back in the booth to think, sighing up at the ceiling. What to tell her, what won’t entirely spoil the mood, what won’t scar her for life because Jack Harkness…

“…The Master and I get along for the most part, now. If you can believe it. He actually tolerates discussion and shared autonomy.”

Yeah. He’s more than a little unhappy, which is part of why Koschei intends on staying awake and in charge as long as he can. Just…to let him cool down a bit.

Even the Master would never /physically/ hurt her, but emotionally…best not to risk it.

Koschei chuckles at her enthusiasm and leans—

…even if he isn’t, actually, at all, in the slightest.

“I’d certainly keep him away from you, I can assure you of that.”

“It would be my honor.” It’s a quick, automatic answer, his eyes finding hers and instantly softening again. He’s always a little embarrassed by how readily he’d slip into that role without needing to be asked for her, but he just can’t help it.

For all intents and purposes, he’s her father, too.-

only truly breaks the kiss when they fall back onto the bed.

Kicking off his shoes only takes a moment, and now comes the bundling his Jack to his chest under the covers and clutching him /close/.

through Jack’s hair and nods in lieu of answering, walking them backwards down the hall and into a doorframe — ow — before getting around it into their room.

He only lets Jack breathe enough to stay conscious, trying to kiss away all the fear something else /dared/ to cause him, and he —

Koschei, for his part, wakes up just enough to press all his love towards Jack, joining in on the kiss with a sweet, distinctive nip before gently fading back into rest. He’d been awake — worrying, panicking — for a while.

Won’t stop him from trying, though.

The Master threads his fingers—

always pretend to be your own twin in that case, I suppose. Or your own ghost, coming back to haunt your former lover….”

And where’s the Doctor now?? Koschei can’t help but scan around the cafe for him, frowning a little when — of course — no one familiar looks back.

She’s just alone. Again.

That /really/ rubs Koschei the wrong way. She should be the absolute center of the Doctor’s attention at all times, in his opinion, but — it’s just not his place to say. Not right now, anyways.

Instead, he forces out another little laugh, his smile at her antics wholly genuine. “You could—

shaking his head fondly. “I’m sure I don’t have to tell you how horribly wrong that could’ve gone,” he chuckles. She can take care of herself — that just won’t stop him from worrying. “Did he take the news well? Did your father actually involve himself?” Or was he too busy licking dirt or running?

Thank all the stars for the TARDIS. Even if their relationship is complicated, Koschei at least trusts that she’s keeping Val as safe as possible.

…while she’s inside, at least.

He can’t help but snort at the mental image of some poor medieval fellow desperately showering her with gifts, —

The Master’s finally resting, which means I’m finally /not/. Hello, all.

With us. Just….stay./

Jack being audibly frightened and /kissing/ him is, unfortunately, the perfect recipe to sap all the remaining heat and anger right from the Master’s hearts.

He wraps his arms around Jack’s neck and pulls him in closer, pressing up into the kiss and huffing into it.

/You’re home now. With me.—

that.

“….Where did you end up? Dare I ask?” He already regrets doing so.

Oh yes he does. His smile goes a little bittersweet at the mention, even though her adorable joy is /incredibly/ hard to feel bad in front of — even if only for a moment.

The Doctor probably carried on for /quite/ some time before noticing she was there. Koschei really doesn’t like the idea of—

his rage is replaced by concern the moment Jack mentions being in danger.

Once more: damn him.

“…..were you hurt?” It is /ridiculous/ how much softer his voice already sounds, his forehead gently bonking Jack’s as a silent apology.

Jack’s pheromones almost immediately flood the Master’s senses and force his muscles to relax further, every ounce of his body recognizing /home/ standing in front of him. His crossed arms loosen, his chest subconsciously angling closer until it can brush against Jack’s, and far too much of—

he’s mad enough to pretend otherwise, “then /where the bloody hell have you been/?”

The poking should piss him off more. It is having the opposite effect. /Damn him so hard and all the way/.

against his will and his scowl starts to fade into more of a pout, even as his eyes stay narrowed and /enraged/ — petulant it may be — as they glare at Jack’s lips. Because of course that’s where they end up.

“If you missed me so much, if you /love/ me so much,” and he knows Jack does, but —

Damn him. /Damn him/.

The brief spark of pride he feels at hurting Jack instantly spoils into that new guilt, which instantly upsets him more because he /hates feeling like this more than anything else in the universe/, but he still — he can’t help — Jack just —….

The Master softens entirely—

/I want to pull you into my arms so bad it hurts and I fucking hate how much it hurts and how dare you make me—/.

“That despite /all/ the moaning and crying you do about being /abandoned/,” he spits, because he will /not/ hurt alone, “you certainly have no issue doing it to /us/.”

answer before he completes his little tantrum.

“Do you know what I find /fascinating/, Captain?” Uh-oh indeed. The Master hisses out the /fascinating/ like boiling steam through his teeth, and the /Captain/ absolutely drips with vitriol.

…Really, he’s more upset about how upset he is than anything else.

Still going to make Jack actually—

table to smile at her once they’re all situated. There isn’t much to tell, unfortunately, but she doesn’t have to know that. “But first — how are /you/? Where have you been? Are you safe? Are you well?”

She can keep that book, frankly, because she just looks so precious clutching it like that. Or maybe he can read it to her — /no/, she’s a grown adult, c’mon, Koschei. Just ‘cause /you/ see her as a little girl sitting on your hip…

“Of course I’ll tell you,” he promises, leaning forward across the-

Oh, but where’s the fun in that? It’s much more enjoyable to watch you /squirm/, Doctor.

Whatever /am/ I up to~.

They missed him. They /missed/ him, /and/ they expected him back sooner.

Koschei’s just happy he’s back and safe, but unfortunately for Jack, the Master is the one fronting — and he’s /pissed/.

Scowls back. Arms crossed. The angriest furrowed brow in existence.

//Not vanishing, just having a busy couple of weeks! Back soon, DMs open. ❤️

You have nothing to fear as long as you obey.

Quite simple.