Title: Everything Changes (for now)
Characters: Ianto Jones, Jack Harkness, Toshiko Sato, Gwen Cooper, Owen Harper, and every other Torchwood or Doctor Who character you can think of.
Pairings: Jack/Ianto (and anything else to come)
Rating/Warnings: PG-13 more or less
Spoilers: Shouldn't be any, but I'm like Moffat. You can't trust me.
Summary: It's high school for Ianto Jones and his friends, but when a new student from overseas comes to turn Ianto's world upside down, everything changes.
A/N: I started writing this when I got bored on the bus. I've kept up with it so far and keep entertaining myself with the idea of it… I know I lied about my stories before. I don't keep up, and I probably won't finish it, but it's fun while I'm at it. And before you read this, I am really, really sorry about the grammatical errors. I add too many commas, or not enough, or I do the dialogue wrong but you get the jist, it was originally just for my own amusement, and I'm not that good when it comes to grammar. Also, I am probably terrible about staying IC, but seeing it's an AU I didn't bother myself too much (yes, this is the excuse my mind made). So, I do apoloigse. But thank you for reading it anyhow.
One last thing: I am just posting this right now. I'll come back and add things, explanations, later. And as you will soon find out, I am American and clueless about the UK's school systems. Just go with it. *waves hands* I command you. Go with it~
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It was another day going to school. The weekend over and out in what felt like a blink of an eye. The bus was crowded and the air stuffy. Shifting his bag from his lap to the floor he sighed heavily as he slid further into the seat. Lisa was sat next to him chattering away with Owen. What they talked about he didn't know. He did know, however, it was far too early to be talking nearly as much or as fast as she was. And he would give anything to have just one more cup of coffee.
~~TW~~TW~~TW~~TW~~TW~~
Loading off the bus he followed silently behind Owen slipping his hands into his trouser pockets. Allowing Owen to be the front to navigate through the sea of bodies.
"These people never move bloody fast enough." He complained, arriving at his locker.
"Most people don't walk as fast as you, Owen." Ianto pointed out, opening his locker, and placing his jacket neatly inside.
"Yes, well, they ought to learn, then." Retorted Owen as he continued to shove his textbooks into his own.
Ianto sighed, leaning back against the lockers. Owen was one of his best friends but that didn't mean he understood him any better.
"Maybe one day... You could become a doctor and convince everyone it's better for them. Then maybe they would understand how -"
"Become a doctor? Me? You're joking right?" Owen scoffed, slamming his locker.
Ianto merely shrugged, throwing his bag over his shoulder, "It could happen."
Without another word they left for their Science class. Owen continuing to curse anyone who got in his way.
~~TW~~TW~~TW~~TW~~TW~~
"Hi, Ianto. Owen." Toshiko sat up in her seat, first to class as always, and smiled. Owen stormed pass without acknowledging her, still irritated, while Ianto returned the smile, sliding into his seat next to her.
"Hi, Tosh. And how are you today?"
Tosh opened her mouth to speak but was cut off as Andy burst into the room damn near shouting.
"I can't believe it!" He stomped to his desk, throwing down his bag and huffing into his seat across from Ianto, arms crossed and glaring at the desk in front of him.
Ianto raised an eyebrow as Tosh slipped lower into her desk. Glancing at her momentarily he reached a hand out, placing it lightly on Andy's shoulder.
"What happened?" He asked softly.
Andy spun around immediately, "So I was talking to this girl, right? Y'know, Gwen the-" Owen cut in,
"You mean the girl with the-" He gestured with his hands and Andy nodded fast, wanting to get back to his story.
"Well I'm finally talking to Gwen, the girl I've fancied since primary school, and it's going good, right? I'm getting the hang of this and was getting ready to ask her to hang out sometime, like a date y'know, when she spots something down the hall and takes off. So I turn around totally confused and see she's run off to some 'cute' bloke I've never seen before in my life." He made a face at cute. "I swear if I see him again I'll... Well I'll do something." Andy nodded.
Ianto couldn't help but smile. Andy was always useless when it came to girls. Owen on the other hand burst out laughing.
"Good going, mate!" He came over and clapped Andy on the back. Andy then turned to glare at him.
"What the hell does that mean? You're supposed to help me here!"
