Cardiff Spring (Torchwood, allergies)

[Jelloicious]

There was a whole story for this.  Then the computer died, for better or worse.

 

TWTWTWTWTW

Monday

Jack Harkness bounded  through the Tourist Information Center door, coat swirling, (as if Jack could ever have just walked anywhere).

“Ianto Jones,” Jack called by way of greeting, before launching off into the list of things he needed Ianto to do,  “I have to make an emergency trip to London and I am gonna need you to order…”

The young man in the dark suit behind the counter abruptly silenced Jack with an upraised palm.  Jack broke off and stared at the younger man, taken somewhat off guard by Ianto’s interruption, and watched as Ianto’ features froze for a moment, and he drew a sharp intake of breath, then a second one.  His eyelids fluttered, dipped, and Ianto sneezed, once, and powerfully.  Ianto sniffed and turned his attention to Jack.

“Sorry, Sir.  You were saying..?”

“You…sneezed,” Jack said, somewhat stupidly. 

Ianto blinked.  “I…yes, Jack.” 

“You know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you sneeze.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Ianto chided.  “Of course you have.  You must have.  I have been work for you for nearly a year.  Been sleeping in your bed for months. There was that bout of virrelian flu that went through the whole team back in November.”

Jack pulled a face and said, “No, that was…well, that was not the same thing.  Trust me, I’d have remembered if you’d sneezed like that, before.  THAT was amazing!  Did you know you make a very similar face when we’re…”

“JACK.” Ianto cut the other man off.

“I’m just saying,” Jack said, not apologetically at all, “That was kind of…HOT.” Jack smiled just slightly to himself at the memory. “I think sneezes like that might be one of my kinks.”

Ianto rolled his eyes and laughed.  “Well, then, lucky for you, its allergy season.  I expect I will be sneezing quite a lot over the next few weeks.”

“I didn’t know you were allergic,” Jack said, when he found his voice again.

Ianto shrugged.  “Really, just to this one annoying little flowering shrub.  It blooms for a couple of weeks in Spring, and then just when I think I can’t take it anymore, it goes away.”  Ianto rubbed lightly along the side of his nose, soothing the tickle, watching Jack’s reaction.

Jack licked his lips.  “A couple of weeks?” he asked, weakly.

“Maybe three.”

Jack’s wrist strap beeped.  “Damnit.  I need to get moving.”

“Text me your list?” Ianto called after him.
“Huh?”
“Your list.   Of things you wanted me to order?” Ianto prompted.

Jack’s response was lost as the door to the Tourist Information Center swung shut.  Ianto sneezed again, and thought that just maybe, this allergy season might not be so bad after all.

Edited August 21, 2018 by Jelloicious
minor tweaks

[2SHY222]

Oh my goodness I've died and gone to heaven 😍 please write more 

[Elyze]

Oooh, yes more please

[Jelloicious]

Oh, there's definitely more to this.  Just...probably should do a bit of research into just where the line is, as far as content ratings.  With Torchwood, polite boundaries are a little hard to maintain, I'm afraid. 

[Seeker]

 I was wondering how you could proceed myself because, you know, it's Torchwood. lol But I'm glad you are going to try!

[Jelloicious]

22 hours ago, ReidSeeker said:

 I was wondering how you could proceed myself because, you know, it's Torchwood. lol But I'm glad you are going to try!

Well, I can start with the miracles of modern medicine, and work from there, I suppose.  Funny, I'm not especially into explicit fic, but with Torchwood, it doesn't really seem to matter much, does it?   (You might assume in the long gaps of silence, I am trying to work that out somehow.)

 

TWTWTWTWTW

Tuesday

Jack was still in London.   Too bad, really, because the pollen levels must have been through the roof, and even hiding in the depths of the underground Torchwood base, Ianto could feel the insistent tickle in his sinuses.   

He probably should’ve just ordered lunch in.  But, you know, hindsight.  And everyone was keen to try the new Indian place, so Ianto ventured forth to pick up a call in order for lunch.   That was a mistake.  He imagined he could actually  see the offending grains of pollen.  They could certainly see him.

He was sneezing desperately for the umpteenth time when Owen irritably tossed a bottle of pills at him.  Allergy pills that turned out to be surprisingly effective, despite the fact that they made everything taste like tin.

