Tosh
This story takes place after To The Last Man.
Tosh sat at the small table in Ianto's kitchen, a glass of wine in front of her and the scent of a traditional apple pudding wafting through the room. She took a sip and watched as Ianto continued to wash the dishes, then set her glass down and stood up with determination.
"I don't care what you said, I want to help."
Ianto turned and gave her a crooked smile. "All right, then, if you insist. Grab a towel so you can dry."
It was quick work to clean up the remains of the meal they'd cooked for themselves, a simple chicken curry with basmati rice, naan, and a bottle of crisp white wine. They chatted while they worked, arguing over what to do with the rest of their evening. The Rift was supposed to be quiet for the next thirty-six hours, and though Jack had been called to London to speak with UNIT, he had insisted the others use their well-earned vacation time and take the night, and hopefully the following day, off to enjoy themselves and relax.
It had been a week since they had sent Tommy back in time, and though Tosh knew it had only been one night, she had still cared about him and missed him. He didn't deserve what had happened to him, and she hated that she had been a part of it. After the team had cleaned up to head home for a Rift-free thirty-six hours, Ianto had asked Tosh if she would like to go out to dinner. She had been looking forward to some time to herself, but decided she would enjoy sharing a quiet night in with a friend. Ianto had then suggested cooking something at his flat, and she had readily agreed.
They had cooked side by side and enjoyed the delicious results of their hard work. Ianto had gently asked how she was doing, and she was touched by his concern, opening up about her short time with Tommy and yet another loss she had suffered to Torchwood. When she said something about falling for the right man stuck in the wrong time, he glanced away with an odd smile on his face, then squeezed her hand before starting to clear the table.
Once everything was cleaned up, Ianto wanted to play chess, playfully complaining that no one else at the Hub had the patience for it but her. Tosh wanted to put on a film, because it was always more fun to watch with a friend than watch alone, and sometimes chess felt more like work than relaxing.
But Ianto wasn't in the mood for a romantic comedy, and Tosh knew she couldn't master the concentration needed for one of their chess matches. So they settled on a quick game of Scrabble while the pudding cooked and cooled, followed by the latest episode of Top Gear with dessert and drinks.
Tosh enjoyed spending time with Ianto. She had sensed a kindred spirit in him when he had joined the team, but he had held himself so aloof that no one had really got to know him during his first few months in the Hub. And then they had discovered his cyberized girlfriend, and it seemed as if no one would ever know the real Ianto Jones.
To everyone's surprise, Ianto had returned to the Hub after his month long suspension. Tosh had tried to reach out to Ianto, feeling even more of a connection to this broken young man. He reminded Tosh of herself, of the time she'd spent in a UNIT prison for committing treason when she had only been trying to save her mother. Ianto had almost started another Cyber invasion, but he had done it for love, and even if Gwen had been confused and Owen pissed off, Tosh could understand.
They had taken their first steps toward a real friendship then, becoming even closer during Jack's absence. Jack had been there for Ianto, had brought the Welshman back from the edge just as he had done for Tosh, but then he had left without a word. Although they had both suspected things about Jack and knew he'd had his reasons for leaving, they'd still felt abandoned and alone, and their friendship was a balm for that loss. They had all grown closer, in some ways. Owen and Ianto had put aside their differences and gone out for a pint several times, and she and Gwen had shared a few girls' nights both at work and on the town while the boys had held down the Hub.
Gwen and Owen, however, had constantly fought for control of the team during Jack's absence, bickering and battling even when more important matters loomed before them. Ianto kept everything running smoothly, exchanging increasingly frequent looks of exasperation with Tosh behind their backs as the weeks wore on, and their friendship grew from mutual loss and understanding to support with a bit of gossip and grumbling thrown in.
Jack had been back for almost two months, and it had taken some getting used to. Tosh wasn't sure why she thought it would be otherwise, but she was thankful that she and Ianto remained close, helping one another through the readjustment, particularly at work. Whenever Gwen questioned Jack with her doubts and objections, they exchanged a familiar eye roll; when Owen tossed pointed barbs around like confetti, they snorted and went about their work.
