MORE THIG

[makingsouffles]

[It's common, empaths and telepaths sharing dreams if they wind up sleeping close enough together and opening up their minds enough. Oswin's learned about it, of course, studied it briefly when she had to, but when it comes to her and the Doctor actually doing it...well. There's enough she keeps shut away to make her nervous about even him being too deeply inside her head. Whenever he's gone in before, he's never opened any doors she wants to stay shut, but when she's asleep, she won't have as much control over what stays where in her head.

And it's terrifying, to be honest.

But, they need it tonight. A particularly strenuous adventure's left them both a little world-weary, and at the Doctor's tentative suggestion, Oswin's finally agreed to let him in. Dreams, when they aren't nightmares or fabrications, can be surprisingly soothing, after all. Especially with someone to experience them with.

So, she'd tucked herself up in the Doctor's arms, soothed by his presence all around and in her head, and fallen asleep quickly enough, drifting into the realm of her own dreams. Empaths and telepaths have a certain degree of control over dreams like this with a bit of practice, enough to be conscious of it being a dream and able to remember things properly.

Oswin's dreamscape that she's made is absolutely gorgeous, a beach of pure white sand lit by an enormous, oddly iridescent moon in a sky filled with a million twinkling stars. It can change, of course, to whatever she likes, but this is the one she prefers out of all of them. Letting the waves lap at her feet, she stands and looks out over the water as she wrings her hands faintly, a nervous habit she's had for ages.

When she hears footsteps in the sand behind her, she smiles.]

Took you long enough.

Comments

[makingsouffles]

Maybe.

[She leans back a little against him, looking out at the water and feeling better already. It is sort of cathartic, just the two of them alone in the melding of their minds. Space travel's brilliant and all, but even Oswin acknowledges sometimes that rest is a thing that must happen.

Her head turns again as she looks up at him expectantly.] D'you like it? Could always change it to something else, I've got millions of places like this. [Her imagination is something to be admired when it comes to this sort of thing. Funny that the best she could come up with was an escape pod back before they met.]

[mrcool]

[The Doctor smiles, holding her gently against him. It's definitely nice to sit here, holding her close. She's his girl, his impossible girl, and it feels good to have her with him.

He chuckles at that comment and kisses her temple lightly.] No, this is nice. I love beaches.

[makingsouffles]

Really? Couldn't tell. [They're always going to beaches, the two of them. Particularly after stuff like what had happened, or if Oswin needs coaxing to sleep. He's probably rubbed off on her in that respect, made this place really a melding of the two of them together.

A starlit beach. Absolutely perfect.]

[mrcool]

[The Doctor chuckles, holding her for a few moments more.

And then, abruptly, he shoves her forward into the water.]

[makingsouffles]

[And just when you'd managed to lull her into a sense of security. Not fair at all.

Oswin shrieks, sputtering as she hits the water and immediately flails a bit to right herself. Or at least sit up. The water's definitely not cold, but it's most certainly wet.

For a moment, she just stares up at him in a expression that's very plainly did you really just do that before deciding this definitely means war. Hopping to her feet, she kicks in just the right way to spray him (hopefully in the face) with water.

And take off down the beach while she's at it. Can't splash her if he can't catch her.]

[mrcool]

[He laughs and jerks back as the water sprays at him. Oswin takes off and he follows after her. He's always liked to run, after all.]

Where do you think you're going?

[makingsouffles]

No idea! [She calls back over her shoulder, laughing.

That's the brilliant thing about this world, they can go anywhere without even really leaving the TARDIS. They're their own limit, really, their minds and their imagination. Which, Oswin's pretty sure, there's no short supply of between them.]

[mrcool]

[Oswin's imagination alone is enough to power millions of dreamscapes. Combine that with the Doctor's experience and his imagination, and the possibilities are very well limitless.

He laughs and chases after her, catching her after a moment and grasping her hand.]

