Chapter Text
Dottore walked along the streets of the city, his destination being the collection of three benches meant to seat those waiting for a cab. Though since it was so late at night, the area usually remained empty, save for him and perhaps a few drunks here and there.
He carried his heavy briefcase with him, full of not only his personal belongings, but of vials, petri dishes, and other glassware for his job in the lab of a nearby hospital. His days began early in the morning before the sun rose, and ended long after the sun had retired below the sunset. Each shift left him tired and aching, his body overworked due to carrying out several jobs meant for multiple people. The area that the hospital was located in was so impoverished that Dottore was barely paid enough to survive. But the sacrifice was all worth it. He had access to materials he wouldn’t have gotten any other way.
Above him, the moon shone through the clouds and dyed the city a pale, ghostly white. It was slowly turning winter as well, so the temperature dropped significantly after dark. Dottore was thankful he brought his overcoat with him every day, to prepare for nights like these.
He noticed someone else was there waiting as he approached the stop, and decided to stay at the bench opposite them to keep a respectful distance. After all, he was in no mood to socialize.
He sat down with a sigh and placed his briefcase onto his lap. He closed his eyes to rest them, hoping the carriage would arrive soon. He feared he might fall asleep at the bench before he could get home. Dottore opened his eyes again.
The woman waiting alongside him asked a question, but it was in the background to him. Dottore was so deep in thought that all he perceived was a distant mumbling. It wasn’t until her voice had become louder that he pulled himself out of his head to listen.
“Where are you headed?” she asked, in the usual tone people use for small talk. Sickly sweet yet artificial.
Dottore held back a sigh. He answered in a monotone voice, too tired to give his words any emotion. “Home.” He wondered where else someone would go this late at night.
His eyes stayed on the ground, but he closely studied the woman’s voice for subtle hints to what she could have wanted. It was well past midnight and he was more than certain that his eye bags were clearer than ever. He should have looked unwelcoming to anyone yet she decided to go out of her way to bother him. Perhaps she was bored and wanted someone to talk with to pass the time. After all, the cabs barely passed through this part of the city, it would take quite a while for one to show up. Maybe she wanted money from him, it wasn’t all too uncommon to see such a thing in this area. Or, this could be her attempt at flirting. Maybe she wanted a quick fling with the first man she saw, and Dottore was the unlucky one who would have to use every excuse to get away as soon as possible. He dreaded this outcome the most.
“Home from where?” The mysterious woman asked, leaning in closer to him and dragging him out of his thoughts again. Dottore leaned away at the same time. She paused for a moment before speaking again, surely looking down at the object settled on Dottore’s lap. “You’ve got a briefcase, coming home from work perhaps?”
Ugh, the nosy type. He really should have just ignored her to begin with.
“None of your business,” Dottore replied dismissively. Short and sweet, not rude nor inviting. He glanced up to study the empty street ahead of him. No hints of a carriage, but he stared at that long stretch of road as if doing so would make his ride arrive faster.
The woman chuckled from beside him. It was quick and almost teasing. It irritated him beyond measure. However in that small sound, Dottore could hear hints of something else. She chuckled like a rich person, as if she were trained her whole life to keep her laughs contained lest she be seen as a disgusting commoner with no manners. Could she be born into a wealthy family? Dottore hoped not, he couldn’t stand being near those of higher class. The last thing he needed was for someone to make unwanted comments on his manners and worn down clothing. But he was also well aware that those in first class often despised sharing the same air as ‘commoners.’ If this woman truly were as wealthy as she sounded, why was she wasting her time here, in the poverty stricken side of town?
“What, are you involved in some kind of illegal trade?” the woman responded, with yet another question, in what Dottore guessed was a joking tone.
“I am not,” is what Dottore could manage to say without sounding too irritated. “You ask too many questions.”
“That was a joke, honey. You were supposed to laugh.” The woman paused again, perhaps trying to think of a way to continue the one sided conversation. “But I am curious, what is it that you do? You’re quite handsome in that lab coat.”
