Fic- Guardian 1/7
Title: Guardian 1/7
Pairing: Jack/Ianto
Ratings: Adult -sex
Spoilers: General from 1 and 2
Summary: Jack’s days are all the same but not for long.
Disclaimers: I own nothing!
Notes: This is an AU fic written for rout_obsessie ! There will be a sequel when I’ve written it! Comments please!
Every day was the same. Jack Harkness went to work, typed out letters on his computer, drank instant coffee and felt his ears begin to buzz at the constant hum of typing filling the office. Each day was about passing the time until the next day.
It was a Wednesday, not that there was anything different between the days of his working week. Even at the weekends, things barely seemed any different. Instead of sitting at his computer in his office, he sat in front of the telly in his lounge. There was never anything different about Jack’s days.
He always went out for lunch. He’d grab a chicken salad sandwich and wander down to Cardiff Bay. He didn’t know why he always headed down there. His feet just seemed to take him in that direction all by themselves. He’d sit on the big steps at the oval basin and just watch the people go by and the water cascading down the tall tower.
That Wednesday, he walked slower than normal. His ears were ringing from the hum in the office and his face felt tense and pinched. A constant pressure throbbed at the bridge of his nose.
He reached the water tower and glanced up at it as normal. The water seemed to slide down the steel at a leisurely pace. He stood and watched it, then looked up and watched the tower disappearing into the sky. It made him feel like there might be something more to this life than typing, telephones and terrible coffee.
He squinted as the sun shone down on him and the sun suddenly seemed brighter. He thought he saw a shape in the sky. He blinked and frowned. No, must have been a bird.
He made his way down to the Oval Basin and sat down on one of the large steps. He pinched his nose, trying to ease the pressure. He didn’t feel hungry suddenly. He just felt numb inside.
The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. A feeling crept over him, like someone was watching him. He shivered. No, who would be watching him? He was nobody special. He leaned back against the step. The tension in his head seemed to ease a little and he began to eat his sandwich.
Thursday found him back in the bay, back on the steps picking at his sandwich again. The hairs on his neck were up again. He kept craning around but no matter what, he couldn’t see anybody watching him. He had to be imagining things. Deep in thought, he made his way back to the office.
Friday, he didn’t bother with the sandwich. He didn’t bother sitting down. Hands deep in his pockets, he ambled towards the bay. His eyes ached and his head burned with pressure. He’d had too much coffee. He felt edgy and nervous. Maybe it was too much time inside, in that damn office.
He stepped off the pavement, still in a dream. He heard the roar of a car engine and the deafening blast of its horn. He looked up and found himself staring right at the bonnet of a black SUV speeding towards him. His legs wouldn’t move. The beast of a car thundered towards him.
Suddenly, arms went around him and he was grabbed hard and yanked. Jack grunted as he found himself being pulled back and he hit the floor with a painful thud.
“Ow.” He found himself looking up into the face of a twenty something lad. His blue eyes were wide with concern.
“Are you okay?”
Jack felt his face flushing. He glanced up and spotted the black SUV speeding away. Why hadn’t he looked where he was going? He pushed the boy off him. “What in the hell did you do that for?”
The boy frowned at him. Jack got to his feet, putting a hand to his aching back. “You could have broken my ribs or something.”
The boy stood up straight. Some part of Jack’s brain recognised that the boy was pretty. He looked like any typical twenty year old, wearing baggy jeans and a band t-shirt but he was slim and his face was soft and beautiful. He was gazing at Jack with an open expression.
“Are you hurt?”
“I’d have been in a lot less pain if you’d have just left me alone,” Jack snapped, trying to regain a little dignity.
The boy gaped at him. “You were about to get run over.”
Jack pulled at his suit jacket. “I was fine. I didn’t need your damn interference, thank you very much”.
The boy opened and closed his mouth several times, then glared at Jack. “Fine. Next time I just won’t bother. I wasn’t supposed to save your bloody life anyway,” he said. He turned on his heel and stalked away.
Jack found himself watching the boy until he disappeared out of sight. Rubbing his aching back, he returned to the office, his mind on the boy.
Monday morning. Jack stopped off for coffee before he went into work. He’d spent his weekend pouring over this damn report. He’d stayed up late pouring over the thing trying to get it finished. Now, he was seeing spots behind his eyes.
He found a Starbucks and went inside. The queue was enormous. Jack drifted off and found himself thinking about last Friday. He still felt a little sore from the whole thing but it wasn’t that he was thinking about. He was thinking about the boy, about how openly he’d worn his worry in his face. Nobody worried about Jack, nobody even noticed Jack. But that boy had. He’d looked right at him.
“Next please.”
Jack stepped up to the counter. “Large black coffee to take out please.”
“That’s three seventy five.”
Jack put down his briefcase and patted his jacket for his wallet. He frowned. What did he do with it? Damnit, he didn’t want another screwy day.
