Hold On

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The Nomad ran his fingers through his long brown hair, "Hm.. now why won't you start up?" He looked around the dark control room, then back to the computer, "Maybe there is something here that needs to be taken care of." The Time Lord put his hat back on and walked over to the door.

He closed the door behind him and looked up, "And it just has to be raining does it?" He asked as he looked up at the sky. He sighed and fixed his hat and walked along, "Darn rain." The Nomad stopped at a pub and chose to sit down at a table.

Looking out the window he watched the rain peacefully land on the ground, "I will wait for it to stop raining." Removing his hat and setting it on the table. He ran his fingers through his somewhat wet hair and leaned back in the chair.

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To say that Aixa frequented bars would be the overstatement of the millennium that the Djinn was alive. He had, of course, been to a few during his long life. He had first visited one with Geoffery Chaucer, but there the man had told him of his intentions to get married. To a woman. And he and Oliver had visited one together, where the werewolf had learned that Aixa was a bit of a lightweight. So no, Aixa certainly didn't make it a habit to frequent pubs, although he did enjoy the occasional glass of red wine by himself, he was more comfortable around books and his telescope.

But tonight was an exception. Aixa was at a pub, but it wasn't to drink. He had decided that he needed something slightly more real than a tenuous relationship with a werewolf. And while a pub wasn't the best place to look for it, judging by the dangerously high levels of testosterone that he could smell and the impending fights that he could sense, he just wanted something. A friend would be lovely. He didn't have one, and even a Djinn could get lonely without proper interaction.

The door to the pub opened, and Aixa's pale blue eyes flickered towards the entrance. He watched as the male sat at the table. Aixa's nose twitched, intrigued. The man wasn't human. Aixa quietly ordered two drinks from the bartender, and carried them over to the table the man was sitting at. He slid into the seat across the table, a friendly smile on his face as he watched the man.

“Hey,” he said, pushing the drink towards the non-human. “Waiting out the storm?”

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The Time Lord sat looking out at the rain, then hearing someone walking over he looked to see someone walking over, just by looking he could tell it was not a human nor a Time Lord, shame. It has been quite sometime since he has seen another Time Lord. He looked at the glass that was set in front of him and looked to this other being.

“Waiting out the storm?”

The Nomad nodded, "Yes I am actually." he found it rather hard to believe that someone approached him, this Time Lord was so used to approaching others and kind of felt out of place, "I take it that you are waiting for the storm to pass?" The Nomad said as he ran his fingers through his hair again as part settled over his eyes. He looked at this other being with curiosity, what kind of creature was this one? Obviously he blended very well into this planets population perfectly, perhaps enough to go under the radar of Torchwood.

He looked up as the lights flickered and looked back down at the drink, he picked it up, "Thank you for the drink." He took a small sip and set the glass down. He blinked and fished his pockets, and pulled out a small note book and set it under his hat. In this note book was notes and drawings on his gadgets and writings about experiences including a sketch of someone that was special to him. He leaned back into the chair again and looked across at Aixa, "What do you think I am?" This was obviously a test, maybe since The Nomad knows this man is not a human, maybe he knows that the Time Lord is not a human as well.

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“I take it that you are waiting for the storm to pass?”

Aixa widened his eyes, a smile curling around his lips. “Aren't we all?” he responded, a little dreamily. “Some of us a bit more literally than others, mind you.” He looked out the window. Earth was very pretty when it was drowning. He hazarded a look up the sky, but his precious stars were hidden behind the clouds. It had been one of the reasons he decided that he would be at the pub tonight; there were no stars, and without the stars, he had nothing to look at.

He returned his gaze to the non-human. It was obvious that he was being studied. This non-human knew that he wasn't human either. Aixa leaned back in his chair, watching as the man ran a hand through his hair. “No problem,” he replied. He hesitated, looking at his own drink. He didn't know his way to the apartment from here, so if he got drunk then he might as well just sleep on the streets. Still, he took a gulp of the liquid, the Djinn in him shuddering at the taste.

