October 5th - FIC - Could It Be Magic? - PG13 - 1/1
Title: Could It Be Magic?
Fandom: Torchwood
Rating: PG13 (for a few bad words and suggestions courtesy of CJH)
Characters/Pairings: Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones, Toshiko Sato, Owen Harper, Gwen Cooper, Jack/Ianto
Spoilers: None
Prompt: Wizards
Warnings: M/M implied
Length: Chapter 1 of 1, roughly 3150 words
Summary: Ianto asks for a few hours off from Torchwood and Jack just can’t let it go without knowing what Ianto is up to.
Disclaimer: Torchwood belongs to RTD and the BBC, unfortunately. This is a work of fiction and lest we forget Fiction = False, Fake, Not Real (and any of those other handy dandy synonyms found in Webster’s big book.)
Beta: Thanks bunches to luvinthe88and20 for reading through this at the last minute and offering suggestions!
A/N: Well, I was originally going to post the first chapter of my Torchwood/Dresden Files crossover but then I saw the post stating that the story could not be part of a series…so I had to come up with something else in a hurry. Eek! Anyways, I think this turned out quite cute even though fluff/crack is not my thing and Jack is not easy for me to write. Enjoy!
A/N2: Sorry this is posted so late, but it is still technically October 5th here in the US where I am located! Just barely, I know, but I did make it in time thankfully. Curse Darth Real Life for getting in the way. LOL. :)
(Jack’s POV)
He’s up to something. I just know it.
Ianto never leaves early and twice today already he has double checked with me that it is okay if he heads out of the Hub a few hours earlier than normal and that he can indeed have the night off. Well, the night off unless the world is about to end that is. Always that stipulation to keep in mind.
I told him last week when he first asked that it wasn’t an issue and that I’d gladly give him some time off since he never takes any. Too bad when I asked him what it was for then, he shrugged me off and said he just had some personal things to take care of. I’d pressed him a little bit each day for some more information, but he’s been so damn tight lipped about his plans.
Which leads me back to the fact that he is definitely up to something.
And Toshiko is somehow involved in all of this as well.
She and Ianto have always been pretty close, especially since I returned from my year with the Doctor. However, every time I have turned around over the last few days they have been huddled together at her station and when I head over there to look at what they are doing, nothing is ever out of the ordinary. Well except for that one time I caught Ianto putting on Tosh’s glasses, but I am sure there is some normal explanation for that.
Oh, god. Ianto needs glasses! No, that cannot be it. He just had a physical with Owen that I got the report on afterwards. It didn’t indicate any need for Ianto to have to get glasses. Not to mention when I spied on him the other day while he took target practice, he had no trouble nailing the bulls-eye with each shot. There’s nothing wrong with his eyes.
Maybe there is really nothing going on Jack? Perhaps Ianto just needs a few hours to get caught up on his bills or something? Ianto need extra time to manage his finances…hardly. He’s the king of paperwork. Paperwork and coffee. And finding that sweet spot on the back of my neck that just makes me…
Best not think of that right now. Ianto won’t be here tonight to help me relieve that tension. Wonder if he’ll come back here after he’s taken care of his “personal” business though and help me take care of my personal business. I could order him to do so. Not that I have had to order him into my bed before. Well, there was that one time after Martha sent us that UNIT cap, but he kind of liked that.
Jack. You are mind rambling again. Back on track. Focus.
Let’s see, I’ve already checked the CCTV footage dozens of times to see if I can catch him and Tosh doing something strange, there’s nothing there either. Just normal images of them talking, with audio that has been too quiet for me to pick up, unfortunately. Tosh wouldn’t have been able to doctor up the footage; I would have been able to tell. No leads.
Hell, I’d even tried to get it out of him after sex a few nights ago as we lay together in my bunk post-bliss. His comment was the same: It’s just some personal stuff, Jack. No big deal.
Damn it! It is too a big deal. I hate not being in the know. This is my team. I should know everything.
