[backdated to early Christmas morning]

[npcyoface]

December 25th, very, very early morning. Just after midnight. All isn't quiet in Chicago, but then, when is it ever? There's people spilling out of bars and clubs, celebrating the coming of the day with a little too much alcohol and quite enough joy for the entire city. There are couples in Grant Park, taking a stroll to enjoy the freshly-

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[trappedbyhate]

Mio is heading downstairs to get breakfast sometime around ass o'clock in the morning. The reason for this is not because today is Christmas and she's excited to open presents--she just normally gets up at unholy hours of the morning. Hey, if she wants any time to herself or to do proper meditation, she has to sneak it in before most sane people are awake. She's already opened the card that says to go up to the roof, but Mio figures whatever it is can wait until she gets food and tea in her first.

Despite the early hour of the morning, Mio is dressed impeccably for the day. In deference to the holiday, however, Mio is wearing a casual bright red cardigan with a sprig of holly pinned to it instead of her usual suit coats that she favors when she's 'on the clock'. (Not that Torchwood is ever 'off the clock', but Mio at least makes a pretense of trying to get people to come to her with issues during business hours. She is perfectly willing to work long hours, but she needs to set at least a couple of hours a day for herself or she'll work herself to death much faster than she already is.) She is walking past the Kashtta's tree, not really paying attention when she notices a large irregular form under the tree. And it's squirming. Mio turns around to take a closer look.

"Well," Mio says, as she recognizes Jack. "...Do I even want to ask?" There is an amused look on her face. She's seen much stranger than this during her time in the Nexus.

"Also, Green Rift or Perceptiostatic?" Mio shifts to a slightly more businesslike tone. "I'm guessing the latter, since I've been very resistant to thinking about trying to talk to you about anything recently, despite the fact that you and I have a number of important matters to discuss." Most important of which is what they are going to do about her powers. It's been slightly over two months now, and they're beginning to run out of time and options before the dreams start up again.

Observant readers may have noted that Mio has not yet made any move to try to free Jack from his ribbon bondage. This is too amusing to watch, for the moment.

[hey_capn_jack]

"Well, I want to ask," Jack says, around a mouthful of knotted ribbon. "I mean, I really want to ask. Though I suppose your mileage may vary. Happen to have a knife on you?"

He spits a spring of ribbon out.

"Last I remember, I was feeding my damn kitten. Then, suddenly, I'm a Christmas present. To..."

He cranes his neck, trying to read the tag attached to him. After a moment and some odd gymnastics to get it to turn over, he finally manages it.

"...myself, apparently." He looks back up at Mio. "So I'm guessing perceptostatic, which I'm tempted to take some offense to. I mean, the Rift could at least come up with a new trick. This one is a little bit old. Though the dress is a nice touch; I will give it that."

[trappedbyhate]

Mio raises an eyebrow. "And what makes you think I'm in the mood to free you?"

Interpret that how you will, Jack.

[hey_capn_jack]

Were Jack anyone else, this might have been awkward. Fortunately, Jack is Jack. It's a skill that comes in handy.

"Thanks," he says. "You think you've left home behind for good, and then one day you black out and come to, missing a month's worth of time, and the universe has seen fit to give you a nice little reminder of home." He looks back to Mio. "And that's just cold. I'd free you if you were trussed up like a Christmas ham. Unless, of course, you're thinking of using my compromised position to stage a coup and take over Torchwood, in which case I have to assume there would be easier ways."

[trappedbyhate]

Mio smiles and briefly wraps one arm around Ianto's waist, giving him a sort of half-hug. "Morning," she says to him. "Merry Christmas."

Mio turns her attention back to Jack. "I am a cold, cold woman, Jack Harkness. And besides, I never said I wasn't going to free you...eventually. I'm too busy enjoying the view right now." Is that a smirk on Mio's lips? Why yes, yes it is.

[hey_capn_jack]

Jack leans back and breaks into a grin when Ianto pulls out the blackberry, posing so that the gown falls flatteringly across his torso. Hey, if you're being photographed in your indignity, you might as well look good in it.

