Resonating Through Time -- Salt and Pepper
Title: Salt and Pepper
dwtwprompts prompt: Spiritual
Date Written: 4/18/08
Rating: PG/K+
Word Count: 1,415
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters/Pairings: Rose, Team, Jack/Ianto,
Spoilers: Doctor Who 01, Torchwood season 1 & 2
Warnings: None.
Author's Notes: I think this is one of a series, but no promises. Yeah, definitely a series.
It had been a long day. A long two days. Hell, a long week. While it wasn't unheard of to pull a 48 hour shift (aliens were particular keen on 'two days until Earth's destruction' bits, it was rather melodramatic), they were fairly rare and always left the team wiped. Coffee and adrenaline could only take a person so far before they crashed.
Ianto came around, passing out the last round of coffee before shipping everyone home. Jack had insisted that they all get some caffeine in their systems before driving home, because no one had wanted to call a cab.
Even Jack had looked exhausted as he made the announcement, slowly and stiffly moving into his office and leaving the others in the autopsy bay.
Gwen felt as filthy as everyone else looked: when they weren't spelunking in the Cardiff sewers, they were often climbing onto the city rooftops, which smelled infinitely better but were about as filthy. Toshiko was sporting what was going to be a fabulous bruise tomorrow on her cheek as she sat on the cold metal table, her slim fingers cupping the warm mug in hands. Owen was standing next to her, distractedly groping at his coffee while he made sure a bruise was as bad as she'd gotten.
Ianto gave Gwen a tired smile as he handed her mug over, looking so unlike himself that if she didn't know for sure, she'd have thought he was a doppleganger. His hair was in complete disarray, his suit traded in for the spare jeans and tee he kept in the Hub (36 hours in normal clothing and counting, he'd had to lose the suit when an insulted alien decided to spray acid at his back), and dark circles under his eyes, matching the set the others owned.
If Gwen had bumped into him on the street, she wouldn't have recognized him at all.
She took the mug and nodded her thanks, her eyes still on Owen and Tosh. A glint caught her eye, however, and she tore her gaze away to look at Ianto's neck. There was a delicate gold chain looped around Ianto's neck, the clasp and a few inches uncovered by the scoop neck of the shirt. There was something hanging on it, from the way hung into the front of his shirt.
"What's this then?" she asked, reaching over to touch his necklace. Ianto flinched a little in reaction, but otherwise didn't move as Gwen pulled the chain out properly. "Didn't take you as a man who wears jewelry, Ianto."
"Oi! What does that mean?" Owen asked, turning to look over at the other two.
Gwen made a face in response, running her thumb over the thin, flat pendant. There were odd markings on it, inlaid in a sort of shimmering stone.
"It's beautiful," Tosh said, smiling, then wincing as it pulled at her bruise. She slid off the table to get a better look at it. "It looks alien in origin." She looked up at him, clearly worried. "Where did you get it?"
"Bet lover boy gave it to him," Owen replied, starting to straighten up.
Ianto blushed a little and pulled it from the girls' views, tucking it back into his shirt.
Toshiko let out a sharp noise, covering her mouth and looking up at him, eyes glittering in laughter and happiness for Ianto. "Well, if he gave it to you, I won't worry."
"Oh, you're kidding me!" Owen teased him. "The tea boy's got himself a trinket from Jack. How sickening."
Ianto rolled his eyes at Owen, gathering his tray. "If you're all quite done--"
Gwen cocked her head to the side. "It's a delicate chain, Ianto, you shouldn't wear it at work. Not with the job we have!"
Ianto just gave her a smile. "The metal it's made of is stronger than it looks." He took the tray. "I'll get some coffee for everyone in a take-out cup, so you don't fall asleep behind the wheel," he called out, climbing the short flight of stairs out of the autopsy bay.
Toshiko let out a little giggle when Ianto was out of earshot. "What's gotten into you, Tosh?" Owen asked. "Sure you didn't bump your head a bit harder when you were pushed into that wall?"
"I know what those symbols are," she replied, turning for her coffee. "It's used like the way talismans were used, back years and years ago, for protection."
"Never pegged Harkness to be superstitious," Owen muttered.
"I think it's sweet!"
"Yeah, well, there you are."
Toshiko smacked his shoulder, making Owen laugh.
"Here's your coffee," Ianto called out, stopping at the railing. He frowned. "Where's Gwen? Her coffee'll get cold."
-----
Jack didn't even look up from his paperwork when Gwen entered his office. She leaned against his desk, neither saying anything for a few minutes until Jack put his signature on the bottom of the page and put it into his makeshift 'outgoing' pile. "Can I help you?" he asked, moving on to another form.
"No, I just..." She smiled, shrugging a little. "...was wondering about Ianto's necklace."
Jack gave a little grin, his pen pausing just a moment before scratching away again. "What about it?"
"It's alien. I thought we weren't supposed to take anything alien out of the Hub."
"It's safe."
"How do you know?"
