Fic: Vizzini's Rule (59/105)
Title: Vizzini's Rule, Chapter 59
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Nope
Spoilers: Season One thru Out of Time (1x10)
Disclaimer: Torchwood and all its wonderfulness belong to Russell T. Davies and the Mighty Beeb. Just goofin' around! All ©’s to Catherine Tregenna for dialogue and situations borrowed from Out of Time.
Summary: In which Ianto is still wondering what the hell is wrong with Jack...
Notes: Here is the next chapter of Ianto dealing with Jerk, oops!! I mean, JACK. Excuse me, my Freudian slip is showing. ;)
Previous Chapters
Vizzini's Rule: Chapter Fifty-Nine
When Ianto finished with the new IDs for the travelers, he put them all together in an envelope and wrote Jack’s name across it in bold script. He was aware, through judicious CCTV monitoring, that Jack had not returned to the Hub. Unwilling to wait around only to be sent home again, Ianto just placed the envelope on Jack’s desk and left for the night after checking in with Tosh. She was staying late to finish her analysis of the rift predictor’s success but before he left her to it, they made plans to go for dinner and a drink the next night.
After locking up the Tourist Office, Ianto stepped outside and was suddenly at a loss. He didn’t want to go home alone and he certainly didn’t want to go out alone, but those seemed to be his only options. Feeling very sorry for himself, he stopped on the way home to pick up some dinner from Tegan’s. He told himself that he was just in the mood for a good caprese sandwich and that Tegan’s affection for him had nothing to do with his choice of restaurants - but he knew he was lying to himself.
He ate a sandwich in the shop while he chatted with Tegan who packed up enough food to feed him for a week. When he left, he felt much better. Whether it was the food in his stomach or Tegan’s fond teasing fresh in his mind, he couldn’t be sure and he really didn’t care. He unpacked a few of the containers on the coffee table and put the rest of the food in refrigerator, grabbing a beer while he was there. Once he had stripped off his suit and put on a pair of pajama bottoms with a cozy sweatshirt, he flopped down on the sofa. He flipped aimlessly through the television channels while he ate some crisps, pausing now and then but unable to find anything interesting enough to distract him. He finally settled on a movie channel that was showing all three Die Hard movies in a row. He leaned back into the corner of the sofa, dug into his dinner and tried very hard not to think about Jack.
He almost succeeded.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
The next day was more of the same for Ianto. Jack was still distant and focused on helping the travelers from the Fifties. Well, he’s interested in helping John at least, Ianto thought as he watched Jack, who looked rather bored while Gwen explained in her most defensive tones why she’d taken Emma home with her the night before. Jack doesn’t seem to care at all about the other two, Ianto observed as he watched covertly from the kitchen area. What is it about John?
Although, to be fair, Ianto pondered as Jack was battered from the left and the right by Gwen and Owen, he doesn’t look like he’s slept in days. Jack always said he didn’t need sleep but Ianto knew that he had to recharge just like everyone else, if not to the same extent. It was always easier for him to sleep when Ianto was with him, especially if they’d just had sex. Ianto sighed.
“And there he goes,” he muttered softly as Tosh caught Jack’s attention with news of (surprise, surprise) John’s son. Ianto sighed again and turned back to the coffee machine. He banged the grounds into the bin with several satisfying thumps. He set a fresh pot to brew and then headed down the stairs. Jack almost ran into him as he was hurrying to the door, but didn’t pause for more than a brief, humorless smile by way of apology. Ianto watched him leave and then turned back to the Hub. The Christmas tree he and Gwen had decorated the week before caught his eye. He almost laughed to think that a few days ago he had been contemplating asking Jack if he wanted to spend Christmas together. He had found Jack a present, but was uncertain about giving it to him. One less thing to worry about, I guess, Ianto thought sadly.
He gave himself a shake, plastered a smile across his face and went to see if anyone needed anything.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Ianto ended up spending most of the day in the archives, working not hiding, he told himself. Tosh had actually requested that he find as much data about ‘transcendental portals’ as he could so she could cross-reference the rift-history with it and see if she could discover more about when and how the phenomenon would likely strike. She explained it in great detail and Ianto listened intently, but really he was just grateful for something to occupy his mind.
He came back upstairs around 6:30 to wash up for his date with Tosh. She was ready to go, but seemed reluctant to leave Jack who was slumped on the sofa, staring at pictures of Diane, Emma and John.
“Why don’t you come with us, Jack? We’re just going down the pub for some drinks and dinner. It’ll be fun,” Tosh said brightly. She glanced at Ianto, nudging him not-so-gently with her elbow when he didn’t speak.
“Ooof! Yeah, you should come, sir,” he said weakly.
Jack glanced up at the ‘sir’ but didn’t smile. He gave Ianto a long, contemplative look and then shook his head. “No, you two go on. Have fun. I’ve got some work to do.” And with that, he stood up and walked into his office without a backwards glance.
Tosh shrugged. “Well, we tried. Come on, Ianto, after today I could really use a drink.”
“Why today especially?” Ianto asked as he helped Tosh into her coat.
“Oh… it’s just everything. What’s happened to these people is so sad. It’s not even close to the most awful thing we’ve ever seen, and lord knows it could have been much worse for them, but somehow… I don’t know. Maybe it’s just that it’s the holidays on top of it all.”
“Come on,” Ianto said, pulling her close in a one-armed hug. “Let’s get that drink.”
