#no matter how much jack wants ianto to be more than just a moment in time they really didn’t know each other too long | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

galacticlamps · 1 year

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Tag 9 ppl you want to get to know better

tagged by @observethewalrus

First ship: I genuinely don’t know? And now that I’m realizing I don’t know I’m actually a tiny bit sad about that. I’d started writing things that can only be described as fanfiction long before I was old enough to be online and before we evolved past dial-up in my house & being on the computer became simple enough to not feel like a hassle anyway - which is all just to say that when I did wind up interacting with fannish communities later on, fanfic specifically wasn’t something totally new to me so I never had vivid memories of my first experiences of it. As a kid fanfic was what you basically had to do when you reached the end of any media you’d even somewhat enjoyed and the author rather rudely neglected to go on telling the story infinitely - so I think it must’ve been a while before shipping became a major thing on my radar, and it probably happened gradually. I do distinctly remember finding it a little ironic in high school that so much online/tumblr specific fandom was about shipping, and I was in multiple fandoms and had several ships, but I didn’t have any big passionate (or even non-canon & in need of defending) ships for my main fandom, which was always Doctor Who - though at the time, just nuwho. There, the only things I could be said to ship were pretty straightforward pairings like the Ponds, Doctor/River, Jack/Ianto, etc. - and I’m guessing whatever things I had that counted as ships before I got into fandom were similar to those, just a kind of passing approval of/investment in ships that were already well-established elements of their source material.

Three Ships: well Two/Jamie always (connected to the above tangent, I was involved in fandom for close to a decade before I came across them, but I’d never found cause to use the term otp before then), and at the moment the other ships taking up the next-most space in my brain are probably Ben/Polly and Geordi/Data

Last Song: Ruin by the Amazing Devil (I remember it playing as I drove home last night)

Last Movie: ah see I’m actually quite bad about watching movies/even remembering they exist. There’s a real possibility the most recent one was The Final Frontier, simply because I’ve been doing a long slow chronological trek through Star Trek, and I’m currently in the early 90s so I know I must have watched that one at some point in the last year or so, and more recently than any of the ones that came out before it

Currently Reading: Ok this I’m legitimately embarrassed about, because I’m not normally anywhere near this slow with books at all, and neither of these are bad, boring, or even slow-paced, it’s solely a matter of how horribly hectic & unpredictable my life’s been for the last few months - but I’ve been both near the end of Bare-Arsed Banditti and a couple hundred pages deep into The Two Towers since the end of August (I hate that fact so much but I need to admit it. It’s available information on my Storygraph account anyway it should not be so hard to say)

Currently Consuming: Twining’s Irish Breakfast tea, black. I am often consuming twining’s irish breakfast tea black

Currently Craving: a break - or maybe just routine in general? I’ve been doing a lot of overlapping freelance work lately: short-term projects that don’t last long enough to allow for anything like ‘time off’ & have all the busy-ness of full-time without any of the stability, which kinda feels like the worst of both worlds tbh. 2022 was a rough year for me for that in general, but it got especially bad in the fall & winter and I’m hoping to get a better handle on my own schedule in the next few weeks one way or another, but I’m sorry to anyone I’ve kinda ghosted in the interim

Tagging: @uighean @terryfphanatics @seismologically-silly and anybody else who wants to do it!

#tag games

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javic-piotr-thane · 1 year

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“Like I think just personality wise, Gwen is the most capable leader “

i don’t strictly disagree, much in the same way i don’t disagree that ianto wouldn’t thrive in taking command, and ive said ab my communist theory just now haha

i think my opinion is probably tempered by how i see gwen? which is someone who will take charge & lead but often won’t make the most sensible decisions because she’s too swayed by her emotions (which isn’t necessarily bad, but i think torchwood leadership needs to be more cynical than emotional)

i know these are s2, but i’m thinking of the things that have confused me in her actions (very simplified) - in sleeper, she refuses to promise beth that they will not unfreeze her if they can’t fix her, something beth is clearly terrified about happening (given she kills herself at the end); and in meat she potentially jeopardises people because of her worry for rhys. i also would say the fairies thing too but the majority if not all of the team were upset by that (which i also don’t really understand, perhaps its my autism lol) so that one is more useless as a point here.

there absolutely are moments she excels, but i think chronologically between s1 & 2 she isn’t quite there yet. but yeah, again, odds are none of the others particularly cared to lead and so she was the best option (in that she perhaps did want to lead) but it always struck me as a little odd the newest torchwood agent became the highest ranking one

i think the fairies thing ("how can you give the child to them?!" uhh the child wants to go?? and also otherwise there would be untold revenge??) stumped a lot of people, you're definitely not alone there - i think the writers aimed for a more emotional response from viewers but that didn't quite happen in my impression :''D

and that's actually a good example for a lot of things, like Gwen the main character = the character most of the audience is supposed to relate to. but many (most?) don't.

Gwen is RTD's baby, she's the main character, of course she's in charge. she took over from Suzie who was Jack's Second, and therefore gets to be Second pretty quickly as well. apparently. also main characters have to be special and/or leader characters, that's just how it be. (something something it took Star Trek over 50 years to have a show with a main character who's not captain. only to make her captain later.)

but.... let's take a stop here maybe, because even writing this, i can feel myself slipping back into the negativity i've held for a long time regarding Gwen's... special position in Torchwood, both canon and in the bts and meta sense. and i unironically think leaving that behind was the hardest but also the best thing i've ever done in this fandom. because yeah there's gripes to be had. but i really don't want to be bitter, you feel?? i want to think about and enjoy an interpretation of Gwen (and everyone else, for that matter) that makes me happy and not angry or upset. partially born from fanon, partially born from a mix-up of all the different flavors of canon we have received over the years.

speaking of, regarding the novels; you don't have to rush to read them or anything. some are quite good, but some are something else :''D in fact i think i unintentionally spiralled into a lot of Gwen negativity (i don't like to say Gwenbashing because i like to think i never got that horrible on this blog, but if someone wants to use that term for some of my older posts ig that's fair) back when i first read those, (particularly but not only 12, 13 and 14) because holy fucking hell Gwen's characterisation there is. is not okay at times. everyone is mischaracterized at times in the books but Gwen's bits definitely had the biggest impact on me by far and in the worst way. so maybe. stay away :'D (or only read the first eight for a start, they're decent and have all the people. so double win!)

#now it's me who is rambling god #i hope that made any sense #to be clear i'm not accusing you personally of gwenbashing!! i'm just recognizing a pattern i used to run in #that IN MY MIND (to be clear! my opinion!) is connected to that topic #and therefore wanted to shut that down / step away from that #i ain't going back to that nope #especially because i still remember it all and so easily COULD #i will not #gwen cooper #torchwood

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agent-jones · 3 years

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Okay so I was enabled by @someawkwardprose to expand on my thoughts here and now you all are going to be subjected to my rambling about how this would have played out in my mind. I just really love how complicated in an emotional way it would have been.

And in my head this is canon because it’s how the actors played it so sorry Broken, but I’m different.

Jack and Ianto sleeping together from the beginning.

So, Ianto came in and immediately was flirting with Jack, there was a palpable sexual tension between them. In the warehouse, there was that moment where they were on top of each other and Ianto was the one to dip his head slightly, he was the one to almost initiate that kiss. And then he remembered why he was there. He remembered Lisa and pushed away. That’s the kicker he remembered. For a brief moment as he and Jack rolled around on the ground, as they worked together and flirted, he forgot. He forgot how traumatised he was, he forgot why he was there, he forgot that there was something waiting for him. It gave him a chance to lose himself for a moment. Jack was that from the very beginning for him. And it scared him and it made him feel guilty, but he couldn’t help how he felt around Jack.

So then he starts working there, and Jack keeps flirting and he finds himself flirting back. He was surprised to find that he liked it, that he was excited by it and for it. There was something about Jack that he was drawn to.

And then the offer came. One night Jack alludes to something more than flirting and Ianto agrees before he even means to. He walks out of Jack’s office and stops and he doesn’t know what he’s doing. But he rationalizes it. He tells himself that this is a good thing, he gets to be at the hub late at night, it gives him a chance to check on Lisa over night. It gives him a way to distract Jack from wandering down to the basement. Does he hate himself for it? Absolutely. But he also *wants* Jack. And so it gives him a small relief from the guilt about Jack. It isn’t just that he’s using him, but he does like him. He really does.

He gets to Jack’s little bunker and Jack pulls him in and his mind goes blank the instant their lips meet. He’s not had much experience with men. But enough to keep him from freezing immediately. It only takes a second for him to forget everything again. Jack’s effect is somehow amplified through his touch. It’s been so long since Ianto had had any kind of physical connection, and he’s been dancing around these weird conflicting feelings for Jack for a while now and he just gives in. Jack turns his mind off in the best of ways. He fully loses himself in him as they have sex. He enjoys it, he has fun, he gets to just have this normal night of hooking up. For a while it’s just him and a man he’s attracted to and it feels okay.

And it’s just a hook up so he leaves. But first, he heads to the basement and before he can even go into the room, he breaks down. He’s flooded with of the guilt from all sides. It’s overwhelming and he doesn’t know what to do. He’s torn and he’s broken and he hates himself because this is just what he has to do. But he never wanted to become a man who hurts people, who betrays people. He is inherently Good and now he’s resorted to this. But there is also good in what he’s doing. He’s saving Lisa and giving Jack what he wants.

And Jack is addictive.

God those times where they are together and everything fades and all it is is pleasure and forgetting and just existing in a good place. The guilt never hits until he’s alone with his thoughts. And he doesn’t realise it’s because when he’s with Jack, there is a part of him that’s happy. He likes Jack. He just refuses to let himself see it because he loves Lisa and she is still here.

He doesn’t realize Jack has actual feelings until Lisa is gone. When Jack can’t shoot him no matter how he threats, the utter betrayal and hurt on Jack’s face when he realised that Ianto has been using him.

And the way Ianto wakes up in Jack’s arms because he’s been kissed back to life and Jack holds him for a few moments. They sit there in that water and Jack holds him. Once again he forgets. There’s a moment of peace with Jack until he hears Lisa screaming.

And then Lisa is dead and Jack is alive and the team have killed her and Ianto is grieving and hurt and angry and shattered into pieces that could never be put back together.

And his anger is misplaced. He hates Jack for making him forget her. He hates Jack for killing her. He hates Jack for making him feel happy. He hates Jack for turning him into a man who cheats on his girlfriend.

It isn’t Jack’s fault and he knows this. But he still hates him. He hates them both. Mostly himself but he is human and misplaces anger.

And then Jack softens to him. He starts helping put him back together again. He is still angry and angry at him for putting him back together because he doesn’t deserve it.

He doesn’t deserve Jack to forgive him and want him again.

But then he realises he needs Jack. He needs to forget, he needs that touch that has always sent him to a mindless peace.

And Jack gets it and he allows it. He wants Ianto too. Ianto was important to him, he trusted him and finds that he can’t stop trusting him. He can see that Ianto is good and there is something about him that he can’t stop himself from falling for.

But they don’t start with the intentions of being together, so they are both guarded and under the pretense that it’s just because they need what the other provides. They have walls up and it only starts crumbling before the world turns upside down. There was potential there when their touches that make them forget turn to touches that they crave because it helps them feel alive and cared for and wanted and needed.

There is the potential to be something great.

#ianto jones #torchwood #jack harkness #; i just love them and all of the possibilities of this having been a thing behind the scenes

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searching-for-arcadia · 3 years

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Either 2 or 6 for Janto? I can’t decide—whichever you like more! —iianto-jones

I Can’t (Truthfully) Tell You I’m Alright

Ianto woke up to Jack’s faced pressed into his shoulder. He could feel Jack trembling and the gasping was unmistakable. He unwedged his free arm and reached over to stroke Jack’s hair, but at the first touch of his fingers, Jack jerked back, eyes wild and red-rimmed.

“Come here,” Ianto commanded softly, hand still held aloft where Jack’s head had been just moments before. He gazed steadily at Jack in the half-light, resisting the urge to trace the edges of the deep shadows cast across the planes of Jack’s face and in the valleys of his coat.

