Chapter Text
- Do we ever touch each other ?
- And i don't mean that in a philosophical way, or an emotional and I really don't want to know what you full of hormones students do on the weekend, what i mean is how can you be sure you really are touching that table you are writing on?
A few hands started to raise and the professor turned around towards his students interrupting his rapid footsteps in front of the whiteboard as one of them spoke up.
- Because we can feel it, if I touch my table I can feel the wood against my hand.
- Ah, the brain does funny things, your hand touches the wood and the touch is transmitted to your brain and intepreted for you to understand, that doesn't mean that your hand is actually touching it.
Illustrating his thoughts he laid his hand on top of his desk sweeping his hand across it, raising his finger in the air.
- Do the atoms really touch? When you kiss your mother on the cheek is the infinite space between the atoms of her cheek and yours enough to be called touch?
You probably all did that as kids, when you hold two south pole magnet against each other, they won't touch, the two forces are too great and can only repel themselves, forced apart.
The students where looking warily not quite sure where this was going, while the professor looked at the assembly his blue gaze surfing the crowd.
- That's what life revolves around, forcefields, we keep our minds out of reach, our feelings, but the body too, atoms, can never really touch each other, our brain just tries to fill the gaps.
We live on the illusions we create, do not let your senses deceive you, some people might say to you "only trust what you can see" but don't think because you can see it or feel it it is real. Reality is what we accept to believe, doesn't mean it's the truth.
Some students seemed eager to ask questions when the bell rang.
- Try to ponder that on your next assignment next week. I will not accept any late works.
As the class was dismissed a young girl approached the professor a broad smile on her face.
- That was one amazing class Doctor. a bit defeatist at the end but I really enjoyed your approach.
The Doctor lift his gaze towards her, a smug smile on his face, he grabbed his coat putting his sunglasses back on, before walking in the corridors towards his office, the girl on his steps.
- Oh well Bill, physics don't have feelings, the neutrons won't hear me, not on this planet at least.
Bill frowned with the kind of wary look all companions of the Doctor wore on a daily basis, the Doctor had lived more than two thousand years and every one of his past experiences sounded mad at best. But Bill liked to hear the stories when he talked about them, which wasn't usual, the Doctor was a secretive person and she didn't like to pry.
As they entered his office Bill noticed the absence of one big blue box.
- Where did the Tardis go?
The Doctor rolled his eyes plopping on his chair with a thud, grabbing his computer to grade essays, a frown not disguised on his face as he put his earbuds on.
- Nardole got in a bit of a... mood.
The girl smiled at the mention of their very complicated friend. Nardole felt like a guard dog at time but also like a very mid life crisis wife.
- Not unusual.
- He said that any alien could be undercover and reveal my position which would endanger the vault and the school. He also took away my screwdrivers, like I'm not gonna put them right back.
Groaning like a toddler, Bill looked out the window, the students seemed quite chuffed by the snow a few of them engaging in a snowball fight.
- Where is it then ?
- Downstairs. And she is not happy at all, she hates hearing Missy sing, since the day he made her a paradox she holds a grudge against her, It was a bloody mess, and who had to go to the Clom junkyard to try and find the right spare part to repair her? Well it certainly wasn't her, too busy faking his death.
Bill frowned again at hearing the Doctor talk about Missy with different pronouns trying to follow the story, well she could ask Missy about it at another time. The Doctor really didn't like Bill having any kind of contact with Missy but she didn't mind. It was like observing a lion in a cage, a bit fascinating but she knew not to get too close.
Sometimes the Doctor and Nardole were too busy so she took care of keeping her company. Missy was easily bored and was quite the specist, Bill always felt like a prey talking to its hunter, but she never shied away, keeping her head high. Time Lord or not she was not gonna bend down.
- I thought of a nice little place in 1896 I'm sure you'll like it, a planet with bird people, very friendly, as long as you greet them the right way, or else they might rip your head off with their claws.
- Alright maybe we'll avoid the murderous birds for now, I have a test tomorrow and I absolutely need to study.
The Doctor slumped a bit before turning towards her his eyebrows frowning on top of his sunglasses he always felt like a roaring fire neatly covered.
- Alright then, you go study, and I'll die of boredom in here or kill myself after dealing with the nonsense written in these essays.
Bill smiled at him, the Doctor was a bit of a drama queen, not that she would tell him. Before leaving his office she looked at her phone, she was late, again.
She had to meet her new roomate in a café not far away from the university, a blonde girl, Bill couldn't afford the cost of a flat in Bristol alone anymore so she posted an ad to look for someone to share her appartment with.
Leaving the university she readjusted the strap of her bag, burying her hands in her pockets as the hard cold of the winter hit her face.
The snow was slowly falling on the city covering her with a thin layer as she walked on the streets, the snow crunching under her boots.
Turning at one of the corner, she looked at the facade checking that it was the right address before taking a deep breath as she pushed the cafe's door.