Ianto rolled his eyes, "Both of you stop before you get into another fight. Andy-" he leaned forward, attempting to get his attention focused back onto him. When it was, "- I'm sure he had no intention of 'ruining your game' so there is no need to hate him. Gwen though... well you'll just have to try again."
Tosh popped up in her chair and nodded, smiling brilliantly, "Of course he will! And if she has the nerve to do it again or say no it will still have been worth it."
"You're right..." He admitted, "Thanks," he tried for a smile this time.
Beside them Owen suddenly began gasping and grabbing at his chest, falling to his knees with a shout, and splaying out on the floor, tongue out and arms spread... A few moments later after he was sure the others had time to let his performance sink in he opened his eyes and picked up his head, "You lot done being all gooey?"
Ianto merely raised an eyebrow, "Do you think you could have made that anymore dramatic?"
Andy spoke up over Ianto, "Yes we are! After this..." And he kicked Owen in the side, /hard/. "That was for being such an arse." He grinned widely.
Owen shouted as he received the kick, jumping up onto his feet and cradling his side, "That bloody hurt!"
"So does looking at your face," Andy shot back.
"Boys!" Tosh raised her voice for the first time. Andy and Owen immediately dropped their heads mumbling in unison, "Yes, ma'am."
Ianto smirked. All these years in school and she was the only one who could control their bickering.
~~TW~~TW~~TW~~TW~~TW~~
At the sound of the bell they were all back in their seats. The desks filled with students and the teacher stood at the board, arms crossed. Since the first day Ianto had enjoyed his science teacher. The way Mr. Smith taught the class pleased him with it's sense order and schedule. Sure he had funny ears, but that gave him character. It also helped that he'd known him since he was a child. Living just down the block with his two insane sons was also beneficial in class. His teacher had a problem with talking too fast at times and using too big of words, which his fellow classmates complained about at times, but he'd grown accustomed to over the years.
They were settling down into their beginning routine of taking notes when there was a knock at the door. Of course, as every classroom does, the students all turned to watch.
A boy silently opened the door. - If Ianto didn't know any better he could have sworn he watched him as he plastered on a smile. - On the other side of the door he saw Gwen, giggling and waving good-bye to him. In front of him Andy was seething with anger.
The class was silent as the boy went to Mr. Smith, passing over a few papers.
"I'm the new student. The office said to give you these."
The room was then overcome with hushed whispers as the sound of his accent sunk in. This boy was American...
Mr. Smith looked over the papers and nodded, smiling and reaching a hand out for him to grasp, shaking their hands. "John Smith. Mr. Smith to you. Now," he waved a hand across the length of the room, "go ahead and introduce yourself to the class. If you like that is. Then take your desk." As the boy turned around the whole class became hushed again. The boy grinned. Ianto wondered if he was truly that confident or if it was just a mask.
"Hello, my name is Jack Harkness. I just moved here from America-" Jack scanned the rows of faces as he talked. Seeming to stop briefly as he met Ianto's eyes, but Ianto couldn't have been sure. "-with my family, and this is where I'm staying." He shrugged, turning to take the only open desk available, which was next to Andy, eyes following him the entire way. Ianto listened to Andy's muttered cursing and smirked.
As the class moved on he found himself wondering about the boy in front of him. Jack. Jack Harkness he had said he was. He obviously wasn't as comfortable as he let on. He couldn't be. So why was it he was so intent on tricking everyone else? Obviously because it was a new school, but there was more to it.
Ianto shook his head, trying to shake it off. There was no way a guy like him, a friend of the ever popular Gwen Cooper, would even talk to someone like him... Still he hoped he would.
~~TW~~TW~~TW~~TW~~TW~~
"Who do you think he is?" Lisa whispered as she leaned across the lunch table.
"He's Jack Harkness." Tommy replied calmly as he toyed with his meal.
"I knew that!" She playfully hit him in the arm and he just smiled. "I meant /who/ is he?"
"He's just a regular bloke. Not some alien, Lisa." Adam called over from the end of the table as he wrestled Owen for his drink back.
Lisa rolled her eyes as Katie pushed Owen into Adam, throwing both boys off balance and grasping for the table. "What do you think, Ianto?" She turned to him, eyes sparkling.
