Imaginary Worlds

"Iros? Why are you still in contact with him?" The Master asked with a baffled expression because seriously, why? The guy sounded like the kind of bastards and it made no sense to him.

"Well I wouldn't tell Marnal anyway," the Master joked as he tried not to lecture the other man on his bad taste in company.

"He happens to be a business associate." the Doctor informed. More like he had his name on a good chunk of things from when they were still together. That hasn't been the best, but the Doctor hadn't thought they'd end like they did.

Sighing softly, the Doctor just shook his head. "I don't think he was as bad as I originally thought. I mean, I don't think he actually hurt Marnal or anything." he admitted softly.

The Master just stared for a while before sighing, oh the Doctor was one screwed up little man. "Yeah sure, the emotional abuse was a cake walk, what child doesn't love that."

Rolling his eyes, he leaned on the table and gave the Doctor a look of disbelief. "I can horribly hurt and scar you with words... I don't have to punch you in the face to make you hurt."

"That wasn't me dismissing it. I grew up with that sort of thing. I'm just thinking that it wasn't as bad with Iros as I'd thought. Not thinking to get back together. I'm just thinking I shouldn't dismiss him all together." he murmured as he served them up some chicken.

It made sense. The Doctor could use a friend of sorts and this was just another chance to have somebody to spend time with.

The Master was by no means stupid but he knew that the Doctor suddenly had the topic of Iros in his head and clearly they'd been talking so he already had a theory on what exactly was wrong with Marnal.

Exhaling, he shook his head in disbelief. "I know that everyone parents differently... but you have got a seriously fucked up view of being a dad."

"I'm tired of being a dad." the Doctor mumbled as he sat down with a shrug. "I'm tired of playing dad and havin to constantly deal with everything. I love my kid, but I need a break. To just get away for a day or two." he admitted.

He needed that on occasion to actually enjoy being a parent and that was what the weekend was planned to be. Time away to himself. Some of which he'd spend wih the Master.

"Well you had a kid, you are a dad, deal with it," the Master said bluntly with a small sigh because it sucked and it Koschei drove him ad but that was that, he was the kids dad.

"It's not an occupation, you're stuck. I don't want to be with Koschei some days but I stick by him anyway," the Master complained before he pulled away from the kitchen. "You have more time away from your kid than I do, don't get why you're complaining."

Because he had an ingrained urge to run. A few days away helped with that. "Have you ever just needed a short trip? A chance to go out and relax without your kid? I love Marnal dearly, but the child tends to be suffocating at times." the Doctor deadpanned.

It was always the worst when the dreams were most frequent and troubling. He'd been having some rather awful Valiant ones lately. "Tell me honestly you don't need to get away for a weekend."

"Course, don't be stupid, who doesn't? You know why we don't just do that? Because we're adults," the Master pointed out because he couldn't believe how stupid this all was.

"If you want to go, go. Run off, have a great time and while you do that, what will your son do?" the draw back of being a father was that the kid just had to come first.

"Which is why I'm not doing it! Look. I'm just a little stressed out, alright?" the Doctor asserted. Only to sigh a moment later with an overly guilty look.

"I'm sorry. I'm taking my frustration out on you and that's not fair I haven't been able to sleeps once we got back." the Dictor admitted softly.

"I get it, look if you're that desperate, I'll take the kid off you tomorrow?" the Master suggested, he couldn't tonight for obvious reasons but tomorrow would work, he wasn't going to be able to do much anyway.

"It's safer to just leave him with me because if you do something dumb like drop him off at Iros's or run off then you'll have one step close to creating a sociopath like Kosch," the Master pointed out with a small sigh

"It's fine. I'll get over it. Iros won't be allowed near my kid. Doesn't matter if he and I are talking." he murmured, shaking his head softly.

Right. He probably was starting to seem a right nutcase by now. "Really. I promise you that you don't need to watch Marnal." the Doctor stated. Not to say he'd mind company.

"You were telling me a moment ago Iros was fine, now he's not allowed near your boy... you're frying out," the Master pointed out, the Doctor was clearly at his wits end.

Maybe he just needed a break. "Look, I need to get home to Koschei but tomorrow, we'll all spend time together. Just-- don't do anything dumb like go after your son. You're confusing me as it is, dunno how a five year old could understand."

"He's hiding beneath of his bed right now actually." the Doctor murmured sheepishly. He wasn't sure how to get the kid out this time.

"And Iros is fine around me. Not my son. Wouldn't trust the man around you either. I'll see you later." the Doctor murmured. Why the hell not?

"Fantastic, totally not traumatising him," the Master praised with a not at all sincere smile. He patted the man on the arm before withdrawing towards the door. This was too much for him.

"Look just don't do anything dumb till tomorrow, yeah?" the Master requested as he opened the door and headed outside.

The Doctor sighed softly and shook his head a bit. "Don't worry. Really. I'll behave." the Doctor murmured as he followed along.

"You're welcome about at any point." the Doctor assured as he shut the door. Right. He was just a small basket case.

"See you," the Master called as he took off to his car, being a parent was not easy and the Master hated it greatly sometimes but he didn't get why the Doctor always had to try and leave.

It was important to establish a life instead of constant movement but all he could hope for is that he didn't fuck up his kid too much.

It was sad when the Master was a better father than he was. But the Doctor couldn't help it. He just...Needed a break every now and again.

Which is why he left Marnal be, simply turning in for another sleepless night. In hindsight, a week without sleep was probably a good chunk of what was wrong.

((Off to bed))

It was a horrible night, the Doctor didn't even come to read him a story or say goodnight and listening to him talk to Mr Saxon hadn't made him feel any better at all.

He didn't sleep either, how could he? Lying under the bed was not a good place to sleep. He was irritable and hurt, he just wanted the Doctor to hurry up and go off for the day like he always did.

(Night!)

The Doctor figured he wasn't welcome. He came about with some food which he left on the nightstand, sighing softly as he retreated. He was hoping Marnal would come out on his own.

Hopefully. It was a bit doubtful. Sighing, the Doctor headed down, collapsing onto the couch with a grown as Pest joined him. It was going to be a rough day.

All the Doctor really needed to do is talk to him, tell him he wasn't angry or express some want. But the silence he was met with just made him think his father was still mad at him.

Some things could be so easily resolved but Marnal was convinced his father really didn't like him right now.

The Doctor didn't have a clue. He just figured Marnal was upset with him. He honestly believed he was doing a good thing.

He didn't bother with lunch. He wasn't hungry and Marnal obviously wasn't. So could he be faulted?

Marnal assumed that if he was ever going to fix this, he was going to have to play a game he kind of didn't want to play. He was going to have to go down to granddads and then the Doctor would forgive him.

H had an already packed bag so why not? Picking it up, he headed off down the stairs.

The Doctor sat up when he heard the other coming down, regarding Marnal lightly. He wouldn't consider the bag. He didn't want to. All that mattered was that his son came about.

"Hey, kiddo. I was starting to think that you were going to hide away all day long." the Doctor murmured softly.

Marnal gave his dad a childish frown before shrugging on his bag and looking down at his shoes, he didn't know if his dad was still going to complain at him so he thought he would just try.

If he could make peace then maybe he'd feel less sick. "I can go to granddads now."