Imaginary Worlds

The Master didn't answer till they finally got the control room. there the Master took a seat and threw something at the Doctors head that promptly bounced off him and landed on the door. "Fetch!"

Yes, the Master had indeed thrown a yellow tennis ball at the Doctor. No one could say he didn't have a sense of humour. Spinning in his seat, he put his feet down to stomp himself and looked at the Doctor. "I wonder if you could put that big mouth of yours to use and catch it like a proper dog... hmm, that would be fun. What do you think?"

The Doctor thought that the other probably needed Sigma back. Not to say that he would try that. "I'm not a dog. I do not fetch. I do not put things like that in my mouth for amusement." he said slowly, ignoring the eyes upon them They were just illusions. He probably would have done it in the real world had they made it to this point.

Sighing, he grabbed the ball up and placed it firmly upon the table, just out of the Master's reach. The other was asking for the attitude. "Now. I'm sure that I can find something else to do with my time. I don't see the amusement in this." the Doctor stated. He really didn't.

The Doctor was doing his head in today, the Master was struggling to hold back. Getting to his feet reluctantly, he grabbed the ball once more and threw it as hard as he could at the Doctor, trying his hardest to do some damage.

"Stop pushing me today, I'm not in the mood. Try it, just try and defy me one more time. So, here's the choice, pick up the ball like a good dog and fetch it back or I will make you suffer," the Master ordered, giving him a very stern look.

The Doctor sighed softly and shook his head, grabbing the ball up again and placing it upon the table dully. At least he'd had the presence of mind to dodge that one. He didn't feel like the ball would have left him completely unharmed. Which left him in a point where he wasn't exactly happy.

Then again, he hadn't expected to be happy with all of this. "It won't fit in my mouth." the Doctor murmured with a shake of his head. The fact that the other actually expected it to was rather sad, actually. Attention was nice. Fetch? Not so much.

"Don't make me take up that challenge," the Master was insanely pissed off because this new found rebellious spirit was not helpful right now. Walking over to one of the guard, he leaned over and whispered something to the man.

He couldn't be bothered to deal with the Doctor so he order him men take the idiot away and find somewhere to hang the Doctor up by his arms so his feet only just touching the ground, see how long he could last before the Master decided he could be bothered with his company. Pulling his seat up to the TV screen, he flipped on the cartoons while he studied where he was on the other one. The Doctor would be kept quiet for a while at least.

Right. Time to slip back into the much easier submissive role. The Doctor ducked around the guard with a glare, snatching the ball up as he moved to the other's chair. He didn't trust the Master not to see him harmed in some manner like this. The bruise on his cheek from earlier was enough proof of that.

"Throw it. I'll bring it back. But it won't fit in my mouth. I could fit something else in my mouth, but not a tennis ball. Are you really going to be angry because I'm incapable of doing it?" he asked softly with a small frown, at least trying to come across as hurt over the matter. For all the Master knew, he was honestly trying to please.

"You think you can just dictate what to do and when? Sorry! No, lost interest. I don't want to play fetch," the Master dismissed idly and threw the ball off in the other direction. He wasn't doing something because the Doctor decided he wanted to, he either did or he didn't.

"Guards, I can't help but notice the Doctor is still here," the Master cooed mockingly, not making eye contact with any other them. Why should he? The job should be done and done fast, he was fed up of already and he was sick of all of them.

The Doctor didn't even try to fight this time around. He didn't want that. He really didn't want to be dragged to a cell to be shackled up. He wasn't going to be able to handle this in a long term. The hanging from the wall thing, not the Master issue. He had resigned himself to that when he'd locked the program. The Master was the one who was going to have to change things this time around. The Doctor honestly wasn't too pleased about that any longer.

Which is why he perked up a bit when the Master finally did come around to fetch him. He wasn't too sure how much time had passed. Only that he was sore and tired, not to mention more than a little annoyed. Though that didn't stop him from looking properly contrite and just a little hopeful. He had the think this through. He had set it to three months. That was enough time to start adapting..."'M lonely." he mumbled as a form of apology for his actions. The Master wanted to treat him like a dog? Some common pet? Fine. Then he would go with that. An affectionate pet that acted out for feeling neglected. "You...You don't pay as much attention now." he murmured, shifting about anxiously to try and get more comfortable before falling still once more in a sulk.

