everyone else said better luck next time

[expect]

( when he hears the sounds from downstairs, rory's first impulse is to ignore it and go back to sleep. it's early afternoon but he had pulled a double shift the day before, hadn't gotten home until past midnight, and rory is tired.

except amy's not due back home until tonight — he'd woken up just long enough this morning to confirm that — and god knows who it could be otherwise. maybe he should care more about potential burglars. although the odds are better it's some sort of alien. or one sort of alien.

with a sigh rory rolls out of bed, groping for his robe and pulling it on. expecting the doctor, he heads downstairs, hoping he hasn't ruined the dishwasher again.

it is not quite the doctor he finds. )

Comments

u g h hammers out rough things and trips all over

[cites]

[Not the Doctor, perhaps, but she certainly does try to make her arrivals showy in their own way, so long as she could help it. So there she was, standing posed like a model (and probably far too reminiscent from her more rebellious days) with one hand on her hip, and smiling wide.]

Hello, Dad. [That same playful gleam that's often present in her eyes in her better moods is there, and she doesn't wait for an invitation to step past him and start peering around the house.

Honestly... She's gotten used to hopping all over time here and there, so it's not much of an issue that she's ahead in relation to him. But she sometimes wonders just how it appears for her to pop up occasionally at her parent's house as if their situation were normal and she was visiting from college.

Spinning a bit slowly inside to get a full look at things, her eyes finally fall back to Rory.]

Just you, today? [Not that she minded, but... Ah. She's definitely eyeing his attire.]

catches and barfs on

[expect]

( he's grown used to the fact that his life stopped making sense years ago. that people showing up in his house is normal, that he should be thankful it's not another ood, that his daughter is older than he is. the first time she'd shown up for a casual visit — his point of view, not hers — had been a surprise. not an unpleasant one, but. river was like a space indiana jones, wasn't she? he hadn't imagined that she did casual visits.

he's had a few years to get used to it, so aside from some mildly perplexed blinking, he goes to close the door behind her. ) Amy's at work, she should be back by three or four. ( there's a small part of him that worries, maybe assumes, she must be the one river wants to visit. he catches her eyeing him, that gleam in her eye, and doesn't quite manage to resist the urge to touch, try and straighten, his hair. he tries not to make a face. )

And I was sleeping. ( defensive. he immediately smooths the line between his eyes — a bit politely, reflexively: ) Not that it's not nice of you to stop by. Did you… is this a casual visit, or an aliens are about to attack thing?

wipes it off on you........

[cites]

I should hope you were, looking like that.

[Sleeping. It must have been a long day of work for him the other day, then, for him to be asleep at this hour. She laughs a bit, filing away the information that Amy won't be here for quite some time. But no-- it wasn't a visit just for her or just for Rory. It was a stop in to see her parents. Whoever was here to greet her, who she could spend a brief moment with and find something casual to talk about, as difficult as that was.

Even she longed for things like family and company. She was more mature, sure, and she had grown up alongside them, but things were a bit different with everything out in the open, weren't they.]

No aliens! Not yet. [A teasing glance, and a step or two more into the house. Likely taking in whatever differences there may be from her last visit (whenever that was, in her timeline). But it's a short look around before her eyes are very set on paying attention to Rory.] How have you been?

you're so gross why do i put up with you…

[expect]

( he makes another face at that — well what did you expect me to sleep in? — even as he tightens the tie of his robe. the house is quiet and the floor is cool under his bare feet. he also makes a face at not yet, somewhat naively assuming these expressions can't be read since he isn't saying anything aloud, debating excusing himself to get dressed or sleepy laziness.

ultimately, it's just river. there's a small group of people rory honestly doesn't care how he looks around, and as intimidating as he still finds his daughter in other respects, she's one of them. )

Tea, then? I won't be good company or alien food half asleep.

a good question tbh

[cites]

That would be lovely, dear.

[Accompanied with a laugh at the alien food comment-- hey it is funny okay? Already moving to have a seat where it would be best to, she glances to Rory as he gets to that.]

So how have you been? You and Amy.

ponders it…………pond…ers…it………

[expect]

We're doing fine. The Doctor hasn't been 'round in a couple of weeks, it's like we're on holiday. ( rory runs his hand through his hair in a vain hope of tidying it, and wonders where river is at, timeline-wise. but he's not sure where amy leaves her notebook when she's not at home and it's frankly confusing even with it. best to just try and go along.

he leads them to the kitchen and puts the kettle on with the kind of lack of attention that comes with doing this every day, sometimes twice. then to the cupboard: darjeeling for him, but he hesitates with his hand on the box, glancing back at river.

his embarrassment at not knowing, at having to ask, is clear — this feels like something he… a parent… ought to just know. )

What kind will you have?

is that a pun get out ALSO IGNORE MY ICONS HALF THE TIME RN

[cites]

[It's amusing, really. His awkward way of asking. She can't imagine it going any other way, and there's a fond feeling in response to it-- is that strange? But her whole life is strange, she supposes, and smiles, voice reassuring.]

Whatever you'll have is fine by me. [Rather than the tea, so much, she's interested in her question and its answer. And so she's back to pressing on that.]

Don't get too relaxed. Who knows when he'll decide to pop in next? Oh, well, I might, but-- spoilers! [there are you happy no I'm kidding but she seems to think it's an amusing slip into everything.] I'm sure you know that by now, anyway.

[A longer pause, and she's shifting in her seat, not so much fidgeting as a casual change in position.] Are you having trouble deciding?

[It's vague... but she leaves it at that.]

water you talking about…

[expect]

( he ponders that answer for a moment, rifling through the box with two fingers. part of him wants to pick out something fancy, company and all that, but he settles for another darjeeling at her question, holding the bag up for her and assuming that was what the question was for, and shooting her a look of don't even joke at her hint about the doctor. )

Not even you're that good. ( he says dismissively, although his expression says he's not that sure about it. a joke, then. his brows come slightly together as a thought occurs. ) Unless he… is going to show up, and it's going to be some mad thing that he mentions to you later because the universe ended but for some string and sellotape… ( as he speaks, he grows progressively less serious, and also fetches two mugs from another cupboard, places them at the table, and hunts for some sort of biscuit or snack to go with. now that he's more awake, he's tempted to make a tin of soup for himself, but locates a half-eaten bag of crisps instead.

sitting down across from river at the table, he raises his eyebrows at her. ) …but then frankly it throws this visit into a suspicious light.