Myfanwy: 3
Title: Concentric Circles
Pairing: Jack/Ianto
Rating: PG
Genre: Gen
Warnings/Spoilers: None
Summary: There is something wrong with Myfanwy, but Jack can't figure out what it is.
Myfanwy’s soft cry filled the hub as she circled around the top of the water tower yet again. Jack’s hands were cold from leaning on the metal railing of the third floor, his neck sore and head pounding from his ridged stance. He’d dimmed the lights twenty minutes ago, shrouding the ceiling in grays and blacks, muting the already dim colors of the room. He’d hoped she’d settle, the darkness a trigger, encouraging her to sleep. But no. Another squawk, another loop as she continued her route-a strange beauty in the madness.
“Come on girl,” he whispered, futile words to the air. “It’s going to be okay, but you need to rest.”
Her orbit dipped slightly and he watched as she struggled, wings flapping madly to regain altitude. Jack ran a hand along the back of his neck, cold from his fingers seeping into his muscles. He could fix this. The answer was there-the answer was always there if you were paying attention. He just needed to look harder. Consider all the angles. Not food. She wouldn’t go outside. Lots of fresh bedding in her nest.
Damnit.
He really didn’t need this now. Not after everything from the past few days. There were still the weevils to check on and the call to the joint UNIT taskforce later this morning. So much to do. Too much time to fill.
On her next pass, Myfanwy flew closer to the rail, her face turned toward him, eyes wide. In the space of a heartbeat, Jack met her gaze and forgot to breathe. Pain, fear, alone. He staggered back until his back pressed against the cool brick, heart beating madly in his ears and throat.
The wash of emotions squeezed his chest. The scratch and press of isolation and the feeling of remorse staggering, a weight heavier than his greatcoat after a rain storm. Gasping, Jack’s stomach sickened as a wave of dizziness hit him. Eyes locked on Myfanwy, he wanted to cry out with her, his voice joining her’s as she came close again.
Eyes now closed, Jack forced his muscles to relax. One slow, steady breath in. Hold. Out through his clenched teeth. Again. And another. It took time, but he managed to get his psychic shield back in place. The battered walls of his mental protection resurrected.
The buzz and chirp of his mobile sent a jolt of anticipation and worry through him. Eyes still fixed on Myfanwy’s flight, the stretch of her wing span, he pressed the cool plastic to his ear without looking at the display.
“Yes?”
“Jack? It’s Rhys.”
He swallowed. “How’s my patient?”
“Complaining about the state of the coffee and the fact they won’t let him eat anything yet.”
He surprised himself with a snort of laughter. “That’s my boy.”
“Apparently the name Torchwood means nothing when it comes to a gallbladder attack.”
“He’ll be eating curries soon enough.”
Rhys made a non committal sigh. “True.”
They lapsed into an uneasy silence, Jack watching his insane dinosaur fly circles, while Rhys he could only imagine, stood watching Ianto.
“Look Jack, I’m really sorry-”
Stubborn Welshmen. “We went over this last night. It wasn’t your fault or your cooking. His eating habits are the worst of the lot of us. I’m surprised it hadn’t happened sooner.”
“Well…still. Sorry all the same. I know how I’d feel if it was Gwen.”
Ianto’s face, pale and drawn tight from pain, flashed in his mind. Myfanwy cried out loud, diving toward the floor in a steep roll before pulling up at the last minute. “Thanks.”
“Speaking of Gwen, she’s on her way in soon. Washing up in Ianto’s room at the moment. Wanted me to tell you to give her twenty and then you can come stay with him. She’ll watch the hut.”
“Thanks.” Jack shuffled his feet and leaned his hip against the rail. “Is he awake?”
“Think so. Want to say hi?”
“Only if he’s up. Don’t want to disturb-”
The opening of a door on the other end. “Ianto mate. Jack’s on the phone.”
There was a muffled fumble before a grumbled voice came through the mobile. “Want to go home, Jack.”
“What part of the need surgery and recovery time, did you miss?”
“Coffee is rubbish.”
The smile on Jack’s face stretched. “You’re not supposed to have coffee. It will set you off again.”
“You feed the weevils?”
“Not yet. Too busy dealing with your pet.”
“Myfanwy?”
Looking at the creature in question, Jack noticed the circumference of her path was wider now, more relaxed.
