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The Master couldn’t stop his hearts from skipping in his chest, even if he wanted to.
Sure, all over the beach on the planet of New California on the coast of Malibu, alien children ran around screeching and using glow sticks as makeshift swords. Sure, their parents chased after them, tutting at them to be safe, to watch each other. Others on the shore paid them no mind - chatting in their floating chairs and turning on their invisible music speakers, speculating when the first lantern would be released into the sky.
But The Master couldn’t consider all of that. No, not now. All he could think of was how beautiful Y/N was at that moment, and how it made his hearts twist.
For once, he didn’t feel the compulsive need to stop it or to manipulate the relationship for his own gains. He simply saw them as they were - painfully stubborn, witty, and above all, annoyingly kind-hearted. They were someone who didn’t need him but still desired him. He loved them for it.
They took him for what he was - a rebel, a monster, absolutely ruthless. He was a Time Lord pushing skeletons back into the closet of his TARDIS and yet, they still cuddled him to sleep every night.
How did he deserve it? The simple answer was, well, he didn’t. But he’d be damned if he didn’t enjoy it and savor it while it lasted. He let out a small happy sigh, pressing a quick kiss to their shoulder. Y/N cuddled into him for a moment before looking back out at the pink horizon, leaning back against the rock wall, hands running over their pants, falling into their lap. They let out a small yawn before reaching into their bag for their most cherished New Californian snack. Space floss.
They were sitting on a blanket in the sand, tucked in a private corner. The Master insisted on it – the best view and the most private location. He glanced over at Y/N, who was eagerly opening the bag. “Aren’t you cold, little human?”
Y/N shrugged, but their skin betrayed them, their arms covered with goosebumps when a breeze rustled their hair. “Nope.”
The Master squinted playfully as another shiver ran down their spine. Y/N sighed but didn’t move as The Master immediately slipped out of his jacket and placed it over their shoulders. Without another thought, they slipped their arms into it.
The Master slowly ran his hands down over the fabric and slung an arm around their shoulders to give them a kiss on the cheek.
“How about now? Have you warmed up?” he asked, raising a brow.
Y/N could only hum in contentment, leaning into him. They continued opening the bag of space floss and gasped at the sweet smell of cane sugar. Hand-spun by the vendor, it smelled like childhood trips to the coasts on Earth.
“What is that?” The Master asked, eyes trailing over the fluffy pink cloud. “Looks like it should be in the walls of a council estate.”
Y/N rolled their eyes. “Try it.”
They pulled off a small piece and placed it in front of The Master’s face, tilting their head at it. The Master glanced at it, then at them, before opening and closing his mouth around it. His lips lingered on Y/N’s fingertips, nearly taking in their fingers before they pulled away and scolded him through giggles.
The Master smirked, the sugar melting on his tongue. “Oh, come on, darling. We have privacy here.”
“We came here to watch the lanterns, loverboy.”
The Master sighed, roping an arm around Y/N’s waist. They nestled their head on his chest, attempting to ignore The Master as his fingertips slowly reached down to slip under the band of their pants. “Okay, okay, but later? These look… easy to take off. I like that.”
Y/N glanced up at him with a mock scowl, their smile quickly slipping through. “I’m sure you do. As if I couldn’t have you out of those pants in a minute.”
“Oh?” The Master’s eyes widened. “Can we try it, like right–”
“The Master,” Y/N hissed, this time nodding their head towards the sky.
A single white lantern floated up off a boat in the middle of the ocean, while others from nearby boats slowly followed suit. Quickly, the sky became a sea of navy and golden light.
Y/N lost themself in the view, their body relaxing in The Master’s arms.
He glanced at the light before his gaze fell back on them, his lips curling into a soft smile. Sure, the lanterns were beautiful, but he had a better beauty resting in his arms.
He gave them a squeeze and kissed the top of their head, resting his chin there to watch the rest of the lanterns float into the sky.