Imaginary Worlds

"I won't be bad again for ages," Marnal insisted and really, he would fight not to be, he was devastated that he'd upset his dad as it was, he didn't think he could manage otherwise.

"I don't want you to be mad at me any more," he'd be good for that reason alone, it really did make him feel very sickly. "Can I go to bed soon? I'm tired."

"Go. I'll wake you later to eat." the Doctor assured as he started to clean up, watching from the corner of his eye as he did so. He could see the door again.

He just couldn't focus long enough on it to try the handle again. It was definitely worrying to him. But he could think about that later.

Marnal took off upstairs to curl up in bed and try to recover some energy, he was shattered from the night before and the Master probably shouldn't of put in so many reigns to keep the boy loyal.

If he knew, he'd of tweaked that by now. The Master turned up not long later, he knew the drill so he knocked and waited. He'd left Koschei at home with the sitter, it wasn't like he enjoyed coming here.

The Doctor was about to change the routine. He opened the door and smirked softly. "I gave you a key for a reason. You're welcome to use it." he assured as he let the other in.

And really? The Doctor didn't mind. He actually trusted the Master. He didn't mind the other coming and going freely. A big change from the past.

"I know but I keep forgetting to bring it, it never enters my mind," the Master confessed as he came in and dropped down on the sofa, giving the Doctor an amused look.

"Everything all settled today or are you still trying to run off?" the Master asked with a small curious frown.

"Everythinf is fine now. Marnal is better and my father wants nothing to do with us whatsoever. I don't think that I'm going to run." the Doctor assured.

That was all he could offer. Sitting upon the couch with a soft sigh, the man shrugged. "I'm just tired."

"Well... I was thinking that maybe monday we could have a date? Just you and me and it'll be a night off," the Master suggested, they could just go and do something together.

"We could go to the cinema and I'll pay," the Master insisted because it was his idea.

The Doctor smiled softly at that one. Why would he complain? He liked to be with the other and a date was perfect.

"Let's do that." he agreed, leaning against the other tiredly. "That door is bothering me today." he mumbled. Because the Master might be the one to get it.

Then lets double team it and try to open it," the Master suggested because it made sense to him and he didn't get why no one wouldn't want to try and get into it.

But he made no move to do so because the Doctor wasn't like him, he didn't jump at the chance. "Whenever you fancy."

"I just want it to go away." the Doctor admitted softly. He didn't want to deal with all of that. Especially not on top of everything else.

"Can we just sit here for a bit? Marnal is sleeping and I'm just glad you're around." he admitted sheepishly.

The Master stared for a while before sighing and, swallowing his pride, offered the Doctor a chance to move closer and relax against him, he honestly didn't mind if he did.

Though it definitely didn't make him look any more independent and cool to be cuddling a grown man. Well, he supposed he could let this go. "Just relax and stop worrying."

That was a surprise. The Doctor hesitated before moving close, sighing softly. "I know. I can't help I though." he mumbled.

And he couldn't. The Doctor was always a bit of a worrier. That was all there was to it.

"I know, I'm sorry your stressed but you really need to relax," the Master said with a small sigh because as far as he knew, no one liked a normal domestic sort of life.

Personally he'd rather be doing other things... but the real world didn't offer many other positives.

The Doctor was trying and that was all there was to it. He couldn't be faulted for his stress or tension. Though the Master was helping a bit.

"I almost wish you'd brought Koschei. I could have convinced you to stay the night." the Doctor joked lightly.

"He would of hated me for it. Besides, you'll be fine... but if you need, you can call," the Master suggested, he couldn't promise anything but he'd be up for helping if he had too.

"You'll be fine, just a little stressed is all," he promised with a small smile on his face.

"Claiming a little stressed is an understatement. But I will be fine. I know it and so do you." the Doctor murmured softly. Though he was feeling a bit better now.

"Your son really does hate me. I can't even dispute that one." the Doctor stated. It wasn't really fair.

"He admits that he doesn't know why,, he just does. He says he's scared of you sometimes... I blame the dreams," if it wasn't for them then the boy might of liked him.

But sadly he didn't get that sort of luck and he really did pity the man. He was hated for something that he'd never done!

it only made sense to be an issue. The child couldn't help himself there. Not when Marnal dreamt of the same thing.

And then the Doctor made his mistake. "I have nightmares and I'm not afraid of you." he murmured. Because he'd left that key point out.

"I'm frightened of me," the Master confessed, giving the Doctor a sideways look because he was, admittedly, rather worried that if he got into power then things would not end well.

"I don't trust myself at all," the Master confessed with a small frown.

"We're about to find out. It should be on the news later tonight." the Doctor murmured softly. He was so determined to ignore his own instincts and those dreams...

"You'll be fine. I can almost guarantee you'll be winning this election. I think you'd do well in power." the Doctor assured.

"I don't, I doubt I can even manage it alongside my job and my son. I barely did any campaigning either," he'd been distracted being a lazy git and didn't get anything done.

"I want to have power but part of me doesn't want it," and that part of him the TARDIS had definitely installed just in case.

"I know because I did it. It'll be fine. And really? I'm sure you can do it." the Doctor murmured softly.

The Master didn't get to back out now. The Doctor went through too much trouble and work to get this all done. "I'm sure you can handle it."

"Well we can only hope," the Master muttered before giving the Doctor a sideways look because the man seemed very determined to get him into power. He wasn't sure if that was good or not.

"So when are you turning in?" the Master asked with a small frown, he knew it was still early but he was curious how long they would have between the Doctor going to bed and him needing to get back to Kosch.

((I may fall asleep soon, I'm not feeling well.))

{I hope you feel better}

"I'm not.'' the Doctor informed softly. "It's easier to simply not sleep than it is to deal with nightmares." he stated. And so what if he wanted the Master in power?

For whatever reason, he figured the Master would like it. And really? He'd had enough dreams of the man in a position of power that ended horribly that he needed to prove that wasn't truly the case.

"Yeah, that is definitely healthy," the Master heaved a sigh before pinching the bridge of his nose, they were all miserable and it was because of these damn dreams.

"We have to stop this, you know that don't you?" the Master asked with a small frown he was unable to hide.