The soufflé never came out quite right and Clara didn't know why. Every single one was flat. It aggravated her to no end. She dumped the failed food into the trashcan and slumped into the parlor, where the Doctor sat on her couch reading a magazine.
"How'd it...?" he started to say, but stopped when he saw the look on her face. "Oh. Not well, I take it."
Clara frowned, not necessarily at him, but at her fourteenth failed souffle. She'd been trying all day, and she knew the Doctor was waiting for her and she felt terrible but she had to get it right. It was a physical need, or she would probably die from not making the perfect souffle.
"Come here, eh?" the Doctor said, holding out his arms for a hug.
Clara smiled ruefully before accepting his warm embrace.
"I'm sorry. I know you wanted to take me to Kalgura today and I ruined it so I'm sorry," Clara babbled into his chest.
"Hey now, we have all the time in the world to go there. I like spending time with you," the Doctor told her, rubbing small circles on her back.
Clara sniffled. She backed up and sat on the couch next to him, wiping her face. "I'm really sorry Doctor."
The couch dipped next to her. "Don't be. It's not a problem Clara. Like I said, I like just being with you."
Clara's eyes filled again, but not with sad tears. She pulled him into another hug and dug her face into his tweed covered shoulder. It tickled her nose, but not in a bad way. It was sort of...comforting.
He hummed into her hair and held her tighter. They didn't back away, even when they heard two pairs of footsteps coming down the stairs.
They did, however, when Angie said, "Clara, is the soufflé done? When are we eating?"
Clara looked at her with a sheepish smile. Angie held up her hands.
"'Nuff said," she told Clara.
"We can...we can order in? Yeah?" Clara asked, looking from the kids to the Doctor.
Angie jumped excitedly and clapped her hands. "Sounds awesome!" Then they both ran back upstairs.
Clara turned back to the Doctor.
"Sounds great," he said.
Clara smiled.
That night, the four of them(yes, the Doctor did stay for dinner) dined on pizza and chattered about who-knows-what. And they had a great time.
