Different Kind of Magic -- A Funny Thing Happened
Title: Different Kind of Magic
Chapter Three: A Funny Thing Happened
Date Written: 2/12/09
Rating: PG/K+
Word Count: 1,259
Fandom: Torchwood/Doctor Who
Characters/Pairings: Ianto/Jack, Gwen/Rhys
Spoilers: Doctor Who up through Season 04, Torchwood up through 02, Different Sort of Science and To Days To Come
Warnings: AU like whoa.
Author's Notes: Thanks so much to my gorgeous betas totally4ryo and katestamps, who are my sounding boards, my muses, and all-around fantastic girls. Also, this chapter's quote is extremely appropriate, since chapter 3, 4, and 5 all wrote themselves out of order. *shakes fist*
Previous chapters found here.
Book cover by et_muse
"Sorry, I've got a complex life. Things sometimes don't happen to me in the right order. Especially weddings. I'm rubbish at weddings. Especially my own."
-- The Doctor, Blink
After Harold's execution, things were tense throughout the upper classes. Rose was trying her best to keep everyone on an even keel, but that didn't stop the court from glaring at each other accusingly, the Loyalists waiting to be executed themselves and the Rebels waiting for the other shoe to drop.
So Gwen Cooper and Rhys Williams took it upon themselves to shake things up and elope.
Ianto could have killed them.
He was, of course, thrilled that they'd decided to commit themselves to each other. They were two of his closest friends, and ever since he'd first met them when he started at Torchwood House he'd known they were perfect for each other. There were fights, of course -- foundation-shaking arguments that rocked the entire House until they blew over -- but they really did love each other. It was plain from the way they looked at each other when they thought no one else was paying attention.
The problem was their families -- specifically Gwen's. Like most of the students and staff of Torchwood House, both Gwen and Rhys were upper class but Rhys was nobility through his mother. And, of course, Rhys's mother was not one of those kind, considerate nobles Ianto had the privilege of working with on a regular basis.
"And then she says she wants to have a bloody party here at bloody Torchwood House, like she's some sort of commoner," the woman was saying to Ianto. He could smell the wine on her breath as she waved her goblet around, spilling more of the dark-colored liquid onto the floor. "I mean, have you ever heard of such a thing?" she demanded, jabbing a finger at Ianto's chest.
Ianto raised an eyebrow. "What would that be, the fact that two people love each other enough to not care about social class or the fact that they wanted to share their happiness with their friends and family?"
The old woman was momentarily stunned. "I -- I mean -- " She stammered before frowning. "They should have asked. Slinking off makes it seem suspicious."
Ianto shrugged. "Maybe they thought that if they had a traditional engagement," he paused to clear his throat for effect, "ahem, there was a chance that certain people would selfishly try to stop the union from ever taking place."
Rhys' mother gaped at him, mouth opening and closing like a fish as she tried to work out if Ianto had insulted her or not.
"If you'll excuse me, Mrs. Williams," Ianto said, every inch the gentleman his father had taught him to be before almost running away from her.
Jack gave him an amused grin as he approached his lover. "She's a spiteful old woman, isn't she?" he greeted Ianto, holding out a glass of wine for Ianto.
"I can think of a few other terms to use to describe her," Ianto admitted, tipping back the glass. The wine was smooth against his tongue. "But my mother raised me to have too much respect for women."
Jack laughed. "Well, lucky for me then, my mother won't get mad when I say she's an evil bitch who needs to stop bathing in cologne and try water once in a while."
Ianto grinned. "Jack, your mother would probably agree. And add a few more comments, most likely about her not wearing horizontal stripes," he said off-handedly, sipping from his glass. "Or about how her social standing should be stripped due to her extreme narrow-mindedness." Jack raised an amused eyebrow, and Ianto shrugged, his smile turning sly. "That is, of course, pure conjecture on my part as to what the Queen would say," he said, mock-innocent.
Jack threw his head back and laughed again, putting his arm around Ianto's waist. It seemed innocent enough, but Ianto saw it was rather possessive. Instead of bringing it up, however, he leaned into Jack's embrace, smiling.
Gwen and Rhys were dancing together, looking for all the world like they were the only two people in the Hall. In all actuality, they were just one of many couples swaying about the dance floor, and more people flanked the group of dancers, talking or eating or both.
Rhys dipped Gwen, making her laugh and smack his shoulder playfully. The silver band on her hand flashed and he found himself smiling fondly. She'd shown him the little piece of jewelry the moment she'd walked into the House, a little band with intertwining fire and water symbols circling the outside. He'd known instantly what it meant -- a ring on the first finger of her dominant hand was the customary place for wedding jewelry in her family.
He'd chewed her out for running off after he'd hugged her tight and told her congratulations.
Jack's mouth against his ear brought him back to the present. "Are you okay with this?"
