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sariagrayTitle: After a Fall Such As This, I Shall Think Nothing of Tumbling Downstairs *
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sariagray
Characters/Pairings: Jack/Ianto, Gwen/Rhys
Rating: PG13
Word Count: ~2500
Spoilers: Nothing really.
Warnings: Occasional language, Fluff!, Christmasy, literary name-dropping like it's my job, all the usual stuff.
Beta: Beta'd by the wonderfulthebuttonontop . :)
Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction. No monetary compensation has been or will be garnered from this endeavor. This is purely for entertainment purposes and is no way intended to disrespect the creators/owners of Torchwood.
Author's Note: Saria Claus is here again with the final Christmas present. This was written as a holiday gift toxrai_namere, who requested: "I'd like a short fic with Jack and Rhys in it, doing anything, from saving Gwen and Ianto, to going out for drinks, or having 'girl talk' about their respective partners, or whatever comes to your mind." Well. Uh, I think I got all of that in here. Except the "short" bit? And I went off on a smidge of a tangent (well, I was told "whatever comes to your mind!" *Shrug*) Serves as a sort of beginning of my Christmas Gift Trilogy (yay for posting out of order!), which includes Not So Secret and Christmas in the Hub. Anyway, I hope you enjoy and happy holidays, dear!
“So, have they been captured, then?” Despite his fear, Rhys put on a brave, resolute face that even Jack begrudgingly admired.
“You could say that. C’mon. We’re going to the pub.” Jack adjusted his coat.
“We’re going to the bloody pub when my wife’s out there fighting for her life? What’s captured them?”
“Blatant consumer marketing.”
Rhys blinked rapidly and Jack, taking pity, elaborated. “She’s pulled Ianto out to do a bit of Christmas shopping. So we’re going to the pub.”
“Logical, that.” Relaxing, Rhys shrugged and followed him from the Plass.
When they arrived at the first pub they came across, Jack ordered himself a water and Rhys a pint. They sat themselves at a table and drank in silence.
“So,” Jack interrupted the settled quiet. “What are you getting Gwen for Christmas?”
Rhys shrugged. “It was supposed to be a vacation, but I’m going to have to rethink that one, aren’t I? Probably some piece of expensive jewelry she can never wear to work. You?”
“Why? Is she buying me something?” Jack pulled off most looks well, Rhys noted to himself, but perplexed was not one of them.
“No, I mean Ianto. What are you getting him?”
Jack paled slightly and took another sip of his water. “We didn’t exchange last year, so I thought…”
“They’re out there. Right now. Shopping, yeah? You'd better be ready with something this year. What does he like?” He downed his beer and signaled for another.
“Coffee? Chocolate? Ties?”
“Oh, that’s terribly original. Nice, that. I’m sure he’ll love such generic gifts.”
“Well, he likes old things….”
“Never could’ve guessed that,” Rhys muttered as a beer was plopped down in front of him. Jack frowned at him.
“Maybe I could buy him a new car?”
Rhys spluttered. “You go from coffee and chocolate and ties to a car? That’s a bit of a leap. How serious are you two, anyway?”
Jack shrugged. “I’m not much for labels.”
Rhys laughed and shook his head. “You’re shagging an archivist, and you aren’t ‘much for labels’? How’s that work, then?”
“Okay, maybe a car is a bit over the top.”
“A book?” Rhys took another swig of his beer and watched as Jack’s eyes lit up.
“Rhys, you’re a life-saver!”
There was a long pause. “Well?”
“Yeah. A book.”
“The Complete Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook?” Rhys snorted.
“Nah, that’s Torchwood standard required reading. In fact, I met the man who wrote it. Would you believe –”
“Yes. I would. Do you love him, then?” Rhys finished off his beer and ordered another.
Jack frowned again, confused. “No, he wasn’t my type.”
“Not the author of the bloody book! Ianto! You’re doing this on purpose.”
“Doing what on purpose?”
“Being dense. You’re deflecting.”
Smirking, Jack took a sip of his water and leaned back. “Do you love her?”
“Gwen? Of course I love her! She’s my bloody wife! What’s that got to do with anything?”
“Nothing, just checking. And to answer your question, I love everyone on my team.”
