Title: Children of the Night
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Tenth Doctor/Mick St. John
Fandom: Doctor Who/Moonlight
Rating: PG-13
Table: 100_situations
Prompt: 76, Night
Disclaimer: This is entirely a product of my own imagination, and I make no profit from it. I do not own the lovely Tenth Doctor or Mick St. John, just borrowing them for a while. Please do not sue.

***

Mick sighed as he looked out of the Tardis at the night sky, his gaze roaming over the stars about them, then dropping to take in the city street. The Doctor stood at his side, though he was watching Mick more closely than the darkness around them.

He wondered why Mick seemed to look at the night with such reluctance to step out into it -- after all, he'd always heard that vampires were creatures of the night, even though Mick had told him that most of the old myths about them weren't true.

Mick had explained that vampires could walk in sunlight, though it made them weak; the Doctor woudl have thought that Mick would welcome the night, and look at it as a sort of blanket that he could wrap himself in, much more so than the daylight.

But Mick seemed to be looking at the darkness with distaste, as though he didn't want to step out of the warmth and safety of the Tardis to embrace the night. That was a strange attitude for one of Mick's race to take, or so the Time Lord thought.

"Is something wrong, Mick?" he asked softly, bringing the other man out of his reverie. Mick jerked his head to face the Doctor, his eyes widening for a moment before that mask of calm slipped back over his features and he shook his head.

"No, I guess not ...." His voice trailed off before he looked down and sighed, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "Yeah, maybe there is," he confessed, not looking up. "I've got a kind of love/hate relationship with the night. Always have."

"I'm surprised at that," the Doctor told him, raising an eyebrow. "I'd always thought that vampires would love the night and feel safe in it. I know that a lot of the old stories about your race aren't true, but is that another supposition that I should throw out of the window?"

Mick laughed ruefully, shaking his head. "I don't know, really. There are a lot of vampires who love the night and hate going out in the daytime, even though they can. I guess it's more of a personal preference with us. I just hate being resigned to living in the night."

"Have you always felt that way? I mean, ever since you were turned?" The Doctor wanted to keep any trace of pity from showing in his voice; that wasn't what Mick needed. But he coudln't imagine what it must be like to feel chained to the darkness, in a way.

"I did at first," Mick said, his voice soft. "I've learned to live with it over the years, but I don't think I'll ever feel completely comfortable with knowing that I'm a creature of the night. Even though a lot of people would think that's romantic, it's not all that it's cracked up to be."

"What's the quote from the Dracula movie?" the Doctor asked, wrinkling his brow as he tried to think of the correct words. "'The children of the night -- what sweet music they make.'" He cocked an eyebrow at Mick, trying to lighten the mood. "I've always liked that."

"My existence is a long way from a movie, Doctor." Mick's voice was still rueful, a sigh almost coming through in his words. "It's not all that romantic, really. It's just a matter of survival. And it can get pretty depressing to realize that this life is forever."

"But it's better than being gone, isn't it?" the Time Lord asked him, keeping his voice soft and gentle. "If you weren't here, then we would never have met -- and I think that I'd have missed out on an amazing person if I hadn't run into you."

Mick looked up at that, his gaze meeting the Doctor's as the two men shared a smile. "I guess you're right about that," he conceded with another smile. "How is it that you always know the right thing to say, just when I need to hear it?"

"You haven't known me that long, and you're already thinking that about me?" The Doctor laughed, a slight blush spreading over his face. "Wait until you've known me a bit longer, Mick. I don't always say the right thing. Sometimes I can put my foot squarely into my mouth."

"I can think of other things I'd like you to have in your mouth," Mick muttered under his breath. He looked up quickly, gasping as though he hadn't meant to say those words -- and hadn't wanted the Doctor to hear them. But they'd been said; it was too late to take them back.

"Really?" The Doctor had perked up at those words; his dark eyes widened, a smile starting to grow. "I'd been thinking the same thing about you, you know," he said softly, his gaze fastening on Mick's face. "I think it's about time we discussed things like that."

"I wouldn't have thought you'd want me," Mick murmured, looking away from the Time Lord and studying the darkness again. "I'm not exactly what you'd call great boyfriend material. I have to drink blood to stay alive. That's enough to put most people off a relationship."

"I'd .... wanted to ask you about that," the Doctor murmured, unsure of how to bring the subject up. "I'd gladly give you some of my blood if you need it, Mick -- but I don't know if my blood would be something that you could live on, since I'm only half-human."

Mick sighed, shaking his head again. "I don't know either, Doctor," he said, his voice quiet. "I hope that I won't have to drink your blood. It won't turn you into a vampire -- you know that. But I don't want to do it at all. I'd feel like I was taking advantage of you if I did."

"You may not want to drink my blood, but -- would you want to do .... other things?" the Doctor said softly, swallowing hard. This might not be the best time to bring up his desire for the man standing here beside him, but he was going to do it anyway.

"If you're trying to ask me if I want you, the answer is yes," Mick told him bluntly. He reached out to take the Doctor's hands in his own, bringing the Time Lord closer to him. The Doctor could feel his hearts speed up, beating erratically in his chest.

"Yes, that's what I was trying to ask," he replied, his throat dry. "I suppose that makes it pretty obvious that I want you, doesn't it?" He was trying to keep his tone light, but he knew that he'd failed when Mick looked at him with a serious expression on his face.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" he said quietly, his voice a mere whisper. "A relationship with a man who's something most people would cringe from? A creature that needs blood to live? Somebody who's most comfortable in the dark, at night?"

"I can live with that," the Doctor told him, his voice still soft. "I knew that I wanted you from the first, Mick, before I knew what you are. And what you are doesn't really bother me. Besides, are you sure that I'm what you want? I'm an alien, after all."

Mick shrugged, giving the Doctor another rueful smile. "Why shouldn't I want you? You might not be human, but neither am I. Seems to me that we're a pretty good match. I just .... can't help wondering if you could do better. I'm pretty damn sure you could."

"We're both children of the night, in a way," the Doctor said, squeezing Mick's hand. "I can't exactly tell everyone what I am, either, Mick. So I think we're well-suited for each other. That is -- if you're sure that you want to be with me."

"Oh, I'm sure," Mick said, his gaze riveted on the Doctor's face. "I've known that from the first time I saw you. I'd have struck up a conversation with you anyway -- but it didn't hurt that you're one of the most gorgeous men I've ever seen."

"Then I don't think there's anything left to talk about." The Time Lord hesitated, sweeping an arm out at the velvety darkness of the night that surrounded them. "Since we're both children of the night, would you like to go out for a walk in the dark to celebrate our new .... understanding?"

Mick shook his head, sliding both arms around the Time Lord and pulling him close. "No, I don't think so. I'd rather take you back to your bedroom and make love to you all night," he whispered, his voice husky and ragged in the Doctor's ear.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea to me," the Doctor whispered, raising his hands to stroke them through Mick's hair. "The night doesn't hold any great fascination for me anyway -- unless you're in it," he added with a smile, looking into the other man's eyes.

Mick's mouth came down on his a moment later, and the need for any words was swept away. The two of them stepped away from the door, the Doctor closing and locking it securely behind them before taking Mick's hand and leading him towards the corridor that led to his bedroom.

***

Next story in series - Every Night and Day.