Open Discussion: The Spark that lit the Flame (Doctor/Rose)

[avoria]

Being a natural shipper (also not being blind), I do of course assume that the Doctor and Rose loved each other. Whether you want to call this platonic or romantic or whatever -- I think it's fairly common knowledge that they did. So! I thought we could have a little talk about it, starting with a poll, and then evaluating their delicious

Comments

[_thirty2flavors]

Yeah, that's how I feel about Nine/Rose as well and why I don't really read/write Nine/Rose fic. I think their relationship in canon is really sweet, but I liked it as it was on screen and don't feel the need to flesh it out any further. I also have less than no interest in Nine/Rose smut and in large part that's because I can't make it fit into where I think they were in their relationship in s1. (In Nine's defense, I can't read Ten/Rose smut either for the same reason.)

I think in a lot of ways Nine didn't really expect anything of Rose, either, whereas I think Ten and Rose were pretty aware of how in love with each other they were. Nine's arc is basically about learning to forgive himself for the Time War, and I don't think he would've expected someone was ~*perfect and wonderful*~ as Rose to reciprocate his feelings. I got the impression he was generally pretty happy to just be around her, even if people like Pete and Mickey were threats in that they might entice her to leave the TARDIS. (And to be fair, I think Ten has the same anxiety when they meet altPete in s2.)

For Rose I think realization really hits in s1 when she loses him, first when he sends her away and then again when he regenerates. If we want to talk Ten/Rose specifically, then even still I think you can argue that he falls first, since he's into her from the second he regenerates whereas Rose has an adjustment period of WHAT IS GOING ON, DO NOT WANT. But by the time she's warmed up to Ten at the end of TCI, I think she's completely starstruck lol and then remains that way. I think the powers that be have described Tooth & Claw as them "falling in love again",

[avoria]

I know exactly what you mean, regarding Nine. I can happily read Nine/Rose fics if they stick to the canon, but so few of them do (and there are a surprising amount of NC-17 fics with them in!). It doesn't matter how good the writing is, I just cannot make it work. The only time I write Nine/Rose is when I'm writing it for the adventure or the story; I actually really like the 'relationship' they have on screen, their banter, their exchanges - it's one of the reasons I have all of the spin-off novels with them in. Generally, my fics with Nine are plot-based-with-a-hint-of-love-somewhere, which suits me fine.

Interestingly, in regards to Ten, whilst I don't think he and Rose would have ever legitimately slept together, I can at least imagine a point in their relationship where it may have happened; I don't know why, but it's much, much easier for me to read Ten/Rose smut than Nine/Rose smut, although only in very long fics with a lot of plot that have it built up a LOT. I think in a lot of ways Nine didn't really expect anything of Rose, either, whereas I think Ten and Rose were pretty aware of how in love with each other they were. Perhaps this is why, though, as I'd agree.

Oh, man. All this talk of them falling in love makes me want to watch ALL THE EPISODES. If only I could compress time into a single moment and melt my brain with their cuteness. Alas.

[_thirty2flavors]

Yeah. I mean, I won't lie, I'm sure the other half of why I'm disinterested in Nine/Rose smut is that I'm not very attracted to Chris Eccleston, but it's also a characterization thing. I really like the Nine/Rose dynamic on screen and I think they're a good team, but I also seem them as laying the foundation for the relationship that Ten and Rose take a little bit further.

Granted not much further, because I don't think they had sex either until after JE, but I think they were headed that way. I'm pretty adamant that they didn't have sex in s2 and I'm unlikely to read fic about it because I do think it goes against canon (and I'm such a stickler for my fic matching canon), but I also think that if Doomsday hadn't happened and they'd been together longer, they'd have gotten there eventually. I think by the end of s2 they were just waiting for each other to take the first step, while both being too scared to do it themselves.

[kilodalton]

I also think that if Doomsday hadn't happened and they'd been together longer, they'd have gotten there eventually. I think by the end of s2 they were just waiting for each other to take the first step, while both being too scared to do it themselves.

Same. I could actually kind of see that if Doomsday had ended differently, with Rose hanging onto the lever, that they would have had a very emotional "you're all I have left in the universe" epic hug + tears + relief that could have pretty easily have turned into something sexual.

[avoria]

...

Yeah, I'm so writing this now.

Gadnabbit.

[kilodalton]

Woo hoo!! =D

[_thirty2flavors]

Yep. And I think it's not until Rose comes back in Doomsday that the Doctor really truly recognizes the level of her commitment, which would push them towards taking that step as well.

[kilodalton]

Yeah, you can totally see it in his eyes as she's telling him that she's never going to leave him that he truly "gets it" in that moment!