Title: Romantic Interlude
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Tenth Doctor/Ten.5
Fandom: Doctor Who
Rating: R
Table: Epsilon, challenge_the
Prompt: 36, Romantic
Author's Note: The human version of the Doctor is being referred to as John Smith in this fic, since it's the Doctor's human alias and his clone needed a name.
Author's Note: Spoilers for Journey's End, somewhat. This is an completely alternate take on the ending of Season Four.
Disclaimer: This is entirely a product of my own imagination, and I make no profit from it. I do not own the Tenth Doctor, or his human clone. Please do not sue.

***

"What's the surprise you had in mind by bringing me here?" the Doctor inquired, looking around them at the lush vegetation that seemed to be growing everywhere. "It's beautiful here, John, but I still don't quite understand why you insisted on coming to this place."

"I remembered it from you being here quite a long time ago -- in a different body," John explained to him as he led the Doctor to a small stone bench and sat down, pulling the Time Lord down beside him. "It seemed like a good place for us to be."

"Pleasure planets are always nice places to be," the Doctor replied, a small frown furrowing his brow. "But I still don't quite know why you wanted us to be here."

John shrugged, a slight smile curving his lips. "I wanted to be somewhere romantic with you. It feels as though we've done nothing but rush from one place to another since we first became lovers -- and it's past time we had a bit of time to ourselves."

The Doctor smiled, feeling relieved that this wasn't what he'd originally thought. The frightening idea had jumped into his mind that John wanted to leave him, and had chosen to tell him in a place where they would both feel soothed and comforted.

But that apparently wasn't the case -- if the way John was looking at him was any indication. He could see nothing but love in those eyes that were exactly like his own, an affection that he was sure his own look returned with equal fervor.

This planet had always been a place that he'd come to so that he could relax and unwind; pleasure planets hadn't often been somewhere that he indulged himself in, but they'd definitely stuck in his memory when he had.

Too often, he'd come to them to find a lover, a night of passion to satisfy physical needs that had begun to build up to the point where they had to be sated.

But now, with the advent of John in his life, he no longer needed that kind of release. The belief that a person who had a lover was a happier being was certainly true, the Doctor reflected, his mind jerked back to the present by the sound of John's voice.

"I didn't have very clear memories of some of the things you've done on this planet, but I did remember that it's a very romantic place," he was saying, his eyes searching the Doctor's face. "I hope that you and I can build some memories of our own here."

"I've had lovers in this place before," the Doctor confessed, feeling a bit ashamed as he did so. Maybe it was a bit abrupt to blurt that out now, but John would eventually remember what had taken place between him and others on this planet, he was sure.

John nodded, looking sober for a moment. "I don't doubt that. This is the sort of place one comes to when they need to .... assuage certain needs. But that part of your life is over now, Doctor. You've said that yourself."

He could hear the worry in John's voice; it was obvious that he lover needed his reassurance that he didn't want to use this planet as he had in the past.

"Yes, it's long over," he said softly, leaning over on the bench to brush his lips against the smooth softness of John's cheek. "I have you now, my love. I don't need anyone else -- and really, I wouldn't even look at another person in that way."

What he said was no more than the truth, the Doctor thought, letting his eyes sweep over the man next to him. John was handsomer than any other man he'd been with; it was hard to pull his eyes -- or his thoughts -- away from his lover.

And he looked like this himself. After several lifetimes of having bodies that hadn't been overly attractive, save for the last two, it was amazing to think that he'd finally been given a body that was this physically beautiful.

"Did you have anything particular in mind to do?" he asked John, looking around them again. This wasn't a part of the planet he'd been to before; the garden they were in was peaceful and soothing, a place very conducive to romance.

He could just imagine laying John down behind the tall flowers banked behind them, undressing him and pressing him down against that carpet of green ....

John had moved closer to him on the bench, his lips to the Doctor's ear. He could feel the other man's warm breath on his skin; the closeness sent a shiver of desire down his spine, his eyes closing as John's voice ringing in his mind.

"We're completely alone, Doctor -- at least, I think we are. There doesn't seem to be anyone else around .... and this place is beautifully romantic ....." Was it his imagination, or did his lover sound more than a little breathless with anticipation?

"When you talk like that, I think that you must have somehow managed to keep my ability to read minds when you became human," the Doctor whispered, turning his head to nuzzle his cheek against John's. "You've certainly read mine."

"I wondered if you might feel the same," John said, his voice soft and husky. "The grass actually looks soft -- I wouldn't mind laying down in it for a good long while. With you right by my side. Or, rather, with us in each other's arms."

"I think that's an absolutely wonderful idea," the Doctor agreed, standing up and taking John's hand. The other man moved towards the emerald green expanse of grass surrounded by flowers only a few feet from the bench, sinking down onto his knees and pulling the Doctor down with him.

For a few moments, they were a tangle of limbs before they managed to sort themselves out, John's long legs entwined with the Doctor's and his mouth against the Time Lord's skin.

His hands were moving over John's body, loosening the other man's clothes and starting to pull them off, piece by piece. Their mouths were entwined, John's arms around him, the scent of flowers permeating the air all around them.

What could be more of a romantic interlude than making love in a beautiful garden? he thought, as the last of their clothes seemed to melt away and he was skin to skin with the man he loved. If there was anything better than this -- he was sure that he had yet to discover it.

***