“Right, yes, of course. But you aren’t going to go buy them all cars, are you?”
He considered for a moment and then sighed. “Well, no, I wasn’t planning on it.”
Rhys finished the last dregs of his pint resolutely and stood, indicating to Jack that he should finish his water (not that it had been particularly expensive or delicious water; it just seemed the thing to do). Jack obliged and looked at the man curiously.
“All right, off we go,” Rhys ordered. “You’re getting Ianto a present.”
Meanwhile…
“So,” Gwen began as she looked through the sparkling glass case at watches that were well beyond her price range. “What are you going to get Jack?”
Ianto froze mid-flip through a selection of silk ties. “I wasn’t planning on getting him anything, actually.”
Gwen looked up at him suspiciously. “What’d he do this time?”
“Nothing. We just didn’t exchange last year and he hasn’t said anything.”
She rolled her eyes at him, having long since adopted her coworker’s behavior. “Men! Come on, then. We’ve got ourselves a new mission now!”
Grinning wickedly, she dragged him away from the ties.
Ten Minutes Later
The store was large and filled with the familiar musty atmosphere of books that sent pleasant shivers down Ianto’s spine. He was surprised that not only did Gwen seem to know her way around the establishment, but her face seemed to crinkle up in delight as she entered.
“Rhys and I pop in occasionally. Oh! They’ve some really nice journals,” she was saying as she glanced around. “But Jack would probably need a lorry-full. Or he would end up writing his own personal Kama Sutra.”
“Which would still entail a lorry-full,” Ianto informed with a mischievous glint in his eye.
She chuckled and slapped his arm playfully before disappearing behind a precariously leaning stack of books. Shaking his head, he perused the selection in front of him, following the path of alphabetized authors into the depths of the store. This section seemed to be historical, all supposedly non-fiction; while he knew Jack would have a field day pointing out the inaccuracies, he didn’t think any would make a particularly meaningful gift.
The shop’s bell dinged as he turned a corner into an area dedicated to religion. He glanced up to see if Gwen had left, but caught sight of her (already with a small stack in her hands; perhaps she’d had better luck) tunneling back into what he presumed was the classics subdivision. He followed her.
“Voila!” Rhys muttered as he opened the door, a small jangling bell trumpeting their arrival. “If you can’t find him something here, you can always get him a nice piece of jewelry. A ring, perhaps?” He smirked.
Jack blanched. “I’m sure they’ll have something appropriate.”
“Right. History? Biography? Fiction? Where do you want to start?”
“Fiction, I think. Science fiction, Asimov, maybe?”
Rhys led him along the far right wall to a well-stocked shelf of science fiction classics, his index finger grazing the cracked paperback spines as he mouthed the authors’ last names.
“Well, here we are, then! Now how does ‘Asimov’ come after ‘Bradbury’? Oh, I found one!” He pulled out a volume and handed it to Jack.
“’The Sensuous Dirty Old Man? Are you implying something, Mr. Williams?”
Snickering, Rhys replaced the book and looked through the titles as Jack sauntered through the area, hands in his pockets, casting half-hearted glances at the selection. Noticing a locked case hidden in a dark corner, he approached with piqued curiosity.
“You’ve done well,” Ianto murmured as he approached Gwen, her face screwed up in deep concentration.
“Hmm,” she nodded distractedly. “All for me, mostly. One or two for Rhys. Find anything for Jack?”
“Well, I’ve ruled out history, biography, and religion. Science fiction could be funny. Maybe The Complete Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy?”
“Don’t you dare, Ianto Jones. He’d make us all carry around towels!”
“Yep. Although I’m really starting to think it might be a good idea. He’d appreciate the humor, I think. I wonder, is there a restaurant at the end of the universe? Should I have him book us a reservation for Christmas?”
Gwen laughed and shook her head. “Try classics. Maybe a lurid gothic romance?”
“Huh. Rebecca might be fitting, no? Or Jane Eyre?” He shook his head and chuckled softly.
Gwen grinned and searched the shelving for a moment before her eyes alighted on her prey. She grasped it and flipped through until she found her desired passage. She cleared her throat.
“’I had not intended to love him; the reader knows I had wrought hard to extirpate from my soul the germs of love there detected; and now, at the first renewed view of him, they spontaneously revived, great and strong! He made me love him without looking at me.’”
