beauty • D. WHO

chapter two

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"Nothing is permanent about our behavior patterns except our belief that they are so." 

- Moshe Feldenkrais

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Prior to meeting The Doctor, Briar Rose's life was stagnant. It felt like she was stuck reliving the same day over and over again. She woke up, did chores around the house, strolled around the forest for a bit, went back home, and the next morning it would repeat. Since Briar only knew of her current way of life, the seemingly never-ending, day-to-day cycle became comfortable to her, and she rarely questioned it.

Since her first encounter with The Doctor, Briar felt different. She felt like she found a new way of breathing, speaking, laughing, thinking, and feeling. He was like a drug that she had become addicted to. She adored his unpredictability. She craved his presence and everything that came with it. The stories he told her had her hung on his very last word. The soft, warm smile he gave her when she told him of her plans after her 19th birthday was enough to make her legs feel like jelly. Everything about him was awe-inspiring and she couldn't get enough.

The Doctor lived his life one day at a time. Every day was a new adventure, a new story to tell. He loved it, but there was also a part of him that loved the thought of stability. That was one of the reasons he kept coming back to Briar. He adored how simple she was. Her presence brought peace and comfort that warmed him all the way down to his bones. Similar to Briar, he was addicted to being around her. The twinkle in her eyes when she talked about her dreams of traveling, and the giggles that fell from her lips when he told her stories left him wanting nothing more than to give her everything she wanted and more.

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"I can only assume I'm late." Upon hearing his voice, Briar lifted her head to see the sheepish, apologetic grin on The Doctor's face. Despite having waited for him for nearly 45 minutes, Briar wasn't mad at him at all.

"Assume?" Briar said with an amused smile and a raised eyebrow.

"Well, to make it up to you, I have something to show you." The Doctor's face now mirrored that of an excited puppy, which Briar found adorable. Before she could respond, he grabbed her hand and gently, but quickly, pulled her along behind him. Without protest, Briar fell into step with him and tried to ignore the blush on her cheeks that came from their clasped hands. Their short trek finally came to an end in a small clearing of the forest. The Doctor detached from her hand and spun her to face him.

"Doctor-"

"Now, before I show you this, I need to ask you something and I need you to answer honestly." Briar nodded, looking up at him with big, curious eyes. The Doctor almost forgot what he was going to say when she gave him that look, but quickly came back to his senses.

"Of course. What is it?" He sucked in a quick breath, trying to push out any nerves he had. His hands fell from her shoulders down to her hands and, almost like instinct, she intertwined their fingers.

"Do you trust me?"

Briar was slightly surprised by the question, as it seemed obvious to her. Despite only knowing this man a little less than a month, Briar couldn't help but feel entirely safe with him. It was strange how comfortable they were around each other. Even though she was sure she knew her answer right away, she took a moment to truly think about it since he asked her to be completely honest.

There were so many unanswered questions about him. She knew there were certain things he didn't tell her, but Briar didn't care. There was something in her gut that told her she could trust this man with her life, and she chose to believe it. Briar looked at him with soft eyes and a warm smile.

"Yes." The Doctor's face broke out into a smile, and he felt the nervous tension leave his body upon hearing her answer.

"Yeah?" Briar's smile grew and a small giggle left her lips.

"Of course I do." His hands left hers and traveled to the sides of her face where he pulled her in to press a kiss on her forehead. Her face flushed, but she laughed all the same at his antics.

"Okay. Now, close your eyes." He said as he took a few steps back from her. She did as she was told, placing her hands over her closed eyelids. "And no peeking!" Briar rolled her eyes internally, though the grin on her face had yet to disappear.

Briar did her best to ignore some of the strange sounds around her. The sound of a door creaking almost made her open her eyes, but she remained still, patiently waiting for The Doctor to tell her to look. Briar suddenly felt hands gently grab her shoulders, making her jump in surprise.

"Doctor?"

"Almost ready." He assured her and began slowly moving her forwards. Her foot caught on something, making her stumble into his chest. His hands went to her waist to stabilize her, and she heard him whisper a small, "Sorry."

"Can I open my eyes now?" She asked. His hands hadn't left her waist and although it made her blush furiously, she didn't mind the feeling. He didn't answer for a moment and instead helped her shuffle a few more inches forward. She felt him move behind her, then heard him answer.

"Okay. Now you can open your eyes." Briar's hands fell from her face and her eyes blinked a few times, taking in the sight before her.

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this is kind of a shorter chapter than i wanted, but the next chapter will definitely be longer

i hope y'all are enjoying it so far!

stay healthy and stay slaying

- reah