Author Notes: Second response to weekly drabble challenge #47 at lj user= "doctor_donna" with prompt word boiling. Also, response to prompt word frisk because apparently I need to prove to myself that different people can do different things with the same prompt word (it's like we've never met). Dedicated to the darling lj user="Katherine_B" for the inspiration :D Thanks as always to the endlessly patient lj user="time_converges" for the beta, and for very sage advice on other things too.
"Is it hot in here?" Donna asked, pulling at the lapels of her blouse.
"It's a machine room and the machine in questions is overheating, and it is about to get a lot worse if I can't get the circuitry online. These old cranks and gears are giving out. I need the Ewohb knob."
Donna undid the top buttons of her blouse and fanned herself. The Doctor quickly averted his eyes, trying to focus on repairing the complex apparatus above his head.
"Do you have one of those then? A knob?" she asked, casually.
He swallowed. "Uh yes, it's in my pocket, it's an attachment for the sonic screwdriver. Can you get it for me? I can't let go."
"Which pocket?" she asked, her voice higher pitched than usual.
"Um… the jacket breast pocket?" he guessed, not sounding very convincing.
Donna reached up and felt around inside his jacket, her other hand coming up to rest on his chest to steady herself.
"It's deep!" she said, surprised, going up on her tiptoes as more of her arm disappeared inside his jacket. The Doctor adjusted his position slightly and felt her soft hair brush against his neck.
"No, wait, I think it's in my trousers, left side." He tilted his head and looked apologetic as Donna stepped back and stared at him.
"I'm not going fishing around in there, goodness know what I'd find!"
"Donnaaaa! Please! I can't let go of the Ehowb mechanism or the circuit will break and we won't be able to stop the overheating! Think of all those poor people out there, waiting for us to help them. You know I wouldn't ask you to do this, if there was any other way. I guess if you are too uncomfortable with going there—"
"Oh shut it," she muttered crossly, moving her hands to his trousers with a frown. She very carefully slid one hand inside the pocket, wearing a look on her face as if she thought something might bite her.
"There's nothing in there that can harm you, you know," he offered helpfully and she silenced him with a look. Tentatively plunging deeper she started pulling out all manner of objects.
"Faster, Donna, think of the—"
"So help me, Spaceman, if you tell me to think of the children while I'm fiddling about down the front of your trousers…"
He couldn't help but smile, seeing her blush.
"Actually, I was going to say—"
"Don't want to hear it, I'm concentrating."
He yelped suddenly. "Hands!"
"You wish, Spaceman," she rejoined, but her blush was much deeper now and she dropped her eyes.
"Actually, Donna…"
"What?"
"I think it might be in the right side pocket instead."
She gave him a withering glare. "Is there even such a thing as an Ewok hobnob or is this just a ploy to get me plucking your alien bananas?" she asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.
He was about to protest that there was very much such a thing as an ewohb knob when her eyes went wide and then she did indeed produce a banana out of his pocket. She tossed it aside, the look on her face indescribable.
"Hey! That's a perfectly good banana! And a very non-alien-looking banana too," he added, eyeing her speculatively.
"Shut up," she mumbled, switching pockets. She was trying for a no-nonsense approach but it was rapidly failing. The Doctor could see her breathing faster than usual, tendrils of her hair curling in the damp heat.
"Oh! Donna!" he exclaimed with a whoop.
She pulled her hands away quickly. "What?" she squeaked.
"That's it! You found it! Oh, you're brilliant! Now help me insert it."
"That little thing?!"
He nodded exuberantly.
Recovering herself Donna lifted the attachment from the ground where she had just discarded it in an attempt to efficiently empty his pockets. It was a lumpy unassuming metallic hoop; she tried with shaking fingers to fit it onto the sonic screwdriver. In the end the Doctor had her hold up the contraption while he worked the circuitry and in moments the machine hummed into life. The Doctor let out another delighted yell and leaned over to give Donna a quick peck on the cheek before he could think better of it. She gave him a small, slightly embarrassed smile in return.
Together they slowly lowered their hands from the now-secured apparatus and stared at each other, the heavy cogs and gears grinding together in the background.
"Thanks for… uh, your help," he gestured vaguely at his pockets. "You were right, Donna," he added, loosening his collar. "It is awfully hot in here."
"Mmm… boiling," she agreed, and reached up to help him undo his tie.