FIC Torchwood (drabble) - Making Peace

[fajrdrako]

Title: Making Peace
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Ianto, Owen
Challenge: tw100, challenge: friends and enemies
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine, no claims, all property of the BBC.
Notes: Spoilers for Torchwood 1x13, "End of Days", with reference to 1x12, "Captain Jack Harkness". Cross-posted to my LJ and to tw100.


Making Peace

Ianto rested his head on Jack's desk. When Jack was dead, Ianto had held his coat; now he had nothing. Ianto longed for Jack's voice, his touch, his laugh, his easy way with sex. But Jack was gone.

A warm hand on Ianto's shoulder startled him. He straightened. Jack used to touch him so, but no - it was Owen. "You all right?" asked Owen.

"I'll survive."

"If you need a friend -"

"Thought we were enemies."

Owen shook his head. "Forget it. New start. I was a twat, you shot me, we're even."

"Friends, then," said Ianto, with relief.

Comments

[darthhellokitty.livejournal.com]

Awwwwww.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

And about time too, I'd say.

Thanks for commenting!

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

When Jack was dead, Ianto had held his coat; now he had nothing.

:-( I like Ianto's fatigue here, head dropped on desk; like he's just sapped.


I was a twat, you shot me, we're even.

:-D I going to really miss Owen.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I like Ianto's fatigue here, head dropped on desk; like he's just sapped.

I suspect the hours and days following Jack's disappearance were bad for Ianto.

going to really miss Owen

I look forward to seeing his replacement.

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

I suspect the hours and days following Jack's disappearance were bad for Ianto.

Not to know... not even knowing whether it's worth hoping. Grief, astonished joy, a kiss, then-- nothing. A cruel time it must have been.

He must have thought he'd thrown his heart into the void once again.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Not to know... not even knowing whether it's worth hoping.

And having no way to judge.

Grief, astonished joy, a kiss, then-- nothing.

Except to know (because they saw the CCTV) that Jack went willingly - even joyfully. That wouldn't bode well for expecting his return.

A cruel time it must have been.

I suspect Ianto felt punished for his sins, even knowing Jack wasn't hurting him deliberately, and hurt by how easy it seemed to be for Jack to leave without a word.

He must have thought he'd thrown his heart into the void once again.

And he must have wondered whether Jack had ever loved him or not.

[damalan.livejournal.com]

I've thought about this one. I really have.

Ianto and Owen partner quite often in the field. Where did it change? Why did it change?

I like this simple start...

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I've thought about this one. I really have.

It's an interesting relationship - has been all along the way. And even towards the end of series 2, when Owen was in relatively 'nice' mode, they tended to bait each other. But I think they had come to trust each other, too.

Ianto and Owen partner quite often in the field. Where did it change? Why did it change?

I have my theories. I think it changed when Jack was away - and my favourite interpretation is that with Jack gone, the thread of Jack-related jealousy that kept them fighting each other dissipated. But that isn't the only possibility. One is that, without Jack, they had to either depend on each other (and learn mutual trust) or give up. Both are too stubborn to give up. Also, Gwen, who has her own brand of stubbornness, might not have been as tolerant of their rivalry as Jack was, and they'd see the use of cooperating with her.

They'd also both been through something together - they'd betrayed Jack in opening the Rift, and they'd both been forgiven by him. A mutual bond.

Being both prickly spirits, I think the beginning of the change would have to be simple.

[damalan.livejournal.com]

It's an interesting relationship - has been all along the way.

It's particularly interesting because it's one relationship that seems to be carried by body language and looks, rather than a lot of spoken words. They bait each other when they talk - is it just habit? - but the body language shows a lot more warmth between them.

Yes, they learn to trust each other.

Your comment about Jack is interesting because they are shown in S2 to have very strong connections to Jack. He's Ianto's friend and lover; he's Owen's father-surrogate in my reading. Jack matters a lot to both of them, but Owen is more inclined to externalise his anger with Jack. [I think it telling that each of the team asked Jack a question back in the Hub in KKBB. Owen is concerned if Jack feels fixed now; Ianto wants to know if Jack will stay. It's moving; it shows how much Jack matters to them.]


