Ficlet: Belief
Apr. 6th, 2026 05:44 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
badly_knittedTitle: Belief
Author:
badly_knittedCharacters: Ianto, Lisa.
Rating: PG
Word Count: 719
Spoilers: Set pre-series.
Summary: Ianto and Lisa have a late-night conversation.
Written For:
mxcatmoon’s prompt ‘Any, any, did you ever just think, what's the point of it all?’, at ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
threesentenceficathon.Disclaimer: I don’t own Torchwood, or the characters.
Ever since he’d met this amazing woman and fallen head over heels in love with her, Ianto had been happier than he would have believed possible. He still couldn’t understand what it was she saw in him; he was just an ordinary guy from a council estate in Newport, but it didn’t matter, because she saw something that made him worth her time. Enough that he was the man she wanted to be with, the one she loved, and as long as that was the case, the reasons seemed insignificant. Besides, maybe the magic would go out of their relationship if he knew, so it seemed wiser to just accept that she’d chosen him over everyone else and just be happy for that. And he was beyond happy!
Lisa had a way of making the most ordinary aspects of life seem wonderful and exciting. She even made routine chores more fun. He could be happy doing absolutely nothing as long as she was with him, could make small talk without worrying over everything he said… He’d never been much of a talker, but Lisa made it easy to have conversations about everything and nothing. Like now. With previous partners he’d always found himself a bit lost for words after the intimacy of lovemaking, but not anymore.
“Did you ever just think, what’s the point of it all?” Lisa asked, lying comfortably in Ianto’s arms and her own bed, in her own flat, because hers was a lot nicer, not to mention quieter, than Ianto’s room in the house he shared with three other Torchwood One employees.
“The point of all what, exactly,” Ianto asked lazily, feeling relaxed and content, but vaguely wishing he hadn’t quit smoking. Except that if he hadn’t, he wouldn’t be here, now, in Lisa’s bed.
She’d told him right off when he’d first asked her out that she didn’t date smokers, so he’d shrugged and told her he’d quit, and when she’d asked “When?” he’d grinned and said, “Just now.” It made him smile to remember how uncharacteristically forward he’d been that day. He hadn’t known he’d had it in him; Lisa was so classy, nothing like his other girlfriends had been. He hadn’t believed he had any chance with her, so maybe that was why he’d been so bold; he’d had nothing to lose. And then she’d laughed, and told him in that case, he could take her to dinner on Friday night.
His attention was dragged back to the present as Lisa spoke again.
“Torchwood, arming the British Empire for the future and all that. I mean, the British Empire doesn’t even exist anymore, most of the colonies have already been handed back to the countries they should belong to, haven’t they?”
“Mm,” Ianto replied noncommittally. “Hartman has plans to resurrect it though. Daft, ‘cause I can’t see it happening, but still…” He trailed off, kissing the top of Lisa’s head, enjoying the warmth of her naked body pressed against his. “At least the pay’s good and the hours are reasonable. We don’t have to agree with the ambitions of the top brass to do our jobs. Or would you rather be working in a shop somewhere, or waiting tables?”
“Ianto!” Lisa slapped him lightly. “I can’t believe you said that! As if I’d be doing anything so menial! If I didn’t work for Torchwood, I’d be some rich businessman’s personal assistant, helping him run his multi-national business.”
“Right, of course, what was I thinking? I stand corrected,” Ianto said, with appropriate solemnity, smiling at his girlfriend.
“Anyway, you didn’t answer my question. Did you ever just think, what’s the point of it all?”
“No.” Ianto shook his head. “I never think that, because if Torchwood didn’t exist, if I hadn’t got a job there, I never would’ve met you. It’s destiny, it has to be. The whole point was to bring us together.”
“Mm.” Lisa snuggled closer. “That’s so romantic. I think you must be right.”
“Of course I am. I know everything.”
“And you’re so modest too!”
Ianto laughed. “If you say so! I’ll be whatever you want me to be, Lise, just as long as it makes you happy.” Anything seemed possible as long as Lisa was his. The future was so full of promise, what could possibly go wrong?
The End
Lisa had a way of making the most ordinary aspects of life seem wonderful and exciting. She even made routine chores more fun. He could be happy doing absolutely nothing as long as she was with him, could make small talk without worrying over everything he said… He’d never been much of a talker, but Lisa made it easy to have conversations about everything and nothing. Like now. With previous partners he’d always found himself a bit lost for words after the intimacy of lovemaking, but not anymore.
“Did you ever just think, what’s the point of it all?” Lisa asked, lying comfortably in Ianto’s arms and her own bed, in her own flat, because hers was a lot nicer, not to mention quieter, than Ianto’s room in the house he shared with three other Torchwood One employees.
“The point of all what, exactly,” Ianto asked lazily, feeling relaxed and content, but vaguely wishing he hadn’t quit smoking. Except that if he hadn’t, he wouldn’t be here, now, in Lisa’s bed.
She’d told him right off when he’d first asked her out that she didn’t date smokers, so he’d shrugged and told her he’d quit, and when she’d asked “When?” he’d grinned and said, “Just now.” It made him smile to remember how uncharacteristically forward he’d been that day. He hadn’t known he’d had it in him; Lisa was so classy, nothing like his other girlfriends had been. He hadn’t believed he had any chance with her, so maybe that was why he’d been so bold; he’d had nothing to lose. And then she’d laughed, and told him in that case, he could take her to dinner on Friday night.
His attention was dragged back to the present as Lisa spoke again.
“Torchwood, arming the British Empire for the future and all that. I mean, the British Empire doesn’t even exist anymore, most of the colonies have already been handed back to the countries they should belong to, haven’t they?”
“Mm,” Ianto replied noncommittally. “Hartman has plans to resurrect it though. Daft, ‘cause I can’t see it happening, but still…” He trailed off, kissing the top of Lisa’s head, enjoying the warmth of her naked body pressed against his. “At least the pay’s good and the hours are reasonable. We don’t have to agree with the ambitions of the top brass to do our jobs. Or would you rather be working in a shop somewhere, or waiting tables?”
“Ianto!” Lisa slapped him lightly. “I can’t believe you said that! As if I’d be doing anything so menial! If I didn’t work for Torchwood, I’d be some rich businessman’s personal assistant, helping him run his multi-national business.”
“Right, of course, what was I thinking? I stand corrected,” Ianto said, with appropriate solemnity, smiling at his girlfriend.
“Anyway, you didn’t answer my question. Did you ever just think, what’s the point of it all?”
“No.” Ianto shook his head. “I never think that, because if Torchwood didn’t exist, if I hadn’t got a job there, I never would’ve met you. It’s destiny, it has to be. The whole point was to bring us together.”
“Mm.” Lisa snuggled closer. “That’s so romantic. I think you must be right.”
“Of course I am. I know everything.”
“And you’re so modest too!”
Ianto laughed. “If you say so! I’ll be whatever you want me to be, Lise, just as long as it makes you happy.” Anything seemed possible as long as Lisa was his. The future was so full of promise, what could possibly go wrong?
The End
(no subject)
Date: 2026-04-06 07:25 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2026-04-06 09:45 pm (UTC)Thank you.