m_findlow

Title: Read all about it
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Jack, Tosh
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 650 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for badly_knitted's prompt "Any, any, reading a raunchy novel" at fic_promptly
Summary: Tosh has unveiled a new side to Jack, or is it the other way around?

'Ooh,' Jack purred, 'Fifty shades of grey,' he said, tipping back the book to read the title poking out of Tosh's handbag.

Embarrassed, she quickly tugged the bag back towards her and pressed the book deep down inside it. She shouldn't have left it lying on her desk, but she'd had her hands full when she'd come in, doling out the two takeaway coffees from the cardboard tray in one hand, and passing Jack a bag of pastries she'd added to their morning caffeine fix.

She tried not to make a habit of it. Their morning coffee was something of a ritual, since neither of them functioned very well before it, but if they ate pastries every day as well, they'd soon be fat, no matter how much chasing aliens they did. Well, Jack didn't most of the chasing, to be fair, keeping her out of harms way whilst she came to grips with the job and the frenetic pace of it. She was getting better, and more involved, but still, she didn't want to be the one responsible for giving Jack a muffin top.

'I had no idea you were into such raunchy novels,' Jack said, half teasing.

'It's for a book club,' she replied, quickly picking up her coffee and sipping it, trying to hide the blush she knew would be creeping over her face.

'Oh, yes?' Jack said. 'Is it a big club? Do they do that whole wine and cheese thing I've heard so much about?'

Tosh could see that Jack was taking a genuine interest in her life outside of work. It made her feel guilty to lie about it so instead she came out with the truth. 'Actually, at the moment it's just me.'

Jack gave her a curious smile. 'Can you have a club with just one member?'

'I put up a post online,' she quickly added. She'd been hoping for more of a chat room discussion about books rather than a face to face, wine and cheese affair, as Jack had described it. Making friends in a new city was still hard. She wasn't quite ready to put herself out there just yet. Conversing online felt much safer.

'Avid reader seeks other avid readers to share in trashy pornographic novels?' Jack asked, quirking an eyebrow at her.

'I thought I might get more interest,' she said. No one was going to join her little club if she picked something boring.

'Well, you've got mine,' Jack said.

Tosh frowned. 'Sorry?'

'I can join your club, can't I?'

Tosh squirmed in her chair. 'I'm not sure you'd want to.'

'Why not? I love a good book.' He pulled the one back out from her bag and flipped through the pages. He let out a little chuckle as he read a few lines.

'I'm sure it's not very exciting for you. You've probably done all that and more,' she said, before blushing even harder, realising what she'd just said. Just because Jack liked to tease her and discuss his outrageous conquests, didn't mean she had to bring it up.

Jack took it all in his stride. 'I can always do with a bit of re-education. Sometimes it's nice to go back to basics. I'm looking forward to discussing the finer points.'

'I was kind of hoping we'd talk about the literary aspects,' Tosh replied. She really had nothing to add to a conversation about intimate relations. Jack on the other hand could probably have written the encyclopedia on them.

'Tosh, let's be honest, there's nothing literary about this book. It's commercialised smut. But that's not a bad thing. We all do it. Why not write about it?' He slipped the book back into her bag. 'Just let me know when we're catching up. I think I've got a bottle of 1978 shiraz tucked away somewhere.'

Jane Eyre, she thought. I should have picked Jane Eyre.