[An aside: I feel awfully guilty not contacting you during this time of your recovery. I don't have any good excuse, despite my life being in turmoil. So I'm sorry, and here's to a speedy recovery for you!]

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

They bait each other when they talk - is it just habit? - but the body language shows a lot more warmth between them.

Yes, and they seem to work together well. But we never do see a lot of scenes of them interacting one-on-one.

Thank you for your nice comments. I'm recovering, yes, slowly and (I hope) surely, with some days better than others. I'm sorry to hear your life is in turmoil. I hope things work out and settle down.

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

But we get to see unspoken moments:

Their hands meeting on the railing in silent farewell, as Owen goes to his death.

Owen's hand on Ianto's shoulder, leaving the wreckage of the explosion in "Fragments".

Ianto's gentleness with Owen, in the coffee machine scene.


Their baiting in S2 seems more brotherly than hostile.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Their hands meeting on the railing in silent farewell, as Owen goes to his death.

I liked that, and the sense that Ianto really cared. Partly because it's an expansion of Ianto's emotional capacities: until "Cyberwoman" his focus was all on Lisa; after that, on Jack; and now we see him able to connect with others - and he has similar moments with Tosh and Gwen, I think. Gwen, anyway. (Can't think of Tosh-Ianto moments to illustrate - hmm, excuse to watch again?)

Ianto's gentleness with Owen, in the coffee machine scene.

I think that scene is heartbreaking. Owen's frustration is so intense - ! (and with my foot, I feel like that now some moments!)

Their baiting in S2 seems more brotherly than hostile.

It's usually quite funny, and shows an understanding of each other.

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

an expansion of Ianto's emotional capacities

It's true, as Gareth says, that we're watching Ianto become a man.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

It's true, as Gareth says, that we're watching Ianto become a man.

For a long time (most of series 1, certainly, and some of 2) I was surprised by how young he seemed - much younger than his actual age. But finding his emotional equilibrium with Jack seems to have matured him in numerous ways, and he has grown in both courage and confidence. Which is great to see.

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

There's surely some valuable Tosh-Ianto interplay in "Countrycide", down in the basement or in the kitchen? He sacrifices himself to give her a chance to escape.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

There's surely some valuable Tosh-Ianto interplay in "Countrycide"

Oh, yes, but I meant in series 2 - after the situations and relationships have evolved somewhat. I can't think of anything really personal between them in series 2. I love the way they interact in "Countrycide".

[damalan.livejournal.com]

cionaudha highlights some of their good shared moments.

I'll add in from Sleeper where Ianto's been playing around in the interrogation chair and gets told off by Jack. It's very funny to watch Owen be the one to shake his head sadly at Ianto's antics, a reversal that shows they are quite comfortable with each other.


[Long recovery periods are a bitch but they do get better. My life's a bit of a mess, but it will sort itself out - it always has.]

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I think that was because he totally won that round but she couldn't let him have the last word. *g*

There are so many bits I like in "Sleeper", and that's one of them. I don't remember Owen's reaction - I probably never paid attention to it. My attention is usually on Jack and Ianto, if not Gwen and/or Tosh - at least for the first few times of watching any episode.

In terms of Ianto and Owen - where it had initially appeared that Ianto was the conformist and Owen was the Bad Boy, I like the way that switched around and Ianto by the end of series 2 seems a bit more of a dark horse, while Owen has a more respectable background.

My life's a bit of a mess, but it will sort itself out - it always has

Life is like that. Ups and downs and whirlpools. Let me know if I can be of any moral support.

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

Gwen, who has her own brand of stubbornness, might not have been as tolerant of their rivalry as Jack was

She may also have seen the value of teaming them on missions. They'd either have to deal with other or die.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

he may also have seen the value of teaming them on missions. They'd either have to deal with other or die.

I expect she did that - and it paid off.

[raissad.livejournal.com]

Excellent!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[of-too-minds.livejournal.com]

Excellent. I love this. I always wanted to see the boys getting along better. There was potential there for a real friendship.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Yes - and I like to think that they were in many ways closer in series 2.

[oursoliloquies.livejournal.com]

This made me go "aww", literally. *g*

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Wonderful! I'm so glad.