When the cat commands the mice will play
"I don't think this is a very good idea," the Doctor mumbled as he buttoned his shirt. When he was done he wriggled, looking with a scowl toward the mirror. He was wearing the same suit in which he had met the Master, or Yana as he'd been calling himself, for the first time and as much as he had missed the way the material hugged his frame he had grown used to the silky pajamas he was walking around in for the last couple of months. It was strange that Koschei had even kept the suit, for one irrational moment he had thought the other had burnt it and danced around the fire.
"I thought you liked the suit," came a husky voice from behind him and the Doctor shivered. He opened his mouth to reply but frowned when he realized he had forgotten his thoughts. What wasn't a good idea? There was something that popped in his head, but he was certain that wasn't what had bothered him. Still what also wasn't very wise of the other was using that voice on him when he knew the effect it had on his body. And let's face it, after that day as if eternity ago but only two weeks in reality, there were little things the Master did that couldn't make him a quivering mess. Strange, though, but the other hadn't attempted to do anything besides cuddling since that day. And even if the sudden desire arose in him, right now, they wouldn't have time because of the p... party. Oh.
"This birthday party of yours. How do you know it's not a set-up? And it's not like it's really your birthday. As far as I remember it's on, "His eyes drifted in the distance as he calculated the date, using the Earth calendar," 3rd of March."
The Master looked up from his just-buttoned pants and chuckled. He strolled toward his lover and wrapped his hands around his waist, his head burrowing in the crook of the other's neck. "Then you'll have to watch out for me, wouldn't you, Doctor. The one that makes people better, will you make me feel better."
Just a subtle shift of hips and the air around them changed, thickened. The Doctor moaned in his throat, pressing back, his whole form shivering when those strong arms tighten their hold.
"We'll be late," he gasped, simultaneously trying to get away from Koschei's embrace and climb even deeper. His voice sounded weak and breathless and he never, not even in million years thought the Master would listen to him, but the other Time Lord actually let him go. Not before sinking his teeth in the soft skin of his neck and pressing him closer to himself, of course.
"And why me exactly? You have a wife," the Doctor said when they parted and the Master returned to his spot on the other side of the room. He straightened his shirt and reached for his tie.
"People want to see you once in a while, you know. What wife? Luci? I sent her away the moment you agreed on our... deal. " The Doctor saw him shrug in the mirror, his eyes fixed on the buttons of his shirt.
"You killed her?" he screeched, turning on his heel. His eyes were wide, his hands frozen in fixing his tie. The other finally looked at him, confusion written on his face.
"Of course not," he said it so abruptly that it caused a pang in the Doctor's hearts. He hadn't liked her, of course he hadn't, she had been the one kissing the Master and he had been the one to stare at them from the side. "I took care of her- bought her a little apartment, hired people who would take care of her every need 24/7."
"You loved her," the Doctor whispered dejectedly and, afraid to meet the other's eyes, looked down at his tie as his numb fingers tried and failed to fix it. He didn't lift his head when he heard a sigh fall from his lover's lips, nor when he heard footsteps coming closer, but he jerked his head up in surprise when warm hands wrapped around his own and then pried them away from the stubborn tie.
"I didn't do all those things because I loved her. I didn't love her, she was a tool for me to get to you. I simply didn't want you to get mad at me for first corrupting and then offing an innocent woman. "
The words were cold and distant, the Master not even once met his gaze as he said it, but it made the Doctor's sides redden and his eyes to shine.
"You did it because of me?" he said, the smile splitting his face on two betraying his happiness. The Master finally looked up and smirked.
"I've done worse things for a lot less, my Theta."
The Master let his eyes run across the room. From his spot on the main table, where they had put him and the Doctor, he could see everyone. And everyone could see him, which was quite unfortunate because at that moment every pair of eyes in the room was turned to him as everyone waited for his speech. A speech he had had no idea that he'd to give. Honestly, right now he wanted to kill that toclafane which he used as his personal secretary. And he would have, if he wasn't afraid of his lover's scolding about how that was so inhumane and 'if he'd created them that way he could at least take care of them'. It was almost unbelievable how much his attitude had changed when he'd realized that was his precious human race inside the metal balls.
He bit back a sigh, why everyone couldn't just leave him for a minute so he could gather his thoughts? He opened his mouth and, well... hoped for the best.
"Thank you all for coming here on a date that has no meaning whatsoever to me. But, hey, every day that there is free food and a chance to kiss your Master's ass is a holiday right? You kind of remind me of those people I met months ago. I ended up killing them all with poisonous gas." He chuckled when gasps filled the room and some of the people began to discreetly eye the exit. "Don't worry, I'm not that kind of man." Sighs of relief could be heard from every side of the room and was it just his imagination but quite a few people threw a grateful glance at his Theta? A feral smirk made his way on his lips. "What I mean is that I never repeat the way I kill my pets. Poison gas? Too boring. Now, your drinks? Fair game." The Master couldn't contain the crackle that bubbled in his throat when all those monkeys started sputtering all around him. He threw his arms apart and said in his most cheerfully-creepy voice, "Have fun."
