A/N: Just a short, fluffy one-shot. Hope you enjoy. And a big thank you to all of you who have read, reviewed, favorited, ext… my stories. It really means a lot to me and as long as you guys enjoy what I write, I'll continue writing.
The glow from the campfire flames danced along their faces. Donna took two marshmallows from a bag and placed one on hers, then the Doctor's stick.
"Now you just hold it over the fire and rotate the stick, until it gets brown all over." She told him, before demonstrating with her own.
"I think I know how to toast a marshmallow, Donna. It's not exactly quantum physics." The Doctor said as he repeated the gesture. Donna pulled her marshmallow out of the fire to let it cool. She gathered the chocolate and graham crackers and pulled off her marshmallow to place it between them.
She deliberately ignored his condescending remark, "And you just stick them together like this… Doctor!"
She looked up to see that the Doctor was still twirling his marshmallow in the fire, focused entirely on her actions, and unaware that it was burning to a crisp.
"Yes, you're right. You're an expert at this." She told him as she smirked.
He said nothing as he removed his stick and blew out the small flame still attached. They both stared at what remained of his marshmallow. It was nothing but a black husk of what it used to be. The Doctor tentatively reached out to grab it and it disintegrated at his touch, and his sullen expression caused her to chuckle.
"Here, try it again." said Donna, while attaching another marshmallow to his stick. "This time, just leave it in there for a few seconds."
He did it right this time and once it was done she watched as he put together the sweet treat like she had previously done.
"Like this?" he asked. She looked at it and smiled. It wasn't exactly as neat as hers, and the chocolate dribbled onto his hand, but s'mores were meant to be messy anyway. That was half the fun.
"Just like that. I can't believe you've never had one of these before."
"Yes, well, when compared to the wonders of time and space, something like a s'more is a bit insignificant." The Doctor declared haughtily.
"That statement right there just proves that you have never had one of these. Now go on and try it."
He lifted the creation to his mouth and gingerly took a bite. Donna watched as the expression on his face changed from one of curiosity, to one of utter bliss. After swallowing his first bite, he all but inhaled the rest of it.
"Why… why have I never had one of these?" he muttered to himself in amazement.
"That's exactly what I said earlier." She said.
Donna started to eat hers while the Doctor prepared to make another, even as his face was covered with the remnants of the previous one. He waited for his marshmallow to brown and catch fire, before pulling it out and blowing on it. He prepared his second treat and wolfed it down before reaching for yet another one.
"I know I'm going to regret this. You and sugar do not make a good combination." Donna mumbled under her breath.
"Pardon?" he asked, his mouth full of the gooey combination.
"Nothing, Doctor. You sure seem to be enjoying yourself." She said, nodding at his face and hands which were coated in a combination of chocolate, marshmallow, and cracker crumbs. The man had the table manners of a toddler.
He beamed at her. "I am. They're…" he paused, considering his choice of words, "brilliant, molto bene. You want another one?" He held up the ingredients.
Already she could hear the undercurrent of energy seeping into his words. She was really going to regret this later. Still, it was nice to see him like this. He looked so young, and she didn't know if she would ever have the privilege of seeing him this at ease again. She would gladly suffer through his sugar high, if it meant he got a temporary respite from the horrors he had to endure.
"Yeah, why not?" She told him and he happily began preparing hers for her.
They ate in silence for a few seconds, both lost in their own thoughts. Donna stared into the dancing flames until he interrupted her from her musings,
"So, where would you like to go next?"
" I chose to go camping; it's your turn to pick now."
He thought for several seconds before a smile broke out across his face. "I have the perfect place."
She waited for the answer, but he said nothing, only focused on making himself another s'more.
"Are you going to tell me?"
"No. It's a surprise."
She sighed, "Alright, fine. Didn't want to know anyway."
He shot her a cheeky grin, "Yes you did."
"Whatever." She wasn't truly upset, and she shot him a smile to let him know. "Will you make me another one?" she gestured at the marshmallow he was sliding onto his stick.
"Sure."
It was nice to have a few moments to relax like this. After all the things they'd been through recently, Donna figured they both deserved a bit of a break.
Tomorrow would bring more adventure and excitement, and that was okay; but for now, they were both content to just sit here and enjoy the company of each other. No planets to save, no running for their lives; just a peaceful evening sitting around a campfire, laughing, talking, and making s'mores.
As always, thanks for reading. Let me know what you think.
-Goldenheart