Imaginary Worlds

"Cooking is fascinating. It's a science of sorts. You should enjoy it." the Doctor responded with a small shrug. He had at least one about that liked to help.

Grinning, Koschei just shrugged. "I think it's fun." he chirped. It was also one way that he spent time with the Doctor in a positive manner. Always something to encourage.

"Some people are cookers, some people aren't," the Master shrugged slightly, not really a massive fan of it, despite however sciency it maybe. "I think I'll stick to cartoons."

Marnal giggled in amusement and nodded his head, cooking was never going to be a thing he enjoyed. The Master shrugged and ruffled Koschei's hair playfully. "It's an art that alludes me."

The Doctor smiled softly and shrugged. He couldn't complain much. At least he enjoyed cooking. "Well. You're always welcome to come around for a free meal." he stated lightly.

And really? He couldn't complain to the idea. The Doctor enjoyed the company. He really did. And Marnal tended to like it as well.

"Always nice to have options," he offered, clearly amused as he nodded his head at the other man. He did like all the offers for food, he was never good at that stuff.

As a student, he lived off quick past and revolting instant food. "Hopefully Kosch can cook a bit better, it'll be interesting to give him a proper shot."

The Doctor smiled softly and nodded along. Fair enough. He would accept the company as it came to him. But he wasn't about to push.

"You might no like it. I don't cook. I just help." Koschei reminded softly. He didn't want or need the Master drawing forth any assumptions or expectation.

"I'm sure we'll be fine," the Master said but he left it at that as he went to the sink to put his plate away. Marnal wasn't that hungry by the end but he kept on eating anyway, just to try ad clean his plate.

Looking down, he made sure everything was gone before looking at his dad. "Can I leave the table now?"

"Go for it." the Doctor dismissed as he took his son's plate. Why not? It didn't make sense to keep the lad about longer than the kid wanted.

Never mind that the Doctor had in the past. That was then and this was now. He didn't want to after they'd fallen out.

Marnal slid off his chair and headed into the living room to watch TV. He did want to go out and play but the Doctor never used to let him outside in case he got lost and hurt.

Iros would take him out for a walk but he absolutely hated that. The Master tilted back in his seat and smiled at the Doctor. "So what are we doing after dinner?"

The Doctor sighed softly as Koschei slipped away as well and shrugged. "Don't know. I don have any plans in particular. Was there something in particular you were interested in doing?" he asked softly.

He moved about, simply starting in on the dishes with a small smile. What? He wasn't complaining to a nice and easy night in the least. Why would he?

The Master shrugged his shoulders and offered a playful smile. There was no easy way to go about this sort of thing but he offered the Doctor a seductive raise of his eyebrow. Or he tried anyway.

Well, he couldn't say anything aloud, he just want to make his point without alterting the kids in the other room.

((On the phone))

(That's fine. I'm at work.)

Well, it took a moment, but he got the point. Oh. With their kids there? Not to mention Marnal's habit of slipping into his bed in the middle of the night. Not to say he wasn't willing to try.

"That's fine." the Doctor assured, smiling softly. He was smart enough to even stay quiet. No point in screwing things up before they even began.

The Master would find a way to pull this off, hopefully without awaking anyone or having Marnal wandering in. They really had to sort that, especially if he was coming over more.

"Until then? Maybe we should do something with our boys?" the Master suggested, not sure what to do with them though.

The Doctor hummed softly and shrugged. "We can do something with them. Watch a movie or something." he suggested. Something they could all watch and enjoy.

He wasn't about to complain. The Doctor was looking forward to a little bit of fun. Sadly it was the film concept that had him the most excited.

"I think our boys have wildly difference tastes," Marnal seemed to like things aimed at kids his age, something human children would enjoy, like plucky films about animals helping one another.

Koschei was into some serious gore and hardcore horror. He thought showing Marnal that might traumatise the kid. "Any ideas what to show 'em?"

"Comedy might work. I know they don't like the same things, but surely there's something there for them." the Doctor said softly as he dried his hands.

He hoped so at least. The Doctor had a feeling that the two wouldn't enjoy the film equally. But he could try!

"Sure, you can pick," the Master insisted with an amused look, he was going to be the one to pick, heading into the living room, he sat down beside Koschei and offered him a smile.

"We're gonna watch a film then you'll have to go straight to bed. We're going to have to get back into a normal sleeping pattern before you go to your moms," he explained with a small shrug.

"Why? She lets me stay up." Koschei murmured softly. He was allowed to go to bed whenever he wanted without any problem with her. Not that she much cared.

"Buy fine. I can do that." he grumbled as he settled onthe couch, watching the Doctor put the film in. The kid was already screwed up in regards to sleeping pattern.

"Exactly, you're always shattered when you get back to mine. This way, you can get some sleep in beforehand and when you get back," he was going to talk to Lucy about that.

Having kids was not about having fun with them and for someone applying for partial custody, they couldn't be so reckless. All he'd have to do is tell a social worker his son slept whenever and she'd be all over Lucy. "You have bedtime for a reason."

"She doesn't give me one. She says I need to be in my room by nine. Anything after is my choice so long as I sleep and 'm up by ten." Koschei said softly. He liked it that way.

Sighing, the Doctor settled in beside the Master'd other side and shook his head a bit. "Does it matter right this second? We're on holiday. Just let it go." he murmured to the Master softly.

"You're 8 Kosch, you don't get to pick a bedtime," the Master heaved a sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. This coming from a man who blew up at Marnal for much less.

"Let's leave it, I'll talk to your mom about it," the Master remarked with a small shrug of his shoulders.

What? It's what the Master said to him. The Doctor was just returning the favor. What was the issue there?

The both of them simply settled down to watch, Koschei sulking just a bit. The kid didn't even say good night whenthe credits began. He just stood and stomped off to his room in a fit.

He could sulk all he wanted, kids had to have bedtimes, it was a fact of life. One day he could stay up as late as he wanted but as Kosch and everyone else kept forgetting, he was eight. He had few decisions to make.

Marnal was much easier, he had fallen asleep against his dad before the credits, nice and easy, no problems there.

The Doctor smiled softly as he looked down at his son. Well then. "I'm just going to put him down in his own room." he murmured, picking his son up and carrying the lad.

Once that was taken care of, the Doctor headed to his own room with a small smile. He was actually looking forward to this little encounter. How could he not be?

The Master made sure Koschei was in bed and tucked in before he turned off all the lights and left the landing one on for Kosch and Marnal in case they woke up scared.

Light usually made that sort of stuff better. Heading into the Doctors room, he shut the door behind himself and locked it. "I'll unlock it before we sleep, Marnal will never know.

The Doctor smiled softly and nodded. No reason to complain or speak out against the situation. "Hopefully he doesn't get up too soon." he mused, motioning the Master to join him on the bed.

"In the meantime, come here. I do owe you, so I may as well." the Doctor offered softly. Why not? It wasn't too big of a deal.