Go Cubs Go!
Sep. 20th, 2010 07:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
aviv_b_artworkAuthor: Aviv_b
Fandom: Torchwood
Schmoop: Watching the Game
Title: Go Cubs Go!
Words: 1960
Rating: R - for a little explicit sex and swearing...in Welsh
Characters: Jack/Ianto
Disclaimer: Not mine; Aunty B's and RTD's
Summary: Jack & Ianto watch the Chicago Cubs play baseball in the World Series. Jack and Ianto are retired from Torchwood and live in a house in Cardiff. Ianto is in his early sixties. (While this would fit into the Ianto’s Journey time-line it wasn’t written with that intent).
A/N: I couldn’t resist using some of the expressions I found on a Cursing in Welsh web page. Those beautiful Welsh vowels…how I love the Internet.
And I promise no more Steve Goodman videos after this story. But like many of us in Chicago he was a loyal and long suffering Cub fan. And with a prompt like “Watching the Game,” how could I resist?
Here’s a song of his which unfortunately, can still be sung today.... A Dying Cubs Fan’s Last Request:
“Hurry up Jack, the game is starting.”
“Ok, just let me get the last of the stuff.” Jack came into the lounge with a huge tray of food.
“Oi, are we watching the game or having a picnic, then?” Ianto snarked.
“Watching sports takes a lot of energy and I wanted to make this an authentic experience.”
Ianto snorted. “Yeah, I see you have nachos and hot dogs and popcorn and…what’s this…Miller Lite Beer." Ianto was shocked. “You expect a native Welshman to drink Lite Beer?”
“And what other self-respecting Welshman would watch American baseball in the middle of the night.”
“Jack, it’s the World Series. And the Cubs are the favorites to win. This would be the first time in one hundred and forty years that the Cubs won it.”
Jack nodded, trying to look interested. He knew that Ianto had always liked American baseball and had a special affection for the New York Yankees (now the Newark Yankees). But the Cubs? Jack guessed it was just one of those things that happened to people who were into sports. Rooting for the perennial loser and all that.
The game was just starting and the teams were coming onto the field. The Cubs had the advantage as the game was being held at Wrigley Field.
“That place is…well…REALLY old,” Jack said looking at the ivy covered walls.
“Historic Jack, it’s historic. In fact, it’s practically a shrine. The last major league stadium where baseball is still played outdoors, in the sunshine like God intended!” Jack chuckled at Ianto’s enthusiasm. “Hey, would you denigrate the ivy covered walls of Oxford?”
“No, no, of course not,” Jack said trying to put his most serious face on and failing miserably. “Oh look at those uniforms. Wow, you can see just about everything there. Some nice pieces of a...”
“That’s enough Jack.”
Jack sighed. For the last two weeks Ianto had talked nothing but baseball. At first Jack found it amusing. Then Jack began to find it a bit annoying as Ianto recited reams of statistics. Ianto seemed to know the RBIs, ERAs, and whatever else about each player, or was that team? And for some reason Ianto wasn’t amused when Jack asked him for the statistics on each player’s dick.
Thank goodness, it was hopefully the last game. The Cubs had won the first two games at home, and then lost the next game at the Charlotte Shooters brand new stadium. They eked out a win in the fourth game and returned to Chicago with a 3 to 1 lead in the series. Then, as Ianto liked to say, a Cubs game broke out (Jack still puzzled over the meaning of this) and the Cubs lost the fifth game 14 to 3. If they didn’t win this game in Chicago, the series would return to Charlotte spelling almost certain doom for the Cubs.
As the American National Anthem was sung, Jack snuggled up to Ianto. Ianto turned and smiled as Jack fed him a nacho. “Hmmm, a couple of hours watching sweaty men run around bases…I suppose there are worse ways to spend a very early Wednesday morning.”
“Shhh, they’re about to throw the first pitch.” Jack couldn’t have cared less about the game. But Ianto’s enthusiasm was contagious. Jack found himself groaning along with Ianto as Jimmy Hernandez, the Cubs home run hero, struck out for the second time. “That’s OK, there’s still one out left and they have a runner on third, a good bunt will bring the go-ahead run in.”
The next batter bunted the ball directly to the pitcher. The pitcher bobbled the ball a bit and then threw the ball to first base. “OUT,” the Umpire yelled. As the crowd booed, Ianto yelled, “Cachu bant ti cachu mes!”
Jack didn’t know a lot of Welsh but he was pretty sure that Ianto had just called the umpire a sheep-shagger. “Look, calm down it’s only the third inning…here have a hotdog.” Ianto hardly looked at the hotdog as he wolfed it down in less than a minute.