"You're a woman of impeccable taste," he says to Mio. "And if you do need to get the rest of the team, could you at least re-do the ribbons so I can get out of them if the Tower burns down? Or at least so they don't look quite as gnawed-on?"

Priorities. One of them has to have them.

[trappedbyhate]

"Why, thank you," Mio says archly. "I already knew that, of course, but it's always nice to get confirmation from an outside source." She's not actually so conceited to seriously mean anything she just said...well, maybe a little bit.

"I'm not sure Phoebe would ever forgive me if I untied you without letting her see first. Actually, I'm almost certain she wouldn't."

Mio doesn't have her earpiece on right now, but she does have her phone, because that's always with her. She unlocks the touchscreen and hits the speed dial for Phoebe's number. "Phoebe? It's Mio. Sorry to wake you, but there's a Situation down by the Christmas tree and I need you right away." Somehow, she manages to keep an entirely serious tone throughout that entire call.

"I think the teeth marks add a certain charm. What do you think, Ianto?"

[hey_capn_jack]

"As it turns out, they're a bit too snug to slip," Jack says, and gives Mio a dry look. "Really. Crying wolf and ignoring a request from a superior officer? I've misjudged you."

His tone is still amused, but beginning to carry a hint that if further requests of this nature are disobeyed, the amusement might not stick for long. It's not so much that he's embarrassed to be caught in this position or uncomfortable with the position itself per se - more that when he does get into these positions, he'd prefer it to be under his control. The hint of threat there is just... negotiation.

[thehighestwing]

Phoebe is not about to ignore a call from Mio. The right away is what keeps her from changing back to her regular clothes.

She's wearing a silk red nightgown. Look, she likes celebrating to the highest, and that includes having festive sleepwear that's still pretty. She expected some sort of disaster. Perhaps Matoi finally did one of them in. Perhaps Owen drank too much and is passed out in the morgue.

"... Wat." Whatever she thought, Phoebe did not expect to find her ward in a slinky dress. Tied up.

"Ya know, when I said Torchwood should have bonding sessions, this isn't what I had in mind. Not that I'm complaining."

[trappedbyhate]

"I'm sure that Phoebe will agree that finding her ward deposited under the Christmas tree tied up in ribbon is a Situation," Mio says primly as Phoebe comes in.

"And I'm honestly insulted by the implication that I would leave you here to burn if the Tower caught fire. I respect Phoebe more than that." Mio might respect you in a lot of other situations, Jack, but your dignity? Ain't getting no respect from her. Sorry. She'll just have to suffer your displeasure.

"...As you heard you heard me saying while you were coming in," Mio says in a businesslike manner to Phoebe. "I found him like this when I came down to get breakfast this morning. I thought I should have you...inspect the evidence." Mio gives Phoebe a mischievous smile. Look, she's sorry that she got you out of bed and dragged you down here so early in the morning. But this was too good to pass up!

[hey_capn_jack]

Jack looks to Phoebe, and gives her a too-innocent puppy face. "Mio is just trying to conduct a passive coup," he says. "She's in it with Santa. You can't trust anyone these days." He waggles his bound wrists at her. "Be a doll and spring me, would you?"

He's already decided that if she doesn't, he's just going to shift into a rottweiler and chase them around the building a little. Ah, the advantages of having a shifter form with narrow little wrists.

"And hey, maybe he thought the Prime Minister was coming," Jack says in Ianto's direction. Because that explains the dress.

...no, actually, it does.

[thehighestwing]

Phoebe is too busy laughing to answer any of them at first. She eyes Mio with a rather blatant level of appreciation. "Very kind of you to alert me of this, Mio. I wouldn't have wanted to miss out on the...procedure." Fun, she means fun.

Phoebe also gives Jack a look as she approaches him. Innocent her tush. "Mio is being her very professional self. And you ask that like I'd do anything else," she says. She'd have loved to at least take a picture, but a Calling is a Calling. He isn't in danger but, still. Ward is bound and tied up.

She looks over at Mio and Ianto, genuinely remorseful, before she starts to work on the bound wrists. "Sorry, guys."

Phoebe grins up at Jack a little. "First Hello Kitty, now this. I think the Rift's trying to tell you something, Jack. I'm just not sure what it is."