Fffc Regular Challenge r18.07 - Tis the season

[m_findlow]

Title: Tis the season
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Torchwood team
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 816 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for Regular Challenge r18.07 - Spring at fffc
Summary: Not everyone loves spring.

Gwen could hear Ianto long before the scent of the of coffee, which usually preceeded his quiet footfalls. He was whistling a jaunty little tune and had a silly smile all over his face as he reached across and set down her mug.

'Lovely morning, isn't it?' he said. He took up whistling again as he bounced down the medical bay stairs to deliver Owen's coffee.

'What's got you so chipper?' Owen said. 'And if it's got anything to do with being shagged by Jack, I don't wanna know. You can keep that to yourself.'

Ianto continued to smile at him. 'Can't I just be happy?'

'No.'

'Well, I am. It's a beautiful spring morning and that's good enough for me.'

Owen guffawed. 'Spring mornings? Now you have set the bar low.'

Unperturbed by Owen's demeanor, he continued dropping off Tosh's coffee, before pulling up a chair beside her to enjoy his own. 'You should get out more, Owen,' he said. 'Maybe then you'll see what you're missing, stuck down here. Spring is in full bloom out there.'

'Sure it's nothing flash. It is Cardiff, after all,' Owen replied. 'What's to love about spring?'

'What's not to love about spring?' Ianto said. 'Winter is finally on its way out with all that horrid fog and snow and sleet and miserable grey skies. All the trees are starting to grow new green shoots, and the sun comes out of hibernation. There's nothing better than waking up to find the sun streaming through your window when you throw open the curtains. You can finally open the windows and air out some of the musty smell that has been stuck inside the house for months on end. I can't wait to start walking to work again, strolling through the park and watching all the bulbs come into flower. All those wonderful, bright happy daffodils. It's so hard not to want to pick them and bring some into the hub.'

'Oh, I love daffodils, too,' Gwen beamed. 'When Rhys and I buy our new house I've already told him that we're getting somewhere with a proper yard. A backyard for the kids to play in and a front yard so I can potter amongst the daisies. I'll plant dozens of bulbs. Tulips, daffodils, hyacinth...'

'You?' Owen scoffed. 'I've seen your work up in the hothouse. I've never met anyone who kills plants faster than you.'

Gwen huffed. 'Well, when you live in a flat, you don't get a lot of plants to look after. It'll be different once we have a bit more space for gardening.'

'Whatever,' Owen said. 'Just stay away from my plants for now until you learn how not to kill them.'

'My favourite part is all the baby animals,' Tosh said. 'The air is filled with the sound of birds chirping and everywhere you drive around the valleys there's just hundreds of cute little lambs everywhere. They have such adorable faces. Makes you want to take one home with you.'

'All destined to be lamb chops,' Owen quipped.

'You are such a miserable git, Owen,' Gwen said. 'You must be the only person on the entire planet who doesn't love spring.'

Achoo! came the loud bellow from Jack's office. Any louder and it would have rattled the glass in the windows that looked out onto the rest of the hub. There was another loud sneeze, followed by a honk and a sniffle as he came out, holding a sodden handkerchief in his hands, wondering what he was supposed to do with it now that it couldn't hold another drop of mucus. His nose was twitching something awful, and he needed to quickly find a replacement before the next sneeze came. Fortunately, Ianto was there by his side almost instantly, holding out a box of tissues in one hand and a bin in the other.

'Danks,' Jack said, before grabbing a wad of them and racing them to his face to meet the oncoming onslaught.

Achoo! Achoo! ACHOO! He blew his nose hard, depositing the wet tissue remnants into the bin. 'I hade spring,' he mumbled.

'And that's why we can't have any flowers around the hub,' Ianto replied. 'At least you have an excuse for not liking spring. I've left a box of hayfever tablets on your desk. Take two and avoid going outside today. It's breezy and the pollen count is quite high. Owen and I will gladly volunteer for any rift alerts today.'

'I what?' Owen sputtered.

'You keep saying we don't get enough vitamin D,' Ianto replied. 'Today is the perfect opportunity to take some of that medical advice on board.'

'Mudge oblige,' Jack said, trudging back to his office.

Comments

[bk_forever]

I've been where Jack is so I sympathise. The only solution is to take antihistamines all year round. It makes breathing a lot easier.

[m-findlow.livejournal.com]

Luckily I don't get it, although I do remember once a lady brought a big bunch of jasmine to work and set it in a vase on her desk. I love the scent but it was actually so strong that it made my nose twitch and eyes water all day long so I'm very glad I don't get hayfever that bad!

[bk_forever]

You are very fortunate! I'm allergic to so many things that life without medication would be intolerable for most of the year. Antihistamines are one of the greatest inventions ever.