Torchwood -- Better Off
Title: Better Off
jantocam Challenge #2
Date Written: 3/2/10
Rating: PG/K+
Word Count: 458
Fandom: Torchwood
Disclaimer: Not mine, property of their respective owners
Characters/Pairings: Jack, Ianto
Spoilers: None.
Warnings: None. Slight possible AU.
Author's Notes: A little late, I know, but here it is! Massively unbetaed, all screw-ups mine.
"Here you are."
Jack Harkness looked up, startled by the sudden appearance of a takeaway cup in his field of vision. A young man with dark hair and dressed in an impeccable suit was standing in front of him.
He smiled apologetically. "It's hot cocoa," the youth explained, the words framed in a gorgeous accent. Welsh, if Jack's guess was correct.
"How manly." The insult slipped from his lips before Jack realized that he'd said it.
The younger man took it in stride, however, with a shrug. "The coffee from that place is shite, cocoa's the only good thing they make." He nodded at Jack. "You look like you could use something to lift your spirits."
Jack chuckled a little. "You could say that." He looked at the rose in his hand and shrugged. "My girlfriend dumped me."
"I'm sorry." The condolence was surprisingly heartfelt.
He pulled a small velvet-covered box out of his coat pocket and looked down at it. "I was going to ask her to marry me."
There was an awkward pause as the other man tried to figure out what to say. Finally he sighed. "Well, it's a good thing she dumped you before it got complicated."
The laugh burst out of Jack before he could catch himself. The dark-haired man grinned and pushed the cup into his hands. "Go on. On me. Chocolate's good for helping to heal a broken heart. Girls get it right sometimes."
"T-thank you." Jack went to fumble in his pocket for some cash, but the man just shook his head.
"On the house." He pointed at the cup. "And don't be afraid to get something stronger into you."
Jack nodded and the dark-haired man turned to continue on his way. He was halfway across the street before Jack realized --
"Hey, what's your name?" he called out.
The younger man turned to holler back "Ianto!" over the roar of engines idling at the light.
"I'm -- "
Jack's yell was caught up in sound of a lorry rumbling down the street as the light changed, horn blaring and blocking the young man from view. When the truck finally moved away, Ianto was gone.
He sighed and sat down at the fountain, looking at the drink in his hand. He wasn't actually going to drink it -- his mother hadn't raised stupid children -- but the thought still warmed him from head to toe.
He grinned a little when he noticed that the barista had scribbled Ianto's name on the take-away cup. He was a regular, then, or regular enough to be friendly with the staff.
He'd have to swing by the shop. He did owe the man a drink, at least.
Maybe that something stronger Ianto had suggested.
jantocam Challenge #2
Date Written: 3/2/10
Rating: PG/K+
Word Count: 458
Fandom: Torchwood
Disclaimer: Not mine, property of their respective owners
Characters/Pairings: Jack, Ianto
Spoilers: None.
Warnings: None. Slight possible AU.
Author's Notes: A little late, I know, but here it is! Massively unbetaed, all screw-ups mine.
"Here you are."
Jack Harkness looked up, startled by the sudden appearance of a takeaway cup in his field of vision. A young man with dark hair and dressed in an impeccable suit was standing in front of him.
He smiled apologetically. "It's hot cocoa," the youth explained, the words framed in a gorgeous accent. Welsh, if Jack's guess was correct.
"How manly." The insult slipped from his lips before Jack realized that he'd said it.
The younger man took it in stride, however, with a shrug. "The coffee from that place is shite, cocoa's the only good thing they make." He nodded at Jack. "You look like you could use something to lift your spirits."
Jack chuckled a little. "You could say that." He looked at the rose in his hand and shrugged. "My girlfriend dumped me."
"I'm sorry." The condolence was surprisingly heartfelt.
He pulled a small velvet-covered box out of his coat pocket and looked down at it. "I was going to ask her to marry me."
There was an awkward pause as the other man tried to figure out what to say. Finally he sighed. "Well, it's a good thing she dumped you before it got complicated."
The laugh burst out of Jack before he could catch himself. The dark-haired man grinned and pushed the cup into his hands. "Go on. On me. Chocolate's good for helping to heal a broken heart. Girls get it right sometimes."
"T-thank you." Jack went to fumble in his pocket for some cash, but the man just shook his head.
"On the house." He pointed at the cup. "And don't be afraid to get something stronger into you."
Jack nodded and the dark-haired man turned to continue on his way. He was halfway across the street before Jack realized --
"Hey, what's your name?" he called out.
The younger man turned to holler back "Ianto!" over the roar of engines idling at the light.
"I'm -- "
Jack's yell was caught up in sound of a lorry rumbling down the street as the light changed, horn blaring and blocking the young man from view. When the truck finally moved away, Ianto was gone.
He sighed and sat down at the fountain, looking at the drink in his hand. He wasn't actually going to drink it -- his mother hadn't raised stupid children -- but the thought still warmed him from head to toe.
He grinned a little when he noticed that the barista had scribbled Ianto's name on the take-away cup. He was a regular, then, or regular enough to be friendly with the staff.
He'd have to swing by the shop. He did owe the man a drink, at least.
Maybe that something stronger Ianto had suggested.