Lead and Follow Part 2
Aug. 3rd, 2011 06:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dragonofmemoryBy: Memory Dragon
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who, nor do I make any claim to.
Characters: Third Doctor/Delgado Master, Eighth Doctor, OC
Warnings: The Master regains his dignity and more dancing.
Original Prompt: Three, Five, Eight or Eleven Ballroom dancing.
Notes: Written for the![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
best_enemies anon meme. Sadly, it's not actual ballroom dancing. This is far more social dancing than ballroom, since it's West Coast Swing, but I'm a Westie more than a ballroom dancer. Also, it's more of the Master learning to social dance than the Doctor dancing (though most of the fic is leading up to their big dance), but the Master had A Plot and who was I to argue with that?
There is an OC featured rather heavily in this fic. This is largely because the Master kept insisting he needed a pretty, young thing to make the Doctor jealous with. Hopefully, you'll enjoy her half as much as I enjoyed not having to keep a character from sounding like a valley girl. XD
Thanks: Many thanks to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
narwhale_callin for the beta, even if you did want me to cut big portions of what I've written. Although, it still apparently can't fit into one lj post. -_-;;; Also, sadly, she's still Lizzie Matthews. <3
~
He sat in a shadowed corner as the Doctor came in, drinking a glass of wine. The Master was wearing a dark-button up shirt, a nice pair of trousers and his dancing shoes, all but the latter at Lizzie's insistence. She said it would help him 'fit in' and make his claim of having been here a while more plausible. A disguise was part of plenty of his plans, though he usually didn't let a human drag him through a shopping mall to help 'pick something out for the big day'. Still, she had a good eye for a human, and he had to admit he looked quite handsome in it.
The Doctor, on the other hand, was still behind the times with his smoking jacket and frilly shirt. At least it was one of his better colors, a dark grey with red lining. He was without Miss Grant this time as well. Now this was an interesting development.
He watched as the Doctor made a beeline for Lizzie, who was giggling over a Smirnoff with Joel. It was conveniently near where the Master was sitting and he didn't have to strain to hear what they were saying over the music, though he had slipped a mic on her just in case.
"Miss Matthews, may I have a word?" the Doctor asked as he approached her.
Joel excused himself to find a dance partner as Lizzie smiled prettily up at him. "Shoot," she said innocently, twirling one of her curls in her fingers.
"About the man Jo warned you of last time we were here, has he turned up again?" the Doctor asked as he glanced around. The Master remained hidden, but he knew the Doctor could sense him in the club. This time, he wasn't being ignored.
"You mean Victor?" Lizzie asked with another coy twirl of her fingers. "Really, Doctor. It's no big deal about his experiments, and the fact that you're both aliens doesn't bother me at all. Just because he's gotten over you leaving him, doesn't mean that you should go around telling people he's an evil psychopath."
This was obviously not how the Doctor had envisioned this conversation. The Master found himself wishing he had put a camera on Lizzie as well while the Doctor sputtered. This would have been worth recording. "My dear young lady, that man is a dangerous criminal."
"Do you say that about all your ex's?" Lizzie asked, feigning boredom. "Look, if you're going to keep saying all these bad things about Victor, you can find someone else to talk to. He's nothing more than a sweet old man who works with those chronon molecules, or whatever they're called."
"Has he hypnotized you into saying that?" the Doctor asked, half suspicious and half in disbelief. It was a ridiculous question, the Master thought. He would never use mind control to have someone describe him as 'a sweet old man'. Quite frankly, he was going to have some strong words with Lizzie on the subject sometime soon.
"As if," Lizzie answered. "Would a 'dangerous criminal' take me to the resort planet Midnight just to cheer me up? Then we went dancing on Minarius IV and that was amazing. I'd never danced with an alien before. Well, I've danced with you and him, but that doesn't really count, not when you both look so human. This guy was like, blue. And my God, he could move his hips!"
Camera phones, the Master decided, were a perfectly marvelous invention, in spite of his earlier protests against the device. Oh, the quality was negligible at times, but it currently was very suited for recording the Doctor's face.
"You look like Time Lords," the Doctor said sulkily, before bordering on incredulous. "He really took you off-world?
Lizzie just nodded and smiled even more coyly up at him. The Master couldn't have trained her better, though he had certainly coached her extensively on what details to mention. Speaking of... "Yeah," Lizzie said. "He asked me if I wanted to see the universe with him. In a like, non-creepy or stalker-ish kind of way. He's been extremely polite, you know. If I'd known British aliens were such gentlemen, I totally wouldn't have been waiting around here for my Prince Charming. He's taken me to see some absolutely gorgeous planets. Oh, and Versailles! With petticoats and everything!"
Now was probably a good time to make an entrance before Lizzie started trying to get the Doctor to take her to Gallifrey. She would wreck havoc on the students at the Academy, despite her promises to be good if she saw any 'hot guys'. Finishing his wine, the Master made his presence known by coming up behind them. "My dear Doctor, what a surprise to see you here."
"It's hardly a surprise," the Doctor snapped. "You knew I was here and have set up some sort of trap. I'm not sure what it is yet, but I know it's bound to be harmful to everyone here."
