Anythingdrabble Challenge 17 - Killing time

[m_findlow]

Title: Killing time
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters/Pairings: Owen, Ianto
Word Count: 500 words
Rating: PG
Notes: Written for Challenge 17 - Mindless at anythingdrabble
Summary: Not all of Torchwood's jobs are glamoruous or exciting.

'D'you know the only thing that makes a stake out even more mindlessly boring that normal?'

Ianto let out a breath, knowing he wouldn't like the answer. 'What's that, Owen?'

'Being stuck out on a stake out with you.'

'I love you, too.'

'This is all because of that quip I made about Jack's family jewels, isn't it?' It was revenge for  being forced to examine them physically once a month. It certainly wasn't something he enjoyed doing, especially when Jack usually took so much amusement out of having them on display.

Ianto sighed. 'The others were busy and this was a low priority.'

'You mean I'm a low priority.'

'Read into it what you will.' In his considered opinion, if Jack was punishing Owen, then he wasn't doing Ianto any favours, either.

Ianto settled a little lower into the seat. It wasn't nearly as comfortable as the SUV, but his nondescript black Audi was a good choice for a car that wouldn't get noticed, parked in a quiet residential street. Owen didn't look nearly as comfortable, shuffling and squirming to the point where it drove him to distraction.

'At least Jack or Gwen would have kept things interesting. God, even Tosh isn't that bad once you get her talking,' Owen grumbled, seemingly having a one-sided conversation now. Stake outs were not his thing. He hated sitting still, doing nothing. Worse was that he couldn't do anything else. He might have killed an hour playing candy crush but that was an hour he didn't have eyes on the target. He wished they'd leave the house  just to give him something to do, but all the lights were off. It looked like tonight was going to be a bust.

He looked across at Ianto and whacked him.

'Ow!' Ianto rubbed his arm. 'D'you have a death wish or something?'

'Thought you were falling asleep.'

Ianto gave him a death stare. 'I was conserving my energy. There's a difference.'

'Conserving it for what?'

'So that when some stupid git tests my patience one too many times, I'll have enough energy to kill him.'

Owen folded his arms and muttered something under his breath, before squirming down in the seat again. This was so boring. His eyes were going cross-eyed just staring blankly at the row of houses in the dark. He was hungry, too.

'Any of that coffee left?'

'You drank it all four hours ago.'

'Oh. No wonder I need to pee.'

'Try not to think about it.'

'Medically speaking, that's not a healthy response to a physical need.'

'Practically speaking, it's your only option.'

Owen looked down at the floor between his feet, trying not to think about it. 'Might need to borrow that flask.'

'Not on your life.'

'Well, what do you want me to do, then? A guy's gotta pee.'

'Get out!'

'What? And do it in the middle of the street?'

'No, get out of the car, you idiot!' Ianto said, clamoring for the door. 'He's on the move!'

Comments

[bk_forever]

Hah! Owen should have been paying more attention to their target. Good thing Ianto can multi-task!

[m-findlow.livejournal.com]

If patience is an art form then Ianto is da Vinci, Monet and Turner all rolled into one.