Summary: Ianto's first test on the job at Torchwood Three.
Characters: Ianto J, Captain Jack H, Toshiko S, Owen H, Suzie C.
Rating: K+
Spoiler: none
Warnings: none
Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood or any of its characters or plot lines, nor do I receive money from stories.
A/N: Just a little fun, one-shot. Thanks as always to my muse, my friend and my talented beta, Triquetralin.
Initiation
"Really, instant coffee is just fine."
"You have your own espresso machine? How pretentious."
"Does it make tea?"
"I drink soy milk."
Ianto continued setting up the espresso machine, ignoring Jack, Owen, Toshiko and Suzie's comments.
"Do you know how to work it? I hear they can be very finicky." Toshiko said warily.
He cleared more space on the shelf he had chosen, moving alien artifacts to the table behind him before crouching down to plug the machine in.
"Those go on that shelf. You can't use it for a silly coffee machine." Suzie rescued the small intricate alien metal pieces from the table.
"We can find somewhere else for them," Jack placated her. He was intrigued, watching Ianto work silently.
Ianto, still crouched on the floor, dug into the large box he had brought the espresso machine in, taking out half a dozen new, small ceramic coffee cups and their accompanying saucers.
"We do have mugs you know," Owen sneered.
Ianto set the cups on the shelf beside the machine, stacking them upside down and carefully. He then pulled out a bottle of purified water and filled the reservoir. He fiddled with some buttons and dials, then bent down again. Out came a small coffee grinder, the filter, the coffee tamper, two small metal cups for the espresso to pour into, a medium sized metal jug for steaming milk. He set everything up neatly. He then pulled out a small bag of coffee beans.
He pushed, the now empty box under the shelf next to the small fridge that he had brought in the previous day, stocked with milk – regular and soy, syrups and cans of whipped cream.
Finally standing up, he turned around, with an eager smile on his face.
"Okay, who's ready for some coffee?"
The Torchwood team all looked at each other, mouths agape. Owen took the plunge first.
"Americano, in my own mug!" He handed over a red and white mug. Ianto looked into it and saw the dregs of something that might have been coffee at one point but now resembled a swamp. At his disgusted look, Owen shrugged. "I've been away. Forgot to wash it."
"Soy vanilla latte." Suzie perked up.
"I'd like a mocha, please," Toshiko smiled.
"Coffee, black." Captain Jack said. He had suddenly remembered the cup of coffee Ianto had brought him the second day he saw him, and his mouth tingled at the memory. Smiling encouragingly, he turned on his heels, going back to his office to let the young archivist/office manager do his job.
Ianto quickly got to work. He knew this was his initiation into the Torchwood crew. If he passed, great; if not, he was in for a world of ridicule and hazing.
First things first he found a sink and washed Owen's disgusting mug. He even blasted it with some steam from the espresso machine for disinfection purposes. Really, a doctor should have better hygiene, he thought to himself.
He hadn't written anyone's orders down and didn't ask for further clarification. If he wasn't able to keep 4 different coffee choices in his head, and make them properly, he'd never be able to keep track of things in this small, fast-paced operation.
He ground beans, fussed with milk – regular and soy, tamped coffee, fiddled with the steam wand and within minutes he had a tray ready.
"Americano in a clean mug," he smirked passing it to Owen. "Soy vanilla latte and cafe mocha," he bowed slightly as he presented the cups to the two women.
Then he swiftly but gracefully took the stairs to Jack's office, not spilling a drop. He placed the cup at Jack's elbow.
"Coffee, black, sir."
Stepping back, Ianto waited. Captain Jack sipped. "Mm," was the extent of his appreciation – far from the "wow" he had gotten from the first cup several days ago, but still a good sign.
Ianto went back down the steps. Owen was back in his morgue, bent over his microscope looking at tissue samples, the mug in one hand. Suzie had a whisper of foam on her upper lip as she found new spots for her displaced artifacts. Toshiko was back at her computer, pattering away on the keys, stopping every few moments to take a slurp from her mug.
Well, Ianto thought, I think I'm in.