“What do you think I am?”

An abrupt question. Aixa leaned forward, analyzing the brief glance of the notebook. “Handsome,” he replied, winking. “Why?” he asked innocently. “What else would you be?” Aixa smiled, then the smile flickered into a neutral line. “And what do you think I am?” he questioned. He had never smelled the man's type before.

“Call me Aixa.”

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“Aren't we all?”

Nomad chuckled when the man across from him finally responded, "I guess we are." He leaned forwards some and picked up the glass, the Time Lord looked at the contents wondering if he should drink any more, if he gets too drunk he will not be able to track down this alien that his TARDIS showed him on the computer. He set the glass down but remained in his position.

“Handsome,”he replied, winking. “Why?”

The Nomad looked at Aixa with a surprised look he was not sure if it was what he said or what he said accompanied by that wink.. who would wink at this Time Lord? Yeah his Angel did but that was a whole different ball game there, "What? Handsome? Maybe but.. uhh.." he stuttered some, was this bloke drunk? Or was he being serious? The Time Lord tried to hide his blush, maybe this guy did not know he is an alien after all, "Uh.. another human?" He finally said.

“Call me Aixa.”

"Alright.. Aixa, you can call me N..er.." No not that one, "You may call me Leo." He said quickly, extending his hand to the other man in a offer of a hand shake.

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Aixa put his chin on his hands, observing the man with unusual silence. He wasn't sure what had done it, but the Djinn was in a rather thoughtful mood. The nonhuman – Leo – wasn't drinking, although he had been thinking of it and Aixa wondered if he should order something lighter. Pale blue eyes looked towards the bartender, debating. He was rather afraid that by the time he got back, Leo would have scattered. It's what most people did. Aixa was, admittedly, a little creepy.

Both corners of his lips turned up. Leo was awfully cute when he didn't know what to say. “But?” Aixa pressed. “Let me guess. Oh, but I don't flirt with other men, or oh, I have a girlfriend or but you aren't my type or...” he trailed off, deciding that his voice was entirely bitter and not light-hearted at all. He cleared his throat sheepishly. “Sorry,” he said. “I've just had a long day.”

Uh.. another human?

He narrowed his eyes, leaning forwards. “I'm disappointed, Leo,” he sighed. Aixa was gunshy about telling people what he was. The majority of people didn't know heads or tails about Jinn, but those who did knew how to capture him. And Aixa wasn't keen on being enslaved again. “Do you really think I seem human?” he pouted.

The man held out his hand, and Aixa took it. With a devious smile, he pressed his lips against the fingers. “Nice to mee--” Flashes of fish people, robots that look straight out of Star Wars, corpses, war... and a lost love? Aixa pulled his hand back immediately, his face bright red. “I didn't mean to,” he said quickly. “I'm sorry.”

Even if Leo couldn't tell that Aixa had accidentally stumbled on memories, it was still only polite to apologize.

“I'll make you a deal,” he said quietly. “Tell me what you are, and I'll do the same.”

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Leo saw Aixa look at his own glass, it was still guite full. It is not because he is not interested in it. This Time Lord just has not gotten the grasp of why something alcoholic is something that soothes the nerves. But, it does not hurt to relax every now and then. The Time Lord wrapped his fingers around the glass and lifted it up and took a good gulp of it and set the glass back down. He looked to see Aixa looking to the bartender then looked over at the man behind the counter as well. What is Aixa thinking about? Not that Leo wanted to know, it is rude to barge in and demand what the other person across from you is thinking.

Then he found himself acting rather strangely at the other man's reply to his question, stuttering and struggling on what to say in response, then a smile came across Axia's face and said “But?” Aixa pressed. “Let me guess. Oh, but I don't flirt with other men, or oh, I have a girlfriend or but you aren't my type or...” Aixa finally trailed off.

