Fic: Drive Away
TITLE: Drive Away
AUTHOR: Erin Giles
DISCLAIMER: Torchwood and it's characters are property of the BBC.
RATING: PG
PAIRINGS/CHARACTERS: Ianto/Jack
WORDS: 1237
SUMMARY: Jack and Ianto go to a UNIT meeting in London. At Canary Wharf.
CHALLENGE: horizonssing Day 25: "Summertime" by Mae
The sun was setting when they finally got free of the London congestion. Ianto had given up on map reading a good half hour ago since Jack never listened to him anyway. Jack had his own internal GPS system, the problem was it was faulty and unwilling to admit it was so. Now though they were thankfully on the M4 heading back towards Cardiff.
Jack glanced across at Ianto, ready to announce that he knew he didn’t need a map, but he stopped with his mouth hung open, midway through forming his first word. He regarded Ianto, now slouched in the passengers seat. His tie was missing from round his neck, had been as soon as they had got back into the car. His jacket was also gone but that had been removed the minute the meeting with UNIT had finished. It had been a horrific day full of bureaucratic pen pushers that mostly had a stick up their arse. Jack had brought Ianto to placate them slightly, knowing that the Welshman was far more diplomatic than Jack could ever be. Gwen had encouraged Ianto to go as well, hoping that when they returned they would still have enough money to buy coffee, albeit instant, having most of their budget still intact for the next financial year. As it was Ianto had taken the brunt of the autocratic flak, trying to hold his own with Jack jumping in at inappropriate moments, trying to help and failing miserably.
Jack glanced into the passengers seat again as they passed the junction for Slough. Ianto’s forehead was wedged between the window, seatbelt and seat, his eyes closed as he snored lightly, looking the picture of innocence. His window was ajar, letting in the noise of the traffic, but it didn’t seem to disturb the slumbering man.
Jack knew that wasn’t the only reason Ianto was exhausted though. Granted it had been a long day; Ianto had driven most of the way there, they’d been up since five in the morning and it was now nine in the evening. But Ianto wasn’t just physically and mentally exhausted; he was emotionally drained. The UNIT building they’d visited had been at Canary Wharf and Jack had seen Ianto tense as they’d driven to the Isle of Dogs. He’d spent the rest of the day on edge and at lunchtime when a lot of people had escaped to the roof terrace to munch on the buffet provided Ianto had opted to stay inside, sitting in unfamiliar hallways with no windows.
Jack knew Ianto still had scars on his left bicep where Lisa had grabbed a hold of him, hot metal on flesh. But it wasn’t the physical scars Jack was interested in as he pressed his foot harder on the accelerator, desperate to get as far away from London as quickly as possible.
The thing was he wasn’t in any particular rush to get back to Cardiff either. He had fanciful notions of driving somewhere he’d never been before and just staying for a few days with Ianto in a small B&B someplace off the beaten track; radio silence. He knew he had responsibilities though, just like Ianto did, but he figured the world could do without them for a few hours at the very least.
When he pulled off the motorway at Junction 18 the sun had long disappeared from sight. It wasn’t exactly the four star restaurant Jack had envisioned when he pulled into the pub’s car park, but it was still open and still serving food so it served it’s purpose.
“Ianto.” Jack called, killing the engine as he placed a hand on top of Ianto’s that was resting lazily in his lap. Ianto stirred slightly, trying to muffle a yawn with his hand as he peeled his cheek from the seatbelt, rubbing it aggressively.
“Where are we?” Ianto asked dopily running a hand through untamed hair as he glanced around the pub car park at Ford Fiestas and Vauxhall Astras.
“I was getting hungry so I thought we could stop for a bite to eat.” Jack replied, making no move to get out the car.
“The Dog Inn?” Ianto questioned, looking out the window as he fumbled with his seatbelt, trying to undo it.
“It was the first one we came too, also if you find that amusing, wait until I tell you the name of the town we’re in.” Jack teased, grinning from ear to ear as Ianto quirked an eyebrow.
