The Love Machine
"Why on earth you wanted to come out shopping today I'll never know!"
"Oh come on! We've been cooped up in the house with the family for the last two days, we need some fresh air."
"We could have gone for a walk along the beach for that," Craig replied.
"Too bloody cold on the beach," Luke said. "This way we get fresh air and don't get our nuts frozen off."
"I'd warm then for you," Craig whispered, leaning close so none of the other shoppers would hear.
Luke laughed a little self-consciously, the red stain across his cheeks deepening.
Craig grinned down at him amused as how easily he coloured up.
"So where do you want to go next in this press of humanity?" Craig asked.
The number of people who were out after bargains the day after Boxing Day was huge.
"Well I'm going over there, and I'm going on my own."
Craig looked down at his grinning partner.
"Bored with my company already?"
"Never cariad, never," Luke replied in a faux Welsh accent.
Craig laughed delightedly.
"I ordered something for your Christmas present but it didn't get here in time. I want to see if it's arrived but if it hasn't I don't want you to guess what it is."
Craig felt strangely humble but he covered it well as he said,
"We've already had Christmas Day, you don't have to keep it secret."
"Yes, I do."
Craig looked deep into Luke's eyes. He trusted him but he didn't like this new secrecy.
"Humour me?" Luke asked.
Craig shrugged.
"OK. It's nearly lunchtime, so I'm going to Berlini's, order a coffee and wait for you to get back. Do you want to eat there?"
"Not really."
"OK, how does a curry sound?"
"Sounds good to me." Luke's smile lit up his eyes.
"As long as we get something which doesn't involve turkey, that's fine with me," Luke elaborated.
Craig smiled and gripped Luke's shoulder. In public both of them were wary about any overt displays of affection. He turned and walked away without looking back so he wasn't privy to the look of mixed longing and contentment on Luke's face as he gazed after the figure of the taller man striding away from him.
Craig made his way across the road towards the quay where their favourite Italian restaurant was situated. People thronging around him made his progress a lot slower than he liked. Just ahead of him a woman with shoulder length dark hair was having the same trouble getting through the crowds. Beyond her Craig could see the silver water tower outside the Millennium Centre just as the woman in front half turned as a young man barged her.
"Gwen!" Craig said catching sight of her face.
She turned back, the remains of a frown clearing like magic when she saw him.
"Craig, I, I mean Inspector!"
"Craig's fine, we're off duty. I hear you've transferred?"
She smiled up at him, a little uncomfortably.
"Yes, that's right."
"How's it working out?"
"Fine. It's fine."
Craig could see she wasn't completely at ease being asked about her new job.
"Are you happy there?"
She wrinkled her nose.
"It's interesting and they're nice people."
She smiled up at him her dark eyes shining in the winter sun.
"I need to go now, Sir. Need to get to work."
He smiled down at her taking the offered hand.
"Look after yourself Gwen and if you ever think about wanting to come back to the force, just give me a call."
This time her smile reached her eyes.
"Thanks Sir. Thank you."
He placed his left hand over their joined hands and gave them a squeeze then let her get on her way.
Gwen Cooper had been a very promising officer, one he could see as Sergeant within a couple of years. He had been sorry to hear she'd left the division. He watched as she crossed the promenade towards the Millennium Centre then lost sight of her when he was jostled by the crowd. Keeping his concentration on the path to the restaurant he made it through the door and into the blessed calm beyond.
"You're late!"
"No I'm not!" Gwen replied sharply taking her coat off and hanging it up.
She gratefully accepted a hot cup of tea provided by Ianto.
"Thank you," she said to him.
Ianto smiled and went about his business.
Owen thrust what appeared to be a two handled camera in front of her face.
"I caught you on film."
There was a perfect picture of Craig Gilmore on the screen.
"What are you doing playing about with that?" she said. "That thing is dangerous."
Gwen made a grab for the camera but Owen laughed and danced out of range.
"Who shall I pair your new boyfriend up with? Some nice busty blonde with no brain?"
"Boyfriend?"
"You were very pleased to see him," Owen replied, a tinge of jealously filtering through.
"Inspector Gilmore was very kind to me when I was in the police."
"I'll bet he was!"
"Not everyone is like you, Owen. Some men are genuinely nice."
"You trying to tell me he didn't ever try it on."