She closed the copy of Jane Eyre decisively and thrust it at him, grinning all the while. Ianto groaned and rested his head dramatically against the bookcase, but held the book tightly in his hand all the same.
“We’ll find him something better, we will. But you’re giving that to him." She held up a hand as he began to protest. "I don’t want to hear it.”
He sighed, gave a brief nod, and perused the classics section some more with her.
“Rhys!” Jack called in a stage whisper. “I found it!”
“Found what?” He approached and looked over Jack’s shoulder.
“Nemesis.”
“Asimov? What’s that one about, then?”
“It takes place in the 23rd Century. It’s about humans colonizing when interstellar travel becomes possible. It’s perfect. Not completely accurate in fact, but the tone is right. It means something. He’d understand.”
Rhys was completely stilled by the mix of nostalgia and pride in the unflappable Captain’s eyes. There was something else there, too, and he realized he had a fairly definitive answer to his previous question about Jack's relationship with Ianto. He was about to comment when a throat cleared behind them. They turned simultaneously.
“Can I help you gentlemen with anything?” The stout young woman behind them smiled jovially as she adjusted her glasses.
“Yes,” Rhys began before Jack could respond. “He’d like to see that book, there. Nemesis, I think it was.”
She nodded and selected a key from a collection on her wrist. “Good choice. It’s a signed first edition.”
Rhys recoiled at the thought of the implied price tag, but Jack did not so much as flinch. Carefully, reverently, he lifted the book from its stand and turned the pages, authenticating the copy and signature with an appraiser’s eye. The movements held Rhys completely fascinated.
After a moment’s silence, Jack sighed happily. “I’ll take it.”
The woman beamed and nodded. As she took the book and spirited it away protectively, Rhys turned to Jack.
“That’s got to be one expensive gift, mate,” he cautioned.
Jack nodded and smiled brightly. “Four hundred pounds.”
“Four hundred pounds?” Rhys repeated incredulously. “But that’s insane!”
“It’s worth it. And hey, I was going to buy him a car, remember?” He winked.
Ianto was almost knocked over when Gwen bounded up to him excitedly, bouncing on the balls of her feet.
“Yes?” he queried, raising his eyebrow skeptically.
“Look what I found!” She beamed and thrust a book at him, hitting him with it square in the chest.
He glanced down at the book. “The Garden of Eden? While I agree that Hemingway may be a good choice, this isn’t quite the message I want to send.” He looked at her pointedly.
She considered it for a moment and then her eyes and mouth formed perfect little circles. “Oh. Right.” She took the book back and scampered away again.
Sighing, he glanced around him. Noticing a case kept well away from any errant beams of sunlight, he approached it eagerly; all of the best things were kept encased and in the shadows. He took time to ponder each offering therein and contemplated their merits with great severity.
He paused especially long over a particularly pristine copy of Pride and Prejudice, but decided that it would be far too blatant and would also, quite possibly, be utterly ridiculous (his fingers involuntarily tensed over the well-worn copy of Jane Eyre still clutched in his hand). The Old Man and the Sea caused him to snicker softly to himself and he was finally about to settle on The Picture of Dorian Gray as the best option he’d seen when another volume caught his eye.
It was bound in simple tan leather with ornate gold trim and appeared to be in near-perfect condition, at least from what he could see. He breathed softly against the glass, his eyes brightening with a twinkle of amusement.
“What’d you find?” Gwen whispered loudly in his ear.
“That.” He pointed. “What do you think?”
She scrunched up her face in confusion. “I don’t get it.”
“Doesn’t matter,” he murmured, smiling to himself. “He will.”
“Can I help you folks?” a low, feminine voice asked from somewhere behind them.
Ianto turned and smiled. “Yes, thank you. That copy of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland….”
The woman smiled knowingly and nodded, removing a key from the chain about her wrist. “Good choice. Unfortunately, it’s not a first edition, but it’s an excellent copy. The illustrations are all full color panels and I don’t think it’s even been read through once. I believe it’s before the turn-of-the-century, as well.” She took the book and opened the front cover to reveal a small slip of paper. “Ah, yes. 1879.” She handed him the heavy tome.
