What They See series - What Gwen Sees, for jo02

[nemo_baker]

Title: What Gwen Sees - part of What They See series for jo02
Summary: The prompt from jo02: I have a fondness for fic where Jack and Ianto are being observed - by accident - by one of the other characters (hopefully Gwen) and learns something positive and new about their relationship. Something nice but not mushy or sentimental

Comments

[jo02]

This was an unexpected angle and exactly, perfectly what I was looking for - thank you :)

[nemo_baker]

Yay!! Thank you very much. I really, really enjoyed writing these

[badly_knitted]

Gwen seems to think she's the only one who has feelings, the only one who has someone she cares about (ignoring the fact that the team all care deeply about each other and watch each other's backs). She also seems to think that she's the only one who can help Jack deal with his emotions and understand what he's feeling, or even teach him how to feel. That's always baffled me since Jack obviously feels things very deeply, he just understands that when they're working, sometimes he needs to put his personal feelings to one side and do what needs doing without letting himself get distracted.

Oops, gone off at a tangent. Anyway, I think your characterisation of Gwen is spot on, and the scene between Jack and Ianto is perfect. Ianto, more than anyone else, knows what Jack needs and when he needs to be the one taking orders instead of giving them.

[nemo_baker]

I gotta be honest. I like Gwen! I think she's a good character, but part of the reason she's a good character is because she has flaws. She thinks that since she was recruited to be the most 'human' member of the team, that she's the only one who can feel things. She makes mistakes, she's self centered at times, and she doesn't know when to back off. And I think the writers kind of handled her with kid's gloves by letting her get away with making mistakes without learning anything from them. It's one of the things that bugged me about the show.

But when I wrote this I didn't want Gwen to be outright mean, or anything. Because she's not. She just doesn't understand the emotional dynamics between the rest of the members of the team, especially Jack and Ianto.

I'm glad that you liked this, and that you thought I wrote Gwen well! I haven't written from her POV before. Thank you!

[dylantoms]

Well done. This is really well done.

[nemo_baker]

Thank you! I am glad you enjoyed it =D