Fic: Vizzini's Rule (32/105)
Title: Vizzini's Rule, Chapter 32
Rating: R
Warnings: Just a bad word, I think.
Spoilers: Season One thru Greeks Bearing Gifts (1x7)
Disclaimer: Torchwood and all its wonderfulness belong to Russell T. Davies and the Mighty Beeb. Just goofin' around! All ©’s to Toby Whithouse for dialogue and thoughts borrowed from Greeks Bearing Gifts.
Summary: In which Jack has a solution to Ianto's difficulties...
Notes: Hope you enjoy!! More oodles of thanks and love to everyone who's been reading and commenting! :o)
Previous Chapters
Vizzini's Rule: Chapter Thirty-Two
The next morning Ianto slept through his alarm. He awoke, groggy and disoriented around nine. He lay in bed for a while debating whether or not he should go to the Hub. He finally decided that staying home was the coward’s way out and got ready for work.
Jack came out of his office as soon as Ianto entered the Hub, no doubt alerted to his presence by Owen hollering for his coffee. He followed Ianto over to the kitchen area and placed a hand on his back as Ianto bent over the coffee maker. Ianto winced at the touch.
Ianto turned around to see Jack back off a few steps and carefully place his hands in his pockets. He winced again at the hurt in Jack’s eyes. “Sorry,” he said quietly. “Not sure what’s wrong with me today.”
“Maybe you should have stayed home,” Jack observed.
“Maybe,” Ianto sighed.
“Maybe it wasn’t the noodles,” Jack said in a low voice.
Startled, Ianto glanced up at him. Before he could speak, Jack gave him a brief nod and spoke in his normal tones. “UNIT is sending a package today by courier. They’ll need someone to sign for it. Would you mind manning the Tourist Office until it shows up?”
“Of course, sir. I’ll head up there directly,” Ianto said, wanting to say more but keenly aware of Owen, Tosh and Gwen in earshot.
“Directly after the coffee is made, right?” Owen called.
“Yes, Owen,” Ianto hollered back down at him. He turned to say something to Jack but he had already headed back to his office. Ianto sighed again and finished the coffee. He hesitated over Jack’s blue and white striped mug, but decided just to leave well enough alone for the moment. He poured himself a cup and retreated to his tiny office upstairs.
The package from UNIT didn’t come until late afternoon, so Ianto had the day mostly to himself. He took the package to Jack and placed it on his desk, hoping to talk to the other man, but Jack was dialing the phone and simply nodded his thanks to Ianto. He had spent the day upstairs, longing to see Jack but after that dismissal Ianto just wanted to be alone again. He gathered up the filing from the outboxes and headed for the archives. Once again, he stayed down there until he was sure everyone but Jack had gone home for the evening.
He finished his filing and headed back to the Hub, wondering what was going to happen next. Jack was standing in the door of his office when Ianto appeared.
“I was wondering where you’d got to,” Jack said. “Ready to call it a day?”
Ianto swallowed. “Unless there’s anything you need?”
Jack smiled, a hard, bright smile that didn’t reach his eyes, “Nope. Have a good night,” he said and then turned and walked back to his desk.
Ianto stood there for a moment and then said, “Good night, sir,” to the empty room. He thought he heard a sigh from Jack, but when he turned around he saw the Captain reading through a report, not paying any attention to him. Defeated, he packed up and went home.
The next morning he was determined to have a real conversation with Jack about what was going on between them. When he arrived, he went straight to Jack’s office. He nodded hello to Gwen and Owen who were there remarkably early, promising to make coffee as soon as he spoke to Jack.
Jack was sitting at his desk and didn’t look up when Ianto came in.
Ianto stood there for a moment, finally clearing his throat to get Jack’s attention. Jack finished reading the document he was holding and then signed the bottom. After he had placed it in the file, he looked up at Ianto.
“Good morning. Feeling any better today?”