Owen Harper, where have you been all my life, Ianto thought to himself as he breathed freely, sipping tin-flavored coffee, and NOT sneezing his head off.  It was a compromise, but one he could live with for the short term.  

Jack was still in London, anyway.

[AngelEyes]

Oh my divine worshipfulness has brought more Torchwood. And it's Ianto! And it's allergies! 2 of my favorite things! 

On 1/8/2018 at 3:11 PM, Jelloicious said:

Jack pulled a face and said, “No, that was…well, that was not the same thing.  Trust me, I’d have remembered if you’d sneezed like that, before.  THAT was amazing!  Did you know you make a very similar face when we’re…”

LOL

 

On 1/8/2018 at 3:11 PM, Jelloicious said:

“I’m just saying,” Jack said, not apologetically at all, “That was kind of…HOT.” Jack smiled just slightly to himself at the memory. “I think sneezes like that might be one of my kinks.”

Oh Jack!

 

On 1/8/2018 at 3:11 PM, Jelloicious said:

Jack licked his lips.  “A couple of weeks?” he asked, weakly.

“Maybe three.”

Mmmmm

 

On 1/8/2018 at 3:11 PM, Jelloicious said:

Ianto sneezed again, and thought that just maybe, this allergy season might not be so bad after all.

Lucky Ianto, lol.

 

On 1/9/2018 at 10:54 AM, Jelloicious said:

With Torchwood, polite boundaries are a little hard to maintain, I'm afraid. 

Definitely true!

 

On 1/10/2018 at 10:26 AM, Jelloicious said:

Owen Harper, where have you been all my life, Ianto thought to himself as he breathed freely, sipping tin-flavored coffee, and NOT sneezing his head off.  It was a compromise, but one he could live with for the short term.  

Jack was still in London, anyway.

This is great!

[Jelloicious]

I totally suspect this was better-written before my computer crashed and lost this (and every other Torchwood story intro I have).  *sigh*.  Anyway.  Here goes nothin'.

 

Wednesday

Jack was more than happy to be back from London, in the buzz of activity that surrounded the Torchwood 3 Hub, and his team.  Nothing wasted on bureaucratic red tape here.  He watched his team with no small amount of pride.

A few odd riff spikes and a slow Cardiff rain kept them busy early in the day,  but after lunch, things settled a bit.  Ianto appeared in his office, bearing fresh coffee and a stack of documents for him to sign, and settled into a chair across from Jack to wait and sip at his own mug while Jack paged through the papers, and scrawled his looping signature.

“So, London…” Ianto prompted.

“Glad to be home,” Jack shuddered.

Jack signed papers and passed them back across the desk to Ianto, who sorted them into appropriate files.

 “Allergies under control?”  Jack tried not to be obvious.  Maybe.

“Rain keeps the pollen down”.

“Hm.”

 

Thursday

Jack could’ve sworn he’d heard someone stifle a sneeze in the hub, but it couldn’t have been Ianto—he was in the archives.  He drummed his fingers on his desk, remembering that one fantastic sneeze from Monday, wondering when he might catch one of those again.  The anticipation was killing him.

 

Friday

Jack had a rather large and pungent bouquet of flowers on his desk when Ianto arrived with the morning coffee.  They look freshly picked if somewhat clumsily arranged.   

Ianto gave Jack a pointed look, and maybe half a smirk, but didn’t comment on the flowers. 

Jack was hopeful when Ianto returned a short time later to water and arrange the flowers into a more pleasing form, but to Jack's  disappointment, Ianto didn’t so much as sniffle.

After Ianto left, heading down to the tourist office, Jack frowned his annoyance at the bouquet.  He poked through it, irritably,  sniffed at it, and surprised himself by sneezing suddenly at whatever was in those flowers. 

This was just not going at all according to plan.

 

Saturday

The Hub was quiet.  The Rift Monitor was quiet.  Most of the team had taken the day off.  Jack worked intently on a report, until Ianto entered his office and placed a rather large wicker basket on his desk.

“What’s this?” Jack asked, intrigued.

“It’s a picnic basket.” Ianto said, simply, obviously.

