Title: Cups of Hot Chocolate

Series: ‘Cups of…’ Part 2

Rating: K+

Date written: 21/07/07, REPOSTED 12/11/07

A/N: Many thanks go out to cookiemonster01 for bringing a few errors to my attention. She's a very brave person to accept the role of beta- well- sort of beta. She's being extremely kind for agreeing to re-read my fics and bringing things that need correcting to my attention. So thanks!

Disclaimer: same as always; Do. Not. Own. Would’ve thought that’d be obvious by now. : D

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Rose stood to one side of the console. Her teeth chattered as she wrapped her arms around her chest. The Doctor leant against the inside of the TARDIS doors, also shivering. Their eyes met.

“Whoops,” the Doctor said sheepishly. He shook half–melted snow from his hair. Rose smiled half–heartedly and wrapped her arms around herself more tightly. The Doctor strode over to her and opened his arms to her. She gratefully scooted into his embrace, leaning her head against his suited chest as his arms surrounded her, trying to convey some warmth. His lips pressed against her forehead momentarily, and he made a small noise.

“Didn’t expect it to be that cold out there,” he said apologetically. “Come on, let’s get out of these clothes,” he rubbed her coat-clad arms briefly as he let go. She nodded, took his hand and followed him out of the console room.

He led them to their room– their room; Rose smiled to herself as she repeated that thought. She loved this new twist to their relationship. He dropped her hand briefly to shrug out of his jacket, and quickly deposited it on the wooden floor boards carelessly. He stepped closer, and drew her arms away from her torso enough to unzip the sodden coat. She shivered, both from the cold and his gentle touch. He smiled and rubbed her wet cheek lovingly before unbuttoning the thick cardigan– courtesy of the TARDIS wardrobe.

“Sit down,” he ordered softly as he threw the deep scarlet duvet back from a corner of their bed. She did, giggling as he started to unlace her boots. A few moments later he stood back up, his eyes dark yet concerned as she continued to shiver. “Stay,” he added.

“I’m n–not a d–dog!” she called after him as he exited a door to her right. His laugh sounded. A moment later he returned with some white fluffy towels. He moved to sit down next to her, but she stopped him with a smile.

“Your clothes are wet, too, y’know,” he grinned and allowed her to unbutton his shirt. Both his shirt and undershirt joined the small pile of other clothes on the floor, soon followed by her t–shirt and her sodden jeans.

“I’ve run you a nice hot bath,” he mumbled as he shifted his position to sit behind her. He started to towel her hair dry. Rose made a small happy noise and leant back into his chest. He smiled to himself as he dropped another kiss to her forehead.

Under his gentle ministrations all the half–melted snow was dried from her. Rose hummed contentedly, snuggling back into his arms as they sat there. She turned, feeling slightly warmer, and placed a thank–you kiss on his lips. He grinned against her lips.

“Right, water should be run by now! Come on, up you get!” he shifted after a few moments and let her fall back onto the bed. She groaned and reached behind her. She grabbed a cushion and halfheartedly threw it at him. He laughed and ducked.

“Meet me at the console, yeah?” he added as he rummaged through the dark wooden wardrobe and drew out his dressing gown and hers. She hummed a positive response. She pushed herself up and off the bed as he lay her gown down.

“Sure you don’t wanna join me?” she asked innocently as she headed towards the bathroom. He threw another beaming smile at her and shook his head. Then, with a wink, he left the room.

---

She found the Doctor in the console room, reclined on the captain’s chair in just his slippers and his navy blue dressing gown. His feet were up on the console, his glasses on and a book in his hands. Rose watched for a moment; she loved the shiver she always felt when she saw him in those glasses; they emphasised his sharp face and his dark brown eyes. And when worn along with the pinstripe suit... She smiled, unable to stop another shiver, and stepped forwards. He looked up at her as she entered and beamed at her. He leapt up.

“Better now?” she nodded fervently, and reached out to take his hand. He grinned down at her, his dark eyes filled with warmth. She allowed him to lead her away once more.

“Where’re we going?” she asked after a few seconds of walking down an unfamiliar corridor.

“Living room,” he said simply, then stopped outside a new door. She glanced at him in confusion; he just grinned at her and opened the door.

The room beyond the door took her breath away. It was plunged into darkness; the only light source was a large, real blazing log fire, grates and all. The floor was similar to their bedroom, all wood and panels. The colour of the walls was indistinguishable in the warmly flickering light. There were no chairs, no tables, just a massive, white faux–fur rug placed directly in front of the fire. To one side, a small wooden tray rested on the floorboards with two steaming mugs and a plate of chocolate biscuits. The smell of hot chocolate permeated the air inside the room as well as the comforting warm scent of the fire.

Rose turned back to the Doctor. She was unable to speak, so she beamed at him. He grinned in return.

“This is what humans do, isn’t it? Cold day outside, so you come in, have a warm bath and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate with a loved one in front of a roaring fire?” he offered in way of explanation. She giggled, and nodded.

“Come on then, loved one!” she said and pulled him in further. He fell down on to the rug first and slipped his slippers off. Still with a smile on his face, he reached across for a cup of hot chocolate.

“And look! I’ve even put marshmallows in and that squirt–y cream on top!” the Doctor said excitedly, matching her delighted expression. She laughed again, and flopped down next to him. He grinned and opened his arms to her once again.

“A girl could get used to this treatment!” she said meaningfully with a loving squeeze of his free hand. He simply winked at her.

“I haven’t seen this room before– we should come here more often,” she commented a few moments later after taking another look around the room.

“That’s because I asked the TARDIS to make it, just for you,” he whispered softly in her ear. She coloured, smiling thankfully at him.

“So you like it, hmm?” she nodded furiously. She leant over and pinched a biscuit. “Good,” he took another sip from his hot chocolate. When he drew back, Rose burst out laughing. He looked confused.

“What?”

“You–You’ve got a m–moustache!” she giggled as she pointed to his lip. He grinned, going cross–eyed as he attempted to see said moustache. Rose laughed even more.

“Come here!” he obligingly leant forwards and allowed her to brush the offending cream away. He caught her wrist, and before she could exclaim, had licked her fingers clean. He grinned at her, then caught her lips in a kiss.

“Wow…” she blinked at him. He winked at her again the positioned her more comfortably against him, her back against his chest and his arms around her waist so they could both feel the warmth of the flames. She smiled.

“Never used to enjoy hot chocolate that much, y’know,” Rose commented absently. He raised an eyebrow questioningly.

“Oh? What about now?” he asked quietly. She tapped a finger against her lips and pretended to think.

“Changed my mind,” she answered carelessly. She turned and kissed his lips softly. The Doctor smiled and prepared to settle down for an evening of warmth with two cups of hot chocolate and Rose.