He flipped through delicately, his fingers barely touching the creamy white pages. He authenticated the printing style quickly and was surprised to see that the illustrations weren’t faded by even one shade. He grinned.
“I’ll take it.”
The woman nodded sagely as he handed it to her. She bustled back to the counter to wrap his prize in paper.
“How much was it, then?” Gwen asked bluntly, the curiosity too much for her to bear.
He raised an eyebrow at her. “Three hundred and fifty pounds.”
She gasped. “There is no way you can afford that!”
“It’s worth it,” he said, shrugging.
Gwen shook her head and followed him up to the counter so that they could make their purchases.
Jack stood, clutching his well-wrapped package and staring at it as if trying to convince himself of its existence. Rhys was attempting to move him out of the doorway, but Jack would barely budge.
“Buyer’s remorse?” he suggested as he shoved at Jack ungracefully (and in vain).
“No, just…I can’t wait to see his face.” His trance broken, he grinned at Rhys, who merely shook his head.
Suddenly, the door opened and hit Jack hard in the back. He whirled around quickly, an angry grimace on his face.
“Hey! You mind watchi– Ianto?!”
Ianto looked up quickly, a ready apology to the injured stranger on the tip of his tongue, and blushed when he recognized Jack. He quickly shoved a book-shaped package behind his back as Jack mirrored the action. Gwen and Rhys glanced at each other and tried desperately hard not to burst out laughing.
“Well, love,” Rhys said to his wife from his spot behind Jack. “I’ll see you at home later tonight, then?”
“Yes, of course. We'd best be off now!” She smiled sweetly and tugged Ianto out of the doorway.
“Ianto!” Jack called as the two hurried away. “Home? Two hours? I’ll grab takeout.”
“Yep! Thai?” he called back over his shoulder as he was pulled by his wrist.
"Sure!"
“Home?” Rhys asked incredulously, both eyebrows raised.
“Home.” Jack shrugged and tucked his parcel under his arm. “Now, what should you get Gwen?”
The End.
*Quote from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Edited to add: Please, someone rewrite Jane Eyre with Jack and Ianto for me? PLEASE!?
Author:
sariagray Characters/Pairings: Jack/Ianto, Gwen/Rhys
Rating: PG13
Word Count: ~2500
Spoilers: Nothing really.
Warnings: Occasional language, Fluff!, Christmasy, literary name-dropping like it's my job, all the usual stuff.
Beta: Beta'd by the wonderful
thebuttonontop . :) Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction. No monetary compensation has been or will be garnered from this endeavor. This is purely for entertainment purposes and is no way intended to disrespect the creators/owners of Torchwood.
Author's Note: Saria Claus is here again with the final Christmas present. This was written as a holiday gift to
xrai_namere, who requested: "I'd like a short fic with Jack and Rhys in it, doing anything, from saving Gwen and Ianto, to going out for drinks, or having 'girl talk' about their respective partners, or whatever comes to your mind." Well. Uh, I think I got all of that in here. Except the "short" bit? And I went off on a smidge of a tangent (well, I was told "whatever comes to your mind!" *Shrug*) Serves as a sort of beginning of my Christmas Gift Trilogy (yay for posting out of order!), which includes Not So Secret and Christmas in the Hub. Anyway, I hope you enjoy and happy holidays, dear!After a Fall Such As This, I Shall Think Nothing of Tumbling Downstairs
“So, have they been captured, then?” Despite his fear, Rhys put on a brave, resolute face that even Jack begrudgingly admired.
“You could say that. C’mon. We’re going to the pub.” Jack adjusted his coat.
“We’re going to the bloody pub when my wife’s out there fighting for her life? What’s captured them?”
“Blatant consumer marketing.”
Rhys blinked rapidly and Jack, taking pity, elaborated. “She’s pulled Ianto out to do a bit of Christmas shopping. So we’re going to the pub.”
“Logical, that.” Relaxing, Rhys shrugged and followed him from the Plass.
When they arrived at the first pub they came across, Jack ordered himself a water and Rhys a pint. They sat themselves at a table and drank in silence.
“So,” Jack interrupted the settled quiet. “What are you getting Gwen for Christmas?”
