#flarch

@flufftober Day 14: Putting down roots Fandom: Doctor Who (Donna Noble & Fourteen) 300 words, G Read all the chapters here

And that's a wrap! This was so fun to do -- I'd love to know which was your favorite (It's so hard to choose but I think mine is Daisies)! Thanks for reading 💙💙

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He didn’t know how, he didn’t know when, but the Doctor knew that eventually, he and his TARDIS would have to reintegrate into the timeline. They would merge with the joyous, apparently well-adjusted, versions of themselves because this current side quest is how they got so well-adjusted in the first place. But all this standing still had made him sentimental. He didn’t want to leave his family with nothing, and so, the Doctor decided to plant a tree.

He was tempted to plant something bold and blue and memorable, but as there was no such tree native to Earth’s ecosystem, it could really cause problems in the long run. So he settled for an ordinary British tree that could thrive for decades. (Of course, it did still bloom quite impressive flowers in the spring.)

He planted it right where the TARDIS stood, locking the sapling away in a secret pocket of space-time where it could grow without being noticed until he left for good. He tended to it in secret because he couldn’t bear to tell any of them he was preparing to leave. Especially not Donna. Especially not Rose.

Still, Donna knew him so well that she was not at all surprised one morning when she found a tree in the place where the TARDIS had been for so many years. A note was tied around the trunk with a blue satin ribbon:

Sorry there wasn’t time for a proper goodbye. Something to remember me by, this time. I’ll never forget you. Thanks for everything. Love, Me.

It was a nice gesture, but Donna scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Always so dramatic!”

The face she knew might be gone, but she would always recognize the Doctor if she saw him.

@flufftober Day 13: "It's still too cold!" - "No it's not" Fandom: Doctor Who (Donna Noble & Rose Temple Noble & Fourteen) 200 words, G Read all the chapters here

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“It’s still too cold,” Donna insisted.

“Oh, go on! It’s perfect!” the Doctor shot back.

“I don’t even like swimming. I’ll just sit here and enjoy the sun. You go.”

The Doctor pulled out his best sad puppy eyes, but Donna had long been immune to that particular tactic. What she wasn’t expecting was the sneak attack when she turned away from him.

“Pleeease, Mum?” Rose begged with her own puppy dog face.

Donna looked between two of the faces she loved most in the universe and knew she was losing. So she changed tactics.

“Last one in is a rotten egg!” she called, running towards the water, as Rose and the Doctor trailed behind. Right at the edge, though, she stopped short as the others rushed past her into the pool.

By the time their soaking wet heads bobbed above the water, Donna was already stretched out on her lounge chair in the sun. “How’s the water?” she smirked as she adjusted her sun hat.

“G-g-great!” Rose replied through chattering teeth.

“It’s p-p-perfect, the Doctor agreed.

@flufftober Day 12: Claiming, Clingy, Possessive Fandom: Doctor Who (Donna Noble & Fourteen) 100 words, G Read all the chapters here

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@flufftober Day 11: Enjoying the fresh air Fandom: Doctor Who (Rose Temple Noble & Fourteen) 100 words, G Read all the chapters here

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The Doctor promised Donna that he was done taking Rose for joy rides in the TARDIS. He even meant it when he said it.

But then Rose came home from a particularly difficult day and she’d looked at him with those big sad eyes and, well, the Doctor really couldn’t deny his favorite niece anything.

That’s how they wound up sitting on top of the TARDIS, with the hot winds of Venus ruffling their hair.

@flufftober Day 10: Iced Beverages Fandom: Doctor Who (Donna Noble & Fourteen) 200 words, G Read all the chapters here

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The Doctor was learning to enjoy the little things in life - things he had never taken the time to notice before - like the subtle changes in human behavior that went along with the changing of the seasons. For instance, as the weather grew warmer, he noticed that more people emerged from coffee shops with iced beverages rather than insulated cups of hot tea or coffee.

