Title: Of All The Voices In Her Head
Author: Bitterfig
Fandom: Torchwood
Pairing: Toshiko/Mary
Summary: Of all the voices in her head Mary’s was the only one that spoke of Toshiko.
Beta-reader: Fedink
Word Count: 166
Rating: PG
Warnings: None.
Author’s Note: Written for femslash100 Challenge # 159: Voice.
Disclaimer: This story is a work of fiction. Any illegal acts taking place within that fiction are NOT condoned by the author. Depictions of any questionable, illegal, or potentially illegal activity in said fiction does not mean that I condone, promote, support, participate in, or approve of said activity. I grasp the distinction between fiction and reality and trust that readers will do the same. I do not profit from the fan fiction I write, and all rights to the characters remain firmly in the hands of their creator.

When Toshiko put on the pendant her head was filled to bursting with other people’s thoughts, other people’s secrets.

So many voices, clamoring for her attention. Ranting and sighing, snarling and singing. So much beauty, so much horror. So many voices, so many thoughts and Toshiko could find herself in none of them.

Even among the people she was the closest to she scarcely registered. Owen and Gwen were tangled up in desire and disgust for each other. Ianto was consumed by his pain and Jack was as vacant and unreadable as a corpse.

It was like she didn’t exist, except to Mary.

Mary’s thoughts were delicate and shimmering. In them Toshiko found her own image and she was beautiful, she was useful, wanted and needed. Perhaps she should have looked deeper but she didn’t need to. Mary’s voice was telling her what she was searching for; that she belonged, that she was seen and appreciated, that she mattered.

She wanted so badly to matter to someone.