Title: Up for adoption
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Jack, Ianto
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 1,351 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for Challenge 478 - Dragon
Summary: Jack is determined to convince Ianto they could adopt the latest guest from the rift.


Jack ducked as a wave of dragon fire nearly took his head off. ‘Phew! That was close!’

Ianto tugged him back down behind the parked car that was currently between them and the huge scaly creature that had dropped through the rift. ‘Too close,’ Ianto told him. ‘Get back down here before you end up crispy.’

They huddled there moment listening as large taloned claws scratched at the pavement under them as the creature moved about, inspecting its new location. At least nothing was currently on fire. It was lucky in some ways that the rift had dumped it right on top of the plass, which was mostly concrete and steel, and also conveniently close for Torchwood agents to respond, though their response was somewhat muted. One look at the scene via the local CCTV feeds and told them that even their biggest tranquiliser gun was never going to pierce the thick scaly skin. It was likely just to piss it off. Nevertheless, they'd come out armed as best they could to try and do something before the entire city erupted in a panic. Jack wondered what devilishly clever lies Ianto was going to employ to try and cover this up, before accepting that they were inevitably going to have to run retcon through the city's drinking water supplies. Again.

‘Where do you suppose it came from?’ Jack asked, completely removed from the danger as he pondered the possibilities. Dragons supposedly didn't exist and yet here one was. Either they were alien or it had been a very good job on the part of the dragons to conceal themselves so well for so long.

‘Not quite as important as where it goes now,’ Ianto said, redirecting Jack to the immediate and more practical considerations.

It didn't have wings, Jack noted, popping his head back up over the roof of the Mini Cooper to take another confirmatory look. That was disappointing. He'd always imagined dragons having wings. This was more like the one on the national flag, albeit jet black, far more scary looking and quite bad tempered, it should be said. It wasn't ready to make friends yet, and had taken particular umbrage with Jack and Ianto for being the only two people not to run in fear of their lives.

‘We could keep it,’ Jack suggested.

‘Oh, no,’ Ianto said, his tone clear and unequivocal. ‘We are so not keeping that.’

‘Why not? I didn't hear you arguing we shouldn't keep a pterodactyl as a pet.’

Ianto gave a pained sigh as the ground under their feet rumbled slightly as the dragon prowled close to their hiding spot. ‘And which zoo was going to adopt it if we didn't?’ he hissed in a loud whisper. ‘You're the one who said we couldn't send it back.’

‘Well, maybe we won't be able to send this one back either.’ It would be pretty cool to have a dragon that was more substantial than a bit of graffiti on their walls. What could be more Welsh? We're Torchwood Cardiff and we've got a dragon!

A burst of flame issued from the large black snout, setting one side of the parked car alight and only just missed sneaking under the chassis and burning their feet as they sheltered behind it. Ianto's eyes narrowed, frown deepening. ‘Try!’

Jack huffed, as he grabbed Ianto by the hand and tugged him away from the now burning wreck before the dragon noticed they'd scarpered. ‘I thought you'd be thrilled. Isn't it every Welshman's dream to see a real dragon?’

Ianto took charge of directions, pulling Jack around the side of the Millennium Centre and towards Bute Street. ‘Most dreams end up being disappointing in real life.’

‘Oh, well aren't you just a bundle of sunshine today.’

Heavy footfalls boomed behind them and a long barbed tail cast shadows in front of them as they ducked around another corner. ‘I might be if we weren't the favourite barbecue snack of a giant fire breathing monster!’

‘Don't forget Myf was a little bit tetchy when we first got her.’

‘Suzie trained her, remember? And I don't remember her finding it a pleasant experience.’ They'd almost completed an entire lap of the building. Jack assumed they were circling back towards the water tower where they might sneak back into the hub for a temporary reprieve and a revisit of their strategy. He doubted they'd have time for coffee.

‘But we did train her,’ Jack said, persisting with his argument. ‘I'm sure we could train a dragon.’

‘I love your glass half full take on life but be real. That thing is not going to be house trained.’

They rounded another corner, the reflection pool coming into view. At worst Jack supposed they might use the water to put out any dragon fire. A dragon that couldn't breathe fire for a while might come to its senses and realise that they weren't the bad guys here. ‘We never thought Myf could be a guard dog either.’

A slashing tail caught the northern side of Bute Street, sending a chunk of façade crumbling to the road behind it as it growled and made loud sniffing sounds, still searching for the two morsels that had run away, but not fast enough.

‘Oh, yes, and she's done a marvellous job of that hasn't she? She doesn't even stop the rats from getting in, let alone stop Owen getting in every day. Besides, we don't have room for a dragon.’

Jack made a "guh" sound. ‘Now you're splitting hairs.’ The hub was huge. He was sure they could find a space for it if they tried. Maybe knock out a few walls, assuming they weren’t keeping the hub from collapsing in on itself. Or maybe some nice isolated tract of Welsh countryside where it would enjoy the fresh air. It just needed some out of the box thinking applied.

‘Me? Splitting, hairs? Look at it, Jack! It's hell bent on killing us and setting fire to most of Mermaid Quay.’

‘I'm sure dragons are just deeply misunderstood creatures.’

‘Thank you, Freud.’ Ianto squeezed his hand tighter now. One last sprint towards the water tower where they'd have no cover. It wasn't that far. They could make it.

They almost made it as a column of flame shot out, forcing them to round the tower, now on the opposite side to the invisible flagstone where safety lay. ‘Really don't think it wants to be friends,’ Ianto commented.

They stood there in silence, hoping that their quarry might lose interest if it thought they were gone. Then there was movement in the silvery mirrored panels.

Jack froze, seeing the huge head turn slowly on its long sinuous neck, snaking around the water tower. It was close enough for Jack to see his own reflection in its glassy black eyes, fangs jutting from the side of its jaws longer than his forearm. It reared back only slightly and Jack knew what would come next. There was nowhere to run now, the hub just inches under their feet and yet as far and unattainable as it could be.

He grabbed Ianto and curled his body around him, trying to shield him as the pillar of flame reigned down on them.



Jack gasped, flailing up and breathing hard. His body was covered in sweat, skin prickling with heat, as if it were still on fire.

It was dark, leaving him confused. It had been the middle of the day, hadn't it? He blinked a few times as he panted in deep breaths trying to get air back into his lungs. Where was he? Not Mermaid Quay. In fact, it looked an awful lot like his bunker, deep in the middle of the night, sitting up in the middle of his bed. Only a dream realised. Thank goodness for that.

‘Jack?’ Ianto mumbled, stirring in his sleep. ‘What're you doing?’

‘Nothing,’ he muttered, lowering himself back down onto the bed. ‘Nothing,’ he repeated, curling over and wrapping arms around his sleepy companion. Dragons for pets, he thought. Stupid idea. Bloody stupid idea.