for rude_not_ginger: The masked ball of the Prince Regent of Muld

[quitehomoerotic]

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They had all the time they needed. And true, they did. And an evening that might be a few hours for some could be so much more for them if they desired.

And so, for once, they did. And they indulged in what was available to them. An evening in the TARDIS while she bathed in the sky. A night of simply being together, and sharing. A bath that lasted far too long and a massage that lasted almost longer. That and a bed and a good night's sleep for the both of them.

It was, just about the epitome of relaxing.

And the morning arrived and with it renewed energy and drive, and so, being the people they were, they just had to travel.

After all, the TARDIS needed a run in.

"You know I think this is the smoothest flight we've ever had," Jack said with a grin, looking at the Doctor over the console, one hand rested on his monitor. "All her vitals are spot on."

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[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

"I don't know if I'll be able to get over the fact that you can do that, now," the Doctor said, peering over the console at Jack. The whole room looked different, bathed in the new, blue light of the console.

"But, yes, all the TARDIS systems are working normally. Well, better than normally. I think the old girl loved that energy bath, eh?" he said, patting the side of the console. He felt her hum happily in approval.

"I know I did." He paused. "Wait a minute, that sounded very nearly like innuendo. I shouldn't be doing innuendo, I've been spending too much time with you, Jack Harkness!"

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"Shame," Jack said with a half laugh. "Guess you're just going to have to learn to adapt now aren't you, Doctor?"

He looked back to his screen, reading the information that flipped up and reached a hand over to press down on the blue stabilisers. Despite the fact he was the one that crashed the TARDIS, he found himself quite comfortable here in this position.

"And I did too," he said belatedly, looking up with a smile. "The bath, I mean. Well, not just the bath."

He winked.

"So, any idea where we're going. Aside from..." he tilted his head, "somewhere past the Nightingale Nova, by the looks of it."

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"Ooooh, that's not right," the Doctor said, stitching his eyebrows together as he looked at the screen. "Nightengale Nova. That's half a galaxy off where I was aiming. We were supposed to be finding that meadow of yours----wait, wait, hold on."

He turned a few dials and pulled a lever. On the screen, a tinny waltz began to play and a many-tentacled gold man appeared, smiling graciously. Well, as graciously as one with that many tentacles could smile.

"Greetings, traveller. You have been invited." A series of coordinate numbers and the face of another tentacled man appeared, looking rather regal. Well, as regal as one with that many tentacles can.

"Ooooh, a party," the Doctor said, flipping the screen back and rewatching the invitation.

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As he heard the music, Jack walked around from his monitor to the Doctor's. He could probably watch it from his own, but then he couldn't stand next to him and put a hand on his back that way.

He knew which one he preferred.

"You know I think I had an ex that was that species," he said, "Inventive."

Reaching a hand forward, he tapped it against the monitor and nodded. "We're going. After all, wouldn't want to refuse an invite."

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"How did they get the TARDIS's coordinate code, though?" the Doctor asked, slipping on his glasses and leaning in, as if looking at the monitor closer could give him some sort of insight.

"This frequency hasn't been used in ages, but it's being broadcast directly to this location. It's like they knew we were here." He sniffed. "Which could mean it's a trap."

Which definitely meant they were going.

"Then again. I do owe you a proper date, don't I?" he asked, looking back at Jack with a smile.

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"Either that or it was some sort of central broadcast. Like homing out to different ships in the vacinity..."

Even as he said it, he didn't sound convinced.

"No, that's rubbish isn't it," he went on. "Definitely a trap."

he paused, and grinned. "I love traps."

Pointing a finger at him, his grin widened, "Hey you could wear that tux! Send back a reply, we'll gladly accept the invite from the tentacle family."

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The Doctor's fingers were already working furiously along the keyboard. "Already sent it back. The Doctor and his plus one." He paused before hitting enter. Was 'plus one' right? Would 'partner' be better? Or 'companion'? He shook his head, then pressed the enter key.

"Right! Tuxedo for me, we'll find one for you," he said, grinning. "Don't think I've seen you in a tux yet. That'll be a sight, I imagine."

He pulled off his glasses and grinned. This was going to be really, really fun.

"Oh, and masks."

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"Oh I'm a plus one, am I?" Jack said with a mock incredulous expression, quickly followed with a wink and a grin.