They hadn't seen one another outside work as much as usual, but Ianto hadn't been going out for drinks with Owen as much either. He'd had a date a few weeks ago, and as this was the first chance she'd had to spend some quality alone time with her friend, Tosh was hoping to find out a bit more. Was he seeing someone? Was it serious? What about Jack?
Ianto had been very tight-lipped about his relationship with Jack before the Captain's disappearance and equally as reticent while Jack had been gone with his Doctor. Tosh knew that they had slept together, but she she'd never felt comfortable asking him for more details, even when it seemed as if Jack might never return. Ianto was a very private man who kept his thoughts and feelings to himself, and she hadn't been able to justify prying into his past when she knew so much of it was painful.
Now she was desperately curious, though. Had he and Jack resumed their former activities? Had they started an actual relationship? Ianto had recommended a new restaurant recently, and it sounded like he had gone with someone special, but he never said anything about seeing anyone, at least not until a few weeks ago when he had begged off hitting the pubs with Owen because of a date. Tosh couldn't help wondering if he was dating Jack, or someone from outside the Hub? How could she bring it up?
They were halfway through their game, waiting for the pudding to finish and about to open a second bottle of wine, when Tosh heard a sound at the door. It wasn't a knock, but someone actually coming into the flat, and very loudly at that. She was almost positive that Ianto had locked the door, and equally certain he wasn't sharing his flat with a roommate, so after glancing behind her, she turned toward Ianto with a questioning look, miming a gun with her fingers in case it was an intruder.
He frowned, looking a bit like a deer stopped in headlights, and shook his head, but before he could say anything, there was a familiar bellow from the living room.
"Ianto! I'm back early and I'm—"
Jack stopped in the doorway to the kitchen, his mouth hanging open.
"And I'm interrupting, apparently." He didn't look upset, but Tosh was surprised to see confusion and even disappointment on his face.
"No, you're just in time to join us for dessert," said Ianto, standing quickly and moving toward the doorway. He hesitated in front of Jack, one hand coming up as if he wanted to greet Jack with an embrace—or something more. Instead, Ianto turned away with a barely noticeable shake of the head and took down another wine glass for Jack, then opened the second bottle of wine.
Jack stared at Tosh as if he were terrified at being caught with his hand in the proverbial cookie jar. Tosh was equally as surprised, but smiled as brightly as she could. "Hi, Jack. You could join our game too, if you like."
"No alien sex terms, though," said Ianto, returning to the table and hovering over his place. Tosh had the distinct impression he was taking deep breaths to stay calm. "That's cheating."
"I didn't make up a single one!" Jack exclaimed, earning a snort from Ianto as he quickly laid out a word, then moved toward the oven to check their pudding. It was not a particularly strong word, scoring half what he normally did, and if Tosh didn't know better, she would swear Ianto was distracted, possibly even nervous.
"Still cheating when I have no idea whether it's possible or not," said Ianto.
"Oh, it's all possible, trust me." Jack grinned, stuck his hands in his pockets, and clearly watched as Ianto bent over to take out the warm desert. When there was no reply and Ianto didn't even turn around to acknowledge him, he seemed to almost fall into himself and deflate a bit.
"Really, if I'm interrupting, I can head back to the Hub…" He trailed off, but Tosh could hear the uncertainty in his voice as she studied her letters.
"Of course not," said Ianto, setting the pudding on a rack to cool and turning toward Jack. He rubbed a hand through his hair, leaving it a bit on end. "I'm sorry, I'm just surprised. You weren't supposed to be back until tomorrow."
Tosh snuck a glance at the doorway, where Jack had reached for Ianto's other hand and pulled him close. She held back a surprised gasp and stared resolutely at the game board, trying not to think of inappropriate words to spell out.
"We were done early and I wanted to be back here with you instead of by myself in a hotel room." She heard rather than saw a kiss, with a few happy sounds peppered throughout. She was certain she was blushing furiously, and fairly sure Jack and Ianto had forgotten she was there. Uncertain whether to cough for their attention or hide under the table and give them some privacy, Tosh was even more unsure what to do when she heard whispered murmurs about heating up some curry and taking a quick shower. When she chanced a look up, Jack was gone and Ianto was pulling the leftovers from the icebox.