"No, that's not paranoid at all," Lizzie murmured sarcastically, earning her a sharp glare from the Doctor.
"I assure you, Doctor, I'm here for simple recreation," the Master said pleasantly. "You can take a look around, if you're not convinced. Just ask anyone how long I've been coming to this establishment."
The Doctor rubbed his chin, suspicion written plainly across his face. "I don't believe you. You're up to something here and I intend to-"
"Listen, Victor! It's the live version of Layla! This is like, one of the best songs for West Coast. Sorry, Doctor, but I'm going to have to steal my partner back now!" Lizzie said, excitedly grabbing the Master's hand as she made her way to the dance floor.
The Master shrugged over his shoulder at the outraged Time Lord they left behind. Every single time Lizzie had interrupted the Master before was worth it for the expression on the Doctor's face as she did it to him.
Apologizing to a man who they bumped into on their way to find a open spot on the dance floor, Lizzie almost collapsed against his chest in giggles as he drew her into a closed starting position. "Did you see his face?" she asked as they ended the starter step and the Master spun her out. "He looked like he'd have a fit! And you look like the cat that got the cream."
The Master was feeling particularly smug, it was true. If he was a cat, then the Doctor was his mouse and he wasn't adverse to playing with his food before the kill. "You played your part well," he told Lizzie, pulling her back into closed position as a couple of other dancers got too close to their track to keep Lizzie from getting run over.
"Hey, do you remember that move Joel taught where you lead with your hands on my hips?" Lizzie asked deviously.
"I do seem to recall it," the Master said.
"Cause he's looking right at us. I think we should make him even more jealous."
At this, the Master laughed. His hands were already sliding down to her hips as he walked her forward. "That does sound like a splendid idea, my dear."
The Master gave Lizzie another dance before she was stolen by another partner. Rather than go back to the Doctor, he found another partner himself, who was just walking off the dance floor. He did this a few times, even gaining another dance with Lizzie, and refusing to acknowledge the Doctor who was still sulking in his seat and waiting for the Master to return.
He was just beginning to tire and was coming up with a way to avoid the Doctor for a song that he could sit out on, when the Doctor appeared at his shoulder. "Well," the Doctor said testily, offering his hand in an obvious manner.
For a moment, the Master considered forcing the Doctor to ask properly. However, his excitement at finally having his plan unfold erased what was left of his patience, and he took the Doctor's hand as the other Time Lord looked for an unclaimed spot on the dance floor.
They didn't start in closed position, which the Master took more for uncertainty than a gaffe on the Doctor's part, though the Doctor didn't look nervous at all. He had the audacity to assume the lead, but Lizzie had been prepping him for this ever since he had invited her into his TARDIS.
Instead of his usual smooth spin, the Master reverted to the triple step that women used. He didn't, as some men did when they followed, mimic and adopt a more feminine style of dancing, but he followed the right steps and hit the music with a small kick at a break, earning him a bit of mumbled praise from the Doctor.
After a few more eight counts, the Master stole the lead as the Doctor tried an underhand pass. Now the Doctor showed uncertainty, stumbling in the spin and not quite making the coaster step at the end of the move.
Their connection was broken after that, the Master noted. While the Doctor was quite good at leading, he apparently had no practice in the reverse position. Typical, always expecting the Master to follow him.
Well, this time the Master was the one in the lead, regardless of their dancing roles. He let the Doctor take back his position with a small incline of his head, and the Doctor scowled as he lead a move with both the Master's hands. The Master was the better dancer and he could feel through the renewed connection that the Doctor knew it too.
It was nothing short of glorious.
The Doctor didn't let that stop him from showing off for the rest of the dance, but the Master focused on more subtly upstaging him. Lizzie had once told him that the purpose of the lead dancer was to show off the partner in West Coast Swing, which the Master used to his advantage with every triple step. He had the feeling next time he danced with the Doctor, the other Time Lord would be more well versed in following. The Doctor hated being upstaged.
As he slid down the Doctor's arm and back into a coaster step, he caught Lizzie's wink from off the dance floor. She had been a particularly useful pawn, he would grant her that. He should reward that somehow and-
The Master glared up at the Doctor, who had taken advantage of his distraction with an attempt to dip him. "Good to know I have your attention again, old chap."
A new song started, but neither the Doctor nor the Master moved to find another partner. This time the Doctor did pull him into closed position for a starter step, keeping him close for a good several eight-counts. "Are you going to let me go," the Master asked, slightly annoyed as he had less control in closed position.
"I rather like you this close," the Doctor said with a grin, all too aware of the Master's plight.
There was a very simple way to get out of this. When the Master decided he'd had enough of it, he 'slipped' and squashed the Doctor's toes nice and hard with the heel of his shoes. His point was gotten across quite nicely, and the Master found himself pushed out into a free spin where he could once again control his movements. He smiled apologetically at the Doctor. "I'm terribly sorry. I don't know what happened."
"Is that how you want to play it?" the Doctor asked with narrowed eyes. However, instead of being annoyed, he sounded aroused by their struggle for control. Aroused and looking at nothing but the Master.
