Fic: Otters
Title: Otters
Author: aibhinn
Summary: "Humans are born to play. We're the otters of the universe. We can't survive and be healthy without some time away from our jobs."
Characters: Jack, Tosh
Rating: G
Word count: 797
Author's note: Written for round 1.03 of writerinadrawer. Prompt: Under the influence. Special extra bit: madatory mustalid. The title gives mine away. :)
Tosh squinted at her computer screen, ignoring the headache that was pinching just between her eyes. She'd been at this for most of the day, but that wasn't terribly unusual for her. She'd worked longer hours before. But not for four days in a row, a small voice said in her mind. She ignored that, too.
She was tracking a Weevil colony that seemed to have budded off from the main group, and was using what she knew of relationship theory mathematics to see if she could pinpoint what had caused the separation. Was it a natural part of their species, once a group reached a certain number, or had something happened to cause a rift? Or was it something else entirely? The project had her fascinated.
"Tosh."
She startled, swinging round. Jack stood by her left elbow, hands in his pockets. She'd not even heard him approach. "Oh," she said blankly. "Hi, Jack."
"I was going out for a bite to eat and something to drink." He grinned and jerked his head in a 'come on' gesture. "Join me."
"Thanks, but I've got a bit more on this project-"
"That wasn't a request." He pulled his hand from his pocket and held it out to her. "Let's go."
Reluctantly, she saved her current data file and rose from her seat, picked up her jacket and handbag, and followed him out the door.
***
Tosh fidgeted with her nearly-empty glass of Diet Coke and tried not to look impatient as Jack casually ordered another round-tap water for him, of course. "It's getting late," she offered, wondering if she could sneak back to the Hub for another couple of hours.
"It's six-thirty," Jack said easily. "Ianto's there, watching things. You and I have both got our mobiles. If he needs us, he'll call."
She sighed. "I know. It's just-I was getting really close to some good results, and-"
"-and they'll still be there in an hour or so," Jack told her firmly. "Or even tomorrow morning. It won't kill you to go out and have a good time."
"I have a good time at work, Jack!" Tosh said, frustrated. "I enjoy what I do. I'm not the type who goes out and gets drunk and picks up strangers to sleep with."
"At least, not often," Jack said with a dangerous grin. Blushing, Tosh let her gaze fall. She'd not been thinking of Mary-or at least had been trying not to.
His hand covered hers. "I'm sorry," he said. "That was out of line. But think about it: you did things when you were with her. Bars, dance clubs, restaurants-you didn't restrict yourself to home and work. You've got to find some play time, Tosh-or better yet, make yourself some play time. We're not ants, who work until they drop and don't know anything else. Humans are born to play. We're the otters of the universe. We can't survive and be healthy without some time away from our jobs."
His voice was so concerned that she glanced up at him, surprised. His gaze was calm, steady, and clear-but the note of worry within it couldn't be denied.
"Please," he said. "Go to the cinema and watch a film. Go see a panto. I can even get you tickets to anything you'd like in the West End. But get away from the Hub for a while, Toshiko. Do it for me."
"Not for myself?" she heard herself ask.
He grinned. "If I told you to do it for yourself, would you?"
A corner of her mouth quirked up wryly. "No."
"There you are, then." He pulled out his wallet, tossed a few notes onto the table, and slipped out of the booth. "I don't want to see you until tomorrow at the earliest. The next day would be better. And if you decide to take a couple of days off, I'll be dancing a jig. Quietly, of course; Ianto wouldn't approve if I did it in the middle of my office."
Unexpectedly she laughed, and he grinned again. "Call me if you're taking more than tonight off," he said, "but you've got several weeks' worth of leave saved up. Use as much as you like."
He turned and left, hands in his pockets again, whistling. Tosh watched him go, thinking about what he'd said. We're the otters of the universe. She liked that. Something about the phrasing of it appealed to her.
She reached into her handbag and pulled out her mobile, logging into its web browser. It had been years since she'd visited her cousin Miyuki in London. It couldn't hurt to see what was playing in the West End as well-especially if Jack could get tickets for two.
