Dark Star: Chapter 4
Jun. 14th, 2010 11:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
galadriel1010Title: Dark Star
Chapter Title: Chapter 4
Challenge/Fest: CaseStory Big Bang
Rating: T
Dedication: Thanks to my wonderful artists, to everyone who's heard me rattle on about this, and to my brother for beta-ing.
Fandoms: Torchwood and Sherlock (BBC)
Summary: When Torchwood encounters an everyday case with far from everyday suspects, they need help they can trust. Fortunately, Ianto had an extraordinary flat mate when he was at university.
Characters: Sherlock Holmes, Ianto Jones, Jack Harkness, Owen Harper, Gwen Cooper, Toshiko Sato, OCs. Jack/Ianto, mentions of Gwen/Rhys and Gwen/Owen
Contains:
Disclaimer: Torchwood and its environs, occurrences and persons belong to the BBC. The original characters have disowned me.
Ianto entered Jack's office with a fresh mug of coffee and set it down on his desk next to his feet, which he glared at pointedly. “Your guest is happily settled, sir. I confess to being pleased with his reactions.”
“Ianto, it's just the two of us. You can turn off the Jeeves impression.” Jack smirked at him past the report but dropped his feet obediently. “You've used the old suites?”
“Yes, sir.” Ianto sat on the edge of the desk and watched Jack's hands. “I didn't know anyone but me knew about them.”
“I've been here a long time,” Jack pointed out with just a hint of chastisement. “I used to live down there, for a while.”
“I suppose that's why you spend so much time on roofs, then?” Ianto mused. “To counteract the amount of time you spend in the bowels of the Earth.”
“Ah, the bowels aren't so bad,” Jack laughed. He gestured with the report to change the subject. “This is good work, and he's impressive. I think we're lucky to have him on board.”
“His words to me were, 'thank goodness, I thought I was going to have to investigate the million pound art theft'.” Ianto chuckled. “Apparently life has been quite dull, with nothing but high profile art thefts, the occasional murder and a kidnapping to investigate.”
Jack raised his eyebrows but didn't comment. Instead he asked, “What are the details you wanted to go over with me?”
“Oh, yes. I've invited him to stay at my flat.” He paused and watched Jack's eyes flick away from his face and back to the report. “It's been a few years since we last had a chance to catch up – we're neither of us big Christmas card senders – and I thought it would be a good opportunity.”
“That's fine,” Jack agreed cheerily. “Saves us money on accommodation as well, which is always a bonus. Have I mentioned lately that you deserve a raise?”
“Yes, sir, but you haven't followed through with it yet.” Ianto swung his leg and it nudged against Jack's. “I wondered if you'd like to come around for dinner whilst he's here? I think you'll get on like a house on fire.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, either very well, or with large amounts of flame, destruction and a couple of deaths if we're unfortunate.” He smiled politely. “I would invite Owen to have someone to bet with, but I think his presence might affect the outcome.”
Jack laughed and dropped the report into his lap. “Alright, well I'd love to come for dinner. I'll even cook, if you feel the need to impress him. We can even pretend it was you, if you like.”
“I'm sure that won't be necessary; he did share a flat with me at university,” Ianto reminded him. “Although the offer is appreciated.”
“Oh yeah?” Jack looked delighted. “Am I going to find out that you were a hopeless reprobate who left underwear everywhere, and brought home more sob stories than girls and boys?”
“Sherlock is... different,” Ianto warned him delicately.
“Different as in?”
He sighed and studied the ceiling. “Different as in disagrees with his therapists to the point where he makes them cry. Hence multiple therapists, really.”
Jack absorbed this thoughtfully, then discarded it for the matter in hand. “So no stories about you as a teenage tear-away?”
“He probably didn't notice,” Ianto sighed. “I think he was too busy fermenting whatever was in the jar. I didn't like to ask.”
“Oh really?” He reached for the mug and smirked over the rim. “He'll fit right in.”
Ianto smiled absently and rested his hands on the desk behind him to support himself. “Sir, if I can make a suggestion...”
He sighed and set the mug down. “Go ahead, Ianto.”
“You're too involved with this case.” His eyebrows drew together over half-closed eyes and his lips twitched as if he was starting to speak several times. Jack folded his hands together and waited him out silently, eyes fixed on the mug next to his hands. Eventually Ianto said, “It's personal, not just a job. And that's distracting you.”