Rhys shrugged. “It was supposed to be a vacation, but I’m going to have to rethink that one, aren’t I? Probably some piece of expensive jewelry she can never wear to work. You?”
“Why? Is she buying me something?” Jack pulled off most looks well, Rhys noted to himself, but perplexed was not one of them.
“No, I mean Ianto. What are you getting him?”
Jack paled slightly and took another sip of his water. “We didn’t exchange last year, so I thought…”
“They’re out there. Right now. Shopping, yeah? You'd better be ready with something this year. What does he like?” He downed his beer and signaled for another.
“Coffee? Chocolate? Ties?”
“Oh, that’s terribly original. Nice, that. I’m sure he’ll love such generic gifts.”
“Well, he likes old things….”
“Never could’ve guessed that,” Rhys muttered as a beer was plopped down in front of him. Jack frowned at him.
“Maybe I could buy him a new car?”
Rhys spluttered. “You go from coffee and chocolate and ties to a car? That’s a bit of a leap. How serious are you two, anyway?”
Jack shrugged. “I’m not much for labels.”
Rhys laughed and shook his head. “You’re shagging an archivist, and you aren’t ‘much for labels’? How’s that work, then?”
“Okay, maybe a car is a bit over the top.”
“A book?” Rhys took another swig of his beer and watched as Jack’s eyes lit up.
“Rhys, you’re a life-saver!”
There was a long pause. “Well?”
“Yeah. A book.”
“The Complete Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook?” Rhys snorted.
“Nah, that’s Torchwood standard required reading. In fact, I met the man who wrote it. Would you believe –”
“Yes. I would. Do you love him, then?” Rhys finished off his beer and ordered another.
Jack frowned again, confused. “No, he wasn’t my type.”
“Not the author of the bloody book! Ianto! You’re doing this on purpose.”
“Doing what on purpose?”
“Being dense. You’re deflecting.”
Smirking, Jack took a sip of his water and leaned back. “Do you love her?”
“Gwen? Of course I love her! She’s my bloody wife! What’s that got to do with anything?”
“Nothing, just checking. And to answer your question, I love everyone on my team.”
“Right, yes, of course. But you aren’t going to go buy them all cars, are you?”
He considered for a moment and then sighed. “Well, no, I wasn’t planning on it.”
Rhys finished the last dregs of his pint resolutely and stood, indicating to Jack that he should finish his water (not that it had been particularly expensive or delicious water; it just seemed the thing to do). Jack obliged and looked at the man curiously.
“All right, off we go,” Rhys ordered. “You’re getting Ianto a present.”
Meanwhile…
“So,” Gwen began as she looked through the sparkling glass case at watches that were well beyond her price range. “What are you going to get Jack?”
Ianto froze mid-flip through a selection of silk ties. “I wasn’t planning on getting him anything, actually.”
Gwen looked up at him suspiciously. “What’d he do this time?”
“Nothing. We just didn’t exchange last year and he hasn’t said anything.”
She rolled her eyes at him, having long since adopted her coworker’s behavior. “Men! Come on, then. We’ve got ourselves a new mission now!”
Grinning wickedly, she dragged him away from the ties.
Ten Minutes Later
The store was large and filled with the familiar musty atmosphere of books that sent pleasant shivers down Ianto’s spine. He was surprised that not only did Gwen seem to know her way around the establishment, but her face seemed to crinkle up in delight as she entered.
“Rhys and I pop in occasionally. Oh! They’ve some really nice journals,” she was saying as she glanced around. “But Jack would probably need a lorry-full. Or he would end up writing his own personal Kama Sutra.”
“Which would still entail a lorry-full,” Ianto informed with a mischievous glint in his eye.
She chuckled and slapped his arm playfully before disappearing behind a precariously leaning stack of books. Shaking his head, he perused the selection in front of him, following the path of alphabetized authors into the depths of the store. This section seemed to be historical, all supposedly non-fiction; while he knew Jack would have a field day pointing out the inaccuracies, he didn’t think any would make a particularly meaningful gift.
The shop’s bell dinged as he turned a corner into an area dedicated to religion. He glanced up to see if Gwen had left, but caught sight of her (already with a small stack in her hands; perhaps she’d had better luck) tunneling back into what he presumed was the classics subdivision. He followed her.
