Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen

[lieutenantsteward]

Who: Jopson and OTA
What: Preparing for Winter and pretending that dreams don’t exist
When: Throughout October
Where: Lakeside, mostly

Content Warnings: None yet, will add!

Comments

Re: Preparation; Closed for the Doctor

[thedreamer]

"They're meant to be...well, a bit winding, you might say. Steering you in one direction, seemingly, but then there's more clues and you go another way and there's details to recollect, a puzzle to work out. Close...ish to real, sort of, or rather — things that could happen." He pauses and there's a steady stream of water for a minute while he rinses.

"They're fun! Trying to work out who did it."

Re: Preparation; Closed for the Doctor

[lieutenantsteward]

"Ah, there is your love of riddles, sir," he calls out to him, standing slowly to join him in the kitchen. "I am not here to clean!" he assures him, his hands up. "Merely for a pot of water to boil. For my knees."

After all, his knees have been given quite a workout.

Re: Preparation; Closed for the Doctor

[thedreamer]

He does stop short of chiding him when Thomas quickly explains his presence, and with wet hands, the Doctor turns to look over his shoulder and he winces a bit, lightly smacks his own forehead with the palm of his hand.

"Of course you need that! I know you need that. But I didn't get that — lovely, well done, Doctor." He quickly dries his hands, moving to rest them briefly on Thomas' shoulders, though he stops there at least. "You're not tending yourself."

Re: Preparation; Closed for the Doctor

[lieutenantsteward]

Thomas looks up to him and then takes one of the Doctor's hands to kiss his fingers. "You can't think of everything all the time. You're helping with the kitchen," he mutters. "That is - more than enough."

Re: Preparation; Closed for the Doctor

[thedreamer]

"That's the point of this, though," he taps the side of his head with his free hand. He knows he's said similar before, more or less, and he remembers what Thomas said then. But, old habits. He squeezes his hand, though, and gestures to the sofa.

"Will you at least go back and lie down?"

Re: Preparation; Closed for the Doctor

[lieutenantsteward]

"Oh yes, sir, I would be happy to," he says with a breathless whisper of a laugh, kissing the Doctor's hand before he moves back to the couch.

He does not lie down. He sits. Defiantly.

Re: Preparation; Closed for the Doctor

[thedreamer]

"Good! Always better when you listen to me," he's quick to say with an easy smirk now, more settled and more at ease. This man and his well-being are of utmost importance to him, and something as simple as knowing he's resting is all he needs right now.

He slings a dish towel over his shoulder, gets the warm compresses prepped, and busies himself drying dishes in between. When everything's ready and he goes to check on Thomas, to kneel in front of him and start to roll up his trousers, he makes a little huff of a sound. "Well, you're halfway there," he teases.

Re: Preparation; Closed for the Doctor

[lieutenantsteward]

He snickers a little at that, but lets him putter around the kitchen until it's time to bring the towels over. He obliges, sticking out his feet for him in turn so he can wrap them.

"The moment I lie down when someone is working is the moment that you know I am truly ill," he laughs, but he obligingly sits still for the Doctor's attentions.

Re: Preparation; Closed for the Doctor

[thedreamer]

"I can hope for otherwise, still," he teases again, but he understands it. He's glad to be able to do this, though, particularly after...well, he spent quite a bit of time on his knees. That feeling won't soon be forgotten. The Doctor doesn't say anything, just ducks his head a little as he carefully wraps the warm compresses around joints that are undoubtedly sore.

Satisfied for the moment, he stays where he is briefly, kissing both knees lightly.

Re: Preparation; Closed for the Doctor

[lieutenantsteward]

He reaches down and cups his face a little, trying to get him to look up. "Thank you," he tells him sincerely. "Thank you for caring for me."

Re: Preparation; Closed for the Doctor

[thedreamer]

He does tilt his head up, a small, soft smile on his face. "Naturally," is all he can think to say, briefly leaning up and forward to brush his fingers through Thomas' hair. It feels natural — caring for him. Like instinct now.

Re: Preparation; Closed for the Doctor

[lieutenantsteward]

He leans into the touch. "Go and finish the kitchen," he tells him softly, gently. Not a command, but a suggestion.

"Then we can go to bed."

Re: Preparation; Closed for the Doctor

[thedreamer]

"Spotless and impeccable," he promises with a little salute and a cheery smirk. "Well done, sir, you'll say — that word, of course that word — and I want you above all others scrubbing my pots and pans from now on." He leaves the room quickly with a twinkle in his eye.

He takes it seriously, though, priding himself on there being a veritable clean slate there for Thomas in the morning. Once everything's cleaned and dried and put away, he'll settle with Thomas for the evening.

Re: Preparation; Closed for the Doctor

[lieutenantsteward]

By the time that he finishes, Thomas is already dozing off for the evening, his arms resting in his lap. But when he finishes, he wakes, pulling himself up and pulling the Doctor to bed.