ficlet dump: Torchwood, White Collar, The West Wing
So, during the day when I'm bored at my terrible job, sometimes I ask twitter for fic prompts. Then sometimes I write ficlets. Here are some of them.
***
Torchwood - Ianto + Gwen "Gwen stranded in a shower without a towel. Ianto comes to her rescue and tries to remain a gentleman & it's terribly awkward." for heddychaa
Ianto opened the door from the garage to the tunnels and was immediately met by bellowing. This wasn't a unique experience; Jack frequently forgot that they all wore handy communication devices that eschewed the need for shouting. However, it wasn't Jack shouting his name through the halls this time.
"Ianto! Ianto!"
Ianto quickened his pace. Gwen was shouting. Gwen wasn't a shouter, not around the Hub, at least. Gwen used her comm or waved a distracted hand to get his attention or used whatever favor she needed as an excuse to get up from her desk and move around a bit. But no, today Gwen was shouting, and a dozen terrible scenarios raced through his mind and he headed towards the source of the ruckus. He skidded against the concrete, attempting to take a sharp corner.
"Gwen?" he called.
"Oh thank god! I'm in the showers!"
Ianto sprinted the last few feet and closed his hand on the handle of the door to the showers.
"Wait, no!" Gwen shouted, and he froze, the door opened only a crack. He was breathing heavily. His hands were shaking.
"Gwen," he said slowly. "Are you okay? What the bloody hell is going on?"
"I'm fine," Gwen said. "I didn't meant to startle you. I just-well, I'm in a spot of trouble."
Ianto went to go through the door again.
"No!" Gwen said. And he froze. Again. "No, it's just that... well, there are no towels."
Ianto rolled his eyes so hard it hurt.
"Hey! I heard that!" Gwen shouted.
"You did not!" Ianto said.
"Yes, well, I know you rolled your eyes at me! But this is serious-my clothes were ruined so I binned them and there are no towels! And we never replaced the curtains in here and I don't know where you keep the towels and I'm certainly not walking all the way across the bloody Hub to the locker room. God knows why it's so far away from the showers in the first place."
"Because Jack has been eagerly waiting for this to happen for years," Ianto said dryly.
"Exactly," Gwen said. "The last thing I want to do is give Jack bloody Harkness a free show."
"Okay," Ianto said. "I'll fetch you a towel. Jack's still out at the site-he's going to drop our friend at a safe house and then buy you some fairy cakes to make up for ruining your clothes."
"Well, thank god for small favors," Gwen said. Ianto rolled his eyes again, but quickly crossed the halls. It really was terrible inconvenient that the locker room was so far away from the showers. Now that it was just the three of them and Jack was already seeing him naked on a regular basis, Ianto supposed they should have a talk about moving it back to where it was supposed to be.
He fetched a stack of towels. He used to refill the towels weekly, but since everything that had happened, there wasn't much of a point. Gwen still used the main showers, but Ianto was more comfortable using Jack's shower, these days, something he never would have done when Tosh and Owen were still around.
He sighed. It still seemed unreal. They'd have to start recruiting one of these days, but the pain was still raw and he understood Jack's hesitance to interrupt their mourning.
Still, dark thoughts were best saved for a time when he was alone and could more fully indulge in a good mope. For the moment, he was a man on a mission, so he took the towels back down the hall to the showers.
"I've got the towels," Ianto called out.
"Good," Gwen said. "Can you bring them in? But shut your eyes!"
"We're both adults, Gwen," Ianto said, but his eyes had already been closed when she said it. He pushed open the door to the showers and managed to walk somewhat briskly towards the sound of Gwen's voice.
"Oh, you're an angel, Ianto," Gwen said, and the towels were lifted out of his arms. Ianto gave it a good ten count and then opened his eyes.
Then he blushed and slammed them shut, turning his back hastily.
"Thanks ag-what in the-you peeked, didn't you!"
"Not on purpose!" Ianto insisted. "I assumed you'd put the towel on before you went about tidying up the showers!"
"I was putting the towels on the shelf!" Gwen said and then she was laughing. "I suppose we're even then. I've seen you naked, you've seen me naked...."
"Doesn't make it any less mortifying," Ianto muttered. Gwen laughed again and then smacked him lightly on the shoulder.
