When Clara awoke, it was neither to piercing blaring her alarm clock emitted, nor the soft sound of her mobile's ringtone. Her regular routine was always full of an uneventful awakening each morning, whether by her own choice of a set alarm time or Danny Pink calling to wish her good morning.
But no, this sound was different. A repeated, consistent sound of knuckles rapping on wood. With a sigh, she rolled over and peered at the clock. Who would be here at 3 a.m.?
The flat was quite cold, being the dead of winter and Clara's love for cooler temperatures, so she kept the duvet wrapped tightly around her shoulders as she pressed her bare feet to the floor. Hauling herself up, she reluctantly shuffled to the front door. But just as she was reaching for the handle, the hinges creaked and the door flew open on its own accord. Through the disheveled hair falling over her eyes and her sleepiness-induced hazy vision, she made out the the tall, lanky figure of a certain grey-haired stick insect.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" She muttered in the middle of a yawn. "I told you. Daytime only. Us human beings need their sleep."
But his gaze seemed to be only halfway truly fixed on her. Clara now noticed the fairly large jacket bundled around his shoulders, and there was a blue tint to his lips.
"Clara, have you noticed how freezing it is?!"
She stared at him with a dumbfounded expression, tilting her head to the side. "Yes...yes, Doctor. It's winter. I've noticed."
"But its actually, properly, freezing! Even the TARDIS can't get warm enough!" He complained, leaning against the doorframe.
"Doctor, what do you want?" Clara rubbed her eyes and awaited the inevitable.
"Oh, nothing." He protested. "I simply wished to inform you on the decreased temperature on this silly Earth of yours." He said matter-of-factly.
Clara bit her lip with a slight giggle, turning slightly sideways with a little jerk of her head. "C'mon in."
The Doctor gaze was unreadable for a moment, flicking from Clara, to the living room, and back again. With a sigh and an inward shrug, he permitted himself to step inside. "It's cold in here, too! What is it with humans?"
"Hey, I for one actually enjoy the cold." She muttered, shooting him a glare before making her way to the kitchen.
"What kind of idiot enjoys the cold?" He let out a little scoff during his downfall to the plushness of the sofa.
Clara returned moments later, two cups of warm, steaming tea in hand. The Doctor gave no more than a little huff of thanks, already feeling the warmth of hot vapor against his palms heating his body. He tried to ignore the lingering presence to his left, as well as the slurping noises and little hums of delight she emitted. It was a bit awkward, bit intimate, he felt, shoulder brushing up against each other's, an 'elephant in the room' sort of aura drifting between, the feeling, or rather the need to break the loud silence, but neither daring to make the first move.
Clara found herself crossing and uncrossing her legs, finally settling for pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her free arm loosely around them. She self-consciously pulled the blanket a little higher up her shoulders, ears burning from the indirect stare boring down on her face.
"So." She cleared her throat, pressing a hand to her throat in the process. "How've you been these past few days?"
"Fine. Good, yes, fine." He replied hastily. "And you?"
"Pretty bored." She noted, taking another sip of the soothing Earl Grey. "Danny's on holiday, the school's been closed due to the weather, so," She shrugged. "Just been hangin' about here."
The Doctor solely nodded, clenching and unclenching his fists repeatedly. He took another slow, tentative sip of his tea, then repeated. The silence grew in volume.
"How long you planning on stayin'?" Clara asked suddenly, eyes widening for a split second. "Not that I mind." She added hastily.
"Ah, don't mind, do you?" He let out a low chuckle.
"Dunno. I kinda like seeing you all domestic." She smiled and gave his shoulder a little nudge.
"Oi, this is in no way domestic. I'm simply taking advantage of the warmth of a friend's home, is all."
"For a two-hearted alien with a magic box, that's domestic."
"Oh, shut it."
For a while, they just continued to sit. Exchanging a bit of small talk here and there, making the occasional journey to the kitchen for another cuppa, finding the lighthearted nature to grow and the awkward silence to diminish. For minutes, hours - they'd lost track - they talked. Laughed a bit, even. Found themselves enjoying each other's company in a way they thought not possible.
It wasn't long before the duo's eyes started drooping, their laughs growing a bit weaker and their words growing slurred. 4:36 a.m., the clock read. It was amazing how time flew.
When the Doctor let out a slight yawn, Clara gave his shoulder and understanding pat. "You can sleep on the couch tonight if you want. I don't mind."
"Nonsense." He scoffed, waving a slow, dismissing hand in front of his face. "I'm a Time Lord. I don't sleep."
"What about that time I found you asleep on the TARDIS floor, hmm?" She crossed her arms, eyes lighting up with a glimmering smirk.
"That was the one and only exception, Clar-" He broke into a yawn again, sighing in defeat. "All right. Maybe I am a bit tired."
Nonetheless, they continued to visit and chat until the Doctor's words were no longer audible. He let out a long breath as his eyes fluttered closed, and he collapsed sideways onto Clara's shoulder. She let out a little yelp of surprise that faltered into nothing more than an amused smile, taking advantage of his unconscious state and planting a quick kiss to the top of his head. With almost reluctant movements she squirmed out from beneath him, lowering him gently by the shoulders to the plushest pillow she could find.
"Sleep well, Doctor." And with the final shinning of her eyes, she let her fingers brush against his cheek before departing.