Fic: Vizzini's Rule (3/105)
Jun. 26th, 2008 06:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
buttononthetopTitle: Vizzini's Rule, Chapter 3
Rating: PG for this chapter
Warnings: It's short :)
Spoilers: Cyberwoman (1x4) and Fragments (2x12)
Disclaimer: Torchwood and all its wonderfulness belong to Russell T. Davies and the Mighty Beeb. Just goofin' around! And all (c)'s to Chris Chibnall for dialogue from Fragments. No infringment, only worship, intended!
Summary: The origin fic continues - in which Captain Jack Harkness gets coffee.
Notes: Comments and con/crit VERY much appreciated. Thanks to everyone who's reading and enjoying and telling me so! :o)
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Vizzini's Rule: Chapter Three
Ianto didn’t sleep that night. He hadn’t been able to sneak past Lisa when he got home and she was frantic about the cut on his head. He cleaned it up, insisting it was just a scratch but she wouldn’t let it go, worrying that Ianto was putting himself in danger for her. She kept at him, in too much pain to rest, refusing any morphine, tormenting herself with thoughts of Ianto getting hurt. Ianto had spent countless hours pleading with her to take the drugs and finally convinced her to agree to a smaller dose. When she finally drifted off, Ianto stumbled blearily into his room. He was just starting to pull off his jeans when he heard the alarm begin to beep. Remembering the plan for that morning, he grabbed a clean shirt and went to the kitchen.
He brewed a pot of his strongest, darkest roast and filled a large thermos with the coffee. He checked on Lisa one more time and then set out across the bay.
Ianto waited outside the door of the fake Tourist Office which served as the main entrance to Torchwood. Sometime between 8:30 and 10:00 every morning, the Captain came out this door and then headed to the Starbucks on the corner. Ianto filled the mug he had brought with him and stood, waiting.
The first cup got cold quickly in the cool morning breeze off the water. Ianto dumped it out and refilled the mug from the thermos he had stashed under the stairs leading up to the boardwalk. He waited.
Two more refills and his patience paid off. Striding out of the door, the Captain didn’t see him at first.
“Morning!” Ianto said brightly. “Coffee?”
The Captain looked surprised but reached out to take the proffered mug. He looked at Ianto for a second then raised the mug to his lips. Pausing for another second, a distinctly suspicious look on his face, he took a sip. Eyes rolling with pleasure, the Captain said, “Wow,” and handed the mug back to Ianto.
Diving right in, Ianto blurted out, “I wanna work for you.”
“Sorry no vacancies.”
“Look, let me tell you about myself–” Ianto began, but the Captain interrupted.
“Ianto Jones, born August 19, 1983.” A little taken aback, Ianto followed when the Captain started to walk away, cringing at the bare bones of his life laid out in front of him. “Able student but not exceptional. One minor conviction for shoplifting in your teens, number of temporary jobs, mainly a drifter until two years ago you joined the Torchwood Institute in London. Junior researcher, girlfriend Lisa Hallett.”
“Deceased,” Ianto said quickly, not sure why he lied, only sure that he wanted the Captain to stop this train of thought.
The older man turned his head briefly to offer a perfunctory “Sorry.”
Ianto moved in front of the Captain, placing a restraining hand on his chest for a moment to stop him. “Look, you checked me out,” he said, the question of why hanging between them.
“You knew what a weevil was. Thought I was going to have to come…deal with you,” the Captain said, that smooth voice from the night before returning, the little pause hinting that perhaps he wouldn’t have minded dealing with Ianto.
Filing that observation away for future use, Ianto continued, “But instead you can see I have the right qualifications for the job.”
“There is no job. We’re nothing to do with Torchwood London. I severed all links.” The Captain brushed past Ianto, eager to get away.
“Yet when it burned,” Ianto said, following and moving to stop the Captain with his hand at his chest again, “two members of your team scavenged the ruins.”
Reaching up, the Captain took Ianto’s hand between his thumb and forefinger, like he was touching something dirty, and pushed him away. “I don’t want the equipment getting into the wrong hands.”