Jack just kept staring, his edges blurring in the darkness as he shook in front of Ianto.

Unluckily for Jack, Ianto wasn’t above guilt tripping him into allowing Ianto to comfort him. He stretched as far as he could before crooking his fingers and saying, “I can’t reach any further without jostling my side.”

Ianto brushed away Gwen’s concerned hands. She frowned. “You’re hurt.”

If breathing didn’t feel like being lanced in the side, Ianto would have laughed—the pain was turning into hysterical delirium.

“Not enough to stop.” Ianto struggled back to his feet, taking a moment to lean heavily against the alley wall, and tried not to think about the grime clinging to his person. “We need to keep going; we can’t let it get away”

Gwen looked ready to argue, so Ianto cut her off.

“You saw what it did to the SUV. You saw what it just tried to do to me. It’s heading towards a residential neighbourhood and is going to do this”—he gestured to his side, suit and shirt burned away to reveal mangled flesh—“and a lot worse to people who have no idea what is heading towards them.”

He reached out and grabbed her hand, “Once we take care of this, I’ll go to the hospital.”

“Promise?” She knew how much Ianto hated hospitals.

Ianto nodded, meeting Gwen’s eyes. The sudden thought that she had eyes like sea glass bubbled up through the pain. She held his eyes for just a moment, though time seemed to expand as Ianto got lost in her liquid gaze, before returning his nod. Ianto watched as the worry on her face melted away into determination.

“Okay,” she said, with the voice of a Torchwood agent rather than a concerned friend. “I’m going to try to get ahead of it, thank goodness it’s not the fastest thing in the world. You come up from behind and we’ll flank it.”

Gwen took off at a run. Ianto heaved himself up from the wall and gave chase.

Zero casualties and only an entire street to Retcon. That was a win in Torchwood’s book (and Ianto’s diary for that matter).

What was not a win was Jack showing up and yelling at him about infections while they waited for the ambulance to arrive. Ianto wanted to hold him, to take Jack’s shaking hands in his own and tell him that it was alright, but the pain had an iron grip on his throat. He knew that if he tried to talk, he’d scream, and Jack didn’t need any more of those haunting his memories.

Instead, Ianto focused on breathing shallowly and on the gravel-covered pavement under his palms. The world seemed to grey around him, the late afternoon sunlight going ashen with the smell of burnt wool, the sky disappearing behind the roaring static of Jack’s voice (shouting orders, shouting questions, shouting a million anxieties and fears without putting them into words).

Ianto was relieved when the sirens cut Jack off even though they meant that he’d soon be awash in too bright lights and the smell of dead sterile air.

Jack yelled at the hospital too, but at least it was down the hall rather than in Ianto’s face. When he came into Ianto’s room, expression stormy, he was silent. He just stood there glaring in the doorway before abruptly turning around and leaving.

It was Gwen who came in a few moments later to tell him that she was taking him home.

“Want one?”

Ianto lifted his head and saw Rhys raising a bottle of beer. He dropped his head back down, seriously considering it, but eventually he sighed and shook his head. “Not supposed to drink while on the good stuff.”

Jack would probably Retcon Rhys if anything happened to him while Rhys was looking after him and Jack was unhappy enough about the situation as it was. He’d only been discharged from the hospital because they’d pulled the Torchwood card and Jack had only agreed because they couldn’t very well use the alien burn cream if he was being monitored by a civilian medical team.

“Your loss, mate.” Rhys settled into the armchair. Ianto turned his head, not that there was anything for him to be looking at. The only things he could make eye contact with were Rhys’ feet where they were settled on the coffee table.

The TV was on, but the voices were just a steady drone that turned to cotton in Ianto’s ears. The pain made it difficult to pick the words apart and the exhaustion meant that he wasn’t particularly interested in trying. Instead, he tried to think about the cleanup, counting the number of Retcon doses left at the Hub and hoping that Jack would remember that he needed to check Myspace and the usual forums for photos. Gwen would remember, but Jack would probably insist on her going home before she had the chance to do it. No matter—he’d just remind Jack when he got back. He just had to be awake.

Seconds later, Ianto was asleep.

Ianto watched Jack’s face crumple, the tension and the fight fleeing Jack’s body, the subtle shifts somehow more visible when outlined in shadow. His body sagged forward and Ianto braced himself for the moment that Jack’s forearms hit the couch, determined not to let the movement force him to give away his pain.

Ianto waited until Jack placed his head back on his shoulder before letting his eyes fall closed. He didn’t need sight to hear what Jack wasn’t saying (“I could’ve lost you. I can’t lose you.”) just like he didn’t need ears to understand what Jack had been saying earlier, underneath the yelling (“You can’t leave me.”).

He played with Jack’s hair, relearning the slide of the strands between his fingers even though there were few things he knew better, and listened to their breathing fall into sync.

He didn’t need his voice to tell Jack what he needed to hear, but Ianto said it aloud anyways, “I’m here.”

#torchwood #torchwood fic #ianto jones #jack harkness #gwen cooper #rhys williams #janto #sorry this took an eternity!#thank you for the prompt!#my writing

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this-is-quite-homoerotic · 4 years

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I was thinking about Ianto/the Face of Boe (don’t ask) and so I started pondering the possibility of Ianto meeting an older Jack from further into the timeline, and then I had.......... a Thought™.

I’ve mentioned many times before that Ianto seems older in every season, like he looks So Babey in season 1, look at this, look at this face:

He looks so young.

BABEY

Super Babey, right?

But he looks noticeably older by season 2, and even more so by season 3. (Not a lot older, but noticeably older, you know?) Like so:

^ This is Ianto in ep 2x04

^ This is him in ep 2x10

^ And this is him in season 3, as we know.

So it occured to me that a fun explanation could be...... what if he looks older because he is older? Not just a few months to a year older between each season, but a few years older instead?

What if Ianto was thrust forward in time by the Rift or by rogue Time Agents, or by an alien artefact, or [insert plot device here], and he keeps running into different versions of Jack in the future? (Or maybe he keeps being kidnapped by an older Jack so he can spend more time with Ianto before he dies during the incident with the 456?)

Maybe the first time’s an accident, Ianto handles an artefact of unknown origin with his bare hands and he appears in the 85th century not two metres away from where Jack was standing.

So Ianto’s stuck in the future, thankfully with Jack who’ll obviously protect him and explain things, but he needs to go back because timelines, right? Jack doesn’t have a functioning Vortex Manipulator, so it takes him months to figure out a way to get him back. When he finally can, he doesn’t want to let go of Ianto, who he still remembered after all these years and who he’d grown close to again (who he’d fallen in love with again) knowing he’ll die in 2009 and Jack will never get to see him again. But as Jack warns him that he can’t tell 21st century him about his trip into the future, because Jack hadn't known back then and changing that could risk destroying the timeline, Ianto, brilliant, practical genius that he is, figures out the loophole: so long as he doesn’t tell his linear Jack, then they can do this again, can’t they? Ianto has a great poker face, he can do it. And, worst case scenario, Ianto has access to retcon. If older Jack gives him his consent to use it on younger him (he does) then he’ll even have a failsafe*. And Jack looks at him, shaken to the core, in that moment he could swear he’s never loved anyone so much as he loves Ianto Jones. So he starts planning his next trip.

*He doesn’t end up having to retcon Jack, but after Adam when they all retconned themselves, Ianto spends half a day thinking it’s because the team uncovered his little trips and he had to retcon all of them - until he finds the note he left himself in his trouser pocket to let himself know it was unrelated.

And then I had another Thought™.

The next time Ianto goes into the future, it’s deliberate. Jack all but takes him without asking, he goes for the time right after Abbadon when he left with the Doctor and takes Ianto straight to a very exclusive resort in the 93rd century to get one of those treatments to slow down aging like we see Liz 10 from DW had, except much more advanced, so he could live for several centuries and age so slowly it’d look like only a few years had passed.

And so Ianto keeps disappearing into the future and spending months or years at a time with older Jacks and his linear Jack doesn't find out because Ianto's only gone for a few minutes at a time from the 21st century; but he's staying in the future much longer. This is why he keeps such a detailed diary, he needs it to refresh his memory on where he left off things back in 2007-2009. At first they start with trips that are shorter than a year, because Ianto needs to remember what he’s coming back to. He doesn’t want Jack to grow suspicious, god only knew what he might think was going on if Ianto didn’t remember something that had happened “the day before”. But then at some point Jack acquires some tech that allows one to save memories and keep them fresh, so Ianto doesn’t have to rely solely on his diary, and they start making much, much longer trips (of several decades to a century). Jack gives Ianto some of the training he got at the Time Agency to ensure he doesn’t muddle up the timeline.

Anyway, Ianto starts keeping two diaries: one for the 2007-2009 period, and another for his trips, where he’s more relaxed about writing down details and which Jack keeps with him safe and sound in the future. Trips into the future can be domestic bliss or crazy world-saving adventures or both, you decide!

Bonus points if he isn’t meeting the older Jacks in chronological order after that first one!

Jack gets to show Ianto the stars, his own home planet, so many interesting alien species he never got to see on Earth, even working for Torchwood; he gets to show him the wonders of the galaxy and to take him beyond, further than Ianto could have ever imagined. He gets to introduce him to his mother, to so many friends, to some of his grandkids. He shows him the facilities of Torchwood 284, 740, 1371 and even later versions, and he takes him to the Torchwood Archive where there's AI holograms of the two of them living happily ever after. Hologram Jack, who was modelled after the 2009 real-life version, gets the shock of his non-life. Hologram Ianto has never looked so mischievous. He knew, of course. Hologram Ianto gets thoroughly snogged.

Jack not only gets to tell Ianto but also to show him that no matter how many thousands or even millions of years pass, he’ll never be forgotten, not while Jack’s still alive. And Jack’s gonna live for a long time. He’s gonna love Ianto for a very long time.

And because he has centuries to work it out, Jack finds a way to make Ianto immune to the virus at Thames House. He hunts down the bastards and has a cure bioengineered. He makes Ianto take it before he goes back to 2009 and he travels back to that day where Ianto “died” in Thames House, careful to arrive after the virus was released but before it dispelled enough to allow the bodies to be collected, and he takes Ianto (passed out as the cure works its magic but very much alive) and leaves behind a perfect copy.

When Ianto wakes up, perfectly healthy and well rested, it’s to find a slightly older-looking Jack grinning down at him.

For the first time since that first accidental trip, Jack knows that he doesn’t have to let Ianto go back to his past self to maintain the timeline. From then on, they can move forward together, no time jumps, no careful preserving of memories so that Ianto can pretend he never left the 21st century, no more secrets between them. They can just be.

#Torchwood #plot ideas #not!fic #Ianto Jones #Janto #Captain Jack Harkness #this is what i do instead of writing #like ALL the ideas i post here this one is up for adoption #if you like it you can use it wherever and however you want #but do let me know if you use any of them! i'd love to read them!

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harmony88 · 3 years

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You're Donna Noble.

Excerpt from my current WIP below.

Series: Forever With You Part 3

Story: Serpent’s Soul

Summary: Following an unexpected visit to Torchwood 3 for the first time in nine months, the Doctor and Rose end up taking Donna on a trip by herself, but nothing is quite what it seems, and it appears the universe may just be up to something.

“You are avoiding the party,” the Doctor said with a smirk, and Donna rolled her eyes, looking up at the stars.

“No, I’m not,” she said. “Just wanted a bit of air.”

He watched her, noticing the way she was gripping the edge of her mug as if her life depended on it, and he looked back downstairs, where Rose and Alice were smiling and dancing with the happy couple.

“Can I sit?” he asked.

“Do what you want, spaceman. You’re a grown man,” she muttered, and his brow creased as he took a seat beside her, wrapping his arms around his knees as he tried to spot what she was looking at.

“Orion’s belt,” he mused. “Ursa Major. Ursa Minor. Cassiopeia...Ooh...If Rose and I have another girl at some point, remember that one…”

Donna rolled her eyes and smiled softly, but she didn’t look at him, and his goofy grin fell when he saw the way she was trying to take deep breaths, and he realized she was trying not to cry.