"You're still here," she said, the words falling from her lips before she could stop them. Ianto glanced over his shoulder with a curious look.
"Where else would I be?" he asked as he spooned some chicken and rice into a casserole dish and slipped it into the oven.
"Oh…uh…Jack said he was going to clean up…" She trailed off, slightly mortified at the implication. Ianto, however, snorted lightly as he joined her.
"Jack is perfectly capable of taking a shower on his…oh." And suddenly he blushed and ducked his head. "Right."
"Sorry," murmured Tosh. "I thought you'd…" She stuck her foot in her mouth once again and contemplated running out before she swallowed both of them.
Ianto laughed nervously. "And in other circumstances you might be right," he said. Tosh knew she was gaping but couldn't help it. Ianto glanced away, eyes closed in embarrassment. "I can't believe I said that."
"No, it's all right," said Tosh
Ianto gave her a skeptical look and finished his glass of wine in several large gulps, Tosh watching wide-eyed.
"Are you all right?" she whispered, glancing back over her shoulder to make sure no one else had snuck into Ianto's flat to listen in.
Ianto set down his glass with what could only be a slightly rueful smile. "I'm fine. I'm good, really. I'm surprised, that's all. And a little embarrassed, I suppose, although I don't know why."
"Jack came back early to see you," Tosh said. She had pretty much given up on trying to make a word and pushed her letters aside, leaning closer. "He has a key to your flat."
Ianto was starting to blush again, something Tosh could hardly recall seeing before, and now she'd seen it twice in one night. He cleared his throat, sounding nervous. "Yes, well…emergencies and all that."
"There's no emergency," Tosh said. "He was in London, and he came back early and let himself into your apartment because he wanted to see you. And now he's taking a shower in your bathroom."
Ianto simply nodded, wide-eyed and speechless, as if dreading what she would point out next.
"Ianto Jones!" Tosh exclaimed, slapping him lightly on his hand. "You tell me what's going on right now!"
Ianto jumped up. "More wine?" he asked.
"Go ahead, if you need it," she replied, crossing her hands over her chest. Apparently he did, because he poured himself a large glass and cradled it in his hands protectively, as if it were giving him strength.
"What do you want me to say, Tosh?" he said softly. "You've seen for yourself now."
"I have no idea what I saw," she said. "Are you sleeping together? Dating? Is he living here? Is it—"
"Yes, yes, and not really, he just spends the night now and then," said Ianto, joining her at the table. He took another sip and set the glass down. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything, Tosh. It's just that…it's different this time. I don't know what it is or why it's different, but it is, and having to explain it is…" He shrugged helplessly.
This time she took his hand and grasped his fingers tightly. "It's fine, I understand. You don't have to tell me everything, after all. But now that he's here I get to ask a few questions. Are you sleeping together again?" A nod. "But dating this time?" She knew from what little Ianto had shared that it had been casual before Jack left, but dating implied something more serious in her mind. Jack and Ianto, dating? She couldn't wrap her brain around them actually going out together, in the romantic sense of the word, and doing something besides Weevil hunting or shagging.
He nodded again. "How long?" This time she took a sip of wine, waiting for his answer.
"He asked the night he came back," Ianto said. He was gazing down at the table, tracing a whorl in the wood with his fingers, a small smile on his face. "It took a while to get there, to a place where we could move past the anger and the hurt, but yeah." He met her eyes. "We had a nice dinner, then went to a movie, but it was crap. Had a drink after, talked through some things, and decided to try it again."
"So that date you had a few weeks ago—that was with Jack?" Tosh was slightly stunned. How had she missed it? How was it possible that two of her coworkers, two people she cared about, could be dating and they had all missed it? Especially when Jack had told them he'd had a date that night as well?
A long sip of wine accompanied a simple "Yep." Tosh shook her head as she sat back and finished her glass. Ianto motioned to the bottle and she nodded. Yes, she wanted more. More wine, more information. He grabbed it and poured for her, leaving the bottle between them.
"I don't know what to say," she finally offered. "I'm…I'm really happy for you both, but I can't believe none of us saw it." She pierced him with a stern look. "How did you manage to keep it secret so long? And why?"