“Jack?”
My head shoots up at the sound of my name, finding Ianto standing in the doorway of my office.
“It’s almost 4:00pm; do you need anything before I go?”
“Coffee?” I ask, hoping maybe to stall him for a few minutes and possibly get some more details of his plans to fall out of that gorgeous Welsh mouth.
As he stepped further into my office I noticed he had my blue and white striped mug in his hand, “Figured you would say that.” He smiled at me and sat the mug next to my left hand. “Anything else?”
“Where are you going?”
Sighing, he lost his smile and looked annoyed at me, “Jack, we’ve been over this almost a dozen times already. I just need to take a few hours and do some stuff in my personal life. It’s no big deal. And are you always this inquisitive of Gwen or Owen when they ask for a day off? By the way, if you answer that with a yes, I know you will be lying, so don’t even bother.”
Shit. He’s got me there.
“Will you come back to me tonight?” I invite, hopeful that then I might find out what he was up to while he was gone.
“If you drop this mission of trying to find out what I am doing, I might consider it.”
Exhaling noisily, making a bigger show than I probably need to, I acquiesce, “Fine, fine. I’ll stop.” Hopefully he won’t be able to tell I am lying through my pearly whites. I don’t give up that easily.
Ianto knows this, so when he said goodbye and headed out of my office, I was kind of shocked.
Huh? Perhaps he wants me to discover what he is doing. That was almost too easy.
Time to interrogate my Team. Someone has to know something. Tosh is my best bet for certain.
Dashing down the stairs, I watched Ianto’s backside disappear out the cogged wheel and turned on Owen who had just crossed paths with him.
“Where’s he going? Do you know why he is leaving early?”
“It’s Halloween, mate. Probably headed to a party or two. It’s what I’ll be doing as soon as it’s time to blow this joint.”
“Halloween?”
“Christ, Jack. Have you totally missed the decorations the girls put up this week? I know you and Teaboy spend a lot of time in the Tourist Office doing god knows what - and don’t bother to tell me what you are doing - so I can’t believe you missed those carved pumpkins he has sitting up there.”
Pumpkins? Ianto has pumpkins in the Tourist Office? How did I miss that? Well, Jack, considering your focus is usually on nothing but Ianto and doing something naughty to his body when you are up there, it’s not surprising.
“Today is Halloween?”
“That’s right. October 31st. All Hallow’s Eve. Devil’s Night. All Saint’s Day. Samhain…”
“I get the picture Owen. And I know what Halloween is. I just didn’t realize that it was today. So, do you know where Ianto went?”
“Nope. Not a clue. Like I said, I’d be out on the pull. But, this is Teaboy we are talking about, so I am sure he is just at home passing out candy to kiddies.”
Could that be it? Ianto just wanted the night off to celebrate the normal holiday rituals?
Spying Tosh coming down from the boardroom, I caught her attention and motioned for her to come towards me. She looked around nervously, almost trying to verify I was really asking for her.
Bingo. She knows what Ianto is up to.
“What’s Ianto doing? Why did he leave early?”
“Jack…I think he just had some personal things to take care of.”
“Tosh, you know where he is. Tell me.”
“I don’t know,” she said, looking down and shifting nervously from foot to foot.
As Tosh was evading my question, the cogged wheel opened again. Hoping that it was maybe Ianto come back, I was a little disappointed to see Gwen step through.
“Did you all see Ianto? He looked so adorable! The kids at the Children’s Hospital party are going to love him!”
Change that disappointment to elation. Finally an answer! I knew he was up to something.
Running over, I swept Gwen in a big hug and swung her around. “Thank you!” I cried, while kissing her on the cheek.
Gwen stammered as I sat her down and rushed past her to the lift.
“Don’t wait up for me kids. I’m on a mission.”