Just as the inning ended (with no runs scored), it began to rain in Chicago. And it continued to rain. After an hour the game still hadn’t restarted. Ianto was agitated as he waited for the game to resume. Jack tried to get Ianto to calm down even offering to stay up the rest of the night and wake Ianto if the game resumed. But Ianto wasn’t budging.
Finally, after two hours, Jack resorted to force. He grabbed Ianto and kissed him until he was breathless. “Jack, you stop that right now.”
“Sorry Mr. Jones. Time to score with you.” Before Ianto could say a word, Jack had hoisted him over his shoulder and was carrying him into their bedroom.
“Jack put me down right now. I’m not kidding Jack…”
Whoom! Jack dumped Ianto unceremoniously on the bed. Stripping off his shirt, Jack tackled Ianto as he tried to get off the bed.
“Jack, we’re not playing rugby.”
“No we’re not, we’re playing baseball and I’m only at first base with you.” Ianto snorted but didn’t protest when Jack kissed him long and deep. ‘Fuck the game,’ Ianto thought as he pulled Jack down for another kiss.
Jack quickly undressed Ianto but kept his jeans on. He rubbed a denim covered leg over Ianto’s cock and laughed as the rough fabric quickly had Ianto standing at attention. He knelt over Ianto’s body lavishing little licks to the tip of his cock. Ianto was writhing and moaning as Jack took the tip into his mouth. Jack knew Ianto would come quickly if he didn’t slow things down a bit. So he sat up and watched Ianto face as he lightly stroked him. Even in his sixties, Ianto still had a nice body. Not as trim as he once was, he still kept himself in good shape. His chest hair was mostly grey now, perhaps a little thicker than it had been when he was young, but Jack still thought Ianto was a gorgeous man.
They made love for over an hour after which Ianto fell into a light sleep. Jack got up to get a towel to clean them up when he glance at the TV. The game was back on.
“Ianto, wake up! The game’s going again and the Cubs are winning.”
Ianto was awake and ran out to the TV naked. Jack grabbed him from behind and was kissing his neck. “Not now Jack, the Cubs are at bat.” Jack had expected as much so he cleaned Ianto up and went and got him some clothes. Ianto stood in the lounge holding his clothes and not taking his eyes off the TV. Jack had rarely seen Ianto so unconcerned about his own nudity. Jack sprawled out on the sofa and pulled Ianto down to rest in his arms. Ianto suddenly realized he was still naked and quickly slipped on his sweat pants and T-shirt.
It was the bottom of the ninth and the game was tied 4-4. The first batter singled. The second batter hit a line drive down the first base line and was thrown out. The first batter advanced to second base. The next batter bunted and was also thrown out, with the first batter advancing to third base. The winning run was on third base. Ianto could hardly stand it as Jimmy Hernandez came up to the plate once again. "Two strike outs; please," Ianto silently prayed, "let him just get a nice clean base hit to bring the winning run home."
Suddenly the room swirled around him and disappeared. He sat up confused in total darkness. The door to the room opened and he could see Jack’s silhouette in the doorway.
“What’s going on? What’s happened to the Cub’s game?” Ianto cried in despair.
“Ianto, don’t you remember, you got sick after the last game?” Ianto shook his head ‘no.’ “Yeah, something was off with the nachos. I haven’t seen projectile vomiting like that since …actually I’ve never seen anything like it in my entire life.”
“But the game…. Who won the game?”
Jack sat down next to Ianto and handed him a mug of weak tea. “Drink that slowly. If you keep that down, I’ll make you some dry toast. Sweetheart, you’ve been sick for three days. The last game you saw was on Sunday when the Cubs lost. They were still ahead three games to two in the series.”
“Not that game, the next one.”
Jack knew he was about to break Ianto’s heart. “I’m so sorry Ianto; Charlotte won the next two games.”
“Dos i chwarae efo dy nain,” Ianto shouted in despair.
“I will not go fuck my granny, and watch your mouth there,” Jack said a little disturbed by Ianto’s outburst. Was he still out of his mind with fever? Jack felt Ianto’s forehead and was pleased that it was cool and dry.
Ianto seemed to come back after a few moments. “Sorry Jack. It’s just that it’s been so long since the Cubs won the World Series, I was sure that this was their year.” Ianto sighed, leaned back on the pillow and closed his eyes. “It just seemed to so real.” As Ianto described his dream, Jack listened thinking ‘well isn’t that what’s called fantasy baseball, maybe naked fantasy baseball in this case.’
Ianto was utterly exhausted by the time he finished recounting his dream. Jack wasn’t sure but he thought maybe Ianto wanted a few moments to himself. He left the room, went back to the kitchen and made some toast. When Jack got back to their bedroom Ianto was busy blowing his nose. Jack could tell he had been crying but he wasn’t going to say a word about it.
