Imaginary Worlds

"An' Sigma!" Koschei declared. So he might have known about this already. Oh well. The child shouldered his bag and got his rat in a ball, heading down to get himself settled into the Doctor's car.

No use complaining about this. How could he? Koschei liked going on road trips occasionally. So long as he knew about it first, mind.

The Master carried Siggy in his arms and dumped his luggage in the opened boot before he slid into the passenger door with Sigma on his lap, squirming excitedly at the giant change of setting.

Marnal was in the back, trying hard not to do anything that would accidentally annoy Koschei out of determination. He didn't want to upset his dad or mister Saxon so he just stayed as still as possible, like at the labs.

The Doctor offered a small smile and started up along the road. "It's a six hour drive. You're welcome to get some sleep if you want." he assured, sighing when Pest managed to squirm into his lap.

It was going to be a long ride. The cat was more like a dog than anything else. The Doctor didn't get that either.

It was a long ride but the Master had a book so he was more interesting reading The Heart of the Dog than anything else. Curse, he knew the kids were bound to get bored eventually.

Marnal, especially, started to squirm after two hours and it only two half an hour more before Marnal raised his voice. "Dad! I need to go to the toilet!" Yep, the dreaded rest stop.

The Doctor sighed softly at that. Kid couldn't just go to sleep. "I'll stop." he assured, pulling over at a rest stop and parking. "Come on. I'll take you." he murmured, helping Marnal out to take him.

Glancing to his father Koschei sighed a bit. "'M thirst. An' hungry." he stated firmly, expecting the Master to do something about it.

The Master sighed and put his book aside, offering the boy his hand as he took the lad into the shop. Course he made sure that the door was locked. "Get a small drink and some snacks and I'll get them for you."

The Master stretched his legs and grabbed some chocolate bars for everyone as well as grabbing some bottled water and a treat for Sigma. "Okay, got the stuff?"

Koschei nodded and gathered what he wanted to have, handing them over to be paid for. With that, he took his items and headed back to meet the Doctor at the cat. Only another hour and a half to go.

The Doctor was even smart enough to not comment that the Master didn't need to buy anything. He just let the two animals stretch and walk about by the car. Six hours was a long time for anyone.

The Master offered the Doctor a bar and also Marnal one and the boy seemed content to have anything. He ate rather greedily and shoved the wrapper on the floor, swallowing down the chocolate.

The Master waited till everyone was in the car before he offered Sigma a dog treat and playfully scratched behind his ear before returning to his book, clearly content to amuse himself.

"Manners." the Doctor reminded, shaking his head as he got settled in and started off again. It wasn't long before he made it to the cabin and started to carry things inside to get settled.

"As soon as we have everything put up, it's a quick bite to eat and straight to bed." he informed Marnal somewhat sternly. The child already knew where his room was. That wasn't an issue.

Marnal nodded, he knew the drill, he had to eat then bed to get out of his dads way, it sounded way harsher than it was but the cabinw was usually for his dad and his partner. Like when he and Iros used to come up.

The Master finished putting his stuff in the Doctors room and wandered down to make sure Koschei was okay with his bags and knew where he was. "Need a hand?"

The difference now was that his partner actually liked the kid. It was just well past bedtimes at this point. Sighing softly, the Doctor made something quick to eat, giving some to Marnal as he finished unpacking.

"'M good." Koschei assured as he slowly tugged the items inside. It wasn't exactly easy, but he was managing. That is, until the Doctor took the luggage with a small smile, simply showing Koschei to the other bedroom for the kid.

"So. This is where you can stay. Hope it's alright." the Doctor offered, hesitating as he regarded the Master. Right. "Um...You can take the master bedroom?" he suggested. He would just sleep on the pullout in the livingroom. He didn't want to make things awkward with Koschei about.

"I'm crashing with you," the Master whispered playfully into the Doctors ear. He and Koschei had discussed it and the magic word, 'love', had come out by accident.

Either way, it made things clear. "I'm going to make sure Koschei is set up, I'll see you soon," the Master offered, smiling before he ducked into the lads room, greeting the boy with a nod. "You fine with all of this?"