The Master walked forward on his left instead of his right, needing an ungainly stutter step to get himself back on track. He hadn't planned on this. Making the Doctor jealous, yes. Leading the Doctor back into one of his intricate traps for another battle of wits summed up his plan exactly. Having the Doctor kiss his forehead as he placed the Master's hands around his neck before he could slide away, no. At least, not in front of everyone at the club whom he had come to know during his stay in 21st century California. This was... something he had to consider.
When the song ended, the Master did pull away this time. "Thank you, Doctor. It has been... interesting," he said as he looked around the dance floor. Lizzie was dancing with Matt, so he asked one of the other women to dance, even though he was a bit distracted.
The Doctor was gone the next time he looked around. He sat out a song, waiting for Lizzie, before someone else asked him to dance. Finally, he grabbed a cigar and went outside, needing some fresh air.
He wasn't all that surprised to find the Doctor waiting for him. "There you are, old chap. I was beginning to wonder if I'd have to wait all night."
"I came here to dance, not to cater to your whims," the Master shot back. As he attempted to light his cigar, the Doctor plucked it from his fingers. The Master scowled. "I don't recall inviting you out here."
"You're up to something," the Doctor said, looking at the stolen cigar in distaste. "Something nefarious, no doubt. You always are. And I intend to stop you."
"My dear Doctor, how do you propose to do that when you don't even know if I'm actually plotting anything?" There was nothing left to stop, after all. The Doctor had fallen into his plot without even realizing it and the Master was sure if he took off in his TARDIS to the Moon of Helrini, the Doctor would follow. His plan had worked perhaps a bit too well, because now he wasn't certain if he wanted to leave. Now that he had the Doctor's attention, starting into one of their usual games didn't feel quite right.
"I should think that was obvious," the Doctor said with an unbearably smug grin. Before the Master could verbally shoot him down, the Doctor leaned down to kiss him.
It was just like when Lizzie had re-taught him the whip. The Master was suddenly aware of the connection between them that had been missing. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he felt the Doctor's arms circle around his back to keep him in place. The Master's own hands were pulling the idiot back down as the Doctor tried to pull away for a short, teasing kiss. He could feel the Doctor's intent, intent that was focused solely on him and it was a glorious feeling.
As far as ways to stop the Master's plots went, this was a rather good one. The Master was rapidly coming to the conclusion that he wanted to be stopped for the rest of the night and possibly a good portion of the next morning. The Doctor's own signals were impossible to misinterpret and the Master wasn't about to waste this new-found connection.
A little while later, the Master found himself being pushed down onto a bed. He let the Doctor think he was still in the lead for just a while longer. He was, after all, quite curious as to what the Doctor's designs for pursuing him for once. It wasn't often the mouse chased after the cat.
* * *
Lizzie moved away from the door as Victor and his Doctor walked off. She sat down in one of the more secluded areas of the club with a sigh. "I wonder if I'll ever see him again," she said to herself, not expecting a reply.
She was, therefore, quite surprised when she did get one. "Oh, he pops back up when you least want him to, usually," a man said from behind her. Another British accent. Given that this man seemed to be acquainted with Victor, this man was probably another alien. Would all the British people she was ever going to meet turn out to be aliens? Seriously, who ever heard of British aliens anyway? She'd have thought they'd sound more, well, alien.
Turning her chair around to see her unexpected conversationalist, Lizzie decided he was definitely another alien. His long, shoulder-length brown hair wasn't too outlandish, but the velvet jacket definitely was, even if they weren't at a club. If there was one thing Lizzie noticed about the Time Lords was that they had issues fitting in with the current fashion. She had to convince Victor that it would be a good disguise before he'd even considered wearing something that was actually normal.
Something was off, though. The man looked scruffy in ways that were contrary to the man's overall fashion sense, and his jacket was torn in quite a few places. "Are you okay?" she asked.
"Fine, just fine," the man said. "I remember your name. Uh... Molly, Missie, Liza... Ah, ha! Lizzie! Lizzie Matthews, wasn't it? He told me about you."
Victor had? If she did see him again, she was going to have to talk to him about that. She'd thought that Victor wasn't the type to gossip, though. "So you're one of them too?" she asked, wanting confirmation before she assumed too much.
The man nodded. "I wanted to see something good. This was such a good night, Lizzie. Can I call you Lizzie?" Without waiting for Lizzie to confirm it, the man continued on. "You know, I think he was genuinely fond of you. I've been watching all night and it's hard to think of another time the Master looked like he was enjoying himself that much."
"The Master?" Lizzie asked.
"That man. What did he use as an alias this time? They all blur together after a while of pompous alter egos."
"Victor," she said. Victor had admitted before that it wasn't his real name, but he'd never explained what his real name had been. She had to agree that 'the Master' did sound kind of pompous. Then again, so had 'the Doctor'.
Right now though, she was more concerned with this man. For him to know that this particular night had been good... "Are you from their future?" she asked, uncertainly. "Will they be alright, Victor and the Doctor?"
The man sighed. "You're more clever than he gave you credit for. They will have an argument in a few weeks and split again. Quite normal for them, though they lasted a bit longer than usual this time. They're both so very young and foolish, but this was a good time."
"So it was all for nothing then?" Lizzie asked, her spirits dropping.