"Well I don't want to pay endless attention to you, you're boring," the Master snarked from the doorway, watching the Doctor dangle there. Eventually he raised his laser screwdriver and aimed it at the Doctor. Frowning, he came into the room and shut the door behind himself, he needed some private time with the Doctor.

"The drums... when I hear them lately, they're not right. Something is wrong... have you been in my head?" the Master asked evenly, the Doctor must have had a mess around with his telekinesis... maybe he was getting brave? It was the last thing that he needed to deal with right now. "Tell me honestly."

"Maybe I wouldn't be if you were willing to pay me actual attention and not just brushing me off." the Doctor pouted. And then the Master was honestly asking him that? It was enough to make him tense up a bit. He hadn't thought about those. He hadn't heard them well enough before, if at all, to properly duplicate them.

"When would I have been in your head? You don't exactly allow me free reign when you're not aware. And like hell I'd attempt to sneak into your bedroom while she's in there." the Doctor said levelly. He would have rather have not created Lucy, but it was more authentic this way. "I wouldn't try and force my way into your head. Believe it or not, I do have morals."

The Master gave the Doctor a long drawn out look that screamed how unsure he was of what the Doctor just said. He finally turned his head away and exhaled in a rather annoyed fashion because he had expected a great secret to be exposed and instead, he was sure he was being lied to but had no evidence to prove otherwise.

"I don't believe you but if you ever go into my head again, I will kill you and make sure I take great advantage of the quick healing post regeneration," the Master warned with a dangerous look in his eyes. Because he had spent 900 years with these drums... didn't take a genius to realise they were going array. "Follow, Doctor."

The Doctor knew when to pursue his innocence and when to let something drop. This was one of those latter moments. It was begging for trouble to pursue such a thing. Instead, the Doctor did as instructed, following the other closely. If not just slightly closer than what was actually necessary.

"what are you going to do?" the Doctor asked softly, crossing his arms slightly. "I mean...Sorry? I'm not complaining if you're going to actually pay attention to me. Possitive attention, mind. But that never really happens and I'm not going to get shoved into something and left again, am I?" he asked with a forced dismay.

"Shut up," the Master ordered as they headed along the corridors and up the elevator till they were finally on the top floor. shoving the Doctor out ahead of him, he made his way to his chair and gave the Doctor a small glare before gesturing to the tent in the corner with the charming little dogs bowl. He was a little too busy thinking.

"I need to focus, unless you want to play fetch, you may as well go lie down like a good dog," the Master cooed in a patronizing fashion but he wasn't exactly in the mood to be nice, was he?

The Doctor sighed softly and looked to the Master. "I'm not a dog. I'm the only other member of your species. And yet you cast me aside like some annoying pet." he grumbled, even as he retreated to the tent. He was honestly a tad bit tired. Who could blame him?

He was also rather annoyed. But that was easy enough to cover up. The fact was that he was annoyed with himself. How could he honestly forget to include the drums? Mind, it was fixable enough to create an illusion of them. But to do so would have to put the Doctor close to the Master. Something he wasn't sure was going to be too possible.

Its was quiet without them... too quiet. The Master found himself terrified because he was now somewhat lacking his purpose. Had he achieved it? Had they left him? What was he now without the drums? He studied the world outside and looked over reports to try and locate the change from today and yesterday but he was drawing a blank.

And that in itself was probably why he attacked the Doctors tent, throwing a chair in its general direction. He was a little annoyed that he was sure he hadn't hit the Doctor properly and probably only clipped him but what else was he meant to do. "Get up now! What have you done to me?!"

The Master was correct in think he'd been clipped. In the shoulder, in fact. He was already trying to tweak things from where he was. It was hopefully right this time and meant to be a gradual thing. Really, he was just trying to copy his heartbeat in and hope for the best.

Scrambling a bit, he moved close, holding his hands in surrender. He really just needed to touchthe Master and wait. That was all. "I don't know what you're talking about. Maybe you're having a good day? Look. Sit down? I'll fetch you something and see if it helps." he murmured, placing a hand on the Master's elbow as he prepared himself to be hit. But the seed was planted. Hopefully. He would see in an hour or so.

The Master jerked his arm away and gave the Doctor a look filled with venom. There was something wrong, as the master had always said, he could recognise when he was outside time. It was the curse of the Time Lord. But he was to afraid to even say that because he didn't want anyone thinking he was losing grip of reality.

