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fandomweekly2025-10-02 04:26 pm
badly_knitted) wrote in fandomweekly2025-10-02 04:26 pm
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[#276] Under The Moonlight (Torchwood)
Theme Prompt: #276 – Moonlit Kisses
Title: Under The Moonlight
Fandom: Torchwood
Rating/Warnings: PG.
Bonus: Yes
Word Count: 1000
Summary: It’s a beautiful full moon night, perfect for a stroll through a park…
There could be few things more romantic than strolling through a park on a warm night beneath a full moon, breathing in the heady scent of night-blooming flowers. That there were places like this even in the middle of a bustling city like Cardiff was… not exactly a revelation, since Ianto knew just about every inch of the city, but it might have surprised a lot of the residents.
The larger parks were well known, both to residents and tourists, and people flocked to them in good weather, but smaller parks, like Rumney Hill Gardens, often went unnoticed and unremarked by visitors.
“We should come here more often,” Jack said, reaching for Ianto’s hand and twining their fingers together.
Since it was past midnight, and there was no one about to see them, Ianto didn’t protest, just gave his lover’s hand a light squeeze. “Might be nice to see what it looks like in the daylight, but I think this would be hard to beat.”
“There’s something about a full moon night,” Jack agreed. “Even with only one moon. You should see nighttime on Vallesia though. Three moons, and when they’re all at full, which only happens twice a year, it’s breathtaking. Like this, only better, everywhere silver and black. Maybe someday I’ll take you there, but for now, this will have to do.”
“I’d love to see it, but this suits me. It’s not often we get to snatch a few minutes just for ourselves, especially somewhere this beautiful. Usually, we’re in some dirty alleyway, or out at an industrial estate.”
“Or in the middle of Splott.”
“That too. Nothing very picturesque about Splott.”
Jack chuckled. “It even sounds like something that’s been accidentally dripped onto the map.”
“Oh, and I suppose alien place names aren’t equally weird.” Ianto grinned at his lover.
“I never said that. I’ve been to Flobble, and Iznizzwizz, and Urp. There’s even a township on Rybadoon called Kokless. I’ve never been there, but I’ve heard it’s a centre of cultural significance, and a seat of higher learning. There’s a very prestigious academy there. People travel from all over to be Kokless students.”
“Now you’re pulling my leg.”
“No, seriously. Real place, real academy.”
Ianto shook his head. “Makes Splott seem tame in comparison.”
“There’s nothing tame about Splott.”
“Good point.”
They paused by a flowerbed where the evening primroses were in full bloom, moths fluttering around them, flitting from flower to flower, sipping their nectar. The moon hung overhead like a big, silver coin, and Jack tilted his head back, looking up at it.
“The man in the moon’s smiling tonight. He approves.”
“Of what?” Ianto arched one eyebrow, amusement clear on his face.
“Of this.” Jack reeled Ianto in for a kiss, and inevitably, one kiss led to another, then another…
Ianto broke the kiss abruptly, pulling back, frowning. “Did you hear something?”
“No, but I wasn’t really listening. Why, what did you hear?”
“I don’t know, just… something, a sound.”
“What sort of sound?”
“I’m not sure.”
“It was probably just the breeze in the trees.” Jack pulled Ianto back into his arms, intent on continuing the make-out session, and possibly even talking his lover into some alfresco fun, but Ianto turned his head away at the last second, resulting in an unexpected nose in ear moment.
“There’s no breeze, and I definitely heard something that time,” he insisted.
Jack gave a resigned sigh. “So did I, a sort of growling, clicking sound. So much for our romantic moonlit stroll.”
“Mm. For a while there, I forgot why we came out here.” Because romantic moonlit strolls were seldom if ever on the agenda when you worked for Torchwood.
“But look on the bright side,” Jack said, beaming at his lover. “At least the Rift had the decency to drop its latest delivery somewhere nice for a change.”
“Yes, but Tosh’s Rift monitor programme didn’t say it was something alive.”
“Maybe whatever growled isn’t what we’re looking for, just a hedgehog or something.”
“Hedgehogs don’t growl. Or click.”
“Then it was something else. Stray dog, perhaps. Just because there’s something out here doesn’t mean it’s anything to do with us.””
Ianto, peering past Jack’s left shoulder, frowned. “Well, I highly doubt THAT is native to Cardiff.”
“What?” Jack started to turn around, but Ianto stopped him.
“Move very slowly. You don’t want to give it any reason to attack.”
“What is it?” Jack started to slowly turn around.
“If I knew that…” Ianto trailed off with an exasperated sigh. “Size of a large dog, lots of teeth, crest of dark fur running all the way down its back, six legs, yellow eyes… Did I mention the teeth? That’s where the clicking sound’s coming from. It doesn’t look friendly.” He slid his gun from its holster beneath his jacket.
“Appearances can be deceptive,” Jack reminded him.
“I know, but I think this is more a case of what you see is what you get, and what I’d like is to avoid IT getting US.”
“I’ll take your word for it.” Webley in hand, Jack inched his way around until he was facing the creature, keeping between it and Ianto. It growled, clicked its teeth together, and drooled as it took a slow step towards them.
“I know we only kill as a last resort,” Ianto said, watching the creature over Jack’s shoulder, “but I don’t think this is a good time to take chances. It looks hungry.”
“So am I, now you mention it.” Jack slowly raised his gun. “We passed a chip shop on our way here, didn’t we?”