“Donna…”

“I’m fine,” she said, still looking at the stars, but she wiped her cheek with the back of her hand. “I’m fine.”

“What’s wrong?” he asked, concerned, but she just shook her head and fluttered her lips, her gaze dropping to her shoes. “Did I say something rude again?”

She finally looked at him, his joke doing what he hoped, but he clenched his jaw and swallowed when he saw the look in her eye. There was a word for it, he was certain of it, but he couldn’t place it at the moment because all it was making him want to do was pull her into a hug, and that was exactly what he did.

A little to his surprise, she reciprocated instantly, practically squeezing him, and he let out a breath and met Rose’s eyes through the door, who bit her lip but didn’t walk outside, giving them some space. Donna pulled away, sniffing and wiping her nose with her sleeve, and the Doctor just sat next to her, unsure what he was supposed to say.

“I’m happy for them,” she whispered. “You know that, right?”

“Yeah, I know,” he said. “You’ve told them that?”

“Of course I have,” she groaned, and he furrowed his brow.

“Okay, well… Good, then. That’s good, right? Do you want to go back inside or -”

“No,” she sighed, setting her mug to the side, and his eyes never left her face, trying to figure out what was going on. “Not yet. I’m fine.”

“Those two words are some of my favorites,” he said thoughtfully, and she looked at him. “Right next to ‘complicated’ and ‘Allons-y.’”

“Complicated is good,” she whispered, and he reached over and grabbed her hand, choosing not to push her on whatever was bothering her, but at the feel of his touch, her jaw began to tremble, and he pulled away instantly. “Sorry.”

“Do you want to talk about it? I can go get Rose,” he murmured, but she shook her head. “Donna.”

“She’s having fun with Alice, I…. They deserve that, the two of them. She really is beautiful, by the way. Looks so much like her it’s…”

“Yeah,” he said with a smile, and Donna let out a shaky breath. “She’s started to say ‘Mama’ and ‘Dada’. It’s… I cried.”

“Ianto owes me money,” she teased, and he rolled his eyes. “Oh shut up. Of course you cried. Your entire world is those two. We all know that.”

He just winked, and she laughed a little, picking her mug back up and taking a sip, ignoring the fact the tea had started to grow cold. She sighed. “You’re thinking about more kids?”

“Thinking is the operative word,” he said, clearing his throat. “We want to wait a bit. But...well…”

“Hm,” she said in response, and he raised an eyebrow at her.

“You don’t think it’s a good idea?” he asked. She smiled.

“I think it’s wizard,” she said honestly, and he grinned back at her. “You are - if I have to say it - quite the father, Doctor. And Rose is Rose. Your kids will be a force to be reckoned with. Already are.”

“Thank you,” he whispered, and she nodded, then turned her attention back to the stars. “So… what was the ‘hm’ then?”

“Nothing,” she lied, and he waited, because he could tell she was about to tell him more. “Just… things are changing. And it’s good. It’s so good, it’s the best. But I can’t help but feel like there is going to come a day where you have so many kids you won’t be able to have any other companions on that ship of yours -”

“It’s bigger on the -”

“That’s not the point,” she said. “And like I said, it’s good. But Martha and Mickey are getting married. You’re married. Jack and Ianto probably will get married. Gwen has been seeing some bloke she won’t talk about, and I’m just…”

“Donna, don’t do that,” he tried to say, but she shrugged, and he watched her tuck her hair behind her ear and sigh.

“I would have been married for… what, four years now?” she asked, meeting his eyes with hers. “I’ve just been thinking about that today. Wondering, I guess. What my life would have been.”

He didn’t say anything, and she sighed, taking another sip of tea.

“You deserve so much more than bloody Lance Bennet,” he said seriously, and she laughed.

“I know that,” she told him, but he wasn’t convinced, and she shook her head. “I’ve just been thinking, Doctor. But I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?” he asked. She nodded.

“Part of me wishes I didn’t wonder about it so much,” she said. “It’s all my Mum wants for me which makes me not want to do it because God do I love pissing that woman off…”

He smirked, and they both chuckled a little until she continued.

“But then… Then things like today happen, and it’s all I can think about. And I’ve never done this before, but I’ve been looking at Alice and Tony wondering if I would have had a kid they could play with, too. And then you go and talk about having more and -”

“I’m sorry,” he said, and her mouth fell closed. “Donna, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize -”

“Stop,” she half-ordered. “Like I said, I think you should. It’s wonderful, seeing you so happy. I remember you two when we met. Whole other story.”

“We were happy,” he said.

“You were two idiots in love,” she teased. “I just don’t think I’ll ever have that.”

“I think you’re wrong,” he whispered, conviction lined in his words, and her breath hitched in her throat. “You’re Donna Noble.”

“I’m nothing special, Doctor,” she whispered, and he stared at her.

“Look at me,” he said, clenching his jaw when she did rather hesitantly. “Yes you are. You’re brilliant. And bright. And brave. And a whole lot of other things. It’s just a matter of time.”

She stayed quiet for a moment, not sure what to say as the words tried to dig into the chambers of her heart, and she took his hand, looking up at the stars again. “Your nougat center is showing again, mate.”

“Maybe,” he said, shrugging. “It’s also the truth.”

She looked at him, wondering how he managed to make her almost believe him.

“I...” she whispered. “Thank you.”

#best friends #doctor and donna #fanfic #tenrose #alternature universe #doctor who #tenth doctor #rose tyler #donna noble

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sweet-sammy-kisses · 3 years

Text

Thunder and Fire

Written for the @torchwoodfanfests bingo challenge prompt: polyamory. Fandoms: Torchwood/MCU Pairings: Jack/Ianto/Thor/Loki, mentions of Natasha/Tosh/Steve Warnings: Mpreg, mpreg!Ianto Word Count: 957 Rating: E Summary: A typical morning in the house of a Phoenix, two Asgard Gods and an Immortal. You can read it on AO3

The sweet smell of ambrosia filled the air and Jack Harkness let out a groan as it pulled him from his sleep.

His eyes glistened with love as he took in the man sitting beside him, "I love you."

"I know that you are talking to the coffee, not that I can blame you Ianto's coffee is worshiped on all of Asgard." Loki, the trickster reminded Jack as he passed him the cup of coffee.

Jack let out a deep moan as the first touch hit his tongue, "Ianto is the Coffee God." Jack declared.

"Indeed." Loki could only agree, never did he think he would enjoy earth beverage but here he was addicted to Ianto's coffee as much as the next person.

"Speaking of our Coffee God where is Ianto? And Thor for that matter?" Jack wasn't used to waking up without one of his partners in bed with him. Usually, he is greeted by the sight of Thor opening one or both of their partners, making them nice and open for him and Jack to show Ianto and Loki how much they loved them.

He never expected that when the 456 that Asgard would send their Princes to aid them in battling back the scum of the universe, they were an enemy to all life for daring to use children as a way to get high. Jack had carried the guilt of what he had been forced to do all those years ago, this had been his way to make amends.

Meeting Loki and Thor also added something to Jack's relationship with Ianto, while Jack was used to having poly relationships Ianto had become his main partner and to add anyone to their relationship Ianto had to accept them. Despite Jack's lust for Gwen, he knew that she would never be a part of their relationship, Ianto had made it very clear from the start that he was not attracted to her and he would not even think about such a relationship unless Rhys was part of it and Gwen had to realize that she needed to treat them all equal. Jack, knew that kind of relationship would never happen.

They had considered Tosh but as special as she was just wasn't a fit, which ended up being a good thing because when Torchwood later teamed up with the Avengers Tosh ended up winning the heart of not only the deadly Black Widow Natasha but also Steve Rogers himself. Jack was very happy for her.

But it didn't matter the moment they met Thor and Loki something just clicked between the four of them and once the 456 was dealt with Ianto surprised everyone when he asked Thor and Loki to stay a little longer.

They spent one week together consummating their relationship which ended up with Loki and Ianto both pregnant.

A mischievous smirk appeared on Loki's face as he saw the heated look appearing in Jack's eyes as he eyed him hungrily. "As much as I would love nothing more than to have you buried deep within me, it will have to wait. As for where Ianto and Thor are they are preparing for our day out. The one that we promised to take Selene, Lisa, Apollo, and Rose to the zoo today." Loki reminded his lover.

Excitement shone in Jack's eyes, "I forgot all about that! We are going to have so much fun!"

Loki could only shake his head, 'No wonder Thor and Jack get along so well with the children they are children themselves. At least I have Ianto, I don't know what I would have done if I didn't have him. Now I just hope that Thor hasn't tried to seduce Ianto in the kitchen. Oh, course given how my beloved brother hasn't been able to keep his hands off of Ianto lately I very much doubt it.'

Climbing to his feet Loki followed behind Jack to make sure that he chose something suitable to wear and if they had a little fun in the shower? Well, no one could blame him, Jack was a sight to behold when wet.

+******+

Ianto Jones was very thankful that their children were still sound asleep and their friends hadn't arrived yet. The last thing Ianto would want was for any children to walk into this sight.

"Mmm, my phoenix I will never get tired of how you take me with such ease. It is as if you were made just for this." Thor growled in Ianto's ear as he moved in and out, enjoying his time taking Ianto in their kitchen.

Ianto could only moan as Thor's big hand rest possessively on the swell of his belly, where their child was growing. Ianto should have expected this he remembers how insatiable Thor was when Loki was pregnant with their daughter and Jack was as bad as Thor when Ianto was carrying their daughter. A horney and possessive God and immortal was a handful but both at the same time Ianto was surprised that he and Loki hadn't been locked away until their daughters were born.

Now that he was carrying his and Thor's child the Thunder God was unable to keep his hands off Ianto and growled at anyone, not their other partners and the children. Not that Ianto could blame him a child of a god and a phoenix was something that had never been born before and there would be those who would seek their child for their power. Of course, first, they would have to get past two gods, an immortal, a phoenix, the Avengers and Torchwood, which is a death sentence. Their children are safe and will grow up happy calling both Earth and Asgard their home.

#janto #thorki #torchwood fan fests #jack x ianto x thor x loki #sherri writes #my fics #mpreg

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neurodiverse-myfanwy · 3 years

Note

ianto and jack and gwen helping each other cope post exit wounds in the ways they all need

Oh I have so many ideas for this I could write a series (/hj) but I hope this suffices!

Coping

a/n: Presenting the third fic for my 25-follower celebration! Minor content warning for nightmares. WC: 906

The sound of yelling from upstairs in the Hub startled Ianto.

No. Not again. He sprinted up three flights from the archives to the main Hub, taking the steps two at a time, and followed the sound of the shouting without noticing where he was or where it was actually coming from.

It was Gwen’s voice, he processed through the adrenaline that set his heart to racing and his blood to pounding in his ears, and that was worse, because if Gray was somehow awake like Beth had been or if John was back, Jack could deal with them--he shouldn’t have to, but he could, and Ianto hated himself for thinking it--but Gwen was just as mortal as Tosh and Owen, and he couldn’t lose her.

He found himself in the rest and recreation room, where the couch was--where Gwen was asleep on the couch, yelling nonsensically, and Jack was standing over her, pleading with her to just wake up and breathe and calm down.

Ianto paused, breathing slowly and deeply for a moment and trying to focus past Gwen’s outward reaction to her nightmare. When he was shaking a little less from the adrenaline crash, he came up to the arm of her couch, behind her head, and stroked her hair gently, carding his hand through it near the roots where she could feel it. It was soft--a little oily, but then none of them had been doing much outside of the Hub since Gray, so if she wasn’t getting a chance to wash her hair as often as she needed Ianto certainly wasn’t going to judge.

Jack gave Ianto a grateful look, but Gwen still slept, still yelled. She must be exhausted, Ianto thought, and continued his gentle smoothing down of her hair.

Eventually, Gwen began to calm under his ministrations, and Jack folded himself into the narrow space on the couch behind her where he could barely fit to wrap himself around her and hold her close, providing the comfort he could. Gwen and Jack were both so tactile, and had only become more so after Gray.

