It's a strange feeling, having a bullet lodged in your insides. It's mildly familiar— they've been shot before throughout their lives, but this is the first time it's ever happened to them in this body. The Qhaadrin— the native species of this planet— that shot them had gotten a verbal lashing from their commander once the Doctor, who had stepped between them and Donna just in time to take the bullet for her, brought up the Shadow Proclamation.

And now they'd begun the long trudge back to the TARDIS, with Donna blubbering by their side, fussing over them. Their hand is pressed firmly against their wound, and they groan— they'd really liked this suit! At least they weren't wearing their favorite coat, and even better still, they can tell that their injury isn't fatal. Thank gods for that 'cause they sure as hell aren't ready to change just yet.

"Donna." They groan, stumbling alongside her as deep orange blood seeps through their fingers, soaking their suit. Every single movement they make sends red-hot pain crackling outwards from the hole in their abdomen, blurring their vision. They have to grip onto Donna for support, because if they didn't, they'd surely fall. "It's not... your fault, you just... you didn't know... and... that guy... he was way too trigger-happy! What a... letdown!" They're trying to cheer her up, forcing a smile onto their face because all they want is for her to calm down.

"We just... need to get back... to the TARDIS. I'm not dying, if that's what... you think! We just need... to get this bullet... out of me, 'n then... then I'll heal... right up."

head  falls  for  a  passing  moment  ,  it's  only  raised  again  to  pull  air  into  her  lung  with  taking  a  deep  breath.  eye  lids  blink  tears  away  as  she  continues  to  listen  to  @isbrilliant  ,  lips  only  part  once  she's  finished. 

❛  she  -  the  doctor  .  .  .  .  ❜  a  pause  ,  correcting  herself.  ❛  -  doesn't  owe  me  anything.  i'm  glad  they  are  happy.  i  knew  they'd  be.  ❜  lips  curl  inward  an  attempt  to  keep  her  composure  solid.  but  it  felt  like  it  would  crumble  like  an  aged  stone  wall  unwilling  to  stay  structured.

❛  i  just  -  ❜  she  starts  ,  biting  into  her  lower  lip.  ❛  -the  doctor  meant  a  lot  to  me  &  those  feelings  are  still  there  .  .  .  &  it's  hard.  ❜  the  admittance  is  difficult  to  force  out  but  she  owed  herself  that  ,  she  had  to  say  it  out  loud. 

"oh, you absolutely are!"

which, frankly, the doctor can't blame donna for. thirteen is currently soaking wet in a substance that's questionable at best, looking every inch a drowned rat as she stands in the doorway to the tardis. this isn't the location she intended, but it's where the tardis has brought her after a particularly nasty encounter with a species of alien that . . . well, she's still not sure what they were or what to call them, and frankly she's still processing them.

i’ve been in a trash mood lately, so to bring myself out of it, i’m sending out love and positivity to the amazing people i write with and interact with every single day. i have so many talented and incredible people that i write with, so i’m going to do shoutouts to people that especially brighten my day.

this shoutout goes to @lovehoned / @isbrilliant !

"I promise, this isn't how it looks." The creature held firmly in her hands is wriggling and snarling. It's definitely alien, and definitely unhappy about having been caught. She grimaces as it tries to make a break for it. She's completely unperturbed that she's definitely broken into somewhere. "Honestly, you don't need to worry. It's like a pest. Consider me pest control. I'll be off in a minute."