Ficlet: Fifth Of November
Title: Fifth Of November
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Ianto, Jack.
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Nada
Summary: Ianto is exhausted and just wants to get an early night, but he’s forgotten what date it is.
Word Count: 500
Content Notes: None necessary.
Written For: Prompt 9: Flash at anythingdrabble.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Torchwood, or the characters.
Ianto was almost asleep when the bedroom was abruptly lit up almost as bright as day by a brilliant flash of light. Right on its heels came a series of loud bangs and sharp popping sounds. He groaned, reaching to pull his pillow over hims head. Was getting an early night too much to ask after being up for thirty-six hours dealing with yet another misguided invasion attempt? There was another flash of light and more bangs.
“Dammit, I forgot what day it was,” he groaned.
“What do you mean?” Jack asked, scrabbling out of bed and flinging the curtains wide. The sky was full of exploding fireworks now, and the noise so loud as to be almost deafening.
“How long have you lived on earth?” Ianto asked from under his pillow. “November fifth? Bonfire night? Gunpowder, treason and plot? Guy Fawkes? Houses of Parliament? Any of this ringing a bell?”
“Of course I know about all that,” Jack grumbled. “But look; fireworks, and it’s not even New Year’s Eve!”
“There’re always fireworks on bonfire night.”
“Really?”
Shoving his pillow aside, Ianto sat up and stared at Jack. “Seriously? How can you not know that?”
Jack turned to look over his shoulder at his lover. “Hey! I live in an underground bunker; remember? No windows? Contrary to popular belief, I don’t spend every night standing on rooftops, especially not at this time of year. It’s too cold.”
“Colour me amazed,” Ianto replied, dry as dust.
“But if I’d known about this… I thought bonfire night was just about burning a scarecrow on a big fire, and that’s not exactly thrilling. Once you’ve seen one you’ve seen ‘em all. Fireworks though…” He faced the window again. “Isn’t it beautiful? Why are you still in bed when you could be watching this?” He gestured towards the view.
“I’m tired, Jack.”
“I know, but it’s not like you can sleep with all this noise going on, is it?”
If anything, the noise was getting louder as more families joined in, setting off a seemingly endless array or rockets, and starbursts, and who knew what else. The sky was ablaze with light one second, then pitch dark the next, only to be lit up again moments later by the next barrage. Despite his tiredness, Ianto had to admit it was beautiful. A little reluctantly, he slid off the bed, pulled his robe on, and then dragged a blanket around his shoulders too. No sense getting chilled in the cool air of the bedroom.
Jack wrapped an arm around him as Ianto joined him at the window.
“You’re freezing!” Ianto complained. It was hardly surprising since Jack was naked. Fetching Jack’s robe, Ianto made him put in on, and wrapped the blanket around them both, sharing the warmth it provided as they huddled together at the window, watching the night sky light up in dazzling rainbow flashes and showers of colourful sparks.
Ianto found himself smiling. Jack was right; sleep could wait a bit longer.
The End
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Ianto, Jack.
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Nada
Summary: Ianto is exhausted and just wants to get an early night, but he’s forgotten what date it is.
Word Count: 500
Content Notes: None necessary.
Written For: Prompt 9: Flash at anythingdrabble.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Torchwood, or the characters.
Ianto was almost asleep when the bedroom was abruptly lit up almost as bright as day by a brilliant flash of light. Right on its heels came a series of loud bangs and sharp popping sounds. He groaned, reaching to pull his pillow over hims head. Was getting an early night too much to ask after being up for thirty-six hours dealing with yet another misguided invasion attempt? There was another flash of light and more bangs.
“Dammit, I forgot what day it was,” he groaned.
“What do you mean?” Jack asked, scrabbling out of bed and flinging the curtains wide. The sky was full of exploding fireworks now, and the noise so loud as to be almost deafening.
“How long have you lived on earth?” Ianto asked from under his pillow. “November fifth? Bonfire night? Gunpowder, treason and plot? Guy Fawkes? Houses of Parliament? Any of this ringing a bell?”
“Of course I know about all that,” Jack grumbled. “But look; fireworks, and it’s not even New Year’s Eve!”
“There’re always fireworks on bonfire night.”
“Really?”
Shoving his pillow aside, Ianto sat up and stared at Jack. “Seriously? How can you not know that?”
Jack turned to look over his shoulder at his lover. “Hey! I live in an underground bunker; remember? No windows? Contrary to popular belief, I don’t spend every night standing on rooftops, especially not at this time of year. It’s too cold.”
“Colour me amazed,” Ianto replied, dry as dust.
“But if I’d known about this… I thought bonfire night was just about burning a scarecrow on a big fire, and that’s not exactly thrilling. Once you’ve seen one you’ve seen ‘em all. Fireworks though…” He faced the window again. “Isn’t it beautiful? Why are you still in bed when you could be watching this?” He gestured towards the view.
“I’m tired, Jack.”
“I know, but it’s not like you can sleep with all this noise going on, is it?”
If anything, the noise was getting louder as more families joined in, setting off a seemingly endless array or rockets, and starbursts, and who knew what else. The sky was ablaze with light one second, then pitch dark the next, only to be lit up again moments later by the next barrage. Despite his tiredness, Ianto had to admit it was beautiful. A little reluctantly, he slid off the bed, pulled his robe on, and then dragged a blanket around his shoulders too. No sense getting chilled in the cool air of the bedroom.
Jack wrapped an arm around him as Ianto joined him at the window.
“You’re freezing!” Ianto complained. It was hardly surprising since Jack was naked. Fetching Jack’s robe, Ianto made him put in on, and wrapped the blanket around them both, sharing the warmth it provided as they huddled together at the window, watching the night sky light up in dazzling rainbow flashes and showers of colourful sparks.
Ianto found himself smiling. Jack was right; sleep could wait a bit longer.
The End