“Chipping Sodbury.” Jack blurted out, trying to muffle a laugh as Ianto rolled his eyes at Jack’s immaturity before he was pulling himself out the car into the cool night air. He stretched in the car park, waiting for Jack to vacate the SUV.
“I think I’ve just realised how hungry I am.” Ianto commented, rubbing his stomach slightly as it gurgled in appreciation at the smell of food coming from the pub.
“Well you did skip lunch.” Jack replied, trying to keep the conversation light-hearted, but it was hard to hide his blatant concern for Ianto. Ianto looked back at Jack, a flash of something passing over Ianto’s face that was hard to discern.
“You know you can stop being brave now. You can tell me how horrible it was being back there, how awful it made you feel, how mad you are at me for making you go when I full well knew where the meeting was.” Jack urged, taking a tentative step towards Ianto.
“I’m not mad.” Ianto shook his head, but Jack could see the young man looked more vulnerable now than he had done a moment ago. “It was hard though. I’m not going to lie, I thought I was going to be sick when we were walking through the car park towards the building. I thought I was going to pass out in the lift on the way up to the boardroom, and when you all went outside for lunch I knew that the roof garden overlooked ground zero. It would have been too much for me Jack.” Ianto shook his head, looking down at his feet like he was ashamed.
“I thought I’d be ok, but I don’t think I’m ever going to be ok with what happened. I still miss Lisa. I think a part of me always will, but I’m done living in the past.” Ianto gave Jack a tentative smile as he kicked at some gravel by the front tyre of the SUV.
“I don’t think anyone will hold it against you if you’re never ok with what happened Ianto.” Jack answered, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
“And if you’re done living in the past, why don’t we live in the present. I’m starving.” Jack said in an upbeat tone, leading the way into the pub. Ianto smiled to himself before following behind.
When they vacated the pub sometime later, full and sated, driving out of the car park and back to the motorway Ianto turned his head slightly like he was going to look behind him. He didn’t though. He knew that he had left behind all his fears and insecurities in that car park, and he knew that the man sat beside him didn’t judge him for it. Jack had just as many doubts and worries as Ianto had and sometimes just driving away from it all was the only thing they could do when it got too much.
AUTHOR: Erin Giles
DISCLAIMER: Torchwood and it's characters are property of the BBC.
RATING: PG
PAIRINGS/CHARACTERS: Ianto/Jack
WORDS: 1237
SUMMARY: Jack and Ianto go to a UNIT meeting in London. At Canary Wharf.
CHALLENGE: horizonssing Day 25: "Summertime" by Mae
The sun was setting when they finally got free of the London congestion. Ianto had given up on map reading a good half hour ago since Jack never listened to him anyway. Jack had his own internal GPS system, the problem was it was faulty and unwilling to admit it was so. Now though they were thankfully on the M4 heading back towards Cardiff.
Jack glanced across at Ianto, ready to announce that he knew he didn’t need a map, but he stopped with his mouth hung open, midway through forming his first word. He regarded Ianto, now slouched in the passengers seat. His tie was missing from round his neck, had been as soon as they had got back into the car. His jacket was also gone but that had been removed the minute the meeting with UNIT had finished. It had been a horrific day full of bureaucratic pen pushers that mostly had a stick up their arse. Jack had brought Ianto to placate them slightly, knowing that the Welshman was far more diplomatic than Jack could ever be. Gwen had encouraged Ianto to go as well, hoping that when they returned they would still have enough money to buy coffee, albeit instant, having most of their budget still intact for the next financial year. As it was Ianto had taken the brunt of the autocratic flak, trying to hold his own with Jack jumping in at inappropriate moments, trying to help and failing miserably.
Jack glanced into the passengers seat again as they passed the junction for Slough. Ianto’s forehead was wedged between the window, seatbelt and seat, his eyes closed as he snored lightly, looking the picture of innocence. His window was ajar, letting in the noise of the traffic, but it didn’t seem to disturb the slumbering man.