"I wouldn't say that," the man said. "You kept him out of trouble for a few months and you both enjoyed it. What made you approach him, by the way?"
Lizzie shrugged, looking back at the dance floor sadly. "I was... I was really depressed at the time and I thought that if I made someone else happy, it would be easier for me to smile too. That I could still do something good."
"Lizzie, Lizzie, Lizzie. You don't know how good this was, do you? All this, because of how clever and kind Lizzie Matthews is, cheering up someone to-" The man started coughing violently as he leaned forward.
Lizzie was immediately on her feet. She placed her hands on his shoulders and helped the man sit up again. "You aren't alright. You should be in the hospital."
"They'd kill me in one of-" the man coughed again, but he recovered quicker. "They have killed me in one of your hospitals, come to think of it. It doesn't matter. I'll be regenerating soon."
"Re-what?" Lizzie asked, feeling useless. Would one of their hospitals really kill him? Well, she supposed if aliens really were that different, they might. "Look, I'll get you to your TARDIS then and you can get proper help, okay? You have one, don't you?"
"I see he didn't explain that one," the man murmured to himself. “There’s nowhere for me to go now, not with everything—I just wanted to see him again, before—To see something good. And this was so very good, Lizzie.” It looked like he was having problems breathing, but Lizzie didn't know what to do. The Heimlich? No, that was only for when someone choked.
The man clutched at Lizzie to keep her from moving away. "But I couldn’t save—I couldn’t—I did the right thing, didn’t I? Didn’t I?"
Lizzie was half terrified of this madman. He wasn't like the Doctor or Victor, like a normal human. There was something so very alien in his eyes; eyes that were like a storm of death and sorrow that nearly threatened to overwhelm her just by looking into them.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she choked out. She tried to run her hand soothingly along his back, but her eyes widened as her fingers met with a wet, sticky spot. She didn't have to bring her hand into the light to know it was blood. "Oh, my God! Stay here. I'm going to call an ambulance. Look, I'll stay with you to explain that you aren't human, I promise. Just wait there while I get my cell!"
"No time," the man said as she detangled herself from his grip. "I've stayed too long..."
"Just stay still!" Lizzie said, frantically running off to find her purse.
By the time she returned, the mysterious man was gone. He only left behind a streak of red on the back of the chair.
~FINI~
Memory: Well, there you have it. A fun fact about Lizzie: She was originally named Casey Youngs before I realized that Casey had a lot of negative connotations in the media at the moment. So then I changed her name to Lizzie after about four pages of writing her as Casey. Except, Lizzie is also the name of a presumed murderess. So I've been calling her my little murderess, because she's obviously destined to get away with murder at some point in time. Nar keeps saying I should just change her name to Lizzie Borden anyway. XD
Quote of the Fic:
“I do everything the man does, only backwards and in high heels!”
- Ginger Rogers
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who, nor do I make any claim to.
Characters: Third Doctor/Delgado Master, Eighth Doctor, OC
Warnings: The Master regains his dignity and more dancing.
Original Prompt: Three, Five, Eight or Eleven Ballroom dancing.
Notes: Written for the
best_enemies anon meme. Sadly, it's not actual ballroom dancing. This is far more social dancing than ballroom, since it's West Coast Swing, but I'm a Westie more than a ballroom dancer. Also, it's more of the Master learning to social dance than the Doctor dancing (though most of the fic is leading up to their big dance), but the Master had A Plot and who was I to argue with that?There is an OC featured rather heavily in this fic. This is largely because the Master kept insisting he needed a pretty, young thing to make the Doctor jealous with. Hopefully, you'll enjoy her half as much as I enjoyed not having to keep a character from sounding like a valley girl. XD
Thanks: Many thanks to
narwhale_callin for the beta, even if you did want me to cut big portions of what I've written. Although, it still apparently can't fit into one lj post. -_-;;; Also, sadly, she's still Lizzie Matthews. <3~
He sat in a shadowed corner as the Doctor came in, drinking a glass of wine. The Master was wearing a dark-button up shirt, a nice pair of trousers and his dancing shoes, all but the latter at Lizzie's insistence. She said it would help him 'fit in' and make his claim of having been here a while more plausible. A disguise was part of plenty of his plans, though he usually didn't let a human drag him through a shopping mall to help 'pick something out for the big day'. Still, she had a good eye for a human, and he had to admit he looked quite handsome in it.
The Doctor, on the other hand, was still behind the times with his smoking jacket and frilly shirt. At least it was one of his better colors, a dark grey with red lining. He was without Miss Grant this time as well. Now this was an interesting development.
He watched as the Doctor made a beeline for Lizzie, who was giggling over a Smirnoff with Joel. It was conveniently near where the Master was sitting and he didn't have to strain to hear what they were saying over the music, though he had slipped a mic on her just in case.
"Miss Matthews, may I have a word?" the Doctor asked as he approached her.
Joel excused himself to find a dance partner as Lizzie smiled prettily up at him. "Shoot," she said innocently, twirling one of her curls in her fingers.
"About the man Jo warned you of last time we were here, has he turned up again?" the Doctor asked as he glanced around. The Master remained hidden, but he knew the Doctor could sense him in the club. This time, he wasn't being ignored.