“Allow me,” said a soft voice. A hand moved past him, placing the exact change on the counter. Jack whirled round to thank his helper but all he saw was a dark head moving away through the crowd. He grabbed his coffee and hurried out of the coffee shop after him.
Outside, he looked all around for his helper but there was no sign of him. Frowning, he continued on his way to work.
His mind still heavily occupied, he stepped into the lift and pressed the four. Slowly, the lift took him up through the floors. More workers joined him but nobody talked. There was just a stiff silence.
As he stood there, he suddenly realised that his other hand was empty. No briefcase. That meant no report. He bit his lip to keep from swearing aloud. Damnit, he thought. He couldn’t go back now. He’d be late and get in trouble. He’d have to get started on his work, then sneak back in his break and hope it was still there.
The lift stopped on his floor and he got out. He made his way to his office cubicle, amongst all the others and stopped, staring down at the desk. His briefcase was sitting on top of it, with a note on it
Jack
Forget something?
x
Jack looked all around but there was no one watching him, no one who could have left this for him. He sat down and looked closer at the note. It was signed with a kiss and it used his name. The image of that boy flashed through his head. But no, that was ridiculous. There was no way that boy could know his name, or where he worked. It had to be someone else.
He tried to put the thoughts out of his mind and return to work. But he sat up straighter in his chair and there was almost a bounce to the way he was typing. Although there wasn’t a smile on his face exactly, the frown lines in his forehead eased out considerably.
Friday rolled around again. Jack finished work at half past four and made his way into town. His shirts were getting a bit worn and he could do with some more. He made his way to one of the more high end men’s clothing stores.
“Can I help you, Sir?” asked the shop assistant.
“Er, yeah. Erm, need some more shirts.”
“White, Sir?”
“Yeah, guess so.”
“I’ll fetch you a selection to try, Sir. Changing rooms are this way.”
Jack found himself in a changing room, trying on white shirts. He looked at himself in the mirror. It didn’t see quite right. He didn’t know what it was. Maybe it was the size or the cut. It just looked wrong.
“Erm, have you got any different styles?”
A hand came through the curtain holding a dark blue shirt. “I think you’d look good in this one, Jack,” said a soft voice.
Jack took the shirt before he’d realised what he’d heard. His head snapped up. The hand had withdrawn from the changing room.
He pushed the curtain away and stepped out of the cubicle. “Hey, what?”
The assistant blinked at him. “Sir?”
Jack blinked. There was nobody else there. He passed the blue shirt to the assistant. He was certain it would fit him. “I’ll take this one.”
Pairing: Jack/Ianto
Ratings: Adult -sex
Spoilers: General from 1 and 2
Summary: Jack’s days are all the same but not for long.
Disclaimers: I own nothing!
Notes: This is an AU fic written for rout_obsessie ! There will be a sequel when I’ve written it! Comments please!
Every day was the same. Jack Harkness went to work, typed out letters on his computer, drank instant coffee and felt his ears begin to buzz at the constant hum of typing filling the office. Each day was about passing the time until the next day.
It was a Wednesday, not that there was anything different between the days of his working week. Even at the weekends, things barely seemed any different. Instead of sitting at his computer in his office, he sat in front of the telly in his lounge. There was never anything different about Jack’s days.
He always went out for lunch. He’d grab a chicken salad sandwich and wander down to Cardiff Bay. He didn’t know why he always headed down there. His feet just seemed to take him in that direction all by themselves. He’d sit on the big steps at the oval basin and just watch the people go by and the water cascading down the tall tower.
That Wednesday, he walked slower than normal. His ears were ringing from the hum in the office and his face felt tense and pinched. A constant pressure throbbed at the bridge of his nose.
He reached the water tower and glanced up at it as normal. The water seemed to slide down the steel at a leisurely pace. He stood and watched it, then looked up and watched the tower disappearing into the sky. It made him feel like there might be something more to this life than typing, telephones and terrible coffee.
He squinted as the sun shone down on him and the sun suddenly seemed brighter. He thought he saw a shape in the sky. He blinked and frowned. No, must have been a bird.
He made his way down to the Oval Basin and sat down on one of the large steps. He pinched his nose, trying to ease the pressure. He didn’t feel hungry suddenly. He just felt numb inside.
The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. A feeling crept over him, like someone was watching him. He shivered. No, who would be watching him? He was nobody special. He leaned back against the step. The tension in his head seemed to ease a little and he began to eat his sandwich.
Thursday found him back in the bay, back on the steps picking at his sandwich again. The hairs on his neck were up again. He kept craning around but no matter what, he couldn’t see anybody watching him. He had to be imagining things. Deep in thought, he made his way back to the office.
Friday, he didn’t bother with the sandwich. He didn’t bother sitting down. Hands deep in his pockets, he ambled towards the bay. His eyes ached and his head burned with pressure. He’d had too much coffee. He felt edgy and nervous. Maybe it was too much time inside, in that damn office.
