...so, there's a program on my wrist device that uses trace imprints from universal constants to determine whether two peoples' universes of origin match. So far, no one I've met has come through from mine.
One of them doesn't seem to understand that our histories are different – or possibly just that I have history here – and one of them understands a little too well and is treating the subject with his trademark tact and consideration.
I figure that strangling them both myself would at least cut out the unpleasant period of waiting for them to strangle each other.
You mean the whole, Ianto is in love with you, or the you from his world, and Owen is always a prat and they can't stand each other? I'm curious, were they any different in your world?
...I should probably tell you strangling is a bad idea, huh?
{{OOC: Fffft Phoebe can probably feel the brief keyboardmash in Jack's head when he gets that message. He likes to pretend that if he doesn't acknowledge himself falling in love with people/anyone falling in love with him, love will unwrite itself, and he'll be exempt from having to deal with its ramifications.}}
Not that much different, no.
Of course, in my world, we all had the same timeline to look back on, and I hadn't gone insane and tortured anyone involved.
{{OOC: ...GO GO GADGET AWKWARD CONVERSATION JACK DOESN'T WANT TO HAVE.}}
{{OOC: There's a noticeable lag before Jack responds to this, punctuated by an almost-pointed rounding up and burial of anything Jack might be feeling enough to transmit over the guardian-ward bond. And then he spends, like, twenty minutes wondering if maybe he'd be able to pretend the entire conversation didn't happen if he just doesn't write a response.}}
Anyway, I'm kinda worried that they're going to manage to kill each other sooner or later, here.
{{OOC: Phoebe will do some emotional keyboard smashing of her own. SHE IS NOT USED TO FEELING THE GUARDIAN-WARD BOND. IT FREAKS HER OUT WHEN SHE DOES.}}
NOW YOU LISTEN HERE, JACK HARKNESS. YOU DON'T INTIMIDATE ME WITH YOUR BIG WORDS OR YOUR TOTAL LACK OF ATTENTION AND YOUR WEIRD WAYS OF HANDLING EMOTIONS OR YOUR FANTABULOUSLY EMO TRENCHCOAT.
But ignoring feelings doesn't make them go away, and pretending they don't exist doesn't mean they're not real, and that's why you bottle so much up inside YOU START TO AVOID HUMANITY AND FORGET WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE A PART OF IT.
You're not the only one that's lost-- Leave the coat alone. Gotcha.
Not slip right back. Nothing's that easy. But I don't think it would hurt. And maybe actually talking about the big pink elephant in the room makes the big pink elephant in the room go away without anybody having to be strangled.
How do they teach you, in angelic communities, to go on knowing that most of the world has no idea what you are, probably wouldn't believe you if they knew, and probably wouldn't understand even if they believed? Have you actually worked out how to go through generation on generation of humans getting old and dying while you watch them, having to introduce and explain yourself to a new crop of them every few years, and never starting to wonder what the point of it is? Or do angel communities just close off, after a while, look at interacting with supernaturals as quaint and the mundane as pointless? Because it seems like from what I hear, the only angels who don't have a cultivated tradition of aloofness are the guardian angels, and no one expects you to live that long.
I can't speak for anybody else but I go on because even if they wouldn't believe or understand what I am, humans are beautiful. Even at their most terrible, that's still humanity. I don't remember what it's like to be all human. You'd think I would. Wasn't that long ago I changed but I don't remember, so I can't imagine what it's like for you after living so long and what you've been through but I want you to remember. Even with the bad stuff, there's also good stuff and I want that for you.
No, I don't think it's been worked out. Some Firsts lose their compassion and don't remember what it's like to have a nature that's close to human. They prefer it that way. It serves them well as leaders, or so they think. But look at Romana.
I don't know how long I'll live. I'd say that's up to you but that's not fair. No one's taught me to be a certain way. What I've lived and what I've lost or done doesn't force me to be that way. I'm just like this even if I'd rather be different sometimes. I'd rather not care as much. I'd rather just accept some things are the way they are and people don't want to be protected by me or anyone. I'd rather not butt in since it's not what you want but I can't shut it off. Most of the time I don't want to because even if I'm wrong, it can't hurt to have someone trying.
I still remember what it was like. And every few months or years I get another reminder that things aren't like that, any more.
The angelic aloofness isn't all arrogance. Sure, looking at someone like Romana, you might think
Some of it's necessary. Otherwise, you're
There's good stuff, yeah. But you can't weigh everything on it because it's too transient. When everything is transient except you, if you can't live without those things at the end of the day, you can't live.