"You mean Victor?" Lizzie asked with another coy twirl of her fingers. "Really, Doctor. It's no big deal about his experiments, and the fact that you're both aliens doesn't bother me at all. Just because he's gotten over you leaving him, doesn't mean that you should go around telling people he's an evil psychopath."
This was obviously not how the Doctor had envisioned this conversation. The Master found himself wishing he had put a camera on Lizzie as well while the Doctor sputtered. This would have been worth recording. "My dear young lady, that man is a dangerous criminal."
"Do you say that about all your ex's?" Lizzie asked, feigning boredom. "Look, if you're going to keep saying all these bad things about Victor, you can find someone else to talk to. He's nothing more than a sweet old man who works with those chronon molecules, or whatever they're called."
"Has he hypnotized you into saying that?" the Doctor asked, half suspicious and half in disbelief. It was a ridiculous question, the Master thought. He would never use mind control to have someone describe him as 'a sweet old man'. Quite frankly, he was going to have some strong words with Lizzie on the subject sometime soon.
"As if," Lizzie answered. "Would a 'dangerous criminal' take me to the resort planet Midnight just to cheer me up? Then we went dancing on Minarius IV and that was amazing. I'd never danced with an alien before. Well, I've danced with you and him, but that doesn't really count, not when you both look so human. This guy was like, blue. And my God, he could move his hips!"
Camera phones, the Master decided, were a perfectly marvelous invention, in spite of his earlier protests against the device. Oh, the quality was negligible at times, but it currently was very suited for recording the Doctor's face.
"You look like Time Lords," the Doctor said sulkily, before bordering on incredulous. "He really took you off-world?
Lizzie just nodded and smiled even more coyly up at him. The Master couldn't have trained her better, though he had certainly coached her extensively on what details to mention. Speaking of... "Yeah," Lizzie said. "He asked me if I wanted to see the universe with him. In a like, non-creepy or stalker-ish kind of way. He's been extremely polite, you know. If I'd known British aliens were such gentlemen, I totally wouldn't have been waiting around here for my Prince Charming. He's taken me to see some absolutely gorgeous planets. Oh, and Versailles! With petticoats and everything!"
Now was probably a good time to make an entrance before Lizzie started trying to get the Doctor to take her to Gallifrey. She would wreck havoc on the students at the Academy, despite her promises to be good if she saw any 'hot guys'. Finishing his wine, the Master made his presence known by coming up behind them. "My dear Doctor, what a surprise to see you here."
"It's hardly a surprise," the Doctor snapped. "You knew I was here and have set up some sort of trap. I'm not sure what it is yet, but I know it's bound to be harmful to everyone here."
"No, that's not paranoid at all," Lizzie murmured sarcastically, earning her a sharp glare from the Doctor.
"I assure you, Doctor, I'm here for simple recreation," the Master said pleasantly. "You can take a look around, if you're not convinced. Just ask anyone how long I've been coming to this establishment."
The Doctor rubbed his chin, suspicion written plainly across his face. "I don't believe you. You're up to something here and I intend to-"
"Listen, Victor! It's the live version of Layla! This is like, one of the best songs for West Coast. Sorry, Doctor, but I'm going to have to steal my partner back now!" Lizzie said, excitedly grabbing the Master's hand as she made her way to the dance floor.
The Master shrugged over his shoulder at the outraged Time Lord they left behind. Every single time Lizzie had interrupted the Master before was worth it for the expression on the Doctor's face as she did it to him.
Apologizing to a man who they bumped into on their way to find a open spot on the dance floor, Lizzie almost collapsed against his chest in giggles as he drew her into a closed starting position. "Did you see his face?" she asked as they ended the starter step and the Master spun her out. "He looked like he'd have a fit! And you look like the cat that got the cream."
The Master was feeling particularly smug, it was true. If he was a cat, then the Doctor was his mouse and he wasn't adverse to playing with his food before the kill. "You played your part well," he told Lizzie, pulling her back into closed position as a couple of other dancers got too close to their track to keep Lizzie from getting run over.
"Hey, do you remember that move Joel taught where you lead with your hands on my hips?" Lizzie asked deviously.
"I do seem to recall it," the Master said.
"Cause he's looking right at us. I think we should make him even more jealous."
At this, the Master laughed. His hands were already sliding down to her hips as he walked her forward. "That does sound like a splendid idea, my dear."
The Master gave Lizzie another dance before she was stolen by another partner. Rather than go back to the Doctor, he found another partner himself, who was just walking off the dance floor. He did this a few times, even gaining another dance with Lizzie, and refusing to acknowledge the Doctor who was still sulking in his seat and waiting for the Master to return.
He was just beginning to tire and was coming up with a way to avoid the Doctor for a song that he could sit out on, when the Doctor appeared at his shoulder. "Well," the Doctor said testily, offering his hand in an obvious manner.
For a moment, the Master considered forcing the Doctor to ask properly. However, his excitement at finally having his plan unfold erased what was left of his patience, and he took the Doctor's hand as the other Time Lord looked for an unclaimed spot on the dance floor.
They didn't start in closed position, which the Master took more for uncertainty than a gaffe on the Doctor's part, though the Doctor didn't look nervous at all. He had the audacity to assume the lead, but Lizzie had been prepping him for this ever since he had invited her into his TARDIS.