"And no, you haven't. Won't be able to keep your hands off me, Doctor. Just you wait."

He let out a laugh, and already was walking off into the corridor away from the console room. "Masks?" he asked with the raise of an eyebrow. "Kinky."

He winked again.

Pointing down a corridor he nodded, "Wardrobe. I'll find me one. Meet you back here?"

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"Well, it was either that or 'boyfriend', and I think we both know how I feel about that terminology," the Doctor said casually, keeping his eyes on the screen.

He chewed his lip. A trap, obviously. But a fun one. Something to get the blood flowing, to wake him back up after all that time in the Marquis's cellar.

He glanced back at Jack and nodded. "Right. I'll grab my suit, meet you back here in a few."

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Jack smirked to himself. No, he wasn't much for that word, but really... that's what they were. It was sort of nice to know.

"I'll be seeing you," he called back as he disappeared through a door in the distance.

He spent a few minutes in the wardrobe, scanning through the very odd assortment of clothes, and there, tucked in behind what looked like a wearable cake (he assumed it was some sort of dress) he found it. It was a tuxedo, but a little classic in style, something from the 30s, he thought.

Perfect.

He slicked his hair a little, smartened himself up, dressed, and headed out. And so, a little while later, there he was, walking back into the control room, dressed to kill, with his coat draped over his arm.

"Doctor? You ready?"

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The Doctor was fumbling with his bowtie as he stepped into the console room. He'd had the tuxedo repaired and cleaned since he was on the Titanic, but it was still a little worn at the seams. Getting a new one just seemed so...unnecessary.

"Think so," he said. He glanced over the console to Jack's tuxedo. Oooh, very nice. Very classic, and it fit him perfectly. He looked away immediately, busying himself with the dials and buttons on the console. Not the sort of time to get distracted by his companion's appearance. Trap to walk into.

"Looks like we've got clear skies and an opening in the upper atmosphere for landing."

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"Oh come on!" Jack said holding his hands out, "Do I not even get a 'Jack you look good'? 'Jack you're good enough to eat'? 'Jack how do you look so good'?"

He grinned at him and walked over.

"And you, Doctor," he gave him the once over. "Very nice. I approve."

Turning his head he looked at the screen and nodded, "And hey, land us inside and we can get there without the wind ruining our hair."

Teasing. Sort of.

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He grinned at the compliment. "Ooooh, I had a very good tailor. 24th century. Did I mention what an excellent century that was for tailoring?"

He hopped around the console, then made his way back over to where Jack stood.

"Well, now I don't have to, you've complimented yourself," the Doctor replied, smirking at him. The best reactions were often the ones the Doctor acquired by saying nothing at all. He stepped forward and picked an invisible piece of lint from Jack's lapel.

"Yeah, it's not bad. It'll do. Did you find any masks in the wardrobe? Masquerade Ball means required masks. I thought I had a few saved up there."

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Glancing down, Jack looked at his lapel and back up, a small sideways smile on his face.

"Ah!" he said. "I did indeed."

He took a step around the console and towards the chair where he'd laid his coat after coming in. He lifted it, and beneath it were two rather ornate masks.

"Must be Venetian?" he asked. "Carnival?" There was a blue one (which he was intending to keep, of course) and one that was slightly more red.

"Do the trick?"

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"Ooooh, that should work," the Doctor said, grinning as he took the mask. He tied it around his head and grinned over at Jack. "I love masks. Well, not for every day, but on occasion. Like having a new face without all the trouble of regeneration."

He reached into his pocket and produced an ornate metallic flower. He stepped over to Jack and began applying it to his lapel.

"I knew I had one somewhere. It's from Gallifrey. Meant to last forever, efficiency and all that. Figured one of us should wear one."

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"You know the more I learn about you, Doctor, the more kinky I think you really are." He smirked a little and turned the mask in his hand.

He was just about to lift it and place it on when he saw the Doctor pulling something from his pocket. He frowned slightly and looked over, surprised when he attached it to him.

"Last forever," he said quietly. "Think I like that."

He looked down and watched his fingers, and before the Doctor could pull his hand away, he covered it with his own.

"Thank you," he said softly. "Thank you, Doctor."

He let that moment last just a few seconds longer, and he took a deep breath, punctuating it.

