Hello Goodbye Hello Goodbye - Open to holycrap2hearts & te_gwas
It was more or less inevitable that Ianto would leave again, but somehow Fitz had been hoping that that would change now that things between them had changed. Apparently not. As he walks into the console room, the Doctor is entering coordinates and chattering as Ianto double checks that he has everything that he came on board the TARDIS with. He
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When he's finished making changes, he looks over his work and nods to himself. Yes, this one should be able to act with a bit more subtlety. Which would make it much easier for Zagreus to target Ianto and the Doctor through Fitz, rather than just enjoy the aftermath of random destruction from a distance. His survey finished, he severs the mental connection and gives the unconscious man a rough little shake, just enough to start him in the direction of wakefulness. Before Fitz can come to fully and regain his balance, however, Zagreus releases his hold and lets him start to fall. Odds are he'll barely be hurt, certainly the house had been chosen for its lack of inherent dangers, and the fall would do a lot to camoflage any behavioural oddities until his newly altered mind settles in a bit. Besides which, it's quite fun; Zagreus watches and grins.
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By the time he's fully awake, it's too late to brace for the impact into the uneven edge of the stair. In his panicked state, he grapples to stop himself from falling further, but only succeeds in slowing himself down. At the bottom of the stair, he groans and rubs at the back of his head. He's managed to survive the fall with only a jumbled head and what will definitely be more than a few bruises in the morning. For a moment he just lays there, his head resting on the carpet while his mind clears. What was he doing lying on the floor? Oh, right. Took a tumble.
With an effort, he folds his knees under him and stands. "Aaaaggh. Don't let me do that again. I feel like I've been hit by something very big and very angry." He chuckles and smirks up at Zagreus before turning and heading back towards the front door. "I'll give the Doctor your regards!"
On the way out, he spots the red guitar he'd given Ianto and picks it up as he walks out the door. It'd be a waste to lose such a nice instrument. Maybe he can convince Ianto he should start on something a little less advanced. Maybe an acoustic guitar. He snorts. Maybe a tambourine.
As he walks back to the TARDIS, he accentuates his new limp and settles a mask of concern over his face. This is going to be interesting.
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"Fitz!" he shouts worriedly, running over to meet him. If he let something happen to Fitz he'll never forgive himself. If he let something happen to Ianto he'll never forgive himself either, but dealing with the problem immediately in front of him seems wiser than wondering what other problems there might be.
"Fitz, are you hurt?" Of course he's hurt, he's limping, what a stupid question to ask. Stupid, stupid Doctor. He takes the guitar and pulls Fitz's arm around his shoulders so he can help him walk as they head back to the TARDIS. "Fitz, what happened?"
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The Doctor catches Fitz looking at the guitar. "Don't worry, Fitz," he says in his most don't-worry voice. "I'm sure that both Ianto and the TARDIS are safe. I intend to make sure of that, actually." By now they're back in the control room and the Doctor steers Fitz over to the armchair. He places a book that somehow ended up in the seat onto the small table beside the chair and sets the guitar down. "Sit still, I'll be back in a moment with some ice for you."
He turns to head towards the medical room. On the way he sends a short text of Where are you? to Ianto, hoping that wherever he is, he hasn't forgotten his mobile. Minutes later he returns to Fitz, a glass of water in one hand, a small pill bottle in the other, and numerous ice pads wedged between his arms and his chest. He sets it all down, digs out two of the pills, and hands them and the glass to his companion. "Here, take these."
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When he confirms to himself that it's just Paracetamol and not something else, he takes the pills and sets the glass of water on the table, trading it for an ice pack to set on his knee.
Comfortable now, Fitz thinks on the problem of Ianto. They'll have to find him. The Doctor will be expecting him to be eager for a reunion and Fitz can't risk Ianto showing up at a crucial moment and ruining everything. No, he'll have to get him back on the TARDIS before he can make sure he never comes back. Fitz sighs. Seems this is going to be a 'two steps forward and one step back' sort of situation.
"Can we find Ianto?"