Instead of his usual smooth spin, the Master reverted to the triple step that women used. He didn't, as some men did when they followed, mimic and adopt a more feminine style of dancing, but he followed the right steps and hit the music with a small kick at a break, earning him a bit of mumbled praise from the Doctor.
After a few more eight counts, the Master stole the lead as the Doctor tried an underhand pass. Now the Doctor showed uncertainty, stumbling in the spin and not quite making the coaster step at the end of the move.
Their connection was broken after that, the Master noted. While the Doctor was quite good at leading, he apparently had no practice in the reverse position. Typical, always expecting the Master to follow him.
Well, this time the Master was the one in the lead, regardless of their dancing roles. He let the Doctor take back his position with a small incline of his head, and the Doctor scowled as he lead a move with both the Master's hands. The Master was the better dancer and he could feel through the renewed connection that the Doctor knew it too.
It was nothing short of glorious.
The Doctor didn't let that stop him from showing off for the rest of the dance, but the Master focused on more subtly upstaging him. Lizzie had once told him that the purpose of the lead dancer was to show off the partner in West Coast Swing, which the Master used to his advantage with every triple step. He had the feeling next time he danced with the Doctor, the other Time Lord would be more well versed in following. The Doctor hated being upstaged.
As he slid down the Doctor's arm and back into a coaster step, he caught Lizzie's wink from off the dance floor. She had been a particularly useful pawn, he would grant her that. He should reward that somehow and-
The Master glared up at the Doctor, who had taken advantage of his distraction with an attempt to dip him. "Good to know I have your attention again, old chap."
A new song started, but neither the Doctor nor the Master moved to find another partner. This time the Doctor did pull him into closed position for a starter step, keeping him close for a good several eight-counts. "Are you going to let me go," the Master asked, slightly annoyed as he had less control in closed position.
"I rather like you this close," the Doctor said with a grin, all too aware of the Master's plight.
There was a very simple way to get out of this. When the Master decided he'd had enough of it, he 'slipped' and squashed the Doctor's toes nice and hard with the heel of his shoes. His point was gotten across quite nicely, and the Master found himself pushed out into a free spin where he could once again control his movements. He smiled apologetically at the Doctor. "I'm terribly sorry. I don't know what happened."
"Is that how you want to play it?" the Doctor asked with narrowed eyes. However, instead of being annoyed, he sounded aroused by their struggle for control. Aroused and looking at nothing but the Master.
The Master walked forward on his left instead of his right, needing an ungainly stutter step to get himself back on track. He hadn't planned on this. Making the Doctor jealous, yes. Leading the Doctor back into one of his intricate traps for another battle of wits summed up his plan exactly. Having the Doctor kiss his forehead as he placed the Master's hands around his neck before he could slide away, no. At least, not in front of everyone at the club whom he had come to know during his stay in 21st century California. This was... something he had to consider.
When the song ended, the Master did pull away this time. "Thank you, Doctor. It has been... interesting," he said as he looked around the dance floor. Lizzie was dancing with Matt, so he asked one of the other women to dance, even though he was a bit distracted.
The Doctor was gone the next time he looked around. He sat out a song, waiting for Lizzie, before someone else asked him to dance. Finally, he grabbed a cigar and went outside, needing some fresh air.
He wasn't all that surprised to find the Doctor waiting for him. "There you are, old chap. I was beginning to wonder if I'd have to wait all night."
"I came here to dance, not to cater to your whims," the Master shot back. As he attempted to light his cigar, the Doctor plucked it from his fingers. The Master scowled. "I don't recall inviting you out here."
"You're up to something," the Doctor said, looking at the stolen cigar in distaste. "Something nefarious, no doubt. You always are. And I intend to stop you."
"My dear Doctor, how do you propose to do that when you don't even know if I'm actually plotting anything?" There was nothing left to stop, after all. The Doctor had fallen into his plot without even realizing it and the Master was sure if he took off in his TARDIS to the Moon of Helrini, the Doctor would follow. His plan had worked perhaps a bit too well, because now he wasn't certain if he wanted to leave. Now that he had the Doctor's attention, starting into one of their usual games didn't feel quite right.
"I should think that was obvious," the Doctor said with an unbearably smug grin. Before the Master could verbally shoot him down, the Doctor leaned down to kiss him.
It was just like when Lizzie had re-taught him the whip. The Master was suddenly aware of the connection between them that had been missing. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he felt the Doctor's arms circle around his back to keep him in place. The Master's own hands were pulling the idiot back down as the Doctor tried to pull away for a short, teasing kiss. He could feel the Doctor's intent, intent that was focused solely on him and it was a glorious feeling.
As far as ways to stop the Master's plots went, this was a rather good one. The Master was rapidly coming to the conclusion that he wanted to be stopped for the rest of the night and possibly a good portion of the next morning. The Doctor's own signals were impossible to misinterpret and the Master wasn't about to waste this new-found connection.
A little while later, the Master found himself being pushed down onto a bed. He let the Doctor think he was still in the lead for just a while longer. He was, after all, quite curious as to what the Doctor's designs for pursuing him for once. It wasn't often the mouse chased after the cat.
