I don't have to pretend [fic]
Title: I don't have to pretend
Pairing: Tosh/Swanson
Word Count: 500
Summary: Five drabbles on Tosh and Kathy
It’s eleven o’clock and Tosh was meant to be in at eight. She jogs down the bay, praying that no-one’s missed her. Gwen and Owen still seem to be going strong and if Jack and Ianto are going at it maybe they haven’t noticed she’s not at her computers. Probably think she’s off doing something else. Hopefully.
The TIC is empty (good thing or bad thing?) but she still slinks over to the door, just in case-
“Mornin’, Tosh.” She almost hits the ceiling. “Glad you could make it.” She just scowls at him, and while Jack’s smile is innocent his eyes are knowing.
“So, who’s the lucky man?”
Kathy feigns polite confusion “Pardon?”
John rolls his eyes “C’mon, Kath. Day off yesterday, smug and glowing today. You’ve been throbbing the weekend away, haven’t you, you jammy old tart?” he accuses, because he can get away with saying things like that.
“Less of the old,” She tells him, already considering what to dump in his tea “And what makes you think it’s a man?”
He considers, pretending to read the file open on the desk “Shoes? You don’t glow over shoes…don’t look like you’ve lost weight…” Kathy just smirks and sips her tea.
Toshiko spends most of the day rubbing and picking at her shoulders, and her bad mood doesn’t help things. Between the silence and the scratching Jack, who has been straddling a chair beside her for the past hour, is coming slowly unhinged.
“Get her to cut her nails.” He yawns.
“What?”
“Whoever you’re sleeping with.”
“I’m not sleeping with anyone.” Toshiko forces out through gritted teeth, slamming the return key.
Jack sighs “You broke it off already?”
“The job comes first.” Toshiko reminds him. “Always.”
Jack’s hand rises to her shoulder, but he aborts the movement and looks away.
Toshiko manages to approach without actually looking at her. Kathy would be impressed, except she’s pissed off.
“What’s up?”
Toshiko’s uncomfortable and annoyed “Jack’s asked me to go over a few things with you-“
“Must do what Jack says, mustn’t we?” says Kathy in bitter sing-song.
“Can’t you at east try and be professional?” hisses Toshiko.
“Well unlike some people there’s more to me than my job!”
Toshiko’s gaze is icy “Perhaps because you’re lacking intuition, detective.”
“Can I interrupt?” Ianto asks “Owen needs you. Can’t find the on/off button.” Toshiko nods, eyes never leaving Kathy’s, and stalks away.
“If we’re not trying for the real thing why even try?” asks Kathy.
Toshiko stares into her soup, gathering courage “I…sometimes I feel like I’m stumbling through this endless, dark space pretending I can see the light ahead, and I can’t. There’s nothing. I’m scared. And I’m lonely.” She takes Kathy’s hand so very gently in hers. “I think you are too. Lonely, I mean.” Toshiko tries to smile “you’re too much of a fighter to get scared.”
Kathy leans forward, frowning “Toshiko, I don’t understand -“
“You don’t have to.” Toshiko squeezes her fingers “Just hold my hand.”
Pairing: Tosh/Swanson
Word Count: 500
Summary: Five drabbles on Tosh and Kathy
It’s eleven o’clock and Tosh was meant to be in at eight. She jogs down the bay, praying that no-one’s missed her. Gwen and Owen still seem to be going strong and if Jack and Ianto are going at it maybe they haven’t noticed she’s not at her computers. Probably think she’s off doing something else. Hopefully.
The TIC is empty (good thing or bad thing?) but she still slinks over to the door, just in case-
“Mornin’, Tosh.” She almost hits the ceiling. “Glad you could make it.” She just scowls at him, and while Jack’s smile is innocent his eyes are knowing.
“So, who’s the lucky man?”
Kathy feigns polite confusion “Pardon?”
John rolls his eyes “C’mon, Kath. Day off yesterday, smug and glowing today. You’ve been throbbing the weekend away, haven’t you, you jammy old tart?” he accuses, because he can get away with saying things like that.
“Less of the old,” She tells him, already considering what to dump in his tea “And what makes you think it’s a man?”
He considers, pretending to read the file open on the desk “Shoes? You don’t glow over shoes…don’t look like you’ve lost weight…” Kathy just smirks and sips her tea.
Toshiko spends most of the day rubbing and picking at her shoulders, and her bad mood doesn’t help things. Between the silence and the scratching Jack, who has been straddling a chair beside her for the past hour, is coming slowly unhinged.
“Get her to cut her nails.” He yawns.
“What?”
“Whoever you’re sleeping with.”
“I’m not sleeping with anyone.” Toshiko forces out through gritted teeth, slamming the return key.
Jack sighs “You broke it off already?”
“The job comes first.” Toshiko reminds him. “Always.”
Jack’s hand rises to her shoulder, but he aborts the movement and looks away.
Toshiko manages to approach without actually looking at her. Kathy would be impressed, except she’s pissed off.
“What’s up?”
Toshiko’s uncomfortable and annoyed “Jack’s asked me to go over a few things with you-“
“Must do what Jack says, mustn’t we?” says Kathy in bitter sing-song.
“Can’t you at east try and be professional?” hisses Toshiko.
“Well unlike some people there’s more to me than my job!”
Toshiko’s gaze is icy “Perhaps because you’re lacking intuition, detective.”
“Can I interrupt?” Ianto asks “Owen needs you. Can’t find the on/off button.” Toshiko nods, eyes never leaving Kathy’s, and stalks away.
“If we’re not trying for the real thing why even try?” asks Kathy.
Toshiko stares into her soup, gathering courage “I…sometimes I feel like I’m stumbling through this endless, dark space pretending I can see the light ahead, and I can’t. There’s nothing. I’m scared. And I’m lonely.” She takes Kathy’s hand so very gently in hers. “I think you are too. Lonely, I mean.” Toshiko tries to smile “you’re too much of a fighter to get scared.”
Kathy leans forward, frowning “Toshiko, I don’t understand -“
“You don’t have to.” Toshiko squeezes her fingers “Just hold my hand.”