Meanwhile, elsewhere...

[sortofaman]

There were more things to do on one's honeymoon than have sex or lie about, and while that would have been just fine, occasionally one needed to stretch one's legs. Which was why the Doctor, clad only in boxer briefs, and Chase, similarly less than clothed, were on the beach as the sun started to set, playing a rough and tumble rugby scrimmage.

There was no one else about to care about sand and dirt, and the beach was soft enough to make for decent landing. All in all, there was quite a bit of laughter and not so much fair play. But rules didn't really apply.

Comments

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

"Because you never would have married me if that was what you really wanted," the Doctor said.

[dr_robchase]

Chase turned, enough to give the Doctor a long-suffering look before tossing the core to the side and straddling atop the Doctor. "Maybe I just really wanted that?" he pointed out. "Wanted you."

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, but you weren't blind to all that entails," the Doctor noted, trying to focus on the conversation.

[dr_robchase]

Chase was running his fingers up and down the Doctor's arm, brushing his shoulders. "No," he agreed quietly. "I knew what I was getting into. You warned me enough." He eased off of the Doctor, giving him a worried look. "I can't deal with being a failure time and time again, I can't. I barely could in med school."

"The only times I screwed up after, I was either self-punished or House did it for me."

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

The Doctor wasn't buying it. "Rob...this is about doing something good, productive. What would you do if you didn't? And how would you punish yourself for giving it up? We both know you would."

[dr_robchase]

His back was greatly curved as he sat there, hunched, staring out at the sea before him. "I don't know," he admitted. The Doctor was right, he just didn't know how it'd pan out just yet. "I don't..." He took a deep breath. "God, I'm petrified," he scoffed, laughing weakly.

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

The Doctor sat up behind him, put an arm around him and rested his chin on his shoulder. "I know," he said.

[dr_robchase]

It was a reassuring touch, more than he expected and he closed his eyes before turning and wrapping his arms around the Doctor in an embrace, burying his face into the Doctor's neck, not saying a word. Just...sitting there.

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

Because sitting there was all right. Very all right. And the Doctor knew things would turn out fine, an honest real fine.

[dr_robchase]

Chase eased back after a long moment, exhaling shakily as he fixed his shirt and his ring, his hair next, then his pants, rubbing his eyes. "I don't want to do this," he admitted. "It makes me feel like crap and I hate failing."

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

"I know," the Doctor said, "but at the risk of sounding like a motivational speaker, you can't succeed at all without giving a go. Maybe just...enjoy your holiday. Ease up on the studying when we get back."

[dr_robchase]

Chase exhaled and nodded quickly, rubbing his eyes. "Okay," he agreed, still staring as the sun dipped into the horizon. "Okay, that sounds agreeable."

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

"Okay," the Doctor said, and pulled Chase a little closer and a little tighter.

[dr_robchase]

Chase leaned in, happy to just be there with the Doctor and pulling them back down onto the blanket to lie there. "When you think about the future," he asked, idly. "What do you see, now?"

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

"I knew the future for so long I don't really think as much about speculation," the Doctor said. He thought for a moment, dreamily, brushing some sand off Chase's knee. "But when I do, I think of us, grey and specs and that. Sometimes I think about a...child. But not for a while."

[dr_robchase]

Chase kept his chin tucked against the Doctor's shoulder, cheek on skin, just close enough to brush kisses to his neck. "Grey and specs and that," he murmured softly. "I like that. Well, no, I don't," he corrected himself. "But it's better than the alternative, like dying alone."

He closed his eyes to think about a child. "Well, I'm having a kid at some point," he said, half-cocky. "So there."

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

"Well, then," the Doctor said, teasingly, "you don't leave me much choice, do you?"

[dr_robchase]

"Buck up and be a dad to my spawn," Chase teased, drawing the Doctor's earlobe into his lips, sucking it the once and nipping as he released it, "Or be plagued by a little blond child that is the spitting image and mirror personality of me."

He might have thought about it the once or twice.

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

"Well, duh," the Doctor said. He had thought it was a bit obvious by now, really, even though it probably wasn't.

[dr_robchase]

"Duh to the former?" Chase murmured, smirking away now. "Or the latter."

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

"Yes," the Doctor said, though he'd thought about replying with 'duh', also.

[dr_robchase]

Chase just shook his head, a terse grin on his face like he shouldn't have figured anything else. "Hope he's blond, our Jamie," he said distractedly, as he rested his head on the Doctor's chest, watching the horizon. "Always wanted my son to be blond."

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

"So he can be dizzy like you?" the Doctor asked, bending down to kiss Chase on the top of his head.

[dr_robchase]

Chase turned, just enough to look the Doctor in the eye. "You think I'm dizzy?" he asked, half-teasing, but half-genuinely worried.

[sortofaman.livejournal.com]

"Not at all," the Doctor said, truthfully. "You just keep insisting you are, which boggles my mind."