YUP. I Was Talking To My Mom About How People Say "They're Just Friends Though" And I Was Like "yeah,

YUP. I was talking to my mom about how people say "They're just friends though" and I was like "yeah, the fact that they stay 'just friends' in canon shows that they respect the boundaries regardless of how much the want and need each other, and that makes me ship them way harder."

I've banged on about it in the past, but the narrative literally has this beautiful setup for a contrast/foil between his relationship w Rose vs w Donna. Rose (w ten at least) was always pushing at those boundaries and not really acknowledging the painful situation he was in, and adding to his burdens, whereas Donna was understanding and compassionate about why he (said he) wouldn't be in a relationship. She understood that and was there for him however he would let her be, so she hides her feelings pretty darn well. All while he's realizing that to him she's worth the risk of pain from letting himself love, but thinking there's no way she would want him like that. But he is still desperately trying to woo her without scaring her off lol. Of course she thinks there's no way he could ever want her like that, and after previous heartbreaks, she's totally oblivious to his pretty obvious feelings. She also has no real frame of reference for how differently he treats her than previous companions.

The vibes were also totally different with Donna in a lot of ways. Its hilarious to me that so many people try to determine whether ten was romantically interested in someone by comparing the to the behavior with Rose, when to me there was nothing committed there. Versus with Donna there was only her lol.

For frame of reference, in s2 he invites his hot French gf(?) to come travel with him and Rose, in s3 he wants a nurse who was in love with his human self to come with him and Martha (and seems pretty hurt that she won't), and then with Donna he spends the token "blonde woman who the Doctor spends 1-2 episodes with" less concerned with River than with Donna and only really starts paying closer attention to River when he realizes A) Donna is alive and he has a chance of saving her (phew), and B) apparently this woman is his future wife. And he STILL ends the episode being incredibly emotionally intimate with Donna, talking about their shared future, and making THAT face at her lol. Contrasted with previous companions, he's committed to Donna in a way we hadn't yet seen.

What makes me feral about them is they are trying so hard to protect their damaged hearts but they just can't help but love each other. The affection, companionship, and trust they share makes it so they can't help but be drawn together and help and comfort each other.

Thinking about that post u did recently about how Donna needs the Doctor... BUT the difference is she never begs him for his love... Like I just love that SO MUCH oh my lord. Like they both love and need each other so much, but they're never pushing each other for more than they can give. There's never this ultimatum between them, they're just grateful to have each other in their lives and scared of driving each other away, with neither of them realizing how much the other needs them. It's like the most wholesome angst ever. Gah

While everyone else was begging him to 'love me,' just because he is pretty, Donna didn't do it. He clearly said that he wasn't looking for a partner. And Donna's heart had already been broken. They respected each other's boundaries. That's why they say 'his equal' for Donna. Even his wife wasn't on his level. They were perfect for each other, and everyone could see that. They're not platonic because they don't like each other that way. That's the misunderstanding everyone has. Because the show clearly says they were made for each other.

insp.

I finally bought the second set of ten/Donna big finish audios, so expect me to be off on my nonsense real bad.

Anyway, in One Mile Down Donna offers to get the Doctor a hat that says “kiss me” to cheer him up, and when he says he doesn’t like hats she says it would suit him.

Edit:

Doctor: "There goes young love... Of a sort."

*Donna immediately appears*

Doctor: "Ooooo, can I try your ice cream?"

Donna: "Yeh, but it's pear."

Doctor: "You did that on purpose..."

the doctor complimenting donna

There are worlds out there, safe in the sky because of her. That there are people living in the light, and singing songs of Donna Noble, a thousand million light years away. 

“She scares the hell out of me and calms my soul at the same time. Maybe that’s what love is—a total contradiction that somehow balances out.”

—

Tammara Webber, Where You Are (via h-o-r-n-g-r-y)

This is somehow saying Ten and Donna to me.