Dottore gripped the handle of his briefcase tighter, which he hoped couldn’t be seen through his black gloves. His guess that she was trying to flirt seemed more likely with what she just called him. Dottore still attempted to sound as polite as he could. “Don’t call me that, please.”
The woman hummed quietly, her voice coming closer. “Hm, why not? Surely a man like you isn’t getting flustered over a little compliment.“
Dottore tensed up, he could feel her arm brushing against his back. Was she leaning in even closer? He couldn’t tell. He just wished the woman would stop misinterpreting his actions. “I am not,” he responded again, with the same apathetic tone as before. “Now would you please back up and respect my space?” Although phrased as a question, it was spoken as an order more than anything.
To Dottore’s dismay, the woman still would not give up. He felt irritation flare up in his chest as he heard her laugh in his ear. “No need to be so tense, darling.“ He swore he could feel her uncomfortably cold breath on his neck.
He reached up with one hand and gently pushed her away by her shoulder. “If you don’t stop soon, I’m leaving to just walk home by myself.” His hand returned to his lap. “I’m tired of women like you practically throwing themselves at me begging me to lay with them. The only thing I want right now is to head home and rest. Your advances are unwanted.” Dottore’s words oozed with irritation.
The woman’s silence somewhat surprised him, he expected her to be more persistent. No matter, if she wanted to back down, it would only benefit him. She pulled her arm away and quietly chuckled to herself. “...Apologies for being so pushy.”
“Hm.. I appreciate the apology but I can’t accept it.” For the first time since the beginning of their conversation, he raised his head up in order to look in the woman’s direction. Now that he was speaking directly to her, he believed now was an appropriate time to look at her.
He was greeted by the sight of the mysterious lady dressed in a dark purple evening gown with a slit down one side, showing quite a bit of her thigh. The fabric was nearly drowning in sparkling white gems, the same as the ones on her shoes. Even the chains on her silver glasses were adorned with the same crystals. Intricate floral designs trailed along the silk on her elbow length gloves, gradually fading into black at her fingertips. Her dark hair shimmered just the same as the rest of her, it appeared to have been styled with various products, and recently as well. It seems Dottore’s guess about her being wealthy was correct. Though he wondered how she wasn’t cold in such a revealing outfit.
“Oh, I understand.” The woman fell completely silent soon afterwards. Dottore hoped the woman would return to her seat at the neighboring bench soon, but she sat unmoving, right next to Dottore. If she was sitting any closer, he was sure their arms would be touching. Disgusted by the thought of physical contact, he slowly moved away until he was at the armrest. Thankfully, she did not follow after him.
The woman picked up the conversation yet again. “So, not interested in women, are you?”
Dottore shook his head. “Not at all. I’ve had far too many negative experiences with them.”
She stayed silent for a moment, a look of deep thought on her face. Finally accepting rejection, perhaps? After a short pause, she nodded. “I see.”
Dottore could feel the oppressive silence begin to creep up on them as time passed with no words between them. The woman must have felt the same, as she quickly started up the conversation again. “Oh, but we can still be friends. You may call me Lonnie.” After an awkward long pause, she added, “...and what’s yours?”
Dottore sighed. He should have never spoken a word to her at all. Didn’t she have anything better to do than bother him? “Dottore.” His voice was flat and unenthusiastic.
“Dottore…” she repeated, seemingly getting used to the sound. “That is quite a unique name, but I can’t help but wonder if it’s an alias of sorts.”
“I don’t mean to lie to you about my identity. I just haven’t used my real name in years.” He crossed his arms over his chest, trying to relax after being so tense. At least Lonnie wasn’t trying to harass him anymore.
He so badly wanted the conversation to end, yet somehow Lonnie kept finding new topics to bring up. At least this way Dottore was able to know more about her, such as her job at the city’s bank. Well, more specifically, she and a few others owned the bank itself. Of course Dottore’s prediction was correct. To own such a widespread company must mean she was rich, well past the point of what Dottore viewed as necessary.