Ianto looked up at her and blinked, "Well... I... I dunno. Guess I haven't thought about it." In truth he had. A lot. As soon as their first class was over, and even during, he had caught himself stealing glances at Jack. There was something about him that was intriguing... he didn't quite understand.
Lisa then sighed, finally giving up, her shoulders slumping forward. "He is pretty hot, though." She muttered.
"That he is." Tosh breathed from Ianto's other side. No one but him had heard her. He began to wonder if he really was.
Adam and Owen both groaned, "He is not." Adam said with distaste.
Owen raised a flirtatious eyebrow and smirked, "No, because I am."
Lisa giggled and Katie, next to Owen, poked him in the chest. "No you're not. But he is." She smiled at Lisa.
Owen proceeded to pout. "Hell of a girlfriend you are. Ain't I just lucky."
"Yes you are." Katie nodded in agreement, grinning and taking his hand under the table.
This was enough to satisfy Owen as he shrugged and went back to his lunch, "Guess he could be," he muttered.
Ianto looked up from his tray, continuing to push things around on it, and scanned the lunchroom. After a few moments he spotted him at the so called popular table. Jack was sat next to Gwen and another girl like her. Rose he thought she may have been. Gwen was draping herself over him, but he was laughing along with her seemingly happy and already adjusted perfectly to the new school. Like he'd been there for years and Ianto had just forgotten his face. Or it could have been Gwen and her friends trying to bring another 'pretty face' into their group. Ianto didn't care much about that. He had assumed from the moment he saw Jack that he wasn't anything like them. There was no possibility he could be as selfish and as self-centred as them... He liked to think at least.
Caught up in his thinking he was surprised when he realised Jack saw him. Their eyes meeting twice in a day. No longer laughing at Gwen's apparent joke, he wore just a small smile, meeting Ianto's stare. Ianto blinked and looked down quickly. Becoming more interested in his food than before. He thought he felt Tosh watch him for a moment but ignored it. Instead trying to distract himself with the rest of the table's conversation. Perhaps he could have been described as handsome, Ianto decided.
~~TW~~TW~~TW~~TW~~TW~~
"What was that about?" Tosh asked quietly as she swung open the door to their hide out. It was a place her father had built for her and her friends to play in before he had become sick. It wasn't something Tosh liked to talk about at all, but she still adored the little club house he had made her. Tucked away behind a few large trees in her backyard it was the ideal spot for any hide out. Even now as they used it for a place to study.
She smiled briefly at the photo of her father just inside the door and set her bag down beside the table further into the room. It wasn't very large, not for several kids their age now, but it had a home-like feel to it. Along the walls were shelving, all decorated with little nick-knacks they had picked up over the years as well as photos showing them growing up. In far corner was an old worn sofa, smoothed down with age. Besides a small table, a few bean-bag chairs, and the old rug in need of replacing, it wasn't much to look at. Tosh sat quietly on the sofa beginning to take her things out of her bag, placing them on the table before her.
Ianto frowned, following her example and began to take out his books. "What was what about?"
She kept her eyes averted from his gaze, becoming very interested her papers. "You. This whole day you've seemed distracted."
Setting his textbooks on the table, "Have I?" He raised an eyebrow, looking at her. "I don't think I have... Why? Have I done anything wrong?"
"No." She shifted in her seat and chanced a glance at Ianto. "I just thought that it seemed like you were having a difficult time paying attention in class... And you were so quiet." She added, her voice becoming softer as the boy before her turned away.
Ianto just shrugged, "I'm always quiet, Tosh. You know that."
"I do. But it wasn't like you- If that makes sense. I'm just trying to help."
"It doesn't. And thank you." Ianto said quickly as he pushed a textbook between their things on the table and opened it to the assigned page. "Besides. If there was anything going on you would be the first to know." He muttered, taking out a notebook and pen. Tosh let it go, thankfully, and did the same. There was no reason for her to press because it was true.
Ianto assumed she meant what she had observed during the day. She had caught him at lunch and in their classes. Even though he hadn't exactly been trying to hide himself he was disappointed that it could have been so obvious.
After some thought, Ianto decided that from then on he would have nothing to do with Jack Harkness. He was popular and Ianto was not. With the possibility of them ever talking gone there was no use in even acknowledging the boy.
The next day, everything would be like it had been the week before.
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TBC