"Did you really put something in the drinks?" the Doctor asked as soon as his lover settled on his place beside him, eying him suspiciously. "And who did you kill with poisonous gas?"
"And risk damaging you before I had the chance to enjoy this regeneration. Do I look like a nut-job? Wait, don't answer that." He turned toward the other, chuckling, but when he was met with a scow his laughter quickly died off. "I killed only a few politicians. It's actually one of the good things I did for the country."
The Doctor scrunched his nose, more to show his lover that he didn't appreciate killing people now matter who they were, than because he was actually mad. Well, they had been politicians, after all. Then his mind drifted to the first part of the Master's words and he was just about to reply something playful when he spotted a group of elderly men approaching them. All of them were wearing black suits and fake smiles. The Master followed his gaze and stood up to shake his hand with them, a smirk playing on his lips. The Doctor, too, raised on his feet to shake hands with them as his lover introduced them to one another.
"We are sorry to bother you, Master, but if you may perhaps come with us so we could discuss. "The man, the seemingly oldest one of them all, threw the Doctor a suspicious glance, "something."
The Master grimaced, but nodded nonetheless. He turned toward the Doctor and, squeezing his hand, whispered, "You stay here." Without waiting for his lover's response, he followed the men to a vacant corner.
The Doctor tracked them, observing the way his lover changed when he was out of his range. The warmth that he was used to see in his eyes disappeared, the mouth that kissed him sweetly every night pulled into a frown when he heard what one of the other men said. That voice that was always gentle, was now rough and high and even if the Doctor couldn't hear what the other was saying he was sure his lover was insulting the men. And dispite everything rational in him, he felt happy about the change. It felt so much more real to know that the Master was the same, cruel and selfish and changed only in his company. That meant there was hope, right? He could... could make him a better man? He didn't have to kill him.
"Isn't he so handsome," a voice from his side said and he turned his head toward the source so fast that his neck cracked. The owner of the voice was a young woman with long, brown hair and big rounded eyes."You are his... partner, aren't you? I'm glad to finally meet you," she said, smiling. There was a little gap between her teeth.
The Doctor nodded and opened his mouth to say something when the woman turned toward the Master again with a dreamy look on her face and sighed.
"You are lucky, he is such a hero." The Doctor could see her eyes roam over his lover's body and he wanted to shake her and scream, 'He is mine', so everyone would know and no one would dare... He growled in his throat, feral and primitive, with all the menace of the prehistorical man, guarding his mate and wasn't it so funny because he wasn't even a human. But maybe, only maybe, his race shared a lot more than looks with humans. Maybe billions of years ago when his planet had been a new-born they had been the same.
It didn't matter to him now. He didn't need reason to get up and away from that woman and approach his lover. He was furious but still he didn't dare interrupt before he noted that if he cut in right then he wouldn't do anything more than save the men from the Master's anger.
"Care for a dance, Master," he asked, bowing down slightly when he reached them. Usually, he would've used Koschei, but he didn't want to embarrass his lover in front of his subordinates. The Master whipped his head in his direction, his frown softening, but not disappearing. They stared at each other before the Master nodded and after a final death glare took his lover's hand and dragged him to the dance floor. The couples withdrew a little to make them space, but neither of them noticed, both of them too enwrapped in each other
"What is wrong?" the Doctor asked tentatively as they were swaying to the beat. The other sighed deeply and his arms around his lover's waist tightened their grip.
"Security breach, they are trying to catch the intruder now. Stupid monkeys, I should have used the toclafanes" The grip became painful and the Doctor winced. "Sorry, sorry, Theta. Just please be careful and don't leave my sight, okay?"
The Doctor smiled at the pure concern dripping from his voice and nodded his head as he melted in the warm and familiar embrace.
When the song ended, the Master planted a soft kiss on the tip of the other's nose, not caring who saw that obvious display of affection and headed toward the head of security who was giving him signs to come closer. On his way he passed a guard and ordered him to look after 'his partner', but something in the monkey's eyes made his heart throb. He looked back, panic already overcoming his body and the sight that greeted him made him feel weak in the knees. Because the Doctor wasn't there.
A/N Yup, a cliff-hanger! I feel so mean right now -cackles- I really like how this chapter turned out because it shows that the Master hadn't changed so much (and thus he really isn't as OOC as he seems to be). He still is bat-shit insane, but now he is crazy and in love. Wonder how that'll turn out. I hope you liked it!
P.S. This site is oficially going down. I uplouded the chapter yesterday and now the story alert won't work... or the problem is in me, but for god's sake in story stats it shows that there haven't been a single hit on chapter six when it should have at least one because I went to check it. Urgh. Again, I'm sorry, I haven't forgotten you and you'll get your next chapter on Thursday(unless the site disagrees).