Childhood 2.0

Aug 05, 2010 13:02

Title: Childhood 2.0
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Tosh, Owen, Ianto, Jack, Gwen
Rating/Category: 15 for language. Naughty Owen.
Prompt: Written Promts R Us daily prompt 121: There's a kid inside - your character feels the pull of their inner child. I put which character I should write out to Twitter and emyrldlady chose Tosh.
Word count: 691
Spoilers: None
Summary: Tosh discoveres more than she expects when she plays a joke on Owen.
A/N: This is for all my friends who get me through the bad times, and give me the happy times to enjoy.


Owen opened a drawer beneath his desk, brought out a mars bar and reverently set it down in front of him.

“This is my mars bar,” he said to the room. “I bought it last week, and this is the first time I have had a chance to sit down with a cup of coffee and enjoy it since then. No-one is even going to try talking to me for the next ten…five minutes. Alright?”

Ianto rolled his eyes as he walked past collecting empty mugs in preparation for making a fresh round. Gwen didn’t even bother looking up from her station, and Tosh spared him nothing more than a sideways glance.

“But,” he said, pushing his chair back and standing up, “going for a slash first.” He grinned at Gwen’s disgusted groan as he left.

Tosh peered up from her computer screen and looked over at Owen’s desk. She glanced around the Hub. Ianto was at his coffeemaker, Gwen was absorbed in her work and Jack was in his office. She pushed her chair backwards and scooted it over to Owen’s work station.

She quickly snatched the mars bar off the desk and pulled herself back to her own place, putting the chocolate down in front of her. She turned back to her computer screen and continued to tap away at her keyboard.

As she worked Owen returned and sat down as Ianto left a mug of coffee on his desk. Ianto delivered a coffee to Tosh next and setting it down in front of her he spotted the mars bar. He glanced quickly over at Owen’s now empty desk. Tosh looked up at him. His surprised look was replaced by a grin and he winked at her before walking to Gwen’s desk, then up to Jack’s office. Tosh had to stifle a giggle.

Owen sat down, grabbed his coffee and leant back in his chair, reaching forward for his chocolate. His hand closed around empty air.

“What the fuck?”

Owen sat upright and looked on the floor, under and around his desk. Straightening he shuffled papers around on his desk.

“What the fuck?” he said again.

Gwen looked up from her work. “What’s the problem now?”

Tosh raised her head from her computer screen, allowing Gwen’s involvement to bring her into the conversation. Hearing a noise above her, she looked up. Jack was out of his office looking down on them, Ianto heading down the stairs again.

“Whoever took it put it back. Now.”

“What’s going on?” Jack called down.

“I put my mars bar on my desk to have with my coffee and someone’s taken…” Owen stopped suddenly, seeing the chocolate bar on Tosh’s desk.

“Oi. Give it back.”

“What?” asked Tosh innocently.

“That’s mine, you took it.”

“I don’t know what you mean. It’s been there all day.”

“No, it’s mine. You’ve just taken it off my desk.”

“I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Tosh maintained.

“Yes you do. You took it.”

“Didn’t.”

“You did.”

“Didn’t.”

“You’re know, Tosh, you’re being really childish.” Owen scolded.

Tosh let her mind cast back. She remembered a quiet, serious faced child; growing up alone with parents and grandparents who loved her dearly, but never quite worked out what to do with a small child. She didn’t make friends easily, never really understood other children, was awkward in social situations. She lost herself in maths and science; numbers and symbols making more sense to her than other people did.

Her thoughts came back to the present. She looked around herself. Jack was looking down on her, trying to keep a stern expression on his face, but humour danced in his eyes. Gwen sat on her other side giggling at Owen’s annoyance, and Ianto was grinning at her from behind the doctor’s back. She had friends now. Friends who cared about her and made her feel like she fitted in. Friends she had fun with, who made her laugh, who she made laugh. Friends who made her happy.

She looked back to Owen who she was playing with. Her nose wrinkled as she grinned.

“Yes, I am aren’t I?”

toshiko sato, fanfic, torchwood

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