TBC in Chapter Sixty
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Nope
Spoilers: Season One thru Out of Time (1x10)
Disclaimer: Torchwood and all its wonderfulness belong to Russell T. Davies and the Mighty Beeb. Just goofin' around! All ©’s to Catherine Tregenna for dialogue and situations borrowed from Out of Time.
Summary: In which Ianto is still wondering what the hell is wrong with Jack...
Notes: Here is the next chapter of Ianto dealing with Jerk, oops!! I mean, JACK. Excuse me, my Freudian slip is showing. ;)
Previous Chapters
Vizzini's Rule: Chapter Fifty-Nine
When Ianto finished with the new IDs for the travelers, he put them all together in an envelope and wrote Jack’s name across it in bold script. He was aware, through judicious CCTV monitoring, that Jack had not returned to the Hub. Unwilling to wait around only to be sent home again, Ianto just placed the envelope on Jack’s desk and left for the night after checking in with Tosh. She was staying late to finish her analysis of the rift predictor’s success but before he left her to it, they made plans to go for dinner and a drink the next night.
After locking up the Tourist Office, Ianto stepped outside and was suddenly at a loss. He didn’t want to go home alone and he certainly didn’t want to go out alone, but those seemed to be his only options. Feeling very sorry for himself, he stopped on the way home to pick up some dinner from Tegan’s. He told himself that he was just in the mood for a good caprese sandwich and that Tegan’s affection for him had nothing to do with his choice of restaurants - but he knew he was lying to himself.
He ate a sandwich in the shop while he chatted with Tegan who packed up enough food to feed him for a week. When he left, he felt much better. Whether it was the food in his stomach or Tegan’s fond teasing fresh in his mind, he couldn’t be sure and he really didn’t care. He unpacked a few of the containers on the coffee table and put the rest of the food in refrigerator, grabbing a beer while he was there. Once he had stripped off his suit and put on a pair of pajama bottoms with a cozy sweatshirt, he flopped down on the sofa. He flipped aimlessly through the television channels while he ate some crisps, pausing now and then but unable to find anything interesting enough to distract him. He finally settled on a movie channel that was showing all three Die Hard movies in a row. He leaned back into the corner of the sofa, dug into his dinner and tried very hard not to think about Jack.
He almost succeeded.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
The next day was more of the same for Ianto. Jack was still distant and focused on helping the travelers from the Fifties. Well, he’s interested in helping John at least, Ianto thought as he watched Jack, who looked rather bored while Gwen explained in her most defensive tones why she’d taken Emma home with her the night before. Jack doesn’t seem to care at all about the other two, Ianto observed as he watched covertly from the kitchen area. What is it about John?
Although, to be fair, Ianto pondered as Jack was battered from the left and the right by Gwen and Owen, he doesn’t look like he’s slept in days. Jack always said he didn’t need sleep but Ianto knew that he had to recharge just like everyone else, if not to the same extent. It was always easier for him to sleep when Ianto was with him, especially if they’d just had sex. Ianto sighed.
“And there he goes,” he muttered softly as Tosh caught Jack’s attention with news of (surprise, surprise) John’s son. Ianto sighed again and turned back to the coffee machine. He banged the grounds into the bin with several satisfying thumps. He set a fresh pot to brew and then headed down the stairs. Jack almost ran into him as he was hurrying to the door, but didn’t pause for more than a brief, humorless smile by way of apology. Ianto watched him leave and then turned back to the Hub. The Christmas tree he and Gwen had decorated the week before caught his eye. He almost laughed to think that a few days ago he had been contemplating asking Jack if he wanted to spend Christmas together. He had found Jack a present, but was uncertain about giving it to him. One less thing to worry about, I guess, Ianto thought sadly.
He gave himself a shake, plastered a smile across his face and went to see if anyone needed anything.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Ianto ended up spending most of the day in the archives, working not hiding, he told himself. Tosh had actually requested that he find as much data about ‘transcendental portals’ as he could so she could cross-reference the rift-history with it and see if she could discover more about when and how the phenomenon would likely strike. She explained it in great detail and Ianto listened intently, but really he was just grateful for something to occupy his mind.
He came back upstairs around 6:30 to wash up for his date with Tosh. She was ready to go, but seemed reluctant to leave Jack who was slumped on the sofa, staring at pictures of Diane, Emma and John.
“Why don’t you come with us, Jack? We’re just going down the pub for some drinks and dinner. It’ll be fun,” Tosh said brightly. She glanced at Ianto, nudging him not-so-gently with her elbow when he didn’t speak.
“Ooof! Yeah, you should come, sir,” he said weakly.
Jack glanced up at the ‘sir’ but didn’t smile. He gave Ianto a long, contemplative look and then shook his head. “No, you two go on. Have fun. I’ve got some work to do.” And with that, he stood up and walked into his office without a backwards glance.
Tosh shrugged. “Well, we tried. Come on, Ianto, after today I could really use a drink.”
“Why today especially?” Ianto asked as he helped Tosh into her coat.
“Oh… it’s just everything. What’s happened to these people is so sad. It’s not even close to the most awful thing we’ve ever seen, and lord knows it could have been much worse for them, but somehow… I don’t know. Maybe it’s just that it’s the holidays on top of it all.”
“Come on,” Ianto said, pulling her close in a one-armed hug. “Let’s get that drink.”
TBC in Chapter Sixty