Bingo Fic: Stages Of Life – Part 7 – Living The Dream

[bk_forever]

Title: Living The Dream - Sequel to ‘Forever And Always’

Author: badly_knitted

Characters/Pairings: Ianto, Jack, OCs

Rating: PG

Word Count: 820

Summary: Jack and Ianto’s careers in acting are finally taking off; at last they’re doing the job they’ve always dreamed of.

Spoilers: Nada.

Warnings: Completely AU, no Torchwood, no aliens.

Written For: My cottoncandy_bingo square Dream Car/House Etc. – Dream Job.

Beta: Un-betaed this time, due to running short of time. It’s just a case of getting everything posted now!

Disclaimer: I don’t own Torchwood or any of the characters. Which is sad.

A/N: This is the seventh and final fic of my series of AU stories for different prompts on my bingo card, following Jack and Ianto through their school years and beyond. I hope everyone has enjoyed the boys’ journey as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it!

The production assistant stopped outside a trailer and knocked briskly on the door.

“Mr Harkness, Mr Jones, you’re both needed on set in ten minutes, please.”

The window beside the door opened and two heads popped out.

“We’ll be right there, Sally. Thank you.”

“Anytime,” she said with a grin and hurried away to roust the other actors for the next scene, leaving the two men to finish getting ready.

It amused the movie’s production staff no end that the two big stars insisted on sharing a trailer.

“We’ve shared a dressing room since we were six years old,” Jack Harkness had said when asked about it. “Why break the habit of a lifetime? Besides, we already share everything else. If you gave us separate trailers, we’d still both be in one or the other. I’d rather be with my husband than anywhere else.”

They’d been married for five years now and their acting careers had gone from strength to strength. Their big break had come six years earlier when they’d been cast as the co-leads in a small touring musical that had become an unexpected hit. It ended up having a successful run on the West End stage. Several roles in other West End productions had consolidated their status as stars in the making and now here they were, recreating their roles in the movie version of their first hit show.

Just as when they’d been performing in the musical, Jack was in seventh heaven, playing the role of a man who disguises himself as a female cabaret singer in order to escape from his murderous ex-boyfriend. Getting a job working with a handsome young pianist, played by Ianto, ‘she’ falls head over heels in love with him, but he isn’t interested, believing ‘she’ really is a woman. It was a role Jack might have been born to play; Ianto adored acting opposite him and seeing how happy his husband was, revelling in the glamorous gowns he got to wear.

Zipping up the back of the fetching blue number Jack would be wearing in the next scene, Ianto slipped into his own jacket before opening the door of their trailer and offering his arm to his husband.

“Shall we, my love?”

“Indeed we shall, darling,” Jack purred in reply and they grinned goofily at each other. “Can you believe this? All those years ago, wondering if we might someday get to be in a movie together and here we are, in the starring roles no less!“

Ianto laughed.

“I know! It should seem surreal, but it just feels like the most natural thing in the world, like we’re doing exactly what we were always meant to do. We’re living the dream, Jack. It doesn’t get any better than this.”

“I know what you mean. It’s been worth all the hard work and sacrifice, hasn’t it, those years of waiting tables between auditions and starving in our little bed-sit?”

“Worth every second, Jack. And you know what? I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat.”

“Me too. I love you, you know. Always have and always will.”

“Love you too, and you look bloody gorgeous in this dress. D’you think they’d let us keep it after the movie?”

“We can ask. If they won’t give it to us, maybe we can buy it. We’re earning enough!”

“Still can’t get my head around what we’re getting paid for this movie,” Ianto agreed, shaking his head in bemusement. “That’s the one thing that really is surreal. I never dreamed we’d be earning so much. It was always just about acting. When we were kids, I don’t remember ever really giving much thought to the idea of getting paid to be in plays.”

“I know what you mean,” Jack replied as his husband opened the door to the soundstage. “Back then, earning money was a nice thought, but there were more important things to consider than money.”

“Like getting your dream role?”

“Among other things. I don’t want us to stop doing plays just because we’re movie stars now though.”

“Me neither. I think the stage will always be my first love, career-wise.” He looked out across the set at the camera crew and sound people bustling around, the other actors getting into position, the director giving final instructions. “But I have to admit this is bloody awesome!”

Jack threw back his head and laughed.

“Oh yeah! C’mon, better get into position. Is my wig straight?”

“Perfect; you look stunning, as always.”

Hand in hand, they moved to their marks for the start of the scene.

They’d grown up dreaming of becoming famous actors and here they were, working at their dream job and having the time of their lives. Jack smiled to himself, thinking back over the years and couldn’t help wondering what all their schoolteachers would think if they could see them now. He had a feeling they’d be proud.

The End

Comments

[lilyrose225.livejournal.com]

Yay~! It's a great wrap-up, and a great ending to this AU series of yours!

And now I wonder what you have next in store for us! XD (maybe naked Ianto in that next drabble...? oh dear, let me get that puddle of water. have to check the roof for leaks...)

