[#062] A Glint Of Gold (Torchwood)

[badly_knitted]

Theme Prompt: #062 – Transformation
Title: A Glint Of Gold
Fandom: Torchwood
Rating/Warnings: PG / None
Bonus: Yes
Word Count: 1000
Summary: Ianto knew he couldn’t avoid his sister forever, but how is he going to explain this?



It had been bound to happen eventually. Ever since an accident with alien tech had resulted in Ianto becoming a were-crow he’d been avoiding his sister, hoping to get his new shape-shifting abilities fully under control before spending any time with her. The only time he’d seen her since the mishap he’d been in crow form, riding on Jack’s shoulder as they’d headed back to the SUV after a retrieval, and Rhiannon had seemed more than a little nervous when she’d caught sight of him.

Nevertheless, the encounter had reminded him his nephew’s birthday was less than a week away, and Rhi would not be happy if he tried to make excuses about why he couldn’t be there.

“You’ll be fine,” Jack assured him. “You haven’t accidentally turned into a crow once in the last three weeks, not even when that fire engine blasted past us with its sirens blaring a couple of days ago. I was so proud of you!”

“Thanks. I think. At least Rhi only expects me to be there for the birthday dinner; instead of a party Johnny’s taking David and a few friends go-karting at the weekend.”

“Am I invited?” Jack had that hopeful puppy look on his face.

“To the birthday dinner or the go-karting?”

“The dinner. Although…”

“Don’t even think about it, Jack! And yes, you are invited to David’s birthday dinner; now Rhi knows we’re together she’d hardly invite me on my own. We’ll be having spaghetti and meatballs. David’s choice.”

“Ooooh, yum!”

It didn’t take much to keep Jack happy.

The birthday dinner started out wonderfully. Jack and Ianto arrived early to give David his present, a new bicycle because he was growing so fast his old one was getting too small for him. David, naturally, had to try it out, racing up and down the street several times before skidding to a halt in front of his uncle.

“It’s awesome, Uncle Ianto! Thanks!”

“You’re welcome.”

“Right!” Rhi clapped her hands together. “Back inside, everybody. Dinner’s almost ready.”

Wheeling his bike into the hall, David propped it against the wall and went to wash his hands.

“Uncle Ianto, will I get a new bike for my birthday?” Mica asked.

“That’ll depend on whether a new bike is what you want. I thought you liked the one you’ve got.”

“I do.” It was purple with a basket on the front. “I think I’d rather have a kitten. Or a Nintendo. David and his friends always hog the X-Box. I almost never get to play.”

They were on their way into the lounge when there was an almighty crash from the hallway as the new bike toppled over, and all Ianto could think as he transformed was ‘Bugger! Not now!’

He heard Mica give a squeal, and then Rhiannon’s shriek of shock as she came running just in time to see her brother’s clothes collapse into a heap on the floor.

Ianto Crow struggled free with an exasperated huff of, “Not again! Caw!”

David stood there gaping, eyes wide. “Wow! That was so cool!”

Brushing past everyone, Jack crouched down to help Ianto untangle one clawed foot. “Oops.”

Fluffing up his feathers and allowing them to settle, Ianto looked around at the people staring at him in varying degrees of shock; the only one who was completely unfazed was Jack, who was gathering Ianto’s clothes together and folding them as if this kind of thing happened all the time. He sighed; this was going to take a bit of explaining, but first he’d have to change back into himself and get dressed, which he wasn’t about to do in front of everybody. It was embarrassing enough that he’d changed in the first place!

“Bloody Hell!” Johnny exclaimed. “What just happened?”

“Daddy!” Mica gasped, more shocked by her father’s bad language than by her uncle suddenly turning into a bird.

Shrugging his shoulders as best he could in crow form, Ianto threw a sheepish look his sister’s way. “Sorry, Rhi.” His crow voice was a bit on the harsh side but still perfectly understandable, and once again Ianto was thankful that crows were such talented mimics, otherwise he might not have been able to teach himself to communicate.

“It can talk!” Rhi gasped.

“Of course Ianto can talk.” Jack straightened up and tucked Ianto’s clothes under one arm. “Coming?”

Nodding, Ianto spread his wings, preparing to fly up onto Jack’s shoulder, but something caught his eye as the sun came out from behind the clouds, brightening the interior of the house and reflecting off a small, shiny object. Just like many ordinary crows and other corvids Ianto Crow was irresistibly attracted to anything shiny; folding his wings again, he stalked across the carpet and into the kitchen towards the tiny glint of gold, barely visible under the bottom edge of the cooker.

Crow beaks might look large and clunky but they’re actually surprisingly dextrous. Tilting his head to the side and leaning forwards, Ianto Crow poked the tip of his beak under the cooker and after a few moments’ careful manipulation succeeded in extracting his find. He half hopped, half walked back into the lounge where he spread his wings and soared up to Jack’s shoulder landing with extraordinary grace, and dropping the small object into his lover’s hand.

Jack looked at it then held it out to Rhiannon. “Earring; I think it’s probably yours.”

Rhi shook herself out of her stupor.

“How can you be so calm? My brother just turned into a crow!”

“It happens sometimes when he’s startled; don’t worry about it, he’ll change back in a minute.”

“Don’t worry? My brother’s a blinking great bird!”

“Only sometimes. You’ll get used to it.” Handing Rhi her earring, Jack took Ianto to the bathroom, leaving him there to change. He returned a few minutes later, back in human form.

“I’d supposed I should explain.”

“You’d better!” Rhi glared at her brother.

Ianto sighed; why did his life have to be so complicated?


The End