"I'm decent. You can turn around now," she said, and Ianto did so slowly and deliberately. Gwen was, indeed, covered by a towel. She had another one wrapped around her hair. She smiled at him and then kissed his cheek.
"Thanks for the towels, love," she said. "You I don' t mind giving the free show." She winked and, if possible, Ianto blushed more.
"You know," he said, "there are days I don't like you very much."
Gwen smirked at him. "I know that's not true," she said, heading out of the showers and towards the lockers with an absent wave.
***
White Collar - Diana + El for paper_tzipporah and such_heights, who wanted Diana and El being awesome
It's takes Elizabeth three minutes to suggest it. Diana is keeping track on the clock that sits on the mantle.
"You know," Elizabeth says, "we could go look."
Diana almost expects her to say "looking isn't getting involved," because if there's anyone who's been spending too much time with Caffrey (aside, of course, from Peter and Diana herself), it's Elizabeth Burke. She doesn't say it, though, she just looks at Diana with big, blue innocent eyes.
Diana spends half a second weighing how pissed the boss will be for taking his wife by the crime scene she specifically promised she'd keep her away from, and then shrugs.
"You're not in custody," Diana says. "You're technically allowed to go wherever you want."
"And Peter didn't tell you to say here," Elizabeth says, catching on quickly. Diana doesn't know why she's surprised-anyone would have to be quick to keep up with Peter and Caffrey. "He just told you to watch me. So, if I were to go by the office-"
"I'd be forced to follow you," Diana finished gravely. Elizabeth smiles, and just for a moment, she looks as devious as Diana knows she is. Then it's back to sweetness and light as she grabs her coat and bag.
"I mean, it is my office," Elizabeth continues as she waits for Diana to put her jacket on. "And Peter hustled me out very quickly. It's entirely possible that I forgot something."
"Then you should definitely go get it back," Diana says. "I'll come along. To protect you, of course."
"Of course," Elizabeth says. Not that Diana believes for a moment that this woman needs protecting.
"Lead the way," Diana says, gesturing towards the door. She takes one last glance at the clock on the mantle. They should get there just in time to save Peter and Caffrey's asses. Perfect.
***
The West Wing - CJ and Duarte for bessiemaemucho, who wanted hijinks in the West Wing with her cat.
"Okay," Will says. He sounds a little aggravated, which isn't entirely different from normal except for how he's saying it in the middle of a meeting he's not actually a part of. Josh and Toby are both blinking at him. Carol just looks amused.
"Yes?" CJ asks, as if she doesn't have any clue why he's so frustrated. It doesn’t work quite as well as she hoped it would, probably because CJ is devious and everyone knows it. If Will shows up at her office, looking crazed, it's probably with good reason.
She should have gotten Donna in on this. Donna always looks like butter wouldn't melt in her mouth.
"The cat," Will says between clenched teeth, "has got to go."
"Cat?" Josh asks.
"Don't ask," Toby mutters. CJ just smiles wider, which probably isn't helping that whole innocent thing she was going for.
"The goat I could handle," Will said. "And the posters and the bicycles and the chairs and the lights. But that cat is the devil and I give up. You win. You've beaten me. Just get rid of it."
As if summoned, there's a tiny mew and Duarte George Washington stalks into CJ's office. He looks about as smug as a cat can look, which is a lot more than you'd expect. On sight, Josh jumps up onto a chair and makes a noise that's not entirely unlike a girlish shriek.
"Oh, CJ, that's going too far!" Josh insists, pointing at the kitten. "That's not playing fair!"
"I don't know what you're talking about, Josh," CJ says. "George Washington is perfectly loveable."
"I'm with Will!" Josh insists. "That cat is THE DEVIL. It...scratches and...it's evil, okay?"
CJ leans over to pet George Washington's fuzzy grey head. "You're both being entirely ridiculous." She doesn't exactly sound convincing.
"Yeah, right," Josh says. He very cautiously edges past George Washington and out of CJ's office. "Come on, Will. I'll help you fix the lights in your office."
CJ just smiles to herself as they rush away. Will may have gained an ally, but tomorrow, CJ's going to put cat treats in Josh's pockets, too.
