Ianto was thankful for the slow day. Owen had taken three days off (With the solemn promise he would not leave a 100 mile radius and wouldn't get so plastered he couldn't save some lives if need be) and Tosh was off testing something or another in the library. Slow days were rare in Torchwood, and when they came along, Ianto normally liked to take advantage of them by taking a few extra long coffee breaks in Jack's office.
As Ianto mused on the fact that these coffee breaks started way before Lisa, only then they often involved coffee, he remembered why today was not the ideal slow day. Gwen, with her filthy boots on the table, was having apparently having a very interesting conversation with Jack. Now, Ianto liked Gwen. He really did. She was nice enough, chewed with her mouth closed, thanked him when he brought her coffee and spoke welsh with him when he was feeling, well, Welsh. But she liked Jack, and Ianto had quite enough competition (from mysterious Doctor's to men who called themselves captain) in that department. It was fair that he got fed up at every giggle, every slight touch, and every subtle flirt. Well, at least, he hoped it was fair.
He decided yes, as her hand reached out and fixed a stay hair next to Jacks forehead. He tapped his foot in irritation. "Coffee, Sir?" Jack looked up, and grinned at him like it was the first time he'd seen him all day. Well, Ianto mused, he wasn't paying attention, so it probably was. "I'd be delighted, Ianto. Ianto. Ianto." Gwen giggled. Ianto glared at her. "Are we just that fond of my name?"
"No, no. Well, yes. But no. I've just decided every time you call me sir, I'm going to say your name three times." Ianto smiled softly. "You seemed fond enough of me calling you that last night, sir." That shut Gwen up, and gave Jack that lovely smile only gets when Ianto has joined him in his widely inappropriate comments. Gwen frowned slightly when their eye contact went on just too long.
"We were discussing what to do for lunch." She directed to Ianto, sharply. Ianto looked puzzled. "Wednesday is Pizza day," he replied, as if she was an utter moron because she didn't know the system. "We were thinking of doing something different since its just three of us." Jack grinned, oblivious to the slight glaring contest going on between the two dark haired Welsh occupants of the room.
Ianto sighed. "Well the Tai food is ok, and we normally have that for dinner when need be-"Gwen shook her head, as her foot brushed Jack's under the table. "Jack had a clever idea."Jack nodded, sliding his thumbs in his suspenders and puffing out his chest in a way that directly contradicted his humble statement of, "One of the few."
Ianto chuckled, wincing at Gwen's near clinginess while he retained his personal space. "That is no understatement. Gee, I think your last clever idea involved trying to microwave the alien gun." Jack pouted. Gwen laughed as well, and gently rubbed on of Jack's shoulder. "There, There, Luv. You're very clever." Jack grinned again. Ianto rolled his eyes. He was as easy to please as a child. Still, what was Gwen doing? Rubbing on him, flirting, did she have no respect for Ianto at all? She could at least wait until he left.
"See, Ianto? Gwen knows how to treat me. I'm going to make you both lunch." He bounced up. "and No, Ianto! You can't help! I'm going to put the flour where the sugar goes! Muhahaha!" his coat flitted by his feet as he left his teammates behind. He missed, however, the look of puppy love on Gwen's features and she watched him exit. More importantly, though, he missed the look of utter determination on Ianto as he stared directly at the woman. Had Jack looked closely, he would have seen Ianto's silent vow. He was done standing by watching this. He would take it in stride no longer. He and Gwen Cooper were going to have it out. He was going to beat her at her own game. Or, in more accurate words, echoed in Ianto's pretty head, it was ON.