#I'm still not that happy with the low ratio of Graham in this fic

[capybaraonabicycle]

Dragon's teeth🦷 and fire🔥

Thank you so much!! I will send you one, too, if that's alright <3

Still gonna talk about the cat fic because that's on my mind like every day right now.

Teeth: share a snippet that was difficult for you to nail down/required a lot of revisions.

Since I have not really done any proper editing yet, I can give you something I am not happy with yet? I might completely cut it from the work, actually, but it has changed already and probably will again. The main points are

I need to do a lot more research on dyspraxia because I want River to be a little supportive at least and not completely out of her depths like I am feeling

I should maybe not have Ryan talk about Yaz's love life behind her back? I know he's bound to be curious but I think he'd let her have her privacy and try not to get involved unless she asks him to. Idk I might keep it but make River bring her up instead? But like, I also don't think River would talk about Yaz to him behind her back and it could very quickly come off as objectifying - which she definitely isn't above but not with someone like Yaz who she genuinely cares about and who does not know her very well. Teasingly to her face? Maybe. But not behind her back.

"Mate, I'm just not sure I should be shooting a weapon" Ryan admitted. "Not that I don't want to, but - real life isn't GTA and I have not had proper weapons training - not like you or Yaz. And if you're actually going to shoot these aliens - I am not sure I can do that." There was a small pause, then River said: "The Doctor would be proud of you." "Yeah" Ryan said and Yaz could tell her was uncomfortable with the subject but secretly pleased. "Whatever." "I'll just fetch you some defensive weapons then" River decided. "To be safe. And you can be the one to apply the memory stick while Yaz and I distract them." "That means creeping around their station unseen" Ryan figured. "There were a bunch of ledges and ladders there." "I know" River's voice was more gentle than Yaz had heard it before. "But you can do this. You'll take it slow and if you stumble, you get up again. We'll give you plenty of time. Yaz is good in a fight, I can tell." "Thanks" Ryan said. He didn't sound completely convinced, but a tad reassured. For a while they were silent, the only sound their rummaging around, then he asked something that made Yaz's heart stop. "Do you fancy her? Yaz?" "Obviously" River answered. "I have not been subtle, darling." "Sorry if I originally assumed your taste in romantic partners was strange, being married to the Doctor and all" he deadpanned and she laughed loudly. "Be careful, kid, don't disrespect your dad." Ryan spluttered. "I don't think of the Doctor as my dad!" he insisted. "Oh, you do!" River said and Yaz had to bite her hand to muffle her snickering. "I've seen you two together. It's adorable!" "Whatever" Ryan huffed. "Why are you asking about Yaz?" River asked. "Want to give me the shovel talk? You should remember that you're talking to the most dangerous assassin of the 52nd century. I don't think you could threaten me if you tried." "I could hide the whiskey?" he offered. "And I was wrong" River claimed good-naturedly. "See? I know all your weaknesses" Ryan said. "No, but seriously, I'm not giving any shovel talks. I know that Yaz can look out for herself. I guess I was just curious, her being my best friend and all. Don't want her to get hurt. But like, she can make her own decisions, of course. I'm merely ready to hold you still so she can punch you when push comes to shove." "Noted" River said. "You're a good friend to her." "I try."

Mmmhya, Idk. I think there is ample reason for Yaz to eavesdrop on them and I like the opportunity to show them together a little. I like to think that they would be best friends immediately, seeing as how they spent so much time together when River was a cat. So to generally HAVE this scene is a good idea imo. But I'm really unsure about the execution.

Fire: share a snippet with some dialogue you’d like to show off.

To be fair, I am not entirely sure, Yaz would say 'no biggie'. So I might have to look for an alternative there. But I had so much fun writing that bit of dialogue:

"Great" Yaz muttered. "The Doctor's wife has kissed me. No biggie." "And she would do it again if you asked her to" River winked, pushing herself off the clothing rack and past Yaz, closer than would have been necessary. "Come on, darling, let's go save our wife, then!" "She isn't my wife" Yaz called, hurrying after her. River threw a glance over her shoulder, her eyes twinkling. "-yet." "Stop it" Yaz huffed. This was all giving her way more hope than was good for her. "Hah" River tipped her head back again, grinning at the ceiling. "Make me!" Yaz shook her head to herself. "And here I thought you were insufferable as a cat." "Oh, honey, you haven't seen the half of it yet!"

Just to clarify : Yaz loves Siren very much. The 'insufferable' refers to her aggressively shipping thasmin. Also, they haven't actually kissed. I mean, not like that. Really, for a shipping fic there have been precious few kisses so far. (but loads of platonic handholding and platonic (?) cuddling ❤️)

Hope you liked the snippets! Despite one of them being - let's say unfinished. But I am kinda thriving, having sent the Doctor away and giving Yaz and Ryan some time to get to know River before seeing them together. I think that was a good decision, for me personally mostly :)

#thank you so much for the ask!! #marvellouspinecone #Ryan x River is a great platonic ship and you can't convince me otherwise #I have actually written for them before once #They both immediately think the other is so cool <3 #At least that's what's happening in my mind #Plus River sees Ryan interacting with the Doctor and goes 'note to self: we've got a son now' #I'm still not that happy with the low ratio of Graham in this fic #I fear Graham fans will be disappointed 😕 #But there's 5 main characters AND a TARDIS (who's also so much in the background I am so sorry TARDIS my love) it's hard to juggle