2 Torchwood and 2 Doctor Who drabbles: Water Quartet
Author: rustydog
Rating: PG overall (most are G)
Notes: Three drabbles and one final double drabble on the theme of "water." Drabbles written for writercon100.
(Previously: Wind Quartet, Earth Quartet and Fire Quartet.)
Water Quartet
1.
Title: Something in the Rain Tonight
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Gwen/Rhys
Note: Set a few hours before 1x01 "Everything Changes."
Summary: It would be so easy just to stay here where it's warm and dry...
Gwen watched the rain streaming down the windows.
Rhys leaned over to nuzzle her. "I'll call in, say you're too weak to lift the phone," he pleaded softly into her hair. "It's warm and dry here. I'm warm..."
Gwen wriggled away reluctantly, protesting about duty and her reputation. Truth was, even on nights like this, she liked going to work. She felt alive.
When she emerged from the building, drops splashed her face. There was something different in the rain tonight, she thought. It tasted... dangerous? But no, that was silly. She adjusted her hat and stepped into the street.
2.
Title: Liquor of Life
Fandom: Doctor Who (2005)
Characters: Nine, Jack, Rose
Summary: Rose really doesn't want to know.
The flash flood swept them several yards through the forest. With the worst gone, bruised and dripping, they helped each other up.
Rose wrinkled her nose. "Does the water smell... odd?"
The Doctor licked a wet finger, peering through the trees. "Oh, the megafauna in this era! Mammals, brilliant. Wonder where Mum is?" He took off, sloshing.
Jack chuckled. "Sorry, Rose, not water. The good news is, soon there'll be some giant and very adorable new babies around here. Just don't let the mother mistake you for a cub - the slobber from a tongue that size could really drown you..."
3.
Title: Swirls
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Ianto
Summary: There's always blood.
Ianto limps toward the street where they left the SUV, stopping to rinse his hands in a puddle. He needs to retrieve Jack's body quickly, but it’s never wise to walk around in public covered in blood.
He manages to clean everything except what’s under his fingernails. He should leave, but he suddenly feels weary and remains squatting, watching the water settle, dirty brown mixing with red.
He can see a swirling reflection of his face. Is that blood on his cheek, or in the water?
He knows it's both. He can barely remember a time when there wasn't blood.
4.
Title: The Quiet Inside a Cloud
Fandom: Classic Who
Characters: Seven, Ace
Summary: The Doctor wants to show Ace the sky.
After they met the flying people of Eskros, the Doctor realized that through all Ace's travels, she had never actually been in the sky. For their next stop, he parked the TARDIS inside a cloud.
It was actually the highest mountain in the galaxy, so far above the next peak, they could just make out the curvature of the planet. They hiked to a ledge and watched giant birds in the air below, soaring black shapes appearing and disappearing in the mist.
He had expected Ace to be full of questions and her brand of colloquial exclamations, but as they walked back, silence clung to them as thick as the white vapor. Despite her leather jacket, Ace was shivering. He laid his coat over her shoulders, giving her no chance to refuse.
"Professor..."
"Yes, Ace?"
"It's pretty here. Thanks."
"But...?"
"Nothing. Bad dreams, I guess. Forget it."
Water was a fascinating element, he thought as droplets condensed, snaking down the curve of his umbrella handle. It could wash away the grime, help you see things clearly - or it could obscure. Hidden by this cloud was more than he knew about Ace, and so much more than she knew about him.
Rating: PG overall (most are G)
Notes: Three drabbles and one final double drabble on the theme of "water." Drabbles written for writercon100.
(Previously: Wind Quartet, Earth Quartet and Fire Quartet.)
Water Quartet
1.
Title: Something in the Rain Tonight
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Gwen/Rhys
Note: Set a few hours before 1x01 "Everything Changes."
Summary: It would be so easy just to stay here where it's warm and dry...
Gwen watched the rain streaming down the windows.
Rhys leaned over to nuzzle her. "I'll call in, say you're too weak to lift the phone," he pleaded softly into her hair. "It's warm and dry here. I'm warm..."
Gwen wriggled away reluctantly, protesting about duty and her reputation. Truth was, even on nights like this, she liked going to work. She felt alive.
When she emerged from the building, drops splashed her face. There was something different in the rain tonight, she thought. It tasted... dangerous? But no, that was silly. She adjusted her hat and stepped into the street.
2.
Title: Liquor of Life
Fandom: Doctor Who (2005)
Characters: Nine, Jack, Rose
Summary: Rose really doesn't want to know.
The flash flood swept them several yards through the forest. With the worst gone, bruised and dripping, they helped each other up.
Rose wrinkled her nose. "Does the water smell... odd?"
The Doctor licked a wet finger, peering through the trees. "Oh, the megafauna in this era! Mammals, brilliant. Wonder where Mum is?" He took off, sloshing.
Jack chuckled. "Sorry, Rose, not water. The good news is, soon there'll be some giant and very adorable new babies around here. Just don't let the mother mistake you for a cub - the slobber from a tongue that size could really drown you..."
3.
Title: Swirls
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Ianto
Summary: There's always blood.
Ianto limps toward the street where they left the SUV, stopping to rinse his hands in a puddle. He needs to retrieve Jack's body quickly, but it’s never wise to walk around in public covered in blood.
He manages to clean everything except what’s under his fingernails. He should leave, but he suddenly feels weary and remains squatting, watching the water settle, dirty brown mixing with red.
He can see a swirling reflection of his face. Is that blood on his cheek, or in the water?
He knows it's both. He can barely remember a time when there wasn't blood.
4.
Title: The Quiet Inside a Cloud
Fandom: Classic Who
Characters: Seven, Ace
Summary: The Doctor wants to show Ace the sky.
After they met the flying people of Eskros, the Doctor realized that through all Ace's travels, she had never actually been in the sky. For their next stop, he parked the TARDIS inside a cloud.
It was actually the highest mountain in the galaxy, so far above the next peak, they could just make out the curvature of the planet. They hiked to a ledge and watched giant birds in the air below, soaring black shapes appearing and disappearing in the mist.
He had expected Ace to be full of questions and her brand of colloquial exclamations, but as they walked back, silence clung to them as thick as the white vapor. Despite her leather jacket, Ace was shivering. He laid his coat over her shoulders, giving her no chance to refuse.
"Professor..."
"Yes, Ace?"
"It's pretty here. Thanks."
"But...?"
"Nothing. Bad dreams, I guess. Forget it."
Water was a fascinating element, he thought as droplets condensed, snaking down the curve of his umbrella handle. It could wash away the grime, help you see things clearly - or it could obscure. Hidden by this cloud was more than he knew about Ace, and so much more than she knew about him.