Author: aibhinn
Summary: "Humans are born to play. We're the otters of the universe. We can't survive and be healthy without some time away from our jobs."
Characters: Jack, Tosh
Rating: G
Word count: 797
Author's note: Written for round 1.03 of writerinadrawer. Prompt: Under the influence. Special extra bit: madatory mustalid. The title gives mine away. :)
Tosh squinted at her computer screen, ignoring the headache that was pinching just between her eyes. She'd been at this for most of the day, but that wasn't terribly unusual for her. She'd worked longer hours before. But not for four days in a row, a small voice said in her mind. She ignored that, too.
She was tracking a Weevil colony that seemed to have budded off from the main group, and was using what she knew of relationship theory mathematics to see if she could pinpoint what had caused the separation. Was it a natural part of their species, once a group reached a certain number, or had something happened to cause a rift? Or was it something else entirely? The project had her fascinated.
"Tosh."
She startled, swinging round. Jack stood by her left elbow, hands in his pockets. She'd not even heard him approach. "Oh," she said blankly. "Hi, Jack."
"I was going out for a bite to eat and something to drink." He grinned and jerked his head in a 'come on' gesture. "Join me."
"Thanks, but I've got a bit more on this project-"
"That wasn't a request." He pulled his hand from his pocket and held it out to her. "Let's go."
Reluctantly, she saved her current data file and rose from her seat, picked up her jacket and handbag, and followed him out the door.
***
Tosh fidgeted with her nearly-empty glass of Diet Coke and tried not to look impatient as Jack casually ordered another round-tap water for him, of course. "It's getting late," she offered, wondering if she could sneak back to the Hub for another couple of hours.
"It's six-thirty," Jack said easily. "Ianto's there, watching things. You and I have both got our mobiles. If he needs us, he'll call."
She sighed. "I know. It's just-I was getting really close to some good results, and-"
"-and they'll still be there in an hour or so," Jack told her firmly. "Or even tomorrow morning. It won't kill you to go out and have a good time."
"I have a good time at work, Jack!" Tosh said, frustrated. "I enjoy what I do. I'm not the type who goes out and gets drunk and picks up strangers to sleep with."
"At least, not often," Jack said with a dangerous grin. Blushing, Tosh let her gaze fall. She'd not been thinking of Mary-or at least had been trying not to.
His hand covered hers. "I'm sorry," he said. "That was out of line. But think about it: you did things when you were with her. Bars, dance clubs, restaurants-you didn't restrict yourself to home and work. You've got to find some play time, Tosh-or better yet, make yourself some play time. We're not ants, who work until they drop and don't know anything else. Humans are born to play. We're the otters of the universe. We can't survive and be healthy without some time away from our jobs."
His voice was so concerned that she glanced up at him, surprised. His gaze was calm, steady, and clear-but the note of worry within it couldn't be denied.
"Please," he said. "Go to the cinema and watch a film. Go see a panto. I can even get you tickets to anything you'd like in the West End. But get away from the Hub for a while, Toshiko. Do it for me."
"Not for myself?" she heard herself ask.
He grinned. "If I told you to do it for yourself, would you?"
A corner of her mouth quirked up wryly. "No."
"There you are, then." He pulled out his wallet, tossed a few notes onto the table, and slipped out of the booth. "I don't want to see you until tomorrow at the earliest. The next day would be better. And if you decide to take a couple of days off, I'll be dancing a jig. Quietly, of course; Ianto wouldn't approve if I did it in the middle of my office."
Unexpectedly she laughed, and he grinned again. "Call me if you're taking more than tonight off," he said, "but you've got several weeks' worth of leave saved up. Use as much as you like."
He turned and left, hands in his pockets again, whistling. Tosh watched him go, thinking about what he'd said. We're the otters of the universe. She liked that. Something about the phrasing of it appealed to her.
She reached into her handbag and pulled out her mobile, logging into its web browser. It had been years since she'd visited her cousin Miyuki in London. It couldn't hurt to see what was playing in the West End as well-especially if Jack could get tickets for two.