“Yes, sir, thank you.” Ianto started off strong, “I need to talk to you about... well, about what’s happening… you know, between us?” His voice faded towards the end and he fought the urge to loosen his tie.
Jack motioned to Ianto to shut the door. After he had taken a seat across the desk, Jack leaned forward. His eyes were very kind as he spoke. “This is my fault, Ianto. You’re still grieving and you were upset and I took advantage. I’d like to apologize.”
“What? That’s… that’s not what happened. I wanted you!” Ianto protested.
“I know and I wanted you too, I have for a long time. But perhaps it wasn’t the best moment for it.” Jack dropped his eyes to his desk and played with his letter opener. “You still call her name in your sleep.”
Ianto’s mouth dropped open. He wanted to crawl over the desk, wrap himself around Jack and kiss him until he’d forgotten that he’d ever heard the name Lisa. “I… I’m sorry, Jack.”
“Nothing to be sorry for, it’s just the way things are. So it’s probably best if we just forget the last week altogether.”
“Forget…” Ianto whispered.
Jack looked up, his blue eyes were hard and bright now. “Yes, forget.”
Stunned, Ianto stood up. “Perhaps a little Retcon in the morning coffee, sir?” he said harshly, lashing out blindly.
Jack flinched which Ianto noted with painful satisfaction. “I don’t think that will be necessary.”
“Fine. Whatever you think is best, sir,” Ianto practically sneered as he spun on his heel to leave.
He hurried through the Hub, wanting to be alone when Jack’s words finally sank in. As the cog door rolled back he heard Owen call out to him. “Oi! What about the coffee?”
Ianto sagged against the wall of the elevator with his head in his hands. I betrayed Jack to save Lisa. And now I’m betraying Lisa by being with Jack. And none of it matters anyway because Lisa is dead and Jack doesn’t want me. I wish that fucking cannibal had just finished the job!
The elevator opened into the hallway behind the Tourist Office, automatically tripping the switch for the hidden wall. Ianto walked slowly along the passageway fighting the panic he felt rising in his chest. He finally leaned on the wall, pressing his forehead into the stone as he concentrated on breathing. He dimly heard the wall swing shut again, but didn’t move. He didn’t know how long he stood in the hallway, but it was until he heard the wall begin to swing open again and knew someone would be coming. He wiped his face and straightened his tie as he headed for the Tourist Office.
He about ran into Tosh as she was coming through the wall. Hoping his distress didn’t show on his face, Ianto simply said, “Good morning.”
Tosh seemed too distracted to notice anything was wrong with him. “Yeah, hi Ianto,” she replied, hiding something behind her back.
With a quick nod, Ianto headed to his little office, praying Tosh would continue on downstairs. He stayed upstairs all day, not wanting to talk to anyone. Jack didn’t question his absence in the Hub, probably relieved he doesn’t have to see me, Ianto thought bitterly. Now he can focus on convincing Gwen that Owen is wrong for her, that Rhys is wrong for her. Ianto ignored the little voice in his head which was screaming Drama Queen! and had worked himself into an impressive snit by mid-afternoon.
He headed down to the Hub out of sheer perverse curiosity. When the door rolled back he saw Tosh working at a table by the kitchen area, Owen was down in the medical bay with a skeleton they’d found at a jobsite, and Gwen was surprise, surprise in Jack’s office. He heard their shared laughter ring out across the Hub as he gathered up some used mugs and it cut through him like a blade.
Can’t imagine a time when this isn’t everything, he thought, looking across the Hub at Jack as his hands were busy with the cups. Pain so constant, like my stomach’s full of rats. Feels like this is all I am now. There isn’t an inch of me that doesn’t hurt.
He glanced over to see Tosh watching him. He smiled. “I’m about to brew some of Jack’s industrial strength coffee. Would you like a cup?” he asked politely.
“I’m… I’m fine. Thanks, Ianto.”
He made the coffee and then headed back upstairs. He left that night without seeing Jack again.