"Right," he said, clutching his fingers slightly around the Doctor's and pulling his hand back with his, still holding it. "We good to go?"

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

The Doctor curled his hand within Jack's and smiled. This was good. This felt right, being with him like this. Even though the mask felt a little silly and they were about to walk right into a trap---or maybe because they were about to walk into a trap---he was perfectly content.

"I think we are," he said.

He nodded to the door. "Just remember, don't wander off. That's the last thing we need right now. We need to make sure whatever trap they've got prepared for us, we're together when they spring it."

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Jack took his hand back then and fixed his mask to his face. He looked over at the Doctor with a winning smile. All teeth.

"Yes, Sir," Jack said with a little mock salute. "And come on! You in that tux? I'm not going anywhere."

Beat.

"But, if I do... well, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

He headed towards the door, a hop skip across the room. "So this trap, what do you think it--" he opened the door and stalled as he walked out.

"Wow."

The TARDIS had landed in a grand hallway, the walls gilt with gold.

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

"Impressive," the Doctor said with an approving nod. He tapped the end of his shoe against the white marble flooring. It was grand, far beyond the means of any normal prince or regent. The Doctor grinned. That meant something might be going on. He loved it when there was more going on.

"Oooh, and there's our host," the Doctor said, nodding towards a many-tentacled man standing in the middle of a group of what the Doctor assumed had to be fans. They were all gazing up at him with so much longing and love, it was actually fairly disgusting.

"Come on," he said. "Let's take a look around, eh?"

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Jack looked back at the Doctor and down to the floor. He noticed then, for the first time, the fact that he was still wearing a pair of trainers, even with the tuxedo. So very him. Jack would want it no other way.

"Looks like he's kinda busy," Jack said, looking over and watching him (him?) and the crowd of people around him.

"Thought you'd never ask," he said as he stepped forward, heading towards a room full of people and voices. In the distance he could hear music.

"Sounds like we've found the party."

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"Definitely," the Doctor agreed. "But look at all of this. Those Dracorian Pestal Drinks are made from pure diamond, ground into a paste. And the extravagance here, it's not the sort of thing you just invite passersby to. Well, unless you've got more money than you quite literally know what to do with. Which it appears our host does have. Which means..."

Well, he wasn't sure what it meant yet, but he would find out. They would find out.

"Oooh---" he headed towards the table and picked up a few of the nibbles, always focusing on the most important things first.

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

"Chance to show off wealth," Jack said, picking up one of the drinks (well he had to try!) He took a sip. Tasted pretty atrocious as it happened.

"Wouldn't be the first time I've seen this sort of thing. Back in the agency I was sent to... retrieve something from a wedding, place a bit like this."

He took a couple of the nibbles for himself, putting a little too much in his mouth at once.

"This sort of thing, all those invites? I'm guessing they're trying to attract someone. Bring in the richest and the most powerful. All in one place?"

It was a theory. Could be wrong, of course. And that was why it was so great.

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"Well, if they did, they aimed wrong," the Doctor said around a mouthful of food. "That sort of transmission was old, meant for older ships. They'd either get scavengers, old money, or freelancers, and they're more likely to get the last of those. Like us."

He grabbed an Destonian apple off of the table, and nodded towards the dance floor.

"But none of these people look like they're the sort that would fly on a class 40 ship, are they? So why send out that transmission? How did they know about it?"

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"So you think someone just happened to know we were up there and be looking for us specifically? Well that's not at all ominous."

He picked something up that looked like it might be a pastry and shoved it unceremoniously into his mouth, continuing to talk around it, wiping off a little cream.

"A little elaborate, don't you think? All this at a masked ball? Somewhere where you can't recognise people. Kinda convenient."

Off to the side, a bell sounded, and a large set of doors opened. People started pouring into a larger room. Jack nodded towards it.

"Looks like it's kick off."

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"Healthy mix of humanoids and non-humanoids, too," the Doctor agreed. "Might not be that easy to find us in this crowd, unless they're watching us some other way."

He scanned above them for security cameras. He couldn't see any, but that didn't mean they weren't there. He looked back over to the Regent, who looked about as happy as an Alzarian clam. He hadn't even acknowledged them.

"I wonder if he has any idea who's here at his party," he commented. "The people who've arrived."

He nodded to Jack. "Once that lot's thinned out, I think you should introduce yourself," he said.