Precious Cargo by Wrath of the Digital Hazard
Disclaimer: Torchwood belongs to its respective owners – that excludes me – so any characters, places, concepts, etc. associated with Torchwood are not mine. However, if you don't recognize it (an out-of-place character, for example), then there's a possibility it came from my own imagination.
Fandom: An A.U. Torchwood.
Rating: Teen.
Genre: Adventure/Science Fiction.
Romances: (Slash and Non-slash) JackxIanto, RhysxGwen, OwenxTosh.
Warnings: Slash and language, in general.
Summary: (A.U.) Captain Jack Harkness, con artist extraordinaire, returns to Earth to kidnap the leader of Torchwood Three. One could only imagine what would ensue when he grabs the wrong person.
Prologue.
Ianto stirred to find his shoulders cramped under a strain he couldn't identify just yet. He felt like he'd been drugged, and as he became more aware of his surroundings, it was apparent that his suspicion could very well be a possibility. While his eyes adjusted to the dim light, the Welshman struggled to sit up from his position of lying on his side. As he did so, he realized the extent of his predicament – he was handcuffed to an exposed pipe in the wall behind him. No wonder he hurt all over…
Things gradually got clearer until he could at last take stock of the actual situation. He was being held captive in a small corridor of what he suspected was a space-worthy craft, indicated by the soft hum of engines somewhere under him. To his right, several odd meters away, was a threshold to the cockpit, while to his left was a closed door, leading to what he was comfortable guessing to be living quarters.
His captor had to be in the living quarters, as the view to the cockpit revealed no living creature at the helm. 'Autopilot,' he thought. So, where was he going? But more importantly, how the hell did he get there in the first place? Trying to shift into a less painful position, he sifted through his memory to locate the pivotal point in time when he'd been vulnerable enough to be kidnapped.
"Morning, sleeping beauty."
Ianto visibly flinched as a cheery but smug voice addressed him. He glared furiously at a grin-bearing man, dressed in World War II attire, standing at the entrance to the previously closed door. But it was extremely difficult to maintain a glare as twinkling blue eyes regarded him in a friendly – if not a bit mischievous – manner. He hated the feeling of not being in control of his own mind, being repeatedly pierced by the steady gaze. He was being manipulated with a simple look and that fact made his gut churn.
The stranger's eyes grazed over him appreciatively, as if the prick had barely looked at his 'cargo' until then. Mustering the anger to fuel a new glare, Ianto met the gorgeous eyes of his captor defiantly and prepared to dish out a piece of his mind. Unfortunately, he was unable to edge in a word as the man jumped headfirst into an introduction.
"I'm Captain Jack Harkness," he said pleasantly, as if they were conversing over a cup of tea. Jack leaned against the wall opposite of him, one hand propped on the railing behind him while the other fished through the pockets of his coat until he withdrew a wallet that Ianto recognized as his own. "And you're Ianto Jones."
"Bite me," the Welshman growled, not at all inclined to chat with the fellow. Not only had he been kidnapped, his privacy had been invaded. The nerve!
Jack chuckled and shot him a dazzling smile. "Feisty! That's always a bonus." He narrowed his eyes to further study his 'cargo' in a way that bordered on being predacious, then mused aloud, "Sulking passengers aren't much fun."
Ianto twitched awkwardly under the intense stare. "So this is all fun and games to you?" he sneered, tugging viciously at the handcuffs as an emphasis.
For a moment – but no longer – the captain looked serious before reverting to his cheeky self. "Sometimes work is all fun and games." He winked, only making Ianto fume more.
"There are powerful people who will come looking for me, space travel or not," he declared stubbornly while fighting the urge to break under the scrutiny of Jack Harkness. Pursing his lips, he forced through another glare. "Stop looking at me like that!"
"Like what?" Curse that smile, which was infuriating but simultaneously intoxicating. It was driving Ianto insane and Jack smirked knowingly.
Despite a growing need to respond with a retort, Ianto refused to give Jack the satisfaction of a reaction. Instead, he waited a minute or two, composing himself until he was confident he could make a coherent sentence. Then, after the long silence, he muttered, "I'm not going to give you what you want."
"How do you know I don't already have what I want?"
The question took Ianto by surprise and he quickly sobered to dissect the implication of the words. Chewing on the inside of his bottom lip, he took his time to gather the nerve to stare the captain in the eyes, only to falter again. "What could you possibly want me for?" he inquired incredulously.
Jack uttered a single word that let Ianto speechless. "Torchwood." By the young man's shocked expression, Jack knew he'd got Ianto's undivided attention. "There are lots of people who would really like to meet you." He sat down, arms slung lazily over his knees, absently flexing the toes on his sock-and-shoe-lacking feet.
"Don't look surprised," he teased after Ianto failed to produce even the slightest sound. "Personally, I feel honored to meet you. It's not everyday a con artist like myself gets to transport the leader of the infamous Torchwood Three."
Ianto stared at him for a moment longer, then abruptly threw his head back to release a barking laugh the bounced off the walls, creating an eerie – perhaps even foreboding – echo.
The captain stared at the pale skin of his captive's exposed neck, entranced only until it registered that he was being laughed at, and no one laughed at Jack Harkness. Puzzled, he extended a foot to prod Ianto, trying to snap him from his fit. "What's so funny?" he asked, quickly becoming concerned. Was his captive a nutter? He gave Ianto an offended look. "I kidnapped you and you're laughing!"
As the full-fledged laughter dwindled down to poorly suppressed giggles, Jack quickly amended his previous statement. "Not that I'm complaining." He grinned at the Welshman, then quirked an eyebrow at him meaningfully. It plainly asked, 'Are you going to tell me what you're laughing about or will I have to pry it out myself?'
Ianto smirked broadly at the man across from him. "I'm extremely sorry to disappoint you," he began, finally feeling like he had the upper hand in the matter. Jack's stomach fell as he anticipated the bad news, which Ianto promptly delivered: "But you kidnapped the wrong bloke."
Jack went silent, then chuckled – he wouldn't be fooled by that cheap trick. Captain Jack Harkness never made mistakes, especially on a job. However, the intent look in Ianto's eyes stirred some genuine unease… perhaps enough to be considered as doubt. He deadpanned at the Torchwood employee and narrowed his eyes. "That's impossible," he declared earnestly.
"It apparently is not." Triumph was written as clear as day on the Welshman's face; Jack gulped in anticipation, waiting for his captive to elaborate.
Ianto relished the moment. Captain Jack, who up until then had been flawlessly composed, was on the verge of panicking. He could taste the tension from him, sweet and invigorating. It gave Ianto just the right push to reveal the truth.
"I'm just the tea-boy."
To Be Continued…
Author's Note: My first Torchwood fan story. Chapter 1 will reveal how Ianto was kidnapped by our favorite ex-Time Agent... and it'll be longer, I promise. R&R, constructive criticism welcomed.