"Because I bought it." He set his pen aside, sitting up straight. "I bought it a long, long time ago." Gwen had that little head cock, and Jack knew she wouldn't leave him be until she had a satisfactory answer. "When I was traveling." Rose had teased him mercilessly about it, for days and days and days afterwards, even before the Doctor had told her what they were. The fact that Jack had passed the merchant's stand four times before approaching it had tickled her endlessly; Jack Harkness was never shy.
"And you gave it to Ianto."
Jack blinked at her. "I didn't realize I had to ask your permission, Mom."
"I just--" She shook her head before putting on a smile. "I thought you liked me."
"I do."
"But you didn't give me something like that, to protect me. Oh, I know it's just in your head, but--"
"Gwen," Jack said, cutting off her babbling. "It... wouldn't work for you."
"What does that mean?"
"It means just that. Go home, you haven't seen your husband in days."
"But--"
"Gwen, just drop it, okay?"
"But Jack, what about me? And Owen and Tosh, don't we deserve to be safe too?"
"You do, but--"
"No buts, Jack, it's not fair to m--to us!"
He'd had enough of her pushing, and he was tired (physically and emotionally) enough to lash out. "It won't work because of the way they're made." He unbuttoned the top button, pulling out the mate to Ianto's. "These are called Vidara necklaces, they're made by the people who live on, well, Vidara. Vidarans are amazing psychic, they make the Oracle at Delphi look like teenage girls with a Ouija board. They make these necklaces specifically for one person and one person only, in a matching pair -- for the person who finds them and the person they'll give it to, someone they share a bond with like no one else."
"So why Ianto?"
"Because I knew, the moment I saw him, that he'd end up with it."
"How?"
"I just--just knew. I can't explain it, it's a bit complicated."
"Try Jack. Why didn't you give it to me?"
'This one is yours, child,' the elderly merchant said, reaching up to clasp the chain around his neck. Jack winked at her before turning to give the other chain to Rose. 'Oh no, no, that one is not for her.'
'But I like this one, it's pretty,' Rose replied, touching the disk with her fingers.
'I know, and you may choose any other necklace. Except this one.'
The woman took the chain, her gray-tinted gnarled fingers deftly undoing the clasp and looping it around Jack's neck. The two metal disks clanked against one another. She took the two and twisted them together so they formed one piece. Jack looked down in confusion; he hadn't even realized they could fit together.
Rose clapped her hands in excitement, looking for something else she liked. The merchant touched the joined necklaces with one long finger and smiled serenely.
"It's for my soulmate, Gwen. It only belongs to Ianto."
ETA: Chapter two here
dwtwprompts prompt: Spiritual
Date Written: 4/18/08
Rating: PG/K+
Word Count: 1,415
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters/Pairings: Rose, Team, Jack/Ianto,
Spoilers: Doctor Who 01, Torchwood season 1 & 2
Warnings: None.
Author's Notes: I think this is one of a series, but no promises. Yeah, definitely a series.
It had been a long day. A long two days. Hell, a long week. While it wasn't unheard of to pull a 48 hour shift (aliens were particular keen on 'two days until Earth's destruction' bits, it was rather melodramatic), they were fairly rare and always left the team wiped. Coffee and adrenaline could only take a person so far before they crashed.
Ianto came around, passing out the last round of coffee before shipping everyone home. Jack had insisted that they all get some caffeine in their systems before driving home, because no one had wanted to call a cab.
Even Jack had looked exhausted as he made the announcement, slowly and stiffly moving into his office and leaving the others in the autopsy bay.
Gwen felt as filthy as everyone else looked: when they weren't spelunking in the Cardiff sewers, they were often climbing onto the city rooftops, which smelled infinitely better but were about as filthy. Toshiko was sporting what was going to be a fabulous bruise tomorrow on her cheek as she sat on the cold metal table, her slim fingers cupping the warm mug in hands. Owen was standing next to her, distractedly groping at his coffee while he made sure a bruise was as bad as she'd gotten.
Ianto gave Gwen a tired smile as he handed her mug over, looking so unlike himself that if she didn't know for sure, she'd have thought he was a doppleganger. His hair was in complete disarray, his suit traded in for the spare jeans and tee he kept in the Hub (36 hours in normal clothing and counting, he'd had to lose the suit when an insulted alien decided to spray acid at his back), and dark circles under his eyes, matching the set the others owned.
If Gwen had bumped into him on the street, she wouldn't have recognized him at all.
She took the mug and nodded her thanks, her eyes still on Owen and Tosh. A glint caught her eye, however, and she tore her gaze away to look at Ianto's neck. There was a delicate gold chain looped around Ianto's neck, the clasp and a few inches uncovered by the scoop neck of the shirt. There was something hanging on it, from the way hung into the front of his shirt.
"What's this then?" she asked, reaching over to touch his necklace. Ianto flinched a little in reaction, but otherwise didn't move as Gwen pulled the chain out properly. "Didn't take you as a man who wears jewelry, Ianto."
"Oi! What does that mean?" Owen asked, turning to look over at the other two.