"Okay with what?" Ianto asked.
"With Gwen and Rhys getting married," he said quietly.
Ianto laughed and patted Jack's cheek playfully. "No, I'm completely furious that our friends are so utterly in love that they've committed to each other for life," he deadpanned. "How dare they."
"I just thought -- Well, you know..."
"That it would bring up memories of Lisa?" Ianto asked.
"No. Well, yes," Jack admitted. "You wanted this once," he explained. "And we haven't really discussed anything like marriage..."
"Should I worry?" Ianto teased, looking over at him.
"No! I just -- I mean -- " Jack sighed. "If you wanted to get married, I wouldn't be against the idea."
"Do you want to get married, Jack?" Ianto asked.
"Doesn't really matter," Jack replied.
"Oh, I'd say it does." Ianto grinned at him. "Honest now."
Jack fell silent and avoided Ianto's gaze, a sure sign that he was trying to come up with a good deflection. Ianto just watched him, untangling the jumble of emotions coming off of his lover. There was a part of Jack that wanted to be possessive, to claim Ianto as his, the part that came out often during sex and left Ianto's pale skin littered with fading bruises the next morning. There was another part of Jack that didn't want to get married, didn't feel the utter need to tie himself to Ianto, that what they were making out for themselves was just fine.
Ianto dipped his head, capturing Jack's mouth in a heated kiss. Jack groaned softly against Ianto's lips, slanting his head just so and allowing Ianto's tongue to plunge deeper into his mouth. When Ianto finally pulled back, Jack's eyes were deep blue and blown wide. The young Mage licked his wet lips, still tasting Jack. "I don't need to marry you for everyone to know that you're mine," he said, touching Jack's cheek. "No person in a robe can tell me that we're allowed to be together or not." He gave a grin. "Well, maybe your parents."
Jack laughed. "If they didn't approve of you, I'd just tell them to jump off the bell tower."
Ianto smiled and set his goblet on a table, pulling him towards the dance floor. "I'm completely and utterly happy with you," he reassured Jack, one arm around his waist, the other holding Jack's hand tight. They started swaying together with the music, feet moving in perfect time. "If our relationship changes, then it changes. Right now, I'm just wonderful."
Jack smiled, pulling him a little bit closer. "Good."
Ianto kissed him again, softer, more leisurely. "Are you happy, Jack?"
"Yeah," Jack replied, smiling back at him. "But there is something I want to do."
Chapter Three: A Funny Thing Happened
Date Written: 2/12/09
Rating: PG/K+
Word Count: 1,259
Fandom: Torchwood/Doctor Who
Characters/Pairings: Ianto/Jack, Gwen/Rhys
Spoilers: Doctor Who up through Season 04, Torchwood up through 02, Different Sort of Science and To Days To Come
Warnings: AU like whoa.
Author's Notes: Thanks so much to my gorgeous betas totally4ryo and katestamps, who are my sounding boards, my muses, and all-around fantastic girls. Also, this chapter's quote is extremely appropriate, since chapter 3, 4, and 5 all wrote themselves out of order. *shakes fist*
Previous chapters found here.
Book cover by et_muse
"Sorry, I've got a complex life. Things sometimes don't happen to me in the right order. Especially weddings. I'm rubbish at weddings. Especially my own."
-- The Doctor, Blink
After Harold's execution, things were tense throughout the upper classes. Rose was trying her best to keep everyone on an even keel, but that didn't stop the court from glaring at each other accusingly, the Loyalists waiting to be executed themselves and the Rebels waiting for the other shoe to drop.
So Gwen Cooper and Rhys Williams took it upon themselves to shake things up and elope.
Ianto could have killed them.
He was, of course, thrilled that they'd decided to commit themselves to each other. They were two of his closest friends, and ever since he'd first met them when he started at Torchwood House he'd known they were perfect for each other. There were fights, of course -- foundation-shaking arguments that rocked the entire House until they blew over -- but they really did love each other. It was plain from the way they looked at each other when they thought no one else was paying attention.
The problem was their families -- specifically Gwen's. Like most of the students and staff of Torchwood House, both Gwen and Rhys were upper class but Rhys was nobility through his mother. And, of course, Rhys's mother was not one of those kind, considerate nobles Ianto had the privilege of working with on a regular basis.
"And then she says she wants to have a bloody party here at bloody Torchwood House, like she's some sort of commoner," the woman was saying to Ianto. He could smell the wine on her breath as she waved her goblet around, spilling more of the dark-colored liquid onto the floor. "I mean, have you ever heard of such a thing?" she demanded, jabbing a finger at Ianto's chest.
Ianto raised an eyebrow. "What would that be, the fact that two people love each other enough to not care about social class or the fact that they wanted to share their happiness with their friends and family?"