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He smiles at Fitz. "Don't worry, they're in Ca--" he is cut off as his mobile buzzes and lights up again with another message. Funny strange, not funny ha-ha, followed by a set of coordinates. "They're in Cardiff, he's sent me the coordinates. I'm sure they're fine, Fitz, it'll be okay." The Doctor leans over to give Fitz a comforting kiss on the forehead before walking to the console. Maybe the old girl will give them a smoother takeoff than usual given Fitz's state, he hopes as he presses buttons and turns dials. He can't imagine being flung out of the chair will help his knee.
She doesn't, of course. It's just as bumpy as normal, but soon enough they land, and after a quick check on the readout monitor, he opens the door and starts to head out.
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When they land, Fitz sits for a moment before hefting himself up to follow the Doctor out. It wouldn't do to seem less than enthusiastic about meeting up with Ianto again.
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He's also trying not to think too hard about the TARDIS being in two places at once, because that's weird. Maybe he'll just try to keep one in his field of vision. When the second TARDIS begins to fade into existence, Ianto starts to jog, then breaks into a run as the door opens. The Doctor, being the first to exit, receives the brunt of Ianto's momentum in an enthusiastic hug.
What's been minutes for them has been a month of excruciating waiting for him. Not that he's happy Zagreus opened the watch, no, but it does mean going home to stay. He pulls back to say something when Fitz walks - limps out of the TARDIS.
"What happened?" he asks instead, brow creasing with concern.
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But all good hugs come to an end, and since this is a good hug, it ends. "Ah, it would seem Fitz took a rather nasty fall. Nothing some rest and a few well-placed ice packs won't solve though." He turns to face his injured friend. "You really should be more careful, Fitz. We're lucky nothing was broken.
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He turns the smile on Ianto. "I met a carpet that put up a fight. It was a hell of a battle." God, Ianto looks so eager. Of course he would be, walking from his life back into the TARDIS. The TARDIS must have been the only truly exciting thing to ever happen to him. What a match for the Doctor. What a crew - dim and dull.
Fitz's eyes flicker down Ianto's torso before returning to his face. The man does have a few good qualities. It's just a pity that none of them are his personality.
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Fitz gets a (slightly more gentle) hug next, followed by a kiss he's been waiting a month to give. He's home, finally, finally home. He doesn't have anything but the clothes on his back and Zagreus is officially 'at large', but he's home.
"He opened the watch," he says when he finally pulls back, looking to the Doctor. Hands still resting on Fitz's waist, he positions himself so that Fitz might lean on him should he need to. "We - came here to get away from him." And... he doesn't know what to do about that loose end, which terrifies him, but that's a worry he can maybe push to the back of his mind for now.
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"We were just there. He must have skedaddled."
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"Ah. Well... good," he proclaims, uncertain if Zagreus being AWOL is actually a good thing. He could be wreaking havoc on an unsuspecting German town. But he's out of their hair for now and that's the important thing.
"Shall we, erm--?" He nods toward the TARDIS - his TARDIS, though he spares a glance over his shoulder. Future Cardiff is great and all, but after the house in Germany Ianto is bursting at the seams to run off on adventures.
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Besides, he has places to go, people to see, civilizations to save, parties to attend! "So Ianto," he says as he bounces over to the console. "Where would you like to go? You get to pick. Anywhere you'd like."
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When he enters the TARDIS, he stops to trail his hand down the wall in a familiar gesture. It's good to be home, better than he can describe. Something unwinds and settles in his chest, a tangle of anxiety that'd been growing for several months. He's not Ianto the Victorian anymore, not Ianto the carer, the ice cream fetcher, the inevitable delayer. He's just Ianto, the traveler.
He'd like to suggest that they stop by the house in Germany, one last time, because his watch and his diary and his - oh, well, not his guitar. But his clothes and his things are there and he doesn't like being without them. On the other hand, he's only just left. And he was promised a trip, wasn't he?
"Getrolon Twenty-Six," he decides, bracing one hand against a girder with a smile. "If you've umbrellas to spare."
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