buttononthetop | Fic: Vizzini's Rule (43/105)

Title: Vizzini's Rule, Chapter 43

Rating: PG-13

Warnings: Nothing springs to mind

Spoilers: Season One thru Random Shoes (1x9)

Disclaimer: Torchwood and all its wonderfulness belong to Russell T. Davies and the Mighty Beeb. Just goofin' around! All ©’s to Jacquetta May for dialogue and situations borrowed from Random Shoes.

Summary: In which there is something wrong with the SUV...

Notes: OK, I’m going on a much needed vacation in two days (Philly to visit family and then down to Atlanta for Dragon*Con squeeeee). I will try to keep posting when I’m at my brother’s but with two little kids involved, I can’t make any promises. :( So, Vizzini’s Rule might be going on hiatus for a bit. I hope hope HOPE that ya’ll come back and keep reading when I get posting again! Big Hugs to everyone!!

Previous Chapters

Vizzini's Rule: Chapter Forty-Three

Ianto got Brendan settled in the garage and hung around for a bit, just chatting as he started his preliminary check on the SUV. He finally left him to his business and returned to the Tourist Office to find Jack leaning against the counter as he came through the front door.

“Who was that?” Jack asked as Ianto closed the door.

“The new mechanic from UNIT,” Ianto said nonchalantly.

“Is he as hot as he looked on the CCTV?”

Ianto rolled his eyes as he stepped behind the counter and didn’t answer.

“From my vantage point, he seemed quite taken with you… sir,” Jack said, grinning.

“He was a nice boy, Jack. That’s all.”

“Boy?” Jack snorted. “He’s probably the same age as you, Yan.”

Ianto tilted his chin belligerently. “Is there something you need, sir?”

Jack grinned again. “Not really, I just wanted to see if you were missing Phil.”

“Oh yes, desperately,” Ianto said dryly. He pushed the button to open the wall.

Laughing quietly, Jack took the hint and turned to leave. Before he was through the wall, the bell jingled again and Brendan walked through the door.

“Mr. Jones? I mean, Ianto?” Brendan said, flushing again.

Jack chuckled. Ianto ignored him and answered Brendan. “Yes, Brendan?”

“Um… ,” Brendan faltered, glancing at Jack who stepped forward with his hand out.

“Captain Jack Harkness and who are you?” he asked in his flirtiest tone.

“Jack,” Ianto said warningly.

“What? I’m just saying hello to… Brendan, is it?”

Brendan gulped and shook Jack’s hand and then fumbled a salute. “Brendan, yes, Brendan Spenser, UNIT, Captain, sir.”

“That’s a hell of a name, soldier,” Jack teased. “Welcome to Torchwood. Well, I’ll let you boys get to work.” He gave Ianto a wink as he left, the wall swinging closed behind him.

“Blimey,” Brendan breathed. “That’s him, then?”

“Yep,” Ianto said.

“What’s it like, working with him every day?”

“It has its moments,” Ianto said, smiling to himself.

“I’ll bet! He’s so…” Brendan blushed again. “Sorry. I came back up because the water pump? It’s got a–” he broke off. “Do you care about the details?”

“Not really. I don’t know much about cars,” Ianto said.

“Right then. The water pump? It’s about to go. I can call for a replacement and UNIT can overnight it, but that’s as fast as we’ll be able get it here.”

“I’m sure that will be fine. Should we stop driving it until you can fix it?”

“That would be best. It might be okay and it might go out next time you drive anywhere. Better safe than sorry and stuck on the side of the road.”

“I’ll inform the team, then. Thank you, Brendan,” Ianto said with a smile. “Does this mean you’re stuck here for the night?”

“Guess so,” Brendan said, looking surprised. “I hadn’t thought that far ahead.”

“Part of my job,” Ianto said. “Shall I find you a hotel room? There’s a nice B&B nearby.”

“You don’t have to do that, sir. I’m used to fending for myself.”

Ianto raised an eyebrow. “What did I tell you about that ‘sir’?”

Flushing yet again, Brendan said, “Right, sorry… Ianto.”

“That’s better.” They both smiled.

“Well, I better get back downstairs and finish what I can,” Brendan said reluctantly. He had his hand on the door when he turned and asked, “I don’t suppose there’s a good pub nearby? Where I could grab some dinner?”

“The Packet’s close, we go there quite a bit. I can show you where it is.”

“Great. Unless…” Brendan paused, examining the door knob closely. “I don’t suppose you’re free tonight? We could go… together? Play some darts or something? Pass the time?”

Ianto was startled. Is this beautiful boy asking me out? Surely not, he’s just stuck here… Realizing that he hadn’t answered, Ianto spoke hurriedly. “That sounds fun. Why don’t we meet here after you’re done and we can walk over together.”

Brendan smiled. “Great.”

After he had left, Ianto stood at the counter for a while just thinking. What did I just agree to? It’s not a date, of course it’s not. What will Jack think? Ianto snorted and tapped a stack of flyers with more force than necessary. I know exactly what Jack will think. Shaking his head, he sent everyone an email about the SVU being out of commission and then decided to just get it over with. He pressed the blue button and headed through the wall.

He checked on the others as he passed through the Hub. No one needed anything from him. Gwen didn’t even respond to Ianto’s question she was so focused on her computer screen. Wondering if she was still looking into Eugene’s death, Ianto walked to Jack’s office.

“Dinner at the Pub, eh?” Jack said as he stepped through the door.

Frowning, Ianto said, “Don’t you have anything better to do than watch the CCTV?”

“Not at the moment,” Jack replied.

“Fine. I just came down to let you know that I would be entertaining our guest from UNIT this evening. So if you need to reach me, please call my mobile,” Ianto said stiffly and turned to leave.

“Oh come on, Yan! Come and sit down for a second,” Jack pleaded. “I’m sorry I teased you.”

“No, you’re not,” Ianto grumbled, but he sat down.

“Really, I just…” Jack fiddled with his letter opener. “I just wanted to say, have fun tonight. You deserve an evening off and if it comes with a pretty boy, so much the better.”

“Jack, please, it’s just dinner and a game of darts so he won’t be bored.”

Jack snorted. “I know what you think, Ianto and I know what I saw, and I just wanted to say that if you two hit it off, well…” He said again in that strange, intense voice, “Just have fun, okay.”

Ianto felt his stomach turn. “Did you just… you did not just tell me that it’s okay with you if I feel like having sex with him. Did you?”

Jack looked up. “I’m saying that whatever happens happens. We don’t have any… any hold on each other, so–”

Ianto stood so suddenly that he knocked the chair over. With a harsh bark of laughter he said, “Right, sir, no hold on each other. None at all.”

“Ianto!” Jack called as he strode out of the office. “Ianto, I didn’t mean to…”

Ianto didn’t hear the rest of Jack’s sentence. He ran up the stairs to the Tourist Office, grabbed his coat and locked the door behind him. He calmed himself down as he walked over to the garage. No reason to take this out on Brendan, he thought as he focused on breathing. The only part of Brendan he could see when he got to the garage was a pair of long legs sticking out from under the SUV. Brendan rolled himself out and looked up at Ianto in surprise.

“Gave myself an early pass,” Ianto said with a smile. “We can go whenever you’re ready, no rush.”

Brendan grinned and said, “Give me five minutes.”

TBC in Chapter Forty-Four

Current Mood: busy
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