"Here now, you don't happen to have an electric toothbrush do you?" asked Dan, having just nipped off to the bathroom to give himself a wash before bed.
"Ah, fancy Dan, as in 'fancy to see you back' so quickly" The Doctor said, leaning on the console a little too whimsically.
"You alright over there?" Dan asked a chesier grin on his face.
The Doctor rubbed her eyes a little, letting out a slight yawn.
"I've never been better, the Flux is muck, we're rid of the Ravagers, and I'm ravished myself, fancy a trip to the planet Onthropmorph? They have the best mint chocolate cabbages"
Dan observed her appearance, and could instantly tell her jaunty demeanour was put on.
"Say, you've been crying" he said.
"Oh, it's nothing" she said, having hoped Dan would not have noticed
"Look at you, you're rattled, what's gone on?"
"It's something private, between me and Yaz"
"Not so private anymore, you just told me"
"I suppose I did, but what of it? It's been a taxing day, all these tiny frustrations, they leave a mark on us all eventually" The Doctor replied, glancing at the console, trying not to make further eye contact.
Dan waltzed over, a hand leaning on her shoulders.
"You're shivering a bit, is this nerves?"
The Doctor flinched.
"You and Yaz are pretty close aren't you? Maybe too close, that's why you feel you can't tell her anything, in case it poisons what you two have"
"You're right; we could have so much more, but everything's in the way. All I have to show are apologies, who can see anything past that?"
"A friend can" Dan said.
The Doctor leaned her head gently on his chest, exhausted and spent.
"There are things I could have learned about myself, things I've backed away from, how can I be one with Yaz if I can't be one with myself?"
"Hey, hey, come here you" Dan replied, caressing her soft blonde hair with his hands.
"Guess we're both kind of unlucky in love right now...there's me and Diane too. Ghosted me for things beyond my control"
"She doesn't deserve you" The Doctor replied.
"If it weren't you and Yaz and this contraption, I'd be asking myself 'what's the point in being alive?'" Dan remarked.
"A lively way of thinking Dan Lewis" The Doctor complimented, poking the rim of Dan's nose.
"Bit of advice Doctor, don't cry for yesterday, smile for today, and hope for tomorrow"
"I'll learn to survive" The Doctor replied.
"Now, about that toothbrush..." Dan remarked.
"I have one we can share" The Doctor assured him, and, together, they headed back to the bathroom.