Activating the control for the lift using my wrist strap, I noticed the evil looks being cast at Gwen by Toshiko and Owen. Obviously someone wasn’t supposed to tell me what Ianto was up to.
Oh well. Now I know. And now it’s time to find out exactly what Gwen was talking about. Of course Ianto looks adorable. He always does. You can add sexy, gorgeous, striking, elegant, damn fine in a suit, good enough to eat, a voice that can make my clothes disappear in an instant…and a hell of a lot more to that list as well.
But the Children’s Hospital?
Is there something about Ianto I don’t know?
~~~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~~
“Evening sir. Do you need some help finding the party?” A college-aged girl dressed in a pink ball-gown asked me when I stepped up to the information desk at the University Hospital of Wales. I really hope that is not the standard attire for this hospital.
“Umm, sure,” I said, confused as to why she assumed I was here for a party.
As we walked down the hall behind the desk, she kept looking me over. I didn’t really pay much attention since I am used to people checking me out, so I just smiled and kept following alongside instead.
“I don’t mean to ask, but I am drawing a blank. Which character are you supposed to be?”
Character?
“I’m Captain Jack Harkness.”
“Oh, someone from the Ministry then! I thought so; she always had those people dressed in weird clothes.”
She? Weird clothes? Look lady, just what are you getting on about? My clothes are not weird! If anyone is dressed weird it is you.
“Well, here we are. The Children’s ward. Everyone will be down in the playroom which is straight ahead. Have a good time!”
Glancing around, I noticed all of the decorations scattered about. There was a definite theme to the area but I couldn’t place what it was.
Along with decorations that I recognized as traditional elements of the British celebration of the Halloween holiday, there were other things up on the walls, in the hallway, over doors, at the nurse’s station, and on the floor as well. The place was flooded with words I didn’t recognize.
Maybe they are Welsh? Never really understood that language.
Diagon Alley. Hogwarts. Slytherin. Gryffindor. Ravenclaw. Hufflepuff. Grimmauld Place. Quidditch. The Ministry of Magic. Wizards. Witches.
Magic? Magic usually equates to something alien. Wizards and witches are not good either. What the hell is going on here?
Shit, maybe Ianto found a place with Rift activity and he’s here monitoring it. He might be in danger!
Jack…does this place look dangerous?
Well, I almost did just get run over by a bunch of kids on broomsticks. I’ll say it is a tad bit dangerous. They were carrying what looked like wands and were wearing witches hats.
Let me just find Ianto and get the hell out of here, bring back some reinforcements. This place is positively scary.
Heading towards the playroom, where the lady in the ball-gown told me the party was at, I drew up short when I entered the door. Kids of all ages were scattered throughout. Most were obviously patients of the hospital as they were attached to IV poles and other hospital paraphernalia, but that is not what made me pause.
That was accomplished by the very attractive Welshman right in the middle of the room, riding a broomstick with a young child aboard him piggyback style. Ianto was laughing, a large bright smile on his face.
But what in the hell is he wearing?
Gray suit pants, a white button-up shirt under a gray long-sleeve sweater, a burgundy and gold striped tie at his neck, and a black cloak line with burgundy around his shoulders. A pair of black glasses was perched on his nose and his hair was spiked.
The outfit really didn’t bother me, but what looked like a fresh scar on Ianto’s forehead did.
He didn’t have that injury earlier? Alright, which one of these little monsters hurt my Ianto?
“Faster Harry, faster! I want to fly to the moon,” shrieked the young child on Ianto’s back. Ianto told him to hold on tighter and whizzed around the room at a little faster pace…until he crossed paths with me and he stopped like he’d hit a brick wall. Eyes going large as saucers. Mouth falling open.
“Harry we’re not to the moon yet, keep going,” the youngster urged as Ianto just stood there staring at me.
After a couple of moments, and a few quick kicks to his ribs by the child on his back, Ianto moved and lowered the patient to his feet. “Daffyd, I need to take a quick break and go speak to Professor Dumbledore. Why don’t you go over and see what Ron and Hermione are doing until I get back?”
