"You talk some nonsense, don't you? Ships in space and planets with two suns? I very much doubt there is much up there but what we know," Marcus insisted stubbornly for no other reason than the fact that it was easier to believe that. The only reason he'd like to go up there would be to further his empire. Conquer the sun in the name of Rome and Gaius Marcus Augustus. What a thing to have in his legacy. "I would very much like if there was, however. Imagine it? I could steal all the stars and take any planet I wanted. My empire would be the grandest there was."
"Yeah, but what would you do with it? Keep people from looking at the stars like I'm not allowed to say your name?" The Doctor shook his head slightly, regretting it immediately because, well, his back was a mess. He continued talking to, aware that his eyes must hold some sadness by now, because his hearts certainly did. So many years and still the Master talked like this. When would he ever learn? "I'm sorry, but in that case I'm glad you can't do that. I like the sky. I like lying in the grass with someone special to me and looking up as if we could go anywhere."
"If I want them and I can have them then why wouldn't I take them? Others can see. If they give me a good reason to show them," the way that John looked was strangely disheartening, he seemed so sad at the idea of not being able to see the stars. Why? Did he really mind that much if Marcus was to steal them. With a frown, he tilted his head back, feeling a little annoyed that John hadn't applauded his plan. "Well, you can't go anywhere. Not now, not ever. You're mine now so you have to stay here with me."
Yes, that came out more childishly than he intended but he didn't like all the fantasy nonsense. But, well, he guessed he could kind of see it. With an annoyed huff, he dropped his head back down to look at John. "I'd let you see them even if I stole them. Is that better?"
That rather passionate declaration of ownership just had the Doctor raise his eyebrows. No use arguing that point, especially not while his back was still raw and also because he supposed according to Roman law the Master wasn't really wrong, as such. But it was a bit of an echo anyway, things so similar to what Koschei might have said once upon a time. He wondered how the Master would feel about this part when he remembered.
"Thank you. That's very kind of you, Master." And his sarcasm was just about undetectable. "Is there nothing you want to do apart from owning and ruling?"
It took Marcus a moment to contemplate that idea, face scrunched up in an effort to try and think passed ruling things and owning whatever he wanted but there wasn't much. He had once wanted a wife but he'd soon tired of her. And he did want an heir but children repulsed him so he opted otherwise. Once he did like the idea of travelling more but his first trip across the ocean nearly ended in his death so he'd decided otherwise.
After a few moments, he looked back at the Doctor and shrugged. "I'd quite like silence. But that isn't an achievable goal. And I'm not actually that certain I would want it. I think it'd just be nice to not have a headache," he rolled his neck, trying to think of something else he wanted. "I think I'd liked to -- erm, well, I don't know."
"Well." Alright, that got more depressing than he'd meant for it to be. "Don't worry about it. You're still young." He tried an encouraging smile and, after a moment's hesitation, even a pat on the Master's shoulder. There, there. Some day he'd discover something aside from megalomania, he was sure. "Everyone needs a hobby. Even all important men."
"I have hobbies," Marcus snapped and, in spite and nothing else, he reached out and purposefully slapped a hand on the Doctor's back. Not too hard, he didn't want to open the wounds or anything, he just wanted him to hurt. For being like this and bringing up these kind of topics. He didn't want to discuss these kind of things. "I don't need you here to judge me, I'm perfectly fine. You're the pathetic one, you're nothing but a slave. What kind of life is that? What kind of achievement? You're absolutely nothing and you're trying to judge me?"
"I don't judge, Master." At least he knew he shouldn't, so there was that. "I'm the Doctor. I just try to help." And right now he pulled his hand back and looked down at it and vouched not to reach out to the Master again any time soon. Seemed entirely too risky. However, he did look up, his expression curious rather than offended. "Does it make you feel better? To see me as pathetic?" For all he knew, it probably did. He could relate to that more than he'd strictly like to admit to. Sometimes they had entirely too much in common.
"You're not trying to help me, you're trying to play headgames with me. I know men like you, you act like you care but you don't," With a long exhale, he bit back his anger because he knew he was prone to doing impulsive things. Like executing his new friend over a small argument. It was exactly what he'd done before, split decisions that only served to isolate him. Like when he exhaled his wife, boy did he regret that.
"It doesn't make me feel better because I feel fine as it is," Marcus insisted as he climbed back onto the bed and lay there, clearly not pleased by this doctors company any longer. Maybe he should just send him off to the prisons to rot. Get infected and die slowly for being such a boring pitying creature. "But you do belong like this. I feel that in my bones. You, John, are not the kind of man who should be without a master."
"Mhm." There would have been a time he'd have argued that more vehemently, but that was before the time they were the only two left, before he'd realized that in some ways the Master was all he had. It also was before he got whipped so hard he could hardly move, so there was that.
"Maybe you shouldn't be without me, either." Cheeky and stupid and he shouldn't have said it, but here he was, smiling anyway.
It was easy to debate just how the Master would react to that, especially when human and so easily provoked. But instead of sulking or getting annoyed, Marcus just laughed. On John, the doctor, would get so cocky that he could say something like that to his master, the ruler of Rome. Shaking his head, he leaned over the bed and grinned slightly. "Perhaps you're the hobby I'm seeking after all?"
"Who knows! Might be. Might just be." Well, this was going splendid. Now they just needed to get the fobwatch and go on board of the TARDIS and everything would be set. More or less. "I can be entertaining, at least." Outside of the Master and similarly amoral people, he only very rarely got accused of being dull, that much was for sure.
"I've seen so far, you are awfully amusing. And a little annoying actually. I was hoping you'd scream and weep earlier and you didn't. Disappointing but I'm impressed. You're a strong and unusual man, John," Marcus confessed as he watched the Doctor for a moment before offered his hand out to him. "Come up onto the bed, let me help you. We can talk more about the stars you like so much. And I promise, just for now, I won't try to steal them from you."
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Yes, that came out more childishly than he intended but he didn't like all the fantasy nonsense. But, well, he guessed he could kind of see it. With an annoyed huff, he dropped his head back down to look at John. "I'd let you see them even if I stole them. Is that better?"
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"Thank you. That's very kind of you, Master." And his sarcasm was just about undetectable. "Is there nothing you want to do apart from owning and ruling?"
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After a few moments, he looked back at the Doctor and shrugged. "I'd quite like silence. But that isn't an achievable goal. And I'm not actually that certain I would want it. I think it'd just be nice to not have a headache," he rolled his neck, trying to think of something else he wanted. "I think I'd liked to -- erm, well, I don't know."
Oh. Well. He hadn't realised that before.
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"It doesn't make me feel better because I feel fine as it is," Marcus insisted as he climbed back onto the bed and lay there, clearly not pleased by this doctors company any longer. Maybe he should just send him off to the prisons to rot. Get infected and die slowly for being such a boring pitying creature. "But you do belong like this. I feel that in my bones. You, John, are not the kind of man who should be without a master."
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"Maybe you shouldn't be without me, either." Cheeky and stupid and he shouldn't have said it, but here he was, smiling anyway.
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