Fic: Flourishing
Title: Flourishing
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Ianto, Jack
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1026
Spoilers: Nada.
Summary: Spring has brought a lot of welcome changes, and not just to the Plas.
Written For: Prompt ‘Any, Any, there weren't flowers there yesterday’ at spring_renewal.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Torchwood, or the characters.
Ianto felt as though spring had crept up on him when he wasn’t looking. Perhaps it had. Working for Torchwood meant that everyday things often got overlooked in the mad rush to deal with yet another emergency situation.
He stepped off the invisible lift onto the Plas, and looked around in wonder, breathing in the salty scent of the sea. It was early enough, barely seven in the morning, that there were only a few people about, but the sun was well up in a crisp, pale blue sky dotted with a few fleecy white clouds, and while it was cool enough out that he was glad of his suit jacket, there was something in the air that told him it was going to be a pleasantly warm day.
Catching a splash of bright colour from the corner of his eye, he turned, focusing his attention on some large concrete planters the council had installed a few weeks earlier in an effort to brighten up the rebuilt landmark. Yesterday, there’d been leafy green tufts dotted about in them, a sparse array of bedding plants, but today fat buds were beginning to open, pansies and petunias spreading their petals wide to drink in the morning sunlight. Purple, lavender, pink, red, yellow, white…
So much had changed since last September, when the Hub was blown wide open, leaving a gaping crater in front of the Millennium Centre. Now, not much more than six months later, all evidence of the explosion that had ripped one of Cardiff’s most famous tourist attractions apart had been completely erased, as if it had never happened. Far beneath the smooth paving slabs, Torchwood’s base of operations was up and running again, better than before. Modern and functional now, it was a far cry from the urban grunge he remembered, but considerably easier to keep clean. Not that cleaning was his responsibility these days.
Turning in the opposite direction, Ianto finally spotted Jack, leaning on the railings near Mermaid Quay, looking out over the water. Hands in his pockets, he strolled unhurriedly across the Plas to join his lover.
“Thought I might find you up here.” He settled his back against the railings, elbows resting on the top bar as his eyes took in the view, comparing it to his memories from before and deciding he liked it better with the planters. It had been rather stark before. “How long have you been out here?”
Jack spared Ianto a brief glance. “Since the sun came up. I woke early and didn’t want to disturb you. Thought I’d let you sleep in.”
“Considerate of you.”
“I thought so.”
“Now tell me the real reason you’ve been up here all by yourself for almost two hours.”
Sighing, Jack managed a sheepish grin. “Never could get anything past you.”
“I honestly don’t know why you bother trying.”
“Habit.” Turning sideways to face Ianto, Jack studied his lover’s face for a long moment before looking away. “I can’t get used to my new quarters,” he admitted. “Too many unfamiliar noises, and every time I wake up, just for a moment I don’t know where I am. Even up here, everything looks different except for the view across the bay.”
“You focus on what’s familiar, so you don’t have to think about the reason for all the changes.”
“Yes. Not that the changes are bad as such, it’s just that they’re a constant reminder of…” Jack trailed off, but that was okay because Ianto could fill in the blanks. Jack had been blown up along with the Hub, thanks to the small but deadly bomb that had been surgically implanted inside him, so it was hardly surprising he preferred not to be reminded of that.
“You don’t have to sleep in the Hub when you’re not on night duty, you know.” Responsibility for overnight monitoring of the Rift was shared out amongst the whole team, now the new recruits were fully trained; Ianto had set up a rota. “You could move into my place.”
Jack blinked. “Just like that?”
“Why not? You’ve spent enough nights in my bed that it’s familiar, and now that the new Hub is fully operational, you don’t need to be there day and night to keep an eye on things. No need to decide right away; take your time, think it over and let me know.” Ianto pushed away from the railings. “While you’re thinking, you can buy me breakfast.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Jack reached for Ianto’s hand, twining their fingers together as they headed towards a café, where tables with umbrellas were just being set out. He paused, gesturing to a nearby planter. “Look! Flowers!”
“I noticed.” Ianto smiled indulgently, unsurprised that Jack hadn’t already noticed them. The buds would still have been closed when he’d passed this way earlier.
“They weren’t there yesterday.”
“You weren’t out here yesterday. It was pouring with rain,” Ianto reminded his lover.
“Oh yeah, I remember. You got soaked fetching lunch.”
“Because you insisted on fish and chips, and there was nowhere to park near the chippie.”
“I didn’t know it was raining! Looks like it did the flowers good though. I like them, they’re bright and cheery.” Jack gazed out across the Plas, remembering how it had been just a few months ago, before repairs had begun. Back then it had been impossible to see past the destruction and picture it whole again, but now just like the flowers, it was flourishing in the spring sunshine. Life was once again moving forward. He made up his mind. “Yes.”
“What?” Ianto glanced at him, confused.
“I’ve thought it over, and my answer’s yes. I’d love to move in with you.”
Ianto’s answering smile was as bright as the flowers. “Okay, great. We can sort out the logistics later if we’re not too busy with work.”
Tugging on his lover’s hand, Jack pulled Ianto closer and kissed him. It was time he put the past behind him and looked to the future with the man he loved, a future that stretched out as far as he could see.
“I love you, Ianto Jones.”
