AdventChallenge Bingo - Sacrifices (Prompt 24 - Mistletoe)

[m_findlow]

Title: Sacrifices
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters/Pairings: Torchwood team
Word Count: 500 words
Rating: PG
Notes: Written for Prompt 24 - Mistletoe at adventchallenge

Owen was about to step through the door when he caught sight of the hubs's interior, quickly backing up and forcing the door shut. In the process of backing up, he jostled the other three who were barely a foot behind him.

'Watch what you're doing, Owen,' Tosh complained.

'Why did you shut the door?' Ianto asked.

'Trust me, we don't wanna go in there.'

'Don't be stupid, Owen,' Gwen said. 'Stop mucking around.' She pushed past him, trying for the door before he grabbed her hand and stopped her.

'Seriously, don't go in there.'

'Why not?'

'You do remember what day it is, don't you?'

'Tuesday,' Ianto quickly supplied.

Owen groaned. 'Idiot. It's the first of frigging December.'

'So?'

'So, Jack's been busy whilst we've been out.'

The penny dropped and the three of them stood there, staring at Owen.

'How bad is it?'

'Worst I've seen, and that was just a quick look.'

They only had to picture the hub from last year to know that it was bad. Jack had waited until their backs were turned to adorn every last inch of the hub with mistletoe. If Jack was touchy feely the rest of the year, it was nothing compared to Christmas, stealing a kiss whenever he could get one, no matter who happened to accidentally stray under the tiny sprigs of green. It was hard not to, give how much of it there was.

'You're going to have to go in first,' Owen said, staring straight at Ianto.

'Why me?'

'He's your stupid boyfriend.'

'Stop overreacting. He might not even be there.'

'Is that you guys behind the door?' came the yell from the other side.

'I stand corrected,' Ianto said.

'The first is always the worst,' Gwen said. 'He just needs to get it out of his system.'

'It's only fair,' Tosh added.

Mutiny! Ianto thought. So much for them being his friends.

'You can't stay out there all day,' Jack's voice floated back towards them. They could hear the smug gleefulness that was probably plastered all over his face. He'd probably been lying in wait for the past half hour, ready to pounce on the first unsuspecting person who walked through the door.

'It's unanimous, Teaboy,' Owen said. 'Time to take one for the team.'

Ianto sighed, tugging his jacket neatly in place, knowing it wouldn't be that way once Jack was finished with him. He could at least walk in there with some shred of dignity. 'Just remember who makes your coffee,' he warned them, turning the handle and stepping through.

Owen quickly slammed it back shut, just for a moment until he heard Jack cry out. 'Ianto! Merry Christmas!' Owen counted to three and threw the door open, instructing them all to move quickly past as he caught sight of Jack wrapped tightly around Ianto. Any other day he would have made gagging sounds and told Jack mouth to mouth resuscitation wasn't necessary. Today he was happy just to sneak by undetected.

Comments

[bk_forever]

I'm sure Ianto's enjoying the experience really ... ;)