“She’s been flying circles since I got here this morning. Won’t sleep, won’t eat, won’t stop.”
Ianto’s muffled grumble had Jack chuckling again. “What was that?”
“I said she sounds like you. Have you tried singing to her?”
Jack blinked. “Sing?”
He heard Ianto swallow, followed by a ruffle of sheets and Rhys’ voice chastising in the background. “She did that once before. It was the only thing that calmed her down.”
“Singing?”
“Not like you can tell me you can’t do it.”
“I’m never going to live that down, am I?”
“Strip karaoke was your idea.”
“Fine. I’ll sing to the damn pterodactyl. Once she’s settled and barring the apocalypse, I’ll come by.”
“Bring coffee.”
“No.”
“Jack, I’m dying here.”
He shuddered. “Fine. But if you have another attack, you won’t get any sympathy kisses.”
“I’m willing to risk it.”
I’m not. “Any particular song I should woo her with?”
Ianto paused. Jack could picture him chewing on the inside of his lip. He always did that when he was thinking, trying to come up with the perfect answer. “Know any Welsh lullabies?”
“Would you be surprised if I say yes?”
“Not really.”
“Well then, yes. If it doesn’t work I’m going to try a sedative and a dart gun.”
“It will work. Just…you need to be relaxed. She picks up on it.”
More silence, but this time it was easy, comfortable. The muscles in Jack’s neck began to unknot as his headache receded enough for his spinning mind to settle.
“Jack?”
“Yeah?”
“The doctor is here. I have to go. Time to be prodded.”
“Okay. I’ll be there soon.”
“Good.”
“Ianto?”
“Yeah?”
Deep breath. “When was the last time she did this?”
A sharp intake of air on the other end. “Three days after you…went traveling. Have to go.”
The click of the connection being cut jolted Jack from his stunned silence. He watched, mobile pressed to his ear as Myfanwy looped again, her head dipping, wings spread further than ever to catch the updraft from the hub.
With gentle ease, he pulled the device from his face, flipped the cover closed and placed it back in his pocket. He stood, watching several more passes before moving to the edge of the rail.
Jack then closed his eyes and began to sing.
Pairing: Jack/Ianto
Rating: PG
Genre: Gen
Warnings/Spoilers: None
Summary: There is something wrong with Myfanwy, but Jack can't figure out what it is.
Myfanwy’s soft cry filled the hub as she circled around the top of the water tower yet again. Jack’s hands were cold from leaning on the metal railing of the third floor, his neck sore and head pounding from his ridged stance. He’d dimmed the lights twenty minutes ago, shrouding the ceiling in grays and blacks, muting the already dim colors of the room. He’d hoped she’d settle, the darkness a trigger, encouraging her to sleep. But no. Another squawk, another loop as she continued her route-a strange beauty in the madness.
“Come on girl,” he whispered, futile words to the air. “It’s going to be okay, but you need to rest.”
Her orbit dipped slightly and he watched as she struggled, wings flapping madly to regain altitude. Jack ran a hand along the back of his neck, cold from his fingers seeping into his muscles. He could fix this. The answer was there-the answer was always there if you were paying attention. He just needed to look harder. Consider all the angles. Not food. She wouldn’t go outside. Lots of fresh bedding in her nest.
Damnit.
He really didn’t need this now. Not after everything from the past few days. There were still the weevils to check on and the call to the joint UNIT taskforce later this morning. So much to do. Too much time to fill.
On her next pass, Myfanwy flew closer to the rail, her face turned toward him, eyes wide. In the space of a heartbeat, Jack met her gaze and forgot to breathe. Pain, fear, alone. He staggered back until his back pressed against the cool brick, heart beating madly in his ears and throat.
The wash of emotions squeezed his chest. The scratch and press of isolation and the feeling of remorse staggering, a weight heavier than his greatcoat after a rain storm. Gasping, Jack’s stomach sickened as a wave of dizziness hit him. Eyes locked on Myfanwy, he wanted to cry out with her, his voice joining her’s as she came close again.
Eyes now closed, Jack forced his muscles to relax. One slow, steady breath in. Hold. Out through his clenched teeth. Again. And another. It took time, but he managed to get his psychic shield back in place. The battered walls of his mental protection resurrected.
