Torchwood -- The Lord of Shalott
Jan. 24th, 2009 03:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
Title: The Lord of Shalott
redismycolour Challenge: Day Nineteen
Date Written: 1/24/09
Rating: PG/K+
Word Count: 441
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters/Pairings: Jack/Ianto, Gwen
Spoilers: Set post 02
Warnings: None
Author Notes: I blame this on Loreena McKennitt. I've been listening to her a lot. I mean, a LOT.

“Ianto, I need you to do this.”
The young man sighed. “Don’t you think that the aliens will notice a single boat in the middle of the river?” Ianto argued. “The water’s beginning to freeze around the banks, and where it’s not frozen over the current’s insanely choppy.”
Jack cupped his hands around Ianto’s face, the touch muted by the cold that had seeped into their skin. “Gwen’s downstream waiting for us. I need you to go and meet with her. If they haven’t left or I haven’t turned up in five hours, call UNIT in.”
“You’re giving them a second chance.”
“I have to.” He pressed his mouth against Ianto’s, cold lips against cold lips. “You and Gwen will be safe. That’s all that matters.”
Ianto gave him an annoyed look. Jack knew that his complete disregard for his own life annoyed Ianto to no end. He’d be in for it when they got out of this. If they got out of this.
“You still haven’t answered the bit about a boat in the middle of the river,” Ianto pointed out.
“You will be fine. This race buries their dead through water.”
“Charming.”
Jack helped Ianto into the icy boat and, impulsively, draped his greatcoat over his younger lover, tucking it around him. “Just lay back and relax,” Jack told him. “It won’t be that long, but if you sing it’ll pass the time faster.”
“ Heard a carol, mournful, holy / chanted loudly, chanted lowly,” Ianto said.
“Just don’t freeze,” Jack chastised. He leaned in and kissed Ianto one last time.
-----
Gwen was there to help Ianto out of the dingy when he bumped to a stop against an icy dock. She pressed a cup of spectacularly horrible but blessedly hot coffee full of what tasted like brandy into his hand, leading him off the dock. Once they were on the ground, she threw a blanket over his shoulders, over Jack’s greatcoat. “God, I’m so happy to see you, pet.”
Ianto hugged her, glad to see her and shamelessly grabbing body heat off of her. “Me too, Gwen.”
“I’m surprised Jack did that,” she said. Two policemen were hauling it onto shore. “Andy says that they’re finding bodies in the boats.”
“It’s how they bury their dead, apparently.” He kept an arm around her, sipping the coffee. “How’d you know it was me then?”
Gwen pointed to the boat and Ianto groaned a little.
Along the prow of the boat, Jack had scraped away the word TORCHWOOD in the ice clinging to the boat.
“That makes him Lancelot,” Ianto muttered.
Gwen’s confused look made him laugh out loud.
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Date Written: 1/24/09
Rating: PG/K+
Word Count: 441
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters/Pairings: Jack/Ianto, Gwen
Spoilers: Set post 02
Warnings: None
Author Notes: I blame this on Loreena McKennitt. I've been listening to her a lot. I mean, a LOT.

“Ianto, I need you to do this.”
The young man sighed. “Don’t you think that the aliens will notice a single boat in the middle of the river?” Ianto argued. “The water’s beginning to freeze around the banks, and where it’s not frozen over the current’s insanely choppy.”
Jack cupped his hands around Ianto’s face, the touch muted by the cold that had seeped into their skin. “Gwen’s downstream waiting for us. I need you to go and meet with her. If they haven’t left or I haven’t turned up in five hours, call UNIT in.”
“You’re giving them a second chance.”
“I have to.” He pressed his mouth against Ianto’s, cold lips against cold lips. “You and Gwen will be safe. That’s all that matters.”
Ianto gave him an annoyed look. Jack knew that his complete disregard for his own life annoyed Ianto to no end. He’d be in for it when they got out of this. If they got out of this.
“You still haven’t answered the bit about a boat in the middle of the river,” Ianto pointed out.
“You will be fine. This race buries their dead through water.”
“Charming.”
Jack helped Ianto into the icy boat and, impulsively, draped his greatcoat over his younger lover, tucking it around him. “Just lay back and relax,” Jack told him. “It won’t be that long, but if you sing it’ll pass the time faster.”
“ Heard a carol, mournful, holy / chanted loudly, chanted lowly,” Ianto said.
“Just don’t freeze,” Jack chastised. He leaned in and kissed Ianto one last time.
-----
Gwen was there to help Ianto out of the dingy when he bumped to a stop against an icy dock. She pressed a cup of spectacularly horrible but blessedly hot coffee full of what tasted like brandy into his hand, leading him off the dock. Once they were on the ground, she threw a blanket over his shoulders, over Jack’s greatcoat. “God, I’m so happy to see you, pet.”
Ianto hugged her, glad to see her and shamelessly grabbing body heat off of her. “Me too, Gwen.”
“I’m surprised Jack did that,” she said. Two policemen were hauling it onto shore. “Andy says that they’re finding bodies in the boats.”
“It’s how they bury their dead, apparently.” He kept an arm around her, sipping the coffee. “How’d you know it was me then?”
Gwen pointed to the boat and Ianto groaned a little.
Along the prow of the boat, Jack had scraped away the word TORCHWOOD in the ice clinging to the boat.
“That makes him Lancelot,” Ianto muttered.
Gwen’s confused look made him laugh out loud.