Ficlet_zone Challenge 21 - What you wear matters

[m_findlow]

Title: What you wear matters
Fantdom: Torchwood
Characters: Greg Bishop, Rhydian Huws
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 727 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for Challenge 21 - Elton John Song Titles (Monkey Suit) at ficlet_zone
Summary: Greg is trying to give Torchwood's recent addition some sage advice.

'You don't have to keep wearing that uniform, Rhydian,' Greg told him. 'You're not in the armed forces anymore.' It was quaint that the young Torchwood recruit wanted to look the part of an important member of the most secret organisation in Britain, perhaps the world, but he needed to let go of his past and embrace his future, whatever small part he might have to play in it. Crisp whites and navy blues were only going to earn him all the wrong kinds of attention.

As their administration assistant he wasn't expected to run around the city after weevils, not that his military training probably hadn't equipped him for such things. It was strange, Greg thought, that such a young man made it into the military at all. He couldn't have been more than twenty and he'd already done three years of active service. Greg sighed. Bloody wars. At least he was no longer on the front line.

Rhydian rarely spoke unless spoken to and seemed to be a soft touch rather than an ambitious green recruit. Doctor Brennan must surely have had her reasons for having him here, though perhaps she was only doing a favour to a friend of a colleague higher up in the military, giving the lad a leg up where perhaps there wasn't a natural career path for him otherwise. Then again, the thought of Brennan having friends at all seemed laughable. Perhaps that was why Greg felt such a need to take the lad under his wing and help him find his way. After all, Torchwood was not like other jobs, even for one not expected out in the field. He hoped that somewhere beneath that shy, polite exterior, was the exciting young Welshman who could rise through the ranks.

Rhydian looked confused, eyes crossing behind his thick black rimmed glasses, as if Greg was espousing some new and completely unheard of concept. Maybe his eyesight was the reason he'd been transferred from the navy corps. That or it was a brilliant disguise meant to obfuscate his true ability. 'But what would I wear instead?'

Greg scoffed a laugh back. 'Anything that doesn't leave you open to having Jack make a comment.' He'd seen how flustered the poor lad got when Jack turned on his wily charms. Jack loved to make naughty sailor jokes at Rhydian's expense. Funny how it was okay for Jack to get about in contemporary military style garb, but for anyone else, those who'd actually served in the real armed forces, it was nothing more than an opening to some shameless innuendo.

Rhydian was very much as straight as they came and had absolutely no idea what to do with Jack's overtures, innocent as Jack probably thought they were. Jack didn't really want Rhydian in any sexual way. All of that energy he'd expended on Greg, trying to twist his arm into coming out with him, just once.

'I'm not sure what that would be,' Rhydian replied.

'Try a suit,' Greg suggested.

'Like yours, sir?'

Greg smirked at that. Definitely not like his, he thought, knowing all the trouble he went to to find a suit that didn't emphasise his jet black hair or those electric blue eyes. Whether he'd succeeded on that front was anyone's guess. Some days he felt he looked more like a member of the mob. It certainly hadn't detracted Jack so far, which was largely the intention. Jack would go to town on him if Rhydian attempted to copy Greg's outfits. Perhaps he should switch to tweed, and an ugly tweed at that.

'Try something sombre,' Greg suggested. 'Grey. No, charcoal,' he clarified. 'Avoid any pinstripe.' Dear God, now he was giving fashion advice to impressionable young men. Jack really would have a field day knowing that. If he could see them discussing whether to opt for pocket squares…

Rhydian studied Greg with the air of a studious seaman. 'So, you mean like a uniform, but not a uniform?'

Greg sighed. 'Yes, Rhydian, that's exactly what I mean.' What was the point? Jack was going to flirt with them all regardless. Perhaps Rhydian would just have to learn this lesson the hard way. That, or Greg was going to have to say yes to Jack's offer just to temper his efforts elsewhere. He sighed. Suddenly Rhydian looked like the lesser fool.