Work Text:
The Doctor began looping wires around his neck as he pulled them from the control unit. The Master paused in the middle of his rant to glare.
"Keep talking, old chap. I'm just trying to get started."
"You'll electrocute yourself, if you're not careful," said the Master. "I don't see why you can't practice basic safety procedures."
"We've got fifteen minutes to re-energize the protective dome, and you're worried about live wires?" The Doctor rolled his eyes. "I know what I'm doing."
"Fine," said the Master, crossing his arms. "In any case, what we really need to do is rewire the console so as to bypass the flow blockage that the Zeltarizii have put in place. The problem is that we have no way of telling where, exactly, the block is."
"Yes, of course." The Doctor ripped away a few more wires.
"I do wish you'd at least use a pair of pliers."
"Nonsense. A good scientist should always be prepared to get his hands dirty. What do you propose we do?"
"Oh, I don't know." The Master leaned forward to examine the control unit, as if his naked eyes could spot the electronic interference. It brought him close to the Doctor, but he ignored the contact in favor of their dire circumstances. "Don't you have any constructive suggestions?"
"I've only been here a day," said the Doctor. "You've been working with this world's technology for months. I assumed you'd have become familiar with it by now."
"It's not that easy," complained the Master. "I've never come across this exact problem before, nor anything like it- ah. Wait a moment." He pushed his gloved fingers into the remains of the wiring, too caught up in his revelation to worry about the danger of electrocution.
"Well?" the Doctor prompted, a little later. "Thought of something? We haven't much time."
"Yes, Doctor, I have. Fortunately it will take only a few minutes to implement." The Master smiled, thinly. "I shall need all those wires you've tangled around yourself, for a start."
"Do you mind explaining yourself?" asked the Doctor, freeing a few of the wires from his necklace.
"You see, Doctor, the solution is that we don't have to ascertain the position of the block in order to bypass it. Rather, we need only consider the current level of Zeltarizii technology."
"Which is?" The Doctor passed the wiring to the Master, who began to make the necessary connections, bending over slightly to do so.
"The Zeltarizii are sophisticated enough to create impressive shielding devices and weapons, but their interference technology has lagged behind, due to their blunt mindset. Therefore, techniques that have already been proliferated in shielding design have probably been left out of this particular flow blocker."
"What do you mean?" The Doctor leaned over the Master's shoulder, watching him work.
"While the dome will accept power in either a direct current format or an alternating current, the blocker only disables the power from one direction. If I can just change the wiring to create an alternating current, the dome should be restored to function immediately." The Master held out his hand for more wires. "It would be simpler, except I also have to change the current of the secondary system, which uses uncharged particles. Still, I think I can manage it. How long have we got?"
"Nine minutes," said the Doctor. He gave the rest of the loose wires to the Master and then pressed closer, reaching an arm around the Master's side to point out a connection. "I think you may have to alter that, if you want the dome to last more than a few seconds on a different current." He pulled his arm back, letting it rest on the Master's side.
"Thank you," said the Master. His fingers darted to fix the problem, and he bent down a little further, squinting at the newly dense mass of wiring. The movement brought him into contact with the Doctor's groin, and his fingers stuttered to a halt.
"Ah," said the Doctor, caught between embarrassment and desire. "Why don't we ignore that?"
"Hm." The Master finished changing the connection, and resumed the process of converting the current. This, coincidentally, necessitated shifting more to the left, pressing his backside more firmly into the Doctor's erection. "Tell me, my dear, what exactly is it that's working for you? The threat of death? Cooperating against a common enemy? My competence? No, I suppose that would be too much to hope for."
"I'll admit that I find this situation rather erotic," said the Doctor. "May I remind you, however, that we now only have eight minutes left before the fleet descends?"
"You may," said the Master. "I only have five more minutes of work here."
"That still doesn't leave much leeway." Despite his words, the Doctor didn't pull away.
"I'm sure I can work faster, if given suitable encouragement," said the Master. He raised an eyebrow, turning so the Doctor could see it. "Well?"
"What are you doing now?" The Doctor, apparently won over, let his hand drift away from the Master's side and down.
"I've finished changing the electronics over to alternating current," said the Master. He turned back to the control unit. "So it's the talking, is it? My voice, or the content?"
"Both," admitted the Doctor. "Go on."
"I'm now completing the connections on the secondary system." The Master gasped as the Doctor's hand found its way into his trousers. His next words came out slowly, as he fought to speak steadily despite the Doctor stroking him. "Once that's done, we should be able to use the dome to protect ourselves and the city from the fleet." The Doctor's hand sped up and the Master dropped the wires which he had been twisting together.
"Careful," admonished the Doctor. "Mind yourself; you might get electrocuted."
The Master laughed, and then gasped again, a harsh, needy little noise.
"You're very close," said the Doctor. "Is this good for you as well?" His voice held a combination of scientific curiosity and pure lust. The Master arched back, protective dome forgotten.
"I do like getting to explain my brilliant plans," he said. He could feel the Doctor rubbing himself against his upper thigh, and he straightened up, trying to provide better friction. In turn, the Doctor firmed his grip, exactly like the Master preferred it.
"Tell me." The Doctor hissed the words into the Master's ear, nipping at the lobe. "Tell me what you're doing.
"Coming, in a moment," said the Master, just for devilment. He regretted it as soon as the Doctor's hand stopped.
"Don't be tiresome," said the Doctor, holding himself perfectly still. The hand not loosely around the Master's cock was on the Master's shoulder, keeping him from moving either.
"I'm reversing- ah!" The Doctor started pumping the Master's erection again, fast and glorious. The Master's words came out in a rush as he felt himself on the edge. "I'm reversing the polarity of the neutron flow!"
The Doctor's hand tightened as he came, setting the Master off. The Master held tight to the edge of the control unit, fighting to stay upright. He wasn't helped by the Doctor half-collapsing on top of him. Still, he supported the Doctor for a while, not wanting to break the silence.
"Two minutes," said the Doctor, at last. He straightened up, freeing the Master. "Better finish up."
"Yes." The Master connected the last few wires, then flipped the switch. The sound of the power coming back online was deafening at first, and then it quieted down to a mere hum.
"Inspired work," said the Doctor. He smiled and ruffled his hair into even more disorder than it had been in. "I'm sure the populace will be extremely pleased that they are no longer in any danger from the fleet."
"Let's hope their gratitude extends to providing a shower," said the Master. He looked down at the front of his trousers, then his side. "And perhaps some dry-cleaning."
"I told you," said the Doctor. "A good scientist gets his hands dirty."
"You didn't say anything about one's clothes, I notice." The Master wiped at the stains, succeeding only in spreading the mess further. "The sacrifices I make to play to your predilections."
"Yes, because this is so difficult for you." The Doctor threw the Master a handkerchief. "Much worse than, for instance, being handcuffed to a chair and forced to confront your worst fears."
"I was testing the Keller machine, not getting off on it," said the Master, but he looked down as he said it. The Doctor smiled.
"I'm perfectly willing to work out some sort of trade. Just as long as you stop complaining about getting dirty. Honestly, you would think you'd never dealt with true sci-"
"Yes, thank you," said the Master. "If you'll stop trotting out your little axiom every five seconds, I'll stop worrying about my clothes."
"Done."