***
Anyway, if you too want your very own ficlet, you should find me on Skype from 9-5:30 EST or wait for the call on Twitter!
***
Torchwood - Ianto + Gwen "Gwen stranded in a shower without a towel. Ianto comes to her rescue and tries to remain a gentleman & it's terribly awkward." for heddychaa
Ianto opened the door from the garage to the tunnels and was immediately met by bellowing. This wasn't a unique experience; Jack frequently forgot that they all wore handy communication devices that eschewed the need for shouting. However, it wasn't Jack shouting his name through the halls this time.
"Ianto! Ianto!"
Ianto quickened his pace. Gwen was shouting. Gwen wasn't a shouter, not around the Hub, at least. Gwen used her comm or waved a distracted hand to get his attention or used whatever favor she needed as an excuse to get up from her desk and move around a bit. But no, today Gwen was shouting, and a dozen terrible scenarios raced through his mind and he headed towards the source of the ruckus. He skidded against the concrete, attempting to take a sharp corner.
"Gwen?" he called.
"Oh thank god! I'm in the showers!"
Ianto sprinted the last few feet and closed his hand on the handle of the door to the showers.
"Wait, no!" Gwen shouted, and he froze, the door opened only a crack. He was breathing heavily. His hands were shaking.
"Gwen," he said slowly. "Are you okay? What the bloody hell is going on?"
"I'm fine," Gwen said. "I didn't meant to startle you. I just-well, I'm in a spot of trouble."
Ianto went to go through the door again.
"No!" Gwen said. And he froze. Again. "No, it's just that... well, there are no towels."
Ianto rolled his eyes so hard it hurt.
"Hey! I heard that!" Gwen shouted.
"You did not!" Ianto said.
"Yes, well, I know you rolled your eyes at me! But this is serious-my clothes were ruined so I binned them and there are no towels! And we never replaced the curtains in here and I don't know where you keep the towels and I'm certainly not walking all the way across the bloody Hub to the locker room. God knows why it's so far away from the showers in the first place."
"Because Jack has been eagerly waiting for this to happen for years," Ianto said dryly.
"Exactly," Gwen said. "The last thing I want to do is give Jack bloody Harkness a free show."
"Okay," Ianto said. "I'll fetch you a towel. Jack's still out at the site-he's going to drop our friend at a safe house and then buy you some fairy cakes to make up for ruining your clothes."
"Well, thank god for small favors," Gwen said. Ianto rolled his eyes again, but quickly crossed the halls. It really was terrible inconvenient that the locker room was so far away from the showers. Now that it was just the three of them and Jack was already seeing him naked on a regular basis, Ianto supposed they should have a talk about moving it back to where it was supposed to be.
He fetched a stack of towels. He used to refill the towels weekly, but since everything that had happened, there wasn't much of a point. Gwen still used the main showers, but Ianto was more comfortable using Jack's shower, these days, something he never would have done when Tosh and Owen were still around.
He sighed. It still seemed unreal. They'd have to start recruiting one of these days, but the pain was still raw and he understood Jack's hesitance to interrupt their mourning.
Still, dark thoughts were best saved for a time when he was alone and could more fully indulge in a good mope. For the moment, he was a man on a mission, so he took the towels back down the hall to the showers.
"I've got the towels," Ianto called out.
"Good," Gwen said. "Can you bring them in? But shut your eyes!"
"We're both adults, Gwen," Ianto said, but his eyes had already been closed when she said it. He pushed open the door to the showers and managed to walk somewhat briskly towards the sound of Gwen's voice.
"Oh, you're an angel, Ianto," Gwen said, and the towels were lifted out of his arms. Ianto gave it a good ten count and then opened his eyes.
Then he blushed and slammed them shut, turning his back hastily.
"Thanks ag-what in the-you peeked, didn't you!"
"Not on purpose!" Ianto insisted. "I assumed you'd put the towel on before you went about tidying up the showers!"
"I was putting the towels on the shelf!" Gwen said and then she was laughing. "I suppose we're even then. I've seen you naked, you've seen me naked...."
"Doesn't make it any less mortifying," Ianto muttered. Gwen laughed again and then smacked him lightly on the shoulder.