“What do we need with a picnic basket?”  Jack was confused.  Ianto rolled his eyes.

“I thought we might actually go on a picnic.”

Jack must have been staring stupidly at Ianto, because when Ianto spoke, it was slowly and with small words.   “You know---outside.   It’s a lovely day out.  The sun is shining, the birds are singing and the flowers are blooming…”

Jack’s eyes widened a bit and he wondered if Ianto was proposing what it sounded like he was proposing.

Ianto met his gaze levelly. “…and I haven’t had any allergy medication at all today," he said, rubbing the side of his nose.

Jack swallowed.  "Well then....I'll just get my coat!"

[quietsucker]

I was wondering when Jack would get back to Cardiff! 

Love how you kept him waiting a few days--but of course I can't wait to see what happens next.  (I have terrible spring allergies and know that if I had access to a pill like the one Owen gave Ianto I would have a hard time foregoing it).

Very much looking forward to the next installment,

--QS

[2SHY222]

😱😱🤩 what happens next?💙

[AngelEyes]

5 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

“Allergies under control?”  Jack tried not to be obvious.  Maybe.

Lol. Smooth Jack.

 

5 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

This was just not going at all according to plan.

Sad.

 

5 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

Jack must have been staring stupidly at Ianto, because when Ianto spoke, it was slowly and with small words.   “You know---outside.   It’s a lovely day out.  The sun is shining, the birds are singing and the flowers are blooming…”

I can totally see Ianto being all, Could I be anymore obvious? LOL

 

5 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

Ianto met his gaze levelly. “…and I haven’t had any allergy medication at all today," he said, rubbing the side of his nose.

Jack swallowed.  "Well then....I'll just get my coat!"

Squeee!!!! I'm as excited as Jack probably is!

[Seeker]

Ohhhh my...can't wait for this picnic 

[Jelloicious]

Sooo...This is a bit of an odd fic, I think.  Normally, I'd write (and read!) the sort of fic where the sneezing is sort of incidental to the plot and/or mush, and sneezing evokes the h/c care taking thing.  This is, well,  Jack Harkness, doing what JH does.   And Ianto indulging him.  (And me, working out how to keep it just this side of acceptable as we go).

 

TWTWTWTW

Jack drove, as Ianto directed him through winding country roads to a small cottage with a neatly trimmed private garden.  It had been fairly obvious to Ianto that for whatever reason, Jack was keen to see him sneezing.   If Ianto thought that was odd, he’d already set it aside, in favor of seeing just where they could go with it. Ianto and Jack and been shagging long enough for Ianto to have learned to place a good deal of trust in Jack’s sometimes rather creative ideas of a good time.  A bit of research on his part, a bit of planning, and a little cooperation from the Rift, Ianto thought this might actually be rather fun.

Jack peered at the vegetation surrounding the cottage, wondering just which of these plants held the power to make Ianto sneeze like he had before, imagined seeing Ianto’s tight control shattered by powerful, uncontrolled sneezes.

 “That little flowering bush of yours, you’re sure it grows here?” Jack asked, not really caring if that made him seem eager.

“First, it’s not ‘my bush’,” Ianto said, firmly.  “If it were, I might have torched all living specimens long since, and damn the environment.  Second, if there’s any growing anywhere in the county, I’m pretty sure I will know it.”

Jack put a hand on Ianto’s arm.  “Are you sure you want to do this?   You don’t have to do this.”  Jack’s concern was genuine.  “There’s probably lots over other things we can do that would be fun, too.”

Ianto colored a bit, but shrugged Jack off.  “Look, you want to see me sneeze, well, here’s a good place for it.  This wouldn’t be my first allergy attack.  I know what I’m getting into.  It will certainly be the most fun I’ve had with one.  And, well, you’ve done stranger things, and I’ve done stupider.”  Jack estimated that was a fair assessment. 

“Fair warning though.  I may not be much use for a while after.”

“Warning noted.”

Ianto pulled the basket from the back of the SUV, and led the way into the cottage, where Jack was surprised to see a chilling bottle of wine awaited.  Ianto passed the wine to Jack, and searched cupboard for a couple of glasses, while Jack looked around a bit, impressed.  He smiled over at Ianto.  This was shaping up to be a fine Saturday.

