Notes: Tangled up in Time is a series of prompt based fics telling the story of Theta and Koschei's relationship. It will later on become Doctor/Master.

The series won't be in chronological order it will jump around through the years.

I will take elements from Doctor Who canon, but be warned that this is AU. I don't stick faithfully to canon events and what I do use may be changed or manipulated to suit my story.

I hope you enjoy it.

Theta sat on the fallen tree stump in the woods that covered the summit of Mount Perdition. He wasn't supposed to be here. Mount Perdition was on the border of Lord Oakdown's estate and his father had always told him to keep away from it, but hadn't planned to come up here. He'd just planned to run; he'd wanted to run as far and as fast as he could so that he didn't have to listen to Glospin's name calling anymore and as it turned out, as far and as fast as he could run had brought him here.

He stared up at the sky, blinking and trying unsuccessfully to stop the tears from falling down his cheeks.

It was late. Darkness had fallen an hour earlier and Theta should have been home at least an hour before that, but still he made no attempt to move. He wondered if anyone back at the house had noticed he was gone, or if any of them would even care if they had – his father was away on business in the Citadel so Theta very much doubted it. His cousins would only look for him when they wanted something to kick.

Theta stared up at the stars and wished with all his hearts that he could just go; that he could take a TARDIS and just go somewhere else – anywhere was better than here. Maybe he could go to Earth; maybe on Earth he would belong. He didn't belong on Galifrey that was certain and he didn't kid himself that anyone here would be sad to see him go.

His mother was dead and while his father, Brax and Chi might miss him for a while, they were all so busy that they'd soon forget about him and carry on with their own lives; his cousins would probably throw a party to celebrate his departure.

He brought his hand up to his face and wiped the tears from his eyes.

'Why are you crying?'

Theta turned around as the small voice reached his ears. He found himself face to face with another boy who looked to be about the same age as he was, wearing expensive looking dress robes. Theta sniffed.

'Who are you?'

'I'm Koschei of the House of Oakdown,' the boy answered formally. 'Who are you?'

'Theta Sigma of the House of Lungbarrow,' he replied. His mother had always told him to remember his manners when meeting someone for the first time.

Koschei approached Theta and carefully sat down on the fallen tree stump beside him.

'Why are you crying?'

Theta shrugged. 'I ran away from home.'

'Cool,' Koschei replied. 'Why did you do that?'

'Because my cousin Glospin called me a freak,' Theta said. 'He said I'm not a proper Gallifreyan because my mother came from Earth. Then the others all started laughing at me and I hate them all. So I ran away.'

'Where are you going to go?' Koschei asked.

Theta shrugged. In truth he hadn't really thought his plan through much further than just never wanting to see his cousins again.

'You could stay here I suppose,' Koschei told him. 'But you might have to go back home sometimes to get food and things.'

'Yeah,' Theta replied. 'I don't want to ever go home though.'

'Me neither,' Koschei said glumly. 'My father's having a party and I'm supposed to stand there and not move and not speak unless anyone speaks to me first.'

'Won't there be any other children to play with?'

Koschei shook his head. 'There's never any children to play with. Do you have any friends at home?'

'No,' Theta replied. He'd never had any real friends. All the children who lived in his village were scared of his cousins and so at best, they all ignored Theta and at worst they actively joined in the teasing in order to be considered part of the gang.

Theta felt tears welling up in his eyes again as he thought about it.

'Hey,' Koschei said putting an arm around Theta as the tears threatened to spill over again. 'Don't cry Theta. I've never had a friend either.'

'Why?' Theta said shocked. Koschei looked like the sort of boy who would have no problem being popular. His clothes were modern and expensive looking; his hair was cut in a fashionable style and when Theta looked at his face, he saw that Koschei was beautiful; how could he ever have a problem fitting in?

'I'm not allowed,' Koschei said sadly. 'My father says I don't need friends and I have to concentrate on my studies so that I can get into the top classes at the Academy next year. I told him I don't need to study because I'll pass the entrance tests easily, but he slapped me and told me to answer back.'

'Oh' Theta replied then he paused before continuing. 'Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a friend?'

Koschei nodded. 'My father's friends are really boring. When they come to our house all they do is talk about politics; my mother's just as bad.'

Theta made a face at that. He hated having to sit and listen to the grown ups talk about politics. It seemed that that was the only thing that interested anybody on Gallifrey.

'My sister Chi has friends,' Theta told Koschei. 'But all they ever talk about is hairstyles and clothes and boys that they like, except now Chi's gone to the Academy maybe she'll start talking about politics too.'

'Do you think we could be friends?' Koschei asked almost shyly, looking nervously at Theta.

'Really?' Theta asked, surprised. 'But don't you think I'm a freak because my mother came from Earth?'

'No,' Koschei shook his head. 'I think it's cool. My mother just comes from the Citadel; Earth would be so much more interesting.'

Theta looked into Koschei's eyes for any sign that he was joking; that he was about to turn on him but he found none. He saw only honesty and an underlying nervousness; fear of rejection.

'What would we talk about though?' he asked.

'Everything,' Koschei replied. 'Anything we want.'

Theta grinned at the sparkle in Koschei's eyes.

'Okay,' he agreed. 'Let's be friends.'

Koschei smiled and took Theta's hand in his. Suddenly, Theta felt as though he was filled with warmth. He squeezed Koschei's hand and felt as though he never wanted to let it go.

Theta rested his head against Koschei's shoulder and sighed; he felt happy for the first time in a long time and although he knew that he was going to have to go back home eventually, maybe now that Koschei was his friend, the loneliness wouldn't seem so bad.