The kid smiled broadly and said, “Sure thing, Harry,” before running over to a far corner of the room to a young couple dressed similarly to Ianto.
After Ianto watched Daffyd cross the room, he turned back towards me with a scowl on his face and grabbed my arm. I tried to speak but he shushed me as he dragged me out of the room to an empty alcove a few yards away.
“What are you doing here, Jack?” He asked, obviously not happy to see me.
“Um. Well. You see, I…”
“Didn’t trust me to take some time for myself?”
“No, no, that’s not it. I just, well…I have to know…”
“No, Jack you don’t have to know everything that we do. Especially the things we do in our spare time. I am entitled to some privacy.”
“I was worried about you.”
“No, you were being nosy and not trusting me.”
“No really, I was worried. There are mentions of magic down that hallway!”
“Of course there are signs of magical things.”
Deciding I better come straight out with one of my concerns, I inquired, “Have you been possessed? Is that why that kid was calling you Harry?”
Ianto stifled back a snicker. Well, he stifled it for a moment before he broke out into full blown laughter. All I could do was stand there and watch him break down to the point he was crying while still laughing.
Definitely possession.
In-between fits of giggles, Ianto managed to get out, “This is why I love you so much, Jack Harkness. For all the things you have seen in the universe, you fail to recognize a simple Halloween party for what it is.”
“No Rift activity then?”
“Nope.”
“You’re not being possessed?”
“Not a chance. I’m not sure about you though.”
I scowled in response but then questioned him further, still not sure he was really in command of all of his senses. “But that kid, Daffyd, called you Harry?”
“The theme for the party is the Harry Potter books, Jack. One of the nurses here knows my sister and she asked me to come and play Harry for the children.”
“Harry Potter? Who’s that?”
“We really need to get you some modern literature.” Ianto let lose another one of his gorgeous Welsh grins as he explained to me exactly who this Harry Potter kid was and about the world that some lady named J.K. Rowling had created.
“Sounds a lot like Tolkien to me. So what you are trying to tell me is that this is just a Halloween party for the children?”
“That’s exactly what I have been trying to tell you, you big goof,” he said, grabbing me around the waist and pressing his lips gently to mine. “I’m perfectly safe.”
“But you hurt your head.”
“It’s just make-up, Jack. I’m fine.” He punctuated his point, by wiping his hand over his forehead. The scar that had been there disappeared.
Relief flooded all through my senses. Ianto’s okay. He’s not in danger. I’m not going to lose him or have to start calling him Harry.
“Since you’re here Jack you might as well help out. I think they need someone to help them make wands out of tree limbs. You know a lot about wood, you might be good at it.”
“Why you cheeky little basta…”
“Language, Jack. There are children present,” he scolded while gently smacking my ass. “I’ll reward you later if you help.”
“Will you wear this school uniform thing you have on?”
“Jack Harkness, I never knew you had a schoolboy fetish.”
Smirking at Ianto, I ran my hand down his body, ghosting over the front of his trousers. “Oh, there are so many things you can do with a ruler…”
“Later, Jack,” Ianto promised, giving me another quick peck on the lips. “You got some wands to make first and I think I still owe someone a ride to the moon.”
“Can I ride you?”
Ianto just rolled his eyes at me as he grabbed my hand and led me back into the children’s playroom.
I can do this. Impress Ianto with my skills at helping the kids. And then get rewarded later.
Oh yeah, I can definitely do this.
I like Halloween. Might have to figure out a way to make it come around more than once a year though. That, or at least require Ianto to wear that Harry Potter outfit to work a few times. Maybe get Tosh to wear one similar, but with a skirt instead of pants. Gwen included.
I think I might need to check out this Harry Potter character a little more as well. See what other interesting things he has going for him.
Torchwood is nothing, if not entertaining but we could always use a few more ways to liven up the days when the Rift is acting accordingly.