"Why?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Besides the fact that it's our own business? That's it's the boss dating his personal assistant? That it's a dozen other things impossible to define?" He sighed. "Besides, can you imagine what Owen would say? He's got enough to say as it is, I can't imagine giving him even more to work with."
"He knows," said a voice in the doorway, and even though she knew Jack was in the flat, Tosh jumped in her seat. He was standing there drying his hair with a small towel, dressed in flannel pants and a baggy long sleeve shirt. Tosh stared, because it all the years she had known him, it might have been the first time she had seen Jack Harkness out of his normal blue shirt, trousers, and braces.
Ianto raised an eyebrow, apparently quite at ease with this more casual Jack as he didn't bat an eyelash. "What do you mean, he knows?"
"He knows we're…you know," Jack said with a shrug. Tosh gathered he was uncomfortable with defining it, as Ianto had been a few minutes earlier. "He called me out on it last month, when we went to Enterra for dinner."
Tosh glanced back and forth between Jack and Ianto, one looking a bit stunned, one a bit sheepish.
"Sorry?" offered Jack.
Ianto shook his head. "No, no it's not your fault. I can't believe he hasn't said anything." He sighed as he took a sip of wine. "Owen's usually not one to pass up an opportunity to take the piss, after all."
"He was remarkably mature about it," said Jack. He tossed the towel over the back of a chair. "He even threatened me a bit."
"What?" blurted Tosh, then clamped her hand over her mouth. "Sorry. But did you just say Owen threatened you?"
Jack picked up the extra glass Ianto had set out and gave him a questioning look. Ianto nodded with a smile, Jack poured himself a glass, then turned and leaned against the counter as he sipped. "He told me in no uncertain terms I'd answer to him if I hurt a certain Welsh teaboy."
Tosh gasped but Ianto snorted. "That's Owen, all right. Insulting even as he rears a protective streak."
"I can't believe he'd say that," Tosh murmured. Jack grinned.
"He also invited me along for a threesome."
"No!" she exclaimed, and Ianto looked both horrified and confused.
"Wait, what did he actually say, Jack?" he asked after a moment.
"That I could join you for one of your pub crawls as long as we didn't snog." Jack shrugged. "Not sure what the point is, then…"
Ianto stood with a smile, shaking his head as he crossed over to the oven and took out the warm food. "Come on, sit down and have some dinner. I need to use to loo, and then I'll serve up the pudding."
Jack placed a hand on Ianto's shoulder and kissed him on the cheek, offering him a warm smile as he took a plate from the cabinet and helped himself to a generous serving. He sat down across from Tosh as Ianto left the kitchen, watching her a bit nervously.
"I really am sorry I interrupted," he said softly, picking at his food. "I know you guys are close, and if I had known you were having dinner tonight, I —"
Tosh reached over and patted his hand. "It's absolutely fine, Jack. I'm glad you're here. Ianto's glad you're here."
"Do you think so?" Jack asked, his voice even lower as he leaned forward. "I really wanted to get out of there and get back before was too late. I was hoping to surprise him."
"I think you did," said Tosh with a laugh. "The look on his face was priceless!"
"I hope it wasn't for the wrong reasons," Jack replied. He tried the curry, humming his appreciation before he set down his fork and pierced Tosh with a look. "He wasn't the only one surprised, though. He really didn't say anything to you about us?"
Tosh glanced down and shook her head. "He didn't. He's a private man, Jack. So are you. And apparently the rest of us are all blind as bats."
"Nah, we're just that sneaky." Jack laughed, and Tosh was relieved to hear it. It was uncharacteristic for Jack to be nervous about anything.
"That you are. It's been almost two months!" Tosh was further rewarded when Jack gave her a blinding smile, so warm and happy that Tosh's heart skipped a beat for her friends.
"So it has. And a good two months, too." He paused, a slight frown marring his face. "Wait, am I supposed to do something special for that? Like, an anniversary present or something?"
"No," said Ianto, walking in then and shaking his head fondly. "Absolutely not."
"Why not? It's two months," said Jack.
