halfamoon Ficlet #3: Domestic

[jadesfire]

Title: Domestic
Author: jadesfire2808
Words: ~570
Fandom/Character: Doctor Who/Martha Jones
Rating: G
Spoilers: Set between "Last of the Time Lords" and "The Sontaran Strategem"
Notes: With thanks to donutsweeper and rustydog

Summary: Martha Jones. Defender of the Earth.



Domestic

Martha Jones. Defender of the Earth.

Defeated by a jar of cinnamon.

Sighing, Martha began fishing in a drawer, trying to find something to attack the jar's seal with. Her mother had all kinds of other things stuffed into the drawer, from strangely melted spatulas to something that looked like a cross between an egg poacher and a thumbscrew, but the kitchen scissors were nowhere to be found.

This was ridiculous. She'd wanted to get the biscuits made and ready to eat by the time her mother got home from work, and at this rate, she was more likely to end up in casualty with a spice-related injury than anything else.

Settling on one of the smaller knives, she began to carefully peel away the plastic seal, trying not to jerk it too hard. She remembered doing something similar somewhere outside Kampala. The only food had come in sealed packets that were impossible to get into without a sharp knife and a lot of patience. But when it could be your last meal for a few days, it was amazing how patient you could be.

The tiny green ring came loose at last, and she gave a cry of triumph before lobbing it into the bin and turning back to the recipe book. Judging by the time she'd lost, they were going to have to eat the biscuits after dinner, but that was fine. They could have them with coffee, maybe. Put the telly on, put their feet up, that kind of thing. A bit of relaxation was definitely what the doctor ordered.

She kept her mind on that track as she carefully added the cinnamon and began to mix. Her family wasn't anywhere near back to an even keel yet, any more than she was, and they were all taking extra care right now. With the little extra money that had appeared from somewhere (Martha had decided not to try to trace that one back), her mother had booked a cleaner to look after the house, and they mostly lived on take-aways, ready meals and anything that didn't need cooking. Tish made a mean cheese, pickle, and salt and vinegar crisps sandwich, while Martha sometimes felt like she was subsisting on fruit and oatcakes. It couldn't go on forever, but maybe it was what they needed for now.

Or maybe they needed this. Carefully dropping the dough onto the baking tray, Martha slid it into the oven and set the timer. It wouldn't take long before the house filled with the smell, she knew. Her mother had baked all the time when she and Tish were little, and Martha hadn't realised how much she'd missed it.

It only took a few minutes to boil the kettle, and she'd probably earned a cup of tea and a sit down. She had a phone interview tomorrow with some mysterious organisation, and then it would be back to work as usual, hopefully. As much as she'd needed the recovery time – as much as they'd all needed it – there was no way Martha could just stay at home and make cookies forever. Not with what she knew now.

Still, it was hard not to feel at least some smug satisfaction as she curled up on the sofa with her tea and the remote control, and the smell of the biscuits began to waft out from the kitchen.

Martha Jones. Domestic goddess.

Comments

[crystalshard.livejournal.com]

Ahhhhhh.

*snuggles up with story and the imaginary smell of cinnamon biscuits*

This makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. I love how you fitted in bits about the Year that Never Was and how Martha's family are recovering.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

*g* I like fuzzy blanket fics. They're such a joy to write.

Thank you!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_medley_/]

Ooh, I love this, Martha finding satisfaction in domestic, normal things, and the way you've worked in references to the fact that normal isn't normal for any of them any more, but that they're getting there. Lovely, lovely Martha introspection.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

The show can never give enough room to the fall-out from these things - it's what fanfic's for ;)

Thank you!

[rustydog.livejournal.com]

I love the details of what's in the drawer, the little memory of Kampala, and especially the implication that her mom and Tish needed to avoid domestic work, which is so understandable but I'd never thought of it before.

Also, I kind of want to make a cheese, pickle, and salt and vinegar crisps sandwich now. :)

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much :) That was my favourite sandwich when I was little...mmmm.... I'm making myself hungry!

[ticketsonmyself.livejournal.com]

Seconding everything in rustydog's comment! Oh, Joneses.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

*G* Thank you!

[crystalshard.livejournal.com]

Ahhhhhh.

*snuggles up with story and the imaginary smell of cinnamon biscuits*

This makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. I love how you fitted in bits about the Year that Never Was and how Martha's family are recovering.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

*g* I like fuzzy blanket fics. They're such a joy to write.

Thank you!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_medley_/]

Ooh, I love this, Martha finding satisfaction in domestic, normal things, and the way you've worked in references to the fact that normal isn't normal for any of them any more, but that they're getting there. Lovely, lovely Martha introspection.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

The show can never give enough room to the fall-out from these things - it's what fanfic's for ;)

Thank you!

[rustydog.livejournal.com]

I love the details of what's in the drawer, the little memory of Kampala, and especially the implication that her mom and Tish needed to avoid domestic work, which is so understandable but I'd never thought of it before.

Also, I kind of want to make a cheese, pickle, and salt and vinegar crisps sandwich now. :)

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much :) That was my favourite sandwich when I was little...mmmm.... I'm making myself hungry!

[ticketsonmyself.livejournal.com]

Seconding everything in rustydog's comment! Oh, Joneses.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

*G* Thank you!

[aeron-lanart.livejournal.com]

Hadn't seen this, either.

I can almost smell the biscuits cooking! Cinnamon is such a homely comforting smell and I can see how that would be balm to overwrought mind. I had to giggle at the first 2 lines, though the reference to Kampala kind of put that into perspective.

Love it.

And what is really annoying is that I'm allergic to cinnamon and can't wear any smellies that contain it. I just have my house smelling of it instead of myself.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I really wanted that contrast - funny, then a reminder of the deadly serious. I like mood-shifts :)

I adore cinnamon and try to cook with it as much as possible. Just having the smell around is worth it.

[aeron-lanart.livejournal.com]

Hadn't seen this, either.

I can almost smell the biscuits cooking! Cinnamon is such a homely comforting smell and I can see how that would be balm to overwrought mind. I had to giggle at the first 2 lines, though the reference to Kampala kind of put that into perspective.

Love it.

And what is really annoying is that I'm allergic to cinnamon and can't wear any smellies that contain it. I just have my house smelling of it instead of myself.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I really wanted that contrast - funny, then a reminder of the deadly serious. I like mood-shifts :)

I adore cinnamon and try to cook with it as much as possible. Just having the smell around is worth it.

[fish-echo.livejournal.com]

I like this slice of life-- it's one of the 'boring' in-between moments that the show won't ever show (doesn't make good telly, I suppose, for all that it is good life). Now I really want oatcakes, though.