Spoilers/Warnings: I've only watched about 2/3 of season one, so this is based off of whatever knowledge I've picked up so far.
Summary: The members of Torchwood decide to celebrate Christmas, but there's a Grinch (or two) in their group.
Author's Note: This was written for the lovely and very talented Sophie (aworldofpretty). I hope she likes it. A little over 1k words and my first attempt at writing fanfiction.
Beta: Me/unbeta'd.
Disclaimer: I do not own Torchwood. This is a very good thing. Otherwise I'd have Jack and Ianto doing it like jack rabbits. All day. Every day. (Maybe I should own Torchwood. :P )
It wasn't often that the Hub was quiet, so when the opportunity arose, Ianto decided to try to get some work done. Unfortunately for him, the other members of Torchwood had a different idea of what down time was. Christmas was fast approaching and Gwen thought it would be a great idea to bring some holiday cheer to the Hub. Toshiko and Owen weren't too sure with the idea, but once they got the go ahead from Jack, the usually dark and drab secret base was quickly turned into a festive display of lights, tinsel, and other forms of holiday cheer. After giving the Hub a complete makeover, the members of Torchwood, with the exception of Ianto, spread across a couch in front of a big screen to watch Toshiko's favorite Christmas movie, The Snowman. A few minutes in, Ianto brought them eggnog and hot chocolate while they got comfortable. Jack took a seat by himself, Toshiko sat on the far end of the couch, and Gwen and Owen found comfort on the couch in each other's arms. Ianto left them to their movie and made his way to the front desk, hoping to finally have some peace and quiet with everyone distracted.
Not even half an hour passed when a teary eyed Toshiko ran past where Ianto was working. Sighing to himself, Ianto left his work and chased after his coworker.
"Toshiko!"
"What the Hell do you want?" Toshiko whipped around, looking ready to kill, but her expression softened when she realized who called her name. "Ianto, what are you doing out here?"
"That's my line," he replied, hugging himself to keep warm as the winter's snow started to fall down on the pair.
"I'm not the one outside without a jacket on." The pissed off brunette manged to let out a small laugh.
"Not important. I thought you wanted to watch that movie. The one about animated snow?"
Tosh let out a sigh. "Yeah, well... Something came up."
"You mean Owen? Or more specifically, his relationship with a certain female that isn't you?"
Tosh answered with a shrug. "Is it that obvious?"
"When you're not indulging yourself in your work, you're either fighting with one of them, or running away. Like you're doing now."
"You mean, like you?" She retorted quickly.
Ianto looked at her with a puzzled expression on her face. "What do you mean? I don't believe I am running anywhere, except after you"
"Think about it," was her response, before turning and walking away. "I really do have to go. See you later, Ianto!" He watched Torchwood's technician disappear into the quickening blizzard. He tried to wrap his head around what Toshiko meant, but couldn't think of what she meant. He held no romantic feelings for Owen or Gwen and could care less about what they did together. Ianto decided to push the thought from his head as his body shivered fiercely from the cold. He returned inside and attempted to get back to work.
Unfortunately, Tosh's comment kept nagging at him, so he eventually decided to check on the rest of the crew. Ianto suppressed a chuckle when he realized the movie was going unwatched. Gwen was wrapped up in Owen's arms, both of them passed out and slightly snoring. Ianto smiled as he saw Jack apparently following their lead and laying with his head back and eyes closed in his chair. Ianto grabbed a lose blanket and draped it over his superior, whose eyes flew open immediately.
"Enjoying the movie, sir?"
"This view is much better," came a groggy response as Jack sat up straighter in his seat, inching towards Ianto's face.
Ianto blushed and backed up a step. "Would you like me to get you some more eggnog? Or perhaps a pillow to go with your blanket?"
"No. No. I'm awake now," he replied with a yawn. "But if you could fetch me a cup of coffee, that'd be great."
"What am I, your dog?" Ianto muttered, as he turned to get Jack coffee.
"What about if you get me coffee, and I'll forever be in your service?" The captain pouted despite the other man having his back turned. Ianto rolled his eyes and went to make Jack coffee, knowing that he could never resist a desire of his superior. He made his way to the kitchen and slowly made Jack's coffee, making sure everything about the one cup was perfect. He recalled when he first started working for Jack and made him instant coffee instead of freshly ground. The Hub was not a safe place that day and the world would be a better place if no one ever saw that side of Jack again.
When Ianto made his way back to the others, he saw that the movie was turned off and Jack was wide eyed and putting his blanket on the sleeping couple. The younger man was surprised to feel a pang of jealousy at his superior's act of kindness. Not because the older man was showing kindness to the entangled employees, but because Ianto was the one to put that blanket on Jack and now he was putting it on someone else. He suddenly felt under appreciated and didn't know why.
"Oh," he murmured to himself when he finally figured out what Toshiko meant. She cared for Owen in the same way he cared for Jack.
Ianto was pulled out of his own thoughts when the American man appeared in front of him and scooped up a bit of whipped cream with his finger. With the lick of his pointer, Jack chuckled. "The whipped cream is a good touch. Maybe we should celebrate holidays more often."
"I'm not one for holidays," Ianto admitted, taking a step back and handing the other man his drink.
Jack took a long sip of his coffee, before circling around the younger man, much like a predator would circle his pray. "Surely you're not a Christmas Grinch. There's got to be something about the holidays you like." Ianto shook his head and Jack put down his coffee. "Nothing? Surely that can't be so. There's so many things to enjoy. The food? The decorations?"
Ianto shook his head and tried to concentrate on anything besides the small amount of space between the two men that Jack was closing quickly. "I tend to find it all a little... juvenile. The waste of electricity. The singing. It's all a little bit... much. Don't you think so?"
"I personally love Christmas. All the traditions you can't help but take part in. Traditions such as... mistletoe." The captain smirked and looked above the two men, where a small but noticeable plant was hanging above their heads.
Ianto couldn't help but smiling. "I guess not all holiday traditions are bad," he said before leaning in towards Jack for a very special holiday kiss.