* * *
Lizzie moved away from the door as Victor and his Doctor walked off. She sat down in one of the more secluded areas of the club with a sigh. "I wonder if I'll ever see him again," she said to herself, not expecting a reply.
She was, therefore, quite surprised when she did get one. "Oh, he pops back up when you least want him to, usually," a man said from behind her. Another British accent. Given that this man seemed to be acquainted with Victor, this man was probably another alien. Would all the British people she was ever going to meet turn out to be aliens? Seriously, who ever heard of British aliens anyway? She'd have thought they'd sound more, well, alien.
Turning her chair around to see her unexpected conversationalist, Lizzie decided he was definitely another alien. His long, shoulder-length brown hair wasn't too outlandish, but the velvet jacket definitely was, even if they weren't at a club. If there was one thing Lizzie noticed about the Time Lords was that they had issues fitting in with the current fashion. She had to convince Victor that it would be a good disguise before he'd even considered wearing something that was actually normal.
Something was off, though. The man looked scruffy in ways that were contrary to the man's overall fashion sense, and his jacket was torn in quite a few places. "Are you okay?" she asked.
"Fine, just fine," the man said. "I remember your name. Uh... Molly, Missie, Liza... Ah, ha! Lizzie! Lizzie Matthews, wasn't it? He told me about you."
Victor had? If she did see him again, she was going to have to talk to him about that. She'd thought that Victor wasn't the type to gossip, though. "So you're one of them too?" she asked, wanting confirmation before she assumed too much.
The man nodded. "I wanted to see something good. This was such a good night, Lizzie. Can I call you Lizzie?" Without waiting for Lizzie to confirm it, the man continued on. "You know, I think he was genuinely fond of you. I've been watching all night and it's hard to think of another time the Master looked like he was enjoying himself that much."
"The Master?" Lizzie asked.
"That man. What did he use as an alias this time? They all blur together after a while of pompous alter egos."
"Victor," she said. Victor had admitted before that it wasn't his real name, but he'd never explained what his real name had been. She had to agree that 'the Master' did sound kind of pompous. Then again, so had 'the Doctor'.
Right now though, she was more concerned with this man. For him to know that this particular night had been good... "Are you from their future?" she asked, uncertainly. "Will they be alright, Victor and the Doctor?"
The man sighed. "You're more clever than he gave you credit for. They will have an argument in a few weeks and split again. Quite normal for them, though they lasted a bit longer than usual this time. They're both so very young and foolish, but this was a good time."
"So it was all for nothing then?" Lizzie asked, her spirits dropping.
"I wouldn't say that," the man said. "You kept him out of trouble for a few months and you both enjoyed it. What made you approach him, by the way?"
Lizzie shrugged, looking back at the dance floor sadly. "I was... I was really depressed at the time and I thought that if I made someone else happy, it would be easier for me to smile too. That I could still do something good."
"Lizzie, Lizzie, Lizzie. You don't know how good this was, do you? All this, because of how clever and kind Lizzie Matthews is, cheering up someone to-" The man started coughing violently as he leaned forward.
Lizzie was immediately on her feet. She placed her hands on his shoulders and helped the man sit up again. "You aren't alright. You should be in the hospital."
"They'd kill me in one of-" the man coughed again, but he recovered quicker. "They have killed me in one of your hospitals, come to think of it. It doesn't matter. I'll be regenerating soon."
"Re-what?" Lizzie asked, feeling useless. Would one of their hospitals really kill him? Well, she supposed if aliens really were that different, they might. "Look, I'll get you to your TARDIS then and you can get proper help, okay? You have one, don't you?"
"I see he didn't explain that one," the man murmured to himself. “There’s nowhere for me to go now, not with everything—I just wanted to see him again, before—To see something good. And this was so very good, Lizzie.” It looked like he was having problems breathing, but Lizzie didn't know what to do. The Heimlich? No, that was only for when someone choked.
The man clutched at Lizzie to keep her from moving away. "But I couldn’t save—I couldn’t—I did the right thing, didn’t I? Didn’t I?"
Lizzie was half terrified of this madman. He wasn't like the Doctor or Victor, like a normal human. There was something so very alien in his eyes; eyes that were like a storm of death and sorrow that nearly threatened to overwhelm her just by looking into them.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she choked out. She tried to run her hand soothingly along his back, but her eyes widened as her fingers met with a wet, sticky spot. She didn't have to bring her hand into the light to know it was blood. "Oh, my God! Stay here. I'm going to call an ambulance. Look, I'll stay with you to explain that you aren't human, I promise. Just wait there while I get my cell!"
"No time," the man said as she detangled herself from his grip. "I've stayed too long..."
"Just stay still!" Lizzie said, frantically running off to find her purse.
By the time she returned, the mysterious man was gone. He only left behind a streak of red on the back of the chair.
~FINI~
Memory: Well, there you have it. A fun fact about Lizzie: She was originally named Casey Youngs before I realized that Casey had a lot of negative connotations in the media at the moment. So then I changed her name to Lizzie after about four pages of writing her as Casey. Except, Lizzie is also the name of a presumed murderess. So I've been calling her my little murderess, because she's obviously destined to get away with murder at some point in time. Nar keeps saying I should just change her name to Lizzie Borden anyway. XD
Quote of the Fic:
“I do everything the man does, only backwards and in high heels!”
