Fandomweekly Challenge 203 - Grand plans
Dec. 31st, 2024 08:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
m_findlowTitle: Grand plans
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Ianto, Owen
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 1,000 words
Content notes: Post-canon AU.
Author notes: Written for Challenge 203 - Celebration at![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomweekly
Summary: : 1,000 words
‘Not another bouncy castle,’ Owen remarked, spying over Ianto's shoulder at his computer screen. ‘We had one of them a few years ago.’
‘You're not supposed to be peeping,’ Ianto said, though not sounding convincingly annoyed at their chief medical officer down from London for the week. He was here by invitation at Ianto's behest, not so much for an update on all the projects being spearheaded by their dedicated research facility, but for the lesser need of having him here for Jack's birthday celebrations.
‘You're hardly hiding it,’ Owen said. ‘What if I'd been Jack?’
‘Except that I knew you weren't Jack. Do you really think I'd be looking at this if I knew he was anywhere within three miles of the hub? You know what he's like. Spying on my emails, bugging my phone calls…’
Owen leaned against the edge of the desk and folded his arms, smirking. ‘Does he still do that shaking the wrapped presents thing at Christmas?’ he teased.
‘Always,’ Ianto replied. ‘That's why I went for overt instead of covert this year. I'm pretty sure I've managed to convince him that you and Tosh being down for the week is so that we can all have a nice, boozy dinner at the St David's Hotel to celebrate the occasion. I made a booking for six and everything, just in case he plans to call and confirm it. You and Tosh, me and Jack, Gwen and Rhys. The original team, just like old times. Jack probably thinks all his old nostalgia is finally rubbing off on me.’
‘That's your clever cover-up for the surprise kiddie party you have planned instead?’
Ianto gave a self-satisfied grin. ‘It worked, didn't it?’
‘How'd you know?’
‘Because Jack went and booked us the honeymoon suite at the hotel afterwards. I said that was a lovely idea and suggested he make it a whole weekend. He's convinced.’
Owen curved an eyebrow at him. ‘And you don't think bouncy castles and pony rides are a step down from that?
‘It’s bouncy castles and dodgem cars, thank you very much. And he’ll love it. Plus the roving circus performers and a giant ice-cream cake, and then we finish the night with a fireworks display over the backdrop of Cardiff Castle. Not to mention having a hundred of his best friends there. What kind of extroverted, time-travelling immortal wouldn't love that?’
Owen huffed. ‘Give me one good reason why I should let you buy a cart full of fireworks.’
‘I'm sure you could come up with twenty good reasons, but I'm probably still not going to take your advice.’
‘Like I expected you to start now. Haven't listened to a word I've said for the last ten years. Let's not break a good streak.’
‘Exactly,’ Ianto agreed, though knowing he'd done what Owen told him more often than he ignored the doctor's orders. Bantering like siblings was just what they did. ‘Besides, there'll be experts hired to set them off.’
‘He's really got you wrapped around his little finger, doesn't he?’ Owen said, leaning back against the wall.
‘If you think that then you really don't know me at all, Owen. I'm doing it because it will make Jack happy and when Jack's happy, that makes me happy.’
Owen snorted. ‘There's a low bar. Everybody turning up to work not wearing any clothes would make Jack happy, but I don't see you making that an order. Thank God.’
Ianto smirked and they both knew it was true. Jack would probably be just as happy to have no party at all, just a quiet night at home with Ianto popping up out of a giant cake covered in nothing but chocolate sauce. ‘Yes, well we can't give Jack what he wants all of the time. That's why I want this to be special.’ They could always do chocolate sauce for Valentine's Day.
‘How do you even know this is "the big one"?’ Owen asked, putting quotation fingers around his words. ‘Can anyone figure it out given how many times he's travelled backwards and forwards through time, crossing his own timeline?’
Ianto shrugged. ‘Can't be one hundred percent sure, but Tosh did her best based on what we do know about Jack's past. If this year isn't his three thousandth birthday, it's as close as we can get and I don't think even Jack could do better keeping track of it.’
‘Not sure he'd count the two thousand years he spent buried alive under Cardiff.’
‘Probably not,’ Ianto conceded. It was something they didn't talk about much, those interminable years spent dying over and over again as the dirt crushed down on him and suffocated him time and time again. Jack had lived a good life, but with bitter hardships as well, that were his alone to carry as an immortal soul. It was the one thing that no amount of mortal love could ever subsume. All Ianto could do was make the best of the time they did have together, and by putting on the best damn birthday party Jack had ever had. Maybe not the raging orgy of his fantasies, but good enough to remember for a good long while.
Ianto fixed Owen with a hard stare. ‘You won't spoil the surprise, will you?’
‘Who, me? Nah. Be good to see him not know everything for once. He'll be pissed that we were able to keep anything secret from him, the stupid nosy, interfering bugger.’
‘Careful,’ Ianto warned.
‘Not like you haven't called him worse. How come I can’t?’
Ianto held up a hand. ‘The ring on this finger says so.’
It was Owen's turn to roll his eyes. Fine. He's your ancient husband, but if pass the parcel and pin the tail on the donkey is what he wants, then who are we to argue?’
‘Exactly. You never know, Owen, you might even enjoy it a little bit yourself.’
Owen barked out a laugh. ‘Don't get too far ahead of yourself, Teaboy.’
