fandomhigh | Professor Chaucer: Office Hours

[Geoff's expression softens.] Anything you'd like to talk about?

You mean you hadn't heard? [Ten looks back at Geoff, eyes sad.] A student was found dead. Murdered.

[Geoff nods] I had heard -- Marty told me earlier. Did you know her? Does anyone have any idea what happened?

[He shakes his head.] Not that I've heard. CJ was very upset...and I had started thinking about what could happen to her, and to ~~you~~ ~~Shane~~ ~~Adam~~ the rest of my friends...
Dean Bristow is very upset. [voice drops] I think he might do something rash and not entirely undeserved. But that goes no further than here.

But that wasn't the only thing on my mind.

[He slumps back into his chair] I wish there was something I could do... [he mumbles]

[Ten's last words catch his attention, and he leans forward slightly.] What else, then?

[The Doctor's expression is stony, though quite obviously not due to Geoff.] You never know. There may be need of all of our aid before this is over.

[His face changes to a rather embarrassed blush.] And...er...I was worried that you thought I was being a bastard.

Whatever I can do, Ten. Just tell me, and I'll do it.

[At the Doctor's blush, and his next words, Geoff looks away and fidgets a bit in his chair.] I don't think that at all, Ten. I told you -- it was my decision to talk. You didn't force me. [He meets Ten's eyes again.] You were not being a bastard.

[He chews on his lower lip.] I keep picking at people, Geoff. I always have. I prod them, pull away their defenses and insist upon things. It keeps getting me into trouble.

[Troubled eyes meet his.] But I'm in trouble a lot, both in my mind and in reality.

Funny how the trouble in our minds always causes us more grief than the trouble in reality.

I'm not angry, Ten.

[He shakes his head.] No...no, you're not. But...

Whatever. Not important.

[Geoff moves his chair closer and reaches out, taking hold of Ten's forearms. He's smiling, but his voice is serious.] Ten, you are coming perilously close to finding out exactly how much patience I have.

Tell. me. what. is. wrong.

[Oh, god, why did he have to do that?] I'm guessing not much? [nervous laugh]

[He looks down at Geoff's hands, then up into his eyes.] I...I don't usually tell people what I'm thinking, Geoff. It's too dangerous, most of the time.

[He looks deep into Ten's eyes, and then nudges the door closed with his foot.]

I'm not afraid of what you're thinking, Ten.

I am. [He looks away and down, reading a bookshelf from a distance.]

[Geoff leans in closer, and his voice grows softer.]

Look at me, Ten.

[The Doctor's brow furrows, just for a second, wincing. Then he slowly turns back to look at Geoff, face less than a foot away.]

[His voice is very low, so quiet that no one further away than Ten would be likely to hear him.]

I swear I won't judge you, Ten. And I won't hate you, or run away, or stop being your friend. Just tell me.

You know...what you told me the other night... [He can feel Geoff's body, he's that damn close the bastard, and it makes this harder and easier to do at the same time.] Did I ever say I disagreed?

[There's a long pause, as Geoff considers how to respond.] No. I suppose you didn't. Is that...is that what's bothering you, then? That, um, you don't disagree?

[The Doctor rolls his eyes skyward, in exasperation.] No. That's not bloody it, and I just can't...

Yes you can. The words don't have to always be pretty, Ten.

[He rests his forehead against the Doctor's.] I never told Will how I felt about him, because I didn't how to say it, even to myself. And I'll probably regret it for the rest of my life. Don't add a regret like that to yours. They're only words, and they don't need to go any further than here.

[He closes his eyes, opening them to look at Geoff, whose proximity is not bad...but not exactly comfortable either...] You know, don't you...

Fine...I fancy you, Geoff. You're quite brilliant and handsome, and very talented, and you make me want to muss up your hair every time I see you. And I fancy you. [The tight feeling in his chest, however, doesn't seem to go away.]

I fancy you too, Ten.

[grins a little] Muss up my hair, huh?

[exasperated] Well, I knew that. And yes. Muss up your hair. [He reaches up and tousles Geoff's hair, casually at first, but then with fingers moving a little slower. Then he moves his hand away.] Like so.

I see.

[Geoff closes his eyes for a moment.]

So, how is it that this was such a difficult thing to tell me?

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