Ianto smirked. “I know.”
The End
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Ianto, Jack
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1026
Spoilers: Nada.
Summary: Spring has brought a lot of welcome changes, and not just to the Plas.
Written For: Prompt ‘Any, Any, there weren't flowers there yesterday’ at spring_renewal.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Torchwood, or the characters.
Ianto felt as though spring had crept up on him when he wasn’t looking. Perhaps it had. Working for Torchwood meant that everyday things often got overlooked in the mad rush to deal with yet another emergency situation.
He stepped off the invisible lift onto the Plas, and looked around in wonder, breathing in the salty scent of the sea. It was early enough, barely seven in the morning, that there were only a few people about, but the sun was well up in a crisp, pale blue sky dotted with a few fleecy white clouds, and while it was cool enough out that he was glad of his suit jacket, there was something in the air that told him it was going to be a pleasantly warm day.
Catching a splash of bright colour from the corner of his eye, he turned, focusing his attention on some large concrete planters the council had installed a few weeks earlier in an effort to brighten up the rebuilt landmark. Yesterday, there’d been leafy green tufts dotted about in them, a sparse array of bedding plants, but today fat buds were beginning to open, pansies and petunias spreading their petals wide to drink in the morning sunlight. Purple, lavender, pink, red, yellow, white…
So much had changed since last September, when the Hub was blown wide open, leaving a gaping crater in front of the Millennium Centre. Now, not much more than six months later, all evidence of the explosion that had ripped one of Cardiff’s most famous tourist attractions apart had been completely erased, as if it had never happened. Far beneath the smooth paving slabs, Torchwood’s base of operations was up and running again, better than before. Modern and functional now, it was a far cry from the urban grunge he remembered, but considerably easier to keep clean. Not that cleaning was his responsibility these days.
Turning in the opposite direction, Ianto finally spotted Jack, leaning on the railings near Mermaid Quay, looking out over the water. Hands in his pockets, he strolled unhurriedly across the Plas to join his lover.
“Thought I might find you up here.” He settled his back against the railings, elbows resting on the top bar as his eyes took in the view, comparing it to his memories from before and deciding he liked it better with the planters. It had been rather stark before. “How long have you been out here?”
Jack spared Ianto a brief glance. “Since the sun came up. I woke early and didn’t want to disturb you. Thought I’d let you sleep in.”
“Considerate of you.”
“I thought so.”
“Now tell me the real reason you’ve been up here all by yourself for almost two hours.”
Sighing, Jack managed a sheepish grin. “Never could get anything past you.”
“I honestly don’t know why you bother trying.”
“Habit.” Turning sideways to face Ianto, Jack studied his lover’s face for a long moment before looking away. “I can’t get used to my new quarters,” he admitted. “Too many unfamiliar noises, and every time I wake up, just for a moment I don’t know where I am. Even up here, everything looks different except for the view across the bay.”
“You focus on what’s familiar, so you don’t have to think about the reason for all the changes.”
“Yes. Not that the changes are bad as such, it’s just that they’re a constant reminder of…” Jack trailed off, but that was okay because Ianto could fill in the blanks. Jack had been blown up along with the Hub, thanks to the small but deadly bomb that had been surgically implanted inside him, so it was hardly surprising he preferred not to be reminded of that.
“You don’t have to sleep in the Hub when you’re not on night duty, you know.” Responsibility for overnight monitoring of the Rift was shared out amongst the whole team, now the new recruits were fully trained; Ianto had set up a rota. “You could move into my place.”
Jack blinked. “Just like that?”
“Why not? You’ve spent enough nights in my bed that it’s familiar, and now that the new Hub is fully operational, you don’t need to be there day and night to keep an eye on things. No need to decide right away; take your time, think it over and let me know.” Ianto pushed away from the railings. “While you’re thinking, you can buy me breakfast.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Jack reached for Ianto’s hand, twining their fingers together as they headed towards a café, where tables with umbrellas were just being set out. He paused, gesturing to a nearby planter. “Look! Flowers!”
“I noticed.” Ianto smiled indulgently, unsurprised that Jack hadn’t already noticed them. The buds would still have been closed when he’d passed this way earlier.
“They weren’t there yesterday.”
“You weren’t out here yesterday. It was pouring with rain,” Ianto reminded his lover.
“Oh yeah, I remember. You got soaked fetching lunch.”
“Because you insisted on fish and chips, and there was nowhere to park near the chippie.”
“I didn’t know it was raining! Looks like it did the flowers good though. I like them, they’re bright and cheery.” Jack gazed out across the Plas, remembering how it had been just a few months ago, before repairs had begun. Back then it had been impossible to see past the destruction and picture it whole again, but now just like the flowers, it was flourishing in the spring sunshine. Life was once again moving forward. He made up his mind. “Yes.”
“What?” Ianto glanced at him, confused.
“I’ve thought it over, and my answer’s yes. I’d love to move in with you.”
Ianto’s answering smile was as bright as the flowers. “Okay, great. We can sort out the logistics later if we’re not too busy with work.”
Tugging on his lover’s hand, Jack pulled Ianto closer and kissed him. It was time he put the past behind him and looked to the future with the man he loved, a future that stretched out as far as he could see.
“I love you, Ianto Jones.”
Ianto smirked. “I know.”
The End