When Ianto entered the Hub the next morning he immediately headed to the coffee machine. He felt like he hadn't slept a wink when he'd been in bed more than ten hours. He made the morning round of coffee, making two cups for himself and set off to delivering them. Since Gwen wasn't there and Owen was dead he felt silly carrying the cups on a tray. Tosh accepted his cup with a smile.
Jack's cup rested in his hands like a solid weigh. Taking a deep breath, Ianto walked to the office, knocking on the door. "Put it on down on the desk." Jack said not bothering to look up from his paper work. Ianto did so, walking out as normal as he could. When he was nearly out the door Jack called him. "Ianto,"
"Yes?" He asked turning around. Jack was holding the cup of coffee out to him.
"Make me another coffee, I don't like this one." Ianto stared at him as if he'd grown another head.
"It's your usual blend, sir."
"I said I don't like it, get me another one, Ianto. Now." Jack said, eyes cold and voice impersonal. He was treating him like a coffee boy, he realized. He refused to act out to it.
"Right away, sir." He turned to leave.
"Ianto," Jack called, voice annoyed. Ianto saw the cup still in his hands.
"Sorry, sir." He said, this time he couldn't keep the annoyance out of his tone. He grabbed the cup and made his way back to the kitchenette. He dumped the mug into the sink and made a new blend. He mixed whatever he felt like it. If Jack didn't want his usual blend then that was fine. He brewed something that would leave an extremely bitter aftertaste. If Jack wanted to be petty he could be to.
Ianto knew he'd hurt Jack. He'd seen it. This though, this was unacceptable. He wasn't just the freaking tea boy anymore. He wouldn't let Jack do that to him, if Jack wanted to demote him he'd quit. He'd earned it, simple as that. He'd earned the right to be in the field. He finished brewing the cup, no sign of his inward struggle visible on his face.
He made his way to Jack's office again. He left the cup on his desk and walked out faster than Jack could call him back after taking a sip of the new coffee. He thought he heard Jack try to spit and felt some satisfaction. Ianto went up to the tourist center; hopefully he'd be able to avoid Jack.
Unfortunately for Ianto he had to see Jack around lunchtime. Jack had ordered food; Ianto dropped it off in the conference room as usual. He was in the tourist office a few minutes, he didn't feel much like eating, trying to decide if he should visit Rhiannon soon to distract him when the phone rang. He picked it up.
"Ianto,"
"Yes, Jack."
"Where's my lunch?"
"In the conference room, sir."
"Ianto," There was extreme aggravation in Jack's voice. "Did I tell you to put it in the conference room?"
Ianto startled. "No,"
"Bring it to my office, now." He hung up. Irritated, Ianto went to the conference room and took up the take out again. He delivered it to Jack's office. Jack glared at him.
"Thank you, Ianto. Next time don't just assume where I want." He snapped. Ianto's fist clenched.
"Stop it."
"What?"
"Jack, stop it. Stop being so petty."
"I'm not being petty." Jack snapped. "You said I don't change but seems I do."
"This isn't change, Jack, this is being an asshole." Jack's eyes darkened.
"I'd be careful what you say to your boss, Ianto."
"If my boss would stop acting like a jilted lover, I'd watch what I was saying, sir." He spat out the last word. Jack's jaw clenched in anger then he took in a deep breath.
"You're right, I am acting like an asshole. You know what's worse than that though? Acting like nothings wrong then dumping it all on me like it's my fault," He growled.
"I told you Jack, it wasn't your fault. As stupid as it sounds, it's me not you. I'm not-wasn't asking you to change." He took a deep breath. "I just want a normal life Jack, whatever it is I can get or is Gwen the only one allowed that?" Jack's face blanked and he shook his head.
"No," He said quietly. He looked at Ianto for a moment. "I'm sorry," He said. "Happy?"
"When you mean it," he sighed. "Look, Jack, I know you're more than capable of it, lets just get back to normal." Jack nodded. "I'm sorry for the coffee." He added.
"It tasted nearly as bad as mashed swede." Jack said grimacing. He took in a deep breath. "Have you tasted mashed swede?"
"I don't believe I have, sir." He said.
"You'd remember if you had, trust me on this." Jack said with a slight smile that Ianto couldn't help but return. "Ianto, just because...you don't have to stop calling me Jack if you don't want to."
Ianto nodded, "Noted, sir." He said smiling slightly. Jack smiled and looked at his lunch. He grimaced.
"I actually don't want this,"
"You spent money just to annoy me?"
"That wasn't really my plan but it sort of just happened."
"Impulsive again, Jack?"
"You didn't mind me being impulsive before, if I remember correctly." Ianto felt his face heat up slightly.
"Well that paid off, sir, this is just a waste of money."
"You want it?"
"No, my cholesterol is bad enough as it is with the amount of take out we've been eating recently."
"If Owen were still alive he'd have eaten it as soon as he saw it in the fridge."
"Unfortunately he's dead."
"Weevils?"
"Weevils it is then," Ianto took the food and made his way out of the office. He looked at the contents; he supposed that the weevils ate worse things that a bit of take out, it shouldn't get one or two of them sick. He put it in the refrigerator. Just because they might be weevils didn't mean he'd give them slightly off take-out from exposure when they're next feeding came.
Ianto returned to the tourist office. That had been awkward with Jack, but at least they'd both seen reason. He thought. It was never easy. He sat at the desk and stared at the door for a few moments. For a moment, back in the office, it was as if things had never changed but he needed to stop those. He needed to start seeing Jack as a friend, at worst his boss.
Maybe he'd be visiting Rhiannon sooner than he expected. She and the kids hadn't seen her in a while; it would be nice and normal. It was not Torchwood and, most importantly, it was not Jack.
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A.N.: Anywho, please review and tell me how it goes! I hope it isn't very angsty. I'm trying not to be. There isn't going to be a load of angst in this story, I don't do angst well and too much angst borders on ridiculous in my opinion. I'm not writing a Gothic romance after all! Hope it's going that way at least, the non-Gothic route not the other way!
Also, if you have any complaints or suggestions for the story, please tell me in your review. I may not use them but it does help shape the story other than my outline with feed back.
