(no subject)
Title: Mauve
Author: Becky_H
Character(s): Jacobi!Master/Jack
Genre: Mostly gen for this part. Slash in earlier sections.
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers Up to Sound of Drums.
Warnings: AU!
Word Count: 600-ish
Beta: None - I wrote this as part of blog-a-thon
Prompt: Set2Music Prompt 50: You're still damn good
Summary: Set a few days after Careful Manipulation. The Master makes a decision. Redux-verse fic.
Jack doesn't push at the Master.
He's made the information available to him. Doing more -- well, he's seen how nagging, begging and pleading turned out, and he's not eager for a repeat experience. So, he leaves it alone and hopes, as much as he still can, that the Master will have the good sense to take the metaphorical hand that's been extended to him.
It takes days. Days spent walking around the TARDIS in near silence, days of biting his tongue to keep from repeating the offer, days of trying to dangle more information and hope the Master will take the bait, and nights that are filled with as much pain as sex, and as many nightmares as hours of peaceful rest for the both of them.
Finally, back in the kitchen where Jack first handed the Master a way out with his tea, the Master asks, "How?"
Jack tells him. He has to admit that he doesn't know exactly how, but the Doctor has the knowledge and the ability.
The Master, predictably, is enraged at the suggestion. He splutters and snarls, curses and condemns, paces up and down and throws things.
He's angry at the idea of going to the Doctor for help, and Jack can't even say he blames him. Jack wouldn't relish the idea himself, but he's willing to lay his pride, wounded or otherwise, aside to help the Master and save everyone a whole lot of grief.
He dodges the saucer, and deflects the cup before it catches him right between the eyes. Then, surrounded by broken glass, he waits for the Master to calm down and be rational.
It takes a long while. First the Master stops pacing, then he stops cursing, and finally he stops ranting. Jack stays put through all of it, listening but not really letting any of it - insults, threats or anger- sink in. He's old. If he's learned nothing over a few thousand years it's how to be patient and when to keep his mouth shut.
Finally, the Master's silent, standing still and breathing hard and just looking at Jack, hands flexing into fists and then relaxing only to close again. He looks like he's thinking about strangling someone, and Jack doesn't think it's him.
"Well?" he asks, eyebrow lifting a little, his tone intentionally light and just a little provocative. "Are you going to do it, or are you going to keep running from him? Not that that wouldn't make for a really interesting change."
The Master continues to stare. His hands clench into fists again, so tight his knuckles are white, and stay there. Finally, with an eye-roll and a heavy sigh he waves a hand in Jack's general direction. "Go on, then. Do what you need to do."
Jack's already turned to walk out the door when the Master turns toward him and points a finger in his direction. "And don't you think for a moment I don't know what you did there. I'm not such a fool as all that."
Jack doesn't make a joke of it, because he knows it's not the time for one, and the Master sure as hell isn't joking. He turns back, meets the Master's gaze and says, seriously, "I think you're a lot of things, but fool never entered my mind."
The Master holds his eyes for another second then nods.
Jack takes his leave while he can, and goes to get the TARDIS set down somewhere, and somewhen, that will be neutral ground and to get a signal sent up for the Doctor.
Jack can't help but grin when he pushes that last button. He can only imagine what the Doctor's going to think when he realizes that call from help is coming from another Time Lord, and that the Time Lord is The Master.
Author: Becky_H
Character(s): Jacobi!Master/Jack
Genre: Mostly gen for this part. Slash in earlier sections.
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers Up to Sound of Drums.
Warnings: AU!
Word Count: 600-ish
Beta: None - I wrote this as part of blog-a-thon
Prompt: Set2Music Prompt 50: You're still damn good
Summary: Set a few days after Careful Manipulation. The Master makes a decision. Redux-verse fic.
Jack doesn't push at the Master.
He's made the information available to him. Doing more -- well, he's seen how nagging, begging and pleading turned out, and he's not eager for a repeat experience. So, he leaves it alone and hopes, as much as he still can, that the Master will have the good sense to take the metaphorical hand that's been extended to him.
It takes days. Days spent walking around the TARDIS in near silence, days of biting his tongue to keep from repeating the offer, days of trying to dangle more information and hope the Master will take the bait, and nights that are filled with as much pain as sex, and as many nightmares as hours of peaceful rest for the both of them.
Finally, back in the kitchen where Jack first handed the Master a way out with his tea, the Master asks, "How?"
Jack tells him. He has to admit that he doesn't know exactly how, but the Doctor has the knowledge and the ability.
The Master, predictably, is enraged at the suggestion. He splutters and snarls, curses and condemns, paces up and down and throws things.
He's angry at the idea of going to the Doctor for help, and Jack can't even say he blames him. Jack wouldn't relish the idea himself, but he's willing to lay his pride, wounded or otherwise, aside to help the Master and save everyone a whole lot of grief.
He dodges the saucer, and deflects the cup before it catches him right between the eyes. Then, surrounded by broken glass, he waits for the Master to calm down and be rational.
It takes a long while. First the Master stops pacing, then he stops cursing, and finally he stops ranting. Jack stays put through all of it, listening but not really letting any of it - insults, threats or anger- sink in. He's old. If he's learned nothing over a few thousand years it's how to be patient and when to keep his mouth shut.
Finally, the Master's silent, standing still and breathing hard and just looking at Jack, hands flexing into fists and then relaxing only to close again. He looks like he's thinking about strangling someone, and Jack doesn't think it's him.
"Well?" he asks, eyebrow lifting a little, his tone intentionally light and just a little provocative. "Are you going to do it, or are you going to keep running from him? Not that that wouldn't make for a really interesting change."
The Master continues to stare. His hands clench into fists again, so tight his knuckles are white, and stay there. Finally, with an eye-roll and a heavy sigh he waves a hand in Jack's general direction. "Go on, then. Do what you need to do."
Jack's already turned to walk out the door when the Master turns toward him and points a finger in his direction. "And don't you think for a moment I don't know what you did there. I'm not such a fool as all that."
Jack doesn't make a joke of it, because he knows it's not the time for one, and the Master sure as hell isn't joking. He turns back, meets the Master's gaze and says, seriously, "I think you're a lot of things, but fool never entered my mind."
The Master holds his eyes for another second then nods.
Jack takes his leave while he can, and goes to get the TARDIS set down somewhere, and somewhen, that will be neutral ground and to get a signal sent up for the Doctor.
Jack can't help but grin when he pushes that last button. He can only imagine what the Doctor's going to think when he realizes that call from help is coming from another Time Lord, and that the Time Lord is The Master.