Her yelling calmed to murmuring, to snuffling, and to snoring, until she was peacefully asleep again. Ianto continued to caress the top of her head anyway, because he wasn’t sure how else to help. He was still shaking a bit, though, and didn’t want to go back down into the archives alone, especially if Gwen was at risk for further nightmares.

Jack’s face was buried in the crook between Gwen’s neck and shoulder, but he looked up at Ianto. “You two need to go home,” he said, softly, so as not to wake her (though if her shouting and her nightmare hadn’t, she was probably still fast asleep).

“You know we can’t,” Ianto replied, voice just as low. “There’s too much--”

“I know. There’s too much to do around here.” Jack sighed, and Ianto watched the air of it stir some of Gwen’s stray hairs. “You can’t keep going like this.”

“Neither can you, Jack,” Ianto reminded him. Just because he couldn’t stay dead didn’t mean he couldn’t die, and he was not about to succumb to sheer exhaustion on Ianto’s watch. “Have you talked to Martha?”

Jack’s lips pursed.

It was Ianto’s turn to sigh, though he found that despite his mild discontent, talking with Jack was calming. The trembling in his hands slowed and stalled as they spoke in low tones.

Eventually, Gwen stirred in Jack’s arms, under Ianto’s hand.

“Good morning, Rhys,” she said blearily.

Jack chuckled, and Ianto flushed.

“Actually, you’re still at the Hub,” Jack told her.

Gwen grumbled. “Of course it’s you. Bloody Jack Harkness.”

Jack’s chuckles grew into a full belly laugh. “Now that you’re awake from your nap, I’m afraid I’m sending you home to get some real sleep. I don’t want you back here for at least twelve hours.”

Gwen’s eyes flew open at that. “We can’t leave the Rift unattended for that long--” she began.

“I know,” Jack said, and at least his tone was more solemn. “The Rift isn’t as important as you and Ianto, and you’re working yourselves to exhaustion.”

“Not as important?” Gwen asked, incredulous. “If the wrong thing, or god forbid, person, comes through the Rift, it could be a matter of life or death for the entire city!”

“I know and I don’t care,” Jack replied, with just the hint of a defensive growl in his tone. “You and Ianto are more important than the entire city. Do you understand me?”

Ianto’s brow furrowed when he looked at Jack. What a difference, what a remarkable change loss could make even in a person who had lived well over two millennia.

“Go home, Gwen Cooper. Don’t let it drift.” Jack kissed her on the cheek and urged her to get up. “You too, Ianto.”

Ianto leveled a look at Jack as Gwen stood, rolled her shoulders a few times, and went to find her coat.

“You’re the only thing I have to let drift,” Ianto said when she was out of earshot. “If I’m going home, you’re coming with me.”

Jack’s expression softened. “We really can’t leave the Rift unattended--”

“We get notifications from Tosh’s Rift monitoring program,” Ianto said, and the timing of the wrench in his gut and Jack’s flinch was impeccable and painful. Oh, how he missed her. “We won’t be leaving the Rift unattended. Come home, Jack. Sleep.”

#25 followers #25 follower celebration #ver writes things #ver writes fics #torchwood #gwen cooper #torchwood fic #ianto jones #jack harkness #post exit wounds

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bookwermthings · 3 years

Note

28 “Stand behind me” with Jack and Gwen or Jack and Owen

“Stand behind me.”

“Really, Jack, I can handle myself.”

“I mean it. They have issues with me, as long as you stay out of their way, you’ll be fine.”

One of the strict looking ladies, looking like she was dressed for Victorian England, glanced their way. And then she didn’t stop. She stared at them, first at Jack, then at Owen, with a horrifying lack of emotion. Just vague interest. A smile flitted across her lips.

Then the other one stopped surveying her surroundings. She walked over, joining the brunette in looking at them.

Owen, still not standing behind Jack, noticed as Jack began to smile at them. It was a smile carefully crafted, so as not to show anything, worn by decades of practice.

“Hello, ladies. I see you’re in the wrong time.”

“Yes, we’d noticed. Although, strangely, you’re still here.”

Careful smile still in place, Jack said, “Yes, yes I am.”

Owen couldn’t stand to the side and do nothing any longer. “Hold on, who are you?”

They looked at him curiously.

The blond one answered. “Torchwood.”

“You are? What year?”

"What business is it of yours?"

"*I'm* Torchwood. Right here, right now."

They looked him over. The other one spoke. "You don't look it."

That was rude. He was every bit Torchwood as they were, if not more.

"Well, I am. Did the Rift spit you out?"

"Apparently so... I suppose it couldn't hurt to answer your question. I am Alice Guppy, and this is Emily Holroyd. We just came from 1903, where Harkness here was having a rather fun time with some Weevils." Her teeth were like a shark's. "What year is this?"

"2008."

Alice nodded, satisfied. Then she continued,looking at Jack, "I see we must have beat some loyalty into you at some point, then."

Hold on, they beat him?

Owen was about to open his mouth, to say what, he didn't know, but Jack got there first.

"I don't think it had anything to do with you. Now, do you have a plan to get back?"

“I’d rather like to speak to the Torchwood head at the moment. I’m sure things will go much easier if we could just speak to them and not the underlings.”

“I’m sorry, if you’re looking for the head of Torchwood, that would be me.”

Alice looked like she was about to spit fire. “Who let you be in charge?”

“Well, when you’ve been around as long as I have…”

“The incompetent bastards. They should have known to set up protocols in case this happened.”

“We could set them ourselves,” said Emily.

“And create a paradox? No, we’ll just have to do what we can before we find our way back and hope it sticks.”

"I'm right here, you know." Jack spoke, an exasperated undercurrent running through his words.

Ignoring him, they spoke to Owen.

“Have you learned how to track the movements of the Rift by this point?” Emily asked. “We believe there may be a Rift sighting sometime soon connecting to two days before we left.”

Owen found these women strange and frankly very rude, possibly even abusive, the more he was around them. They treated Jack like he was worth less than the dirt on their shoes, and barely treated Owen any better.

He grimaced. These were Torchwood operatives, no matter how strange they were or how much he wanted to punch them.

“Yes, we can track and predict Rift spikes. I’ll have Tosh get on finding you one that might get you home.”

Alice tutted. “We’ll come back with you, in your vehicle, and oversee the process. I can’t imagine how low Torchwood must have fallen under Harkness’ leadership.”

Jack visibly gritted his teeth, and held his hands together behind his back.

“This way, then.”

As he strode back to the SUV, Owen swore he could see Jack’s shoulders shaking.

The two Victorian era Torchwood women looked over everything in the Hub. They peered over Tosh’s shoulder as she sorted through predicted Rift activity, ordered Owen and Ianto around, and stared curiously at Gwen. They showed their intense hatred for Jack being the leader of Torchwood anytime it came up, and multiple times it didn’t. For the most part, Owen tried to ignore them. They were going to be gone soon enough, and he didn’t want them holding a grudge against him, no matter if they were stuck in the 1900s or not. They seemed like they would know how to get him back even if he was across the galaxy, two million years in the future. But crossing them was still so very tempting. For all that Owen bitched about having Jack as a boss, he was good at it. He didn’t deserve to be talked down to or talked about like this.

Then it was time for dinner.

Owen, as always since he had died, simply sat there and talked with the others. But to Alice, this was apparently suspicious.

“Don’t you people eat in 2008?”

Owen just had to snark,”Well, typically we do, but I’m trying to turn inside out with hunger pains.”

At their unmoved glances, he ran a hand through his hair. “No, I’m dead.”

Now this got their attention.

Emily had a gleam in her eye. “Dead? In what fashion?”

“I’d show you, but I doubt you’d want to see. I have a bullet hole in my chest. My heart is stopped. I don’t need to breathe. I don’t sleep, I don’t eat, I can’t heal. I’m certifiably dead. One of the artifacts we have brought me back, and now I’m stuck this way.”

“Interesting.”

Later, he found them staring at him and whispering. It sent shivers down his spine. He was glad in the end, that Emily looked disappointed. They wouldn’t be taking him into any labs and experimenting on him. Not today.

Fortunately, they found a Rift spike within a day of them arriving here. Alice and Emily went through it and he didn’t look back. Owen didn’t care if it was luck, or what. He was just glad they were gone.

What the hell had they done to Jack, so far in the past, that he was scared of them even now? They were gone, and he was still shaking.

Jack had hidden in his office for most of the time that they were here, only coming out when it was absolutely necessary. Owen had no idea how he was taking it.

But now? He and Jack were the only ones who had met Alice and Emily, and they had taken it upon themselves to be the ones to make sure they left. Now they were in an alleyway somewhere at the west end of Cardiff, and Jack was…?

Jack was slid to the ground against the brick wall, sobbing.

Owen walked over to him awkwardly, not knowing what to do.

“Jack? Jack, what’s wrong?”

“S-sorry, don’t mind me. Just go back without me.”

“You know I’m not doing that. Was it Alice?”

Jack continued to sob, and Owen crouched down beside him.

This was such a new situation. He’d never seen Jack cry like this, so open and vulnerably.

“Jack, it’s alright. They’re gone now.”

Jack looked him in the eyes. “No, they’re not. Every day I spent with them, every death I suffered at their hands, every nightmare I’ve ever had, that’s what they are. They’re not gone. When they died, I thought I was free of them. But then, they pop up here, a century. They could do it again. I’ll never be free.”

“Oh, Jack.” Owen sat next to him on the brick wall. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realise it was so bad for you, being around them.” At Jack’s incredulous look, he continued , “I don’t know… think of the odds. I know, probably not helpful for an irrational fear like this, but how likely is it that they will find another piece of the Rift that takes them to exactly when and where you are?”

“Yeah, not helping.” He sniffed, “Sorry.”

“It’s alright. You’ve been through a lot. It’s not going to all go away just because you try not to think about it.”

More tears slid down Jack’s face.

“That doesn’t stop me from wanting it to work that way.”

“No. It doesn’t. I have to ask though, have you ever thought of hiring a Torchwood therapist? I mean, it’s basically one of the requirements to be fucked up in the head.”

“Maybe someday.” Owen took this to mean probably never. It was worth a shot.

Jack was practically curled up in on himself at this point.

He was still shaking.

The memories must be hard. And Alice and Emily showing up? No wonder he hadn’t broken down like this hours ago.

Carefully, Owen laid an arm over Jack’s shoulders.

“It’s alright. They’re not here right now. It’s just me. Just me.”

It may not have been alright, but he was there, and damned if he wasn’t going to do something about Jack hurting.

Slowly, Jack relaxed into the touch, and the shaking slowed. Owen pulled him the rest of the way into the embrace, and rocked with him. Back and forth, back and forth.

“Thank you.”

#torchwood #jack harkness #ianto jones #janto #my fanworks #my fanwork #my fanfic #my answers

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queerianto · 3 years

Note

8 with Jack and... anyone really 🥺

Jack and Tosh friendship my beloved <3

Prompt: 8. Shielding the other with their body

Word count: 1463 (this one got away from me a little bit fkjshdjk)

Summary: Jack gets killed protecting Tosh from a very angry alien. Tosh is less than happy about this situation.

Warnings: canon-typical graphic depictions of violence

Tosh scrambled to grab her gun from where she had dropped it as she was knocked to the ground. The alien, which was the size of a particularly rotund tiger, very angry, and had a lot of teeth, had backed up and was preparing another attack. “Come on, come on,” she muttered. She felt the cold handle of the gun under her fingers and tried to get a better grip on it.

The alien let out a snarl. She managed to pick up the gun, roll over, and aim, but it had already sprung at her and her shot went wide.

Then someone leapt in between her and the alien. Someone wearing a long grey coat. Jack had been around the corner when Tosh had stumbled across the alien, but he must have heard her call for help over the comms. He was met with the full brunt of the alien’s teeth and claws, and he screamed.

“Jack!” Tosh cried.

He fell, bleeding, landing sideways across Tosh’s legs. “Shoot it,” he managed to gasp out, and then he went still.