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Ianto, Owen
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 1,000 words
Content notes: Post-canon AU.
Author notes: Written for Challenge 203 - Celebration at
fandomweeklySummary: : 1,000 words
Summary: Ianto has big plans for Jack’s milestone birthday.
‘Not another bouncy castle,’ Owen remarked, spying over Ianto's shoulder at his computer screen. ‘We had one of them a few years ago.’
‘You're not supposed to be peeping,’ Ianto said, though not sounding convincingly annoyed at their chief medical officer down from London for the week. He was here by invitation at Ianto's behest, not so much for an update on all the projects being spearheaded by their dedicated research facility, but for the lesser need of having him here for Jack's birthday celebrations.
‘You're hardly hiding it,’ Owen said. ‘What if I'd been Jack?’
‘Except that I knew you weren't Jack. Do you really think I'd be looking at this if I knew he was anywhere within three miles of the hub? You know what he's like. Spying on my emails, bugging my phone calls…’
Owen leaned against the edge of the desk and folded his arms, smirking. ‘Does he still do that shaking the wrapped presents thing at Christmas?’ he teased.
‘Always,’ Ianto replied. ‘That's why I went for overt instead of covert this year. I'm pretty sure I've managed to convince him that you and Tosh being down for the week is so that we can all have a nice, boozy dinner at the St David's Hotel to celebrate the occasion. I made a booking for six and everything, just in case he plans to call and confirm it. You and Tosh, me and Jack, Gwen and Rhys. The original team, just like old times. Jack probably thinks all his old nostalgia is finally rubbing off on me.’
‘That's your clever cover-up for the surprise kiddie party you have planned instead?’
Ianto gave a self-satisfied grin. ‘It worked, didn't it?’
‘How'd you know?’
‘Because Jack went and booked us the honeymoon suite at the hotel afterwards. I said that was a lovely idea and suggested he make it a whole weekend. He's convinced.’
Owen curved an eyebrow at him. ‘And you don't think bouncy castles and pony rides are a step down from that?
‘It’s bouncy castles and dodgem cars, thank you very much. And he’ll love it. Plus the roving circus performers and a giant ice-cream cake, and then we finish the night with a fireworks display over the backdrop of Cardiff Castle. Not to mention having a hundred of his best friends there. What kind of extroverted, time-travelling immortal wouldn't love that?’
Owen huffed. ‘Give me one good reason why I should let you buy a cart full of fireworks.’
‘I'm sure you could come up with twenty good reasons, but I'm probably still not going to take your advice.’
‘Like I expected you to start now. Haven't listened to a word I've said for the last ten years. Let's not break a good streak.’
‘Exactly,’ Ianto agreed, though knowing he'd done what Owen told him more often than he ignored the doctor's orders. Bantering like siblings was just what they did. ‘Besides, there'll be experts hired to set them off.’
‘He's really got you wrapped around his little finger, doesn't he?’ Owen said, leaning back against the wall.
‘If you think that then you really don't know me at all, Owen. I'm doing it because it will make Jack happy and when Jack's happy, that makes me happy.’
Owen snorted. ‘There's a low bar. Everybody turning up to work not wearing any clothes would make Jack happy, but I don't see you making that an order. Thank God.’
Ianto smirked and they both knew it was true. Jack would probably be just as happy to have no party at all, just a quiet night at home with Ianto popping up out of a giant cake covered in nothing but chocolate sauce. ‘Yes, well we can't give Jack what he wants all of the time. That's why I want this to be special.’ They could always do chocolate sauce for Valentine's Day.
‘How do you even know this is "the big one"?’ Owen asked, putting quotation fingers around his words. ‘Can anyone figure it out given how many times he's travelled backwards and forwards through time, crossing his own timeline?’
Ianto shrugged. ‘Can't be one hundred percent sure, but Tosh did her best based on what we do know about Jack's past. If this year isn't his three thousandth birthday, it's as close as we can get and I don't think even Jack could do better keeping track of it.’
‘Not sure he'd count the two thousand years he spent buried alive under Cardiff.’
‘Probably not,’ Ianto conceded. It was something they didn't talk about much, those interminable years spent dying over and over again as the dirt crushed down on him and suffocated him time and time again. Jack had lived a good life, but with bitter hardships as well, that were his alone to carry as an immortal soul. It was the one thing that no amount of mortal love could ever subsume. All Ianto could do was make the best of the time they did have together, and by putting on the best damn birthday party Jack had ever had. Maybe not the raging orgy of his fantasies, but good enough to remember for a good long while.
Ianto fixed Owen with a hard stare. ‘You won't spoil the surprise, will you?’
‘Who, me? Nah. Be good to see him not know everything for once. He'll be pissed that we were able to keep anything secret from him, the stupid nosy, interfering bugger.’
‘Careful,’ Ianto warned.
‘Not like you haven't called him worse. How come I can’t?’
Ianto held up a hand. ‘The ring on this finger says so.’
It was Owen's turn to roll his eyes. Fine. He's your ancient husband, but if pass the parcel and pin the tail on the donkey is what he wants, then who are we to argue?’
‘Exactly. You never know, Owen, you might even enjoy it a little bit yourself.’
Owen barked out a laugh. ‘Don't get too far ahead of yourself, Teaboy.’