“He was a friend, a good friend,” Jack explained. “And I can't just stop caring about getting justice for him.” He tilted his chin up and met Ianto's eyes.
Ianto dropped his gaze quickly. “I'm not asking you to, and I never would.” He glanced up again. “But life goes on for the rest of us, and the Weevils and other residents still need feeding, we still need feeding, I don't know if we're going to have another prisoner tonight...”
“Grigo isn't a prisoner.”
“He knows he is, even if you won't admit it,” he cut across Jack with a sigh. “Jack, he's at least a suspect, and he accepts that. Just...” Trailing off, he ran a hand through his hair and gripped the back of his neck. “When he gets here, let Sherlock guide the case. And... just do what he tells you. He sometimes has strange demands.”
“Should I be worried?”
Ianto shrugged. “Depends on whether he likes you or not. And just because everyone in the world likes you, doesn't mean he will.”
Jack's burgeoning grin turned to a pout, but he shook his head and leaned back in his chair again. “We'll deal with him when he arrives, then. Where are we with the everyday? I know I've been neglecting it, you're right... Been neglecting it since you got here, really.”
“I had noticed, sir,” Ianto smirked slightly, lowering his gaze and meeting Jack's eyes through his lashes. “Everything is under control, and will remain so.”
“So...”
He lifted his head and rubbed the back of his neck. “Let me take care of it? Without having to come to you for approval of everything I do. It's time consuming and...” He dropped his head again and sighed, shoulders sagging.
Jack watched him, rubbing a thumb across his lower lip, and eventually nodded. “Go ahead. Bring me stuff I need to sign at the end of the day, or there and then if it's urgent. You're doing a good job, Ianto.”
“Thank you, sir.” Ianto met his eyes again, raw emotion playing across his face for a moment before it was smoothed away. “I'd better go and make up another couple of rooms, I think. You never know who's going to implicate themselves.”
He laughed and reached for his mug again. “You've watched CSI too, Ianto?”
“Poirot, sir,” Ianto answered dismissively. “I do like the classics.”
Next chapter
Chapter Title: Chapter 4
Challenge/Fest: CaseStory Big Bang
Rating: T
Dedication: Thanks to my wonderful artists, to everyone who's heard me rattle on about this, and to my brother for beta-ing.
Fandoms: Torchwood and Sherlock (BBC)
Summary: When Torchwood encounters an everyday case with far from everyday suspects, they need help they can trust. Fortunately, Ianto had an extraordinary flat mate when he was at university.
Characters: Sherlock Holmes, Ianto Jones, Jack Harkness, Owen Harper, Gwen Cooper, Toshiko Sato, OCs. Jack/Ianto, mentions of Gwen/Rhys and Gwen/Owen
Contains:
Disclaimer: Torchwood and its environs, occurrences and persons belong to the BBC. The original characters have disowned me.
Ianto entered Jack's office with a fresh mug of coffee and set it down on his desk next to his feet, which he glared at pointedly. “Your guest is happily settled, sir. I confess to being pleased with his reactions.”
“Ianto, it's just the two of us. You can turn off the Jeeves impression.” Jack smirked at him past the report but dropped his feet obediently. “You've used the old suites?”
“Yes, sir.” Ianto sat on the edge of the desk and watched Jack's hands. “I didn't know anyone but me knew about them.”
“I've been here a long time,” Jack pointed out with just a hint of chastisement. “I used to live down there, for a while.”
“I suppose that's why you spend so much time on roofs, then?” Ianto mused. “To counteract the amount of time you spend in the bowels of the Earth.”
“Ah, the bowels aren't so bad,” Jack laughed. He gestured with the report to change the subject. “This is good work, and he's impressive. I think we're lucky to have him on board.”
“His words to me were, 'thank goodness, I thought I was going to have to investigate the million pound art theft'.” Ianto chuckled. “Apparently life has been quite dull, with nothing but high profile art thefts, the occasional murder and a kidnapping to investigate.”
Jack raised his eyebrows but didn't comment. Instead he asked, “What are the details you wanted to go over with me?”