Fandom: Torchwood
Rating: PG13 (for a few bad words and suggestions courtesy of CJH)
Characters/Pairings: Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones, Toshiko Sato, Owen Harper, Gwen Cooper, Jack/Ianto
Spoilers: None
Prompt: Wizards
Warnings: M/M implied
Length: Chapter 1 of 1, roughly 3150 words
Summary: Ianto asks for a few hours off from Torchwood and Jack just can’t let it go without knowing what Ianto is up to.
Disclaimer: Torchwood belongs to RTD and the BBC, unfortunately. This is a work of fiction and lest we forget Fiction = False, Fake, Not Real (and any of those other handy dandy synonyms found in Webster’s big book.)
Beta: Thanks bunches to luvinthe88and20 for reading through this at the last minute and offering suggestions!
A/N: Well, I was originally going to post the first chapter of my Torchwood/Dresden Files crossover but then I saw the post stating that the story could not be part of a series…so I had to come up with something else in a hurry. Eek! Anyways, I think this turned out quite cute even though fluff/crack is not my thing and Jack is not easy for me to write. Enjoy!
A/N2: Sorry this is posted so late, but it is still technically October 5th here in the US where I am located! Just barely, I know, but I did make it in time thankfully. Curse Darth Real Life for getting in the way. LOL. :)
(Jack’s POV)
He’s up to something. I just know it.
Ianto never leaves early and twice today already he has double checked with me that it is okay if he heads out of the Hub a few hours earlier than normal and that he can indeed have the night off. Well, the night off unless the world is about to end that is. Always that stipulation to keep in mind.
I told him last week when he first asked that it wasn’t an issue and that I’d gladly give him some time off since he never takes any. Too bad when I asked him what it was for then, he shrugged me off and said he just had some personal things to take care of. I’d pressed him a little bit each day for some more information, but he’s been so damn tight lipped about his plans.
Which leads me back to the fact that he is definitely up to something.
And Toshiko is somehow involved in all of this as well.
She and Ianto have always been pretty close, especially since I returned from my year with the Doctor. However, every time I have turned around over the last few days they have been huddled together at her station and when I head over there to look at what they are doing, nothing is ever out of the ordinary. Well except for that one time I caught Ianto putting on Tosh’s glasses, but I am sure there is some normal explanation for that.
Oh, god. Ianto needs glasses! No, that cannot be it. He just had a physical with Owen that I got the report on afterwards. It didn’t indicate any need for Ianto to have to get glasses. Not to mention when I spied on him the other day while he took target practice, he had no trouble nailing the bulls-eye with each shot. There’s nothing wrong with his eyes.
Maybe there is really nothing going on Jack? Perhaps Ianto just needs a few hours to get caught up on his bills or something? Ianto need extra time to manage his finances…hardly. He’s the king of paperwork. Paperwork and coffee. And finding that sweet spot on the back of my neck that just makes me…
Best not think of that right now. Ianto won’t be here tonight to help me relieve that tension. Wonder if he’ll come back here after he’s taken care of his “personal” business though and help me take care of my personal business. I could order him to do so. Not that I have had to order him into my bed before. Well, there was that one time after Martha sent us that UNIT cap, but he kind of liked that.
Jack. You are mind rambling again. Back on track. Focus.
Let’s see, I’ve already checked the CCTV footage dozens of times to see if I can catch him and Tosh doing something strange, there’s nothing there either. Just normal images of them talking, with audio that has been too quiet for me to pick up, unfortunately. Tosh wouldn’t have been able to doctor up the footage; I would have been able to tell. No leads.
Hell, I’d even tried to get it out of him after sex a few nights ago as we lay together in my bunk post-bliss. His comment was the same: It’s just some personal stuff, Jack. No big deal.
Damn it! It is too a big deal. I hate not being in the know. This is my team. I should know everything.
“Jack?”