The Time Lord kind of quietened down, "No I uh.. do not have anyone.. been traveling alone for years." He responded he nodded in agreement, "Yes. It has been a very long day." He grabbed the glass and threw the rest of its contents down his throat and put it down on the table.

Then Aixa was leaning towards him and seemed to say rather coolly, “I'm disappointed, Leo,” Before this Time Lord could respond Aixa followed that up with a, “Do you really think I seem human?” in a pout like tone of voice. The Nomad hesitated with his possible answer and was about to answer but this other man reached over and shook his hand as he held out his hand. Aixa pulled the Time Lords to his.. lips? Then pulled his own hand away rather quickly.

“I didn't mean to,” he said quickly. “I'm sorry.”

The Time Lord looked to him curiously Just what would he be apologizing? Oh.. I see.. he must have got a glimpse of my memories. He will pretend that he does not know what Aixa is apologizing for, "Sorry for what? You have not done anything." He responded.

“I'll make you a deal,” he said quietly. “Tell me what you are, and I'll do the same.”

The Nomad smiled, "You will not believe me even if I told you what I am about to tell you is the truth." He responded quietly, "What if I said that I am a two hundred and fifty-five year old Time Lord and that the moment that I walked in here that I knew you were not a human?" He said quickly, "My name is The Nomad but you may call me Leo. Nothing else." He said with a grin on his face.

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Aixa seemed to have touched a nerve when he lost his temper briefly and began demanding to know why Leo had said 'but'. He looked down at his hands, feeling guilty as the man downed his drink. “Don't worry about it,” he said, trying to sound nonchalant. “You don't have to explain anything to me.” Still, the man looked rather disheartened, and Aixa didn't care for being the reason of that expression. “I mean to say that really, it's fine if you don't... I was just...” he was flustered now. The Djinn heaved a small little sigh and directed his glare out the window.

Still, for as awkward as Leo had sounded when the Djinn called him handsome, he hadn't pulled away when Aixa kissed his hand. Which, of course, could be that Aixa had been embarrassed by the memories that he'd actually touched, and so he had pulled away first. Aixa shifted, putting his chin in his hands and returning his eyes to Leo. He was a very beautiful man – or a beautiful creature; Aixa didn't quite care which.

“Sorry for what? You have not done anything.”

“You don't have to play dumb,” Aixa said, frowning. “You know what I did,” he replied evenly. Then, the corners of his lips flickered back into a smile, and mischievousness lit his eye. “I kissed you,” he explained solemnly, “and I haven't even bought you dinner yet. And for that, my dear, I am extraordinarily sorry.”

“You will not believe me even if I told you what I am about to tell you is the truth.”

Aixa scoffed. “Try me, love.”

“What if I said that I am a two hundred and fifty-five year old Time Lord and that the moment that I walked in here that I knew you were not a human? My name is The Nomad but you may call me Leo. Nothing else.”

The man looked entirely too cheerful for this business, but Aixa returned the grin. “I would say that I believe it. And that I'm a little disappointed I can call you only Leo. But it's a nice name. I rather like lions myself.”

The Djinn glanced down at his hands, knowing that his own species had legends and myths galore. It made it hard, sometimes, for himself to even believe it. “And... what if I told you,” he said quietly, “that I'm at least four times your age, if not more? That I could smell you were different when you walked in? That I've been enslaved and used for what my species is capable of?” Aixa looked around a little nervously, making sure that no one was overhearing this conversation. He looked back to Leo, prepared to make a quick getaway if this Time Lord decided to enslave him.

“A Djinn. What would you say to that, Time Lord?”

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“You don't have to play dumb,” Aixa said, frowning. “You know what I did,” he replied evenly. Then Aixa smiled, “I kissed you,” he explained solemnly,“and I haven't even bought you dinner yet. And for that, my dear, I am extraordinarily sorry.”