Tosh didn’t waste any of the precious time Jack had bought her. She shot once, twice, three times at the alien’s head. It dropped like a marionette with cut strings. Well, that’s taken care of, she thought to herself. She winced as she looked down at Jack. She thought for a moment he might still be breathing, but the slight movement quickly stopped and there was no pulse when she put her fingers to his wrist.

The injuries to his neck and chest were horrific. She was glad that she couldn’t see the extent of them beneath his torn, bloody clothing. “You didn’t have to do that,” she told him, though she knew he couldn’t hear her. “I would have been fine.” After she had taken a few steadying breaths, letting the adrenaline fade, she reached up and touched her earpiece. “Alien was violently aggressive, it’s been dealt with. Jack was killed, if…” She knew that Ianto would want to be there when Jack came back.

Sure enough, Ianto answered quickly. “I’m on my way. I can be there in…oh. Fifteen minutes,” he said with a sigh. “Won’t make it, probably. Tosh…”

“I’ll sit with him,” she assured him, trying to sound more confident than she felt. This would be the first time she was the only person with Jack when he came back to life. She’d seen it happen half a dozen times now, and Ianto had been there for most of them. She still wasn’t completely sure what the relationship between Jack and Ianto was, but she had seen the way Jack clung to him on his return to life and had heard the gentleness in the words Ianto would murmur to him as he caught his breath. It didn’t take a genius (though she was one) to work out there was something deeper than a casual fling there.

“Thanks.” Ianto sounded relieved. “I’ll still try to get there, just in case. Should I stay on, or…?”

“Just focus on driving, I’ve got him,” said Tosh. “Um, Ianto? Do I have to...stop the bleeding, or...or anything?”

“I don’t think it would help. He just heals by himself, it’ll take the time it takes,” Ianto replied. “How bad is it?”

Tosh tried to take another look at the wounds, but had to stop when a wave of nausea hit her. She was normally pretty good with blood and injuries, but it was hard when it was someone she loved. “Pretty bad.”

Ianto didn’t answer for a moment. “Okay,” he said finally. “Good to know. See you soon.”

"See you soon." She tapped her comm again to mute it. Carefully, Tosh pulled Jack up so he was laying half in her lap like she had seen Ianto do, rearranging his arms into what looked like a more comfortable position. Her jeans were immediately soaked with even more blood. That didn't bother her too much besides the fact that it meant Jack had lost all of that blood.

Tosh almost wished she had asked Ianto to stay on the line. She wasn't particularly comfortable sitting on the ground alone in a back alley with the dead bodies of her boss and a very distinctly alien creature. It was unlikely anyone would walk by this early in the morning, but she couldn't be certain.

Besides, if she was being honest, she wasn't sure she knew what to do about Jack. Would he even want her there trying to help? Tosh was well aware that her interpersonal skills left something to be desired. Faced with someone who might need comfort and reassurance (and she had seen how painful it was for Jack to come back, how much it shook him even though he tried to hide it), Tosh was as much out of her element as someone else might be when asked to code a complex computer program to track and predict Rift spikes. Maybe she shouldn't try, and should just let Ianto take care of him when he got here.

She immediately felt guilty at the thought. She might not be able to help much, but she would do her best.

There was blood on Jack's face. It had spattered up his chin and cheek and over his eye as the creature's claws had torn into his neck. Tosh wished she had something to clean it off with before it dried. She knew how unpleasant it was to have dry blood on your skin, especially on your face. Oh, wait, doesn't Jack carry…

Tosh took the handkerchief that Jack kept tucked in his shirt pocket (that side of his chest had thankfully avoided the brunt of the injuries) and began to gently wipe away some of the blood. When she glanced down at the wounds again, she noted that they were significantly smaller than before. It would never stop being remarkable, how quickly Jack healed.

He came back not long after Tosh had put aside the handkerchief. It was abrupt and startling, as always. Jack's gasping breath ended in a stifled sound of pain as he reached for something to hold onto.

Tosh caught his hand. "Jack?"

"Toshiko!" Jack had been about to sit up, but he slumped back down when he saw her, a look of abject relief on his face. "You're okay," he sighed. He reached up with his other hand and patted her arm.

"Of course I'm okay. Are you alright?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Now he did sit up, letting go of her hand, rubbing at the side of his neck and wincing. "That one really stung. Oh, lots of blood! Lovely. Ianto will be thrilled about the dry cleaning bill," Jack said.

Tosh tilted her head slightly, staring at him. It didn't surprise her that he was already making jokes. "Why didn't you just shoot it?" she asked bluntly. "Instead of jumping in front of me to give me time to shoot it. You didn't have to die."

"I wasn't sure if a single bullet would kill it or if it would just make it angrier," Jack replied. "Didn't want to risk it."

“So you just let it kill you?”

“It bought you enough time, didn’t it?” Jack frowned. “I’m getting the impression that you think it wasn’t the right strategy.”

“I just think there might have been a better way to handle the situation.” She paused and added, “I don’t like seeing you get hurt.”

His expression softened. “Sorry. I kinda forget that it affects more than just me.”

“What, you mean it didn’t occur to you that seeing a friend die over and over would be a little upsetting?” Tosh said as lightly as she could. Jack winced anyway. “It’s alright, Jack, I’m fine. Can you just try to leave sacrificing yourself as a last resort in the future?”

“I’ll do my best,” he said. He stood up. “C’mon, let’s try to clean this up before Ianto gets here.”

“How did you know he’s--”

Jack just looked at her.

“Right. Because of course he is.” Tosh stood up as well. “I’m sorry he couldn’t get here in time. I know it’s easier when he…” She struggled to find the words. “Well, I’m sorry you had to settle for me,” she said, trying to laugh.

“No, that’s not…” Jack, too, seemed to be having a hard time figuring out what to say. "I'm glad you were there. It's...well. Thank you. It helps."

She nodded quickly. "Glad I could help." That was just about all either of them could say on the matter without it becoming unbearably awkward, so they didn't say anything more as they bagged the alien's body and waited for Ianto to arrive.

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milarvela · 3 years

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By his own admission, John Barrowman has always been notorious in showbusiness circles. 'I'm known for my jokes, my sense of fun, my high jinks,' he says.

But those 'high jinks' have come back to haunt him recently as a result of serious allegations against his former Doctor Who co-star Noel Clarke.

John's role as Captain Jack Harkness in Doctor Who began in 2005 and the character was given his own spin-off series, the far more adult Torchwood, a year later.

It launched a hugely successful career for John on both stage and screen, taking in leading roles in West End musicals, big-budget US TV shows such as superhero series Arrow, and homegrown light entertainment favourites like All Star Musicals and most recently Dancing On Ice, where he's one of the judges. He was by anyone's measure a family-friendly favourite.

Then a couple of months ago the sky fell in. Following accusations of sexual harassment against Noel Clarke, who played Mickey Smith – the boyfriend of Billie Piper's character Rose – in Doctor Who from 2005 until 2010, historic footage emerged on YouTube of a sci-fi convention, Chicago Tardis, in 2014, released by The Guardian newspaper which had investigated Clarke's behaviour on the Doctor Who set.

In an interview in front of a live audience, Clarke is seen regaling fellow cast members Annette Badland and Camille Coduri with tales of John's behaviour on the set of Doctor Who, exposing himself 'every five seconds'. Clarke then jokes with the audience not to do this at their workplace or they might go to prison.

The allegations levelled against Clarke are extremely serious. At least 20 women have come forward to accuse him of sexual harassment and bullying, 'inappropriate touching and groping' and secretly filming naked auditions before sharing the videos without consent.

He denies all the allegations, but BAFTA has since suspended the Outstanding Contribution award it bestowed on him just weeks earlier, and the BBC has shelved any future projects he was working on with them.

Now John's behaviour on the sets of both Doctor Who and Torchwood has come under scrutiny once again. The furore has led to a video of Captain Jack Harkness being expunged from the current immersive Doctor Who theatre show Time Fracture, a planned Torchwood audio production featuring John and former Doctor Who lead David Tennant being scrapped and doubt about whether he will be invited back to the Dancing On Ice panel.

ITV will announce the line-up for the next series in September. John immediately issued an apology following the emergence of the video back in May, but today he's decided to speak exclusively and candidly to Weekend to give his side of the story.

'The moment has come to set the record straight,' he says from the Palm Springs, California, home he shares with his husband Scott Gill. 'This is the first time – and the last – I will address this subject. And then I plan to draw a thick black line under it.'

Firstly he says it's important to set the scene. On the set of Torchwood, which followed a team of alien hunters and explored themes of sexuality and corruption, he had what might be called a 'relaxed' attitude to nudity, and would wander around in an open robe. But it's claimed that he was well known for flashing and mooning at cast and crew alike on both the Doctor Who and Torchwood sets.

As Captain Jack Harkness I was the star of Torchwood, so I felt it was down to me to lead the company and keep them entertained,' he explains. 'When I was doing a nude scene or a love scene it was clear in the script I'd be naked and everyone would have known about that at least 48 hours in advance. So I'd be waiting in my trailer wearing just a robe with a sock over my "parts". Then, if I were standing waiting to film a scene where I needed to be nude and someone came into view, I'd make a joke to put them and myself at ease. My actions were simply designed to defuse any potential awkwardness among the cast and crew.

'I've never been someone who's embarrassed about his body so it didn't bother me if anyone saw me naked,' he adds. 'The motivation for what I'd call my "tomfoolery" was to maintain a jokey atmosphere. There was absolutely nothing sexual about my actions and nor have I ever been accused of that.' Whether this sort of behaviour would defuse any awkwardness, or actually foster it, is debatable.

WHY I'VE GONE INTO THERAPY

This scandal has clearly not left John unscathed. 'It was upsetting my mental health,' he tells me. 'My husband Scott suggested I talk to somebody. I won't discuss what I've said in therapy sessions – that's a matter of doctor/patient confidentiality – but I don't mind admitting it's helped me a great deal.

'It's made me aware that despite how much cancel culture may talk about respecting people's mental health, too often they don't respect the mental health of the people they're trying to cancel. So I needed to understand what was happening, which is why I went to speak to somebody.'

Has he had more than one session? 'Yes. It's a conversation that's still going on,' he says with a wry laugh. 'Seriously, whatever the situation, if you feel you need to reach out to someone it's very important to keep talking.'

'If what happened had taken place in the changing rooms after a rugby match it would be regarded as no more than a prank,' he continues. 'On the other hand, it's never going to happen in an accountant's office or a supermarket. But my job is not a regular nine-to-five, we're a family working long hours and in close proximity to each other.' Again, one has to bear in mind that a rugby changing room would be an all-male environment. There were many women in the cast and crew of the TV shows.

'In the theatre quick costume changes happen in the wings all the time, with everyone stripping off to get into their new outfits in time for the next scene,' he says. 'Girls might be braless, boys only in jockstraps. That's just how it is and no one gives it a second thought. But I accept that my behaviour at the time could have caused offence.'

Although John's recollection is that no one complained at the time, and he says that no one has complained since, at one point he was called in for a private conversation with Julie Gardner, an executive producer on Doctor Who and Torchwood. She has confirmed to The Guardian that she did receive a complaint.

'My antics had come to her attention and she told me I should rein in my behaviour,' he recalls. 'In blunt terms, she had just two words of advice: "Grow up!" That struck a chord. I did as I was told and my behaviour changed overnight. I'd still be full of jokes and fun, but no more naked pranks. I can see now my actions were pretty juvenile but this was a different time and it's something I would not do today.'

When these rumours were swirling back in 2008, it's also said John exposed himself during a Radio 1 interview in which his behaviour was being discussed. He denies this today.

'I was being goaded by the presenters about my reported behaviour on the Doctor Who set. I went along with it but I didn't actually do anything inappropriate in the studio. What would have been the point, it was on the radio? Still, it created such a stir that the following day I decided to make a full public apology and get on with my life.'

And that might have been that, but for the accusations against Noel Clarke coming to light. 'It seems to me that I've become collateral damage to a much bigger story,' says John.

Given his and Clarke's high profiles and the severity of the allegations against Clarke, this is hardly surprising. Has he spoken to his former co-star since the balloon went up?

'I have not.' Does he plan to? 'I do not. But listen, I'm not trying to cast myself in the role of victim here.' That said, he clearly resents these stories re-emerging, although he has had messages of support.

