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tonjavmooreTitle: The Hot Tears of Wrath
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
tonjavmoore
Prompt: Torchwood Lucky 7: The Sin of Wrath
Characters/Pairings: Rhys and Jack (Gwen and Ianto mentioned)
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Definitely for series 1 episode Combat. Actually, if you haven't seen Combat, this won't make a lot of sense.
Word Count: 1226
Disclaimer: Torchwood belongs to the BBC and RTD. Sadly.
A/N: This one was a struggle and that's why it's late. If it doesn't make any sense, that's also why.
The Hot Tears of Wrath
The sickening crunch of a nose breaking under his fist made Rhys’ blood pump faster. He brought his fist under the man’s chin for an uppercut and felt satisfaction in the way the person’s head snapped back. Even the scent of blood from the broken nose gratified him. It made the voice less loud. Gwen’s voice:
“I’ve been sleeping… I’ve been having sex with someone else.”
Rhys jabbed forward with his knee and collided with soft flesh.
“…sex with someone else. From work.”
Rhys threw three quick punches two to the stomach and one to the kidney. “Torchwood!” he snarled. “Always fucking Torchwood!”
“From work. His name’s Owen.”
“Damn you!” Rhys shouted. “I thought it was Harkness! Captain Bloody Harkness that you wanted!” Fury ripped through him as he kicked and punched more.
“…Owen. I mean, he’s a bit of a tosser…”
“Then why!?! WHY!!” A well-placed kick sent his victim to the ground and Rhys followed. “Why did you do it?” he screamed.
“Because I’m ashamed. And I’m angry.”
“Angry!! You’re angry! Well, so am I!” He peppered blows to the shoulders, neck, and head – hard blows that made meaty noises.
“And I want ... I need you ... I need you to forgive me.”
“No! Not ever! Betrayals! Lies!” More blows, faster and harder. “That’s what it’s come down to, isn’t it, Gwen? All that we have between us. Lies? More lies? More stuff to make me forget?”
“And because I've drugged you… It's nothing. It's just an amnesia pill. Dash of sedative. You'll wake up tomorrow, and you'll forget everything.”
“You weren’t even being honest then, were you, Gwen? You thought I’d forget, so what was the harm in drugging your clueless boyfriend and then telling him you’d been a slut? Was that what it was?” He opened his hand and slapped the face hard enough to snap the neck. “Poor old Rhys, he’s so thick that the only way he’ll know is if I tell him and then to make sure he stays ignorant I’ll just muck with his brain a bit! He’ll never notice if he’s missing a few brain cells, will he?”
He put his hands around the throat and squeezed. Squeezed harder. Squeezed until he heard something break. “God, you selfish bitch!”
The body was limp, the lifeless face with its bluish tinge rolling in his hands. Rhys stared and rolled off onto the floor, drawing his knees up into the fetal position. At last, the hot tears of his wrath flowed, draining the excess emotion away. It hurt – it still hurt and probably would for a long time – but the terrible mind-numbing anger was gone.
He didn’t know how long he lay there, before there was a stirring beside him. A loud gasp and a flailing of limbs told him that Jack had awakened again. Jack had warned him to stay still afterward, until Jack could remember where he was and the circumstances under which he had died.
Finally Jack said, “Better?”
Rhys sat up and looked around. Jack’s overly-handsome face had returned to its correct configuration, all signs of bruising gone. His breathing was normal. “Some, yeah,” he said, in answer to Jack’s question.
Jack’s white teeth flashed in one of his quick smiles. “You don’t look like I hit you anywhere.”
“You didn’t.” Rhys shook his head. “I don’t know how you resisted, but you just took it.”
“Practice. I’ve used that trick before to get out of some situations. In this case, the only real danger is that Ianto will make me sleep on the sofa when I get home.”
“You’re going to tell him about this? Dying?”
“I won’t have to. He figures it out just by looking at me. I won’t tell him anything you don’t want him to know.” Jack sighed mournfully. “Even if I do have to sleep on the sofa.”
Rhys was unable to smile back yet, but some of his tension eased. “I can’t believe you let me do this. I killed you.”
With a shrug Jack said, “It’s part of the initiation ceremony now.”
“Don’t… I… I killed you with my bare hands.”
Jack’s gaze pinned Rhys where he was. “I let you do it, Rhys. My choice. When a memory that powerful breaks through the Retcon overlay, there can be a bad reaction. Yours was very bad. I’m glad you called me and not Gwen.”
He looked down. “I couldn’t… not when… it was this.”
“You did the right thing. You protected Gwen. You let me protect you. That’s how it works here.”
Rhys tried to absorb this. There were still questions in his mind that purging the rage had not answered. “Did you know about it?”
