It was a surprise that the Doctor didn't push the subject any further. He had made his point clear, that he wasn't happy about the stolen ship and all. And yet, he was perfectly fine with using the situation to our advantage. He quickly found enough ropes and sails and devices to play with, hampering our speed once in a while. But we weren't in a hurry anyways.

Donna found some sunbeds on deck and promptly stripped down to her bathing suit. "You know, I thought we might go for a swim anyway, so I came prepared."

Meanwhile I found the rear of the ship and a hatch that could be opened to allow larger cargo to be transported inside. Something like a car stood further behind, although I wasn't entirely sure how anyone might drive it. Kira flew over to the hatch and sat on top of it, trying to bite the splashes of water that sometimes shot up. I realised he had never actually seen that much water before so I searched for the switch and opened the hatch.

Kira came back to me, sitting on my shoulder and staring at the waves that were now slapping against the insides. I had seen those hatches a few times already and knew the water wouldn't come inside. At least not enough of it to do any damage. Right now we weren't even driving that fast and everything was quiet.

It turned out that the little dragon didn't like water. At all. Kira jumped from my shoulder and hopped around at the border, hissing and squeaking at the splashes. A small wave caught him then, leaving him wet and sneezing and definitely not happy. I couldn't help the laugh, it was just too funny.

"Alright. No swimming lessons for you then, I guess."

Even though Kira had no actual facial expressions he still managed to give me the most indignant look I had ever received from him. And when I closed the hatch again he simply flew away, without as much as a look at me. I giggled and returned upstairs. The little one would stop sulking eventually. He always did.

I saw him play in the wind when I returned to the deck, flying loops around the masts. The wind out here was more his element.

A door opened. Quickly I ducked away, evading getting hit by the wood. Someone stepped outside and it took me a good few seconds to realise it was the Master. He looked rather… different. Where, usually, he made sure to be dressed well, he was now wearing nothing but a pair of shorts and an open button down with a blue flower pattern. And sandals… of all things.

He spotted me instantly and a wide grin lit up his face when he saw my bewildered expression. "Like what you see?" he teased and then eyed me up and down. "You could need something lighter too."

I blinked and looked down at myself. I wasn't clad in anything too warm for the weather. Just some jeans, a T-shirt and above a chequered shirt. "What's wrong with that?"

The Master shrugged and nodded at the door. "The quarters have stuff that's more suited for seafaring."

"Yeah, well, why not. Though, I won't look as good in those."

He chuckled and waved me into the room. It was filled with lockers and metal wardrobes. Some clothes lay strewn around on the floor, indicating that someone had already searched them.

"I was actually looking for something more… pipirate-y," said the Master. "But we're in the wrong time for that."

Okay, that maybe wasn't so bad. Him, dressed as a proper pirate would have certainly fried any halfway functioning cell in my brain. The mental image alone already did some pretty nasty things to me. Although, to be fair, his current state of partial undress wasn't helping me either. I giggled and glanced at his attire. And his body. My look wandered further down, but the shorts were wide enough to conceal anything interesting.

"I think this is bad enough."

"Bad?" He moved closer and manoeuvred me backwards until I bumped against one of the lockers. "I know you like it."

"That's the problem." I poked my tongue out.

"Ah, so you wouldn't be able to resist me in historical attire?" His grin grew. "Little kink of yours, as you call it?"

I coughed awkwardly and tried to look away to hide my blush. "Just a little. But I think I'd just stare at you all day. Maybe try to draw you… and fail miserably. Mostly the staring thing, though."

"Must be your lucky day, then. You can stare at the waves instead."

"Och, having you half naked is also a tiiiiiny little bit distracting," I objected, smirking up at him.

"Is that so? Should I put on something more? Or maybe we should even the field." He dropped his head lower and kissed me, smiling when my breath hitched. He let his hands wander over my shoulders and brushed off the first clothing item, then made his way to the hem of the T-shirt, but not before he could tease my sides a little, his thumbs stroked over the cloth, just firm enough to make me squirm. He broke the kiss, grinning. "Off with everything."

"Wh… what if I feel fine like this?" I challenged, panting a little.

"What if I don't?"

"Too bad." I hooked my fingers into the belt loops of his shorts and drew him flush against me. He let it happen, pushing his hands against the locker to either side of me for support.

His eyes wandered over my face, lingered on my lips and moved lower. Heat followed his gaze, pooled between my legs. His nostrils flared and with a growl he kissed me again, rougher this time, possessively. I pulled him closer by the loops and gasped when I felt him press hard against me. I would never get used to the fact that I could make him so… needy. And that he wasn't even fighting it anymore.

He made short process of my T-shirt, tossing it to the side without even looking where it went. Thumbs stroked over my bare arms as he resumed the kiss, his fingers glided lower, to my hands and back to the underside of my arms and further down until he reached the button of my jeans. Again I tucked at him and groaned when he bucked against me. I returned the movement, providing some friction between us. I wanted to feel him, wanted to have evidence of what I was able to do to him.

But then he stopped and his hands retreated from my pants, instead trailing over the skin of my belly before his fingers dug into my sides.

Your shield's not strong enough yet, came his thought in my mind.

He had no damn right to point this out. And I hated him for being right on top of it. With some effort I managed to stop the kiss. Panting, I let my head fall backwards. "Oh, this sucks."

The Master chuckled and moved his bottom away from me. Just enough to relieve me from the sensation, the heat stayed. "Told you to train it better. Even snogging you like this is actually a tad bit too dangerous without shielding.

"It's never been a problem before," I grumbled.

"No?" He quirked a brow and tenderly stroked along my cheek. "I remember quite a few times where it was a problem and a bunch of others where it verged on getting there."

