really love how throughout a lot of smith and jones martha is really skeptical and apprehensive towards ten (+ one of my favorite exchanges between them - "what, people call you 'the doctor'?" "yeah?" "well, i'm not. far as i'm concerned, you've got to earn that title."), not taking everything he says at face value, even doubting the fact he's an alien until over halfway through the episode.. And like. i really truly think the thing that wins her over isn't him kissing her or any of the other insane mixed messages he manages to send, it's this scene here, where he /earns that title/ in her eyes:
(+ david's bit in the commentary, where he says: "[the doctor] has actually sacrificed himself, and - i would say, that that final act of selflessness is what finally, eventually, welds martha to him. [...] and she now returns it. she returns that act of selflessness.")
this is what their relationship is built on. it isn't about martha being the second-best replacement to rose or a rebound or whatever. bc it isn't really about rose. it's about doctor-in-training martha meeting someone (quite literally, "the doctor") whose ideals she aspires to, and doing her best to be the same person to him as he is to everyone else. it's about ten in return admiring her intelligence and inquisitiveness and how she cares for human life, recovering his compassion, letting himself lean on her for support - and then remembering at the most inopportune moments that he's supposed to not need anyone and be on his own forever. And around in their little nightmare loop they go where they save each other over and over until one of them breaks
i've seen ppl look at martha and go "why she does she admire/why is she so in love with ten if he acts like that to her?" or something along those lines and like. it's not just the fact she's in love with him (in fact i'd argue she actively tries to push it aside post-gridlock). it's the fact that she knows he's the kind of person to put everyone else's lives/well-being over his own. she trusts him to save her when she's in trouble even though it's been like two days at most that they've known one another bc she recognizes that same "deep all-encompassing drive to help others" in him. and she also recognizes, much much earlier than him, that he needs someone to save him, especially when he's unwilling to save himself. and yeah for a bit she thinks he returns her feelings and is just playing hard-to-get, but she realizes pretty early on that this probably isn't the case, and i think that realization fully solidifies here:
(this is when she's listening to ten talk abt gallifrey). And idk it might just be me but i think this expression isn't just her empathizing with his loss. it's also guilt, for wanting something from him that he's clearly unable to give when he's wracked with so much grief. (and you see it in the next episode, where tallulah asks if they're together and martha says for certain that they're not, and that he doesn't know about her feelings for him. she keeps everything to herself bc she now knows that when he shut her flirting down at the end of 3x01 it was the genuine reaction of someone who a) isn't interested and b) is scared of getting close with someone else again)
freema described their dynamic as "she's keener than him" and i think about this all the time. martha doesn't really take what ten throws at her. what she does instead is constantly poke holes in his already-failing front of "i will show someone the wonders of the universe so i can ignore what is wrong with me". what she does is stand up and fight him when he tries to go off on his own. what she does is put aside her well-being in favor of helping someone - just like what she saw him do for the people in the hospital when they first met. tldr, that's the doctor and his doctor and rip martha you would've loved who's gonna save u now by rina sawayama
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it's so EMBARRASSING how QUICKLY I have started to simp for this man!!!!!!
I need to be LOCKED UP
And the key needs to be THROWN AWAY
There is NO REASON that Johnny Slaughter/Sawyer should be THIS SEXY
He EATS PEOPLE I am going to CRY
There isn't enough fanfics for me to read and i am sufferingkalakdkalwndkwowldmwpxkwkpwmfoekwbd
Someone HELP
I want to[REDACTED] until he [REDACTED]
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“They seemed to like me well enough.”
The orange and black tinted daycare attendant ducks under the larger security bot that hovers around him like a fly, doing more listening than talking, as it usually does.
Nimble fingers slide a couple of double A batteries into one of his newer projects, eyes lighting up as the device whirls to life.
“Did you like them?” The sharp-toothed guardian asks curiously, plucking the buzzing object from his son’s hands with a quizzical gleam in it’s brilliant red eyes.
“Yes, I- hey! Give that back! It’s important!” He jumps in an effort to snatch it back, but it proves futile as his father pulls it out of his reach with ease.
“Oh? And what does it do, exactly?” It’s tone is only mildly interested now, staring into Eclipse’s bright eyes as he stands, silently fuming, by it’s side.
“It distracts the kids so that I can get some cleaning in before closing. Now-“ The jester-themed animatronic leaps for the object once again, only for it to be pulled away like before.
“Can you ask nicely?”
Eclipse pauses, hands balled into fists at his sides. He opens his mouth a few times, biting back much more bitter words before he finds his nicer tones.
“May I please have my prototype back?” He barely manages to keep the annoyed drawl from his voice, lighting up once the device is lowered back into his reach. He snatches it before the older animatronic can play more games.
He steps back to begin working once again, but is stopped in his tracks by his father’s abnormally gentle hand laying onto his shoulder. He pauses, glancing over to it.
“Has your new battery come in yet?”
Eclipse’s face falls into a frustrated frown once he processes the question.
“No. It hasn’t. It’s late, as usual.” He replies bitterly, nudging KC’s hand off of his shoulder so that he can continue his tinkering.
“Then you should charge.”
Eclipse stops once again, slowly looking back to KC’s stern expression. They hold one another’s gazes for a moment before, eventually, Eclipse lets out a heavy sigh.
“You won’t let up until I do, will you?”
As KC shakes his head, Eclipse sets the project back onto his workbench with a last longing glance before he turns towards the door.
Almost as soon as he turns, his father has scooped him up into his arms with a contented hum.
“Hey! I can walk myself, you know!” Eclipse shouts, crossing his arms in a pout as KC lets out an amused chuckle.
“Yes, yes, I understand that you’re a big boy now.” He jests, earning an offended scoff from his son.
“I’ve always been a big boy, you just refuse to see it.” He huffs, settling down in KC’s warm hold despite his sharp words.
“Mhm…does Mr. Howls see it, then?”
Eclipse raises a hand, playfully swatting at his father with a sour expression on his face.
“Mr. Howls helps me connect with the children!” Eclipse snaps. KC gives him a dubious look.
“Since when was a stuffed wolf a child? Next you’re going to say it ‘helps you understand the kids perspectives.’”
Eclipse grumbles to himself, but makes no further attempts at justifying his plush companion.
However, he does tell Mr. Howls all about the woes of dealing with a father like KC before he settles down to charge for the next few hours.
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