OTA

[im_torchwood]

Jack had a very bad habit of letting his guard down. He loved hard and loved well, but in all his long years he was aware that love was brief. Here and there love had lasted for years. Angelo. His wife. Logan. In between there were others, loves great and small. And when love came, even though he knew better, Jack would let his guard down.

Life with Torchwood was all too often painful, bloody, and short. People came and went, but no one retired. No. No one got out so easily.

And the newest, freshest wound was Val. It had all been going so well. Jack's knowledge of tech and Val's understanding of magic had furthered the research into the portal. They were nowhere near being able to pinpoint a time or location, but they'd gotten one to hold steady for a while. It was promising.

Until it all went to hell.

Val went missing right before Jack's eyes. He'd tried desperately to undo what they'd done, but after a while even Jack had to admit he was lost. Gone.

And so Jack threw himself into work. There was no point in drinking- he never got drunk. There was no thirst for companionship- that was just hollow. But work was always there. Work to be done. Aliens to track. Tech to catalogue. A world to keep safe. Jack jumped right back into it and let the satisfaction he found in duty mask the pain of a broken heart.

Tonight he had just confiscated a crate of 'antiquities' and they were loaded in the back of the SUV. He'd let the sellers go since they were just humans who hadn't the first clue about what they were trying to sell. Jack locked the rig up and looked around, trying to decide if he ought to get a bite. He really hadn't been hungry, not since Val vanished, but he knew he needed to eat. He'd died of starvation before and it was a hell of a way to go.

(OTA find him anywhere in London or the outlying towns if you prefer. Jack needs new friends, and old faces will be welcome too!)

Comments

[harrowgate]

"You are a rarified soul," Felix assured him, bringing the plum wine to his lips for a lingering sip that left just a trace of rich purple on his lips. "And you have my permission to stare all you like."

[im_torchwood]

"Good. I think I'll do just that," he said, a warm smile spreading all the way to his eyes. The warmth of his gaze was almost palpable.

They were presented with the first roll and Jack did look away from him then. He was always ready to eat. The wine was delicious, but the effects of the alcohol were lost on him. His system simply burned through it too quickly.

"After you," he said, nudging the plate toward Felix so he could have the first bite.

[harrowgate]

Felix wielded the chopsticks quite expertly when he plucked one of the slices from the roll for himself. It was already flavored with a drizzle of eel sauce, and Felix popped it into his mouth with a long, satisfied sigh.

"Now that is delicious," he confirmed with a low hum of pleasure. "Try it, darling, this is absolutely worth all the fuss it took to find the place."

[im_torchwood]

Jack took a slice and popped it in his mouth, closing his eyes so he could delight in the flavor. The brine of the sea, the rich, earthy flavor of rice, the sweetness of the meat...it was perfect. He smiled when he swallowed.

"Perfect," he said, then took up his wine. "I'll eat just about anything, but this is exquisite. Well worth the hunt for the place, and all the better for the company."

[harrowgate]

Felix favored Jack with one of his prettiest smiles, sweet and slinky with just a hint of a wicked tilt. He plucked another bit of the roll.

"You took the words out of my mouth, darling. Be careful, some of my words are awfully sharp," Felix purred teasingly. "Now, why don't you tell me every last fascinating thing about yourself?"

[im_torchwood]

Jack grinned at that. THere was no way he'd confess the truth about himself to someone he'd just met.

"I don't know how fascinating I am," he chuckled. "I deal in antiquities. I haven't been in London long, I came here from Cardiff where business was booming. I thought I'd see what I could do in the big city."

[harrowgate]

"We do love our history here," Felix confirmed, his interest clearly sparked. Another of their rolls arrived, and Felix mixed up a bit of soy sauce with the tiniest hint of wasabi. "What sort of antiquities? Books?"

[im_torchwood]

"Artifacts, mostly. Some books. I've actually come into a really good collection of esoteric occult books. I've had some verified. They're not what I normally deal in," he replied, thinking that what he had of Val's collection in his custody might interest someone like Felix, given his 'employer'.

[harrowgate]

"Occult?" Felix asked, fighting and not quite succeeding in keeping a laugh from his voice. "My word. I read a good deal of books, darling, I may need you to be a touch more specific. I... do hope you actually sell? It's an odd question, I know, but the last book dealer I met seemed remarkably unwilling to part with his stock."

[im_torchwood]

"I can't let them go until they're all catalogued," Jack replied. "I have some on portals, some on rituals that can cut through time and space. One talks about dimensions. And the rest I haven't read at all," he explained, comfortable enough with Felix to not shy away from the truth of what Val's books contained.

[harrowgate]

The fact that Cabalines did not strictly believe in such things rose up sharply in Felix's mind... but he had seen the proof that they never bothered to look for. He'd traveled across dimensions, hadn't he? Quickly, Felix stole another bite so that he wouldn't answer too quickly, or appear too eager. After a moment, Felix said, "I should love to study your collection sometime. Fascinating. It's scholarly work, is it? Not the sort of thing you pick up in paperback at a shop that sells too much incense."

[im_torchwood]

"No, definitely not that. It actually belonged to a very good friend of mine, but he's gone and so I've come into these books. He was a much more adept scholar about this sort of thing. My interest lies more in science and lore."

He took a bite of the new roll and thought for a moment. When he swallowed, Jack leaned forward.

"Want to come back to my place and I'll show you what I've got?"

[harrowgate]

Well, this had been somewhat simpler than Felix expected, but he smiled beautifully at Jack's offer. There was a warning, however, in the words very good friend. Felix could hear it, and he knew he could trip over it and bring this new friendship crashing down very quickly. "I would love nothing better. But don't let me rush you, darling, we ought to enjoy this lunch to its fullest."

[im_torchwood]

"Oh, I intend to," Jack chuckled. He took another roll and wore a cheeky grin as he reached across Felix, leaning in very close, to steal a bit of his wasabi sauce.

Jack had an air about him. Part of it was his fifty-first century pheromones, but another part of it was the compelling scent of life. It made him utterly magnetic and there were times, despite his better angels, Jack used it to his advantage. Mortals didn't even notice, really. They just knew Jack smelled good.

[harrowgate]

As they ate, Felix seemed to be leaning nearer and nearer Jack, perhaps without even fully realizing it. When Jack playfully dipped into his little bowl of soy, Felix caught the hint of a scent he couldn't begin to describe. He found himself wanting to lean in and steal a taste of Jack's skin... and that was quite unlike him, in a public place. If it was the plum wine making him feel a little bit heady, then Felix wanted more. He refilled his glass, and Jack's, and leaned just a touch closer. "Shall I call a car for us, dear Captain? Or do you have a more private mode of conveyance?"

[im_torchwood]

"I've got my rig parked out there, not far from where we met," he replied. He reached over and laid a firm, benevolent hand on Felix's back. "I like to drive. Even in London traffic. I've never been one to let anyone else do it for me."

[harrowgate]

Felix smiled over his small glass of plum wine, letting it sweeten his tongue before he answered. He did like a man with a firm hand, someone who knew what he wanted. Particularly if what he wanted was Felix.

"Then you're the one behind the wheel, darling," Felix murmured. "I'm at your mercy."