Birthday Blues 8/9: A Day Like This
Oct. 22nd, 2010 11:16 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
galadriel1010Title: Birthday Blues
Chapter Title: A Day Like This
Challenge/Fest: Kiss_Bingo
Prompt: Empotion: Love
Rating: U
Characters: Jack/Ianto, Mirabelle, Andrew, Mica, David + other family members
Summary: The family are out at the farm in the Beacons, looking forwards to spending Ianto's thirtieth birthday there together. It wouldn't be them if several things didn't go wrong, though.
Contains: Illness, an unscheduled trip to Grenada, family fluffiness, a picnic and a milestone birthday.
Disclaimer: Torchwood and its environs, occurences and persons belong to the BBC. The original characters have disowned me.
Author's Note: Yes, it's just grown by a chapter. I lost one of the stories along the way, but it's back in place now.
Jack leaned on the wall and looked sideways at Ianto, trying to ignore his distracted expression. “So, we've got an hour to kill before dinner...”
Ianto looked around at him and tilted his head curiously. “You made reservations for dinner? I thought we were going home.”
“No,” he rubbed his hand down Ianto's back, enjoying the feel of the soft cotton against his palm. “We've got dinner and a room at the Swan, and they have a live band in the evening.”
“Jack...” Ianto turned to face him and his distraction had turned to consternation, with a touch of anger. “We're going to be away overnight, and you didn't think to tell me?”
“It would have defeated the object of a surprise,” he pointed out, more sharply than he'd intended, pulling his hand back and folding it over his other in front of him, returning his gaze to the vista before them so that Ianto couldn't see the look in his eyes. “I never get any time alone with you these days.”
“We can't leave the kids overnight,” Ianto protested, using the tone of voice that said that Jack was an idiot, but Ianto was going to refrain from pointing it out out of professional courtesy; Jack hadn't heard that tone of voice for a few years now. “I'm sorry, Jack,” he continued, not sounding sorry at all, “but we're going home.”
Jack was on the verge of capitulating, but The Plan bound him into an argument he was surely going to lose. “Your mam, Rhiannon and Johnny are all there, they've got Mica and David to keep them entertained and Alice is arriving this evening with Steven and John; they won't even notice we're not there.”
“And what happens if something goes wrong?” Ianto had pursed his lips and was glaring at a tree when Jack glanced at him.
“Ruth and Rhiannon will organise it, and Alice will hit it with a rolling pin,” Jack tried to shrug it off. “Six excitable children, three gossiping women, and Johnny...”
“You're not helping, Jack,” Ianto interrupted. “I don't want to fight with you over this...” he trailed off, meaning absolutely clear.
“Fine,” Jack sagged, shaking his head. It might spoil the plan, but he could probably nudge Ianto and the kids up onto the hills out of the way for the day. With any luck, Ianto would notice that he didn't want to go with them and wonder what was wrong, and might stop Jack feeling so damn hurt. When they'd made their plans, Ianto not wanting to spend time with him hadn't even been a consideration; it was such an alien concept. Maybe there was alien involvement... He sighed and pushed away from the wall, turning Ianto and framing his face in his hands. “Let's at least go for dinner, yeah?” Ianto looked like he was on the verge of declining that, so Jack dragged out the pout. “Please? Let's enjoy what's left of our day together. When was the last time we went out for dinner together when we weren't on secondment?”
Ianto opened his mouth, closed it again to purse his lips, and nodded. “Okay.”
“Wow, enthusiasm,” Jack joked bitterly, releasing him and heading back to the car. “We might as well skip dessert and hope that Mica didn't eat all of the cake...”
“What is up with you?” Ianto asked, hands on his hips when Jack glanced at him incredulously. “You make it sound like I don't want to be with you...”
“I make it sound like you don't want to be with me?” Jack stared at him. “You're the one who's been completely distracted all day, stopped listening in the middle of a sentence on at least six occasions and said that you don't want to be here.”
“I never...”
“Really? Because that's what it sounded like,” Jack pointed out as calmly as he could. From Ianto's expression he had a feeling that it either didn't work, or worked too well – Ianto looked like he'd been slapped. “It's the first day we've spent together as a couple without children or work since Valentine's Day, and you just seem totally bored.”
“I'm not...” Ianto looked horrified and hurried over to squeeze Jack's hands. “God, Jack, I'm not bored. I've loved today. I'm just... oh Hell...”
Jack swallowed and wondered what 'oh Hell' meant. “I just wanted to be able to have a day together for your birthday, before the family descends in earnest and we can't get a moment alone.”
“That's the thing though, isn't it?” Ianto looked away but didn't release his hands. “There's something going on at the house, and I can't work out what it is.”
“You...” Jack couldn't decide whether to laugh or curse. “You figured out that there's a plot going on, and that's what's been distracting you?”
“Well I hoped that there was a plot, because otherwise you'd all given in to my insisting that I didn't want a party, which would be a terrible shame,” he smiled wryly. “But I couldn't even find any evidence of it.”
