Fffc Advent Calendar (Day 14) - Bookworm

[m_findlow]

Title: Bookworm
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Jack, Owen, Gwen
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 300 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for Advent Calendar Day 14 - "That’s New York, people. It’s winter. We get snow. If you aren’t prepared to deal with it, move to Miami." - Kelley Armstrong at fffc
Summary: Jack gets through a lot of novels late at night.
 

'Jesus!' Gwen cursed as she hopped out of the SUV, belted by a wintery blast.

'It's bloody freezing out here,' Owen complained, shoving his gloved hands under his armpits and his face down into the collar of his jacket.

'That’s New York, people,' Jack replied, pulling his own collar up. 'It’s winter. We get snow. If you aren’t prepared to deal with it, move to Miami.'

'Sorry?'

'Oh, it's just a quote I read in a book once. Seemed appropriate.'

Owen snorted. 'You read books? Comics don't count, you know.'

Jack gave him a withering glare, which was easy since he already had to squint against the icy wind. 'You'd know all about comic books, wouldn't you Owen? I'll bet you're a Spiderman guy. Nerd who becomes a secret superhero by night.'

'X-men, thank you very much,' Owen retorted. 'And I haven't read one in years. I collected them.'

'Which makes you the worst kind of comic book reader,' Jack replied. 'The kind that never actually read them.'

'Whatever.'

'What kinds of books do you read, Jack?' Gwen asked, sounding genuinely interested.

'The Karma Sutra?' Owen suggested.

'Mostly just whatever I buy Ianto for Christmas or birthdays. Crime novels, some thrillers and mysteries in between. He never does get around to reading them, even though he's always excited to receive them, insisting he can't wait to read them. I just know that if I stop buying them he'll only get upset if I say he never reads them.'

'Hang on,' Gwen said. 'If Ianto hasn't got time to read them, how is it you do?'

Jack shrugged. 'What else am I going to do at three am when I can't sleep? This Christmas I thought I might buy him something I want to read. Kill two birds with one stone.'

Comments

[bk_forever]

And suddenly I feel really sad for Ianto, never getting the time to read books. I get through fewer each year than I used to but I'd be lost without my books to read at night.