All I want for Christmas is you

[simplememes]

...or something like that. The winter can be cold and lonely, but if you have someone to share it with, it can be the most wonderful time of the year. This meme is pretty simple and straightforward: shippy situations for all your cold-weather needs. From the cute to the hot to the sweet to the cool, it's all here for you. Don't be shy! Get your Christmastime/holiday wonder on and tag someone completely new! It's like a gift you didn't know you wanted! -Comment with your character. Include information and preferences. There are two sets of prompts, G-rated and R-rated, so put whichever ones you're okay with somewhere in your comments so nobody tries to give you anything you're uncomfortable with. -Comment to other characters, using the RNG to determine the prompt. Or just wing it! -Have fun threading out your winter love! -Play nice and respect others. 1. Date: Just because it's cold outside doesn't mean you're stuck indoors. Go out and do something! Maybe this weather means the restaurants won't be so packed... 2. Ice Skating: Get on your feet and do some ice dancing! Hopefully, at least one of you knows what to do. 3. Playing in the Snow: It's not just for little kids. Make snow angels, snowmen, or indulge in a snowball fight! You can always warm up together afterwards. 4. Shopping: With some company, holiday shopping can be a bit more bearable. Unless, of course, one of you was dragged along against your will. 5. Baking: Cookies, cakes, pies, and candy! This is the season for making sweets, and two sets of hands are better than one. Then, enjoy your hard work. 6. Holiday Confession: Sure, it's not as traditional as a Valentine's Day confession, but telling someone you care for them around the holidays can be just as romantic. 7. Gift Giving: Show someone how much you love them by giving them a gift...or whatever it is that you picked up last minute at the gas station. 8. Warming Up: Snuggles and cuddles are the best way to get warmed up after a long day in the snow. Good thing you have your honey to give you some body heat. 9. Home for the Holidays: You haven't seen each other in a while, and you're finally 10. Mistletoe: Whether it's your first kiss or the kiss you share on your fiftieth anniversary, the mistletoe always gives you a chance. 11. Last Christmas: For whatever reason, it's your last holiday season together. Make it count! 12. Proposal: Surrounded by all your family and friends or just the two of you in front of a space heater: whatever the situation, now's the perfect time to pop that all important question. 1. Eggnog: Enjoy something a bit more grown up than just Christmas cookies. Of course, alcohol can make you more honest and more handsy. 2. A Bun in the Oven: The oven isn't the only thing that's getting turned on today. Find a new use for that whipped cream or maybe get into some foodplay. 3. Warming Up Another Way: You're just so, so cold. There's only one activity that can get your blood pumping. Maybe your life even depends on it... 4. One Blanket: The classic fanfic trope. The two of you have to share one blanket, and that kind of contact may make you want to share more. 5. Temperature Play: While heat is nice, the cool can put your senses to the test, and using a little ice or snow to liven up your love life can put your nerves and kinks to the test. 6. Dick in a Box: You couldn't think of a good enough gift, so you're offering up the gift of your lovin' instead. 7. Aphrodisiac Mistletoe: This mistletoe is a bit different than its tamer cousin. Aphrodisiac mistletoe makes whoever is under it want to fuck...hard, whether it be at your parents' house or the office Christmas party. 8. Naughty or Nice: So have you been a good boy or girl this year? If not, you'll get punished. Of course, Santa may not be able to come, so your lover will step in to dole out the "coal." 9. Reindeer Games: For your gift, you may have gotten some new "toys" you want to try out. Luckily, you have such a nice partner... 10. Just Love: Nothing kinky or overly sexy here. The two of you are inside on a cold day, and you just want to be together. Throw some logs on the fire and have a romantic evening by the fireplace. If you want to get really fancy, throw down a few furs and lay naked on them. 11. Thank You: Thank you notes for gifts are so cliche. Tell your significant other that you love your diamond ring another way.

Comments

[songofsong]

Following him out of the TARDIS, River is intrigued to find herself stepping out onto grass, before she soon notices just where they are. The surprise on her face is evident as she slows besides him, hand still in his as she gazes up at the house before them. Her mind is already trying to work out what's going on, when a key appears into view.

