A/N Thank you for all the reviews, alerts and favourites! They mean so much and keep me writing!
"Ianto this isn't good enough," Mr Wallace sighed flicking through the pages with a licked finger, "It's 3 days late and scrappy, I know that you can do better. I hate to be the one to say this to you, but you're work is getting sloppy and you're moving rapidly towards failing. What's happened?"
"Nothing," I lied smoothly, "Sorry, Mr Wallace, should I try again?"
He sighed and I tried not to wince at his disappointment, even if he was only a lecturer I cared what he thought, "Look, I think we both know that you have potential in this subject- you're good at it, you understand what works and what doesn't, what grasps someone's attention and why, how to interest your audience in something that's been done a thousand times before. However," he breathed, standing straight, "you're not concentrating and it's affecting your grades- I know that you're a student and out having fun but try keep the grades up too. Jack does it."
"Yeah well Jack's fucking perfect, isn't he?" I muttered hoping he wouldn't hear. He did.
Smiling knowingly he added, "So it's Jack that is bothering you?"
"No… He's not done anything, I'm just not having a good day and it's easy to blame him for things." I replied with a mask in place.
He chuckled before looking into my eyes, "Don't lie Ianto, I've taught enough students to know what to look for." I guiltily apologised with my eyes, he continued, "I know what Jack Harkness is like, he goes out and drinks, he 'enjoys' life, he passes all assignments by doing them in a hour, he gets a girl in every club he goes to yet he's still got a pretty girlfriend trailing on his arm who loves him and is ignoring all the signs. He can sing, dance, act, write, draw, do sports, whatever. The man of everyone's dreams, eh?"
I looked away awkwardly: he was spot on. "I..I just… I'm not jealous."
"I know you're not, you're just wrong. Jack isn't perfect." replied Mr Wallace surprising me I widened my eyes at him, "You don't understand. I knew a man like Jack once, we… Dated."
"Oh," there was a long silence, "what happened?"
"Everything," he said quietly lost in memories, "we used to… at night we used to go out a lot, we were young." I looked at the floor as soon as he tried to make eye contact, he continued regardless, "Then one day he just stopped, told me it was too much- that he was going to fail if I kept making him go out! He began studying. That was when it hit me I'd been so wrapped up in trying to please him and be like him that I had no future. Next think i knew he was leaving and-"
"Mr Wallace- why are you telling me this?" I interrupted, "Jack would never leave, and trust me he doesn't have a future planned out either. I've known him my whole life, I know exactly what he is like. Christ I know his Mum better than my own!" I paused, "I'll try and get the marks back up but it's not got anything to do with Jack. I look up to him but not so much that I'd ignore work." Mr Wallace cocked an eyebrow and pointed at the results I'd been getting, "Okay, I let myself fall off the track a tad but it's not Jack's fault."
"But you admit that something is going on?"
I frowned annoyed that he was taking such a personal interest, "What are you on about, Mr Wallace? All I said was that I didn't understand how Jack could still pass after doing such little work- in fact I never actually said that!"
"And all I'm trying to say is that you should understand that you are better at this subject than him! He's passing - often quite well- but he does everything by the book on the other hand you have creativity and a passion that he will never understand! You could succeed but Jack will only ever get a few small jobs here and there! Please work hard? Don't bother about Jack."
I glared he was openly insulting my friend, "Why do you care so much?"
"Because you could go so far but he's holding you back, plus he is the definition of a bastard!"
"Piss off, Mr Wallace, you're talking about your ex not Jack," I said before grabbing my essay then making to leave. I stopped and turned back around, "Sorry, I shouldn't have said that."
Mr Wallace laughed, "This is what I'm talking about, Ianto, Jack wouldn't have come back, he would never turn around to sort things out he just files off and has the luck of a deer."
"A deer, Mr Wallace?" I asked confused by the idea.
"Yes, in China they are seen as lucky, your friend is just like a deer, no, maybe a gazelle; an animal being chased by a tiger that escapes= Jack. He'll run away knowing the tiger will eat someone else."
I smiled unable to help agreeing; usually Jack manages to pass the blame to someone else, mostly me. I left quickly afterwards slightly uncomfortable staying any longer, was it weird for a teacher to take such an interest in me?
Walking back to the flat from the Uni grounds i thought about what Mr Wallace was trying to say. First he mentioned an ex-boyfriend, then talked about said ex leaving, next me being better than I thought – which I have to say I did not agree with- and then he referred to Jack as a gazelle. Drama teachers, they never make any sense.
Jack was with Gwen in the kitchen when I entered, "Oh hi, Ianto Jones!"
"It's just Ianto," I told her, "Jack can I have a word?"
He nodded and I led the way to my bedroom, "Does she know?"
"Know what?"
I sighed, "That you're cheating on her?"
"I am not!"
I raised my eyebrows, "So what was Iris or Eileen or Iain or whatever their name was about? Oh and the girl the night before, and before that and befo-"
He cut me off, "All right I get your point. That's not cheating they're just sex!"
I laughed bitterly, "And if she was doing the same?"
"She never would."
"But if she did?"
"She wouldn't. No one cheats on me," he grinned, "but I might break with her anyway, she's getting on my nerves."
My jaw dropped, "She loves you! You can't ditch her."
"Yes I can! Plus," he began to move away from me and winked as he said, "I've found someone else to share my bed."
I froze as he sauntered out the room, did he really just say that? Was he talking about me? What about Gwen? What did he mean?
"Jack! JACK!" I yelled hoping for him to come back but too scared to go out and face him.
The next thing I heard was Gwen giggling and The Captain's bedroom door being firmly shut.
A/N Sorry this is a really weird chapter isn't it? I promise I'll get better for tomorrow but after that I don't think I'll have time to upload for a week or two because I have my exams :( Review please!