He had to sort it all out before he picked how to felt but everything in his blood was screaming that something was wrong but... it looked the same as yesterday? Was it the drums? Maybe he was cracking up? "If you have been messing with my head, I will tear your mind to shreds... understood?"

"I've not been breaking into your mind, Master. I swear to you. I would not hurt you." the Doctor murmured, slowly sitting on the floor and worrying his lip. He glanced up from beneath of his lashes to the other, sighing softly. Right. Playing the game to get what he wanted.

"Why would I try to hurt you? Humans are gone. Gallifrey? Gone. You're all that I have left and you won't even give me a second look aboard here. Even when interacting with me, unless I anger you, you hardly pay me any real attention. I don't want to hurt you." the Doctor murmured softly.

"Oh don't be so pathetic!" the Master snapped, he played with the miserable bastard plenty of times last week, he didn't have time to play with him all the bloody time. Hell, he had a planet to run. Did that mean anything to anyone? Or was he alone in all of this. At least the Doctor wasn't an old man who could barely stand any more, you'd think he'd be thankful.

"Stop sulking and moping," the Master snapped, kicking the Doctor none too gently as he walked over him and stormed off. He had to think everything over, things were not going right and he still had to launch an attack on the nearest planets soon, they had only just finished construction his weapons.

The Doctor helped and moved away, watching the Master go. Right. Hopefully the Master would be hearing drums come morning. That in mind, he settled for the night, none too happy at the moment. How could he be? The Master wasn't even happy after everything.

And morning was much the same as before. The Doctor showered and dressed in whatever was given to him, following that up with straightening things up before seven-thirty came about. Slipping into the Master's room as Lucy was slipping out, instructing him to let the Master know where she'd be, he sat the tray on the nightstand table gently and started to quietly pick things up. It was partially an excuse to see if he had it right this time.

The Master woke up to the noise of the drums and everything feeling refreshingly... normal. There was still that nagging feeling but he felt much better. Opening his eyes, he smiled and pulled himself upright, rubbing at his eyes.

"Ah, Doctor, good morning," the Master muttered his tone better than yesterday but still none too pleased with the Doctor. The Doctor was just a prisoner. Passed taunting him, the master could think of little else to do with him. He was a display object, a trophy... he had no real plans but to keep his morale low.

Hesitating briefly, the Doctor moved over to stand by the end of the bed, regarding the other lightly. "Morning? You wife has instructed me to inform you she'll be waiting in the library for you once you're ready." he murmured, keeping a bitter edge. And then for a bit of acting.

With a rather pathetic look, he sunk to the ground and placed his chin upon the edge of the bed while he tried looking properly contrite. "I didn't mean to anger you yesterday. I just...It's hard to explain. But I'm lonely. And I know. Your interest in me is to torment me, but..." he trailed off slowly, giving a halfhearted shrug as he left it for the Master to pick at.

"When did you become so needy?" the Master mocked, rolling his eyes at the Doctor because no, this was never going to be easy with the Master and this is exactly what he had been telling the Doctor all along. He was an awkward bastard who was nearing impossible to have a perfect relationship with. The endlessly flippant Master gave the Doctor a bored expression before ruffling his hair like he would Sigma when the dog fetched his slippers.

"Do you remember when all you used to do was glare at me and not speak out of protest. Now that was annoying but at least you weren't always bothering me," the Master remarked as he got to his feet and headed out the room, he had to grab a quick shower before breakfast and to hell with where Lucy was, he had a war to run.

The Doctor sighed and stood, following the Master out. He caught the other's wrist gently and hesitated. Right. Probably not a smart move. But he had to do this before he backed off completely. "Sorry. I just...I don't want to do that anymore." he murmured softly, cringing.

This was slightly more difficult. "This is stupid. Probably just a case of Stockholm and the like. Stockholm and loneliness. I have other things to do besides trying to steal away a married man's attention. Your wife already hates me enough without me trying to give her a reason." the Docotor muttered with a cringe, retreating quick enough. Let the Master dwell on that one.

"You know, it was never very becoming of you when you got desperate for attention, you were always sexier when you were scolding," the Master teased with an amused expression because all of this had to be an insane joke, right? Like he gave a damn what the Doctor wanted from him? They weren't together.

"Don't even grab my wrist again," the Master warned in a cheer tone, yanking his hand free and giving the Doctor a shove to make his point before heading back towards the shower. "Sort yourself out, Doctor. Honestly."