Torchwood ficlet: Third Time's the Charm
Title: Third Time's the Charm
Rating: PG
Character: Toshiko
Summary: There are moments you just want to pause.
Word count: 473
Disclaimer: Not my property, not my profit.
Author's Note: Written for mfirefly10 's prompt 'Torchwood, Toshiko Sato, the world spins madly on' at the Awesome People of Colour are Awesome: Comment-a-thon.
X-posted: here
The first time Toshiko wishes she could stop the time is when she's thirteen, standing in front of everyone after winning an annual mathematical competition. That's right, do something as grandiose and stupid as freezing the moment just to be able to never lose the feeling of hope and and the pride she sees on okasan's face.) Of course, stopping time is impossible. She knows what's possible, though: numbers, equations and her brain that sees right through them. But minutes pass by, the show's over, and she's pretty sure she'll have nerd berd and go back to china!!!! written all over her locker in the morning.
The second time the thought occurs to her she's fifteen years older and more hesitant to call anything impossible without a proper scientific analysis, much less something as stopping time. She works in Torchwood, after all. They revive people, travel through time and space, and she's still getting used to the fact her boss can't fucking die. Give her two years and she might come up with something groundbreaking and potentially dangerous. (The basic belief in herself is one thing that hadn't disappeared.) But obviously, she and Tommy can't afford that. No time left. No more year, no more day. Besides, crazy acts of passion are Owen's thing.
Gwen resists the impulsion to open the box (or the storage facility, however they call it), knowing what lies inside. Tosh. No, her body, stored in that fucking freezer for-bloody-ever. (At least they have the body. Owen left them with a mere picture. Her friends are dying and she's forced to settle on at least.) There's nothing she can do about it but leave her colleague and friend in the dark. Suzie told her about the dark. Gwen wipes her tears, wondering why her own heart keeps beating, why the world keeps spinning like Toshiko's time hadn't stopped for good, why the job she's loved means only death nowadays, and not really wanting to hear the answer.
Rating: PG
Character: Toshiko
Summary: There are moments you just want to pause.
Word count: 473
Disclaimer: Not my property, not my profit.
Author's Note: Written for mfirefly10 's prompt 'Torchwood, Toshiko Sato, the world spins madly on' at the Awesome People of Colour are Awesome: Comment-a-thon.
X-posted: here
The first time Toshiko wishes she could stop the time is when she's thirteen, standing in front of everyone after winning an annual mathematical competition. That's right, do something as grandiose and stupid as freezing the moment just to be able to never lose the feeling of hope and and the pride she sees on okasan's face.) Of course, stopping time is impossible. She knows what's possible, though: numbers, equations and her brain that sees right through them. But minutes pass by, the show's over, and she's pretty sure she'll have nerd berd and go back to china!!!! written all over her locker in the morning.
The second time the thought occurs to her she's fifteen years older and more hesitant to call anything impossible without a proper scientific analysis, much less something as stopping time. She works in Torchwood, after all. They revive people, travel through time and space, and she's still getting used to the fact her boss can't fucking die. Give her two years and she might come up with something groundbreaking and potentially dangerous. (The basic belief in herself is one thing that hadn't disappeared.) But obviously, she and Tommy can't afford that. No time left. No more year, no more day. Besides, crazy acts of passion are Owen's thing.
Gwen resists the impulsion to open the box (or the storage facility, however they call it), knowing what lies inside. Tosh. No, her body, stored in that fucking freezer for-bloody-ever. (At least they have the body. Owen left them with a mere picture. Her friends are dying and she's forced to settle on at least.) There's nothing she can do about it but leave her colleague and friend in the dark. Suzie told her about the dark. Gwen wipes her tears, wondering why her own heart keeps beating, why the world keeps spinning like Toshiko's time hadn't stopped for good, why the job she's loved means only death nowadays, and not really wanting to hear the answer.