“I hope you’re not suggesting we take our guest out to dinner.”
“No, just that we should pick something up on our way back to the Hub.” As the alien launched itself at them, powerful jaws agape, Jack fired; a single shot, and it was dead. “Talk about mood killers.”
“Story of our life, isn’t it.” Ianto sighed. “Never any time for ourselves.”
The End
The larger parks were well known, both to residents and tourists, and people flocked to them in good weather, but smaller parks, like Rumney Hill Gardens, often went unnoticed and unremarked by visitors.
“We should come here more often,” Jack said, reaching for Ianto’s hand and twining their fingers together.
Since it was past midnight, and there was no one about to see them, Ianto didn’t protest, just gave his lover’s hand a light squeeze. “Might be nice to see what it looks like in the daylight, but I think this would be hard to beat.”
“There’s something about a full moon night,” Jack agreed. “Even with only one moon. You should see nighttime on Vallesia though. Three moons, and when they’re all at full, which only happens twice a year, it’s breathtaking. Like this, only better, everywhere silver and black. Maybe someday I’ll take you there, but for now, this will have to do.”
“I’d love to see it, but this suits me. It’s not often we get to snatch a few minutes just for ourselves, especially somewhere this beautiful. Usually, we’re in some dirty alleyway, or out at an industrial estate.”
“Or in the middle of Splott.”
“That too. Nothing very picturesque about Splott.”
Jack chuckled. “It even sounds like something that’s been accidentally dripped onto the map.”
“Oh, and I suppose alien place names aren’t equally weird.” Ianto grinned at his lover.
“I never said that. I’ve been to Flobble, and Iznizzwizz, and Urp. There’s even a township on Rybadoon called Kokless. I’ve never been there, but I’ve heard it’s a centre of cultural significance, and a seat of higher learning. There’s a very prestigious academy there. People travel from all over to be Kokless students.”
“Now you’re pulling my leg.”
“No, seriously. Real place, real academy.”
Ianto shook his head. “Makes Splott seem tame in comparison.”
“There’s nothing tame about Splott.”
“Good point.”
They paused by a flowerbed where the evening primroses were in full bloom, moths fluttering around them, flitting from flower to flower, sipping their nectar. The moon hung overhead like a big, silver coin, and Jack tilted his head back, looking up at it.
“The man in the moon’s smiling tonight. He approves.”
“Of what?” Ianto arched one eyebrow, amusement clear on his face.
“Of this.” Jack reeled Ianto in for a kiss, and inevitably, one kiss led to another, then another…
Ianto broke the kiss abruptly, pulling back, frowning. “Did you hear something?”
“No, but I wasn’t really listening. Why, what did you hear?”
“I don’t know, just… something, a sound.”
“What sort of sound?”
“I’m not sure.”
“It was probably just the breeze in the trees.” Jack pulled Ianto back into his arms, intent on continuing the make-out session, and possibly even talking his lover into some alfresco fun, but Ianto turned his head away at the last second, resulting in an unexpected nose in ear moment.
“There’s no breeze, and I definitely heard something that time,” he insisted.
Jack gave a resigned sigh. “So did I, a sort of growling, clicking sound. So much for our romantic moonlit stroll.”
“Mm. For a while there, I forgot why we came out here.” Because romantic moonlit strolls were seldom if ever on the agenda when you worked for Torchwood.
“But look on the bright side,” Jack said, beaming at his lover. “At least the Rift had the decency to drop its latest delivery somewhere nice for a change.”
“Yes, but Tosh’s Rift monitor programme didn’t say it was something alive.”
“Maybe whatever growled isn’t what we’re looking for, just a hedgehog or something.”
“Hedgehogs don’t growl. Or click.”
“Then it was something else. Stray dog, perhaps. Just because there’s something out here doesn’t mean it’s anything to do with us.””
Ianto, peering past Jack’s left shoulder, frowned. “Well, I highly doubt THAT is native to Cardiff.”
“What?” Jack started to turn around, but Ianto stopped him.
“Move very slowly. You don’t want to give it any reason to attack.”
“What is it?” Jack started to slowly turn around.
“If I knew that…” Ianto trailed off with an exasperated sigh. “Size of a large dog, lots of teeth, crest of dark fur running all the way down its back, six legs, yellow eyes… Did I mention the teeth? That’s where the clicking sound’s coming from. It doesn’t look friendly.” He slid his gun from its holster beneath his jacket.
“Appearances can be deceptive,” Jack reminded him.
“I know, but I think this is more a case of what you see is what you get, and what I’d like is to avoid IT getting US.”
“I’ll take your word for it.” Webley in hand, Jack inched his way around until he was facing the creature, keeping between it and Ianto. It growled, clicked its teeth together, and drooled as it took a slow step towards them.
“I know we only kill as a last resort,” Ianto said, watching the creature over Jack’s shoulder, “but I don’t think this is a good time to take chances. It looks hungry.”
“So am I, now you mention it.” Jack slowly raised his gun. “We passed a chip shop on our way here, didn’t we?”
“I hope you’re not suggesting we take our guest out to dinner.”
“No, just that we should pick something up on our way back to the Hub.” As the alien launched itself at them, powerful jaws agape, Jack fired; a single shot, and it was dead. “Talk about mood killers.”
“Story of our life, isn’t it.” Ianto sighed. “Never any time for ourselves.”
The End