[makingsouffles]

[His hand closes around hers and, instead of stopping short, Oswin grins, lacing their fingers together as they run. It's familiar, the two of them racing, hand in hand, off to their next adventure, and there's always that sense of rightness. Like, no matter what's happened before, this is what was meant to be.]

Where to? [She calls over the rush of the breeze as they continue down the beach. They've got millions and millions of places to choose from, all of them ready and waiting at their beck and call.]

[mrcool]

[The Doctor grins back at her, and it's nice to run and not be chased, actually. They've had plenty of experiences of running for their lives, but this, just running because they can, this is nice.]

Anywhere!

[His face is alight with excitement.]

[makingsouffles]

[Hey, don't knock running for your life, Oswin loves that just as much. Probably because she's just an adrenaline junkie, but y'know.

But, onward, then! She lasts for as long as she can running, but even though her endurance is notably better than it had been before she started traveling, Oswin can't go forever. As such, she slows to catch her breath after a few minutes of pelting down the beach, giving him a slightly less energetic and more apologetic grin.]

Anywhere'll have to wait a bit longer, I think.

[mrcool]

Fine by me.

[He slows when she does, a little out of breath as well. He could probably keep going like that for miles, honestly, but then he's had a lot of practice.

The Doctor flops down onto the sand, tugging her down with him.]

[makingsouffles]

[Yes, well, we aren't all Time Lords, unfortunately.

Oswin happily joins him, her head pillowed comfortably on his chest. Funny how you can actually got worn out in a dream, but then again, it wasn't exactly a normal dream by any means.]

Didn't really think it'd be like this, this whole...dream thing. [Honestly, she hadn't known what to expect, given that most of her previous experience with dreams had been a bit dodgy. Or nightmare-y. Or both.]

[mrcool]

[The Doctor's smile softens, and he trails his fingers through her hair just like he always does.]

It's sort of fun, isn't it?

[makingsouffles]

[That draws a contented sigh out of her and Oswin closes her eyes, allowing herself to be lulled by the double heartbeat thrumming under her ear.]

Mm. [Her eyes open again to look up at the sky over their heads.] You've done it before?

[mrcool]

Once or twice. [He shrugs absently.]

[makingsouffles]

[It's a bit weird, knowing that she's not the first empath the Doctor's been bonded to. Most people aren't able to bear it, losing their other half. It's why Oswin was so reluctant to bond, for fear losing her telepath would drive her mad.

She settles a little more comfortably in the sand, resting a hand by her face and briefly nuzzling her cheek against his chest.] Not better than mine, though, yeah?

[Oswin's dreamscapes are the best dreamspaces and she will hear nothing else.]

[mrcool]

You know me. [He smiles, pressing a kiss to her forehead.]

Yours are most definitely the best.

[makingsouffles]

[She grins playfully.]

You're just saying that so I won't smack you.

[mrcool]

Maybe just a little. [He gives her a gentle nudge.] What would you say to going to one of my dreamscapes?

[makingsouffles]

[She grins, taking his hand and lacing their fingers together.]

I'd say, what're you waiting for, dear?

[mrcool]

[He smiles, giving her hand a squeeze.] Close your eyes.

[Their dreamworld starts to drip away like melting chocolate, colors sliding slowly down the edges.]

[makingsouffles]

[With one last glance up at the disappearing night sky, Oswin obeys, resting her head back down again and shutting her eyes lightly.]

[mrcool]

[There's silence for a moment, then...]

Alright, you can open them now.

[The world has completely changed. This time they're sitting in a field of tall red grass on the peak of a mountain. The sky above is orange, the few trees bedecked with silver. And down in the valley is a magnificent city of gold and chrome.]

[makingsouffles]

[Her eyelids flutter open immediately and Oswin sits up, eager to see where the Doctor's taken them. And she's not disappointed in the least, wherever this world it, it's beautiful. She exhales softly, taking the spectacular view of the domed city far below them.

Softly, her fingers squeeze the Doctor's.]

...Okay. You win. [Just this once.]