“Yeah. We all knew. Not before, but while it was going on – yeah, we knew.”
“How long?”
“I don’t think…”
“How long?”
“Three, maybe four weeks.” Jack shook his head. “I don’t know for sure when it started. I was… well… not very observant at the time. It was shortly after she joined us. And when it was over, it was over. Nothing lingered.”
“Well, that’s something, at any rate.” The floor was hard and Rhys knew he would have to go soon, but he had to ask. “Do you know why?”
Jack took a deep breath. “No,” he said. “None of us can really know the why of someone else. But, I do know enough to tell you this: it was never about hurting you. She didn’t want you hurt. That’s why she did what she did. And, before you ask, I didn’t know about that. After Ianto reported the missing pills, we guessed she might have given them to you. But that’s all it was. Just a guess. Until you called tonight.”
He stood up and brushed himself off. Rhys stood as well. “What should I do now? Should I tell Gwen I remember?”
“That I can’t answer. It’s up to you.” Jack slid his arms into his braces. “I’m not a model of success in the relationship department.”
Jack led Rhys out of the workout room up to the main area of the Hub. He grabbed his coat and went out into the car park to the SUV. Rhys had to get his car from the pub where he’d left it when the memory hit him. He looked at the clock in surprise. Only an hour had passed, instead of a lifetime.
They drove in silence, staring out at the black night. When they arrived at the pub, Rhys still had no idea what he was going to do. He opened the door, but couldn’t make himself get out. He was still sitting there when Jack spoke. “Look, I suck at giving advice about people which is why I don’t do it. Just think about this. “You’re angry and you’re hurt and you have every right to be. I’ve lived a long time and I’ve learned that hurt heals. Anger festers. Pick the best path for the way you want things to turn out.”
Rhys held out his hand and Jack shook it. “Thanks,” Rhys said. “I’ll do that.” He got out of the SUV, but he didn’t shut the door. “So,” he said, “buy you a pint?”
Those flashy white teeth didn’t bother Rhys at all this time. “Sure. Sounds good.”
Author:
tonjavmoore Prompt: Torchwood Lucky 7: The Sin of Wrath
Characters/Pairings: Rhys and Jack (Gwen and Ianto mentioned)
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Definitely for series 1 episode Combat. Actually, if you haven't seen Combat, this won't make a lot of sense.
Word Count: 1226
Disclaimer: Torchwood belongs to the BBC and RTD. Sadly.
A/N: This one was a struggle and that's why it's late. If it doesn't make any sense, that's also why.
The Hot Tears of Wrath
The sickening crunch of a nose breaking under his fist made Rhys’ blood pump faster. He brought his fist under the man’s chin for an uppercut and felt satisfaction in the way the person’s head snapped back. Even the scent of blood from the broken nose gratified him. It made the voice less loud. Gwen’s voice:
“I’ve been sleeping… I’ve been having sex with someone else.”
Rhys jabbed forward with his knee and collided with soft flesh.
“…sex with someone else. From work.”
Rhys threw three quick punches two to the stomach and one to the kidney. “Torchwood!” he snarled. “Always fucking Torchwood!”
“From work. His name’s Owen.”
“Damn you!” Rhys shouted. “I thought it was Harkness! Captain Bloody Harkness that you wanted!” Fury ripped through him as he kicked and punched more.
“…Owen. I mean, he’s a bit of a tosser…”
“Then why!?! WHY!!” A well-placed kick sent his victim to the ground and Rhys followed. “Why did you do it?” he screamed.
“Because I’m ashamed. And I’m angry.”
“Angry!! You’re angry! Well, so am I!” He peppered blows to the shoulders, neck, and head – hard blows that made meaty noises.
“And I want ... I need you ... I need you to forgive me.”
“No! Not ever! Betrayals! Lies!” More blows, faster and harder. “That’s what it’s come down to, isn’t it, Gwen? All that we have between us. Lies? More lies? More stuff to make me forget?”
“And because I've drugged you… It's nothing. It's just an amnesia pill. Dash of sedative. You'll wake up tomorrow, and you'll forget everything.”
“You weren’t even being honest then, were you, Gwen? You thought I’d forget, so what was the harm in drugging your clueless boyfriend and then telling him you’d been a slut? Was that what it was?” He opened his hand and slapped the face hard enough to snap the neck. “Poor old Rhys, he’s so thick that the only way he’ll know is if I tell him and then to make sure he stays ignorant I’ll just muck with his brain a bit! He’ll never notice if he’s missing a few brain cells, will he?”
He put his hands around the throat and squeezed. Squeezed harder. Squeezed until he heard something break. “God, you selfish bitch!”
