Ficlet: Puddle Fun
Title: Puddle Fun
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Jack, Ianto
Rating: G
Word Count: 528
Written For: The Puddles prompt on one of my old Serendipity Prompt Tables.
Summary: Jack persuades Ianto to have some innocent fun.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Torchwood, or the characters. They belong to the BBC.
“How old are you again?” Ianto asked, rolling his eyes as Jack jumped into a puddle with both feet, splashing water everywhere, although that hardly mattered considering that it was raining.
“Old enough to know you’re never too old for a bit of harmless fun,” Jack replied, jumping in another puddle and kicking the water about, grinning all over his face. “The trouble with people these days is they take life too seriously. They think as soon as they become adults, they have to get all dignified and stop enjoying the innocent pleasures of their childhoods. Then the only way they can get a bit of that back is to go out and get drunk out of their minds so they can at least pretend to be having fun, even if they have to pay for it with a hangover the next day. If more people jumped in puddles and piles of leaves, built snowmen, and made mud pies, the world would be a much happier and more peaceful place.”
Ianto frowned thoughtfully as he watched Jack splashing and laughing. Still frowning, he turned away and headed towards the nearby shops, disappearing inside one. Jack was so busy having fun, he didn’t realise at first that Ianto had disappeared, so it came as a big disappointment when he turned to say something more to his lover and found himself alone.
He turned a full circle, thinking Ianto must have moved out of the way to avoid getting splashed, but there was still no sign of him, and Jack had no idea which way he’d gone. He kicked at the puddle he was standing in, and it splashed nicely, but some of the fun had gone out of puddle jumping. He’d been hoping he could get Ianto to let his hair down a bit; for someone still so young, he was far too serious most of the time.
Someone cleared their throat behind him, and Jack spun around to see Ianto standing there, umbrella over his head and a bag looped over one arm. “There you are!” Jack exclaimed. “Where did you disappear to? I turned around and you were gone. Thought you’d abandoned me!”
Ianto grinned. “I wasn’t dressed for puddle jumping, it would’ve ruined my shoes, so I did the sensible, adult thing,” he said, pointing down at his feet, now clad in red rubber boots. “I bought Wellies!” With that, he jumped in the nearest puddle and started splashing.
Laughing, Jack joined in again and they continued along the street, seeing who could make the biggest splash. Some people passing by frowned disapprovingly and shook their heads, but others smiled and a few even looked envious, glancing down at their own footwear as if they would have liked to join in but couldn’t risk ruining their expensive leather shoes.
Jumping and splashing their way along the pavement, Ianto decided he didn’t care what anybody else thought of them. Maybe Jack was right; people were too serious and would probably feel a whole lot better if they indulged themselves from time to time in the silly things they’d enjoyed doing as kids. It was working for him!
The End
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Jack, Ianto
Rating: G
Word Count: 528
Written For: The Puddles prompt on one of my old Serendipity Prompt Tables.
Summary: Jack persuades Ianto to have some innocent fun.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Torchwood, or the characters. They belong to the BBC.
“How old are you again?” Ianto asked, rolling his eyes as Jack jumped into a puddle with both feet, splashing water everywhere, although that hardly mattered considering that it was raining.
“Old enough to know you’re never too old for a bit of harmless fun,” Jack replied, jumping in another puddle and kicking the water about, grinning all over his face. “The trouble with people these days is they take life too seriously. They think as soon as they become adults, they have to get all dignified and stop enjoying the innocent pleasures of their childhoods. Then the only way they can get a bit of that back is to go out and get drunk out of their minds so they can at least pretend to be having fun, even if they have to pay for it with a hangover the next day. If more people jumped in puddles and piles of leaves, built snowmen, and made mud pies, the world would be a much happier and more peaceful place.”
Ianto frowned thoughtfully as he watched Jack splashing and laughing. Still frowning, he turned away and headed towards the nearby shops, disappearing inside one. Jack was so busy having fun, he didn’t realise at first that Ianto had disappeared, so it came as a big disappointment when he turned to say something more to his lover and found himself alone.
He turned a full circle, thinking Ianto must have moved out of the way to avoid getting splashed, but there was still no sign of him, and Jack had no idea which way he’d gone. He kicked at the puddle he was standing in, and it splashed nicely, but some of the fun had gone out of puddle jumping. He’d been hoping he could get Ianto to let his hair down a bit; for someone still so young, he was far too serious most of the time.
Someone cleared their throat behind him, and Jack spun around to see Ianto standing there, umbrella over his head and a bag looped over one arm. “There you are!” Jack exclaimed. “Where did you disappear to? I turned around and you were gone. Thought you’d abandoned me!”
Ianto grinned. “I wasn’t dressed for puddle jumping, it would’ve ruined my shoes, so I did the sensible, adult thing,” he said, pointing down at his feet, now clad in red rubber boots. “I bought Wellies!” With that, he jumped in the nearest puddle and started splashing.
Laughing, Jack joined in again and they continued along the street, seeing who could make the biggest splash. Some people passing by frowned disapprovingly and shook their heads, but others smiled and a few even looked envious, glancing down at their own footwear as if they would have liked to join in but couldn’t risk ruining their expensive leather shoes.
Jumping and splashing their way along the pavement, Ianto decided he didn’t care what anybody else thought of them. Maybe Jack was right; people were too serious and would probably feel a whole lot better if they indulged themselves from time to time in the silly things they’d enjoyed doing as kids. It was working for him!
The End