"Course he didn't," she replied scornfully. "Number one he's a professional police officer and man of integrity and number two, you nitwit, he's gay."
"Gay?"
"Gay."
"Let's match him up with a likely looking candidate then," Owen replied, pointing the view finder of the two handled camera towards the monitor which showed a view of the ardent shoppers crossing and re-crossing the promenade outside.
"He looks like a nice boy," he said maliciously nodding at a young man who sported bleached blonde hair, tattoos and had pierced ears, nose, eyebrow, lip and spikes through the front of his chin. Just then the boy caught up with a woman and goosed her; her hair dyed raven black and as many rings and spikes through her skin as the boy.
"Maybe not."
Gwen rolled her eyes at Ianto and took a sip of her tea.
"You wouldn't dare," she taunted Owen.
The device, the couple of times they had used it, could be used like a camera, but the people whose images were stored seemed to find each other suddenly incredibly attractive. Jack had banned use of the device, which Owen had dubbed 'The Love Machine'.
"Ah, he looks like Gilmore's type."
Gwen turned to see a fresh faced young man, walking as quickly as the crowds would allow around the side of the promenade. He had a parcel under his arm and a smile on his face.
"Yeah, definitely."
Owen looked at Gwen then defiantly pressed the button.
Gwen shouted,
"Don't you dare! Give me that thing!"
Owen laughed evilly, dropped the device and got out of Gwen's way. She gave chase, nearly mowing down Ianto in the process, shouting terrible threats and curses at Owen of what she would do when she caught up with him.
Jack appeared from his office to see what all the noise was about. Ianto picked up the alien 'camera', a frown on his face.
"I thought you'd removed the power pack from this?" Ianto said to Jack.
Jack took the camera and pulled the two handles in opposite directions. The device split apart, showing the empty socket where the power pack should be.
"I did!" Jack replied, showing the cavity to Ianto.
Ianto raised his eyebrow and nodded at the monitor.
"Who's going to explain that to Gwen then?" Ianto asked.
The monitor quite clearly showed Inspector Gilmore and the young man exiting the restaurant/coffee shop together, walking close and laughing into each other's faces. It didn't take a genius to see both men were very much at ease in each other's company.
Jack walked over to the monitor and began to rewind the recording to two hours earlier. It quite clearly showed Gilmore and the young man walking across the promenade together.
Jack winked at Ianto before saying,
"I'd say they were already acquainted before Owen tried to interfere."
Ianto smiled and nodded.
"Should we rescue Owen, Sir?"
At that moment the sound of a knee connecting with something squashy echoed, followed by a breathless grunt and a long drawn out sigh of pain.
Both men winced.
"I think we should leave them to work out their differences," Jack said sagely looking into Ianto's face. Then he lifted his hand and stroked gently across the skin under Ianto's eye, his touch as soft as a butterfly's wing.
Ianto never moved, returning the steady regard.
"Eyelash," Jack said.
Ianto nodded.
"Yes Sir," he said quietly. "Will he be alright?"
For a second Jack couldn't connect with the question.
"He?"
"Gwen's ex-colleague, Inspector Gilmore."
Typical Ianto, thinking about someone else.
Jack smiled showing his white teeth.
He leaned across Ianto and brought up the display control information, switching CCTV views and changing the time and date to seventeen minutes past three on Christmas morning.
Jack turned Ianto so he was facing the monitor, a hand on each shoulder as they watched. Silently the footage played out. A car, driving very fast past Alexandra House and coming to a stop at the bottom of the road. A police officer in uniform. As the camera panned closer Ianto could see it was Gilmore, leaning in to speak to the driver. Then he got in the car. Within a couple of minutes the young male driver and Gilmore were locked in a passionate clinch then the car drove away with both men inside.
Jack leaned in close and almost whispered in Ianto's ear,
"I think Inspector Gilmore will do just fine with his partner, DC Luke Ashton."
Ianto's face broke into a smile as he turned to face Jack. Jack suddenly leaned forward and gave him a peck on the lips then he looked up. Ianto followed his gaze. A sprig of mistletoe had been tied to a stanchion on the metal stair above their heads.
"That's an old English custom, isn't is? Kissing under the mistletoe."
"I'm Welsh, Sir," Ianto replied straight-faced, as he walked away from his grinning boss.