'In fact many members of the cast and crew have been in touch since this latest storm blew up giving me their support,' he insists. 'I won't name them because I don't want anyone to find themselves in the firing line.'

However, Gareth David-Lloyd, who played bisexual Jack Harkness's lover Ianto Jones in Torchwood, has chosen to go public about working with John. 'In my experience John's behaviour on set was always meant to entertain, make people laugh and keep their spirits and energy high on what were sometimes very long working days,' he said.

'It may be because we were so close as a cast that professional lines were sometimes blurred in the excitement. I was too inexperienced to know any different but we were always laughing. The John I knew on set would never have behaved in a way he thought was affecting someone negatively. From what I know of him, that is not his nature. He was a whirlwind of positive energy, always very generous, kind and a wonderfully supportive lead actor.'

In the weeks following this new public scrutiny John has had time to reflect, and has come to the conclusion there are two issues. One is the aftermath of the #MeToo movement; the other is cancel culture.

'I'm a supporter of #MeToo because no person should ever feel that in order to succeed in their career they can be coerced into doing something sexual against their will.

'My problem with cancel culture, on the other hand, is that it can take the form of intolerance and prejudice. It's a culture with no shades of grey. There's no leeway for forgiveness or room for recognising any change in someone's behaviour. Cancel culture tends to talk at you or past you or through you, rather than listen to you. Dialogue is extremely rare.'

He sounds upset now. 'Look, I'm in a good place,' he insists. 'I've got a great husband, a great family, a great "fan family" around me. But I've found it difficult. And yes, some of the things that were being said have been hurtful.

'Scott and I would go to bed on a Saturday night dreading the stories in the Sunday papers. And then I'd wake up to lies. One newspaper printed as fact that I'd been dropped as a judge by Dancing On Ice. Well, apart from the fact that the new panel isn't decided until the autumn, no one from ITV had spoken to me or my agent about this latest upset.'

Ashley Banjo, leader of dance troupe Diversity and a fellow Dancing On Ice judge, has only worked with John for the past couple of years so did not know him during the time of the behaviour he's now being scrutinised for, but has publicly spoken out in support.

'I've told John I'd readily work with him again,' said Ashley. 'He's always fun on Dancing On Ice and he's been very respectful and considerate. I'd like to see him come back. The impression I get from this story is it's something small and historic, something blown out of proportion. What I'm not a supporter of in regard to cancel culture is when the speed of allegation is much faster than the speed of investigation. Before I make a judgment I want to see and understand the facts.'

There has been outrage on Twitter, with many users pointing out that John's 'tomfoolery' could be regarded as indecent exposure, and that the fact it happened among work colleagues is no excuse. 'You don't do that in work. You don't do it full stop. If you did it in the city centre you'd be arrested,' posted one user.

So does he regret the way he behaved? 'You can't wind the clock back,' he says.

'They were different times, which is why I wouldn't do now what I did then. I've acknowledged that by the way my behaviour has changed. The trouble is that certain cancel culture enthusiasts are not allowing me to acknowledge it. I've always believed that the reason I was put on this planet was to bring joy to people, make them laugh. How I do that has evolved over the years. I'm still using humour, just in a different way than might have been the case ten or 20 years ago.'

Now, he says, he wants to move on, both personally and professionally. Many years ago he bought a house for his parents down the street from where he lives with Scott.

'They're getting on now and I've been their primary carer throughout the pandemic, doing their shopping, getting their prescriptions from the pharmacy and so on. My mother broke her pelvis at one stage but she's on the mend now. I'm just thankful I can keep an eye on her and my father. I'm thankful too to the scientists for coming up with the means by which we can combat Covid via vaccinations, and the healthcare workers for administering them and looking after us so selflessly. We owe them a great debt of gratitude.'

What about professionally? 'Well, I'm at the early stages of putting together a show full of anecdotes and songs that will tour throughout the UK when restrictions are finally lifted. As far as I'm concerned, it's back to business as usual.'

But it remains to be seen later this year with the announcement of the line-up for Dancing On Ice whether John's career too might be put on ice.

***

I can see now my actions were pretty juvenile but this was a different time and it's something I would not do today.'

Well, to be blunt, he’s too old to be doing it anyway, people would just roll they eyes at a pathetic old lech instead of maybe giggling at a younger man’s adorable/innocent/whatever tomfoolery.

I think he should name them. Just for fun. Come on! Because I doubt there have been (m)any. If this story teaches anything, it’s that whatever you say/do can come back to haunt your celebrity status years later in most unexpected ways. Or maybe he was always the intended main course, Noel Clarke only the appetiser...

#John Barrowman #Doctor Who #Daily Mail #hmm #I wonder if Noel Clarke has been arrested already?#heh #funny how John's not actually talking about Doctor Who #it's all about Torchwood #and basically saying what everybody already knew #except adding some human touches #hubby and parents #and of course therapy #he should get in touch with Prince Harry #or Oprah #maybe both #lol

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toshsatos · 4 years

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21 if you're still taking sentence prompts

21: “Sometimes, being a complete nerd comes in handy.”

I’m sorry this took so long! I didn’t have any idea what to do with it until now, but I hope you enjoy. Warning for kidnapping, but it’s very mild and I definitely didn't take it seriously.

The text reads 998.

“What,” Gwen says, reading the screen over Owen’s shoulder, “the hell are we supposed to do with that?”

Owen shrugs.

When Gwen glances at Jack and Ianto, watching them read the text from the phone, they have much the same reaction.

“Trust Tosh to overcomplicate it.”

“Hm.”

When she hadn’t turned up to work that morning, nobody had been concerned. For a secret alien-hunting organisation, the work hours are surprisingly flexible, and they assumed she was cashing in her overtime and hadn’t remembered to text.

By midday, something was wrong. Because Tosh remembered everything.

Gwen was the first to phone, followed by Owen, and it was only when Jack was pulling up CCTV footage of the street outside her flat that they started to worry.

Jack, in a move very characteristic of him, wanted to approach this by jumping in the SUV with half the armoury’s arsenal and tearing Cardiff apart until they found her. She could have been gone since she went home yesterday, at eight at night, and that left plenty of time to get out of the city; time, Gwen said, that they wouldn’t be able to make up, even at the speed Jack drives. She opted for the surveillance approach. Ianto hesitantly backed her up.

That was when the shouting match had been interrupted by a ping from Owen’s phone.

“Guys-” he said - “Shut up. It’s Tosh.”

They’d flocked to his side immediately.

“It could be a message from the… the person.” Everyone knew how Ianto didn’t want to say ‘kidnapper’. “A place to meet? Coded ransom note?”

Jack shakes his head. “Too vague. What kind of villain would get our attention with this?”

“So it doesn’t mean anything to you?” Gwen says.

“Why would it?”

“Well, it could be another mysterious Jack-secret.”

“It’s Tosh who’s missing.”

“Yeah. Imagine trying to kidnap you-”

“So why Tosh?” Ianto interjects.

After a pause, Gwen speaks in a smaller voice than before. “Could it be UNIT?”

Jack meets her eye. “I hope you’re wrong.”

“So do I.”

They’re interrupted when Owen drops the phone on his desk and sprints down into the autopsy room. He digs around in his bag, stowed rather inappropriately in an empty morgue drawer, and pulls out a dog-eared book with a faded title. It’s sunbleached red and almost as wide as it is tall. He flicks through the book until he lands on a page near the middle; after tracing down with his finger as he reads, he jabs the book with a grin, and dropping it to the floor, hurries back up the stairs.

“Owen?”

“I think I’ve got it.” He crosses to a computer and opens up the screen. “It’s a page number. That’s why she sent it to me.” He chuckles to himself as he types, ignoring the looks he’s getting from the rest of the team. “Of course. Of course it’s that.”

“You’re going to have to slow down,” Jack says. “I’m lost here.”

“Okay. The book…” he pauses to scroll down the webpage - “you know what? I’ll tell you later.”

“I’d prefer it if you told us now.” Jack isn’t one to be left in the dark.

“It’s sort of a private thing.” He ignores Gwen and Ianto’s comments. “But if you really want to know, the title of the chapter on that page is… well, it’s somewhere which is possibly inspired by…” He squints at the screen. “Primarily one place. But it’s also likely to be… yeah!”

Owen reads over his shoulder as he picks up his jacket from the back of the chair.

“Taly- Talybont? On-”

“Talybont on Usk?” Ianto pronounces, much to Owen’s relief.

“That’s the one.”

“You think she’s there?”

“It’s the best guess we’ve got.”

“How-”

“Later. Trust me.”

“Alright.” Jack reaches for his coat when Ianto hands it to him. “Let’s go get our Tosh.”

-------

It’s half-past five when they find the right building. The journey was under an hour and it hadn’t taken much longer to scope out the area for potential hiding spots; an empty building, possibly a disused village hall, stood boarded up on the outskirts near where they pulled into the village. A look exchanged between the four of them was enough to confirm it. This could not be any more stereotypical of a place to stash your kidnapped victim, and the bleak exterior left an unpleasant reminder of the previous Brecon Beacons situation.

They gave no hesitation in shouldering open the door, which had been locked from the inside; with the evidence adding up that this is the place, they stepped into the hall.

Brandishing pistols, the beams of light from their torches scour the room.

“Torchwood.” A face appears from the gloom. It’s a small and greying man, with a wicked and almost inhuman grin; he clasps his hands together in a way that’s almost comical. His voice, cartoonishly evil, echos through the building when he steps forward to greet them. “I didn’t think you’d find me so soon. I’ve been waiting for this moment for so many-”

Jack sends a right hook to his jaw, and the man is out cold before he hits the ground.

“Well,” Gwen says. “That’s one way to do it.”

“Deal with that one later.”

“Tosh?”

Owen is already at the other end of the room, his pistol in his belt. He jogs into the darkness, listening for any noise besides his footsteps. He’s so caught up in the fear of finding a body that he almost doesn’t hear it.

“Owen?”

The small voice comes from a door to the back. Owen sprints as soon as he hears it and he’s breaking down the door with his shoulder in a matter of seconds; stumbling into the room, he sees Tosh tied up in the corner, battered and bruised, but smiling all the same.

“Tosh-”

He crosses the room and gets down on his knees to wrap his arms around her, holding as tight as he can.

-------

“I didn’t think you’d figure it out,” Tosh says, whilst Ianto cuts through the ropes on her arms. The knots are surprisingly tight and it was far too much rope for a woman of barely five feet; the man had been a paranoid amateur. Ianto was just glad that carrying around his pocket knife had finally paid off.

Owen shrugs. “It wasn’t so hard. Very smart of you, though.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t do better. That was all I managed to type before he noticed my phone.”

“I still don’t understand, if I’m honest,” Gwen says, and Jack nods in agreement.

“How did you know?”

“We… well.” Tosh starts, and Owen glares. She stifles a laugh. “Owen. It’s not that bad.”

He takes a deep breath and sighs. “Fine,” he says, throwing his hands up in mock surrender. “Fine. It’s a book club. A two-person book club.”

“A what?” Gwen asks, glancing between the two of them.

“That’s all you’re getting,” Owen says.

“It gives us something else to talk about.” Tosh shakes off the rope and smiles at Ianto, who moves to help her up. “Besides work. We get so caught up in-”

“Saving the world?”

“Yeah. It’s good to… you know.”

“Focus on something else.”

She nods. “The Lord of the Rings was this month’s challenge. He’d never read it.”

Owen sighed. “Seen the movies, couldn’t be bothered.��

“It’s good, though.”

“So bloody good.”

“I’ve never heard you talk about it,” Gwen says, not bothering to hide her smile.

“We have a WhatsApp chat!” Tosh grins.

Owen buries his head in his hands.

“What did it mean, though? What was on the page?”

“Penultimate chapter,” Tosh replies. “And, luckily for us, the one we were just about to read.”

“The chapter title mentions a location,” Owen interjects.

“The Shire.”

“Right.”

“Which was supposedly-”

“Supposedly.”

“Inspired by… this place.”

“Tabylont on Usk.”