[bk_forever]

Sadly, Ianto claims it's too cold to be naked at the moment. He has a point, I had to put on a woolly sweater today! Jack had goosebumps when Ianto found him. All over. Oh darn, I seem to have a leak too....

Thank you, glad you enjoyed this! Next up, aside from the drabbles, are a comment_fic fill that I haven't had time to post here, and my last two fan_flashworks entries - one Torchwood, one FAKE - that still have to be cross-posted. After that, who knows? I have to catch up on reading and betaing and... Ooops! I forgot. NEXT up are the last three bingo fills, a three-parter that will get posted in four parts here because of LJs posting limits. Must NOT forget them, lol!

[lilyrose225.livejournal.com]

I can't say I entirely understand--it's way too hot out here. If I could send you some of our heat, I would.

Oh, that must be annoying, a three-part in four? Ugh. In any case, I'm sure you'll get everything done in time! (though I'm always here if you need a second opinion!)

[bk_forever]

I know you are, and thank you!

The last one has been betaed, it was one of the first I sent out, but I wanted to get all the one-shots posted first, then the biggest series, which meant leaving this one for last. I did the final edit and headers yesterday, not entirely happy with the titles but they're always hard to come up with. I have two more days for posting, I think I might just make it! I hope I will anyway, it's taken a lot of juggling!

[milady-dragon.livejournal.com]

That was just fantastic! I loved every minute of this. And the ending was just perfect, especially that Jack got to play a woman in his breakout role.

This is definitely a keeper.

[bk_forever]

YAY! Thank you, it means so much that everyone has enjoyed this. Believe it or not, the idea was originally meant to fill just one prompt - Play. I got the idea of Jack wanting to play Mary in the Nativity play and it just kept growing and turned into probably the longest story I've ever told =D

I just checked - it came to 20,010 words. Definitely the longest!

[iantojjackh.livejournal.com]

Aww sweet ending to a wonderful series.

[bk_forever]

Thank you! I wasn't sure I could do AU, but I guess you never know until you try!

[iantojjackh.livejournal.com]

I love doing AUs. They are so much fun.

I think I did what you did a whole baCk. I think I might have bruised/cracked a rib while coughing.

[bk_forever]

Oh no! *gentle hugs* You have my sympathy! One of the best bits of advice I got was to remember to take slow, deep breaths, don't try to breathe shallowly all the time, that just makes it worse and can lead to lung problems. Other than that, all you can do is take painkillers and avoid heavy lifting. Hope you'll feel better soon =(

[iantojjackh.livejournal.com]

thanks. It was only muscle pull and its on my side so it doesn't hurt while I try to breathe only when I move a certain way or cough

[bk_forever]

Oh thank goodness for that! Just be careful coughing so you don't hurt yourself more *hugs* Feel better soon!

[bluelilacs.livejournal.com]

This was the perfect ending to this story. I was so happy to see Jack finally getting the starring role he wanted, and getting to star opposite Ianto besides. I really hope they let him keep the dress. That would be such a great souvenir. As for their teachers seeing them now, it may not be now exactly, but they will see them when the movie comes out. And I'm sure they will so proud of them, though not really surprised.

Great story. Thanks for sharing.

[bk_forever]

*grins* Thank you! I'm sure they'll get to keep the dress and Jack will wear it for special occasions =)

I'd like to think some of their teachers might show up at autograph signings in the future, and can you imagine what their school reunions would be like?

This story started life as an idea for one prompt on my bingo card and turned into the longest piece of fanfic I've ever written, I hope to re-visit the 'verse in the future, I adore these two!

[iolo1234.livejournal.com]

Great story and I always love a happy ending. Seems like ages since I've read a Jack and Ianto story so thanks for getting me back into my inspiration.
*hugs*
K
xx

[bk_forever]

*hugs back* Thank you for taking the time out of your busy writing schedule to read my longest ever fic and comment on it! I'm glad you enjoyed it =)

Happy endings are always the best ;)

J xxx

[raynewton.livejournal.com]

Lovely, lovely story. I adore seeing them meet as children. Very John Barrowmanish Jack, and a delightful Ianto.Thank you for this

[bk_forever]

Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed reading it!

Love your cute icon! Such a cuddly-looking Jack and Ianto!

[owensheart.livejournal.com]

What a perfect end to a great story. wonderful work.

[bk_forever]

Thank you! *hugs* This was quite a marathon to write, but definitely worth the effort =)

[asia27.livejournal.com]

Library of their lives. Lovely, brilliantly written.

[bk_forever]

Thank you! This was very different for me, my first complete AU. I wouldn't mind writing another, but I'd have to come up wuth an idea.

[skippy-uk.livejournal.com]

That was really a lovely story. No angst, just big doses of fluffiness. Awesome! Thanks for writing and sharing xx

[bk_forever]

Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it!

