Title: This Charming Man
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Tenth Doctor/Bob Melnikov
Fandom: Doctor Who/ReGenesis
Rating: PG
Table: 5, sound_of_drums
Prompt: 38, Charm
Disclaimer: This is entirely a product of my imagination, and I make no profit from it. I do not own the Tenth Doctor or Bob Melnikov. Please do not sue.

***

The Doctor hurried down the street, glancing up at the sky. It looked as though it might rain at any moment, and he didn't want to get caught in a torrential downpour. He hated when that happened -- getting soaked to the skin on a cold day wasn't pleasant.

And, of course, he was just as susceptible to the common cold as a human being was. It was a bit strange, he thought, a small smile quirking his lips, that no scientist in the universe had ever managed to come up with a cure for that particular nuisance.

Oh no -- it was starting to rain. The Doctor squinted ahead of him, spying a recessed doorway only a few feet ahead of him. He could manage to squeeze his thin frame into that for a short time, he was sure. At least it would afford some cover.

Sprinting ahead, he ducked into the doorway -- bumping into another man who'd been heading in the other direction, obviously having the same idea as he'd had.

The Doctor let out a sharp gasp, putting out a hand to steady himself against the brick wall. The other man grasped his hand and pulled him into the shelter of the doorway, under the awning, away from the people who were rushing about on the sidewalk.

"I'm sorry," his rescuer apologized in a soft, almost hesitant voice. "I didn't mean to bump into you -- but it was kind of unavoidable. I'm afraid that I wasn't looking where I was going. I hope I didn't give you any unnecessary bruises."

The Doctor shook his head, his dark eyes taking in the tall, slender man standing next to him. He was certainly good-looking; curly dark hair, long-lashed dark eyes, a mouth that the Doctor could definitely see himself kissing if he had the chance.

He broke away from his contemplation of the man's handsome features, forcing that last thought firmly from his mind. He shouldn't be thinking like that about a complete stranger -- albeit an incredibly attractive one.

Was that a slight Russian accent? His brow wrinkled as he tried to place the pattern of speech; he could swear that this man wasn't from Toronto. But the sound of his voice didn't fit into any established sequence that the Doctor could remember.

He decided to take the direct approach. "Is that a Russian accent I hear?" he asked, smiling at the man. "And no, I'm not bruised. And not too wet either, thanks to you."

A smile broke over the other man's features, making him look more attractive than ever. The Doctor's breath almost caught in his throat; when this man smiled, he was transformed. It was hard to look away from that smile ....

As though he was suddenly remembering the protocol of good manners, the other man held out a hand to the Doctor. "I should introduce myself. I'm Bob. Bob Melnikov," he said, his voice still sounding soft and halting. "And yes, the accent is Russian."

"I'm the Doctor," he replied, taking Bob's hand and shaking it. He found himself not wanting to let go; it was with great reluctance that he released his grip. There was something about Bob that was drawing him in, making him want to be closer to the other man.

"Doctor?" Bob's brow had wrinkled in concentration; he looked as though he was going over a list in his mind. "I don't recall any British doctors here in Toronto." He looked confused, as though he'd been given a particularly convoluted problem to unravel.

"Errr .... John Smith," the Doctor hastened to reply, cursing himself for that momentary slip. "No, I'm not from Toronto. I'm just .... errr .... on vacation. Though I don't seem to have picked a good time to take in the sights," he added, surveying the downpour.

Bob's confusion had apparently cleared up with the Doctor's words; he smiled again, peering out of their refuge at the falling curtain of rain.

"Oh! I thought you might live here ...." Bob's voice trailed off; he actually looked disappointed to find that the Doctor wasn't a resident of the city. The Time Lord couldn't help but smile at the look on the other man's face.

"I don't, but I'll be here for .... quite a while," he found himself saying, though he'd originally had no plans to stay in Toronto longer than a day or two. He was rewarded by seeing Bob's expression brighten; this man certainly didn't hide his emotions.

"Do you have business here in Toronto?" That question should have put the Doctor on his guard, but for some odd reason, it didn't. He didn't feel as though Bob was trying to pry; he just seemed genuinely interested.

The Doctor shook his head, deciding that the best way to avoid questions was to try to make his answers to any that came his way as innocuous as possible. "No, I'm just here to .... relax. I'd never been here before, and it seemed as good a place as any."

Bob nodded at his words, smiling again and leaning against the brick wall. "If you need anyone to show you around the city, I'll gladly offer my services." A blush crept into his cheeks as he spoke, and he looked confused again. "I mean .... I ...."

It was the Doctor's turn to smile; Bob was utterly charming, he had to admit. And he was awfully cute when he was embarrassed.

"It would be lovely to have a guide to the city," he said softly, wanting to take Bob's hand in his own but not knowing just how the other man might react to that. It seemed that Bob was flirting with him, but he wasn't entirely sure.

He was made sure of it a few seconds later. "Are you busy tonight?" Bob asked him, his voice still soft, that slight accent more pronounced now. The Doctor was fairly sure that he could sense a tremor in the soft timbre of that voice.

"Not at all," he replied with a smile, resisting the urge to reach out and take Bob's hand in his own. It was hard to keep himself from touching the other man. "Well, I wasn't -- but I have the feeling that I'm going to be spending the evening with you."

That smile flashed at him again; he could feel himself responding to it, wanting to move closer to Bob, even though they were standing less than a foot apart. What exactly was it about this man that he found so attractive?

Maybe it was just that Bob seemed so disingenuous; there was a sort of innocence about him that was enormously appealing. Added to the fact that he was incredibly attractive, and that was more than enough to pique the Doctor's interest.

"I wouldn't normally do this," Bob said softly, his voice sounding hesitant again. "I'm .... not very good in social situations."

"You seem to be doing just fine so far," the Doctor told him, wondering if Bob meant for him to infer something from those words. He'd have to ask more questions when they saw each other later -- subtly, of course, so he didn't offend the other man or seem to be prying.

Bob looked at his watch, a look of consternation passing over his features. "I have to get back to work," he said, looking at the Doctor regretfully. "But I'll meet you tonight -- wherever you'd like to meet. What hotel are you staying in?"

The Doctor looked around them, feeling a bit at a loss for words. There was no way that he could explain to this man that he wasn't staying in a hotel -- but in his ship that traveled through time and space. That would no doubt send Bob running in the other direction.

"Why don't we meet in that coffee shop?" he finally managed to say, pointing to the café across the street from where they were standing.

Bob looked in the direction the Doctor was pointing in, nodding as he turned back to the Time Lord. "All right, I'll see you there at .... would six o'clock be all right?" He was blushing again as he asked, his nervousness almost palpable.

"Yes, I'll see you then." The Doctor was almost tempted to step forward and give Bob a hug; he wanted to tell the other man that there was nothing to be nervous about. But he didn't dare; that would have to wait until they knew each other better.

"See you tonight," Bob murmured, stepping away from the safety of the awning and out onto the sidewalk. He headed off in the direction of a large building, turning before he crossed the street to smile and wave to the Doctor.

The Doctor couldn't keep back a smile, raising his own hand and waving to Bob. Suddenly, he found himself feeling that six o'clock couldn't arrive quickly enough.

***

Next story in series - Light Up the Room.