Elevenriver - Don't Interact, Please Go Over To @twelverriver

I love that - thanks to one small line - their first kiss gives us a huge look at what kind of partner (and then later husband) the Eleventh Doctor is.

'What, that's it?'

First of all bear in mind from his perspective, yes they've gotten closer, but he's still suspecting that River might kill him sooner rather than later. It's understandable that some trust issues linger and thus he's still a bit quick with the casually dark (and cruel) demeanour.

River knows that. She knows where he is in his timeline. She knows that, despite how much he flirts with her (and he flirts with her A LOT), he is not her husband, not yet the man that loves her and he's not even the man that knows her. So why does his short goodbye confuse her?

Because this small line tells us that not only have they been dating (from his perspective) between DOTM and AGMGTW but they've been dating physically. To River, this short-fuzed ball of trust-issues is essentially not only her husband but also her actual boyfriend.

Meaning that the Doctor, before he became the doting idiot husband we saw in TATM/TNOTD and even before he knew who she was, never dropped her off after a date without at least (!) kissing her goodbye.

And I'm really putting the emphasis on never because River would otherwise not risk asking for a kiss, if there had been any doubt in her mind that this Doctor isn't a Doctor she had been dating. So what does that tell us?

Despite how much this fandom likes to paint the picture of the evil River who forced herself on the Doctor, she is never the one to initiate (physical) intimacy. She expected to be kissed, she expected the Doctor to kiss her because that's what the Doctor does. Husband or not.

And it's so ingrained in their relationship that even when he showed his honest confusion, River assumed he must be acting coy on purpose to get *her* to kiss *him* for once. And well it worked, intentionally or not, River complied because why wouldn't she? It's what they do.

Until of course she is forced to realise that it might not be what they do for much longer. This was his first kiss; so she might not see the boyfriend version of her Doctor very often from now on, if at all.

But ignoring all the insanely depressing angst of how that scene ended, yes we saw an end for River but we also saw where the Doctor's pre-AGMGTW dating spree and thus the affectionate idiot began because he makes it quite clear that he's up for more. (pun intended)

I wish we could've seen more of their time together. Unfortunately 98% of it happens off-screen but the point of this thread is to show that, even if most of it is off-screen, the show has made the nature of their relationship and the nature of the Doctor's feelings very clear. Moffat's writing style is quick-paced and certainly assumes that the audience isn't too stupid to keep up. (wonder how that worked out) And small lines like these contain so much vital information that, for some people, it's easy to overlook. But all we need to know is right there. The Eleventh Doctor dated River prior to AGMGTW, definitely prior to TWORS; they've been intimate for two hundred (!!!!) years from his perspective before he married her and he is the one to initiate that intimacy. That's all. 🥰

original post on X by @/eIevenriver (who writes the bestest Doctor x River threads ever)

one reason why doctor who is my favourite show and it will always be the show that impacted me the most is their take on humanity and human rituals. when the doctor said i need you (companions) to see because i can’t see it anymore… you’ve seen one star being born and dying and you’ve seen them all… you make all of time and space your backyard and what are you left with? a backyard…. when the doctor said “Come on. No human’s ever seen this. You’ll be the first.” and donna said “all I want to see is my bed.” and when the doctor said “that’s what you do. The human race makes sense out of chaos. Marking it out with weddings and Christmas and calendars. This whole process is beautiful.“ and when the doctor said “there is not happy ever after, it’s just a lie we tell ourselves because the truth is so hard” and when river said “no, my love, happy ever after does exist. it just means time. little time.” 

the only reason river and 11s relationship doesn’t look almost exactly like s10 12/missy is bc 11 is too immature and irresponsible and river is too afraid that he’ll feel ashamed and run away if they try to have an actual honest conversation about river’s inclinations for violence <3 in this essay I will

if i can be remembered, it can come back is such a nice theme for an episode and like moral of a story??

Thank You so much for your sweet tags on my favorite Weslah sets I made!! They’re so sweet and they make me so happy ❤️ I hope you have a wonderful day!

oh thank you so much that's so sweet! i always turn to your blog when i need to go insane over them your sets are so !!!!! the best !! thank u for your content <3 you too!

hi!! I just found your blog and I also love River Song!! It makes me happy to see there are still people on here who love River (and Doctor/River!) who haven’t moved on past Doctor Who yet!! :D what’s your favourite River episode? and have you listened to any of her Big Finish audio dramas yet?

hello!!!! thank u for asking!!! i love river song SO much, she's soo important to me and one of the tv characters or just characters in general that have left SUCH an impact on me??? i think about her so. much. i'll never move past doctor who jsjfj. anyway!! onto your ask.

my favourite river episode- this one is well. it's a hard choices, all her episodes are SO amazing my favourite episode in which river appears is the husbands of river song (i have a complicated relationship with it where it's my favourite episode of doctor who and i love everything about it but i also Have Questions and wish i could ask steven moffat round 2993 questions about why he did things a certain way up to just disagreeing with things that happen. but also favourite episode <3) but my favourite river episode for like river characterisation is probably the pandorica opens/big bang BUT then the angels arc in s5 has had the biggest impact on me in terms of how much i love river because i literally started my doctor who watch with 11 so seeing her as the THIRD episode of this tv show i was 1) in love 2) heart-eyed 3) absolutely obsessed with her from the get-go. so yeah that from that what u will sjjfj also i HAVE listened to some!! mostly her diaries 1-3?? i think also the ten and river thingy which i did love i also loved my dinner with andrew i think? but i'm mostly not really a podcast/audio kind of person which im trying to change because i need more river content ahah. thank you for asking it was such a joy for me !!!!

“who’s your favourite doctor” wrong question. i am primarily head over heels for professor river song

you are the pretty, soft & funny mutual annie ily😌💞

JANA BABE 🥰😍🥺❤ I adore you with all my heart and soul, you have no idea.

The Good Place (2016-2020) Whenever You’re Ready (S04E13)

my favorite “bad” lgbt rep:

bob from bob’s burgers

whatever the fuck is going on in it’s always sunny in philidelphia

those characters in classic lit that are gay but they aren’t but they are gay no they aren’t yes🙈

my lesbian OCs from when i was 12

like me as a living person