Jack chuckled. “That's because your sister has all the evidence.”
“Ah. That would do it,” Ianto brought his eyes back to Jack's, via their hands. “You really thought that... have I been that distracted?”
“You really have,” Jack agreed, pleased that there was a funny side to see. “I told you I was pregnant over lunch.”
“You...” Ianto spluttered.
“I'm not,” he reassured him hastily. “But yeah, you were miles away.”
“I'm really sorry,” Ianto said quietly, guilt-stricken. “I never wanted you to feel like that. I really have loved spending today with you; it's reminded me how lucky I am, as if I needed reminding.”
Jack smiled and slid his hands to Ianto's waist, breathing a sigh of relief when Ianto completed the manoeuvre and hugged him tightly. “Nosy cow,” he muttered into Ianto's hair. “Although I'm glad it was just nosiness and not an alien mind control.”
“You...” Ianto pulled back and blinked at him. “I worry about our lives.” Then he smiled softly and pressed a chaste kiss to Jack's cheek. “But it's reassuring that you didn't think it was me being normal.”
“Couldn't be you being normal,” Jack insisted. “We kept our clothes on for the whole day.”
“We did,” Ianto agreed, toying with Jack's hair with one hand. “We should rectify that when we get to the room...”
“I thought you wanted to go home?” Jack asked, not-so-secretly delighted with the return to plan.
“Well... I can't get you in trouble with mam and Rhiannon, can I? I don't want a family split at my not-secret birthday party,” Ianto laughed, and the corners of his eyes crinkled; it was the first time that Jack had noticed them doing so. He leaned in to kiss the corner of Jack's mouth. “And I think I have some making up to do after today, don't I?”
“A bit,” Jack agreed. “You can buy me lunch tomorrow as well.”
“Don't push it,” Ianto laughed, but trailed off staring into Jack's eyes. “I really hurt you today, didn't I?”
“Nearly,” Jack agreed softly. “Try not to do it again.”
Ianto shook his head and wrapped his hand around the back to Jack's neck, pulling him in for a deep, tender kiss. Jack sighed into it and kissed back, content to let Ianto set the pace and guide it, accepting the apology and promise for what they were, and revelling in the love he could nearly taste. They held onto each other, bathed in rare Welsh sunshine and ready to reset the day and give the evening and each other the attention they deserved.
Next chapter
Chapter Title: A Day Like This
Challenge/Fest: Kiss_Bingo
Prompt: Empotion: Love
Rating: U
Characters: Jack/Ianto, Mirabelle, Andrew, Mica, David + other family members
Summary: The family are out at the farm in the Beacons, looking forwards to spending Ianto's thirtieth birthday there together. It wouldn't be them if several things didn't go wrong, though.
Contains: Illness, an unscheduled trip to Grenada, family fluffiness, a picnic and a milestone birthday.
Disclaimer: Torchwood and its environs, occurences and persons belong to the BBC. The original characters have disowned me.
Author's Note: Yes, it's just grown by a chapter. I lost one of the stories along the way, but it's back in place now.
Jack leaned on the wall and looked sideways at Ianto, trying to ignore his distracted expression. “So, we've got an hour to kill before dinner...”
Ianto looked around at him and tilted his head curiously. “You made reservations for dinner? I thought we were going home.”
“No,” he rubbed his hand down Ianto's back, enjoying the feel of the soft cotton against his palm. “We've got dinner and a room at the Swan, and they have a live band in the evening.”
“Jack...” Ianto turned to face him and his distraction had turned to consternation, with a touch of anger. “We're going to be away overnight, and you didn't think to tell me?”
“It would have defeated the object of a surprise,” he pointed out, more sharply than he'd intended, pulling his hand back and folding it over his other in front of him, returning his gaze to the vista before them so that Ianto couldn't see the look in his eyes. “I never get any time alone with you these days.”
“We can't leave the kids overnight,” Ianto protested, using the tone of voice that said that Jack was an idiot, but Ianto was going to refrain from pointing it out out of professional courtesy; Jack hadn't heard that tone of voice for a few years now. “I'm sorry, Jack,” he continued, not sounding sorry at all, “but we're going home.”
Jack was on the verge of capitulating, but The Plan bound him into an argument he was surely going to lose. “Your mam, Rhiannon and Johnny are all there, they've got Mica and David to keep them entertained and Alice is arriving this evening with Steven and John; they won't even notice we're not there.”
“And what happens if something goes wrong?” Ianto had pursed his lips and was glaring at a tree when Jack glanced at him.
“Ruth and Rhiannon will organise it, and Alice will hit it with a rolling pin,” Jack tried to shrug it off. “Six excitable children, three gossiping women, and Johnny...”
“You're not helping, Jack,” Ianto interrupted. “I don't want to fight with you over this...” he trailed off, meaning absolutely clear.