“Voila!” Rhys muttered as he opened the door, a small jangling bell trumpeting their arrival. “If you can’t find him something here, you can always get him a nice piece of jewelry. A ring, perhaps?” He smirked.
Jack blanched. “I’m sure they’ll have something appropriate.”
“Right. History? Biography? Fiction? Where do you want to start?”
“Fiction, I think. Science fiction, Asimov, maybe?”
Rhys led him along the far right wall to a well-stocked shelf of science fiction classics, his index finger grazing the cracked paperback spines as he mouthed the authors’ last names.
“Well, here we are, then! Now how does ‘Asimov’ come after ‘Bradbury’? Oh, I found one!” He pulled out a volume and handed it to Jack.
“’The Sensuous Dirty Old Man? Are you implying something, Mr. Williams?”
Snickering, Rhys replaced the book and looked through the titles as Jack sauntered through the area, hands in his pockets, casting half-hearted glances at the selection. Noticing a locked case hidden in a dark corner, he approached with piqued curiosity.
“You’ve done well,” Ianto murmured as he approached Gwen, her face screwed up in deep concentration.
“Hmm,” she nodded distractedly. “All for me, mostly. One or two for Rhys. Find anything for Jack?”
“Well, I’ve ruled out history, biography, and religion. Science fiction could be funny. Maybe The Complete Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy?”
“Don’t you dare, Ianto Jones. He’d make us all carry around towels!”
“Yep. Although I’m really starting to think it might be a good idea. He’d appreciate the humor, I think. I wonder, is there a restaurant at the end of the universe? Should I have him book us a reservation for Christmas?”
Gwen laughed and shook her head. “Try classics. Maybe a lurid gothic romance?”
“Huh. Rebecca might be fitting, no? Or Jane Eyre?” He shook his head and chuckled softly.
Gwen grinned and searched the shelving for a moment before her eyes alighted on her prey. She grasped it and flipped through until she found her desired passage. She cleared her throat.
“’I had not intended to love him; the reader knows I had wrought hard to extirpate from my soul the germs of love there detected; and now, at the first renewed view of him, they spontaneously revived, great and strong! He made me love him without looking at me.’”
She closed the copy of Jane Eyre decisively and thrust it at him, grinning all the while. Ianto groaned and rested his head dramatically against the bookcase, but held the book tightly in his hand all the same.
“We’ll find him something better, we will. But you’re giving that to him." She held up a hand as he began to protest. "I don’t want to hear it.”
He sighed, gave a brief nod, and perused the classics section some more with her.
“Rhys!” Jack called in a stage whisper. “I found it!”
“Found what?” He approached and looked over Jack’s shoulder.
“Nemesis.”
“Asimov? What’s that one about, then?”
“It takes place in the 23rd Century. It’s about humans colonizing when interstellar travel becomes possible. It’s perfect. Not completely accurate in fact, but the tone is right. It means something. He’d understand.”
Rhys was completely stilled by the mix of nostalgia and pride in the unflappable Captain’s eyes. There was something else there, too, and he realized he had a fairly definitive answer to his previous question about Jack's relationship with Ianto. He was about to comment when a throat cleared behind them. They turned simultaneously.
“Can I help you gentlemen with anything?” The stout young woman behind them smiled jovially as she adjusted her glasses.
“Yes,” Rhys began before Jack could respond. “He’d like to see that book, there. Nemesis, I think it was.”
She nodded and selected a key from a collection on her wrist. “Good choice. It’s a signed first edition.”
Rhys recoiled at the thought of the implied price tag, but Jack did not so much as flinch. Carefully, reverently, he lifted the book from its stand and turned the pages, authenticating the copy and signature with an appraiser’s eye. The movements held Rhys completely fascinated.
After a moment’s silence, Jack sighed happily. “I’ll take it.”
The woman beamed and nodded. As she took the book and spirited it away protectively, Rhys turned to Jack.
“That’s got to be one expensive gift, mate,” he cautioned.
Jack nodded and smiled brightly. “Four hundred pounds.”
“Four hundred pounds?” Rhys repeated incredulously. “But that’s insane!”
“It’s worth it. And hey, I was going to buy him a car, remember?” He winked.
