The progression of Ianto's mindset from the potential for panic to owning the situation is brilliantly expressed here:
Silently, Hart led Ianto and Jack in a different direction. Jack was clearly counting doorways and trying to remember where things were in case their guide betrayed them. Ianto counted his own doorways, in case he needed to escape without either of them. He remembered this, barely, from his mad dash to freedom when he'd first arrived in the fifty-first century, but then all office buildings took on a similar form from their function. While Time Agents and their masters plotted out the past and future of the human race, underlings still had to mind the paperwork, fetch food and drink, and get on with the day to day business of keeping the organisation running smoothly.
He let the clothing settle him into the proper mindset: don't mind me, the harried clerk, looking after these big, arrogant babies. The persona he wore was familiar in any time, and he let a half-smile hide behind his mild impatience. Really, these Time Agents couldn't tie their own shoes without someone there to file a Form 792-B in triplicate. He met the eyes of other clerks and staffers as they passed in the halls, human and humanlike and not, all joined in the brotherhood of understaffers everywhere whose fate it was to sweep up messes both literal and figurative on a meagre salary with a reasonable benefits package.
He ought to ask Jack if the Time Agency offered paid holidays.
****
And while I'm taking notes anyway - one of my favourite things about this 'verse is the excerpts from Jacks autobiography (so aptly titled, too!) and Ianto's parenthetical notes. Full of win.
****
She smiled encouragingly. "What did you do for a living in the twenty-first century?"
Fought aliens. Filed anachronistic and extraterrestrial artefacts away for safe keeping. Disposed of bodies. Provided food, drink, laundry services, and sexual favours to my employer. "General admin work."
*snort*
The cold faded.
"Tell me that has a 'Kung Fu' setting."
*LOL!*
And then... NOOOoooo!!! Crap.
*reads on*
(Second time through this one too and finally taking the time to leave actually comments. - First time through I was so riveted I didn't want to risk spoiling anything.)
Silently, Hart led Ianto and Jack in a different direction. Jack was clearly counting doorways and trying to remember where things were in case their guide betrayed them. Ianto counted his own doorways, in case he needed to escape without either of them. He remembered this, barely, from his mad dash to freedom when he'd first arrived in the fifty-first century, but then all office buildings took on a similar form from their function. While Time Agents and their masters plotted out the past and future of the human race, underlings still had to mind the paperwork, fetch food and drink, and get on with the day to day business of keeping the organisation running smoothly.
He let the clothing settle him into the proper mindset: don't mind me, the harried clerk, looking after these big, arrogant babies. The persona he wore was familiar in any time, and he let a half-smile hide behind his mild impatience. Really, these Time Agents couldn't tie their own shoes without someone there to file a Form 792-B in triplicate. He met the eyes of other clerks and staffers as they passed in the halls, human and humanlike and not, all joined in the brotherhood of understaffers everywhere whose fate it was to sweep up messes both literal and figurative on a meagre salary with a reasonable benefits package.
He ought to ask Jack if the Time Agency offered paid holidays.
****
And while I'm taking notes anyway - one of my favourite things about this 'verse is the excerpts from Jacks autobiography (so aptly titled, too!) and Ianto's parenthetical notes. Full of win.
****
She smiled encouragingly. "What did you do for a living in the twenty-first century?"
Fought aliens. Filed anachronistic and extraterrestrial artefacts away for safe keeping. Disposed of bodies. Provided food, drink, laundry services, and sexual favours to my employer. "General admin work."
*snort*
The cold faded.
"Tell me that has a 'Kung Fu' setting."
*LOL!*
And then... NOOOoooo!!! Crap.
*reads on*
(Second time through this one too and finally taking the time to leave actually comments. - First time through I was so riveted I didn't want to risk spoiling anything.)
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