“Oh,” Lonnie said after a particularly long stretch of silence, sitting up straight in her seat. “There is something I would like to tell you before we part ways.” Her tone sounded oddly serious, which caught Dottore’s attention.
“Hm?”
Lonnie clasped her hands together in her lap. Her hesitance was clear in her voice. “I.. know you previously mentioned your lack of interest in women, but I thought it would be appropriate to tell you that I still do find you attractive. I’ll still try to respect your boundaries, of course.”
This was by far the strangest interaction he’d had with anyone. She was initially just as pushy as the others, but now Lonnie had been so respectful with Dottore, especially considering what she’d just told him. But of course, the feelings were not mutual.
Dottore frowned. “...I see. Thank you for letting me know.”
Soon, the carriage arrived to take Dottore home. His energy was completely spent, having only enough left to give the driver his address before nearly falling asleep in his seat. He hoped this much socialization didn’t become a daily occurrence.
However, he couldn’t be more wrong. For the next few nights, Lonnie visited him at the stop, talking away about whatever topic was on her mind at the time. She told stories of the people she’d met, what happened at her work that day, and even completely unrelated information she seemed to remember on the spot.
Each night Dottore was completely drained of energy, though he somewhat grew to get used to the sound of her voice. And as talkative as she was, she was considerate as well. Dottore noticed that she would occasionally stop to ask if he was alright, and if he wanted to share something too. It was surprising to see a woman who owned a widely known company, end up speaking so casually with a lowly commoner like Dottore.
A week had passed by now, and Dottore found himself getting used to the routine. But it only made the realization more confusing when Dottore noticed that Lonnie hadn’t shown up one night. Instead there was only a man with a cane sitting alone at the middle bench. Dottore sighed and sat down, allowing his legs to rest. Perhaps she was just late, or she’d found someone else to talk to. Maybe it was for the best, having to socialize with the same person did get tiring after a while.
Dottore kept his eyes closed, occasionally opening them to ensure he didn’t fall asleep. He didn’t notice the man at the middle bench had gotten up to stand in front of him until he heard his throat clearing. Dottore opened his eyes and looked up at the man, annoyed that someone was trying to speak with him. Though he swore he looked familiar.
His dark clothing choice made him look as if he had just come from a funeral. His black coat was made of rich velvet, and the shirt that could be seen from underneath was black as well, or at least dark gray. The man held a cane in front of him, the silver handle decorated with a swirling pattern and a few black gems. His hands were covered by leather black gloves and his fingers decorated with rings with various designs. He had his dark hair tied back in a loose bun, and a few gray streaks could be seen poking out. Though even with gray hairs, the man couldn’t have been more than forty.
But the one thing that gave away his identity was his glasses. The same silver frames Dottore had seen for the past three days sat low on the man’s nose and the hanging chain seemed to glitter in the moonlight with his every move. Though this realization still had unlocked more questions. Was this someone related to the woman who was usually here? Or perhaps…
Dottore gasped quietly. “Lonnie?”
The man smiled, but without showing his teeth. Maybe this was another mannerism belonging to aristocrats. He nodded. “The very same. Though I would prefer if you called me Pantalone today.” Dottore noticed his voice was slightly deeper now.
He must have had a confused look on his face, because Pantalone soon followed his statement with, “I’m a crossdresser, Dottore. I often wear dresses at night, when fewer people are around to watch or judge me. Lonnie is just a nickname, or a character of sorts.” Pantalone turned to sit right next to Dottore. This time however, he didn’t lean away. “I thought it would be appropriate to tell you the truth today.”
Dottore frowned and crossed his arms. “Then why lie to me when we first met?”
Pantalone sighed, resting his cane beside him on the bench. “I quite liked how you actually viewed me as a woman, I wanted to keep up the lie for just a little longer. Plus, I have to be careful with who I trust. Not anyone would be so kind to… someone like me.”