Sometimes avoidance just means refusal to engage. Not denial, not fear, just... survival.
How does one delicately explain to someone who's set one up as a primary authority that certain other members of one's team have perfectly legitimate reasons to detest one and that even if said member of one's team is baiting this particular someone, said someone should perhaps not be overeager to leap to one's defense?
It would have nothing to do with Owen, would it? I believe he is the member of your team that is most vocal about whatever issues he has with you.
And I talked to Ianto at the camping trip so I'm going to throw out a wild guess that he is the other one involved.
Am I close?
Unfortunately, I am not certain that you can explain it delicately. No matter how many times you try. I know you are talented at many things, but that would be doing the impossible.
I was afraid of that. Well, I suppose my only other options are to let them kill each other or strangle them both. Jury's still out on which of those is going to be most pleasant in the long run.
Yes. Yes, it is that obvious and I'm just that good.
Letting them kill each other seems like the less exhausting option.
Jack, there has to be something else. Have you considered talking to Ianto? Perhaps not about everything that's so difficult to put delicately but asking him for the sake of the team to back off. It wouldn't hurt for Owen to back off as well, but I have a feeling your telling him that would only make it worse.
Yes, it is Torchwood. You lot do have the most interesting sorts of problems to sort, and I am not referring to the cases that you used to handle back in Cardiff.
While you're figuring out how to handle it, there is alcohol and me.
I'm not afraid of Owen. The only time I have interacted with him, he was thanking me for something. I do think I would have a better time of it than you would. As for his stalker, I have already had one run in with her that made me want to wring her neck. It isn't as though I would be lecturing him. It would simply be a talk.
Good. Because if you did, I would have to force you to enjoy both.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2010-10-19 03:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-10-19 02:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-10-21 02:18 am (UTC)Um, how does that fit into you wanting to strangle the team?
no subject
Date: 2010-10-21 02:55 pm (UTC)I figure that strangling them both myself would at least cut out the unpleasant period of waiting for them to strangle each other.
no subject
Date: 2010-10-21 09:26 pm (UTC)...I should probably tell you strangling is a bad idea, huh?
no subject
Date: 2010-10-21 09:31 pm (UTC)Not that much different, no.
Of course, in my world, we all had the same timeline to look back on, and I hadn't gone insane and tortured anyone involved.
no subject
Date: 2010-10-21 09:45 pm (UTC)Whoa, there. I didn't mean to send a bowling ball to your stomach.
...Are the feelings like, not one-sided?
no subject
Date: 2010-10-21 09:49 pm (UTC){{OOC: ...GO GO GADGET AWKWARD CONVERSATION JACK DOESN'T WANT TO HAVE.}}
{{OOC: There's a noticeable lag before Jack responds to this, punctuated by an almost-pointed rounding up and burial of anything Jack might be feeling enough to transmit over the guardian-ward bond. And then he spends, like, twenty minutes wondering if maybe he'd be able to pretend the entire conversation didn't happen if he just doesn't write a response.}}
Anyway, I'm kinda worried that they're going to manage to kill each other sooner or later, here.
no subject
Date: 2010-10-21 09:59 pm (UTC)JACK.
no subject
Date: 2010-10-21 10:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-10-21 10:51 pm (UTC)You'll have better luck with Ianto.
no subject
Date: 2010-10-21 11:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-10-22 12:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-10-22 12:49 am (UTC)Anyway, Mac was pretty sure that if you beat on your ward enough, you lost your wings.
no subject
Date: 2010-10-22 12:50 am (UTC)How much is enough?
no subject
Date: 2010-10-22 12:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-10-22 01:00 am (UTC)But ignoring feelings doesn't make them go away, and pretending they don't exist doesn't mean they're not real, and that's why you bottle so much up inside YOU START TO AVOID HUMANITY AND FORGET WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE A PART OF IT.
Capische?
no subject
Date: 2010-10-22 01:36 am (UTC)You think I'd slip right back into the flow of humanity if I just learned to open up a little?
no subject
Date: 2010-10-22 01:58 am (UTC)You're not the only one that's lost--Leave the coat alone. Gotcha.Not slip right back. Nothing's that easy. But I don't think it would hurt. And maybe actually talking about the big pink elephant in the room makes the big pink elephant in the room go away without anybody having to be strangled.
no subject
Date: 2010-10-22 05:24 am (UTC)How do they teach you, in angelic communities, to go on knowing that most of the world has no idea what you are, probably wouldn't believe you if they knew, and probably wouldn't understand even if they believed? Have you actually worked out how to go through generation on generation of humans getting old and dying while you watch them, having to introduce and explain yourself to a new crop of them every few years, and never starting to wonder what the point of it is? Or do angel communities just close off, after a while, look at interacting with supernaturals as quaint and the mundane as pointless? Because it seems like from what I hear, the only angels who don't have a cultivated tradition of aloofness are the guardian angels, and no one expects you to live that long.
no subject
Date: 2010-10-22 03:18 pm (UTC)No, I don't think it's been worked out. Some Firsts lose their compassion and don't remember what it's like to have a nature that's close to human. They prefer it that way. It serves them well as leaders, or so they think. But look at Romana.