“Where did you find this place, again?”

“It’s owned by Madoc  and Evie Collins.”

“The ‘illegal half-way house for displaced alien life,’ Collins’?”

“The very same.   They keep it as a vacation house, mostly, these days, but they do occasionally still take in the odd stray.  Madoc owes me a favor from the last time he ran into a spot of bother with UNIT.  Rift willing, we have it for the weekend.”  Jack grinned, at the prospect, but made a mental note to ask Ianto further about just what “odd stray” meant and how Ianto was involved in it.   In the meantime, however, oh, yes, this was going to be a very fine Saturday, indeed.  

Ianto pressed a knuckle into the ever-so slight irritation in the corner of his eye, and hoped Jack was ready for this.

“Shall we?” Ianto picked up the basket, and gestured toward the garden.

Jack dropped his coat over a chair and followed Ianto outside, bottle of wine and two glasses in hand.

[Elyze]

This whole chapter is just one big tease! I was thinking of quoting favourite parts of it but realized I'd leave very little out in between. Just all if it, ok? Jack's eagerness that he doesn't want too show, then concern, the whole thing about "his bush", Ianto knows what he's getting into, will know if there are any bushes in the county, most fun he's had with an allergy attack, will be useless for a while after, the "we've done stranger/stupider things"... gah! Love it! You're kinda leaving us hanging in suspense here though

[AngelEyes]

Such a Tease!!! But oh so good! 

3 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

Ianto and Jack and been shagging long enough for Ianto to have learned to place a good deal of trust in Jack’s sometimes rather creative ideas of a good time. 

Creative indeed, I'm sure!

 

3 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

“First, it’s not ‘my bush’,” Ianto said, firmly.  “If it were, I might have torched all living specimens long since, and damn the environment.  Second, if there’s any growing anywhere in the county, I’m pretty sure I will know it.”

LOL!

 

3 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

This wouldn’t be my first allergy attack.  I know what I’m getting into.  It will certainly be the most fun I’ve had with one.  And, well, you’ve done stranger things, and I’ve done stupider.”  Jack estimated that was a fair assessment. 

Love this! So perfect!

 

3 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

In the meantime, however, oh, yes, this was going to be a very fine Saturday, indeed.

Indeed! Can't wait!!!

[MyOwnPrivateSFC]

I am absolutely loving this! Something about those few sneezes in the beginning (plus Jack's!  ), followed by all this anticipation....

[Seeker]

Omg you can't stop there! I mean, you DID but how am I supposed to function while waiting here ?! 

[2SHY222]

The suspense is driving me crazy 😍😍😍

[Jelloicious]

On 1/19/2018 at 10:56 AM, helyzelle said:

This whole chapter is just one big tease!

You're kinda leaving us hanging in suspense here though

On 1/19/2018 at 5:36 PM, MyOwnPrivateSFC said:

I am absolutely loving this! Something about those few sneezes in the beginning (plus Jack's!  ), followed by all this anticipation....

 

On 1/19/2018 at 1:54 PM, AngelEyes said:

Such a Tease!!! But oh so good! 

Can't wait!!!

 

On 1/20/2018 at 3:17 PM, ReidSeeker said:

Omg you can't stop there! I mean, you DID but how am I supposed to function while waiting here ?! 

 

On 1/21/2018 at 4:01 PM, 2SHY222 said:

The suspense is driving me crazy 😍😍😍

Yay.  Glad Jack isn't the only one waiting to see how this works out!

 

twtwtwtwtw

It was still early enough in spring for chill mornings, but the sun was shining generously, and the back garden was warm enough for Ianto to take off his fine suit jacket and and lay it aside.  A chatter of birds could be heard, and the soft tinkle of wind chimes from a light breeze.  The grass was a bright spring green, soft and neatly trimmed.