"No." Koschei responded simply, shrugging. "But 'm not going to cause trouble." he assured, stifling a small yawn. He couldn't help it if he were tired. It was nearing eleven and he was usually in a deep sleep by then.

"'M just gonna go to sleep Promise." he assured, letting his rat out to run about. It was such an odd one. It didn't do much, just sniff and scurry, returning to climb up the bedside table occasionally. It made it easier to not worry.

"Thanks," the Master offered with a smile and offered the boy a very quick kiss on the forehead. No, open affection was still not his thing, he felt like a daft sod even doing it.

Heading out of the room, he went right into the Doctors and dropped down with a loud sigh. "I'm exhausted, want to get an early night in or what?" he had been up for too long.

The Doctor had just finished getting ready for bed himself when the other entered. Smiling softly as he settled into bed, he offered a small shrug. "I don't mind an early night." he murmured softly.

He wasn't going to complain about it. If the Master was going to sleep, then he was going to sleep. As for the Doctor? He just picked up a book he'd brought along to read, not particularly interested in sleeping himself. Then again? He rarely ever was.

The Master heaved a sigh, shrugging his shoulder before he rolled away from the Doctor and closed his eyes curling up on his side and swiftly falling asleep.

He woke up around 5am when Marnal came into the room to subtly curl up against his sleeping dad. The Master left the lad too it and dozed off again himself.

Marnal was lucky that the Master wasn't like Iros. Sighing softly as he woke up, he regarded the child and rolled his eyes fondly. Poor lad. The kid was going to be in an unpleasant scenario here very soon. Because, as much as he loved his son, he didn't want Marnal in his bed every other night.

The Doctor got out of bed carefully and took to getting ready before settling on making breakfast. He even had Koschei helping him a little, the lad up and about already. It was a definite surprise to see.

Marnal wasn't much of a helper in the kitchen so he sat down to watch the TV and when the Master got up, he did the same because, well... him and the kitchen just never worked.

When breakfast was ready, the Master slipped into the kitchen and offered the Doctor his best smile. "Making us breakfast? You're good at this sort of thing."

((Off to bed!))

{Night!}

"Suppose I am. Can't really...Explain it. Suppose I'm just somebody prone to domestic tendencies." he murmured. And really? That was partly his regular personality and a large part his Tardis.

It meant he wasn't going to go running. "Enjoy. There's not much to do, I'll admit. Watch the TV, read a book...We have a hot tub." the Doctor offered as he served the food.

The Master took a seat and left Marnal to usher Sigma in, boy was that kind getting attached to the dog and visa versa, it was pretty funny, actually. The Master looked at the Doctor and grinned.

"Well, I'm sure we'll come up with something to do," the Master already had several ideas over them and that hot tub.

"In all truth, I'm more concerned for the kids. Marnal comes because he'd rather nothing to do than an alternative. I figured Moschei migh be able to manage a lack of many things to do." the Doctor admitted softly.

Because it wasn't a place designed to cater toward children. Quite the opposite. But he felt bad when he didn't take his son. He didn't expect it to be any different for the Master with Koschei.

"I'm sure they can amuse one another. Koschei? Maybe you'd like to go on a walk and Marnal could come with you?" the Master asked with a small smile on his face, long shot but worth a try.

"I mean, you could Sigma and if you want, we can come along?" Well, they could at least try and get these two to bond so he could take off with the Doctor a bit more.

The kid glared and shook his head slowly. He would let the Master date the Doctor, but he wasn't goin to try and get along with the mid. Period.

Then again? "We can all go for a walk. I'm sure Pest would love it." the Doctor cut in firmly. He wasn't going to allow for fussing and the like.

"Sounds great," the Master remarked, knowing that trying to get the kids to bond was going to be near impossible. Marnal had the social skills of a special needs puppy and Koschei was as harsh as a hyena... sure it probably wouldn't end in mauling but one could never be sure.

Marnal picked up Pest, despite the awkward height difference, and grinned. "Pest loves walks!" He didn't. The poor cat freaked out at everything and anything including walks.

"Here. Let me carry him the Doctor murmured soflty, taking the poor cat. Pest immediately clawed his way up to rest over the Doctor's shoulders contently.

It wasn't the best. But it was better than his other alternative. Which was having his cat have a mental breakdown.