My head shoots up at the sound of my name, finding Ianto standing in the doorway of my office.
“It’s almost 4:00pm; do you need anything before I go?”
“Coffee?” I ask, hoping maybe to stall him for a few minutes and possibly get some more details of his plans to fall out of that gorgeous Welsh mouth.
As he stepped further into my office I noticed he had my blue and white striped mug in his hand, “Figured you would say that.” He smiled at me and sat the mug next to my left hand. “Anything else?”
“Where are you going?”
Sighing, he lost his smile and looked annoyed at me, “Jack, we’ve been over this almost a dozen times already. I just need to take a few hours and do some stuff in my personal life. It’s no big deal. And are you always this inquisitive of Gwen or Owen when they ask for a day off? By the way, if you answer that with a yes, I know you will be lying, so don’t even bother.”
Shit. He’s got me there.
“Will you come back to me tonight?” I invite, hopeful that then I might find out what he was up to while he was gone.
“If you drop this mission of trying to find out what I am doing, I might consider it.”
Exhaling noisily, making a bigger show than I probably need to, I acquiesce, “Fine, fine. I’ll stop.” Hopefully he won’t be able to tell I am lying through my pearly whites. I don’t give up that easily.
Ianto knows this, so when he said goodbye and headed out of my office, I was kind of shocked.
Huh? Perhaps he wants me to discover what he is doing. That was almost too easy.
Time to interrogate my Team. Someone has to know something. Tosh is my best bet for certain.
Dashing down the stairs, I watched Ianto’s backside disappear out the cogged wheel and turned on Owen who had just crossed paths with him.
“Where’s he going? Do you know why he is leaving early?”
“It’s Halloween, mate. Probably headed to a party or two. It’s what I’ll be doing as soon as it’s time to blow this joint.”
“Halloween?”
“Christ, Jack. Have you totally missed the decorations the girls put up this week? I know you and Teaboy spend a lot of time in the Tourist Office doing god knows what - and don’t bother to tell me what you are doing - so I can’t believe you missed those carved pumpkins he has sitting up there.”
Pumpkins? Ianto has pumpkins in the Tourist Office? How did I miss that? Well, Jack, considering your focus is usually on nothing but Ianto and doing something naughty to his body when you are up there, it’s not surprising.
“Today is Halloween?”
“That’s right. October 31st. All Hallow’s Eve. Devil’s Night. All Saint’s Day. Samhain…”
“I get the picture Owen. And I know what Halloween is. I just didn’t realize that it was today. So, do you know where Ianto went?”
“Nope. Not a clue. Like I said, I’d be out on the pull. But, this is Teaboy we are talking about, so I am sure he is just at home passing out candy to kiddies.”
Could that be it? Ianto just wanted the night off to celebrate the normal holiday rituals?
Spying Tosh coming down from the boardroom, I caught her attention and motioned for her to come towards me. She looked around nervously, almost trying to verify I was really asking for her.
Bingo. She knows what Ianto is up to.
“What’s Ianto doing? Why did he leave early?”
“Jack…I think he just had some personal things to take care of.”
“Tosh, you know where he is. Tell me.”
“I don’t know,” she said, looking down and shifting nervously from foot to foot.
As Tosh was evading my question, the cogged wheel opened again. Hoping that it was maybe Ianto come back, I was a little disappointed to see Gwen step through.
“Did you all see Ianto? He looked so adorable! The kids at the Children’s Hospital party are going to love him!”
Change that disappointment to elation. Finally an answer! I knew he was up to something.
Running over, I swept Gwen in a big hug and swung her around. “Thank you!” I cried, while kissing her on the cheek.
Gwen stammered as I sat her down and rushed past her to the lift.
“Don’t wait up for me kids. I’m on a mission.”
Activating the control for the lift using my wrist strap, I noticed the evil looks being cast at Gwen by Toshiko and Owen. Obviously someone wasn’t supposed to tell me what Ianto was up to.