TBC in Chapter Thirty-Three, Part One
Rating: R
Warnings: Just a bad word, I think.
Spoilers: Season One thru Greeks Bearing Gifts (1x7)
Disclaimer: Torchwood and all its wonderfulness belong to Russell T. Davies and the Mighty Beeb. Just goofin' around! All ©’s to Toby Whithouse for dialogue and thoughts borrowed from Greeks Bearing Gifts.
Summary: In which Jack has a solution to Ianto's difficulties...
Notes: Hope you enjoy!! More oodles of thanks and love to everyone who's been reading and commenting! :o)
Previous Chapters
Vizzini's Rule: Chapter Thirty-Two
The next morning Ianto slept through his alarm. He awoke, groggy and disoriented around nine. He lay in bed for a while debating whether or not he should go to the Hub. He finally decided that staying home was the coward’s way out and got ready for work.
Jack came out of his office as soon as Ianto entered the Hub, no doubt alerted to his presence by Owen hollering for his coffee. He followed Ianto over to the kitchen area and placed a hand on his back as Ianto bent over the coffee maker. Ianto winced at the touch.
Ianto turned around to see Jack back off a few steps and carefully place his hands in his pockets. He winced again at the hurt in Jack’s eyes. “Sorry,” he said quietly. “Not sure what’s wrong with me today.”
“Maybe you should have stayed home,” Jack observed.
“Maybe,” Ianto sighed.
“Maybe it wasn’t the noodles,” Jack said in a low voice.
Startled, Ianto glanced up at him. Before he could speak, Jack gave him a brief nod and spoke in his normal tones. “UNIT is sending a package today by courier. They’ll need someone to sign for it. Would you mind manning the Tourist Office until it shows up?”
“Of course, sir. I’ll head up there directly,” Ianto said, wanting to say more but keenly aware of Owen, Tosh and Gwen in earshot.
“Directly after the coffee is made, right?” Owen called.
“Yes, Owen,” Ianto hollered back down at him. He turned to say something to Jack but he had already headed back to his office. Ianto sighed again and finished the coffee. He hesitated over Jack’s blue and white striped mug, but decided just to leave well enough alone for the moment. He poured himself a cup and retreated to his tiny office upstairs.
The package from UNIT didn’t come until late afternoon, so Ianto had the day mostly to himself. He took the package to Jack and placed it on his desk, hoping to talk to the other man, but Jack was dialing the phone and simply nodded his thanks to Ianto. He had spent the day upstairs, longing to see Jack but after that dismissal Ianto just wanted to be alone again. He gathered up the filing from the outboxes and headed for the archives. Once again, he stayed down there until he was sure everyone but Jack had gone home for the evening.
He finished his filing and headed back to the Hub, wondering what was going to happen next. Jack was standing in the door of his office when Ianto appeared.
“I was wondering where you’d got to,” Jack said. “Ready to call it a day?”
Ianto swallowed. “Unless there’s anything you need?”
Jack smiled, a hard, bright smile that didn’t reach his eyes, “Nope. Have a good night,” he said and then turned and walked back to his desk.
Ianto stood there for a moment and then said, “Good night, sir,” to the empty room. He thought he heard a sigh from Jack, but when he turned around he saw the Captain reading through a report, not paying any attention to him. Defeated, he packed up and went home.
The next morning he was determined to have a real conversation with Jack about what was going on between them. When he arrived, he went straight to Jack’s office. He nodded hello to Gwen and Owen who were there remarkably early, promising to make coffee as soon as he spoke to Jack.
Jack was sitting at his desk and didn’t look up when Ianto came in.
Ianto stood there for a moment, finally clearing his throat to get Jack’s attention. Jack finished reading the document he was holding and then signed the bottom. After he had placed it in the file, he looked up at Ianto.
“Good morning. Feeling any better today?”