"Exactly," said Ianto. He went over to the pudding and began plating it with some custard. "Goldfish live longer."
"Ianto!" Tosh exclaimed, causing him to turn around, knife in hand. But Jack was laughing.
"It's all right," he said, returning to his belated dinner. "We're not sentimental like that." He winked at Tosh. "At least, not yet."
Tosh glanced over at Ianto's reaction. He had stopped serving the pudding and seemed to be simply staring at the wall.
"Is he rolling his eyes?" asked Jack, grinning as he finished his late dinner. The Welshman glanced over his shoulder and gave Tosh a small nod with a smile that revealed far more than he probably wanted it to. Jack's words meant something to him.
"Yes, he is," she said, laughing. Ianto brought over two servings of pudding and custard.
"Yours is waiting," he said, sitting down next to Jack. Tosh was across from them and could immediately see it, amazed that she hadn't noticed before. They sat close; their legs were probably touching under the table, and when Jack's hand disappeared she was pretty sure it was on Ianto's knee. They both looked relaxed and content, Ianto especially. It was quite amazing to see, being so different to how they behaved at the Hub. She was tempted to ask them how they managed it, but instead grinned happily and tucked into her dessert, enjoying the view.
"Tosh thinks we're cute," Jack said in a mock-whisper. Tosh glanced up in surprise, catching Ianto's eyes. He had a crooked grin on his face again.
"I think you're much more than cute," she replied, hoping to hold her own against Jack.
"Hot? Sexy? Steamy?" suggested Jack.
"Titillating?" offered Ianto, earning a sideways glance from Jack that he missed but Tosh saw and loved for the affection she clearly saw.
"How about…happy," Tosh replied. "Handsome. Warm. And right."
Ianto was pointedly looking away, but Jack grabbed her hand and pressed a kiss to it. "I like your reaction much better than Owen's."
"Oh, if you hurt him, I'll hurt you even more than Owen," she said, and Jack dropped her hand with a good-natured grumble.
"Why am I always the one being warned off?" he asked through a mouthful of curry.
"Older, more experienced," Ianto replied with a shrug. "And apparently I can't hold my own."
"Oh yes you can," said Tosh, pointing her fork at Ianto and earning a look of surprise from them both. "So as far as I'm concerned, it goes both ways. You may be my friend, Ianto Jones, but you do not get to mess with my other friend."
"I'll consider myself told then," Ianto murmured, and Jack nodded in agreement.
"Damn right." He threw another sideways glance at Ianto before sipping some wine. "I don't think you'll have anything to worry about, Tosh."
Ianto smiled as he finished his pie. Tosh raised an eyebrow.
"Because you're both so normal and mature?"
They shared a smile as if remembering a private joke, then Ianto jumped in his chair with a rather undignified squeak. Jack stood up and helped himself to some pudding.
"Point made," Ianto laughed, but this time he was not blushing. "We'll be fine, Tosh. You won't have to go defending either one of us."
"Good."
"And if you didn't say anything…"
There was a snort from the icebox, where Jack had pulled out some ice cream to go with his pudding instead. "They know now, Ianto. We don't have to tip toe around."
Tosh and Ianto shared a meaningful look. "Gwen?" she mouthed, and Ianto nodded.
"You don't need to give Owen reason to take the piss, though," Tosh said, immediately understanding his reluctance. "I don't mind, but it's probably better to keep it professional around the others."
Ianto mouthed, "Thank you," and she nodded. Jack joined them at the table with an enormous plate of pudding and at least two servings of ice cream. Ianto goggled at it, but his face relaxed into fond amusement as Jack attacked his plate with happy gusto.
"We're professional," he said, then wagged his eyebrows. "In more ways than one. Besides, it would be nice to not sneak around, right? If we're going somewhere, we can actually say we're going together."
This time Ianto's hand disappeared under the table, followed by Jack's, and Tosh suspected they were holding hands, or patting one another's legs in reassurance, or…
No. She couldn't go there already. She'd just found out, after all. Which reminded her to check the CCTV footage of the Hub, to see what she had missed all this time.
"I'd say give it a few more weeks, wait until everyone figures it out," said Tosh. "You've done such a good job of keeping it under wraps, after all."