Blinking, she looks at it for a short moment, before turning to look at him.

"Doctor.. ? What is this?" Because surely it's not for them, even though all evidence is pointing that way, and the beginnings of a smile on her face suggest she's realising that.

[not_the_question]

He shrugs and makes a sweeping gesture to the house.

"What do you think it is? You didn't think we'd just be nomads during our twenty-four year night, did you?"

[songofsong]

"Well, I thought.." she fades off, glancing back at the house, before at him. She'd assumed the TARDIS would be their home during their time here, it was certainly big enough, and had everything they could ever possibly need. She'd not thought otherwise. But now, stood in front of a house that's now their own, she's a little overwhelmed.

She blinks back the beginning of tears, laughing a little at her own behaviour. "I just.. I've never had a house before." Not like this, not properly. And she'd certainly never think she'd have a house with him. It was a life she thought she'd never had, and she'd been okay with that, she'd accepted that just as she'd accepted so much about her life that was different to others.

[not_the_question]

The Doctor tilts his head in thought as she mentioned never having a house. "I thought..."

He shrugs a little. Doesn't matter what he thought. River clearly hadn't considered it a home. Not like this.

"I... Have I got it wrong? I thought if we were going to make a proper go of it, we should do it properly..."

And he's thinking he's messed it all up again. Honestly. What good is it to look sort of his age if he still gets it wrong all the time?

[songofsong]

If he's thinking of her time on Earth as a child, she's never considered that to be a true home. It'd been a means to be close to her parents, and bide her time til she could meet, and murder, the Doctor. This.. is very different. Having a house like this, a place to share with him, when she's spent so much of her life either in a prison cell or moving from place to place, is something very special to her.

When he worries, she quickly turns to him, her eyebrows lifting. "No, no!" she insists, laying her hand on his arm, trying to soothe any doubt. "You haven't," she assure him in a softer voice, a smile spreading her lips while her eyes glisten still with happiness.

"I just never thought we'd have anything like this. You really are full of surprises, sweetie."

[not_the_question]

He smiles fondly at her correction.

"Good! Then stop moping about and go open the door."

Right, well. His compassion didn't last long in light of excitement.

[songofsong]

River grins somewhat shyly at his reaction, looking ahead to the door and making her way over to do just that. She looks back at him with a playful raise of her eyebrows, before she opens the door and steps on inside.

"I do hope you've got a tour planned," she teases as they enter.

[not_the_question]

"This is my first time seeing it. I told the realtor that I wanted three bedrooms, two offices and a little garden."

He shrugs. He's not good with money and is more trusting than he should be. But his "currency" on Darillium is good enough, considering the story of him giving the diamond is legendary at this point.

[songofsong]

"Then we'll just have to make it up as we go along," River replies playfully, going to take his hand again and tugging him over to a nearby door. With no idea what's beyond it, she gives him a grin, before turning the door knob and stepping on inside. It's welcoming living room, with beautiful views out into the garden he'd specifically requested. It's utterly homely, so far removed from the lives they'd once lived, and yet essential to the twenty four years they're about to embark on.

[not_the_question]

He nodded his approval at the sight. "I had also asked for it to be furnished, but if you want anything from the TARDIS instead, we can switch it out."

He just didn't have quite as much time to do all the moving that would have required.

[songofsong]

“There are some paintings I like in there,” River considers thoughtfully as she studies the wall space, already envisioning a couple of her favourite pieces in its place. Probably ones that should be behind a security glass in an art gallery, and not on their living room wall, but, spoilers.

She disappears with a bounce of hair into the next room, leading them on through with occasions sounds of delight and approval, taking in their new home and already liking it very much.

Off upstairs, she gets a cheeky look in her eye as she heads for the master bedroom. “I do hope this is a marital home,” she teases suggestively, before going in to check.

[not_the_question]

It is difficult to not get caught up in her enthusiasm. But when she mentions it being a 'marital home'... he hesitates, just slightly. But probably not for the reasons she's thinking.

He follows her into the master bedroom, to take a look around the place himself.

"That, of course, depends...."

Which is the only honest answer he can give to her right now.

