#001 Excoriate - Torchwood - Domestics
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vocab_drabblesTitle: Domestics
Fandom: Torchwood
Author: Cat Moon
Rating: PG
Word Count: 496
Characters/Pairings: Martha, Jack (Janto)
Summary: See title
DOMESTICS
Martha rubbed a weary hand over her eyes, waving at Andy as she headed out through the tourist office. Sometimes the quiet days were worse due to boredom. She could do without world-ending danger, but a busy rift kept one awake.
She was surprised to see Jack sitting on the stool, staring at the wall.
“Jack? What are you doing here?”
“Sitting.”
“I can see that,” Martha said, noting his dejected posture. “Is something wrong?”
“Ianto and I had a fight,” he blurted.
Is that all? Martha schooled her features into those of a concerned friend. “How long have you been sitting here?”
“A few hours.”
Martha debated how to respond. When she’d taken the job of second medic to help make up for Owen’s undead limitations, she’d added unofficial counselor to her internal list of duties. Lord knew Torchwood needed one!
“Well, when Tom and I have a tiff, we talk it out.”
“It was a big fight,” Jack explained forlornly.
That sounded a bit more serious. Ianto was usually soft-spoken and genial, but if the situation arose, he could also excoriate whoever incited his ire with his sharp tongue. And Jack was famous for putting his foot in his mouth.
“Ianto’s a reasonable man; I’m sure you two can have a civil conversation.”
Jack made a sound that was clearly supposed to be a chuckle but fell short. “Civil. That’s the problem. We were discussing a civil ceremony.”
Martha’s eyes widened in surprise, and she began to wonder if she should have gotten involved. “Well, uh, Jack, I know you have issues with commitment, but maybe Ianto just needs to have some sort of acknowledgment that you—”
The look Jack gave her as he stood up stopped her words. “For your information, I was the one who proposed; Ianto the one who turned me down.” He strode out the door.
Martha hurried after him, now acutely aware that she was in the realm of meddling. “I’m sorry! It was wrong of me to assume. Did he say why?”
“Some ridiculous garbage about me only wanting to marry him because he’s mortal and will die young.”
“Martha, are you still here?” Andy’s voice sounded in her ear from the earpiece she hadn’t removed. “Got a Weevil sighting near a shopping center, could use your help.”
“Sounds like insecurity to me,” she told Jack. “You know it’s not easy being with you, and that Ianto loves you and would never leave. Go talk it out with him – and be honest!”
Jack opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again. “I would,” he finally whispered. “I’d spend forever with him, if I could.”
“So tell him that. It may take some convincing,” Martha warned.
Jack grinned. “I can be very persuasive when I want to be.”
Martha patted him on the back. “I’m sure you can. Bring flowers!” she added as she hurried back inside the Hub, looking forward to hunting some uncomplicated Weevils.
Finis
Fandom: Torchwood
Author: Cat Moon
Rating: PG
Word Count: 496
Characters/Pairings: Martha, Jack (Janto)
Summary: See title
DOMESTICS
Martha rubbed a weary hand over her eyes, waving at Andy as she headed out through the tourist office. Sometimes the quiet days were worse due to boredom. She could do without world-ending danger, but a busy rift kept one awake.
She was surprised to see Jack sitting on the stool, staring at the wall.
“Jack? What are you doing here?”
“Sitting.”
“I can see that,” Martha said, noting his dejected posture. “Is something wrong?”
“Ianto and I had a fight,” he blurted.
Is that all? Martha schooled her features into those of a concerned friend. “How long have you been sitting here?”
“A few hours.”
Martha debated how to respond. When she’d taken the job of second medic to help make up for Owen’s undead limitations, she’d added unofficial counselor to her internal list of duties. Lord knew Torchwood needed one!
“Well, when Tom and I have a tiff, we talk it out.”
“It was a big fight,” Jack explained forlornly.
That sounded a bit more serious. Ianto was usually soft-spoken and genial, but if the situation arose, he could also excoriate whoever incited his ire with his sharp tongue. And Jack was famous for putting his foot in his mouth.
“Ianto’s a reasonable man; I’m sure you two can have a civil conversation.”
Jack made a sound that was clearly supposed to be a chuckle but fell short. “Civil. That’s the problem. We were discussing a civil ceremony.”
Martha’s eyes widened in surprise, and she began to wonder if she should have gotten involved. “Well, uh, Jack, I know you have issues with commitment, but maybe Ianto just needs to have some sort of acknowledgment that you—”
The look Jack gave her as he stood up stopped her words. “For your information, I was the one who proposed; Ianto the one who turned me down.” He strode out the door.
Martha hurried after him, now acutely aware that she was in the realm of meddling. “I’m sorry! It was wrong of me to assume. Did he say why?”
“Some ridiculous garbage about me only wanting to marry him because he’s mortal and will die young.”
“Martha, are you still here?” Andy’s voice sounded in her ear from the earpiece she hadn’t removed. “Got a Weevil sighting near a shopping center, could use your help.”
“Sounds like insecurity to me,” she told Jack. “You know it’s not easy being with you, and that Ianto loves you and would never leave. Go talk it out with him – and be honest!”
Jack opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again. “I would,” he finally whispered. “I’d spend forever with him, if I could.”
“So tell him that. It may take some convincing,” Martha warned.
Jack grinned. “I can be very persuasive when I want to be.”
Martha patted him on the back. “I’m sure you can. Bring flowers!” she added as she hurried back inside the Hub, looking forward to hunting some uncomplicated Weevils.
Finis
