Fic: Unlucky In Love
Title: Unlucky In Love
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Tosh, Owen, mentions Diane and the team.
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Nada. Set in an AU where Diane didn’t leave.
Summary: Tosh is having bad luck when it comes to finding her Mr - or Ms - Right.
Word Count: 899
Written For: m_findlow’s prompt ‘Any, any, dumped,’ at fic_promptly.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Torchwood, or the characters. They belong to the BBC.
Last night, Tosh had been on cloud nine, getting ready to go on her fourth date with a guy she really liked. Today, all the wind had gone out of her sails. What was it he’d said halfway through dinner? “I don’t think we should see each other any more; we don’t have anything in common and it’s obvious we’re not looking for the same things.” Just like that, what she’d thought was the beginning of a relationship had turned into the end, and she hadn’t even seen it coming. As far as she’d been aware, everything had been going really well.
What was wrong with her? Or was it just that she attracted losers? Either way, she’d been dumped, yet again, and it hurt. It didn’t matter that they hadn’t been dating long, she still felt like her heart had been ripped out and stamped on. All her relationships ended with her getting dumped; the ones that actually got off the ground anyway. Either that or her boyfriend or girlfriend turned out to be an evil alien and had to be killed, or like Tommy, ended up dead for some other reason.
The way things were going she was doomed to die an old maid, and that wasn’t an appealing prospect. Everyone else on the team had someone. Jack and Ianto had each other, Gwen had Rhys, and Owen had Diane. She was the only one without a significant other, and it was getting her down. She felt left out, unwanted, surplus to requirements. Was it so wrong to long for what her friends had?
Caught up in her gloomy thoughts, Tosh yanked her chair out from under her desk so hard that it skittered sideways and hit Owen, who’d been passing behind her on his way to his workstation, almost knocking him over.
“God, Tosh, watch what you’re doin’ with that! This job’s dangerous enough without you throwing the furniture at me! What’s got you in such a snit this morning? Thought you were all lovey-dovey with your new bloke. He turn out to be crap in bed or something? Last night was the third date wasn’t it?”
Tosh wasn’t sure why she confided in Owen, maybe just because he happened to be the only other person there at that moment, but before she could stop herself she’d blurted out, “Fourth, actually, and he dumped me. In the middle of our date. Said we shouldn’t see each other any more. I probably shouldn’t be surprised; it’s not like it’s never happened before.” She slumped into her chair, the picture of dejection - or should that be rejection? - deliberately not looking at Owen. She felt humiliated enough already.
“Fuck, I’m sorry, I didn’t know.” Owen said quietly. “Trust me to open my big mouth and cram both feet in. Not ‘aving much luck in the love department, are you?”
“Save it, Owen. I don’t want your pity, and I certainly don’t need it. I’ve got more than enough of my own so just leave me alone.”
“Pity?” Owen asked, offended. “You think I feel sorry for you? There’s a big difference between pitying someone and sympathising with their bad luck. I know I’m a grumpy, tactless sod, but I do know what it’s like to get dumped,” he said hotly. “Why d’you think I stuck to one-night stands for so long? That way I knew I wouldn’t get my heart broken again. Anyway, we’re friends, aren’t we? Believe it or not, I do care about you; I know I’m not good at showing it, but that’s just me.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snap, it’s just--”
“Forget it, doesn’t matter, I’ve got a thick skin; takes more than a few harsh words to put a dent in it. C’mere.” Owen pulled her to her feet, tugged her close and wrapped his arms around her in a comforting hug. “Y’know what? That twat didn’t deserve you; you’re way too classy and smart for the likes of him. There’s someone out there for you, Tosh, you just haven’t met them yet, so don’t be so hard on yourself. You’ll meet your perfect someone someday, probably when you least expect it.”
“Like you and Diane?”
“Yeah, just like that.” Owen grinned, thinking about his girlfriend. “Now, idiots like your ex-date aren’t worth shedding a tear over, not if he couldn’t see how special you are, so forget about him, go out on the town tonight, and find yourself someone new, someone who deserves you, okay?”
“Okay, I’ll try. Thanks, Owen.” Tosh looked up at him with a watery smile, remembering all the reasons she’d had a crush on the medic for so long; he was rough around the edges, but underneath the sarcasm and the snark he was a kind and caring man. It was what made him such a good doctor.
“Anytime. And if you want me to Retcon Mr Wrong back to kindergarten, just say the word.”
That made Tosh giggle. “No, I think he should keep his memories, otherwise he won’t be able to regret dumping me.”
“That’s the spirit! Right, I’d best get on with some work before the boss gets on my case.” As Owen sauntered off towards the autopsy bay, Tosh thanked her lucky stars that she had such good friends on her side. They made being loveless that little bit easier to bear.