Leo blinked a couple times before smiling, "Maybe I like to play dumb at times." He said as he chuckled. He blushed rather lightly, so that kiss was because Aixa likes this Time Lord? This felt strange, it was mostly women that would chase him around, not a man. He decided to just play along, "Well how about some other time you treat me to dinner and we will call it even?" He said with a cheeky grin. Was The Nomad admitting that he too is.. gay? Maybe bisexual? The Time Lord was puzzled by this. He shrugged it off.

“I would say that I believe it. And that I'm a little disappointed I can call you only Leo. But it's a nice name. I rather like lions myself.”

The Time Lord did not know how to respond to that at all, should he be concerned? Happy? The Nomad blinked a couple times again, "Leo is short for Lions?" He said rather dumbfoundedly. He is still not quite used to Earthly languages, "I picked Leo because it sounded... um.. uh.. nice." He said. Leo looked out the window to see the rain was just speeding up in the falls and becoming more violent. The two men will be here for a while longer.

Then Aixa seemed to become a little.. no very nervous, “And... what if I told you,” he said quietly, “that I'm at least four times your age, if not more? That I could smell you were different when you walked in? That I've been enslaved and used for what my species is capable of?” The Time Lord watched as this other man looked around nervously, he had to sympathize though, here was an alien that was thought of only to be a legend.. a myth and here he is admitting that he is of this race.

He leaned over and patted Aixa's hand, "I am not here to enslave anyone.. in fact, I never was a part of the enslavement part of my kind." He leaned back, "You are four times my age? You are old enough to be my dad then." He said with some laughs, "Ah so you were able to tell I was different by my scent? That is impressive." The Time Lord leaned back, he was saddened by what Aixa told him of him being enslaved, "I'm so sorry.. I didn't know."

He shifted in his seat a little to get comfortable, "I have to say that I am very happy to have met you Aixa."

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Aixa smiled a little. Leo was cuter than normal when he blushed. It suited him. “Hmm,” he said, leaning closer. “I suppose playing dumb isn't bad all the time,” he conceded. He looked down at the table, trying not to make Leo feel uncomfortable. He had that affect on people – particularly heterosexual men. But then Leo began to play along, and Aixa looked up sharply. He wasn't able to discern whether the man was serious or if it was just a tease. “That sounds nice,” Aixa replied. “Really nice.” He didn't have much hope – judging from the brief glimpses he had seen, they both had been through some emotionally scarring things.

“Leo is short for Lions?”

His eyes widened a little. “Oh, no,” he assured, putting his hand over Leo's briefly with a wide smile. “It just comes from the Greek for lion,” Aixa explained, putting his hands back in his lap. “I think it sounds nice, too, Leo,” he said, following the Time Lord's stare out the window. “Feel free to say no,” he began tentatively, “but my apartment is around here. You could use my umbrella. I mean, it's just... well, I thought maybe it would be more comfortable there than here,” he muttered, putting his hands back on the table.

“I am not here to enslave anyone...”

Aixa nodded, another small blush creeping on his pale cheeks from Leo resting his hand on Aixa's. “I didn't take you to be a slaver.” Still, he couldn't be too careful. He decided not to mention that he killed his first owner, because it's not something you mention to someone you're trying to court. He blushed when Leo mentioned their age difference. “When you put it like that it sounds creepy,” he said, embarrassed. “I-I don't mean to be. I just think you're very beautiful. Like the Bode's galaxy.”

“I have to say that I am very happy to have met you Aixa.”

Oh, man. This guy was just too precious. The Djinn covered his mouth to cover the goofy smile. “Me too, Leo,” he said.

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“It just comes from the Greek for lion,” Aixa explained, putting his hands back in his lap. “I think it sounds nice, too, Leo,” he said, following the Time Lord's stare out the window. “Feel free to say no,” he began tentatively,“but my apartment is around here. You could use my umbrella. I mean, it's just... well, I thought maybe it would be more comfortable there than here,” he muttered, putting his hands back on the table.