“And you’re the right hands, are you?” Ianto was pleased to see the Captain flinch a little at that comment. He tried again, “Trial period, three months.”
“No.”
Desperate now, Ianto said, “Three weeks. Three days! Let me prove myself to you. I’ll work for nothing.”
The Captain simply said, “No,” and started to walk away again.
“I saw what they did at Canary Wharf,” Ianto cried, stepping in front of the other man again. “What am I supposed to do with those memories?” he asked, hating how broken he sounded. This was not how it was supposed to go.
Angry now, the Captain almost shouted, “You are not my responsibility. And we’re not hiring.” He moved around Ianto and continued down the walkway.
Hating the pleading note in his voice, Ianto asked, “Same time tomorrow then?”
The Captain didn’t even turn around. “There is no job for you here and there never will be.”
Realizing how completely wrong the whole conversation had gone, Ianto felt the hysteria start to build in his chest. Unable to stop himself, he called after the Captain, “I really like that coat!”
After the other man had disappeared around the corner, Ianto sagged against the stone wall behind him. Bowing his head, he realized he was still holding the mug of coffee. With an exclamation of disgust, he threw it into the bay. How could I be so stupid? He sighed and walked back to the stairs to retrieve his thermos. Tucking it under his arm, he turned towards home. Something else, there has to be something else, he thought as he walked. Something big that will get his attention. I can’t tell Lisa I’ve failed, not yet. There must be something else…
TBC in Chapter Four
Rating: PG for this chapter
Warnings: It's short :)
Spoilers: Cyberwoman (1x4) and Fragments (2x12)
Disclaimer: Torchwood and all its wonderfulness belong to Russell T. Davies and the Mighty Beeb. Just goofin' around! And all (c)'s to Chris Chibnall for dialogue from Fragments. No infringment, only worship, intended!
Summary: The origin fic continues - in which Captain Jack Harkness gets coffee.
Notes: Comments and con/crit VERY much appreciated. Thanks to everyone who's reading and enjoying and telling me so! :o)
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Vizzini's Rule: Chapter Three
Ianto didn’t sleep that night. He hadn’t been able to sneak past Lisa when he got home and she was frantic about the cut on his head. He cleaned it up, insisting it was just a scratch but she wouldn’t let it go, worrying that Ianto was putting himself in danger for her. She kept at him, in too much pain to rest, refusing any morphine, tormenting herself with thoughts of Ianto getting hurt. Ianto had spent countless hours pleading with her to take the drugs and finally convinced her to agree to a smaller dose. When she finally drifted off, Ianto stumbled blearily into his room. He was just starting to pull off his jeans when he heard the alarm begin to beep. Remembering the plan for that morning, he grabbed a clean shirt and went to the kitchen.
He brewed a pot of his strongest, darkest roast and filled a large thermos with the coffee. He checked on Lisa one more time and then set out across the bay.
Ianto waited outside the door of the fake Tourist Office which served as the main entrance to Torchwood. Sometime between 8:30 and 10:00 every morning, the Captain came out this door and then headed to the Starbucks on the corner. Ianto filled the mug he had brought with him and stood, waiting.
The first cup got cold quickly in the cool morning breeze off the water. Ianto dumped it out and refilled the mug from the thermos he had stashed under the stairs leading up to the boardwalk. He waited.
Two more refills and his patience paid off. Striding out of the door, the Captain didn’t see him at first.
“Morning!” Ianto said brightly. “Coffee?”
The Captain looked surprised but reached out to take the proffered mug. He looked at Ianto for a second then raised the mug to his lips. Pausing for another second, a distinctly suspicious look on his face, he took a sip. Eyes rolling with pleasure, the Captain said, “Wow,” and handed the mug back to Ianto.
Diving right in, Ianto blurted out, “I wanna work for you.”
“Sorry no vacancies.”
“Look, let me tell you about myself–” Ianto began, but the Captain interrupted.
“Ianto Jones, born August 19, 1983.” A little taken aback, Ianto followed when the Captain started to walk away, cringing at the bare bones of his life laid out in front of him. “Able student but not exceptional. One minor conviction for shoplifting in your teens, number of temporary jobs, mainly a drifter until two years ago you joined the Torchwood Institute in London. Junior researcher, girlfriend Lisa Hallett.”