Gwen made a face in response, running her thumb over the thin, flat pendant. There were odd markings on it, inlaid in a sort of shimmering stone.
"It's beautiful," Tosh said, smiling, then wincing as it pulled at her bruise. She slid off the table to get a better look at it. "It looks alien in origin." She looked up at him, clearly worried. "Where did you get it?"
"Bet lover boy gave it to him," Owen replied, starting to straighten up.
Ianto blushed a little and pulled it from the girls' views, tucking it back into his shirt.
Toshiko let out a sharp noise, covering her mouth and looking up at him, eyes glittering in laughter and happiness for Ianto. "Well, if he gave it to you, I won't worry."
"Oh, you're kidding me!" Owen teased him. "The tea boy's got himself a trinket from Jack. How sickening."
Ianto rolled his eyes at Owen, gathering his tray. "If you're all quite done--"
Gwen cocked her head to the side. "It's a delicate chain, Ianto, you shouldn't wear it at work. Not with the job we have!"
Ianto just gave her a smile. "The metal it's made of is stronger than it looks." He took the tray. "I'll get some coffee for everyone in a take-out cup, so you don't fall asleep behind the wheel," he called out, climbing the short flight of stairs out of the autopsy bay.
Toshiko let out a little giggle when Ianto was out of earshot. "What's gotten into you, Tosh?" Owen asked. "Sure you didn't bump your head a bit harder when you were pushed into that wall?"
"I know what those symbols are," she replied, turning for her coffee. "It's used like the way talismans were used, back years and years ago, for protection."
"Never pegged Harkness to be superstitious," Owen muttered.
"I think it's sweet!"
"Yeah, well, there you are."
Toshiko smacked his shoulder, making Owen laugh.
"Here's your coffee," Ianto called out, stopping at the railing. He frowned. "Where's Gwen? Her coffee'll get cold."
-----
Jack didn't even look up from his paperwork when Gwen entered his office. She leaned against his desk, neither saying anything for a few minutes until Jack put his signature on the bottom of the page and put it into his makeshift 'outgoing' pile. "Can I help you?" he asked, moving on to another form.
"No, I just..." She smiled, shrugging a little. "...was wondering about Ianto's necklace."
Jack gave a little grin, his pen pausing just a moment before scratching away again. "What about it?"
"It's alien. I thought we weren't supposed to take anything alien out of the Hub."
"It's safe."
"How do you know?"
"Because I bought it." He set his pen aside, sitting up straight. "I bought it a long, long time ago." Gwen had that little head cock, and Jack knew she wouldn't leave him be until she had a satisfactory answer. "When I was traveling." Rose had teased him mercilessly about it, for days and days and days afterwards, even before the Doctor had told her what they were. The fact that Jack had passed the merchant's stand four times before approaching it had tickled her endlessly; Jack Harkness was never shy.
"And you gave it to Ianto."
Jack blinked at her. "I didn't realize I had to ask your permission, Mom."
"I just--" She shook her head before putting on a smile. "I thought you liked me."
"I do."
"But you didn't give me something like that, to protect me. Oh, I know it's just in your head, but--"
"Gwen," Jack said, cutting off her babbling. "It... wouldn't work for you."
"What does that mean?"
"It means just that. Go home, you haven't seen your husband in days."
"But--"
"Gwen, just drop it, okay?"
"But Jack, what about me? And Owen and Tosh, don't we deserve to be safe too?"
"You do, but--"
"No buts, Jack, it's not fair to m--to us!"
He'd had enough of her pushing, and he was tired (physically and emotionally) enough to lash out. "It won't work because of the way they're made." He unbuttoned the top button, pulling out the mate to Ianto's. "These are called Vidara necklaces, they're made by the people who live on, well, Vidara. Vidarans are amazing psychic, they make the Oracle at Delphi look like teenage girls with a Ouija board. They make these necklaces specifically for one person and one person only, in a matching pair -- for the person who finds them and the person they'll give it to, someone they share a bond with like no one else."
"So why Ianto?"
"Because I knew, the moment I saw him, that he'd end up with it."
"How?"
"I just--just knew. I can't explain it, it's a bit complicated."
"Try Jack. Why didn't you give it to me?"
'This one is yours, child,' the elderly merchant said, reaching up to clasp the chain around his neck. Jack winked at her before turning to give the other chain to Rose. 'Oh no, no, that one is not for her.'
'But I like this one, it's pretty,' Rose replied, touching the disk with her fingers.
'I know, and you may choose any other necklace. Except this one.'
The woman took the chain, her gray-tinted gnarled fingers deftly undoing the clasp and looping it around Jack's neck. The two metal disks clanked against one another. She took the two and twisted them together so they formed one piece. Jack looked down in confusion; he hadn't even realized they could fit together.
Rose clapped her hands in excitement, looking for something else she liked. The merchant touched the joined necklaces with one long finger and smiled serenely.
"It's for my soulmate, Gwen. It only belongs to Ianto."
ETA: Chapter two here