m_findlow

Title: Room with a view
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Jack, Ianto
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 500 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for Challenge 450 - Past Challenges Revisited & Challenge 129 - Window(s) at slashthedrabble
Summary: Camping has its upsides and downsides

'I don't get camping,' Jack declared loudly as Ianto was unpacking their many supplies, food, cookstove and lighter fuel.

Ianto frowned, setting down the metal bowls and cups. 'I don't understand, I thought you said you were excited to go camping?'

'Oh I am, don't get me wrong, Ianto. There's nothing that could possibly ruin a few days, and nights, alone with you. It's the concept I don't get.'

Ianto rolled his eyes, wondering why he'd suggested it in the first place. He'd thought it was a fairly simple idea. You take yourself and your gear to some remote point, and enjoy the peace and tranquility that mother nature had to offer. In their case, it was a secluded spot on the Gower Peninsula, surrounded by lush green headlands and ocean stretching out as far as the eye could see, the wild ocean crashing against the shore hundreds of feet below them.

'We are trying to be at one with nature,' he replied, albeit without forgoing some of the basics such as hot food and shelter.

'My point exactly,' Jack said. 'We're out here to enjoy the spectacular view, but how are we supposed to do that in a tent? It doesn't have any windows! All this beauty and all I can see is three grey walls. We should be waking up surrounded by the rising sun and the glittering ocean.'

Ianto had to admit Jack did have a point. Then again, humans had been camping for hundreds of years. If someone had considered windows to look out at the vista integral to the whole thing, wouldn't they have made tents with little clear squares in them?

'I suppose we could sleep outside,' Ianto mused. 'Wake up to this sunrise of yours.'

'That's what I'm talking about! Proper sleeping under the stars!'

At first, the idea had been quite pleasant, lying out on the grass and admiring the twinkling stars in the night sky, so many more than they usually saw, the sky not nearly as polluted by big city lights. The pale moon glistened on top of the water and they listened to the waves as they struck the coastline, rumbling deep and low. This was definitely better than looking at their tent walls.

After their stargazing and some quiet time together they finally settled down to sleep. Not an hour after that, the wind picked up and the weather began to turn. Their faces were hit with a dampness, though whether it was sea spray or drizzle they couldn't tell. The wind and the damp ate through their sleeping bags and chilled them to the bone. Giving up, they quickly agreed to huddle inside their tent and out of the elements, trying to warm themselves back up, now protected from the icy gales outside.

Yes, perhaps windows might have been nice, because sleeping outside with no shelter was definitely not a good idea, not in Wales anyway. Besides, the view from inside the tent was pretty good too.