[songofsong]

River looks back at him with a knowing little smile, leaning on the door and pushing her way inside. She steps in to find they do indeed have a double bed (which she is pleased about, she's slept in more tiny beds than she cares to remember.)

"Aha!" she announces upon spotting it, walking inside and taking in the room. It's pleasantly furnished, all they'd ever need. There's something reassuringly normal about it.

"Is this where we're staying tonight?" she wonders, stopping by the window, looking out to the now dark skies of Darillium, and realising with a pang of dread that the next time she sees the sun on that horizon, their time together will be over.

[not_the_question]

He comes to stand near her. "You're worrying again. I asked you not to."

Because it will make these twenty-four years impossible, if they're only worrying about that last day.

"As to staying here... As I said, it depends. Neither of us are used to sharing spaces...."

[songofsong]

"Are you reading my mind?" she jokes lightly, smirking a little as she glances at him, if only to cover the worry he rightly sussed. She turns from the window, leaning back on the sill to watch him.

"Nor are we used to staying in one place," she points out. "Quite a lot that we'll have to get used to."

[not_the_question]

"I'm a touch telepath, but even non-mind-readers would be able to tell."

Oh, humour. Right. Sometimes it goes over his head. He steps closer to her when she turns back around.

"Indeed. Which is why the house has three bedrooms..."

Because he figures sometimes they'll each need space.

[songofsong]

"Three? Right," she says expressively, giving a slow nod. "I take it you're not expecting guests, then?" She jokes, but she sees where he's going with this. However, she doesn't particularly want to acknowledge the likelihood of them not sharing a bed. It's the little insecurities like that that put her in the very emotional state she'd been in on the ship.

[not_the_question]

"I didn't say that. I just thought there might be times we might get along better with our own spaces to go to..."

That door swings very much both ways for each of them.

[songofsong]

She knows he's right, and for as much as she'd like to think she won't need time apart from him, it's what she knows. They've never spent more than a handful of days together at a time, and after having the universe's most long distance relationship, living together might be quite the shock.

She nods to show she's heard, that she understands, understands too that after a while, the novelty of this could wear off and endanger their very relationship. That would make the next twenty odd years or so rather awkward.

"Well, I get first pick," she decides, raising her eyebrows at him with a hint of playfulness, brushing off her thoughts as she straightens again, intending to continue exploring.

[not_the_question]

"Even if I had already picked, something tells me, you'd get first pick."

Okay, good. They can be somewhat playful about this. Good. He had worried for a minute there.

He follows behind her.

"And if you need any of your dig supplies, we can either replace some here, or go back and get them.... carefully."

Because he plans on not fast-forwarding through this night.

[songofsong]

"Of course I would," she replies, looking back over her shoulder with a grin. He knows her so well.

She wanders through the upstairs, into the next of the bedrooms he mentioned. Not as big as the master bedroom, but certainly comfortable enough. For River, anything's an upgrade after spending so many years in Stormcage.

"I don't mind replacing them," she replies, as she lifts an ornament to admire it, and try and work out the time period it's from. "You know how it is. Easier not to get attached."

[not_the_question]

"You've lived your entire life like that...."

Ah yes, the wheels of self-blame are churning.

"I'm sorry."

Because it really is his fault in so many ways.

[songofsong]

It takes a moment for River to realise what she's detecting in his voice, before she looks at him, setting down the ornament. "Moving from day to day? Not knowing where I'll be next? Which sight I'm going to see, or sky I'll be sleeping under? Yes.. I have," she tells him, making her way closer to him, til she stops just in front of him. "And I wouldn't change it for anything."

[not_the_question]

He raises an eyebrow in question. Because he can spout about not changing anything and the rules of time all he wants. But deep down, he regrets every ounce of pain and suffering River had to endure.

"But would you change any of it, if you could?"

[songofsong]

River doesn't deny there has been pain and suffering, and a lot of it, but if it gave her this life, with him, then it's worth it. He makes it worth it.

"Not if it meant I never met you," she tells him honestly, as ever, frank about how much she loves him. Little does she know she'll put her money where her mouth is come the Library, and sacrifice herself to ensure not one of their lines is rewritten.