- Ginger Rogers
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no subject
Date: 2011-08-19 12:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-19 01:55 pm (UTC)I always get nervous when I end up needing a OC that much. I can never tell if they'll go over well or not. I'm glad you liked her!
The Master does need to get out more. Thanks again for the comments!
no subject
Date: 2011-09-23 11:55 pm (UTC)The ending hit pretty hard, too. Oh, Eight. I can really see him doing this, with the rest of the Time Lords gone and him dying alone. I can see him going back to revisit one of the happier moments of his life, especially since he believes the Master to be dead in his own timestream.
You're really incredibly good at delivering wrenching gut-kicks at the end of your stories. And I keep coming back for more.
Also, as an aside, I totally want to see more of Lizzie and the Master's Excellent Dance Adventures Across the Universe. You will probably never write these, but they now exist in my head canon and they are EPIC.
no subject
Date: 2011-09-24 12:59 am (UTC)My theory was they had several weeks of hot sex before they couldn't stand each other any longer and went back to their usual games. Really, that's quite the record for them. XD
Eight was difficult to write, so I'm glad it worked for you, even if it was angsty!
As a matter of fact, they did win first place in the masters division Strictly Swing on Kirestra 5 National Competition and the Master got fifth place in a novice Jack and Jill competition (the judge was too stubborn to hypnotize into considering the Master to have enough points to be one of the pros) at Swing Diego 2030, largely because his partner wasn't very good. Luck of the draw, really. Lizzie got third place in the masters division and she took him to eat ice cream afterward so his ego wouldn't be too bruised. They did take first in the Pro-Am dance the next day, largely because the Master refused to lose a second time. I'm totally game for more Excellent Dance Adventures Across the Universe, though I probably won't be writing them. <3
In all honesty though, there was a bit more with the Eleventh Doctor and Simm Master that was supposed to come after the Eighth Doctor left. My beta reader told me to nix it though and just leave it with Eight.
Thanks again for the comments! I'm glad you enjoyed it so much!
no subject
Date: 2011-09-27 02:07 am (UTC)I'm surprised the Doctor and Master lasted even a few weeks! That's...pretty dang good for their track record. It was a fantastic plan, though, and apparently a very good night.
I am seriously considering asking what I would have to bribe you with in order to get you to actually write more of the Excellent Dance Adventures Across the Universe. Even just snippets. Because MY GOD I WANT MORE NOW. Lizzie, you are the best. (And, as an aside, I rather like 'Lizzie' over 'Casey' for this character. 'Lizzie' just seems to suit her better.)
I'd love to read that bit with Eleven and Simm!Master. I am now having visions of them dancing during someone's wedding. There needs to be more Eleven/Simm!Master in the world! I agree with your beta, though; the story really did need to end where it was. The addition of Eight gave this bittersweet closure, and...I'm not sure...I think made it feel more real overall. Adding a bit afterwards would have destroyed that, if that makes any sense.
no subject
Date: 2011-09-27 02:34 am (UTC)Definitely a good night. Why do you think they lasted that long? ^_~
Ha ha. It really depends on how much plot I think I can get out of it, and Lizzie and the Master's story feels fairly done. Lizzie did end up working as a better name for her though. I'm glad you liked her that much!
Well, the bit with Eleven and Simm ended up being more confusing as well. I apparently wrote it too ambiguously. It was more a suicide prevention than wedding dancing though. I'm glad I did end it on Eight, even though he fought me most of the way. <3
no subject
Date: 2011-10-19 01:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-10-19 02:08 pm (UTC)Also, 'Adon' is a very, very clever and alias for the Master here, so props for that!
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Date: 2011-10-19 08:15 pm (UTC)SOMEONE FINALLY NOTICED!!! *cough* Er, yes. I'm glad someone finally picked up on that. <3
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Date: 2011-11-07 09:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-11-07 12:25 pm (UTC)Procrastinating, are we? XD Still, glad you liked the fixes. Lizzie is just fun to me because I can make her sound like me. We really don't have very much in common besides the 'like, totally valley girl!' moments, but considering how the fanfics I write are all either Japanese anime or British TV shows, it's not something I get to do too often. XD I haven't since... Well, there was a bit of it in our Sailor Moon roleplay, but mainly not since I did the American version of Ryo from Ronin Warriors in a rp (Don't judge me).
It's fun revisiting her too. And giving the Master terrible dance partners. He really does need more gal pals though. The Rani just doesn't quite work very well, now does she? XD
no subject
Date: 2011-11-07 04:05 pm (UTC)I never judge you (except when you shoot down my swamps).
I always think of the Rani as his sister, actually. Or a cousin he loved to torment as a child. So, not quite a gal pal. XD
no subject
Date: 2011-11-07 08:02 pm (UTC)Well, we did agree to disagree on that one. XD
Now, see, I usually see her tormenting him more than him tormenting her. She might be annoyed by him, but I'm fairly sure the Rani would have plenty of ways to keep him from being too annoying. ^_~ But yeah, not quite gal pal.