Archive of Our Own ^beta

It was nice, the Doctor realised, to just take time from it all. He had all the time in the world, and when trouble did pop up he was happy to deal with it. But he wasn't out searching for trouble, he was out partying.

It wasn't new, new. He'd partied before. Just, never on his own and never quite like he was now. It was freeing, being on the dance floor. So easy to get lost in the music and the bodies.

Then there was the flirting. The Doctor would never actually take them up on their offers, but there was a fun to it.

He'd simply been taking a break from the dancing, happy to wait at the bar as long as he needed to get a drink.

"Well, hello there," an old familiar voice said, the same familiar flirtatious tone to it. The Doctor grinned, and turned slowly to face him. He gave Jack a good once over, before smiling slyly at him.

"Hello yourself," he said, Jack grinned at him. Logically, the Doctor knew Jack wasn't likely to recognise him, but that was the fun of it wasn't it?

"Now what's a fine bloke like you doing alone here?" Jack asked, leaning slightly against the bar. The Doctor mirrored him, but rested his elbow on the bar top, and tilted his head slightly so his jaw rested on his fist.

"I could ask you the same thing," he said, slowly raking his eyes over Jack again. Jack laughed then, tilting his back just slightly.

"Oh, you're fun!" he said, briefly reaching over to brush his hand over the Doctor's arm. "How about I buy you a drink, huh?"

"Oh go on then," the Doctor agreed, nodding slightly. Jack grinned and waved to the bartender.

"I saw you on the dance floor," Jack told him, glancing back while they waited. "You look good." The Doctor laughed slightly and glanced to Jack's lips.

"Once we've had our drinks, we could dance together," he suggested, winking at him.

"Oh you really are fun aren't you?" Jack asked, leaning forward a little. He watched Jack's eyes dip down to his lips.

The Doctor wasn't going to deny the fun of flirting with someone, but he sure could admit there was something more there with Jack. They did have their history, not that Jack knew he was the Doctor yet. Jack was much more enticing than any one else the Doctor had flirted with in the bars and clubs he'd visited since regenerating.

Jack did this whole thing a lot. It was his thing, it was just what he did. Immortality did not lend itself to a peaceful life and long term relationships. He'd gone back to his partying days.

So what if there was something self destructive to drinking every night? So what if there was something self destructive in throwing himself into the bed of whoever was willing and didn't want to get attached? It wasn't all that bad. As far as things an immortal could throw himself into doing, there was certainly worse. Especially in the 43rd century.

The handsome stranger he'd seen across the dance floor smiled at him as they waited for the bar tender. There was something fun to him, something different. He'd been incredibly receptive to his flirting too, it seemed to be going well. Hopefully by the end of the night Jack would be in his bed.

"Ah, I'm just here to enjoy myself," he said, glancing down at Jack's lips. Jack smirked, he had the man wrapped round his finger.

"Oh I'm sure," Jack said, letting himself lean in a little more. There was something about the mysterious man that had drawn him in, he felt like an adventure waiting to happen. Hopefully, one night was plenty adventure for them both.

"I think you promised drinks," he said, glancing down the bar to the bartender. Jack nodded and turned his head, catching the bartender's eye too.

He ordered, once the bartender approached, and watched his new date from the corner of his eye. There was something to him, Jack thought. Something close to familiar. Maybe it was the way he kept turning to surveil the room, when Jack wasn't so obviously watching him. It screamed ex-fighter. There was something else beneath that flirty, bubbly, personality with the teasing smile.

It didn't matter, Jack tried to remind himself. He was only there looking for a one night stand. Nothing serious. He didn't do serious. Not anymore. He'd gotten far too old for serious.

"Here ya go, Jack," the bartender said, settling the drinks in front of them.

"Jack huh?" the man asked, grabbing his drink with his free hand.

"Captain Jack Harkness," he said, smirking just slightly, "at your service." Jack watched as he tilted his head back slightly and laughed. He let his eyes trail down the expanse of the other man's neck. Oh yes, Jack thought, he'd look good in bed under him.

The Doctor was careful to avoid any questions about his name. There was no fun in just giving Jack his name, and there was no game if he lied about it. He was mostly sure this was Jack after he'd met the Doctor, and Rose. It was only a matter of time before he realised he was talking to the Doctor.

"I think you promised dancing," Jack said teasingly. The Doctor laughed slightly, letting his head fall back just a bit.

"That I did," he said, offering Jack a hand. Jack took it. It was like coming home, after such a long time, to take Jack's hand back into his own. It was still a perfect fit. They were just the two of them, but it still felt right.

The Doctor dragged Jack out onto the dance floor, before he could lost in thought about them fitting together still. As far as Jack knew, he was dancing with a stranger, there was no fun giving him reasons to wonder.

It was easy to let the music guide their movements on the crowded dance floor. It was almost too easy to get lost in Jack's presence, and his movements, and his touches.

The handsome stranger that Jack still didn't know the name off was the sort of person that's presence demanded his attention. Jack was happy to give him that. It was far too easy to fall into a rhythm with the handsome stranger, but he wasn't going to complain about that. He wasn't going to complain about anything, except maybe not having a name he could use for the handsome stranger.

Jack wasn't stupid, it was obvious the stranger was playing some sort of game about it. He just wasn't sure what the game was, or why they were playing it. Still even then he wasn't going to properly complain. It added an air of mystery to the whole thing, and Jack loved a mystery.

"How 'bout we get out of here?" the stranger asked, whispering into his ear. Jack smiled at him and nodded.

"Lead the way," he said. One of his hands was pulled into the almost familiar grasp of the stranger's hand, and he got pulled in the direction of the door. He was happy to follow him.

They stopped a little ways from the street, in a quiet spot. Jack raised an eyebrow at him. It wasn't like he was against a bit of public fun in an empty alley, it just hadn't been his plan.

"I've not been entirely honest with you Captain," the stranger said, letting his hand drop. Jack scrunched his eyebrows up then, he wasn't sure what to make of whatever it was that was going on. "If you ever were a captain," he added, smirking slightly.

"What?" Jack asked.

"See if you ever were a captain you've been defrocked," the stranger said. Jack had heard that before, but surely not.

"Yeah?" Jack asked tilting his head. A hand found it's way to Jack's chest.

"Shame I missed it," he said.

"Doctor?" he asked. The man in front of him grinned then. "Where's the TARDIS?" The Doctor nodded his head down the nearby alley. Well, that made sense then. They could have some alley way fun another time.

Jack let the Doctor lead him back towards to the TARDIS, but well it wasn't his fault they didn't make it into the doors right away. Not when the Doctor looked him like that, and had turned to grin at him before the TARDIS doors were even open.

It really wasn't Jack's fault that he grabbed the Doctor's waist and pushed him back against the closed TARDIS doors. And it wasn't his fault that the Doctor had wrapped his arms around Jack and pulled him closer.

Neither of them were sure who moved in first, but soon they were kissing. Jack hadn't kissed this Doctor, and he hadn't kissed the Doctor in such a long time, but it still felt right. Kissing the Doctor was just what he was meant to do.

The Doctor tugged Jack as close as he could. Against his lips, Jack laughed slightly. Suddenly he wasn't kissing the Doctor against the door, instead they were falling.

The TARDIS had opened the door. The same door Jack had, until it had been opened, been pressing the Doctor against. Under him the Doctor started to laugh. Jack groaned, but rolled off of him.

"Your room is still here," the Doctor said casually as he stood. Jack laughed then.

"Lead the way," he said, smiling up at him. The Doctor offered him a hand and pulled him up.

"Happily," he said, grinning at him.