Ianto was almost knocked over when Gwen bounded up to him excitedly, bouncing on the balls of her feet.
“Yes?” he queried, raising his eyebrow skeptically.
“Look what I found!” She beamed and thrust a book at him, hitting him with it square in the chest.
He glanced down at the book. “The Garden of Eden? While I agree that Hemingway may be a good choice, this isn’t quite the message I want to send.” He looked at her pointedly.
She considered it for a moment and then her eyes and mouth formed perfect little circles. “Oh. Right.” She took the book back and scampered away again.
Sighing, he glanced around him. Noticing a case kept well away from any errant beams of sunlight, he approached it eagerly; all of the best things were kept encased and in the shadows. He took time to ponder each offering therein and contemplated their merits with great severity.
He paused especially long over a particularly pristine copy of Pride and Prejudice, but decided that it would be far too blatant and would also, quite possibly, be utterly ridiculous (his fingers involuntarily tensed over the well-worn copy of Jane Eyre still clutched in his hand). The Old Man and the Sea caused him to snicker softly to himself and he was finally about to settle on The Picture of Dorian Gray as the best option he’d seen when another volume caught his eye.
It was bound in simple tan leather with ornate gold trim and appeared to be in near-perfect condition, at least from what he could see. He breathed softly against the glass, his eyes brightening with a twinkle of amusement.
“What’d you find?” Gwen whispered loudly in his ear.
“That.” He pointed. “What do you think?”
She scrunched up her face in confusion. “I don’t get it.”
“Doesn’t matter,” he murmured, smiling to himself. “He will.”
“Can I help you folks?” a low, feminine voice asked from somewhere behind them.
Ianto turned and smiled. “Yes, thank you. That copy of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland….”
The woman smiled knowingly and nodded, removing a key from the chain about her wrist. “Good choice. Unfortunately, it’s not a first edition, but it’s an excellent copy. The illustrations are all full color panels and I don’t think it’s even been read through once. I believe it’s before the turn-of-the-century, as well.” She took the book and opened the front cover to reveal a small slip of paper. “Ah, yes. 1879.” She handed him the heavy tome.
He flipped through delicately, his fingers barely touching the creamy white pages. He authenticated the printing style quickly and was surprised to see that the illustrations weren’t faded by even one shade. He grinned.
“I’ll take it.”
The woman nodded sagely as he handed it to her. She bustled back to the counter to wrap his prize in paper.
“How much was it, then?” Gwen asked bluntly, the curiosity too much for her to bear.
He raised an eyebrow at her. “Three hundred and fifty pounds.”
She gasped. “There is no way you can afford that!”
“It’s worth it,” he said, shrugging.
Gwen shook her head and followed him up to the counter so that they could make their purchases.
Jack stood, clutching his well-wrapped package and staring at it as if trying to convince himself of its existence. Rhys was attempting to move him out of the doorway, but Jack would barely budge.
“Buyer’s remorse?” he suggested as he shoved at Jack ungracefully (and in vain).
“No, just…I can’t wait to see his face.” His trance broken, he grinned at Rhys, who merely shook his head.
Suddenly, the door opened and hit Jack hard in the back. He whirled around quickly, an angry grimace on his face.
“Hey! You mind watchi– Ianto?!”
Ianto looked up quickly, a ready apology to the injured stranger on the tip of his tongue, and blushed when he recognized Jack. He quickly shoved a book-shaped package behind his back as Jack mirrored the action. Gwen and Rhys glanced at each other and tried desperately hard not to burst out laughing.
“Well, love,” Rhys said to his wife from his spot behind Jack. “I’ll see you at home later tonight, then?”
“Yes, of course. We'd best be off now!” She smiled sweetly and tugged Ianto out of the doorway.
“Ianto!” Jack called as the two hurried away. “Home? Two hours? I’ll grab takeout.”
“Yep! Thai?” he called back over his shoulder as he was pulled by his wrist.
"Sure!"
“Home?” Rhys asked incredulously, both eyebrows raised.
“Home.” Jack shrugged and tucked his parcel under his arm. “Now, what should you get Gwen?”
*Quote from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Edited to add: Please, someone rewrite Jane Eyre with Jack and Ianto for me? PLEASE!?