Ianto took the toast and slowly ate it. “I still can’t believe the Cubs lost,” he said in a whisper. “I wonder if I’ll live long enough to see them win a World Series.”
Jack sat down on the bed next to Ianto and put an arm around him. “Well let’s hope they have better luck next year.”
As Ianto fell back to sleep, Jack smiled. ‘Oh poor Ianto you’re going to have to be patient,’ he thought as he kissed the top of Ianto’s head.
***
Ianto was terribly excited when in 2058 Jack surprised him with tickets to the World’s Series. Jack had bought tickets for only game five in Chicago.
“You only got tickets for one game?”
"It’s all I could get. They won’t sell tickets to games six and seven unless they know the series is going to go longer. And if it does, I will get us tickets. I don’t care what it costs.”
Ianto was surprised that Jack already had plane tickets and a hotel reservation in Chicago. “Look, if the series is over by the time we get there, we’ll just spend a nice week in Chicago.”
Ianto never figured out that Jack had bought tickets only for that one game because he knew that it was the only tickets they’d need. Ianto Jones attended his first major league ball game at seventy-five years old and got to see the Chicago Cubs win the deciding game of the 2058 World Series. One hundred and fifty years after winning their last Series, the Cubs finally won another one, and Ianto was sitting in a box seat just to the right of home plate when the winning run crossed home plate.
Jack had to admit that watching baseball, eating a hotdog and drinking a beer in the sunshine was pretty nice. And watching Ianto’s face as the Cubs won was even better. Hearing Ianto sing “Go Cubs Go” with his beautiful voice was fantastic. But the grand slam home run Jack had with Ianto that evening back at the hotel…priceless.
**
And after every Cubs victory at Wrigley Field, Steve Goodman’s “Go Cubs Go” is sung by the fans. Here’s a little tribute to Steve and his song that was made a number of years ago. RIP Steve. We miss you.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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Date: 2010-09-21 01:18 am (UTC)This was such a sweet story. Thanks so much for sharing!
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Date: 2010-09-21 01:26 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-21 01:19 am (UTC)GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO! HEY, CHICAGO, WHAT DO YOU SAY? CUBS ARE GONNA WIN TODAY!
I'm confused, why are they there?
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Date: 2010-09-21 01:31 am (UTC)And today is the anniversary of Steve Goodman's death (Aug 20th 1984). He would have been 62 years old if he had lived - about the same age Ianto is in this story.
And...I used a couple of other Steve Goodman videos in my last schmoop story - Would you like to learn to Dance?
Am I making any sense...no I didn't think so, LOL.
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Date: 2010-09-21 01:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-21 01:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-21 02:05 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-21 02:21 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-21 02:11 am (UTC)(I am soooo not a sports person, but the Cubs I have to follow because my cousin is one of their on-again/off-again players so you know, have to pay attention now and again, even if it will take them 150 odd years to win again!)
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Date: 2010-09-21 02:26 am (UTC)The Cubs have always been 'my' team. I'm younger than Steve Goodman, but I can remember cutting class like him and coming to Wrigley Field several times in high school to see my Cubbies. And when I was little, I wanted to be Ernie Banks. Not be like Earnie Banks but to actually BE Earnie Banks. Yes, I was one weird kid.
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Date: 2010-09-21 03:48 am (UTC)Janto & the Cubbies? Made of pure win! :)
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Date: 2010-09-21 04:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-21 03:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-21 04:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-21 05:07 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-21 06:23 am (UTC)Go Cubs Go!!! :D
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Date: 2010-09-21 01:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-21 08:25 am (UTC)Wonderful.
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Date: 2010-09-21 01:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-21 04:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-21 04:50 pm (UTC)I hope I got the Welsh swearing right! You're the first to comment on it.
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Date: 2010-09-21 10:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-21 11:10 pm (UTC)Thanks for reading.
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Date: 2010-09-22 01:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-22 01:21 am (UTC)And I always thought baseball and cricket were nearly the same thing. My bad, LOL!
Glad you enjoyed anyway!
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Jack saw where the deep dish pizza was sold?
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Date: 2010-09-22 01:33 am (UTC)They did not eat at PF Chang's. (on their journal someone recently spoke about going to Chicago and having a wonderful dinner there). It's Chicago, you do not eat at chain restaurants when you visit Chicago! Its like putting ketchup on a hot dog...a sacrilege of the highest order.
And I heard he had Ianto for dessert. Every night.
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Date: 2010-09-22 06:19 am (UTC)It kind of hurt when Ianto blacked out during the game only to wake up and find out that the Cubs lost. At least he got to see them win.
Terrific fic.
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Date: 2010-09-22 01:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-22 02:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-10-02 03:37 pm (UTC)