"See how long we can manage to keep our hands off one another at work?" Jack suggested.
"Oh, I doubt you do," said Tosh, eyes twinkling. "You make sure we're not around. I wonder what your favorite hiding place is."
"Tosh!" exclaimed Ianto.
"Yeah, Tosh, when did you develop such a naughty mind?" grinned Jack. "Because I like it."
"Jack, don't encourage her." Ianto raised an eyebrow at her. "And you're supposed to be my friend."
"I can't help it if the two of you together is a girl's fantasy," Tosh laughed.
"I knew it!" crowed Jack, and Ianto hung his head, although he was clearly pretending to be exasperated, since he was grinning.
They finished their wine and dessert with more good-natured teasing, then Ianto shooed her and Jack into the living room while he cleaned up again. Jack settled on the sofa while Tosh took the armchair, thinking Ianto would probably want to sit with Jack. But when Ianto came out, he sort of froze with a frown on his face, as if not sure where to sit. Jack noticed immediately and rolled his eyes as he patted the sofa next to him.
"You can sit with me in your own flat, you know," said Jack. "I won't bite." There was pause. "Unless you want me to."
To her everlasting surprise, Ianto smirked as he ran a finger over his neck, right behind his ear. "Maybe later," he replied. Tosh wasn't sure whether Ianto's reply or Jack's reaction was better. Jack's eyes went a little bit wide and his mouth went slack, tongue moistening his bottom lip as if in anticipation. Ianto had always had a clever wit and bantered with everyone at the Hub, but watching him and Jack alone was even better.
Ianto sat next to Jack, who quickly pulled him into his side as Ianto let out a sort of 'oomf" and Tosh laughed again. They watched Top Gear, Jack commenting on almost everything, Ianto occasionally throwing his own snarky comments back, and Tosh simply enjoying the show. Every so often Ianto would run his hand along Jack's knee, or Jack would run his fingers down Ianto's side, and it was heartwarming to see such clear affection between the two men. It struck her that it made sense, in a warped Torchwood sort of way, and that they would probably be good for one another. Ianto already seemed more happy and confident, and Jack seemed grounded and more content than she had seen him in years.
Jack was starting to nuzzle Ianto's neck when Tosh decided to make her exit. It was clear they had missed one another, and she did not feel like intruding on that any longer. She had enjoyed her time with Ianto, but now it was Jack's turn.
Begging off in spite of their protests, she gathered her purse and accepted the leftover pudding pressed into her hands, then made her way to the front hall, where Ianto took her coat from the closet and held it out for her, exactly as he did for Jack at the Hub. She smiled happily as he turned her around for a warm embrace. Jack was there as well, and pressed a kiss against her temple.
"Thank you," he murmured as he stepped back.
"For what?" she asked, and he grinned with a shrug.
"For being you—wonderful, amazing you."
It made her heart soar, especially when she looked back at Ianto and saw him nodding in agreement. These two men were her good friends, and she was thrilled they had found some small bit of happiness together. What could be better than seeing two people she loved so happy? She may have lost Tommy only a week earlier, but seeing Jack and Ianto together, far from reminding her of her own loss, helped her remember that there was still love in the world, that it still worked out for some people. One day it would work out for her.
"Good night," she said, giving Ianto a second hug. "Don't stay up too late," she whispered, and he laughed.
"Why stay up late doing what could be done in the morning just as well?" he returned with a wink, obviously more comfortable joking about the situation in front of her.
"How about both?" asked Jack, and they all laughed.
"That's my cue to leave," said Tosh, and with another murmured round of farewells, she headed downstairs. Ianto had called her a cab as he'd wrapped up her pudding, and she climbed in, feeling a warm glow from the friendship and the wine as she headed home.
She hoped that Jack and Ianto felt the same, and tried not to imagine what they were up to now that she had left. Failing miserably, she closed her eyes with a smile, and let her imagination wander, suspecting the reality was even better.
Author's Note:
I hope you enjoyed Tosh's discovery! Thank you to Taamar for looking this over. Gwen's discovery will be next and last. Anticipate away.