The Time Lord looked at Aixa, his TARDIS was too far of a walk to get to, even a run will prove to be time consuming, and putting himself at risk of an injury that he cannot afford to get, "Sure.. sounds more comfortable than this place." He said as he gestured to their surroundings.

Then at the mentioning of their age differences, a blushed creeped along the other man's face, “When you put it like that it sounds creepy,”[/i' he said, embarrassed.

"I did not mean for it to sound.. creepy or anything.." He paused to think up a word, "That is um.. uh.. oh bugger it! Forgot the word." He said with an embarrassed tone.

“I-I don't mean to be. I just think you're very beautiful. Like the Bode's galaxy.”

The Time Lord blushed darkly, "Uh.. thank you?" He was not sure if that was a compliment or if Aixa was doing it all on purpose.

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Aixa watched as Leo struggled for words. “I was teasing,” he said, putting a hand on Leo's shoulders. “And by the way,” he replied, “it was definitely a compliment. You're beautiful,” he repeated. Maybe he was pushing the boundary about what Leo was comfortable with, but Aixa was never one to be smitten secretly. He had the obnoxious habit of trying his best to sweep men off their feet. It never worked. Aixa wasn't sure it was because he had a unlikable personality, or if he just fell for the wrong type, or if maybe it was because Jinn were meant to live in solitude. (He didn't like to think of the last). Aixa smiled again, removing his hand from Leo's shoulder reluctantly. “I'll be right back.”

He stood, walking back to the part of the bar that he had first seen Leo at. He grabbed his umbrella. Aixa paused at the bar, then leaned over to the bartender. “Thanks.”

With that, he bounced back to Leo. “Come on. You even get umbrella privileges,” he said, twirling the umbrella between his fingers. “Not even Chaucer got to use my umbrella,” he grinned, taking Leo's hand in his own and tugging it. “Hey, I meant to ask you something,” Aixa said, looking at him with head tilted to his side. “Why don't you want me to call you Nomad? Think of all the cute little nicknames. Nommie...”

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“I was teasing,” he said, putting a hand on Leo's shoulders. The Time Lord did not know what on Earth to say at all. “And by the way,” he replied, “it was definitely a compliment. You're beautiful,” he repeated.

The Time Lord stuttered, "Oh? Uh.. Thank you." He finally said. He was not sure if that was what he wanted to say, it just flew out of his mouth without a chance to think about it, "You are gorgeous yourself." He was so shocked at what he said that he looked away as he grabbed his hat and put it on his head and looked back to Aixa.

Again the man smiled and removed his hands from the Time Lord's shoulders, “I'll be right back.”

Leo was not sure if he should be happy or if he should be upset. He found himself with mixed emotions that became more happy when Aixa returned with his umbrella, maybe this was because he now has someone that he can talk to or something.

“Come on. You even get umbrella privileges,” he said, twirling the umbrella between his fingers. “Not even Chaucer got to use my umbrella,” he grinned, taking Leo's hand in his own and tugging it. “Hey, I meant to ask you something,” Aixa said, looking at him with head tilted to his side. “Why don't you want me to call you Nomad? Think of all the cute little nicknames. Nommie...”

The Nomad stuffed his notebook back into his pocket. Then looked to Aixa as he walked back over to him, before he could say anything the other man grabbed his hand and gave him a good tug. He gasped when he was forced onto his feet. He cleared his throat as he straightened his tie, "Oh? Well you are welcome to call me by Nomad.. but no Time Boy Okay?" He said warningly, "I am good with comebacks." He paused at the mention of one of the nicknames, "Uh.. yeah sure." he said, nodding quickly.

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This man was giving out very mixed signals. At the beginning of the conversation, Leo didn't seem very interested at all in Aixa's flirts. Which the Djinn was used to – he'd flirt with a rock if he thought it was pretty. But now Leo was touching his hands and mentioning dinner and telling Aixa that he was so happy they met. Not like Aixa was complaining – he was about to melt into a puddle at the Time Lord's feet. Still, the Djinn was rather confused about where he stood. Still, Aixa didn't want to ask. Leo seemed too shy for that, and Aixa doubted if the Time Lord was aware that he was flirting.

