m_findlow

Title: Not my colour
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Jack, Ianto
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 500 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for Challenge 565 - Amusement at slashthedrabble
Summary: Jack is trying to see the funny side to cheer Ianto up.

Ianto sputtered and made little noises of incredulity as he studied his reflection in the mirror and ran his fingertips through his hair. 'I just... I don't understand it,' he said, unable to tear his eyes away from the view despite spotting Jack standing behind him in the reflection.

'It's fine,' Jack assured him, resting his hands on Ianto's shoulders.

'It's not fine!' he replied, raising his voice. 'My hair has gone white! Totally white. Even my eyebrows have gone white.'

'It is white other places as well?' Jack teased, unable to wipe the naughty smirk from his lips. He'd find out soon enough.

Ianto twisted out of his grip, annoyed by the view, and by Jack. 'I'm glad you find amusement in my current predicament,' he seethed. 'If you wanted a boyfriend who finally looks about the same age as you, then congratulations, you've got one. Oh, God,' he muttered, his anger dissipating for a moment as another thought crossed his mind. 'We've got tea at my sister's on Thursday. We'll have to cancel. I can't have her see me like this. She'll think I'm old and about to die and-'

Jack pressed two fingers over Ianto's mouth, silencing his fretting. 'You're not old and you're not dying. Let's be clear on that. You've already got Owen's perfectly sound explanation. The thing zapped you, you weren't expecting it, it had a bit more of a kick than it should have. Owen says that sudden trauma combined with a disruption to your body's natural electrical charge, can have the affect of scrambling your genes for a bit. Having your hair change colour is not a new phenomenon. Some people get a patch or a streak where it loses all colour. You just happened to get the whole box and dice.'

'It's awful,' Ianto said, his shoulders slumping in defeat at his new look.

Jack pulled him in for a hug. 'It's temporary. You'll grow more new hair in no time. You're always complaining about needing to get it cut. It'll be back to its original colour before you know it.'

'If you say so,' Ianto muffled into his chest.

Jack ran a hand through Ianto's ice white locks and placed a kiss in them for good measure. 'You're still gorgeous you, and it's a lot better than being zapped dead on the floor.'

'There is that,' he said, conceding that the malfunctioning device could very well have administered him a lethal shock instead of one that just had him looking like a mad scientist.

'We could always get it coloured if it bothers you that much,' Jack offered. 'How about race car red? Red is your colour after all. Or maybe blond? I've always had a thing for blonds and-'

This time it was Ianto who silenced him. 'Or maybe I let it zap you and then we can both look like this.'

Jack clamped his mouth shut. He knew a warning shot over the bow when he heard one.