Sorry – this developed a plot and so is a bit longer than a drabble. Um, 415 words longer than a drabble, actually, but hope you enjoy anyway.
I'll try and get the other one done in 100 words :)
Downtime
"Can we keep it?" Martha looked up hopefully, without letting go of the little creature.
"Him, technically," the Doctor corrected, "and no, I'm sorry. But hang onto him while we're here. I think he likes you."
Once they were out of earshot, wandering through the dense forest, Jack raised an eyebrow. "You didn't tell her."
"What?"
"That those creatures, the Greffin, only live for a planetary rotation. That's what? Twelve Earth hours?"
"About that." The Doctor stopped their wandering, looking back towards the clearing where the TARDIS had landed. Martha was still sitting on the ground, stroking the soft, pink fur and mimicking the chirruping that the Greffin was making. He just hoped it wasn't a mating call. "Do you want to tell her?"
Jack was also watching, with a smile that was so unlike his usual broad grin that he almost looked like a different man. "No, I guess not."
"We'll have to leave before the suns get too hot, anyway. Let her have some fun. There's been little enough of that lately."
"Yeah."
They walked a little further in companionable silence, until the Doctor stirred himself. "And you, Jack, how are you going to have fun while we're here? Clean answers only, please," he added quickly, seeing Jack's face.
Laughing a little, Jack shrugged. "It's pretty quiet here." He tipped his head back, closing his eyes as he lifted his face to the light and took a deep breath. "Guess I'll just enjoy it while it lasts."
"That sounds a bit-"
"What?"
"Well, dull, for you. Isn't it? Thought you'd be asking where the nearest town, nightclub or sentient lifeform could be found."
"Been there, done that. Gets old after a while." He laughed again. "Kind of like me."
"Nah, you're just a kid, compared to me at least. Take your time and enjoy it."
"I intend to."
They stopped by a shallow, fast-moving river, watching the surface glitter under the twin suns. Easing himself down onto the grass, Jack leant back on his elbows and gave a deep, satisfied sigh.
"Lovely."
Still on his feet, the Doctor prodded the grass with the toe of his shoe. "You're disappointing me here, Jack. There's me thinking that you're going to be running off, looking for adventure, excitement and danger, and here's you, sitting and sunbathing."
"Sorry," Jack said, not sounding at all apologetic. After another moment, he sat up again. "Of course," he went on, starting to undo his shirt buttons, "there's sunbathing. And then there's sunbathing."
The Doctor grinned. "Nice to know some things don't change. I'll go warn Martha."
"Don't bother on my account," Jack called after him.
"I'm not!" The Doctor shouted back, still smiling to himself as he made his way back to the clearing. He was fairly sure that Martha wasn't prudish, any more than he was, but there were occasions when Jack made Mata Hari look like a nun and he could take a bit of getting used to. Whichever way Martha reacted, it looked like their brief stay here was going to be fun after all.
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Date: 2007-06-20 03:59 pm (UTC)I'll try and get the other one done in 100 words :)
Downtime
"Can we keep it?" Martha looked up hopefully, without letting go of the little creature.
"Him, technically," the Doctor corrected, "and no, I'm sorry. But hang onto him while we're here. I think he likes you."
Once they were out of earshot, wandering through the dense forest, Jack raised an eyebrow. "You didn't tell her."
"What?"
"That those creatures, the Greffin, only live for a planetary rotation. That's what? Twelve Earth hours?"
"About that." The Doctor stopped their wandering, looking back towards the clearing where the TARDIS had landed. Martha was still sitting on the ground, stroking the soft, pink fur and mimicking the chirruping that the Greffin was making. He just hoped it wasn't a mating call. "Do you want to tell her?"
Jack was also watching, with a smile that was so unlike his usual broad grin that he almost looked like a different man. "No, I guess not."
"We'll have to leave before the suns get too hot, anyway. Let her have some fun. There's been little enough of that lately."
"Yeah."
They walked a little further in companionable silence, until the Doctor stirred himself. "And you, Jack, how are you going to have fun while we're here? Clean answers only, please," he added quickly, seeing Jack's face.
Laughing a little, Jack shrugged. "It's pretty quiet here." He tipped his head back, closing his eyes as he lifted his face to the light and took a deep breath. "Guess I'll just enjoy it while it lasts."
"That sounds a bit-"
"What?"
"Well, dull, for you. Isn't it? Thought you'd be asking where the nearest town, nightclub or sentient lifeform could be found."
"Been there, done that. Gets old after a while." He laughed again. "Kind of like me."
"Nah, you're just a kid, compared to me at least. Take your time and enjoy it."
"I intend to."
They stopped by a shallow, fast-moving river, watching the surface glitter under the twin suns. Easing himself down onto the grass, Jack leant back on his elbows and gave a deep, satisfied sigh.
"Lovely."
Still on his feet, the Doctor prodded the grass with the toe of his shoe. "You're disappointing me here, Jack. There's me thinking that you're going to be running off, looking for adventure, excitement and danger, and here's you, sitting and sunbathing."
"Sorry," Jack said, not sounding at all apologetic. After another moment, he sat up again. "Of course," he went on, starting to undo his shirt buttons, "there's sunbathing. And then there's sunbathing."
The Doctor grinned. "Nice to know some things don't change. I'll go warn Martha."
"Don't bother on my account," Jack called after him.
"I'm not!" The Doctor shouted back, still smiling to himself as he made his way back to the clearing. He was fairly sure that Martha wasn't prudish, any more than he was, but there were occasions when Jack made Mata Hari look like a nun and he could take a bit of getting used to. Whichever way Martha reacted, it looked like their brief stay here was going to be fun after all.