Dottore frowned. To him it seemed unfair that a person would be immediately ridiculed and hated for such a small thing. Who was to say that he wasn’t doing something similar? It felt like almost every day he was pretending to be someone he was not. Hell, he still refused to be called by his real name. “...Then, you must have also been lying about being interested in me, correct?”
Pantalone chuckled, the same way he did those nights before. At least his rich person laugh wasn’t part of the facade. “Ah, about that..” He leaned back in his seat, clasping his hands together. The collection of rings on his fingers now looked almost obnoxious. “I really do like you, Dottore. I promise that is no lie. In fact, I’ve grown even more fond of you after we’ve spent more time together. I was just unsure of how your opinion of me would change once I told you who I really was.”
Dottore blinked, surprised. He was truly at a loss for words this time. He had never even perceived the idea of dating another man. It was rare to see, but was always looked down upon any time it was mentioned. He opened his mouth to respond, but he couldn’t think of what to say.
Pantalone gave Dottore a sweet smile. “It’s alright, you don’t have to say anything. I know this is a lot for you to process.”
Indeed it was. How much did this new information change his perception of the man? He would have to reconsider if these feelings really were one sided anymore.
“I will let you know what I think of you when I’m ready.” Dottore replied, once he had organized his thoughts well enough.
Pantalone hesitated, only slightly. “I understand.. In that case I guess my plan for you will have to wait. You see, I wanted to take you out on a date tonight but you seem tired. You aren’t even sure if the feelings are mutual yet either.”
Dottore paused to think. He wanted to go out on a date this soon? And why after midnight? Why not tomorrow while the sun is out? “We can still go to dinner as friends sometime.” He immediately regretted his words, but it was too late to turn back. “Tomorrow is my off day if you’d like to meet up then.” Why was he agreeing to this? Perhaps sheer curiosity? Or was he finding himself already attaching to the one person who was willing to show him an ounce of kindness?
Pantalone smiled, still without showing his teeth. It seems Dottore would have to get used to that. “Oh, that’s fine with me.”
Their conversation carried on into the night as the two got to know each other for a second time, topics ranging from Dottore’s work to Pantalone’s hobby of crossdressing. He noticed Pantalone’s behavior had slightly changed from before. He was calmer, more reserved. Still talkative but in a way that wasn’t nearly as exhausting. This must have been the difference between him and the character he called Lonnie.
Eventually the carriage arrived to take Dottore home. He stood up from his seat and Pantalone followed after, waiting at the door of the carriage to say goodbye. “Oh, where are we planning to meet tomorrow?” Dottore asked, turning back to Pantalone.
Pantalone tapped his fingers against his cane, the metal rings making small clicks against the handle. “How about I pick you up at your place? I have a personal carriage that we won’t have to wait for.” Of course he did.
Dottore nodded, reaching into his coat pocket for a scrap of paper. “I’ll write down my address for you, then.”
Pantalone hummed. “Hm, thank you. Oh, and as for where we’ll go for dinner, I have a little plan for you. I won’t tell you now. I want it to be a surprise.”
Dottore rolled his eyes, handing him the small piece of paper that he’d written his address on. “Another plan? Hm, I see how it is. I’ll meet you at five.”
Pantalone laughed in his own elegant way, taking the paper before gently pushing Dottore in the direction of the carriage. Did it have to be at his lower back? “Alright, Dottore. Now in you go, you’ve got to get home. I want you to get a good night’s sleep tonight.”
Dottore huffed and got into the cab, closing the door behind him without saying a word. Was that really necessary? Did Pantalone really have to say all that before he left? Was he just being kind? To be fair, Dottore’s experience with kind people was so rare it was nearly foreign to him.
He sighed and sat back in his seat after telling the carriage driver his destination. Pantalone did have a point, however. Dottore desperately needed the rest.