“You are gorgeous yourself.”

Or maybe he knew exactly what he was doing. Aixa's cheeks darkened immediately, because no one had ever called him gorgeous. The most he got was 'cute', and on one occasion 'handsome'. Leo seemed just as flustered by the name, because he didn't make eye contact again until after the hat was back on. Aixa looked at the notepad again, deciding not to ask. If they were personal, he didn't want to seem nosy. And if the weren't, he could just wait until they got back to his apartment.

Gorgeous.

He tugged Leo to his feet, smiling as the Time Lord straightened his tie, appearing flustered. “No Time Boy?” he repeated, pouting playfully. “I wouldn't call you that. I'm not mean,” Aixa replied. “And I won't call you Nommie. Leo's a good name.” Aixa patted Leo's back, then slid his hand through Leo's.

It totally wasn't a romantic gesture. It was just a Djinn leading a Time Lord out through a pub to the darkened roads that were slick with rain through the street to an apartment complex. It wasn't sketchy at all. Aixa put the umbrella in Leo's hands once they were outside the pub under the awning. Aixa let go of Leo's hand – not without some reluctance – and stepped into the rain.

Almost immediately his curly black hair flattened to his skull. “You know what I've never done?” he mused, walking down the sidewalk towards his apartment. “I've never been kissed in the rain. I've heard it's very romantic by the humans. Although, admittedly, I've never been kissed at all. I almost kissed Geoffery Chaucer once, but you know how humans are,” he said, waving a hand dismissively. He shook his head.

“One day, though,” he said cheerfully. “There's someone out there for everyone. What about you, Leo?” Aixa asked, aware that he was about to tread on a sensitive subject. He almost asked about the girl that he saw in the glimpses, but he knew better to ask the guy you were flirting with about an ex. “You can tell me to shut up if my prattling is bothering you. I'm a romantic drunk.”

It was his excuse every time, although Aixa wasn't drunk. It seemed like a good thing to say.

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“No Time Boy?” he repeated, pouting playfully. “I wouldn't call you that. I'm not mean,” Aixa replied. “And I won't call you Nommie. Leo's a good name.” Aixa patted Leo's back, then slid his hand through Leo's.


The Nomad looked down at Aixa's hand that was in his after a somewhat gentle pat on the back, this felt so strange that this Time Lord did not know what to think of it at all. He simply looked back up at Aixa, then they were out the door in the rain again. He looked up at the sky, he smiled and took his hat off and stuffed it into his pocket, "Multi dimensioned pockets." He said looking to Aixa.

“You know what I've never done?” he mused, walking down the sidewalk towards his apartment. “I've never been kissed in the rain. I've heard it's very romantic by the humans. Although, admittedly, I've never been kissed at all. I almost kissed Geoffery Chaucer once, but you know how humans are,” he said, waving a hand dismissively.

The Time Lord followed Aixa along the sidewalk, "No I do not know.." The the man went on talking, "I have not here.. on Gallifrey yes." He shook his head as a memory invaded his mind, his Angel; Thalia and him running through the rain. He looked to Aixa, "Sorry uh.. just tired." He said to make up an excuse.

“One day, though,” he said cheerfully. “There's someone out there for everyone. What about you, Leo?” Aixa asked, “You can tell me to shut up if my prattling is bothering you. I'm a romantic drunk.”

The Time Lord looked at him with pain in his eyes, "I had someone.. she was my angel.." He paused for a moment, "I am not sure if there is anyone else out there for me.. You're not bothering me at all." He said before quieting down.

The Time Lord wished that the subject was not brought up, all those painful memories.. war, love, lost love, death. He wished that he could just wipe those away, but that would risk taking away precious memories.