I brushed a finger over his exposed skin, slowly gliding lower over his belly and to the hem of his shorts. "Can't you shield me?" I couldn't resist to draw him closer, I wanted to feel his lips again, hovering so near to mine, yet out of reach.

"I could." He watched hungrily. "But shielding someone else requires constant focus and…" He looked me in the eyes and his voice dropped dangerously low. "I don't think I could maintain that much focus while fucking you against the wall."

I groaned and closed my eyes, repeating, "not fair."

"You'll get there." The Master captured my lips again, short and sweet and then stepped away. "I think I saw some shorts your size over there." He fully retreated and waved towards another wardrobe. The bastard even had the audacity to not show any signs of arousal anymore. The very peak of unfairness, if anyone was ever to ask me.

But fine, I complied and picked something lighter to wear. It really was warm outside, and in here, but that problem was of its own nature.

.

I settled on a pair of short brown pants and found a nice blue button down shirt with fish on it. The Master gave me a grin and a double thumbs up and rushed outside on deck. I followed, giggling.

"Listen up, crew," he announced, draping a tricorn on his head I hadn't noticed before. "Your captain's speaking!"

Donna looked up from where she sunbathed and snorted. "You look ridiculous. Watched enough pirate movies an' you look nothing like a capt'n."

"Excuse me." The Master gasped, clasping a hand in front of his hearts. "The hat says I am."

"Rubbish. You need a proper coat too. And a wood leg. Maybe an eye patch, you know."

"Now that's just cliche." The Master shook his head. "I've met proper pirates and all you need is a cool hat. Well and a ship. I have both, so…"

"It's not your ship," teased the Doctor. He stuck his tongue out. He was the only one who was still fully dressed, but at least he had found himself some sunglasses.

The Master sighed. "That's the part where the pirate comes in. Do keep up, will you? And since you made the entire ship's IQ drop at least ten points you'll get the ship-boy job."

"'N why would I do that?" the Doctor drawled, looking up into the sun.

The Master grinned and got out his laser screwdriver, aiming a quick beam in the direction of the other one's head. The Doctor jumped in surprise and scrambled to his feet." You built another one! Again!"

" We'll, you keep stealing them."

"Because you cause only chaos with it!"

"Right. Good point." The Master shot another beam, this time at the Doctor's feet. "Just be glad I don't have the Lazarus Codes anymore."

The Doctor's mouth dropped open "You wouldn't."

"Who knows… Maybe I managed to upgrade this-" he wriggled the screwdriver around with a wide grin - "with a bit of TCE tech."

This time, when he aimed again, the Doctor jumped out of the way, horror on his face. The expression turned into that of pleading, or rather whining. "Come oooooon. Master, don't be like that."

"Then move your arse and scrub this deck clean, boy." He snickered. "If you do it to my satisfaction I might consider inviting you for dinner later."

The Doctor tossed glances around, without finding help. It wouldn't hurt him and bossing him around like that made the Master's mood skyrocket, evidently. In the end, the Doctor let out a whimper and scuffed away.

"Don't even think about it, moon boy." Donna didn't even look at him, she just continued sunbathing.

"No?" the Master jibed. "I was going to let you fish. Your insufferable granddad couldn't shut up about how much you enjoy it. And we need something decent for dinner. They don't have any meat in stock."

"Well…" Donna heaved herself from the bench, looking rather smug. "I can certainly arrange something. Having some fresh fish does sound rather nice. But I'm not goin' to cook, you hear me?"

"Before I'd let any of you touch cooking utensils I'd go and drown myself."

"He's good at it," I confirmed.

"We'll see about that." Donna leaned in and playfully slapped his arm.

To my surprise, the Master winced at the touch as if she had seriously hurt him. His face twisted into a snarl and he stepped away. "Don't touch me, human."

Donna just stood there, as perplexed as I felt. "I… uh, sorry. Didn't mean to hit so hard, did I-"

"That's not the issue," the Master grumbled and rubbed the spot on his arm she had touched. "Should have gotten something with long sleeves."

"You okay?" I asked. I had never seen him react like that.

He grumbled and eventually answered, "Mhm. Touch telepathy. I can't stand it, when people randomly project their stuff around."

It made me wonder. He and also the Doctor almost always were fully clothed. As if they were wearing protective armour.

"I thought you can control it," I confessed.

"I can, just not so suddenly. It's alright if I'm prepared. And humans project their stuff around as if it's nothing."

"We'll, then apologise," said Donna, she looked guilty, as if it were her fault. "I didn't know. I… better go and do something useful."

She rushed away, leaving us behind. I looked up at the Master, wondering. "So, you need to mentally prepare every time you touch skin?"

"Usually, depending on the species. Otherwise it's like getting an electric zap. And sometimes images spill over." He shrugged, then tilted his head. "Not with you, though. I know your psychic signature well enough. Or rather… It seemed to have imprinted itself into my own."

"Huh? How did that happen?"

"Life force transfer, remember?" He poked my head. "Not that I knew about it before doing so, but it's hardly surprising."

"And why'd you never tell?"

He shrugged. "I don't see why it's important. For me it's just convenient, although I never expected it to come in handy that much." He gave me a wink.

"So… I poked his arm, grinning." That makes me actually special then."

The Master laughed." You've always been, stupid. Why else would I go through the trouble and rescue your sorry arse? "

I blinked. Only after some moments did it sink in what he meant." You… You plan to go back in time? But you haven't found out yet why you marked me in the fir-"

"Of course I know. Well, now I know." The Master smiled and ruffled my hair. "As soon as the Vortex Manipulator works. Can't tell you to stay with me and then skip the necessary requirement to enable it, after all, can I?"