The body was limp, the lifeless face with its bluish tinge rolling in his hands. Rhys stared and rolled off onto the floor, drawing his knees up into the fetal position. At last, the hot tears of his wrath flowed, draining the excess emotion away. It hurt – it still hurt and probably would for a long time – but the terrible mind-numbing anger was gone.
He didn’t know how long he lay there, before there was a stirring beside him. A loud gasp and a flailing of limbs told him that Jack had awakened again. Jack had warned him to stay still afterward, until Jack could remember where he was and the circumstances under which he had died.
Finally Jack said, “Better?”
Rhys sat up and looked around. Jack’s overly-handsome face had returned to its correct configuration, all signs of bruising gone. His breathing was normal. “Some, yeah,” he said, in answer to Jack’s question.
Jack’s white teeth flashed in one of his quick smiles. “You don’t look like I hit you anywhere.”
“You didn’t.” Rhys shook his head. “I don’t know how you resisted, but you just took it.”
“Practice. I’ve used that trick before to get out of some situations. In this case, the only real danger is that Ianto will make me sleep on the sofa when I get home.”
“You’re going to tell him about this? Dying?”
“I won’t have to. He figures it out just by looking at me. I won’t tell him anything you don’t want him to know.” Jack sighed mournfully. “Even if I do have to sleep on the sofa.”
Rhys was unable to smile back yet, but some of his tension eased. “I can’t believe you let me do this. I killed you.”
With a shrug Jack said, “It’s part of the initiation ceremony now.”
“Don’t… I… I killed you with my bare hands.”
Jack’s gaze pinned Rhys where he was. “I let you do it, Rhys. My choice. When a memory that powerful breaks through the Retcon overlay, there can be a bad reaction. Yours was very bad. I’m glad you called me and not Gwen.”
He looked down. “I couldn’t… not when… it was this.”
“You did the right thing. You protected Gwen. You let me protect you. That’s how it works here.”
Rhys tried to absorb this. There were still questions in his mind that purging the rage had not answered. “Did you know about it?”
“Yeah. We all knew. Not before, but while it was going on – yeah, we knew.”
“How long?”
“I don’t think…”
“How long?”
“Three, maybe four weeks.” Jack shook his head. “I don’t know for sure when it started. I was… well… not very observant at the time. It was shortly after she joined us. And when it was over, it was over. Nothing lingered.”
“Well, that’s something, at any rate.” The floor was hard and Rhys knew he would have to go soon, but he had to ask. “Do you know why?”
Jack took a deep breath. “No,” he said. “None of us can really know the why of someone else. But, I do know enough to tell you this: it was never about hurting you. She didn’t want you hurt. That’s why she did what she did. And, before you ask, I didn’t know about that. After Ianto reported the missing pills, we guessed she might have given them to you. But that’s all it was. Just a guess. Until you called tonight.”
He stood up and brushed himself off. Rhys stood as well. “What should I do now? Should I tell Gwen I remember?”
“That I can’t answer. It’s up to you.” Jack slid his arms into his braces. “I’m not a model of success in the relationship department.”
Jack led Rhys out of the workout room up to the main area of the Hub. He grabbed his coat and went out into the car park to the SUV. Rhys had to get his car from the pub where he’d left it when the memory hit him. He looked at the clock in surprise. Only an hour had passed, instead of a lifetime.
They drove in silence, staring out at the black night. When they arrived at the pub, Rhys still had no idea what he was going to do. He opened the door, but couldn’t make himself get out. He was still sitting there when Jack spoke. “Look, I suck at giving advice about people which is why I don’t do it. Just think about this. “You’re angry and you’re hurt and you have every right to be. I’ve lived a long time and I’ve learned that hurt heals. Anger festers. Pick the best path for the way you want things to turn out.”
Rhys held out his hand and Jack shook it. “Thanks,” Rhys said. “I’ll do that.” He got out of the SUV, but he didn’t shut the door. “So,” he said, “buy you a pint?”
Those flashy white teeth didn’t bother Rhys at all this time. “Sure. Sounds good.”
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-15 07:11 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-16 05:24 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-15 05:35 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-16 05:25 pm (UTC)Thanks for reading!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-15 06:09 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-16 05:27 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-15 11:32 pm (UTC)And - it goes so well with the one I wrote regarding that moment! :)
(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-16 05:29 pm (UTC)Thanks!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-15 11:42 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-16 05:30 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-16 04:00 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-16 05:31 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-16 10:27 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-16 05:32 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-17 01:30 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-21 07:13 pm (UTC)Thanks for reading!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-21 02:05 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-21 07:15 pm (UTC)These challenges are exercising my creative muscles. I don't normally go dark -- even just a little. Glad you enjoyed.