"I'm decent. You can turn around now," she said, and Ianto did so slowly and deliberately. Gwen was, indeed, covered by a towel. She had another one wrapped around her hair. She smiled at him and then kissed his cheek.
"Thanks for the towels, love," she said. "You I don' t mind giving the free show." She winked and, if possible, Ianto blushed more.
"You know," he said, "there are days I don't like you very much."
Gwen smirked at him. "I know that's not true," she said, heading out of the showers and towards the lockers with an absent wave.
***
White Collar - Diana + El for paper_tzipporah and such_heights, who wanted Diana and El being awesome
It's takes Elizabeth three minutes to suggest it. Diana is keeping track on the clock that sits on the mantle.
"You know," Elizabeth says, "we could go look."
Diana almost expects her to say "looking isn't getting involved," because if there's anyone who's been spending too much time with Caffrey (aside, of course, from Peter and Diana herself), it's Elizabeth Burke. She doesn't say it, though, she just looks at Diana with big, blue innocent eyes.
Diana spends half a second weighing how pissed the boss will be for taking his wife by the crime scene she specifically promised she'd keep her away from, and then shrugs.
"You're not in custody," Diana says. "You're technically allowed to go wherever you want."
"And Peter didn't tell you to say here," Elizabeth says, catching on quickly. Diana doesn't know why she's surprised-anyone would have to be quick to keep up with Peter and Caffrey. "He just told you to watch me. So, if I were to go by the office-"
"I'd be forced to follow you," Diana finished gravely. Elizabeth smiles, and just for a moment, she looks as devious as Diana knows she is. Then it's back to sweetness and light as she grabs her coat and bag.
"I mean, it is my office," Elizabeth continues as she waits for Diana to put her jacket on. "And Peter hustled me out very quickly. It's entirely possible that I forgot something."
"Then you should definitely go get it back," Diana says. "I'll come along. To protect you, of course."
"Of course," Elizabeth says. Not that Diana believes for a moment that this woman needs protecting.
"Lead the way," Diana says, gesturing towards the door. She takes one last glance at the clock on the mantle. They should get there just in time to save Peter and Caffrey's asses. Perfect.
***
The West Wing - CJ and Duarte for bessiemaemucho, who wanted hijinks in the West Wing with her cat.
"Okay," Will says. He sounds a little aggravated, which isn't entirely different from normal except for how he's saying it in the middle of a meeting he's not actually a part of. Josh and Toby are both blinking at him. Carol just looks amused.
"Yes?" CJ asks, as if she doesn't have any clue why he's so frustrated. It doesn’t work quite as well as she hoped it would, probably because CJ is devious and everyone knows it. If Will shows up at her office, looking crazed, it's probably with good reason.
She should have gotten Donna in on this. Donna always looks like butter wouldn't melt in her mouth.
"The cat," Will says between clenched teeth, "has got to go."
"Cat?" Josh asks.
"Don't ask," Toby mutters. CJ just smiles wider, which probably isn't helping that whole innocent thing she was going for.
"The goat I could handle," Will said. "And the posters and the bicycles and the chairs and the lights. But that cat is the devil and I give up. You win. You've beaten me. Just get rid of it."
As if summoned, there's a tiny mew and Duarte George Washington stalks into CJ's office. He looks about as smug as a cat can look, which is a lot more than you'd expect. On sight, Josh jumps up onto a chair and makes a noise that's not entirely unlike a girlish shriek.
"Oh, CJ, that's going too far!" Josh insists, pointing at the kitten. "That's not playing fair!"
"I don't know what you're talking about, Josh," CJ says. "George Washington is perfectly loveable."
"I'm with Will!" Josh insists. "That cat is THE DEVIL. It...scratches and...it's evil, okay?"
CJ leans over to pet George Washington's fuzzy grey head. "You're both being entirely ridiculous." She doesn't exactly sound convincing.
"Yeah, right," Josh says. He very cautiously edges past George Washington and out of CJ's office. "Come on, Will. I'll help you fix the lights in your office."
CJ just smiles to herself as they rush away. Will may have gained an ally, but tomorrow, CJ's going to put cat treats in Josh's pockets, too.
***
Anyway, if you too want your very own ficlet, you should find me on Skype from 9-5:30 EST or wait for the call on Twitter!