Jack grinned at the setting  Ianto had chosen and imagined that  he wouldn't have to wait long before he got to see Ianto sneeze again.  The sheer anticipation had been driving him nuts for days.  Ianto’s first sneeze was a small one, and came as they spread the picnic blanket in a pool of warm sunlight on the grass.  Jack bit his lip slightly.  This one was nothing like the mighty sneeze Jack and seen on Monday in the Tourist Information Center at all, but still, a promise of things to come.  Ianto rubbed lightly at his nose, sniffed and began unpacking the basket, revealing a tempting selection of sandwiches, cheeses, grapes and crisps. Jack settled onto the picnic blanket, and tried to contain his anticipation by occupying himself with expertly twisting a corkscrew firmly into the wine bottle.  (Which, frankly, didn't distract him at all from thoughts of what he intended to do with Ianto on this fine spring afternoon).

Ianto’s second sneeze came as Jack was pouring wine into Ianto’s glass.  This one was a bit more forceful than the last.  Ianto had tried to turn away but Jack was still caught lightly in the spray.  Ianto was embarrassed by this, but Jack was thrilled, watching the younger man as he automatically rubbed his nose to soothe the growing irritation. Jack leaned in for a kiss, which Ianto eagerly returned until he suddenly shoved away from Jack and turned to sneeze harshly twice into his elbow.

“Bless,” Jack said, happily.

Ianto sniffed lightly and chuckled. “Thanks.”  He ran a knuckle along the edge of his eye, which was now tearing slightly.

Ianto undid his cufflinks, and rolled his sleeves neatly up his forearms, in order to take advantage of the spring sunshine, or maybe in an effort to distract his fingers from rubbing at his nose, Jack couldn’t be sure.

“Sandwich?”

“Please.”  

The garden was sun-warmed and lush—a perfect spot for a picnic.  The cottage was secluded and private.   The perfect spot for…well, whatever this picnic was going to become.  The conversation was almost absurdly mundane, ranging from the type of pickles on the sandwiches, to the weather, to the council elections and the oil change schedule for the SUV, and speculation on how weevils cleaned their boiler suits.  All the while, Jack watched, as Ianto did his best to maintain a neutral expression, despite the  bath of pollen they must have been swimming in.  Jack offered his opinion on the qualifications of the Labour Party candidate from Penarth, and Ianto outlined his suspicions that she was actually alien, as he rubbed at the corner of his eye.  Ianto passed Jack the wine bottle and scrunched his nose, his normal placid composure clearly slipping.   Jack, distracted from the talk of politics, bit down on a crisp grape and watched as the rhythm of Ianto’s breathing changed, and his facial muscles twitched.

Jack was just about to steal another kiss, when Ianto’s expression froze and he drew a sudden deep breath, (drawing in what Jack imagined was a  veritable tonne of pollen), closed his eyes tightly and gave himself over to the most incredible and unrestrained sneeze Jack had ever witnessed.  Oh, yes.  This was definitely going down on the list of kinks.

Ianto looked up at Jack, and grinned wolfishly and sneezed again. Ianto loosened his tie, undid his collar and sneezed, exactly as if he knew what he was doing to Jack, who pulled on the loosened tie, carefully freeing it as Ianto built up to another mighty sneeze. Heh..heh…heh…hechKSHIEWWWWWW!! And another.  And another.  It was a truly magnificent descent from his perfectly controlled partner as he gave himself bodily over to forceful, powerful, sneezes that shook his body and loosened his normally carefully combed hair.

Ianto pulled a handkerchief from his pocket in time to catch another sneeze, then blew his nose, wetly. “This might get a bit messy,” he said apologetically.

That spun Jack off into a tale about an experience he’d had with an alien slime monster, making it more than evident that “messy” wasn’t a concern of Jack’s. 

Ianto blew his nose again, dabbed at his eyes. “So, where you come from, are there allergies?”

Jack considered, and frowned.  “It’s been a long time, but yes, I think so.  Only, not like this.  Weren’t a lot of pollen bearing plants where I come from”.

Ianto muffled another sneeze with his handkerchief.  “Lucky you.”

“Have you always been allergic?” Jack asked, curious.

Ianto shrugged, “Don’t think so.  Didn’t really become much of  a thing until after my first year in uni.  Every spring since, it’s gotten…a…bit…EeeeaaSSCHOOooo!  worse.”

Ianto took a swallow of wine, a bit more than might have been polite, but by this point, even the roof of his mouth itched, and well, it couldn’t hurt.  He sniffed wetly.  