The nice heat soothed the aches in her body as she started to remove her scarf, chills on her back, the place didn't seem too busy a few customers drinking their beverage reading a book or the newspapers.
She looked around the cafe, spotting a blonde girl with a pink hoodie looking out the windows, a cup of tea in front of her.
She started to walk towards her, when the girl turned around a beaming smile on her face.
- Hi, I'm Bill !
- Lily, happy to meet you, gosh you must be freezing, sit down i'll get you a tea, my mum always used to say tea is the best remedy of all.
Taking her seat, Bill observed the girl taking her order.
She was pretty, not pretty like a model, no, she felt like the sun melting the ice after a nice storm. Bill was usually the talkative one but she felt quite speechless.
As the girl came back, Bill averted her gaze not wanting to look like a creep.
- Here you go, that's much better.
Bill started to sip a bit of her tea rearranging her thoughts, she did prepare a speech for every situation, like if she was weird and needed to decline or was the owner of a dozen of canaries. She wasn't a big fan of birds and those weird bird planets the Doctor talked of earlier really didn't helped her to keep her focus.
- So tell me Lily, where do you come from?
The blonde smiled looking for a bit at her teacup as she put two sugars and a bit of milk in her beverage.
- Hum... I actually come from London, but travelled for a while, I worked in a space company for a few years, honed my physicist skills and now I'm here, I'll start my first day at the university tomorrow, as a teacher.
- Oh my god. That is so cool! I didn't know my roommate could be an astrophysicist or my teacher wow, why did you stop your career if you don't mind me asking.
Lily smiled a bit taking a sip in her own tea.
- The company was dismantled, lots of issues, and I didn't really felt like working in this field anymore, I lived on my savings for a while, but I can't really stay still for too long and teaching feels like doing something good, for people, for the future.
- Wow you sound a bit like a professor of mine he also works as a teacher in the university, always talking about physics and stuff like a philosopher.
Lily's gaze fell in Bill's it was like looking at the birth of a star, and she felt a bit small, maybe it was a power all teachers had, some sort of charm they got from all their knowledge.
- I don't know anyone yet, What's his name, I'll make sure to greet him.
Bill started to think for a while, damn she was so used to calling him Doctor that she didn't even remember the name he was using at the school.
- Hum... Doctor, James Disco if I'm not mistaken.
What was wrong with him choosing a ridiculous name like that. The blonde looked at her trying not to laugh.
- You're serious, that's his name?
She was gonna kill him.
- Yeah, but that's the only cool thing about him, other than that he's just a grumpy old man when you, on the other side look so young ! I mean i'm not saying you should be old but all the teachers at the university are at least fourty.
Lily smiled earnestly looking at Bill's eyes for a while before spinning her spoon in her tea.
- Oh well, I'm older than you think. And I started working in the field when i was quite young.
A few minutes passed in a nice calm atmosphere, the simple sound of the coffee machine and the low buzzing of the tv on the wall. The blonde seemed to be a bit anxious as she looked at Bill.
- I shoud tell you something tho.
Bill looked at her, well this was too good to be true, what if she wasn't interested in cohabitating with her ? Or this was just the beginning of a very elaborate scam, she wouldn't fall for it, please even for her pretty eyes she wouldn't be fed to an alien tree house, again.
- I have a dog.
Bill closed her eyes before laughing earnestly, she got a bit of a fright. Maybe being to much with the Doctor made her paranoid, not everyone was an alien. As Lily started to look a bit wary Bill reassured her.
- No worries, I like dogs, what's his name?
- Sunny. he's a nice dog quite big but he doesn't bark often and he was there for me forever, I can't abandon him. I've had quite a lot of trouble finding roomates because of him. People usually find him a bit scary but he's all looks, never bit anyone.
- Do you need some help to move your stuff ? I'm stronger than I look.
Lily smiled finishing her cup of tea while Bill put her arms in the air flexing her muscles. Fishing her mittens she put them on.
- Wait. Does that mean we're officially roommates?
Bill got up stretching her hand towards the girl.
- Nice to meet you roomie.
Lily got up too, shaking Bill's hand very seriously before cracking up a smile.
- Alright then, let's go get my stuff, don't worry i don't have a lot of things, just a few old things i couldn't bear to throw.
The two girls got out of the café, the sky seemed to have cleared up as the sun shone through the city, the soggy ice melting under their feet.
They walked for a while, the city felt less noisy than usual, christmas was in a month but it felt like the holiday spirit was already brought to the edge, little ornaments all over the street facilities and a few christmas trees behind the store windows.
- You know I've been here for two months now but I never took the time to enjoy the city.
- Bristol isn't the prettiest city, I mean you lived in London, but it's got its own charm. What did you do for two months?
- Look for a new flat, and search for a job? well I mostly procrastinated and I must admit I wasn't in the best of places. Lots of things happened but it's in the past now and I feel like a new adventure is waiting for me as a teacher. I'm still freaking out a bit for tomorrow.