I don't know how long I'll live. I'd say that's up to you but that's not fair. No one's taught me to be a certain way. What I've lived and what I've lost or done doesn't force me to be that way. I'm just like this even if I'd rather be different sometimes. I'd rather not care as much. I'd rather just accept some things are the way they are and people don't want to be protected by me or anyone. I'd rather not butt in since it's not what you want but I can't shut it off. Most of the time I don't want to because even if I'm wrong, it can't hurt to have someone trying.
no subject
Date: 2010-10-22 03:43 pm (UTC)I still remember what it was like. And every few months or years I get another reminder that things aren't like that, any more.
The angelic aloofness isn't all arrogance.
Sure, looking at someone like Romana, you might thinkSome of it's necessary.
Otherwise, you'reThere's good stuff, yeah. But you can't weigh everything on it because it's too transient. When everything is transient except you, if you can't live without those things at the end of the day, you can't live.
Sometimes avoidance just means refusal to engage. Not denial, not fear, just... survival.
no subject
Date: 2010-10-23 05:07 am (UTC)But shouldn't life be about more than survival?
no subject
Date: 2010-10-23 03:49 pm (UTC){{OOC: There's about a two minute lag before the next word shows up.}}
torture, I suppose.
no subject
Date: 2010-10-23 04:59 pm (UTC){{OOC: ;~;}}
Can we find a comfy middle? We do have time.
no subject
Date: 2010-10-23 06:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-10-20 02:40 am (UTC)I suppose you could strangle them a little bit.
I am not helping, am I?
How can I help, Jack?
Drinks? Talk? Words of wisdom? Providing dummies to act out your desire for strangulation? Yes/No?
[locked]
In all seriousness, is everything alright?
no subject
Date: 2010-10-21 03:05 pm (UTC)[Locked]
How does one delicately explain to someone who's set one up as a primary authority that certain other members of one's team have perfectly legitimate reasons to detest one and that even if said member of one's team is baiting this particular someone, said someone should perhaps not be overeager to leap to one's defense?
You know. Hypothetically.
no subject
Date: 2010-10-23 05:53 pm (UTC)[locked]
Mmhmm. Hypothetically.
It would have nothing to do with Owen, would it? I believe he is the member of your team that is most vocal about whatever issues he has with you.
And I talked to Ianto at the camping trip so I'm going to throw out a wild guess that he is the other one involved.
Am I close?
Unfortunately, I am not certain that you can explain it delicately. No matter how many times you try. I know you are talented at many things, but that would be doing the impossible.
[Locked]
Date: 2010-10-23 06:07 pm (UTC)I was afraid of that. Well, I suppose my only other options are to let them kill each other or strangle them both. Jury's still out on which of those is going to be most pleasant in the long run.
[Locked]
Date: 2010-10-23 06:36 pm (UTC)Yes. Yes, it is that obvious and I'm just that good.
Letting them kill each other seems like the less exhausting option.
Jack, there has to be something else. Have you considered talking to Ianto? Perhaps not about everything that's so difficult to put delicately but asking him for the sake of the team to back off. It wouldn't hurt for Owen to back off as well, but I have a feeling your telling him that would only make it worse.
Do you want me to talk some sense into him?
[Locked]
Date: 2010-10-23 06:54 pm (UTC)No, I can handle this. Somehow. It's Torchwood.
And it's a very... Torchwood sort of problem to have.
[Locked]
Date: 2010-10-23 07:00 pm (UTC)Yes, it is Torchwood. You lot do have the most interesting sorts of problems to sort, and I am not referring to the cases that you used to handle back in Cardiff.
While you're figuring out how to handle it, there is alcohol and me.
[Locked]
Date: 2010-10-23 07:31 pm (UTC)You know I'll never say no to alcohol and good company.
[Locked]
Date: 2010-10-23 07:46 pm (UTC)Good. Because if you did, I would have to force you to enjoy both.