“Oh, yes. I've invited him to stay at my flat.” He paused and watched Jack's eyes flick away from his face and back to the report. “It's been a few years since we last had a chance to catch up – we're neither of us big Christmas card senders – and I thought it would be a good opportunity.”
“That's fine,” Jack agreed cheerily. “Saves us money on accommodation as well, which is always a bonus. Have I mentioned lately that you deserve a raise?”
“Yes, sir, but you haven't followed through with it yet.” Ianto swung his leg and it nudged against Jack's. “I wondered if you'd like to come around for dinner whilst he's here? I think you'll get on like a house on fire.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, either very well, or with large amounts of flame, destruction and a couple of deaths if we're unfortunate.” He smiled politely. “I would invite Owen to have someone to bet with, but I think his presence might affect the outcome.”
Jack laughed and dropped the report into his lap. “Alright, well I'd love to come for dinner. I'll even cook, if you feel the need to impress him. We can even pretend it was you, if you like.”
“I'm sure that won't be necessary; he did share a flat with me at university,” Ianto reminded him. “Although the offer is appreciated.”
“Oh yeah?” Jack looked delighted. “Am I going to find out that you were a hopeless reprobate who left underwear everywhere, and brought home more sob stories than girls and boys?”
“Sherlock is... different,” Ianto warned him delicately.
“Different as in?”
He sighed and studied the ceiling. “Different as in disagrees with his therapists to the point where he makes them cry. Hence multiple therapists, really.”
Jack absorbed this thoughtfully, then discarded it for the matter in hand. “So no stories about you as a teenage tear-away?”
“He probably didn't notice,” Ianto sighed. “I think he was too busy fermenting whatever was in the jar. I didn't like to ask.”
“Oh really?” He reached for the mug and smirked over the rim. “He'll fit right in.”
Ianto smiled absently and rested his hands on the desk behind him to support himself. “Sir, if I can make a suggestion...”
He sighed and set the mug down. “Go ahead, Ianto.”
“You're too involved with this case.” His eyebrows drew together over half-closed eyes and his lips twitched as if he was starting to speak several times. Jack folded his hands together and waited him out silently, eyes fixed on the mug next to his hands. Eventually Ianto said, “It's personal, not just a job. And that's distracting you.”
“He was a friend, a good friend,” Jack explained. “And I can't just stop caring about getting justice for him.” He tilted his chin up and met Ianto's eyes.
Ianto dropped his gaze quickly. “I'm not asking you to, and I never would.” He glanced up again. “But life goes on for the rest of us, and the Weevils and other residents still need feeding, we still need feeding, I don't know if we're going to have another prisoner tonight...”
“Grigo isn't a prisoner.”
“He knows he is, even if you won't admit it,” he cut across Jack with a sigh. “Jack, he's at least a suspect, and he accepts that. Just...” Trailing off, he ran a hand through his hair and gripped the back of his neck. “When he gets here, let Sherlock guide the case. And... just do what he tells you. He sometimes has strange demands.”
“Should I be worried?”
Ianto shrugged. “Depends on whether he likes you or not. And just because everyone in the world likes you, doesn't mean he will.”
Jack's burgeoning grin turned to a pout, but he shook his head and leaned back in his chair again. “We'll deal with him when he arrives, then. Where are we with the everyday? I know I've been neglecting it, you're right... Been neglecting it since you got here, really.”
“I had noticed, sir,” Ianto smirked slightly, lowering his gaze and meeting Jack's eyes through his lashes. “Everything is under control, and will remain so.”
“So...”
He lifted his head and rubbed the back of his neck. “Let me take care of it? Without having to come to you for approval of everything I do. It's time consuming and...” He dropped his head again and sighed, shoulders sagging.
Jack watched him, rubbing a thumb across his lower lip, and eventually nodded. “Go ahead. Bring me stuff I need to sign at the end of the day, or there and then if it's urgent. You're doing a good job, Ianto.”
“Thank you, sir.” Ianto met his eyes again, raw emotion playing across his face for a moment before it was smoothed away. “I'd better go and make up another couple of rooms, I think. You never know who's going to implicate themselves.”
He laughed and reached for his mug again. “You've watched CSI too, Ianto?”
“Poirot, sir,” Ianto answered dismissively. “I do like the classics.”
Next chapter
