Imaginary Worlds

Leaving the other to it, the Doctor simply focused on driving, stopping through a drive through after about an hour or so for food. He wasn't really in that much of a hurry now that he was in the way.

The Doctor just took orders and moved on. It was always nice to keep things simple. Particularly when he felt lazy.

The Master inspected the burger and fries they'd gotten with a sceptical look, as if he was checking for signs of food poisoning. He didn't know this place so he was naturally sceptical.

Marnal on the other hand? Well, he seemed very happy to eat without thinking, he must of been pretty hungry. But the Doctor was right, being lazy was fantastic.

"I assure you that it's dead." the Doctor joked lightly. What? He could have a sense of humor. Especially in this situation.

And so what if it were a bit odd? It wasn't near that of the Master looking to the food as if it might spring an attack of some sort. It didn't make sense.

"I had this burger when I was a boy, I went on a trip with my dad for the weekend and he thought it was a good idea to try my first one... I had food poisoning for a week," the Master mumbled as he looked it over. It had been bad luck but still.

It had been rather traumatic, he was over it now but it made him dodgy on burgers, it was why he often opted for other things. Still, he took a bite out of it and gave the Doctor an amused look. "See, its great and hopefully in date!"

"I assure you that the place is decent. I've gone in the past and haven't had issue." the Doctor assured firmly. He didn't see the other suffering for the meal.

"I use to give myself food poisoning all the time. It happens when you don't know what to do with food." the Doctor stated.

"My mom was the only one who could cook and she was always working and my dad couldn't cook so we usually brought things that didn't involve much cooking," like instant noodles pasta and fast food.

It was just to spare them from their fathers cooking. "I never did learn but I don't think I ever will, to be honest. Koschei seems to be a natural compared to me."

"Which is very odd. Kids grow into cooking based on what they observe. He hasn't observed it from what I can see." the Doctor said lightly. It didn't make sense.

Then again, nothing of their lives ever did. The Doctor chose no to question that. Particularly now that the Master was so insistent.

"He didn't get it from me, I'm God awful at it. And Lucy is not a cook, she can barely work an over," the Master remarked with a roll of his eyes. It was definitely one of life's mysteries.

And he had no idea how a lot of Koschei worked, he did stuff that made no sense. "He's also very good at art, I cant draw ... but he must of got that from Lucy. Got all my looks though."

"Ots like trying to figure Marnal out. It's just not something that can be done." the adoctor said simply, shrugging a bit.

And it was true. Both kids tended to show traits and the like that nobody else in their family shared. There was no denying it was odd.

"I see Marnal shares my interest in literature," the Master remarked, the boy mostly liked picture books so it was more of a joke but Marnal seemed to be used to amusing himself.

Which was a shame, the Master chose that life from wanting it, Marnal seemed to have it forced on him for being so human.

"More than you honestly know." the Doctor muttered in response. His son was very much like the Master in a lot of aspects.

It was boggling. It was another thing that the Doctor didn't think about much. He didn't want to know.

"Is Marnal a lot like his mother at all?" the Master asked with a curious expression. Despite Lucy being his mother, the Master didn't see much in the way of her and Koschei being connected.

They always seemed distance and different, it was baffling really. Perhaps Marnal was the same? It could be added to his theory.

"At times." the Doctor offered. He wasn't feeding into the other's theory. He wasn't stupid enough to do that one.

He didn't want to deal with it. "He's fine. You just share a lot of traits with a small child." he justified.

"Oi! I only like the kids shows and they're entertaining," the Master protested because that wasn't really fair because he wasn't exactly the most mature man.

"Clangers are amazing. So are those... erm, what are they called Teletubbies. Come on, TV in their stomachs," the Master found that pretty damn well amazing.

"Also childish and immature. Don't get me wrong! I somewhat like that about you. The point still stands, however, that I'm not into that stuff." the Doctor stated idly.

It was that simple. The man had more in common with Marnal than was normal. But that wasn't something he was losing sleep over.

"You just can't appreciate the fun of things, no one seriously like cartoons at my age, it's all about ... appreciating it," the Master tried to explain though he was failing.

It was just hard to get his point across sometimes, he couldn't explain the appeal really.

The Doctor sighed softly and shook his head a bit. "Don't worry about it. I don't mind that you like the things." he assured firmly.

He wasn't calling the Master out. That was the opposite. "If anything, it's rather endearing."

"I'm not endearing, I'm a brilliant mind," the Master complained, albeit playfully, though he supposed he did embrace his immature side more than most did what with watching the kids shows and buying gimmicky clothes.

His clangers boxers had become his lucky ones. Shoving his rubbish to the side, he yawned. "How long now?"

"You are that too. But you're also endearing and childish, but thats what I love you for." the Doctor shot back. He didn't even think about just what he'd said.

"About three hours. You can read or something if you'd like. I'm just going to drop you off and you're welcome to come over whenever." the Doctor assured.

The Master raised an eyebrow before looking over his shoulder, Marnal was asleep in the backseat so he didn't have to worry about the boy listening in or whatever.

"Are we at 'love' now?" the Master asked, curious admittedly, they had been dating for a month or so, give of take, but were they that far into things now?

"Definitely not if what I just said bothers you. That wasn't my intent." the Doctor was rather quick to assure. The last thing he wanted was to have the man take off on him again.

"Sorry. It honestly just slipped out. I wasn't even really thinking." he murmured. So he worried a bit. Who didn't?

"I always personally thought declaring love was a bit pointless, kind of like... you know, stating the obvious," the Master pointed out because that was how he'd always seen love.

But, well, he supposed he'd never go out and say it himself but was fun to hear. "Don't take it back, it's nice. I'm just not a ... you know, sort of person. Love is not my friend."

"You know? I don't expect you to say it and the like. Promise. I'm not going to get hurt over that." the Doctor mumbled softly.

He was accustomed to being with people who didn't exactly express their feelings and the such. It meant that the Doctor really didn't care. At least that's what he told himself.

"Not that I don't care or... you know, I do. I do really but I don't like saying it," he explained awkwardly with a small shrug of his shoulders because he never did this stuff well.

"Took me two years to get used to saying it to Koschei and even then, I don't say it much," the Master confessed, he did love his son but expressing it was not his strong suit.

The Doctor hummed softly and shrugged. "I don't know how many times I'm goig to have to say that I don't care or that it doesn't matter." he said softly, shrugging.

The Master didn't get it. The Doctor was the one screwing up by saying it. He didn't need to hear it from the man.