“Talybont.”

The others share a grin, and Jack laughs. “You’re wonderful.”

“And you knew the page?” Gwen asks.

“I’ve got a good mind for numbers.” Tosh shakes out her arms and takes an unsteady step forward. She leans on Jack when he appears beside her, taking her weight.

“Thanks,” he says, trying to get her breath back. “He didn’t pull his punches.”

“Anything serious?”

“I don’t think so. I’m just glad you found me.”

Owen moves to her other side, wrapping her arm around his shoulders. “Yeah,” he says. “Sometimes, being a complete nerd comes in handy.”

#almost 1.5k of shenanigans!#asks #autistic-ianto #writing tag

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agent-jones · 4 years

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Why Gwen Hate Is Rooted In Misogyny And How The Premise Of Torchwood Is Often Ignored In Order To Hate On Her

Hello, hi. Jacklynn here again to talk your head off about something I feel is important to address when it comes to Torchwood and its fandom. Now, you’ve seen me post my defence of her and her actions [ not condoning, always remember this ] but, this is more on why the hate she receives is absolutely rooted in misogyny whether you want to believe it is or not, especially when talking about the portrayal and reception of women over the years in media [ and, frankly, in society ] as well as the fact that Torchwood’s very premise explains why Gwen should not be so vitriolically hated by the fans.

First, let’s talk about one reason she’s hated: her personality. Oh. This one is just blatant. I’ve seen her called both boring AND bitchy. The first one is obvious to address and that’s the bitchy one. Women who are seen as strong and independent are often labelled as bitchy, while men who act in the same manner are respected and good leaders. This is just simply based on the patriarchy we live in, a woman must be docile and and quiet and if she’s stands for something she believes in, suddenly she’s considered loud and angry and a bitch. How many times have we heard those words thrown at feminists for standing up for women? And boring? If a woman isn’t shown to be fun all the time and up for anything [ see the movie Yes, Man and Zooey’s character ] she’s considered boring. This isn’t just Gwen, this has always been the world women are forced to live in: either you’re a slut or you’re a prude, you’re a bitch or you’re just boring. Comments like that about Gwen’s personality are just downright rooted in the everyday sexism women face in society.

Second, the double standard within the Torchwood fandom when it comes to Gwen’s affair. Cheating on Rhys is the number one reason I always see for Gwen hate. And you know what? It’s absolutely valid to criticise her on how she treated Rhys. It was selfish and she made bad decisions. But, you know what’s never addressed? The fact that Owen knew exactly what he was doing when he was tempting Gwen away from Rhys, purposefully trying to get her to cheat on him. He was very open about the fact that he “tortures people in happy relationships” because he wants to. But, he’s given a free pass for his actions. Why? Had the roles been reversed and Owen’s character was a woman, and Gwen’s a man, Owen’s character would have been considered a ‘homewrecking slut’ who didn’t care about the fact that the man she went after was in a relationship and would have been labelled as such and would have been crucified by the fandom as Gwen was for cheating.

Why? Why is Owen excused for his actions? He was far from innocent. Yes, it is ultimately Gwen’s relationahip, but it takes two to tango. Owen should be disliked just as much for purposefully intending to cause harm to Rhys and not caring for a single moment about the consequences of his actions.

Jack is also given a free pass when it comes to the Gwack stuff. I never understood why people claim that Gwen ‘threw herself at Jack’ when almost every scene which implied Gwack, Jack is the one making moves. He’s the one who does the sexy gun lesson, he’s the one who corners her in the cells and does version two of ‘I came back for you,’ he’s the one sending longing glances at her as she’s kissing Rhys. And yes, these things are returned. But, once again Jack is given a free pass when he knows Gwen is in a relationship and yet does not have the decency to honour that either.

So are we seeing the pattern when it comes to the biggest reason Gwen is hated? The men are given free passes and loved while the woman is given all the blame. Each one made their choices and none of them were good. So why does the fandom only punish the woman?

Also, I would like to quickly address that she also gets hate for ‘getting in the way of Jack and Ianto’ which A. Is absolutely untrue, she never once tries to get Jack to choose her over Ianto, never acts like it’s a competition, is never once anything but sweet to Ianto. She is supportive of them and is never canonically attempting to get between them. B. Is pretty damn close to fetishism and blaming women for ‘getting in the way of your m/m ship’ needs to be re-examined.

Now, as I mentioned above, the premise of the show is often ignored in order to hate on Gwen. RTD has stated that Torchwood is about flawed and real human beings trying to save the world. They are not outright heroes, and they never claim to be. They are doing their best but they are all still human.

Human beings make mistakes. Human beings have emotional reactions that are irrational. Human beings do bad things for selfish reasons. Human beings can be inherently good people who made bad decisions and they can also be inherently bad people who do good things some times. Human beings are flawed and that’s the point of the show.

Gwen was not written to be the antithesis to this. She was written as an outsider coming into this new world and quickly learning how it changes you and affects you and can even bring our your more human traits. She was simply brought in to bring a new perspective for the team, not because she’s better than them.

But, so often this premise of real human beings trying to save the world and do what they can is ignored in order to hate Gwen. She’s just as flawed as everyone else, she’s not more flawed or any worse than anyone else on the team. But, their flaws are either ignored or brushed off in order to love them.

Ianto is the fandom golden child. I get it. I adore him with my whole heart. But, he manipulated everyone on the team, emotionally manipulated Jack, used the team in order to do what he had to to save Lisa. He got innocent people killed. He’s been shown to resort to killing when it felt needed. He has a dark side and he is not without his own flaws. He betrayed Jack twice and then went behind his back again in Adrift. He is not perfect. He is good, but he is human and makes mistakes.

Owen is a self-proclaimed twat who spends the entirety of series one purposefully trying to get Gwen to cheat on her boyfriend, being an absolute dick to Tosh. Not to mention he full on date r**** two people in the first episode. He also betrays Jack and nearly ends the world trying to do what he thought was right. Owen makes mistakes. He does really fucked up shit, but that’s what Torchwood is isn’t it? He’s fucked up but he does what he can to save the world. We love him for his growth and don’t let his mistakes make him hated by the fandom.

Tosh isn’t perfect either. She invaded her teammates’ inner most private thoughts and brought an alien into Torchwood. Yes, she was manipulated into it, but she listened in on Gwen and Owen because she was jealous. Jealousy and pettiness are very much shown within Tosh’s character. From the comments she makes to Gwen about getting her feet under the table, to invading their privacy to her tension about Martha. Tosh made mistakes and she has some not very nice qualities to her personality. But, we love her because she’s Torchwood and she’s good and we can forgive her mistakes because she’s human.

Jack lived a conman’s life. He’s resorted to killing before asking questions, he’s physically tortured peopl. Jack refused to let his team know a single thing about him and kept them in the dark when the truth could have helped everyone. He abandoned them and for a long time was only using Torchwood as a way to wait for the Doctor to come back and he would leave. He makes decisions that other people wouldn’t, he tells Gwen to keep a hold of her life with Rhys but would have been the first in line to sleep with her had she asked him to. But, we love Jack because he is Jack Harkness and he cares and he does so much to save the world and takes so much weight on his shoulders. He is a flawed human being doing what he can to do good and we forgive him because we know he’s trying.

The other team members get the forgiveness of the premise of the show, and yet Gwen doesn’t. Why? She’s just as much part of the team and while she was written to be the protagonist and main character, the premise of the show still extends to her. So, why is she hated for falling under that same flawed human being saving the world umbrella that the rest of the team is protected by?

Anyway, I’m sure there’s more I could say on the matter. But, honestly what this boils down to is that I understand the other characters deserved more storylines and air time, what they gave Gwen wasn’t used well because the writers didn’t treat her well either.

But the constant need to tear Gwen down in order to love the other characters is absolutely unnecessary.

#Gwen Cooper #Torchwood #ianto jones #jack harkness #owen harper #toshiko sato #; I haven’t much left to say in the tags but there’s that

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blueboxesandtrafficcones · 4 years

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The Nuptial Necessity - Chapter 28

A 12xRose Human AU

Despite an unglamorous job description, Rose loves the work she does with The Thistle Foundation, a charity founded by her best friend’s great-uncle. It doesn’t hurt that her boss, her friend’s father, is easy on the eyes. With a great job, wonderful friends and a loving family, life couldn’t be better – except for having someone to share it with.

All of that is threatened, though, when the great-uncle dies – and sets a strange condition for his nephew to inherit, jeopardizing the Foundation and Rose’s future, sparking a chain of events that might just get her everything she dreamed of and more.

Chapters will be posted on Saturdays and Tuesdays. Many thanks to my beta, @stupidsatsuma

Rated: Explicit, for eventual smut

@doctorroseprompts

AO3 | Masterlist

—

Thursday, cont’d

“We need to talk.”

Malcolm realized his mistake as soon as the words were out of his mouth, and was already tightening his arms around her as her eyes went wide. “No, no, sorry- poor choice of words. I mean, we do, but- good talk. I promise.”

Rose relaxed against him, though a bit of stiffness remained in her posture. “Okay.”

“I love you.” He’d had a plan, a carefully written speech memorized, but in that moment, none of it mattered. He’d wanted to build up to it, to give her all the reasons before making his declaration, but that wasn’t important. They had the rest of their lives to say why, and how, and when- what was priority, here and now, was that she didn’t go a second longer without knowing, fully and completely, how she owned his heart. “I love you. I’m in love with you, and have been for quite some time now. All I am is yours. I’m in love with you.”

He waited with bated breath as she stared at him, expression blank, eyes and mouth wide open, for long enough that he started to doubt his surety of her response.

“You… what?” she finally whispered. “I- you- what? I don’t understand what’s happening right now.”

“I love you,” he said simply. “Head over heels, arse over teakettle, however you want to put it… Completely in love with you.”

She drew several shallow, shuddering breaths, shaking her head. “Is this for real? If this is a joke, or a prank, or-”

“Rose.” Freeing his hands from the blankets, he cupped her face, one thumb rubbing gently at her cheek. “This is… as real as it gets. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Do you… do you at all feel the same?”

Her eyes filled with tears, and then slowly, she began to nod. “Of course I do, you moron,” she breathed. “I love you too. I love you so much, have for ages. Do you really?”

“More than I knew was possible.” Tears pricked at his own eyes, and he beamed at her in joy. “Do you truly?”

“I think that’s been established,” she laughed, a glorious sound that made his heart take flight. “This is the part where you kiss me.”

He wasted no time in following her orders, pressing his lips against hers. She met him halfway, and an amazing kiss was elevated to spectacular when her lips parted, tongue slipping out to brush against his as he opened his own. It was somewhat wet, from their tears and the spray from the sea, but it was still perfect, the most wonderful kiss he’d ever experienced.

He wanted to spend the rest of his life kissing her.

Jack greeted them at the front door as soon as they walked in. He was smirking, which only grew when he looked them over and noticed their entwined hands and how close they stood. “How was the sunrise?” he asked innocently.

“Brilliant, thank you,” Malcolm replied, smiling widely as Rose blushed and giggled, pressing closer to his side, making his heart leap with joy. “Perfect morning.”

“I see that.” He turned to Rose. “Satisfactory morning?” His bawdy wink made it clear what he thought had happened, and though he was wrong, his wife didn’t give him any indication that he was wrong.

“Probably the best of my life,” Rose said, as if just thinking about it for the first time, pursing her lips. “I don’t know what was special about it, but the tea was incredible.”

She grinned as he looked between her and Malcolm, eyes narrowing in consideration. “Fine, keep your secrets,” he decided. “I’ll get the truth out of you sooner or later. For now, will you be wanting a proper breakfast?”

While the thought of food was appealing, he’d rather have a nap, but was willing to let Rose lead, looking down at her and raising his eyebrows in expectation.

Opening her mouth to respond, she didn’t get a single word out before a giant yawn ripped it’s way free. “Oh!” she yelped, belatedly covering her mouth as a second, slightly smaller one followed the first. “Sorry. Maybe a kip, first? You did wake me up at the arse-cr- really early this morning,” she changed direction at the last moment, making both men grin. “Then brunch, closer to noon?”