The old woman was momentarily stunned. "I -- I mean -- " She stammered before frowning. "They should have asked. Slinking off makes it seem suspicious."
Ianto shrugged. "Maybe they thought that if they had a traditional engagement," he paused to clear his throat for effect, "ahem, there was a chance that certain people would selfishly try to stop the union from ever taking place."
Rhys' mother gaped at him, mouth opening and closing like a fish as she tried to work out if Ianto had insulted her or not.
"If you'll excuse me, Mrs. Williams," Ianto said, every inch the gentleman his father had taught him to be before almost running away from her.
Jack gave him an amused grin as he approached his lover. "She's a spiteful old woman, isn't she?" he greeted Ianto, holding out a glass of wine for Ianto.
"I can think of a few other terms to use to describe her," Ianto admitted, tipping back the glass. The wine was smooth against his tongue. "But my mother raised me to have too much respect for women."
Jack laughed. "Well, lucky for me then, my mother won't get mad when I say she's an evil bitch who needs to stop bathing in cologne and try water once in a while."
Ianto grinned. "Jack, your mother would probably agree. And add a few more comments, most likely about her not wearing horizontal stripes," he said off-handedly, sipping from his glass. "Or about how her social standing should be stripped due to her extreme narrow-mindedness." Jack raised an amused eyebrow, and Ianto shrugged, his smile turning sly. "That is, of course, pure conjecture on my part as to what the Queen would say," he said, mock-innocent.
Jack threw his head back and laughed again, putting his arm around Ianto's waist. It seemed innocent enough, but Ianto saw it was rather possessive. Instead of bringing it up, however, he leaned into Jack's embrace, smiling.
Gwen and Rhys were dancing together, looking for all the world like they were the only two people in the Hall. In all actuality, they were just one of many couples swaying about the dance floor, and more people flanked the group of dancers, talking or eating or both.
Rhys dipped Gwen, making her laugh and smack his shoulder playfully. The silver band on her hand flashed and he found himself smiling fondly. She'd shown him the little piece of jewelry the moment she'd walked into the House, a little band with intertwining fire and water symbols circling the outside. He'd known instantly what it meant -- a ring on the first finger of her dominant hand was the customary place for wedding jewelry in her family.
He'd chewed her out for running off after he'd hugged her tight and told her congratulations.
Jack's mouth against his ear brought him back to the present. "Are you okay with this?"
"Okay with what?" Ianto asked.
"With Gwen and Rhys getting married," he said quietly.
Ianto laughed and patted Jack's cheek playfully. "No, I'm completely furious that our friends are so utterly in love that they've committed to each other for life," he deadpanned. "How dare they."
"I just thought -- Well, you know..."
"That it would bring up memories of Lisa?" Ianto asked.
"No. Well, yes," Jack admitted. "You wanted this once," he explained. "And we haven't really discussed anything like marriage..."
"Should I worry?" Ianto teased, looking over at him.
"No! I just -- I mean -- " Jack sighed. "If you wanted to get married, I wouldn't be against the idea."
"Do you want to get married, Jack?" Ianto asked.
"Doesn't really matter," Jack replied.
"Oh, I'd say it does." Ianto grinned at him. "Honest now."
Jack fell silent and avoided Ianto's gaze, a sure sign that he was trying to come up with a good deflection. Ianto just watched him, untangling the jumble of emotions coming off of his lover. There was a part of Jack that wanted to be possessive, to claim Ianto as his, the part that came out often during sex and left Ianto's pale skin littered with fading bruises the next morning. There was another part of Jack that didn't want to get married, didn't feel the utter need to tie himself to Ianto, that what they were making out for themselves was just fine.
Ianto dipped his head, capturing Jack's mouth in a heated kiss. Jack groaned softly against Ianto's lips, slanting his head just so and allowing Ianto's tongue to plunge deeper into his mouth. When Ianto finally pulled back, Jack's eyes were deep blue and blown wide. The young Mage licked his wet lips, still tasting Jack. "I don't need to marry you for everyone to know that you're mine," he said, touching Jack's cheek. "No person in a robe can tell me that we're allowed to be together or not." He gave a grin. "Well, maybe your parents."
Jack laughed. "If they didn't approve of you, I'd just tell them to jump off the bell tower."
Ianto smiled and set his goblet on a table, pulling him towards the dance floor. "I'm completely and utterly happy with you," he reassured Jack, one arm around his waist, the other holding Jack's hand tight. They started swaying together with the music, feet moving in perfect time. "If our relationship changes, then it changes. Right now, I'm just wonderful."
Jack smiled, pulling him a little bit closer. "Good."
Ianto kissed him again, softer, more leisurely. "Are you happy, Jack?"
"Yeah," Jack replied, smiling back at him. "But there is something I want to do."