A/N: I'm all about the short stories this week. This takes place during the episode "Meat" in season two. There aren't any spoilers per say, but if you haven't seen it then this might not make a lot of sense. Please review/follow/favorite :)
disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood, I just play in their sandbox.
Tosh and Owen sat paralyzed at the computers. They watched as the three corners of their messed up triangle ran to places of comfort. Ianto grabbed the scotch he had been drinking, a stack of files and went to his desk in the archives. Jack retreated to his office and stared at the CCTV of Gwen running to her safe place: Rhys. Owen sighed and looked over at Tosh who was biting her lip. He knew that was Tosh-code for worry.
"Sometimes I wish they still pretended we didn't know." He said breaking the silence. "Then we wouldn't have this 'do we say something' shit." Tosh nodded
"So do we? Say something?" She asked. They both looked through the glass at Jack still staring off into oblivion.
"You take the tea boy, I'll take Harkness" Tosh grabbed the report she just finished and headed downstairs. When she rounded the corner to the archives she found Ianto reading a report, or at least pretending to. The scotch glass had gone from full to empty in the short time he had been down here.
"Hi" She didn't want to startle him but felt wrong jut watching him. He looked up and gave her his best fake smile. "I figured I'd turn this in now before I forgot." She passed him the file.
"Thanks. Heading home then?" He glanced at the file and put it in the appropriate pile.
"Probably, it's been a long day." He nodded his eyes showing his sadness even if he wouldn't let it move to the rest of his face. "I just, Well, I wanted." She was getting flustered trying to determine the best way to approach the subject. Ianto figured out what she was trying to say. He grabbed a stack of files off the desk and moved towards the filing cabinets trying not to meet her gaze.
"Tosh, it's fine. I appreciate it, but I'm fine." He pushed by her and started working.
"Are you sure?" Tosh knew he was hoping she would just leave but she couldn't move.
"Yes. I mean, it was awkward for me just like it was awkward for you and Owen." She arched an eyebrow at him "Well, maybe not exactly the way it was for you and Owen." He admitted. "It's not the first time they've-" He tried to find the word. Flirted? Fought? "Confronted each other like that. They've just never done it with the rest of us around." He closed one drawer and opened the next one "And I'm certain it won't be the last."
"But you two are, well" Tosh's shyness picked an inconvenient moment to rear its ugly head and she blushed. Ianto chuckled sadly
" That's just it. We're what? I don't even have a word for it. Fooling around? Dating? A Couple? We don't talk about it. It just moves forward at its own bizarre little pace and I hold on for dear life." He closed the drawer. He turned to face her leaning against the filing cabinet. He crossed his arms and hung his head as he exhaled. When he looked up again an eerie calm had crossed his face. "So to get back to my original point, I'm fine." This time it was clear the discussion was over.
"Well then I guess I'll leave you to it." She was about to turn and leave but instead moved towards him. She grasped his left hand and gave it a gentle squeeze " He's an idiot." Ianto smirked and squeezed back
"Yeah, sometimes" He paused " But He's my idiot."