He stepped off the pavement, still in a dream. He heard the roar of a car engine and the deafening blast of its horn. He looked up and found himself staring right at the bonnet of a black SUV speeding towards him. His legs wouldn’t move. The beast of a car thundered towards him.
Suddenly, arms went around him and he was grabbed hard and yanked. Jack grunted as he found himself being pulled back and he hit the floor with a painful thud.
“Ow.” He found himself looking up into the face of a twenty something lad. His blue eyes were wide with concern.
“Are you okay?”
Jack felt his face flushing. He glanced up and spotted the black SUV speeding away. Why hadn’t he looked where he was going? He pushed the boy off him. “What in the hell did you do that for?”
The boy frowned at him. Jack got to his feet, putting a hand to his aching back. “You could have broken my ribs or something.”
The boy stood up straight. Some part of Jack’s brain recognised that the boy was pretty. He looked like any typical twenty year old, wearing baggy jeans and a band t-shirt but he was slim and his face was soft and beautiful. He was gazing at Jack with an open expression.
“Are you hurt?”
“I’d have been in a lot less pain if you’d have just left me alone,” Jack snapped, trying to regain a little dignity.
The boy gaped at him. “You were about to get run over.”
Jack pulled at his suit jacket. “I was fine. I didn’t need your damn interference, thank you very much”.
The boy opened and closed his mouth several times, then glared at Jack. “Fine. Next time I just won’t bother. I wasn’t supposed to save your bloody life anyway,” he said. He turned on his heel and stalked away.
Jack found himself watching the boy until he disappeared out of sight. Rubbing his aching back, he returned to the office, his mind on the boy.
Monday morning. Jack stopped off for coffee before he went into work. He’d spent his weekend pouring over this damn report. He’d stayed up late pouring over the thing trying to get it finished. Now, he was seeing spots behind his eyes.
He found a Starbucks and went inside. The queue was enormous. Jack drifted off and found himself thinking about last Friday. He still felt a little sore from the whole thing but it wasn’t that he was thinking about. He was thinking about the boy, about how openly he’d worn his worry in his face. Nobody worried about Jack, nobody even noticed Jack. But that boy had. He’d looked right at him.
“Next please.”
Jack stepped up to the counter. “Large black coffee to take out please.”
“That’s three seventy five.”
Jack put down his briefcase and patted his jacket for his wallet. He frowned. What did he do with it? Damnit, he didn’t want another screwy day.
“Allow me,” said a soft voice. A hand moved past him, placing the exact change on the counter. Jack whirled round to thank his helper but all he saw was a dark head moving away through the crowd. He grabbed his coffee and hurried out of the coffee shop after him.
Outside, he looked all around for his helper but there was no sign of him. Frowning, he continued on his way to work.
His mind still heavily occupied, he stepped into the lift and pressed the four. Slowly, the lift took him up through the floors. More workers joined him but nobody talked. There was just a stiff silence.
As he stood there, he suddenly realised that his other hand was empty. No briefcase. That meant no report. He bit his lip to keep from swearing aloud. Damnit, he thought. He couldn’t go back now. He’d be late and get in trouble. He’d have to get started on his work, then sneak back in his break and hope it was still there.
The lift stopped on his floor and he got out. He made his way to his office cubicle, amongst all the others and stopped, staring down at the desk. His briefcase was sitting on top of it, with a note on it
Jack
Forget something?
x
Jack looked all around but there was no one watching him, no one who could have left this for him. He sat down and looked closer at the note. It was signed with a kiss and it used his name. The image of that boy flashed through his head. But no, that was ridiculous. There was no way that boy could know his name, or where he worked. It had to be someone else.
He tried to put the thoughts out of his mind and return to work. But he sat up straighter in his chair and there was almost a bounce to the way he was typing. Although there wasn’t a smile on his face exactly, the frown lines in his forehead eased out considerably.
Friday rolled around again. Jack finished work at half past four and made his way into town. His shirts were getting a bit worn and he could do with some more. He made his way to one of the more high end men’s clothing stores.
“Can I help you, Sir?” asked the shop assistant.
“Er, yeah. Erm, need some more shirts.”
“White, Sir?”
“Yeah, guess so.”
“I’ll fetch you a selection to try, Sir. Changing rooms are this way.”
Jack found himself in a changing room, trying on white shirts. He looked at himself in the mirror. It didn’t see quite right. He didn’t know what it was. Maybe it was the size or the cut. It just looked wrong.
“Erm, have you got any different styles?”
A hand came through the curtain holding a dark blue shirt. “I think you’d look good in this one, Jack,” said a soft voice.
Jack took the shirt before he’d realised what he’d heard. His head snapped up. The hand had withdrawn from the changing room.
He pushed the curtain away and stepped out of the cubicle. “Hey, what?”
The assistant blinked at him. “Sir?”
Jack blinked. There was nobody else there. He passed the blue shirt to the assistant. He was certain it would fit him. “I’ll take this one.”