Yep, cottoncandy_bingo is all about fluff and this fic brought out my very fluffiest fluff for the occasion. I'm almost sad I've finished the bingo, it was quite a challenge, but my brain needs a rest from the frantic writing pace now.

[awieatti.livejournal.com]

And they lived happily ever after! ^_^ They are so lucky!
(Then again, they really worked on making their dream come true, so I guess it wasn't only luck).
Maybe their teachers will see them in a movie one day! I hope they'll recognize them :D

That was an awesome story! I really enjoyed reading it! :)

[bk_forever]

Thank you!

I'm sure their teachers will all get to see thedm in movies and in plays, they've probably followed the careers of their unforgettable pupils to see if they would achieve their dreams! They really did work hard to get where they wanted to be =)

[excentric397.livejournal.com]

Oh, this was great. Keep waiting for angst, but none. I know, 'fluff emporium'. Still, you never know, right. I enjoyed this a lot. Thanks for sharing.

[bk_forever]

It was also written for a Fluff bingo, so I tried to limit the angst, lol! I'm naturally fluffy in my writing anyway, it's my antidote for the crap that is my life most of te time.

It was fun writing an AU, I should try it again sometime.

Thank you!

[excentric397.livejournal.com]

This from from a Tumblr post about Game of Thrones:

"He kills so many characters that you get desensitized. You don’t get attached because you already know there’s a 99% chance that anyone you care about will die horribly.

That’s not craftsmanship, it’s torture porn."

I quit reading anything about Ianto dying and not coming back, Jack mourning, Jack moving on, etc., a long time ago. Real life is hard sometimes. Really hard. I don't look for entertainment to break my heart. So thanks for fluff. Fluff is good.

[bk_forever]

That's exactly how I feel, I like to feel happy when I read. A bit of angst is fine, but I like a happy ending. RTD became guilty of torture porn. I lost what respect I'd had for him when he killed all the team except Gwen. He'd have killed Jsck if he could have to prove how amazing Gwen was. Instead he broke him beyond repair.

Fluff is the best thing.

[excentric397.livejournal.com]

I agree. It was 'love Gwen or else I'll destroy everything til she's all that's left, then you'll have to love her'. No. No I won't. Ever. I don't have anything against Eve Myles, but Gwen... Don't get me started. There's a Tumblr tag: 'Rusty is a poo.' Yes. Yes he is.

[bk_forever]

ROFLMAO! I'm not on tumblr so I hadn't seen that but... yes he is!! *sniggers*

Eve Myles is probably a nice enough person, but I have no desire to meet her because I'd want to rant about what a whiny, self-absorbed hypocrite Gwen really is! She's the worst female character on TV ever - worse than Meredith Gray!

[excentric397.livejournal.com]

Oh, I gave up on Gray's Anatomy a couple of years ago, just because I couldn't stand her any longer. I did like Sandra Oh's character, though. Well, I like Sandra Oh, anyway. LOL

[bk_forever]

I haven't seen it for a few years, mostly because here in Britain we don't seen to get it anymore on the TV stations I have access to. There were some good characters, but she was just so annoyingly whiny.

[jo02]

The jury's back and it's unanimous - you can definitely do AU!
This is one of the best stories you've written, perfectly paced, interesting, and so, so sweet - I read it all in one sitting and loved it.

[bk_forever]

Awww! Thank you so much! That's a huge compliment! I was worried about the pacing, but I had to skip over so much to fit the prompts.

I'll have to think up another idea for an AU I guess!

[kul-breez.livejournal.com]

Wonderful stories! This was a great series. I love the idea of the boys meeting as boys. Their "meant to be" relationship was charming, especially the hand holding.

[bk_forever]

Thank you! This went so far beyond the original idea - it was only supposed to be for one prompt and ended up filling seven!

I hope to re-visit this 'verse somtime to fill in a few gaps.

[aya2013.livejournal.com]

great story! love AU! thanks for sharing!

[bk_forever]

Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it! It's my first try at AU. I love to read them but writing one was a challenge.

[dylantoms.livejournal.com]

Loved this from beginning to end. Perfectly pieced together and great pacing.
A perfect antidote to some of the very heavy fics that are around - like strawberries and cream on a summer's day :)

[bk_forever]

Awww! Thank you! That's a lovely compliment - I adore strawberries, with or without cream ;)

I mostly enjoyed writing it, except for trying to figure out how they made their costumes. That had me stuck for weeks, lol! I almost abandoned the bingo entirely because of it, but I'm glad I persevered.

[black59.livejournal.com]

it was beautiful

[bk_forever]

Thank you very much!

[timelordshines.livejournal.com]

Great little coda. Wonderful ending to a gorgeous series :-)

[bk_forever]

Thank you! It fitted on of the prompts, so I went ahead with a glimpse into their future - successful stage actors making a movie! They worked hard to get where they are, but they couldn't be happier!

Glad you enjoyed the series!