“Yes, sir, thank you.” Ianto started off strong, “I need to talk to you about... well, about what’s happening… you know, between us?” His voice faded towards the end and he fought the urge to loosen his tie.
Jack motioned to Ianto to shut the door. After he had taken a seat across the desk, Jack leaned forward. His eyes were very kind as he spoke. “This is my fault, Ianto. You’re still grieving and you were upset and I took advantage. I’d like to apologize.”
“What? That’s… that’s not what happened. I wanted you!” Ianto protested.
“I know and I wanted you too, I have for a long time. But perhaps it wasn’t the best moment for it.” Jack dropped his eyes to his desk and played with his letter opener. “You still call her name in your sleep.”
Ianto’s mouth dropped open. He wanted to crawl over the desk, wrap himself around Jack and kiss him until he’d forgotten that he’d ever heard the name Lisa. “I… I’m sorry, Jack.”
“Nothing to be sorry for, it’s just the way things are. So it’s probably best if we just forget the last week altogether.”
“Forget…” Ianto whispered.
Jack looked up, his blue eyes were hard and bright now. “Yes, forget.”
Stunned, Ianto stood up. “Perhaps a little Retcon in the morning coffee, sir?” he said harshly, lashing out blindly.
Jack flinched which Ianto noted with painful satisfaction. “I don’t think that will be necessary.”
“Fine. Whatever you think is best, sir,” Ianto practically sneered as he spun on his heel to leave.
He hurried through the Hub, wanting to be alone when Jack’s words finally sank in. As the cog door rolled back he heard Owen call out to him. “Oi! What about the coffee?”
Ianto sagged against the wall of the elevator with his head in his hands. I betrayed Jack to save Lisa. And now I’m betraying Lisa by being with Jack. And none of it matters anyway because Lisa is dead and Jack doesn’t want me. I wish that fucking cannibal had just finished the job!
The elevator opened into the hallway behind the Tourist Office, automatically tripping the switch for the hidden wall. Ianto walked slowly along the passageway fighting the panic he felt rising in his chest. He finally leaned on the wall, pressing his forehead into the stone as he concentrated on breathing. He dimly heard the wall swing shut again, but didn’t move. He didn’t know how long he stood in the hallway, but it was until he heard the wall begin to swing open again and knew someone would be coming. He wiped his face and straightened his tie as he headed for the Tourist Office.
He about ran into Tosh as she was coming through the wall. Hoping his distress didn’t show on his face, Ianto simply said, “Good morning.”
Tosh seemed too distracted to notice anything was wrong with him. “Yeah, hi Ianto,” she replied, hiding something behind her back.
With a quick nod, Ianto headed to his little office, praying Tosh would continue on downstairs. He stayed upstairs all day, not wanting to talk to anyone. Jack didn’t question his absence in the Hub, probably relieved he doesn’t have to see me, Ianto thought bitterly. Now he can focus on convincing Gwen that Owen is wrong for her, that Rhys is wrong for her. Ianto ignored the little voice in his head which was screaming Drama Queen! and had worked himself into an impressive snit by mid-afternoon.
He headed down to the Hub out of sheer perverse curiosity. When the door rolled back he saw Tosh working at a table by the kitchen area, Owen was down in the medical bay with a skeleton they’d found at a jobsite, and Gwen was surprise, surprise in Jack’s office. He heard their shared laughter ring out across the Hub as he gathered up some used mugs and it cut through him like a blade.
Can’t imagine a time when this isn’t everything, he thought, looking across the Hub at Jack as his hands were busy with the cups. Pain so constant, like my stomach’s full of rats. Feels like this is all I am now. There isn’t an inch of me that doesn’t hurt.
He glanced over to see Tosh watching him. He smiled. “I’m about to brew some of Jack’s industrial strength coffee. Would you like a cup?” he asked politely.
“I’m… I’m fine. Thanks, Ianto.”
He made the coffee and then headed back upstairs. He left that night without seeing Jack again.
TBC in Chapter Thirty-Three, Part One