided he liked her in the scarf.

“Oh, just a quick trip, Earth, nothing too extravagant. Just thought of something you might enjoy and, well.” The Doctor’s eyes closed a bit and his head tilted, for all the world a picture of smugness. “I aim to please.”