Coffee Shop: Welcome to Huron Coffee Shop

Rating: General Audiences

Pairing: Ten/Rose

Other tags: Coffee Shop AU, Human AU, Modern AU

Warnings: None

Summary: Donna was sick and tired of watching her two best customers pine over one another. It was time she took matters into her own hands.

Hello everyone, welcome to Day 20! I can't believe I managed to write all of this. Thank you all for reading these, whether you've read all of them or this is your first one. Really, it means a lot.

This is the first time I'm using a joker (I'm using all three). I just couldn't think of anything for a single parent fic, which is ironic given I was raised by one. Anyway, enjoy!

Word Count: 1,106

Donna Noble looked up as the bell over the door rang. "Welcome to Huron Coffee Shop! What can I — oh, hey James." She stopped mid greeting at the sight of her cousin and started making his usual: a caramel macchiato. No extra shot of espresso, no matter how much he begged. She didn't need his boss coming here and killing her. He took it with a grin, dropping the money on the counter.

"Thanks, Donna. Hi Gramps!" He added, raising his voice. They laughed when their grandfather's greeting came from the back. James took a tentative ship, careful to not spill anything on his brown suit. How he wore that thing in the middle of summer, Donna would never know. "So, have you been busy this morning?" Donna smirked at him, not buying his nonchalant tone. Or his terrible attempt at subtlety.

"She hasn't come in yet, spaceman. Seriously, I don't know why you haven't asked her out yet. I have half a mind to just do it for you." She snorted when James tried (unsuccessfully) to come up with a response. "Seriously, though, James. Ask her out. Trust me on this."

Before James could protest (again), the subject of their conversation walked through the door. Donna fought the urge to roll her eyes at the dumbstruck look on her cousin's face. Oh, he was so far gone. But she also saw the look Rose gave him when James looked down from her to look through his pockets and make sure he hadn't left his wallet on the counter (again).

Rose Tyler was smiling at Donna as she approached the counter, the collar of a sky blue blouse poking out from under her signature pink jacket. Just like James (and all the regulars), Donna knew Rose's usual order by heart. As she made it, she heard her daft cousin try to make conversation with Rose. Deciding to give him a hand, she turned and put Rose's drink down on the counter. "One white chocolate mocha, extra chocolate syrup. Really, you two, I do know how to make other drinks." James shrugged as Rose smiled.

"Aw, come on now Donna. We know what we like. Plus, you know I've tried everything that you sell. Who spent 3 hours at your kitchen table being the official taste tester before you opened this place? I remember Gramps left early because he didn't want to be up all night from the espresso." Dona snorted.

"Oh, I remember that. Your mother yelled at me for ten solid minutes for allowing you to give him that much caffeine. Well, she did until I told her you'd been skipping the espresso after the first one. James didn't even notice the difference." All three of them turned to Gramps as he came from the back of the shop with the extra espresso beans. Donna quickly went around to take them from him and put them under the counter. When she straightened up, Rose was looking curiously between her and James.

"Wait, are the two of you siblings?" Donna looked in surprise at Rose. She could've sworn that at some point or another she'd motioned that James was her cousin. Gramps laughed good naturedly.

"No, cousins. They're as close as siblings though. Their mothers are very close, so they very frequently saw each other growing up." Donna raised an eyebrow when Rose looked embarrassed at the trio.

"Oh, I didn't know that. I thought you two were dating or something." Rose was bright red as the cousins made disgusted sounds. Gramps just laughed again. He went in the back, presumably to get the rest of the supplies for the day. Donna decided to subtly follow him, leaving James and Rose alone in the shop. Donna was not at all surprised to see that Gramps had stayed by the door. She joined him in eavesdropping.

"— I feel so embarrassed about that."

"Don't worry about it. You'd be surprised how often that happens. Though I could've sworn that I've mentioned it before. You're here almost as much as I am, and you know how Donna teases me about my gob." They both laughed. They were both quiet for a moment before James spoke up again.

"Um, actually, it's a good thing that came up. It makes what I'm about to say a lot less awkward." Donna felt Gramps hit her arm in excitement.

"Really? What would that be?" Through the crack in the door Donna saw James put his hand through his hair before scratching his ear. Both of his major nervous ticks at once. She hadn't seen that since right before he gave his dissertation.

"Well, I was wondering if we could go get coffee sometime." He paused. "And I just realized the irony of that offer. What I meant was, let me treat you to something nice. Like on a date. Somewhere not here. And I'm just going to shut up now before I embarrass myself even more than I already have." Donna just barely held back a snort at that. She probably would've been heard if Rose hadn't giggled. She put her drink down and reached over the counter, grabbing a pen. She held out her hand, and James put his in hers. She smiled as she wrote.

"Here's my number. You give me a text today and let me know when you're free. I'm free most weekends unless I'm going to visit my mum." Picking up her drink, she headed out the door, stopping and turning around about halfway there.

"You know, if I'd known this would be the outcome, I would've brought up the cousins thing weeks ago." She winked at James, and Donna noted with glee that his ears were bright red. "I'll see you later." She turned back around, and James called after her.

"Not if I see you first!" This time, Donna couldn't hold back the snort at the lame reply. Her cousin was such a dumbo. Back in the front of the shop, James groaned. "You two can come out now, I know you've been eavesdropping this whole time." The two of them entered the store proper, not even trying to look sheepish. In fact, Donna couldn't keep the smug grin off her face.

"See, spaceman? I told you! I told you to ask her out." She pointed to herself. "Who's the best cousin in Chiswick? Now, listen to my advice and change out of that suit for once when you take her out. I swear you sleep in that thing sometimes." James rolled his eyes but grinned. Then he pulled out his phone to call Rose.