Imaginary Worlds

"I've got some. Don't worry about it. I can take care of getting him cleaned up and the like." the Doctor assure softly. Ten minutes with his son wouldn't kill him.

With that, he stepped into the bathroom, mainly wanting to make sure that Marnal didn't hurt himself and to get the lotion down. He just wanted his son to be okay.

Marnal smiled at his dad, putting more lotion on than needed. "Dad, is Saxon moving in?" the boy asked. Koschei and Harry were here and he couldn't work out why but it was nice. He liked a full house.

And besides, he really did like the idaa of the Doctor having someone to make him happy again. even if he got hurt, it was totally worth it, wasn't it? The Doctor would be happy. "He's nice"

((Off to bed early! Got college taster tomorrow!))

(Had to catch a bus anyway. Have fun!)

"No." the Doctor asserted, though quite possibly a bit too quick. "Sorry. Marnal, we just came from a very bad environment. I know I said it happens, but it isn't right. I don't think that either of us are ready to go through living with another again, nice or not." he murmured, aiding with the cream.

Mainly, he just didn't want Marnal to be afraid over nothing. It didn't matter if the Master wasn't the same sort of person. Even the Doctor was wary and on edge a bit at having another staying in their house after being back with Iros.

((Thanks ))

"I sorta liked having another dad," Marnal muttered and he usually did, they made the Doctor really happy. Him and his last new dad just didn't click, he was clear doing something wrong but he didn't know why. The man was just always telling at him and slapping him.

"I just didn't like that dad. You're million times better," Marnal moved back once the lotion was one and rubbed it into his skin before he looked over at the bath. "You never hit. My teacher says people who do tat are very bad."

"And they are. That should never have happened and, if it ever does again, I need you to tell me so that I can do something to stop it. I know that you like having another around. And it is nice. But not right now." the Doctor murmured softly.

He didn't even know how long the Master would be about. He meant nothing by it. He was just...Going off of past experiences. "It's fine. You just need to be patient, but they aren't moving in. They're just helping out so that I don't get sick while taking care of you." here Doctor informed softly.

"That's okay, Koschei doesn't like me around anyway," Marnal chirped before he splashed his hand tentatively into the bathwater. It was going to be boring being ill, he wanted to go to the hotel and see the pool again.

He usually got to look around while his dad was on panels, he never joined in, he was always too nervous and unsure, but he got to watch other kids! "Can't we go the hotel still? I don't feel too sick."

"Unfortunately, no. You can't be around that many people. I've already called and cancelled my place. I'll take you after you get better." he assured softly. And that was all that he could offer.

"I assure you that it's all fine. Really. Just focus on resting and getting better." the Doctor murmured. There wasn't much else he could ask for. "Finish up and get to bed. I'll bring you lunch a bit later and you can spend the day watching cartoons." he murmured before slipping out with a sigh.

Marnal finished up swiftly and got into his pyjamas, heading into bed as asked. He wasn't sure what he was going to do all day, being stuck in bed was a bit boring honestly.

The Master assumed all was well and left them to it, going with Koschei and watch the TV. It was just a bit of a slow day was all.

The Doctor did poke his head in, offering a hesitant smile. Right. He wasn't meaning to interrupt, even if he received a dark glare from Koschei. He was getting used to that.

"Hey. I was actually popping in to say I was running to the store real quick. Would you like me to pick you anything up?" he offered softly. It was worth a shot.

"Erm, popcorn and cola. Also get some chocolate and some brownies?" the Master suggested as he tossed his wallet at the Doctor. What? He trusted him and he really wanted snacks.

"Don't pay for me, I can pay myself," the Master offered, not wanting to take more money from the man. He felt bad as he was and that kind of sucked, to be honest. "But thanks!"

Really? "I can pay for it. Don't dispute. You're helping me out a lot and I know what your salary is. Consider it repayment. Not to mention making it up to you that I can't take you to the hotel." the Doctor stated as he tossed the wallet back and slipped out.

Koschei just stated after with a raised eyebrow. Seriously? "Weird." he deadpanned with a shake of his head. Really! The Doctor got more and more strange.

The man was odd, the Master raised an eyebrow before frowning slightly. "I think he misses the general socially acknowledge protocol of not discussing wages as well as letting people pay."

The Master shrugged, he didn't hate it. He just didn't like it. It was a nice perk but he was starting to feel like a charity case. Yes, the Doctor was being nice and everything but it didn't feel that nice to experience.

A large part of it was the Doctor attempting to show affection in his own way. Which wasn't all too great for the people he decided to see. Another reason many would leave him, actually.