“Fine,” Jack sagged, shaking his head. It might spoil the plan, but he could probably nudge Ianto and the kids up onto the hills out of the way for the day. With any luck, Ianto would notice that he didn't want to go with them and wonder what was wrong, and might stop Jack feeling so damn hurt. When they'd made their plans, Ianto not wanting to spend time with him hadn't even been a consideration; it was such an alien concept. Maybe there was alien involvement... He sighed and pushed away from the wall, turning Ianto and framing his face in his hands. “Let's at least go for dinner, yeah?” Ianto looked like he was on the verge of declining that, so Jack dragged out the pout. “Please? Let's enjoy what's left of our day together. When was the last time we went out for dinner together when we weren't on secondment?”
Ianto opened his mouth, closed it again to purse his lips, and nodded. “Okay.”
“Wow, enthusiasm,” Jack joked bitterly, releasing him and heading back to the car. “We might as well skip dessert and hope that Mica didn't eat all of the cake...”
“What is up with you?” Ianto asked, hands on his hips when Jack glanced at him incredulously. “You make it sound like I don't want to be with you...”
“I make it sound like you don't want to be with me?” Jack stared at him. “You're the one who's been completely distracted all day, stopped listening in the middle of a sentence on at least six occasions and said that you don't want to be here.”
“I never...”
“Really? Because that's what it sounded like,” Jack pointed out as calmly as he could. From Ianto's expression he had a feeling that it either didn't work, or worked too well – Ianto looked like he'd been slapped. “It's the first day we've spent together as a couple without children or work since Valentine's Day, and you just seem totally bored.”
“I'm not...” Ianto looked horrified and hurried over to squeeze Jack's hands. “God, Jack, I'm not bored. I've loved today. I'm just... oh Hell...”
Jack swallowed and wondered what 'oh Hell' meant. “I just wanted to be able to have a day together for your birthday, before the family descends in earnest and we can't get a moment alone.”
“That's the thing though, isn't it?” Ianto looked away but didn't release his hands. “There's something going on at the house, and I can't work out what it is.”
“You...” Jack couldn't decide whether to laugh or curse. “You figured out that there's a plot going on, and that's what's been distracting you?”
“Well I hoped that there was a plot, because otherwise you'd all given in to my insisting that I didn't want a party, which would be a terrible shame,” he smiled wryly. “But I couldn't even find any evidence of it.”
Jack chuckled. “That's because your sister has all the evidence.”
“Ah. That would do it,” Ianto brought his eyes back to Jack's, via their hands. “You really thought that... have I been that distracted?”
“You really have,” Jack agreed, pleased that there was a funny side to see. “I told you I was pregnant over lunch.”
“You...” Ianto spluttered.
“I'm not,” he reassured him hastily. “But yeah, you were miles away.”
“I'm really sorry,” Ianto said quietly, guilt-stricken. “I never wanted you to feel like that. I really have loved spending today with you; it's reminded me how lucky I am, as if I needed reminding.”
Jack smiled and slid his hands to Ianto's waist, breathing a sigh of relief when Ianto completed the manoeuvre and hugged him tightly. “Nosy cow,” he muttered into Ianto's hair. “Although I'm glad it was just nosiness and not an alien mind control.”
“You...” Ianto pulled back and blinked at him. “I worry about our lives.” Then he smiled softly and pressed a chaste kiss to Jack's cheek. “But it's reassuring that you didn't think it was me being normal.”
“Couldn't be you being normal,” Jack insisted. “We kept our clothes on for the whole day.”
“We did,” Ianto agreed, toying with Jack's hair with one hand. “We should rectify that when we get to the room...”
“I thought you wanted to go home?” Jack asked, not-so-secretly delighted with the return to plan.
“Well... I can't get you in trouble with mam and Rhiannon, can I? I don't want a family split at my not-secret birthday party,” Ianto laughed, and the corners of his eyes crinkled; it was the first time that Jack had noticed them doing so. He leaned in to kiss the corner of Jack's mouth. “And I think I have some making up to do after today, don't I?”
“A bit,” Jack agreed. “You can buy me lunch tomorrow as well.”
“Don't push it,” Ianto laughed, but trailed off staring into Jack's eyes. “I really hurt you today, didn't I?”
“Nearly,” Jack agreed softly. “Try not to do it again.”
Ianto shook his head and wrapped his hand around the back to Jack's neck, pulling him in for a deep, tender kiss. Jack sighed into it and kissed back, content to let Ianto set the pace and guide it, accepting the apology and promise for what they were, and revelling in the love he could nearly taste. They held onto each other, bathed in rare Welsh sunshine and ready to reset the day and give the evening and each other the attention they deserved.
Next chapter
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2010-10-22 01:02 am (UTC)<3
no subject
Date: 2010-10-23 12:37 am (UTC)Rxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
no subject
Date: 2010-10-22 01:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-10-23 12:40 am (UTC)Gxxx
no subject
Date: 2010-10-22 06:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-10-23 12:41 am (UTC)Gxxx
no subject
Date: 2010-10-22 07:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-10-23 12:56 am (UTC)Gxxx
no subject
Date: 2010-10-22 01:58 pm (UTC)Love it
no subject
Date: 2010-10-23 12:58 am (UTC)Gxxx