Bill collided her shoulder with Lily's giving her her best reassuring smile.
- Come on, I'm sure you'll be amazing. And you know what I'll seat in the front row, something I would never do, so if you don't know where to look i'll be right in front of you.
- You're a life saver Bill.
- Don't say that I might answer to one of your question with the stupidest thing you could have thought and make an embarassment of myself.
- It's better than no one answering really.
When they arrived in front of her apartment, Lily grabbed her keys in one of her coat pocket, pushing the door open. The flat was small and a bit worn-out, some sort of leakage coming from the ceiling, the rusty window covered by some heavy dusty curtains.
It mostly felt like no one really lived in it, a few cardboard boxes on the floor.
As Bill was inspecting the small flat a dog surged from nowhere smelling Bill trousers his amber eyes piercing through hers eyeing her suspisciously.
- Come on Sun be nice. He's a bit wary of strangers at first but he'll protect you at all cost once he gets to know you.
Bill put her hand out of her pocket letting the dog sniff her, before scratching his neck carefully. He was one big dog, looked like a big black wolf, she definitely understood why people could get a bit afraid of him in the streets.
- He's beautiful.
Lily started to grab a few boxes there really wasn't a lot to move out, which was quite unusual.
Bill grabbed the rest of her stuff, a bag of dog food and a black bag full of clinking stuff.
- Wow, What have you got in your bag Mary Poppins.
- Ah, that's just a few stuff i built from my old work, nothing important but I don't have the heart to put it to waste.
Lily whistled as her dog followed her outside, she locked her door before putting the keys in the mailbox.
- This is an old flat a friend of mine landed me for the time being, thanks to him i wasn't homeless for two months.
- Tell me if it's too private, but aren't physicist like, earning a lot of money?
Liky snickered a bit as she walked out of the building getting a firm grip on her boxes Sunny on her steps.
- I wish. But I earned enough to live more than comfortably, let's just say, circumstances happened. I basically lost it all, so when I came here, I didn't really had anything.
Was she a gambling addict or something? Bill didn't want to seem even more nosy so she didn't asked for details, The Doctor always said to her that information came with patience. Funny thing considering the man was the biggest impatient toddler she ever met.
They walked in the streets for a while, Bill appartment wasn't too far away from the university which also meant she was half of the time late to class because she woke up too late.
Sunny seemed to be a well behaved dog, as he was just tracing the steps of its owner glancing at the people his head kept low towards the ground.
The sun was slowly setting down as the city was basked in a golden glow, it made Lily's hair shine even more, and Bill started to question her own sanity. She had a sort of deeply melancholic look in her eyes when she was lost in her thoughts, it made Bill feel quite small.
- What are you studying Bill?
The look was already gone when she turned around replaced by her usual smile.
- Well two months ago I was just a dinner lady, but I really liked one of the professors class, Doctor... Disco, so when I could I attended it and he noticed me. I thought I was gonna lost my job and get banned forever but in the end he decided to tutor me and now I'm working with him most of times. Physics stuff, I mean...
- Seems like a very nice lad even with the weird name.
- Oh well he's a bit hard on the outside but even if he doesn't want to show it I think he cares. More than he wants too.
Smelling something nice on the way Bill tried to locate the source of it.
- Ooh I missed these, chips! We have to get some Bill, I'm buying!
Well she wasn't against something hot right now and the nice smell made her stomach growl.
As she waited with Sunny for Lily to buy the chips, Bill looked at her phone a few of her mates had planned to go to the pub the next day, a nice opportunity for her to make the presentations with her new roommate.
As Lily approached, she brandished her big plastic tray full of steaming chips.
- Gosh, I've dreamed of these for so long.
Lily eyed the chips with a longing look.
- What they don't have nice chips in London ?
Smiling, Bill grabbed one of the crispy chips blowing on it.
- Haha It's been a while since I've been in London, travelling and everything. The chips in the other countries always felt a bit... dull.
Nipping at the chips trying not to burn her mouth Bill and Lily walked around the city, Lily throwing a chips every once in a while at Sunny's pleading eyes.
- Don't get used to it.
As they arrived in front of Bill's apartment she opened the door, turning the heating on before putting the boxes down on the ground.
Sunny smelled the place before settling on the ground.
- Thank you so much Bill, I think i'll put all that in my room and try to get some sleep for tomorrow.
- It's no big deal really, We're going to the pub tomorrow with some of my friends, you should definitely come. Some of the professors might come down too.
- If I don't have too much work, I'll tell you tomorrow.
Lily disappeared in her room and Bill seemed able to release the breath she was holding for a few hours now, going back in her room.
Plopping down on her bed she looked at the ceiling the remnants of chips smell on her clothes. Lily felt like a breathe of fresh hair, travelling with the Doctor made her life a whrilwind of emotions but this, this reminded her that life on earth was as exciting.
Getting under her covers, Bill let the sound of cars outside the flat lull her into sleep.