for best_served_hot | At your side I feel like a ghost

[rude_not_ginger]

Follows this.

Hours had passed. Hours. The Valeyard was now sleeping. The two weeks that the Doctor had rested left him awake, energized. There was more than an hour in him, now, though he didn't know how long.

He reached to his side table and flipped a switch. Lights flickered around the ship, and a few of the cameras turned off. The damage done would leave the Valeyard angry, but it would keep the Doctor and the Master safe. For now. It wouldn't be long until the Valeyard worked it out, and the Doctor knew it.

So hard, sharing one body. The part of him that wanted to stay the Doctor remaining safe and secure in a small section of the tyrant's mind.

He got out of bed and slipped down the corridor, avoiding the cameras he knew were still on as he made it to the infirmary. No guards. They were switching out, now. He had a window of opportunity to make sure the Master was safe. He had to make sure. He had to see that the damage the Valeyard had done wouldn't be permanent.

He pulled open the door and stepped inside.

"Master."

Comments

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

"Master," his voice was quiet, just above audible. "Please let me in."

[best-served-hot.livejournal.com]

"I can't help but take that as some sort of warning, something about three brother pigs. Though I think you already know the appropriate response."

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

There was no more reply, as he turned to leave the door and shuffle his way back to his own sleeping quarters.

[best-served-hot.livejournal.com]

"You are pathetic, you do realize that, don't you?" He called it out after him, and pushed the door open enough so that it would hit the wall with thunk.

He crossed his arms over his chest, noting the slide of the jim-jams he was in, and made a face.

"And what am I wearing? Are these paisley? They are. One article of clothing aside, I think there may be a rule about wearing too much of something in this pattern."

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

He stops, but doesn't turn around. He waits for the Master to step behind him, but keeps himself still, waiting for the Master to make the first move.

[best-served-hot.livejournal.com]

He walks over to him, stopping just out of reach if he were to be wrong in thinking that he is addressing the Doctor.

"Aren't you going to say anything?"

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

"I don't know what you want me to say," he replied, his voice still quiet. "I've given up, you say."

[best-served-hot.livejournal.com]

"Prove me wrong."

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

He looked down but didn't turn around.

"Tell me," he said. "Tell me what you want me to do. I'll do it."

[best-served-hot.livejournal.com]

"Exactly what I said."

He wanted proof that the Doctor was alive, and not simply a shadow. If he wasn't trying, then what was it all for?

"You had no right to do what you did. None at all."

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

"By giving up?" he asked. He turned his head back just a little, not quite looking at him. Perhaps, not quite able to.

[best-served-hot.livejournal.com]

"You know what I'm talking about," he said, voice low and dangerous.

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

"Explain it to me," he said. "Because I don't know anything right now."

[best-served-hot.livejournal.com]

"You know, I despised your silence on the Valiant, but we can go back to that if you like. I don't honestly know how much more of your whining I can take."

He reached out, taking him roughly by one arm to try and turn him to face him.

"Think very hard about it, and see if you can come up with the answer without me having to hold your hand and walk you through it."

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

He allowed himself to be spun around, but kept his eyes averted, looking away. He clenched his jaw and made no move to reply at first. It was important that he did reply, and he knew that.

"Help me," he said, quietly. "Tell me what you want me to do."

[best-served-hot.livejournal.com]

"And that is precisely the problem with you. It isn't enough that he's destroyed all the universe around you and warped it into something unrecognizable, but he's neutered you on top of it," he sneered.

"I shouldn't have to explain this to you."

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

"He hasn't neutered me," he replied, his voice just a little firmer. "You're wrong. He can't do that."

[best-served-hot.livejournal.com]

"Oh, really, then what would you call it? Taming? You learned to heel very well under his tutelage, I might have to ask for pointers cause you never would have done that for me."

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

"What would you have me do?" he asked, taking in a shuddering breath. "How should I defeat him?"

[best-served-hot.livejournal.com]

"Fight," he said, voice taking on an insistent tone.

"It won't just be you, or did you forget that I'm standing right here? I have to deal with this just as you do. We will stop him, but you need to stop withholding information from me."

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

Another shuddering breath, and he shook his head as well.

"And you've been totally honest with me? How am I supposed to fight him if you won't tell me?"

[best-served-hot.livejournal.com]

He let go of his arm, and took a step back.

He wanted him to fight. He wanted him to want to fight back. This was so far from the comfort of the games he knew. He plotted and the Doctor foiled his plans. Once in a long while, one of them won completely, but it was never dull.

This left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"I've been doing what I can. I can't breathe over anything without him knowing."

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

"And you think I can?" he snapped, finally looking up at him, his eyes cold. "I wasn't even aware he was listening."

[best-served-hot.livejournal.com]

Well. This could be a very bad thing. He watched him carefully, but made no move to back away. His head cocked to one side.

"Listening?"

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

"Listening," he replied, taking a very purposeful step forward. "Because that's what he's doing, isn't it? Listening, making moves to help you when you need it. Taking advantage of the time he has?"

He looked at the Master's neck, where he'd smelled that distinctive pheremone of his own coming off of him.

"You positively reeked of, well, me. Though he's taken some very serious precautions to protect you. He didn't need to worry, Master." The way he said Master was very different than the way others might've said the name. It was cold, condescending. He knew who he believed was in control.

"You're not my enemy." He gave him a wide, pleasant smile. "I'm going to go to sleep. Lock myself up in my rooms. Punish him."