The End
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Tosh, Owen, mentions Diane and the team.
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Nada. Set in an AU where Diane didn’t leave.
Summary: Tosh is having bad luck when it comes to finding her Mr - or Ms - Right.
Word Count: 899
Written For: m_findlow’s prompt ‘Any, any, dumped,’ at fic_promptly.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Torchwood, or the characters. They belong to the BBC.
Last night, Tosh had been on cloud nine, getting ready to go on her fourth date with a guy she really liked. Today, all the wind had gone out of her sails. What was it he’d said halfway through dinner? “I don’t think we should see each other any more; we don’t have anything in common and it’s obvious we’re not looking for the same things.” Just like that, what she’d thought was the beginning of a relationship had turned into the end, and she hadn’t even seen it coming. As far as she’d been aware, everything had been going really well.
What was wrong with her? Or was it just that she attracted losers? Either way, she’d been dumped, yet again, and it hurt. It didn’t matter that they hadn’t been dating long, she still felt like her heart had been ripped out and stamped on. All her relationships ended with her getting dumped; the ones that actually got off the ground anyway. Either that or her boyfriend or girlfriend turned out to be an evil alien and had to be killed, or like Tommy, ended up dead for some other reason.
The way things were going she was doomed to die an old maid, and that wasn’t an appealing prospect. Everyone else on the team had someone. Jack and Ianto had each other, Gwen had Rhys, and Owen had Diane. She was the only one without a significant other, and it was getting her down. She felt left out, unwanted, surplus to requirements. Was it so wrong to long for what her friends had?
Caught up in her gloomy thoughts, Tosh yanked her chair out from under her desk so hard that it skittered sideways and hit Owen, who’d been passing behind her on his way to his workstation, almost knocking him over.
“God, Tosh, watch what you’re doin’ with that! This job’s dangerous enough without you throwing the furniture at me! What’s got you in such a snit this morning? Thought you were all lovey-dovey with your new bloke. He turn out to be crap in bed or something? Last night was the third date wasn’t it?”
Tosh wasn’t sure why she confided in Owen, maybe just because he happened to be the only other person there at that moment, but before she could stop herself she’d blurted out, “Fourth, actually, and he dumped me. In the middle of our date. Said we shouldn’t see each other any more. I probably shouldn’t be surprised; it’s not like it’s never happened before.” She slumped into her chair, the picture of dejection - or should that be rejection? - deliberately not looking at Owen. She felt humiliated enough already.
“Fuck, I’m sorry, I didn’t know.” Owen said quietly. “Trust me to open my big mouth and cram both feet in. Not ‘aving much luck in the love department, are you?”
“Save it, Owen. I don’t want your pity, and I certainly don’t need it. I’ve got more than enough of my own so just leave me alone.”
“Pity?” Owen asked, offended. “You think I feel sorry for you? There’s a big difference between pitying someone and sympathising with their bad luck. I know I’m a grumpy, tactless sod, but I do know what it’s like to get dumped,” he said hotly. “Why d’you think I stuck to one-night stands for so long? That way I knew I wouldn’t get my heart broken again. Anyway, we’re friends, aren’t we? Believe it or not, I do care about you; I know I’m not good at showing it, but that’s just me.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snap, it’s just--”
“Forget it, doesn’t matter, I’ve got a thick skin; takes more than a few harsh words to put a dent in it. C’mere.” Owen pulled her to her feet, tugged her close and wrapped his arms around her in a comforting hug. “Y’know what? That twat didn’t deserve you; you’re way too classy and smart for the likes of him. There’s someone out there for you, Tosh, you just haven’t met them yet, so don’t be so hard on yourself. You’ll meet your perfect someone someday, probably when you least expect it.”
“Like you and Diane?”
“Yeah, just like that.” Owen grinned, thinking about his girlfriend. “Now, idiots like your ex-date aren’t worth shedding a tear over, not if he couldn’t see how special you are, so forget about him, go out on the town tonight, and find yourself someone new, someone who deserves you, okay?”
“Okay, I’ll try. Thanks, Owen.” Tosh looked up at him with a watery smile, remembering all the reasons she’d had a crush on the medic for so long; he was rough around the edges, but underneath the sarcasm and the snark he was a kind and caring man. It was what made him such a good doctor.
“Anytime. And if you want me to Retcon Mr Wrong back to kindergarten, just say the word.”
That made Tosh giggle. “No, I think he should keep his memories, otherwise he won’t be able to regret dumping me.”
“That’s the spirit! Right, I’d best get on with some work before the boss gets on my case.” As Owen sauntered off towards the autopsy bay, Tosh thanked her lucky stars that she had such good friends on her side. They made being loveless that little bit easier to bear.
The End