Always game for new experiences, the Doctor decided to give it a try. He quickly decided that he preferred his tea hot. But there was something so satisfying about crunching down on the ice cubes. Even if it made his teeth hurt sometimes. Even if it made Donna crazy all of the time.

“Oh, go crunch your ice in the TARDIS, would you?” she would grumble.

“Well I could, but I prefer to be here with you,” the Doctor always replied with an expression of pure innocence, batting his lashes coquettishly.

@flufftober Day 9: Daisies Fandom: Doctor Who (Donna Noble & Fourteen & Wilfred Mott) 300 words, G Read all the chapters here

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Donna could hear it as soon as she got out of the car: two voices raucously singing not quite in unison.

“Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer, do!”

Donna rolled her eyes but smiled indulgently. This wouldn’t be the first time she came home from work to find Grandad and the Doctor singing around the piano, probably more than halfway into a bottle of whiskey too. She enjoyed them like this, except that they always seemed to get inspiration for such activities when Donna has had a particularly long day. Bonus points for days like today when she had a splitting headache.

She pushed through the door, just as they were reaching the big finish.

“On a bicycle built for twooooooo!”

They congratulated themselves on a job well done and the Doctor turned to pour them each another shot of whiskey when he realized they were no longer alone in the house. An even wider grin spread across his face as he pulled down a third shot glass.

“Donna! It’s Donna!” The Doctor exclaimed, “Oi, Earth Girl! Come sing with us!”

“Oh, I don’t know… it’s been a long day…” Donna trailed off as the Doctor waved a shot of whiskey under her nose. “OK, fine!" she acquiesced easily, grabbing the shot and tossing it back without thinking twice.

“Donna!” Wilfred gasped, feigning shock at her quick reversal. But he had already had too much whiskey to keep that up and he broke into a cheeky smile. “That’s my girl!”

Another round of shots for everyone and they were back to the piano. The Doctor seated at the keys with Donna and Wilfred off to the side, Donna’s arm draped over Wilf’s shoulder and his around her waist.

@flufftober Day 8: Breakfast in Bed Fandom: Doctor Who (Donna Noble/ Shaun Temple) 300 words, G Read all the chapters here

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Shaun tiptoed into the bedroom, balancing a breakfast tray in one hand while easing the door closed with the other. He placed the tray on the bed side table and slid back into bed with his wife. She wasn’t exactly a morning person, but lately it had been difficult to get her alone and if he wanted to celebrate their anniversary in private, it would have to be now.

“Donna,” he whispered, kissing her ear. He continued to kiss a path down her jaw to her lips where she met him with something between a kiss and a groan. “Good morning, sweetheart. Rise and shine,” he teased softly.

“G’morning. Time?” she grumbled, eyes still closed, although she was smiling.

Shaun ignored the question and instead replied, “I made breakfast… and we’re all alone,” he added suggestively. 

Donna stretched and opened one eye to look at her doting husband. “Doctor,” she reminded him warily. 

“I drugged him,” Shaun whispered playfully and leaned in to kiss her again.

“You what?!” Donna exclaimed in a panic, shooting straight up in bed and knocking Shaun sideways.

Shaun recovered his balance in time to rest both hands on her shoulders and keep her from running out of the room. “Hey, it was a joke,” he reassured her. “He took Rose for a long brunch. For our anniversary.”

“Oh,” Donna said sheepishly. 

“Oh! It’s our anniversary! Oh, happy anniversary, my darling!” she exclaimed, planting a big wet kiss right on his lips. “How did I ever get so lucky?” she asked, snuggling into his side as Shaun settled them back against the headboard.

“Oh no, I’m the lucky one,” Shaun insisted, and lifted the tray to rest across their laps. “Coffee?”

@flufftober Day 7: Giving someone a present Fandom: Doctor Who (Donna & Fourteen) 100 words, G Read all the chapters here

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No one really knew how long the Doctor would be staying, so the Noble-Temple family decided to have Christmas in April. Yes, usually it would be in December, or July in a pinch. But they wanted to be sure he got to see what Christmas is like when you’re part of a family.