for best_served_hot | I wake up first, and I stare at you sleeping

[rude_not_ginger]

Follows this.

The lift seemed smaller now. Maybe it was the knowledge how little time was left. Maybe it was the attitude that had changed between them since they first rode up to the room with the stars.

Maybe it was the weight of all of the things they weren't saying. Sometimes that weight would suffocate the Doctor when he was awake and alone.

The scrambling device was on again, keeping the cameras in the lift blind as to their actions. The immature side of the Doctor wanted to make a face at the cameras, simply because the Valeyard couldn't see. He didn't, of course. He just stood there, waiting.

"What will you tell him?" he asked.

Comments

[best_served_hot]

"Oh, well I hardly think we'll have much time for talking."

He kept his arms crossed over his chest as the lift descended. It was more of a barrier than he felt he currently possessed. He gave himself a mental once over, shoring up his psionic barriers, and protecting the information that required the most safeguarding.

He gave a slow grin, and looked over at the Doctor. "But I'm sure we'll find something."

[rude_not_ginger]

"Oh really?" the Doctor said, raising an eyebrow. "Planning on reenacting our little moment in the infirmary?"

He knew very well that was not what the Master meant, but the reaction he was sure the comment would invoke was probably going to be hilarious. And with all the seriousness around them...it was nice to see that they could just be relaxed for a while. Enjoy themselves. Tease.

[best_served_hot]

His eyes widened before he could really help himself, and he did a double-take at the Doctor.

"I-wha-disgusting. That is the single most horrifying thing you've ever said to me. That. Right there."

He shifted, away from him in the lift, closer to the other side. A disgusted look was still planted firmly on his face.

"Ugh."

[rude_not_ginger]

The Doctor let out a laugh. A real, proper, yes-that-was-very-funny laugh at the Master's reaction.

"I mean, I can understand the attraction," he added, between breaths. "He is quite the handsome bloke as far as I've heard."

[best_served_hot]

"Be quiet. Just quiet. You're not allowed to speak to me again."

He crossed his arms tightly over his chest, and tried to resist the urge to suddenly scrub at his skin until it sloughed off.

"You know, he's already tried that route with me. He was convinced that our plan to get him to see the wonders of the universe, was my subtle way to get him alone."

He tried not to shudder at the memory. An acid bath might be in order later. He supposed he could live without a few layers of skin.

"Luckily we were attacked so he didn't really have the opportunity to end up a bloody, pulp for trying any sort of chat up lines on me."

[rude_not_ginger]

Instead of invoking disgust, this made the Doctor laugh even harder.

"He figured that, did he? The ego! Oh, he really is me!"

[best_served_hot]

He scowled at him. Oh, if looks could kill.

Well, they'd never as made it as far as this conversation, considering their lives so far.

"I'm glad you find that terribly amusing. I wanted to kill him in a thousand terrible, horrible ways." A beat. "At least."

[rude_not_ginger]

"Yes, and yet he still wants you," the Doctor said, shaking his head and laughing. "I'm surprised that doesn't work more towards your ego."

Up ahead, a guard straightened as he heard what he believed was the Valeyard's voice.

"One of yours?" the Doctor asked quietly, leaning towards the Master.

[best_served_hot]

The Master didn't dignify that with a response. He leaned over, closer to the Doctor, to peer out at the guard.

"Yes."

He headed out of the lift ahead of the Doctor, and towards the guard.

[rude_not_ginger]

The Doctor followed. He had to let the Master have control over this. There wasn't much the Doctor could do, apart from pretending to be the Valeayrd. A bit difficult to do, considering he was a bit drunk and holding onto the Valeyard's nearly-empty scotch bottle like it was a stolen prized possession.

"You might be able to get him to do silly things for you in exchange for affection," the Doctor said quietly, by ways of continuing their previous conversation. "Or not, knowing him, but it might be really brilliant if it worked."

[best_served_hot]

He stopped, briefly, in front of the guard. "You didn't see either of us. Go on with your rounds."

The Master's lips curled up in disgust again. "Somehow, I doubt that he'll be interested in cuddles once he's awake again."

[rude_not_ginger]

"I doubt he was interested in cuddles to begin with," the Doctor said, letting out a little snort of amusement. There was nothing bad about this line of teasing, in his mind.

[best_served_hot]

He reached out and pushed at his shoulder, not too terribly hard to send him off into a wall, but hard enough.

"He was lurking in front of my seat, while I was trying to look past him at the view. That whole showing him the universe bit was not the best plan you've ever had."

[rude_not_ginger]

"I had hoped it might bring a bit of me out of him," he said, letting his free hand catch him against the wall and propel him back towards the Master. "Seems it brought out other parts of him you weren't expecting. What did he say? Did he just proposition you? Seems a bit tactless, actually. Very him."

[best_served_hot]

"Demanded to know why I'd brought him out there. Why I wanted to be alone with him. I was half worried he was going to try and crawl into my lap at any moment," he said, shaking his head as they continued towards the Valeyard's sleeping quarters.

"Didn't believe me when I told him that I genuinely wanted to see it," he said, looking over.

"It was beautiful."

[rude_not_ginger]

The Doctor stopped and looked back at the Master, a splash of envy across his face.

"What was it like?"

[best_served_hot]

"Would you like me to show you?"

[rude_not_ginger]

"Yes." He did, immensely. More than immensely. He wanted to see it, he wanted to know how beautiful it was. But he shook his head.

"Not yet," he said. "You can show me when this is finished. We'll go there together."

The risk of the Valeyard seeing anything was too great. The Doctor had to make sure that he didn't put the Master at any more of a risk than necessary.

[best_served_hot]

"Right," he said, giving a nod. "When it's finished."

The Master began to walk again, they were almost at the door. He pushed it open once they arrived, gave him a smile, and swept his arm out into the room.

"After you, dear."

[rude_not_ginger]

He let out a little half-laugh and stepped into the room. This was the Valeyard's room in every sense of the word, and there was very little of it that was the Doctor at all. It wasn't like the bouncy, springy room that made him smile. This room made him tired.

He held up the scotch and uncorked it, taking another long drink.

"Almost finished."

[best_served_hot]

"The tea will have gone cold by now," he said, looking at the tray discarded by the bed on the nightstand.

"I'll bring a fresh brew next time."

[rude_not_ginger]

"He'll be more careful next time," the Doctor warned. "Might try to get you to open up more about...I don't know. Anything."

He reached out a hand and put it on the Master's arm. "Just be careful."

[best_served_hot]

"I know," he says. "I don't plan on entertaining him very much at all. I'm quite busy."

He looked down at the hand on his arm, but didn't pull away.

"Don't worry about me."

[rude_not_ginger]

"You're all I've got left, Master," the Doctor replied. "Believe me, I'm going to worry."

[best_served_hot]

The Master didn't say anything to that, but did move away from the Doctor's hand. He went over to the bed, and flopped back against the pillows, taking note of the weight of the butter knife in his pocket still.

He'd need that eventually.