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Joining university late in the year was awkward. Everyone already knew each other, and all the flats were full. Which was how Gwen wound up in a roommates situation, in Torchwood House. There were 3 bedrooms, each with 2 residents. The kitchen was big, at least.
She was sharing with Suzie Costello, who was getting her Masters in engineering. The room next door to theirs was Toshiko Sato, a second year computer science student, and Martha Jones, a first year medical student. Last, in the attic, was Ianto Jones, a literature first year, and Owen Harper, another medical student, but a second year. Gwen herself was studying international relations.
Prior to moving to Cardiff, she’d been a student at Hertfordshire University, but it hadn’t exactly worked out. So, she’d returned to Wales, back home to study. And wound up in the most chaotic houseshare she thought was possible.
Owen had houseplants. But not just a few. Not just on his windowsill. Of course not.
There were plants, everywhere. In the kitchen, the lounge, tucked underneath the coffee table, one behind the tv. He even had some in his bed (and God did Gwen regret that she ever found that out).
He also had women. All the time. Poor Ianto spent half his nights on the sofa, or round his girlfriend’s flat. Lisa was nice. She’d come round once, walked in on Owen and Suzie shagging on the sofa, and they’d never seen her again.
Lisa, Ianto and Toshiko had wine nights. But not in the house.
Suzie wasn’t actually in the house all too much, which was good in Gwen’s book. She’d rather not share her room with anyone who she wasn’t sleeping with, and despite what Owen liked to insinuate, she was not sleeping with Suzie. And she wasn’t going to sleep with him again, either.
Martha and Toshiko were good housemates. Both of them had their own jobs, and seemed to live more in the library than they did their own room. Martha had a boyfriend, another medical student, and she spent most of her weekends- when she wasn’t studying- out with her own friends. Toshiko seemed to be learning a new language every week, and Gwen was pretty sure she’d be excellent in a Pub Quiz, if Gwen could only convince her to come out with them. At least, she was more willing to come than Ianto. He’d come once, and after Owen threw up on his lap, decided that was enough.
She couldn’t blame him.
She also couldn’t believe she’d kissed him. Awful.
Then, there was Jack. He didn’t live there, she was convinced of that fact. He was Martha’s friend, but that had come to a shock to the rest of the house, when Toshiko walked into her room and saw the pair chatting. Especially with the way they immediately shut up upon seeing her.
But, they all knew Jack. Gwen saw him back when she lived in Hertfordshire, Owen met him on trial in the hospital, Ianto apparently used to work with (or for, Gwen couldn’t quite tell) him, Suzie said he was in one of her classes, once. Apparently he was just there though, not a student.
Honestly, Gwen didn’t have a clue. She was pretty sure Martha knew the most, but she was tighter than a bank vault when it came to Jack. “We worked under the same Doctor” was all they’d say, and the house had, mostly, given up. Toshiko wouldn’t talk about how she met Jack. Just that it was a “Bad time”.
All in all, Torchwood House wasn’t the worst place to live. It was just a bit weird.