Imaginary Worlds

Marnal nodded and wondered off downstairs to go and try to stall a bit. Maybe if he could put off going for a bit then his dad might give up? He really did hate going with his granddad.

So naturally he hid under the kitchen table with a picture book... fool proof

The Doctor just let the poor lad be for a moment. It was easier to pack that way. He headed down when finished and sighed softly.

"Not working. Not come out of there do that I can feed you before you go." the Doctor chided gently as he started to get what he'd need to cook.

(Making t shirts, so I may be a little slow.)

"Not hungry," Marnal complained because he was not happy or hungry and he was allowed to have some stubborn protest because he was the one spending a weekend in hell.

"I'll go hungry," Marnal whined as he dropped down on the sofa with a pout.

((S'okay, I'm busy too <3!))

"Fine. Just know I'm not going to listen to my father complain when you start to whine. Also know the he won't allow for you to whine." he cautioned.

The Doctor wouldn't force Marnal to eat. The child would learn the there were consequences.

"I know, he yells," Maral mumbled and really, the Doctor was not doing much to encourage him to want to go. All he did was lie on the sofa stubborn and still not entirely dressed for the day.

But if he had to go, he wasn't going to make it easy to do. No way in hell.

"At least you don't live there. Be happy." the Doctor chided. The kid was being ridiculous! Marnal truly was.

So what if this wasn't ideal? The Doctor could survive his entire childhood. Marnal could last a weekend.

"Happy about what? There's nothing to be happy about," the Doctors dad made him miserable and no one wanted to spent time with someone who did that to them.

"I live with Iros, same thing," he mumbled under his breath, Iros was a bit more violent but they were very similar.

That hurt. Because the Doctor got that. He really did. "You know, you never told me what all happened with Iros." he murmured, moving to the couch.

"Do you want to tell me now? I know he hurt you. But you never actually told me what all took place." he prompted.

"Cause you love him. Or you did," Marnal said and he knew he shouldn't say anything because it would just upset his dad and that was the last thing he wanted. It really was and that was beyond his control.

"He was just mean, he yelled a lot and he-- he was just mean," was all Marnal offered as he turned his head away. This wasn't a topic he liked, no more than the Doctors father.

"And I love you more. Which is why I need to know. What did he do to you? And will you tell me if somebody else hurts you?" he asked softly.

The Doctor would never be able to help at this rate. He needed the poor lad to work with him.

"I don't like talking about this and I'm already goin' to granddads, why do I have to do more horrible things?" Marnal protested because this wasn't really fair to have to do both.

"... I'll tell you if it makes you happy but if it makes you sad, no," Marnal confessed with a small frown because he had upsetting his dad, it made him quite ill really.

"it might upset me at first, but it will be better in the end. I don't want you to suffer any more than you have." the Doctor murmured wih a cringe.

And really? He should have known better. He truly should have. Because Marnal had shown signs of what was going on.

"I tried to tell you but you never listened," it wasn't that Marnal had ever said it directly, he more made vague hints but his dad didn't seem to really acknowledge it much.

He didn't tell the man lashed out at him. "In the dream world, I never see Iros," Marnal pointed out, sure it was dark and lonely but it was iros free and he loved that.

"Neither do I. I see something worse." the Doctor mumbled. Such as the Valiant. He saw that a lot and it was far from pleasant.

"I never got that. And I'm sorry that I didn't. I wish that you hadn't had to deal with that at all." he murmured with a small cringe.

"S'okay," if the Doctor didn't want him to deal with bad things then why was he going to granddads still. He loved his dad but he really wished he was more fair.

Wasn't like he was going to spend two days with his dad. "Iros is gone and Mr Saxon is nicer, stay with him."

The Doctor had to smile softly at that. "I'm trying. But things happen and I can't promise anything long term." he murmured.

And he couldn't. He liked the man well enough, but really? He didn't have high hopes for them.

"He's nicer than the other people who date," his dad had a very lousy taste and a poor interest in people, he always picked the rich moron with little intelligence.

"I'm sick," Marnal tried, just to see if it would work and get him out of this. "Can I stay at home?"

"He also doesn't have the sense of commitment the others did. Realistically, I don't think that we can last. That's not to say I won't try." the Doctor assured firmly.

That was about all that he could promise. The Doctor shook his head softly. "You aren't sick."

((Sorry for some reason this ended up in spam >.> I hate the new google mail layout.))

"I am, my stomach hurts," Marnal lied before he rolled over and gave his dad a pitiful look. What did he have to do? Make himself sick? He could probably do that in theory.

"I'll tell you about Iros if I don't have to go," Marnal bargain carefully, giving the Doctor a sideways look.

There were times Marnal was just as manipulative as Koschei. This was one of those times. "You need to go with him. It won't even be for long." the Doctor said slowly.

This was ridiculous. "I'm not going to be home all weekend. You need to stay with at least one family member. Tell me about Iros and I'll let you choose." the Doctor shot back.

"No deal," Marnal mumbled stubbornly as he rolled off the sofa and headed for the stairs. He was not bargaining, it seemed he had inherited some of the Masters stubbornness.

He just collected his bag and sat upstairs, waiting till they had to go. He would not forgive the Doctor easily for this.

The Doctor was honestly developing a complex. Because, yes, Iros had hit him once. But he'd left for Marnal's safety. So either Marnal wouldn't speak because it was that bad, or the Doctor had left the man for no true reason. It was all a bit trying at times.

He called for his son when he saw the familiar car pulling up, having no personal desire to deal with his father. What? He didn't like the man.

(Ugh. I know what you mean about gmail.)

"You won't go out to see him," Marnal mumbled as he held his bag close, it was a bit of a cheat that he had to go all the way out there and his dad was too scared to deal with his own dad.

"You should say hi, he's family," Marnal said mimicking what his father had told him in the past.

"And you should tell me what happened between you and my boyfriend. Things don't always work out." the Doctor murmured softly.

He just wanted to get Marnal out before the man chose to come in. The Doctor didn't want to deal with him.

"Why should I tell you? What will it change, I got hurt then, I'm gonna get hurt now," Marnal shot back rather angrily and while his whole body told him off for doing it he had a point. His granddad made him incredibly upset!

So why was he being sent to him anyway? He as basically Iros, he didn't see how things had changed.