"I think your boyfriend looks down on you." Koschei murmured softly. He was attempting to plant a seed, obviously, but that didn't make it any less of an observation.

"No, he's just socially moronic," the Master remarked. He didn't mean to be so blunt but the man really was useless and the Master had spent enough time around him to know it. He didn't think he was looked down on, more so treated worryingly.

The Doctor was clearly screwed up emotionally and as much as he wanted to, he was having doubts now. He had enough trouble with Koschei being weird, he didn't need it from a partner. "He's nice, I like him, he's just very damaged."

Koschei eyed the Master and shook his head slowly. "No." he said simply, tone firm. The Master had him already. The man didn't need to try and repair another. That was one of those things that needed to be made clear right away as a just in case.

"No fixing broken people. Should end it now." the child muttered with a frown, shaking his head once more as he settled down pointedly. Koschei didn't need the Master to be busy with another. Nor did he want to deal personally with somebody that was damaged.

"You're just saying that because you're biased. You hate him. Its why I can't talk to you about him legitimately," the Master remarked with a small shrug of his shoulders. It was a little annoying actually.

He didn't want to fix the Doctor, he didn't want any more damaged screwed up people in his life. How could he make anything work with a man who thought abuse was just something that happened and refused to let him buy his own things.

Koschei made a soft sound in annoyance and shook his head yet again. Because seriously? "No. 'M serious! You...He isn't good for you." he murmured, shifting about to cuddle into his dad's side with an annoyed sound.

Because it wasn't right. Koschei would be more accepting of another. But not the Doctor. "You just don't listen." he mumbled with a bit of a sulk. Yeah. It wasn't exactly fair.

The Master huffed a little laugh before pulling the boy closer. "You hated him from the moment you met him... why? Was there a reason?" there had to be something that scared the boy off him.

Or maybe Koschei was just being awkward... perhaps he got told off? Who knew? "Tell me the exact moment you knew you hated him honestly and I'll consider your opinion. How's that?"

"I dunno." he mumbled softly. And it was the truth. It was instinctual, leftover from memories he didn't have any longer. "It...I don't like him. He scares me." he admitted softly, hesitant.

And Koschei couldn't help it. He just felt on edge and wary of the Doctor. The Master was simply stuck in the middle of him and a man that was really not that bad. Well...Not anymore.

"Scared you? Why would he? I mean, he's not exactly scary. He's a bit of a push over," the Master said, stroking the boys hair to reassure him. He didn't know this, he had assumed it was just hate.

If Koschei was scared of him, it was a bit of a game changer. "Maybe you should give a try to get to know him, then you won't be scared. He is nice, lovely guy, just... weird."

"I dunno." Koschei mumbled. The Doctor hadn't done anything. Hadn't said anything. He just scared the kid. But...Scared wasn't quite the word. It was more like something disturbed him and he couldn't quite pinpoint it.

He did know one thing specifically. "I don't want to get to know him. I don't like him." Koschei mumbled softly. And he didn't. Not in the least. It didn't matter if it could make things better. "Can you just leave him?''

"I like him, I can't explain why. Like you can't explain why you fear him, I can't explain why I'm attracted to him. I really can't!" He was baffled why he was still here, the man was a dependent easy to manipulate freak who treated him like a charity.

But he really liked him. And he liked the Master, despite what a bastard he really was. "You know, I'm as mental as he is, I really shouldn't judge. You know your dads a lunatic!"

Koschei sighed softy and shook his head a it. Seriously. He was far from appreciative if that little fact. "So? I don't need another." he murmured with a frown. How could the Master bother with somebody like the Doctor?

Because that man was weird. And it bothered the kid more than he could admit. "I wanna watch cartoons." he murmured in order to drop the topic. Couldn't quite help himself there.

The Master nodded and kept the boy close as they watched cartoons. He was having his doubts, he knew it was bad but he did. Lying there, he frowned at the TV and tried to keep his mind off it.

"By the way, that food we ordered? All for you.Except the popcorn, I really fancy some," the Master joked, he usually tried to limit the treats and such. But he was sick, the more the merrier. "And we'll go home soon, I miss beds."

"Can go home now." Koschei mumbled as he watched the show, sighing heavily when he heard the unmistakable sound of a motorcycle outside. Yay. Seemed the Doctor was home.

"Go break up with him so that we can go home?" Koschei asked hopefully, glancing to the Master with a wide eyed expression. Because he wasn't going to let that one go quite so easily. Even if he'd promised to back down a bit.