OUR TIME
TWTWTW
Ianto was humming as he made drinks for the team. It was Saint Valentine's day and he had met with happy faces and cheerful greetings on his way to work that morning. It had put him in a good mood.
He smiled to himself as he placed the drinks on a tray to take to the various workstations, along with the chocolate hearts he had purchased as a treat for his teammates to celebrate the day. Only Jack was at work, the others had not yet appeared, but Ianto knew they would be here at any moment and be grateful for the coffee they would find on arrival.
He placed drinks at workstations, wandered up to Jack's office and knocked. Jack looked up as Ianto entered and smiled at his lover. Unusually they had spent last night apart and their pleasure at seeing each other was evident on their faces.
Ianto placed Jack's mug on the desk and the chocolate heart next to it. Jack raised his eyebrows in question at the treat.
'Valentine's day' explained Ianto 'don't worry...it doesn't mean anything...I got one for everybody' he continued.
'Oh' said Jack not sure how to react to that.
'I didn't want you to think I've gone all girly and sentimental...and demanding...and ...stuff...' spluttered Ianto.
He really didn't want Jack to freak out at a display of affection. They didn't usually go in for outward gestures or words, they were more physical people. Ianto knew he would like displays occasionally, he just didn't ever expect them to come from Jack.
'I don't mind a bit of girly, sentimental and demanding' said Jack laughing.
'Really?' said Ianto surprised.
'Really' said Jack 'if we're together why should we act as if we are ashamed of it...perhaps not all the time...but sometimes Ianto?' he continued questioningly.
'I'm not ashamed Jack...just didn't think this would be something you would want' answered Ianto.
'But is it ok sometimes?' asked Jack with a smile.
'Sometimes' said Ianto with an answering smile and he turned and left the room.
TWTWTW
Toshiko arrived soon after Ianto left the office and before she sat at her monitor she delivered a pink rose to Owen's and Gwen's workstation and took one to Ianto in the kitchen.
'Happy Valentine's Ianto' she announced handing him the flower and giving him a peck on the cheek.
'You too Tosh...your heart is with your coffee' Ianto smiled back.
'Thank you good sir' laughed Toshiko and disappeared to deliver Jack's flower before settling to work.
Owen arrived soon afterwards and headed straight for his workstation.
'Ok who left the chocolate and flower?' he asked.
'It is Valentine's day Owen...the chocolate heart is from me and the rose is from Tosh' stated Ianto.
Owen looked up.
'Cheers mate' he smiled chomping into the chocolate.
He twirled the rose in his fingers and looked across at Toshiko thoughtfully.
'It doesn't mean anything Owen' said Toshiko nervously 'I got them for everyone'
'Ok..thanks Tosh' Owen didn't really want to continue this uncomfortable conversation.
He knew Toshiko had a crush on him and any outward evidence of that was potentially embarrassing. But he saw Ianto's rose in his buttonhole and decided to leave the awkwardness behind.
He remembered the biscuits he had picked up from the bakery on his way into work and gave them to Ianto to hand around. They were heart shaped and Ianto distributed them to all.
Gwen arrived with her usual bustle and noise, laughing as she shook off the rain.
'Morning people' she sang out as she grabbed her coffee and looked at the heart, biscuit and rose at her station.
Her eyebrows rose in enquiry and Ianto explained where they had all come from.
'There were five in the bag...it doesn't mean anything...everyone got one' said Owen with reference to the biscuits he had bought.
'Ok' said Gwen 'thanks... and these are for everyone...they don't mean anything...there is one for everyone' she continued removing small cards from her bag and handing them out.
They were Valentine's cards designed for friends and Gwen had written one for each team member and had signed them 'with love and friendship from Gwen'.
Ianto surveyed all the gifts each team member had bought in for the others. Tokens of love and care. Yet each person had been at pains to insist they were not special, they had felt it necessary to deny that the gifts had meant anything.
Later that morning Ianto was called to the office by Jack. His gifts from the others were still on his desk and he was surveying them with amusement.
'We seemed to have developed something of a tradition of gift giving' he indicated his desk.
'Yes sir' said Ianto.
'I have a gift of my own to give' added Jack.
Ianto raised his eyebrows in question.
'Do you want me to deliver them to the team?' he asked.
'No' said Jack 'my gift is not for everyone...and it does mean something' he added.
'Oh' said Ianto.
Jack held out a small box to Ianto.
'My gift is just for you' he concluded.
Ianto took the box and opened it. Inside was a pocket watch, a very old pocket watch.
'When I landed here in the mid nineteenth century that watch was the first thing apart from food and drink that I actually bought' explained Jack.
'I needed to know the time and wrist watches were not exactly popular back then' he continued.
'It's beautiful Jack' said Ianto fingering the workmanship.
'Yeah...they knew how to make things then...but it doesn't really look right in the twenty first century...except ...I thought it would look good with your suits...I want you to have it' explained Jack.
'Thank you' said Ianto breathlessly it really was a lovely piece.
'I had it engraved for you' continued Jack.
Ianto turned the watch over and saw just two words engraved on the back.
'Our time'
He looked up at Jack in puzzlement.
'That watch has a wind up system...it was before digital technology' smiled Jack.
'It is yours forever... in a way I can never be...but as long as the watch is wound and ticking it will be our time together...I know there will eventually be someone else for me Ianto and I'm sorry that you have to know that too...but as long as that watch ticks it will be our time...just us' finished Jack.
Ianto looked up at him and felt the tears behind his eyes. Nobody ever expected Jack Harkness to be romantic, but Ianto thought that had to be the most heartbreaking speech he had ever heard. It contained all the loss that was inevitable in their relationship, and expressed love and devotion in a measure Ianto had never hoped for from this enigmatic man.
'Well if now is our time...I suggest we make the most of it' he said with a small sexy smile.
Jack grinned at him, stood up and moved to the door of his office, stopping to shout down to their teammates.
'Go home!...' he stopped and considered that it was still early, the day had barely begun.
'Or at least close your ears...and don't disturb us unless the world is ending... and it needs more than you three to sort it'
He turned and closed the door and grinned at Ianto who was rolling his eyes. He took his hand and lead him to his underground room.