Oh well. Now I know. And now it’s time to find out exactly what Gwen was talking about. Of course Ianto looks adorable. He always does. You can add sexy, gorgeous, striking, elegant, damn fine in a suit, good enough to eat, a voice that can make my clothes disappear in an instant…and a hell of a lot more to that list as well.
But the Children’s Hospital?
Is there something about Ianto I don’t know?
~~~~~~~~~~*****~~~~~~~~~~
“Evening sir. Do you need some help finding the party?” A college-aged girl dressed in a pink ball-gown asked me when I stepped up to the information desk at the University Hospital of Wales. I really hope that is not the standard attire for this hospital.
“Umm, sure,” I said, confused as to why she assumed I was here for a party.
As we walked down the hall behind the desk, she kept looking me over. I didn’t really pay much attention since I am used to people checking me out, so I just smiled and kept following alongside instead.
“I don’t mean to ask, but I am drawing a blank. Which character are you supposed to be?”
Character?
“I’m Captain Jack Harkness.”
“Oh, someone from the Ministry then! I thought so; she always had those people dressed in weird clothes.”
She? Weird clothes? Look lady, just what are you getting on about? My clothes are not weird! If anyone is dressed weird it is you.
“Well, here we are. The Children’s ward. Everyone will be down in the playroom which is straight ahead. Have a good time!”
Glancing around, I noticed all of the decorations scattered about. There was a definite theme to the area but I couldn’t place what it was.
Along with decorations that I recognized as traditional elements of the British celebration of the Halloween holiday, there were other things up on the walls, in the hallway, over doors, at the nurse’s station, and on the floor as well. The place was flooded with words I didn’t recognize.
Maybe they are Welsh? Never really understood that language.
Diagon Alley. Hogwarts. Slytherin. Gryffindor. Ravenclaw. Hufflepuff. Grimmauld Place. Quidditch. The Ministry of Magic. Wizards. Witches.
Magic? Magic usually equates to something alien. Wizards and witches are not good either. What the hell is going on here?
Shit, maybe Ianto found a place with Rift activity and he’s here monitoring it. He might be in danger!
Jack…does this place look dangerous?
Well, I almost did just get run over by a bunch of kids on broomsticks. I’ll say it is a tad bit dangerous. They were carrying what looked like wands and were wearing witches hats.
Let me just find Ianto and get the hell out of here, bring back some reinforcements. This place is positively scary.
Heading towards the playroom, where the lady in the ball-gown told me the party was at, I drew up short when I entered the door. Kids of all ages were scattered throughout. Most were obviously patients of the hospital as they were attached to IV poles and other hospital paraphernalia, but that is not what made me pause.
That was accomplished by the very attractive Welshman right in the middle of the room, riding a broomstick with a young child aboard him piggyback style. Ianto was laughing, a large bright smile on his face.
But what in the hell is he wearing?
Gray suit pants, a white button-up shirt under a gray long-sleeve sweater, a burgundy and gold striped tie at his neck, and a black cloak line with burgundy around his shoulders. A pair of black glasses was perched on his nose and his hair was spiked.
The outfit really didn’t bother me, but what looked like a fresh scar on Ianto’s forehead did.
He didn’t have that injury earlier? Alright, which one of these little monsters hurt my Ianto?
“Faster Harry, faster! I want to fly to the moon,” shrieked the young child on Ianto’s back. Ianto told him to hold on tighter and whizzed around the room at a little faster pace…until he crossed paths with me and he stopped like he’d hit a brick wall. Eyes going large as saucers. Mouth falling open.
“Harry we’re not to the moon yet, keep going,” the youngster urged as Ianto just stood there staring at me.
After a couple of moments, and a few quick kicks to his ribs by the child on his back, Ianto moved and lowered the patient to his feet. “Daffyd, I need to take a quick break and go speak to Professor Dumbledore. Why don’t you go over and see what Ron and Hermione are doing until I get back?”