Jack knew that wasn’t the only reason Ianto was exhausted though. Granted it had been a long day; Ianto had driven most of the way there, they’d been up since five in the morning and it was now nine in the evening. But Ianto wasn’t just physically and mentally exhausted; he was emotionally drained. The UNIT building they’d visited had been at Canary Wharf and Jack had seen Ianto tense as they’d driven to the Isle of Dogs. He’d spent the rest of the day on edge and at lunchtime when a lot of people had escaped to the roof terrace to munch on the buffet provided Ianto had opted to stay inside, sitting in unfamiliar hallways with no windows.
Jack knew Ianto still had scars on his left bicep where Lisa had grabbed a hold of him, hot metal on flesh. But it wasn’t the physical scars Jack was interested in as he pressed his foot harder on the accelerator, desperate to get as far away from London as quickly as possible.
The thing was he wasn’t in any particular rush to get back to Cardiff either. He had fanciful notions of driving somewhere he’d never been before and just staying for a few days with Ianto in a small B&B someplace off the beaten track; radio silence. He knew he had responsibilities though, just like Ianto did, but he figured the world could do without them for a few hours at the very least.
When he pulled off the motorway at Junction 18 the sun had long disappeared from sight. It wasn’t exactly the four star restaurant Jack had envisioned when he pulled into the pub’s car park, but it was still open and still serving food so it served it’s purpose.
“Ianto.” Jack called, killing the engine as he placed a hand on top of Ianto’s that was resting lazily in his lap. Ianto stirred slightly, trying to muffle a yawn with his hand as he peeled his cheek from the seatbelt, rubbing it aggressively.
“Where are we?” Ianto asked dopily running a hand through untamed hair as he glanced around the pub car park at Ford Fiestas and Vauxhall Astras.
“I was getting hungry so I thought we could stop for a bite to eat.” Jack replied, making no move to get out the car.
“The Dog Inn?” Ianto questioned, looking out the window as he fumbled with his seatbelt, trying to undo it.
“It was the first one we came too, also if you find that amusing, wait until I tell you the name of the town we’re in.” Jack teased, grinning from ear to ear as Ianto quirked an eyebrow.
“Chipping Sodbury.” Jack blurted out, trying to muffle a laugh as Ianto rolled his eyes at Jack’s immaturity before he was pulling himself out the car into the cool night air. He stretched in the car park, waiting for Jack to vacate the SUV.
“I think I’ve just realised how hungry I am.” Ianto commented, rubbing his stomach slightly as it gurgled in appreciation at the smell of food coming from the pub.
“Well you did skip lunch.” Jack replied, trying to keep the conversation light-hearted, but it was hard to hide his blatant concern for Ianto. Ianto looked back at Jack, a flash of something passing over Ianto’s face that was hard to discern.
“You know you can stop being brave now. You can tell me how horrible it was being back there, how awful it made you feel, how mad you are at me for making you go when I full well knew where the meeting was.” Jack urged, taking a tentative step towards Ianto.
“I’m not mad.” Ianto shook his head, but Jack could see the young man looked more vulnerable now than he had done a moment ago. “It was hard though. I’m not going to lie, I thought I was going to be sick when we were walking through the car park towards the building. I thought I was going to pass out in the lift on the way up to the boardroom, and when you all went outside for lunch I knew that the roof garden overlooked ground zero. It would have been too much for me Jack.” Ianto shook his head, looking down at his feet like he was ashamed.
“I thought I’d be ok, but I don’t think I’m ever going to be ok with what happened. I still miss Lisa. I think a part of me always will, but I’m done living in the past.” Ianto gave Jack a tentative smile as he kicked at some gravel by the front tyre of the SUV.
“I don’t think anyone will hold it against you if you’re never ok with what happened Ianto.” Jack answered, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
“And if you’re done living in the past, why don’t we live in the present. I’m starving.” Jack said in an upbeat tone, leading the way into the pub. Ianto smiled to himself before following behind.
When they vacated the pub sometime later, full and sated, driving out of the car park and back to the motorway Ianto turned his head slightly like he was going to look behind him. He didn’t though. He knew that he had left behind all his fears and insecurities in that car park, and he knew that the man sat beside him didn’t judge him for it. Jack had just as many doubts and worries as Ianto had and sometimes just driving away from it all was the only thing they could do when it got too much.