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.

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[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.

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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?"

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"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.

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"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."

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"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."

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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.

[rude_not_ginger]

The Doctor watched him walk over to the bed and shook his head.

"Honestly, are you just looking to have him attack you, Master?" he asked with a sad sigh. "You should go."

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"Honestly," he mocked, crossing his arms behind his head for a moment.

"Are you going to stand around and patronize me for all the rest of the time? I have a plan, it's a very good plan. I like it."

Which should actually be what the Doctor is worrying about.

[rude_not_ginger]

"Yeah, your excitement is part of my worry," the Doctor replied, crossing his arms. He headed over to the bed and flopped down in the spot next to the Master. This was, after all, his own bed. He stared up at the words the Valeyard had written for him.

"Give him hell this next week," he said.

[best_served_hot]

"Ohh, you always like to spoil my good moods." The Master smiled wickedly, looking over as the Doctor flopped against the mattress.

"I intend to."

[rude_not_ginger]

"Do I? I thought I was part of them," he said, grinning over at him. "And you'd better."

He took in a breath. His eyelids felt heavy.

"Not long," he warned.

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"More ego stroking already? You're so needy," he muttered, giving a long-suffering sigh, even though he was mostly teasing.

He watched him, one hand slipping into his pocket, and sliding the dull butter knife out into his hand. He kept it out of the Doctor's line of sight though.

"Rest well, Doctor."

[rude_not_ginger]

"Good night, Master," the Doctor said.

His eyes slipped shut. He let the energy slide from him, and let himself fall into a very deep sleep.

His eyes opened. He blinked at the words on the ceiling and a slow, cruel grin spread across his face. Funny, why did he taste alcohol on his tongue?

He turned his head to suddenly see a very awake person in the bed next to him.

"Master?"

[best_served_hot]

"Oh, good morning," said the Master, giving a slow smile. "I wanted to pop in and see how things were going."

He shifted slightly on the bed, sitting up, and closer to the Valeyard. He leaned over to get a look at the Valeyard's hand, feigning interest.

"How's the hand doing? Better, I hope."

[rude_not_ginger]

The Valeyard looked over at his hand. Patched up, oddly enough. Where did the Doctor get the equipment to fix it? And, more importantly---

"How did you get in here...?"

[best_served_hot]

"I let myself in. And I was feeling a bit peckish, so I let myself into the kitchen," he said, still not moving away from how close he'd shifted.

"And the storerooms. And the medical bay."

He grinned again, widely, and leaned in a bit further. "Your hand?"

He reached out with his empty one in an attempt to take it.