The kid smiled broadly and said, “Sure thing, Harry,” before running over to a far corner of the room to a young couple dressed similarly to Ianto.
After Ianto watched Daffyd cross the room, he turned back towards me with a scowl on his face and grabbed my arm. I tried to speak but he shushed me as he dragged me out of the room to an empty alcove a few yards away.
“What are you doing here, Jack?” He asked, obviously not happy to see me.
“Um. Well. You see, I…”
“Didn’t trust me to take some time for myself?”
“No, no, that’s not it. I just, well…I have to know…”
“No, Jack you don’t have to know everything that we do. Especially the things we do in our spare time. I am entitled to some privacy.”
“I was worried about you.”
“No, you were being nosy and not trusting me.”
“No really, I was worried. There are mentions of magic down that hallway!”
“Of course there are signs of magical things.”
Deciding I better come straight out with one of my concerns, I inquired, “Have you been possessed? Is that why that kid was calling you Harry?”
Ianto stifled back a snicker. Well, he stifled it for a moment before he broke out into full blown laughter. All I could do was stand there and watch him break down to the point he was crying while still laughing.
Definitely possession.
In-between fits of giggles, Ianto managed to get out, “This is why I love you so much, Jack Harkness. For all the things you have seen in the universe, you fail to recognize a simple Halloween party for what it is.”
“No Rift activity then?”
“Nope.”
“You’re not being possessed?”
“Not a chance. I’m not sure about you though.”
I scowled in response but then questioned him further, still not sure he was really in command of all of his senses. “But that kid, Daffyd, called you Harry?”
“The theme for the party is the Harry Potter books, Jack. One of the nurses here knows my sister and she asked me to come and play Harry for the children.”
“Harry Potter? Who’s that?”
“We really need to get you some modern literature.” Ianto let lose another one of his gorgeous Welsh grins as he explained to me exactly who this Harry Potter kid was and about the world that some lady named J.K. Rowling had created.
“Sounds a lot like Tolkien to me. So what you are trying to tell me is that this is just a Halloween party for the children?”
“That’s exactly what I have been trying to tell you, you big goof,” he said, grabbing me around the waist and pressing his lips gently to mine. “I’m perfectly safe.”
“But you hurt your head.”
“It’s just make-up, Jack. I’m fine.” He punctuated his point, by wiping his hand over his forehead. The scar that had been there disappeared.
Relief flooded all through my senses. Ianto’s okay. He’s not in danger. I’m not going to lose him or have to start calling him Harry.
“Since you’re here Jack you might as well help out. I think they need someone to help them make wands out of tree limbs. You know a lot about wood, you might be good at it.”
“Why you cheeky little basta…”
“Language, Jack. There are children present,” he scolded while gently smacking my ass. “I’ll reward you later if you help.”
“Will you wear this school uniform thing you have on?”
“Jack Harkness, I never knew you had a schoolboy fetish.”
Smirking at Ianto, I ran my hand down his body, ghosting over the front of his trousers. “Oh, there are so many things you can do with a ruler…”
“Later, Jack,” Ianto promised, giving me another quick peck on the lips. “You got some wands to make first and I think I still owe someone a ride to the moon.”
“Can I ride you?”
Ianto just rolled his eyes at me as he grabbed my hand and led me back into the children’s playroom.
I can do this. Impress Ianto with my skills at helping the kids. And then get rewarded later.
Oh yeah, I can definitely do this.
I like Halloween. Might have to figure out a way to make it come around more than once a year though. That, or at least require Ianto to wear that Harry Potter outfit to work a few times. Maybe get Tosh to wear one similar, but with a skirt instead of pants. Gwen included.
I think I might need to check out this Harry Potter character a little more as well. See what other interesting things he has going for him.
Torchwood is nothing, if not entertaining but we could always use a few more ways to liven up the days when the Rift is acting accordingly.