“And you?  Is there anything you’re allergic to?” Ianto asked, hopefully, dabbing at his eyes, waiting for the next sneeze, which he could feel building deep in his sinuses.

“Nah.”  Jack considered. “Well, on   this planet called Eklastroth,  they have a these sort of plants with pods that explode,  and release…well, I suppose it’s a sort of pollen.  That “pollen” is a sort of hallucinogenic aphrodisiac.   I think it makes me sneeze.”  Jack frowned. “I’m not…sure. Memory wasn’t too clear after that encounter.”  Jack smiled distantly at what memories he did have of it, wondering where he could source some.

Small talk dropped off and then they were kissing, deeply.  Hands were everywhere, and buttons undone.

Ianto’s nose was running, eyes streaming and he was most certainly having the most fabulous allergy attack of his life, if only…he could manage….not…to sneeze….just….now.

It was no use.  He pushed himself away, gasping for breath, igniting a blaze in his sinuses.

The sneezes came.  Desperate, insistent, wet, and uncontrolled.  He could barely draw a breath between them.  He lost count somewhere after fifteen, astounded by the force and persistence of his own sneezes.  Kshewww!  Ah..TcHiew!  ESHHHEW!! AH..ahh..ISCHHH! ASCCHOOO!!!

Jack watched, first with awe and then with growing concern, as Ianto struggled to draw a breath between sneezes so powerful they doubled him over.

Heh-etcsHehSHew! Ahh..TcshSHew! Heh..TcSHSHew! Hahh..TcshSHew!  ESHHH!!  HAH-ESHHHTCH!  "AAAIITTCHOO!... ESSCCHHOO!... Hih-ISSCHH!... Heh... heh... hehASCCHHOO! Heh...AhhKSCCCHIEW!!" 

At first, Jack thought the sneezes would eventually subside, but they just kept coming.   Jack could feel the shuddering and the wrenching force of the sneezes and Ianto’s efforts to catch his breath as he rubbed soothingly on Ianto’s back, and wondered if Ianto had known it would get this bad.   This no longer seemed like fun, and the sneezes just kept coming, each more desperate than the last.  

Let’s get you inside” Jack said, taking Ianto’s hand and hauling him to his feet as he continued to sneeze.  Ianto nodded, unable to do more than sneeze, helplessly.

Edited February 5, 2018 by Jelloicious
corrected formatting

[Seeker]

Oh, poor baby! A bit more then he expected, I guess. Still, a lovely beginning of the picnic 

[MyOwnPrivateSFC]

11 minutes ago, ReidSeeker said:

Oh, poor baby! A bit more then he expected, I guess. Still, a lovely beginning of the picnic 

This. ☝️️ Though, also...really, Jack? Sex pollen? Only you, babe. Only you.

[MeForever]

Please continue!

[AngelEyes]

Oh my! The slow burn... And then. Poor Ianto.

2 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

Oh, yes.  This was definitely going down on the list of kinks.

LOL Jack!

 

2 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

It was a truly magnificent descent from his perfectly controlled partner as he gave himself bodily over to forceful, powerful, sneezes that shook his body and loosened his normally carefully combed hair.

This! Just! Mmmm.

 

2 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

“Nah.”  Jack considered. “Well, on   this planet called Eklastroth,  they have a these sort of plants with pods that explode,  and release…well, I suppose it’s a sort of pollen.  That “pollen” is a sort of hallucinogenic aphrodisiac.   I think it makes me sneeze.”  Jack frowned. “I’m not…sure. Memory wasn’t too clear after that encounter.”  Jack smiled distantly at what memories he did have of it, wondering where he could source some.

 

Oh Jack. Only you.

 

2 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

Ianto’s nose was running, eyes streaming and he was most certainly having the most fabulous allergy attack of his life, if only…he could manage….not…to sneeze….just….now.

Mmmmmm!

 

2 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

Let’s get you inside” Jack said, taking Ianto’s hand and hauling him to his feet as he continued to sneeze.  Ianto nodded, unable to do more than sneeze, helplessly.

Oh dear!

[Shay]

Wow, that was intense. I look forward to reading more.

[Elyze]

I guess that's a bit more than either of them were expecting... but I still hope there's more