The buzz and chirp of his mobile sent a jolt of anticipation and worry through him. Eyes still fixed on Myfanwy’s flight, the stretch of her wing span, he pressed the cool plastic to his ear without looking at the display.
“Yes?”
“Jack? It’s Rhys.”
He swallowed. “How’s my patient?”
“Complaining about the state of the coffee and the fact they won’t let him eat anything yet.”
He surprised himself with a snort of laughter. “That’s my boy.”
“Apparently the name Torchwood means nothing when it comes to a gallbladder attack.”
“He’ll be eating curries soon enough.”
Rhys made a non committal sigh. “True.”
They lapsed into an uneasy silence, Jack watching his insane dinosaur fly circles, while Rhys he could only imagine, stood watching Ianto.
“Look Jack, I’m really sorry-”
Stubborn Welshmen. “We went over this last night. It wasn’t your fault or your cooking. His eating habits are the worst of the lot of us. I’m surprised it hadn’t happened sooner.”
“Well…still. Sorry all the same. I know how I’d feel if it was Gwen.”
Ianto’s face, pale and drawn tight from pain, flashed in his mind. Myfanwy cried out loud, diving toward the floor in a steep roll before pulling up at the last minute. “Thanks.”
“Speaking of Gwen, she’s on her way in soon. Washing up in Ianto’s room at the moment. Wanted me to tell you to give her twenty and then you can come stay with him. She’ll watch the hut.”
“Thanks.” Jack shuffled his feet and leaned his hip against the rail. “Is he awake?”
“Think so. Want to say hi?”
“Only if he’s up. Don’t want to disturb-”
The opening of a door on the other end. “Ianto mate. Jack’s on the phone.”
There was a muffled fumble before a grumbled voice came through the mobile. “Want to go home, Jack.”
“What part of the need surgery and recovery time, did you miss?”
“Coffee is rubbish.”
The smile on Jack’s face stretched. “You’re not supposed to have coffee. It will set you off again.”
“You feed the weevils?”
“Not yet. Too busy dealing with your pet.”
“Myfanwy?”
Looking at the creature in question, Jack noticed the circumference of her path was wider now, more relaxed.
“She’s been flying circles since I got here this morning. Won’t sleep, won’t eat, won’t stop.”
Ianto’s muffled grumble had Jack chuckling again. “What was that?”
“I said she sounds like you. Have you tried singing to her?”
Jack blinked. “Sing?”
He heard Ianto swallow, followed by a ruffle of sheets and Rhys’ voice chastising in the background. “She did that once before. It was the only thing that calmed her down.”
“Singing?”
“Not like you can tell me you can’t do it.”
“I’m never going to live that down, am I?”
“Strip karaoke was your idea.”
“Fine. I’ll sing to the damn pterodactyl. Once she’s settled and barring the apocalypse, I’ll come by.”
“Bring coffee.”
“No.”
“Jack, I’m dying here.”
He shuddered. “Fine. But if you have another attack, you won’t get any sympathy kisses.”
“I’m willing to risk it.”
I’m not. “Any particular song I should woo her with?”
Ianto paused. Jack could picture him chewing on the inside of his lip. He always did that when he was thinking, trying to come up with the perfect answer. “Know any Welsh lullabies?”
“Would you be surprised if I say yes?”
“Not really.”
“Well then, yes. If it doesn’t work I’m going to try a sedative and a dart gun.”
“It will work. Just…you need to be relaxed. She picks up on it.”
More silence, but this time it was easy, comfortable. The muscles in Jack’s neck began to unknot as his headache receded enough for his spinning mind to settle.
“Jack?”
“Yeah?”
“The doctor is here. I have to go. Time to be prodded.”
“Okay. I’ll be there soon.”
“Good.”
“Ianto?”
“Yeah?”
Deep breath. “When was the last time she did this?”
A sharp intake of air on the other end. “Three days after you…went traveling. Have to go.”
The click of the connection being cut jolted Jack from his stunned silence. He watched, mobile pressed to his ear as Myfanwy looped again, her head dipping, wings spread further than ever to catch the updraft from the hub.
With gentle ease, he pulled the device from his face, flipped the cover closed and placed it back in his pocket. He stood, watching several more passes before moving to the edge of the rail.
Jack then closed his eyes and began to sing.