“Deceased,” Ianto said quickly, not sure why he lied, only sure that he wanted the Captain to stop this train of thought.
The older man turned his head briefly to offer a perfunctory “Sorry.”
Ianto moved in front of the Captain, placing a restraining hand on his chest for a moment to stop him. “Look, you checked me out,” he said, the question of why hanging between them.
“You knew what a weevil was. Thought I was going to have to come…deal with you,” the Captain said, that smooth voice from the night before returning, the little pause hinting that perhaps he wouldn’t have minded dealing with Ianto.
Filing that observation away for future use, Ianto continued, “But instead you can see I have the right qualifications for the job.”
“There is no job. We’re nothing to do with Torchwood London. I severed all links.” The Captain brushed past Ianto, eager to get away.
“Yet when it burned,” Ianto said, following and moving to stop the Captain with his hand at his chest again, “two members of your team scavenged the ruins.”
Reaching up, the Captain took Ianto’s hand between his thumb and forefinger, like he was touching something dirty, and pushed him away. “I don’t want the equipment getting into the wrong hands.”
“And you’re the right hands, are you?” Ianto was pleased to see the Captain flinch a little at that comment. He tried again, “Trial period, three months.”
“No.”
Desperate now, Ianto said, “Three weeks. Three days! Let me prove myself to you. I’ll work for nothing.”
The Captain simply said, “No,” and started to walk away again.
“I saw what they did at Canary Wharf,” Ianto cried, stepping in front of the other man again. “What am I supposed to do with those memories?” he asked, hating how broken he sounded. This was not how it was supposed to go.
Angry now, the Captain almost shouted, “You are not my responsibility. And we’re not hiring.” He moved around Ianto and continued down the walkway.
Hating the pleading note in his voice, Ianto asked, “Same time tomorrow then?”
The Captain didn’t even turn around. “There is no job for you here and there never will be.”
Realizing how completely wrong the whole conversation had gone, Ianto felt the hysteria start to build in his chest. Unable to stop himself, he called after the Captain, “I really like that coat!”
After the other man had disappeared around the corner, Ianto sagged against the stone wall behind him. Bowing his head, he realized he was still holding the mug of coffee. With an exclamation of disgust, he threw it into the bay. How could I be so stupid? He sighed and walked back to the stairs to retrieve his thermos. Tucking it under his arm, he turned towards home. Something else, there has to be something else, he thought as he walked. Something big that will get his attention. I can’t tell Lisa I’ve failed, not yet. There must be something else…
TBC in Chapter Four
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Date: 2008-06-27 12:43 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-27 03:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-27 01:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-27 03:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-27 01:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-27 03:05 am (UTC)Check your mail tomorrow, I'll wrap up tonight and send it along... Thank YOU for all the fabulous feedback!!
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Date: 2008-06-27 04:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-27 01:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-27 03:06 am (UTC)and I just LOVE that icon!! hee!
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Date: 2008-06-27 04:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-27 02:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-27 09:09 am (UTC)(though it's interesting to see another person's take on the scenes I've also used!)
Definately going to be following this, as it's going to be interesting to see where YOUR Ianto is coming from. How far are you intending to take this - up to Cyberwoman or beyond?
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Date: 2008-06-27 02:41 pm (UTC)Thanks for reading! I've written thru the beginning of Small Worlds already and haven't run out of steam yet. I may take it thru the end of the show! Who knows? :D
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Date: 2008-06-27 04:16 pm (UTC)I'm looking forward to more of yours - and i really should carry on with mine.....(part two wit betas, part three is stopping and starting!). Maybe between us we can persuade alba17 to join in cos she's said she has her own version!!
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Date: 2008-06-28 04:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-27 03:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-28 04:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-27 06:54 pm (UTC)I loved it =]
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Date: 2008-06-28 04:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-27 07:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-28 04:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-06 01:37 am (UTC)Nicole
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Date: 2009-11-02 04:13 am (UTC)