“I agree,” Malcolm said, relieved. “I’m exhausted. Jack, you’ll tell Ianto we expect a full brunch spread at… oh, let’s say half eleven?”

“Yes, sir,” his cousin snapped off a mocking salute. “Shall we serve you in bed if you’re not down?” Jack’s tone was innocent – too innocent.

“Fuck no.” Without another word Malcolm started for the stairs, tugging Rose along by their joined hands. “Do not disturb us.”

Jack’s laughter followed them all the way to their room.

Rose closed the door behind them fighting back another yawn- she hadn’t recovered from the embarrassment of the last one. “So…” she started hesitantly, leaning back against the door as she watched him cross to the bed, stripping on the way. “Now what?”

It wasn’t that she was necessarily opposed to consummating their love, but… she really did want a nap. Napping naked, snuggled together? Sure. Maybe starting something once they wake up, all warm and sleepy and comfortable? Sounds great. But first… sleep. But she also didn’t want to shut him down if he wanted a little loving before their kip. Didn’t seem very… wife-y.

“Sleep,” he groaned, flopping facedown on what had quickly become his side, wearing only his pants. “Not just a ‘nap’ – I’m talking hours.”

The slight tension in her chest eased, even though she felt a little guilty over it. “Sounds perfect.” She padded over to her side of the bed, toeing off her trainers and efficiently stripping off everything else, leaving them piled on the floor. She hesitated over removing her knickers, before shrugging and slipping them down her legs. It was worth it for the look in his face alone, as he watched her climb into bed. She definitely had his interest, and as she slid down into the sheets, he reached for her, palm warm on her bare hip, a delighted look on his face.

“You’re a fucking tease, you know that?”

Rose grinned, snuggling into him and pressing their bare chests together. “What’cha gonna do about it?” she challenged him, smiling coyly. “Spank me?”

He groaned, a deep and guttural thing that would’ve made her knickers wet if she were still wearing them; instead, she just smiled wider, hooking her knee over his hip. “Aye, if you want,” he eventually managed, voice low and dark and deliciously Scottish. “But first, sleep, temptress.”

Rose sighed dramatically, rolling onto her back and stretching an arm above her head. “If you insist,” she shrugged one shoulder, teasing. “We’ll play later.”

“Fucking right we will.”

Rolling to her other side, back to him, she scooted backwards until they were pressed together, his strong arm wrapping around her waist to anchor her to him.

“Sleep well, my love,” he whispered in her ear, kissing her head softly.

She fell asleep smiling.

They were halfway through brunch when Malcolm’s mobile chirped. Setting down his fork and grabbing the mobile instead of letting go of Rose’s hand, he fumbled with it until the screen unlocked.

“Everything alright?” Rose asked, shoving a forkful of beans in her mouth.

Malcolm’s blood ran cold, his visions of a romantic evening with her going up in smoke. “Uh…” Clearing his throat, he glanced up at her apologetically. “Apparently we invited Sarah round for dinner tonight.”

She stopped chewing, staring back at him for a long moment before swallowing. “Oh. Okay. That should be nice.”

“Maybe I should reschedule,” he fussed. “I mean, today… is special. Should be just us. Right?”

Rose set down her fork, leaning back in her chair and rubbing her thumb along the back of his hand as she watched him contemplatively. He could see her mind working, and leaned towards her, eager to hear her thoughts. He was always fascinated by her, by the way her mind worked, the way she saw the world so differently from how he did. “No,” she finally said. “Don’t reschedule- let her come for dinner. It’ll be nice to talk to her- especially now that things are so clear between us. We should have Jack, and perhaps Ianto join us as well. We have… the rest of our lives to celebrate us privately. Let’s share our happiness tonight. What do you think?”

Malcolm smiled, delighted and relieved by her answer. “I agree, but you come first. I want you to be happy. And I suggest you find a different way to phrase it when you invite Jack, because otherwise he might think you’re inviting him to an orgy.”

“I dunno, he’s pretty fit…” she teased, biting her lip, eyes bright with repressed laughter. “With the right amount of tequila, I could probably be talked into that.”

“Rose!”

She burst into giggles. “I’m kidding,” she gasped, “but you should see your face.”

“Don’t joke about that – Jack would absolutely try that,” he said firmly. “And I’m not sharing you. Sorry.”

Her expression softened, and she stood up, coming around behind him and wrapping her arms around his neck, leaning down and hugging him. “You’re the only one for me,” she murmured, kissing his temple. “I’m plenty satisfied with you.”

“Good.” He turned his head, meeting her lips in a soft kiss. “So, we’ll invite them to dinner.”

She kissed him again, firmer this time, tongue flicking against his, wiping everything from existence but her and him and their love. “Maybe see if tomorrow will work instead?”

Huh? He had to fight to open his eyes, staring blankly as he waited for the memory of their conversation to return, finally smiling when it did. “You’re brilliant.”

Malcolm let his eyes drift closed, unable to remember the last time he had been so relaxed. After a private, romantic dinner they’d adjourned to the library as they did every night, only for the first time, they’d ended up sprawled across the sofa, cuddled together. With Rose resting half on his chest, her limbs slung over his, he felt at peace with the world.

“This is nice,” she sighed, pressing a kiss to his heart through his tee. “I love this couch.”

“I love you.” Opening his eyes, he looked down at her, unable to help the wide smile that grew as their eyes met. “So much- oh, fuck.”

“What’s wrong?” Rose tried to scramble up and away from him, though he kept her against him. “Did I hurt you? Are you sick?”

“No, no, nothing like that,” he grumbled, guiding her back to her previous position. “I’m just stupid.” Relaxing back against him, she nevertheless gave him an unimpressed arched eyebrow. “I had all these things I was going to tell you this morning, and I forgot.”

Propping herself up on her forearm, she looked at him expectantly. “Now seems like a good time.”

Malcolm pouted, rubbing lightly along her spine. “It’s cheesy now.”

“C’mon,” she cajoled, leaning up to brush her lips against the corner of his mouth. “Tell me.”

He sighed, exaggerating the pout in the hope she would continue to kiss him; obligingly, she nipped and licked at his extended lower lip. “I was gonna say… how the sunrise reminds me of you,” he started slowly. “How you came into my life, and… shone your light on me. Your optimism, your hope, your determination, your sense of justice and equality… You burst in and lit up everything that had been sitting in the dark. The corners of my soul, the ones where love- well, romantic love- and joy in the everyday were sitting rotting. I was dying slowly, from a complete and total absence of sunlight- until you appeared.”

“Death by Scotland?” she asked innocently, bursting into giggles when he dug his fingers into her sides. “Stop tickling me!”

“Never,” he shook his head, smirking. “I’ll take any opportunity to have you writhing above me, gasping my name.”

She harrumphed, shifting further over him but otherwise maintaining her pursed lip expression. “You were saying how I was the sun?”

“Sunlight,” he corrected, shifting his legs so hers fell between them, straddling one thigh. “Just when I thought the dark and dreary days would never end, you confessed the miracle of your love. I’m butchering it now, but rest assured, it was very romantic and poetic.”

Rose smiled, cheeks flushing as she gazed down at him. “You saved me too,” she said quietly, her free hand pressing itself along his sternum, over his beating heart. “From loneliness, from unhappiness, from that feeling of ‘life’s pretty good but why do I feel like something’s missing?’, you know? You shine as bright for me as I do for you. That’s what makes us perfect together.”

He kissed her, because of the lovely words, because he loved her, and because he could. He poured everything into it, into her, trying to show her everything his mouth couldn’t figure out how to say until they were forced apart for oxygen.

“Malcolm,” she whispered, eyes searching his, “take me to bed.”

#bbatcfic #ficandchips #Doctor Who #doctorroseprompts #Human!12xRose #Human!Twelfth Doctor #Rose Tyler #Human AU #AU #The Nuptial Necessity

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androidemotions · 4 years

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for the fandom ask thing: ima be super predictable but im curious for your answers 😂😂 torchwood, janto, ianto

kjashdkjahsd thank you anon!!!! :D i got another ask with torchwood so im gonna answer that on that one and do janto and ianto for this

When I started shipping them: ooh this one is a little tricky bc i first encountered janto in doctor who fic, i hadnt watched torchwood at that point but i wanted fics about jack, so it comes with the territory. I think i was very sort of shocked by their kiss in cyberwoman and about the moment in they keep killing suzie cause how those happened so abruptly sort of took me kind of off gaurd, like i knew jack and ianto would be a thing but i didnt know how it would come about? I think i really started shipping them in captain jack harkness, when ianto said ‘jack needs me’ that just cemented their relationship for me and in end of days when Ianto was the one jack was holding onto.

My thoughts: they deserve to be happy!!! but really, this is just such a good ship, it really has everything, betrayal, reunions, the always tragic immortal/mortal, friends-to-enemies-to-friends-to-lovers. jack and ianto were unfortunately left with so much never resolved about their relationship, but they have a lot of depth to how they interact and there’s a lot of room for fans to make it their own

What makes me happy about them: they’re just really understanding of each other, like its canon they both have a hard time communicating but you can see they both give each other room in their relationship but still support one another

What makes me sad about them: its obvious that ianto’s death makes me really sad but more than that it’s the fact that he died so quickly, ianto and jack should have had 60-70 years together. its what they deserved. but jack will remember him no matter what

Things done in fanfic that annoys me: ianto so often gets forced into the more “submissive” role in the relationship, its so weird and it makes me really uncomfortable...

Things I look for in fanfic: communication. i love it when jack and ianto acknowledge their relationship, thats all, canon tried to deprive us of that, but no. fanfic comes thru

My wishlist: not??? entirely sure?? what this means??? I wish they hadn’t done a bury-your-gays with ianto

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: gonna say lisa for ianto, and for jack, eeeeh, idk, the doctor? not even like romantically, but as a life partner. I wouldnt mind if jack and the doctor traveled around together forever

My happily ever after for them: they get an house they decorate themselves and its all old antiques jack has has forever and random junk they accumulate together, along with iantos choice of curtains and carpet because, “no, jack, we will not be getting shag carpets in the house, I dont care if its great for sex, I don’t care if it was all the rage in the seventies, we’re not having shag carpets” also towels because ianto just has particulars about fabrics. they paint the walls themselves and end up covering in paint after jack smears it on ianto’s face and of course he retaliates. They’ll have house plants and at some point a case leaves loose ends and the end up adopting a kid. and ianto dies of old age and jack will remember him forever

oops that got long haha, but now ianto

How I feel about this character: I really love ianto!!! hes such an interesting character and he’s also just a lot of fun, like this “normal” young man who’s wrapped up in this strange organization but hes so good at what he does and on the outside he seems so unmoved by it all but he really feels so much, hmm i love him.

Any/all the people I ship romantically with this character: Jack of course!!! and Lisa as well, the two people he loves dearly.

My favorite non-romantic relationship for this character: Tosh and ianto’s friendship is my favorite!!! i wish we got to see more of them, i love them both so much

My unpopular opinion about this character: hmmmm, I wish people would appreciate ianto’s character a bit more for how strong he is and how much he’s overcome rather than just how traumatized he is. because yes, he’s canonically suicidal and he’s been through so much and he’s pretty young, but like, he also came out of it, and he carries it with him but he’s learned how to carry it, you know?? idk

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: I wish his sexuality had been explored further, i know it has in some of the audio dramas but within the show i wish they had better acknowledged his attraction to men with someone outside of jack.

Favorite friendship for this character: oh oops i already said tosh up top, but i do consider tosh and ianto to have more of a brother/sister vibe anyway so for friendship i will say martha!!! i love her and ianto’s interactions, it would be nice to see them confide in each other about all kinds of stuff

My crossover ship: i have no idea, what would i even cross over with torchwood (im not gonna count doctor who as a crossover theyre the same thing basically) buuut, um, maybe ill cross it over with star wars and ship him with mando from his show, bc that would probably be cool, theyre both the type to be really tender in private moments and super distant in public so they’ll be cool with each other, and they’re both super dedicated to the people they love

#ask meme #these are so fun thank you!!!!#ask #Anonymous

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