Imaginary Worlds

"I want you to be happy as well, Koschei," the Master insisted and he really did. But things were harder than that. "I just don't want to lose John to make you happy."

The Master pulled up outside their house and parked, turning to his son with a small sigh. "Let's not talk about John and Marnal today, okay? It's just you and me now and we should avoid that topic.

Koschei nodded softly at the request. He could agree to that. Easily. Especially if it meant not stressing out.

"'Kay. We won't talk about them. We can order in and watch a movie instead." Koschei chirped brightly.

"Sure, if you like," the MAster asssured as they got out the car and headed inside. Sigma was waiting inside and after a week without seeing Koschei, he definitely gave the boy a warm welcome.

The Master gently pulled the dog back and smiled. "He missed you."

At least Koschei could appreciate the mutt after some distance, smiling soflty and ruffling the pup's fur lightly. Why not? He could be nice.

"It's nice being home." Koschei admitted softly. He liked spending time with his mother, but that didn't stop him from missing his house.

"Nice having you home, it's weird when you're not around," the Master complained with a small sigh, he didn't like it but his son had a life to lead and all that.

"So what do you fancy for lunch? Have you eaten yet?" the Master asked with a small frown, not sure if Lucy gave him breakfast.

"I didn't feel like making myself anything." Koschei murmured. Which of course meant he hadn't eaten yet. He was pretty much on his own outside of the evening meal.

"It's alright though. Promise. Can we have pizza?" he asked softly. Hey. He was trying and that's all that mattered.

"Sure, we can have pizza," the Master promised as he grabbed the phone and ordered the boys favourite, so what if he skipped breakfast, he'd let him make up for it now.

"I was thinking tomorrow we could make a cake for dinner? Well, you could. You've seen my attempts at that," Yes, Koschei's 5th birthday cake had not been pleasant.

What? "I'd like that." Koschei murmured softly. Though he was a bit concerned. He usually only cooked with the Doctor.

It still left him worried. Because he could easily screw up. And then what? Koschei didn't like failure much.

"It'll be fine," the Master had faith in the lad and even if it went wrong, he'd eat it all anyway. The kid had eaten his cooking before and besides, he had faith in the kid.

"I think if you find something you like, you should pursue it." the Master insisted with a small smile.

"I like puzzles. And building stuff. That's fun." Koschei murmured sofly. He was probably looking to gow up to be architect or something along those lines.

And really? That wouldn't be too difficult to achieve either. "I just wanna relax. I don't wanna bother with anything."

"Sounds a tad lazy," the Master joked but shrugged his shoulders. "If you don't want to do anything, I'll never force you. Just don't do something because you feel pressured."

Taking a seat on the sofa, he sat back and crossed his arms. "Want to pick a film? We can watch one while we have pizza?"

The kid picked a movie out and out it in, humming softly as he curled up on the couch. "I've been busy. Her boyfriend took me out a lot. We went fishing an' hunting." he murmured softly.

He had some mixed feelings about the hunting. He just didn't appreciate the idea of killing animals for fun. That didn't seem fair.

"I never thought you'd like hunting, especially since you always liked collecting animals," the Master mused, more so because he was curious if the boy enjoyed all of this stuff.

"So you have a lot of fun at your mothers?" he asked, not sure what to think really.

"I liked seeing the animals. I didn't like shooting them." Koschei mumbled. Not that he'd been given a gun, mind. But he'd still watched.

And really? That had to be expected. "I have fun normally. I like when I can paint and stuff." Koschei informed.

"Tell them you don't like it, don't do something you don't like cause he asked you too, he's not your dad," the Master pointed out, Koschei didn't have to listen to him.

He was just the newest one in a long line that was shagging Lucy. "Well I'm glad you have a good time there."

"My mom says I need to branch out an' try things at least once. An' that I need to try and get to know him since they're gonna be living together soon." Koschei murmured softly.

And he still liked that man better than the Doctor. The Master probably should take that as an indicator.

"He's just a guy, nothing more," the Master pointed out, he was Koschei's father, Lucy was a distraction at best and this man was more a taint than a lover, he was sure.

"I doubt Lucy is actually capable of love but there you are," the Master said before the door knocked ans he got up to retrieve his pizza.

Koschei nodded softly at that one and settled back into the couch a bit. Because he really was glad to be home and able to relax again.

"The film is ready." he announced as the menu came up. Smiling brightly, Koschei shifted about to press play, actually rather content.

The Master dropped down beside the boy and shared the pizza out evenly, dropping the box on the table as he sat back and watched the film. He ad no idea what Koschei had picked.

50/50 change it was a horror. Then again, maybe he was developing other tastes in films.

It wasn't. It was an odd science fiction with a small side of romantic interest that Koschei most definitely inherited from the Doctor. But that was to be expected.

The kid simply settled with watching the show as he picked away at his pizza. What reason did he have to complain?

The Master didn't mind sci-fi, though the romantic bits were a bit dull. The alien attacked definitely interested him a lot more than he thought it would.

The Master finished up his pizza and watched the film right to the credits with a small frown on his face. "Huh, didn't know you liked sci-fi? Good choice though."

"It's not mine. I borrowed it from your boyfriend." Koschei informed simply with a bit of a shrug. "He said that I might like it."

And it was that simple. Koschei really didn't pick it apart too much. He had no reason to.

"Oh huh, had no idea," the Master looked over the case before shrugging and setting it aside, whatever John did to make friends with his son, he'd back it up.

"Fancy doing anything else today or would you like some alone time?" the Master asked, not sure what the boy wanted to do.

The Doctor was definitely trying too hard. But no matter. It meant Koschei got to benefit from it in the long run and he was okay with that.

"No. 'M fine. What do you want to do?" Koschei asked in turn, cocking his head to the side a bit.

"Erm, don't know, I need to take Sigma for a run and maybe find a way to kill some time," the Master remarked, he admittedly didn't have many plans for the kid.

"We could go out somewhere fun? Park?" the Master suggested, it was just nice to get out.