Anythingdrabble Challenge 45 - One man's castle

[m_findlow]

Title: One man's castle
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters/Pairings: Gwen, Ianto
Word Count: 500 words
Rating: PG
Notes: Written for Challenge 45 - Bouncy at anythingdrabble
Summary: Jack's birthday bash is going to be quite something this year.

Gwen couldn't help her curiosity, peering over Ianto's shoulder as she passed his desk, wondering what he was Googling.

'Oh, you're not really going to, are you?' she blurted out, flagging the fact that she'd been spying. She thought Jack had been joking when he said what he'd really love to have for his birthday was an inflatable bouncy castle. Only someone as sweet as Ianto would take his request seriously.

'It's what he wants,' Ianto replied. 'At least, I think it's what he wants.' He paused. 'No, he definitely wants it. He'll only be disappointed if we don't. You know how Jack gets when he doesn't get things his way.'

'Yeah,' she said, 'all sulky and petulant like a five-year old.'

'Exactly. Can you imagine how much worse that would be on his birthday? The one day of the year when he thinks he's rightly entitled to be spoilt stupid?'

Gwen sat on the edge of the desk, taking a proper look at the screen. 'Do they even make them that big?'  

'Well, I mean these days you can buy them on the high street. Agos has about four different designs, but they're all too small. For the obvious reason, of course.'

'Of course,' she replied. 'So, what are you going to do?'

'Well, the other option is to make a few calls. The question isn't can I get one big enough, it's all a matter of cost and where the bloody hell we can put it that isn't going to attract the attention of everyone in a ten mile radius.'  

He could already picture it, people thinking that the carnival had come to town and asking him where were they selling the candy floss? Oh. Candy floss. He'd probably want that, too. Well, that wasn't so hard, he thought. They probably had contacts with people who could be paid to be there for the day making it. Better add popcorn to the list. And ice cream. In for a penny, in for a pound.

'You're genuinely serious about this?' she said.

'It's not a permanent thing,' he replied. 'I just want to hire it for the day. Council's hire them all the time for local fetes and what not. Can't be hard to get a few quotes, tell them we're hiring it for a reclusive millionaire who's a bit cracked.'

'Not a million miles from the truth,' Gwen muttered, thinking Jack must be the most terribly spoiled boyfriend ever. If Rhys was lucky, he'd get a secluded weekend away for a gift. Who had time to organise more than that? Next thing Ianto would be hiring clowns and half a circus.

'You could always have it out at Cwm Noddfa,' she suggested. 'That's nice and secluded.'

'That's a great idea, Gwen,' he said, beaming. It would certainly dispense with the need for secrecy, and he could have it all set up without Jack's knowledge.

'Happy to have helped. Just so long as I get a go on it.'

Comments

[bk_forever]

That will be up to Jack, but I;m sure Ianto will be dragged in to have a bounce. At least Jack will be happy!

[m-findlow.livejournal.com]

It might not be the most dignified thing he's ever done, but it will be fun. Jack will insist they all have as much fun as he does and by the end they'll probably all be too hyped up on candy floss to care.