3
Ianto had enjoyed the freedom of lying on the bed in shorts and a loose white cotton shirt, no body suit so he could actually breathe. He must have dozed off because he woke to a banging noise. An insistent and angry noise that he finally recognised as the front door. He staggered from the bed and to the door, opening it to find a woman on the other side with a look of fury.
"Where the hell were you!" she demanded and he was taken back.
"Excuse me?
"I've been banging on the bloody door for ages" she flapped her arms "This is Jack's place, right?"
Finally Ianto saw the box by her feet with reports in it, work Ah. Right. Jack still had some work to do even if it was done here with the blessing of his superiors who were just relieved he was not cutting them off without clearing out the old files. He went to speak and she started again "Well? Get out of the bloody way and get that box!"
She slapped against him, forcing him back against the wall and he grunted with shock and pain as his unprotected skin screamed from the force of her arm. He remained there for a moment panting through the pain then he went to tell her to fuck off when she turned to him and roared "what the fuck it wrong with you. Get the bloody box!"
"No." he said calmly planting his feet, one arm still held protectively over his smarting chest.
She stalled out, her mouth moving and he could see a gap in her teeth that made him think of a college friend who crudely talked about it being the sperm filter in his girlfriend. Yeah. Didn't last to graduation that one.
"Excuse me?" she snarled with uncredulity.
"I said no"
She seemed to inflate like some hover craft filling it's skirts and Ianto tried to stop the hysterical giggling he could feel bubbling up. She reached for him and he threw his arms up to protect his chest, giving her the chance to seize his wrist and turn him, slamming him to the wall face first this time and body slamming into him to snarl in his ear "I will fucking…"
She had misjudged the man she was attacking.
For one, she grabbed his weak wrist, the dominant arm swinging back as he turned to face her and he easily punched her in the side of the head, her cry of pain as she flew back more satisfying than it should be. He made a mental not to tell his physical therapist he had managed a mid torso shift as well as raised that arm higher than ever before with anger outweighing discomfort.
He told himself he would feel physically ill later for striking a woman but his chest was screaming as he swung again, flinging her back down the hall towards the front door.
It opened with Jack entering, the box in his arms that he had found on the doorstep and he looked at Gwen on the floor, Ianto standing there with his good hand fisted and the weak one reaching for a weapon. It was a heavy pewter elephant that was so out of place he knew damned well where it was on the side table. His fingers scrabbled as he continued to glare at the woman on the floor. It was obvious his intent.
"Baby?"
Ianto growled low in his chest as he stepped back and Jack realised his mistake. He had said the one pet name Ianto hated making it seem like he was talking to Gwen. He tried again "Tiger?"
"This belongs to you?" Ianto asked with annoyance as he pointed at her on the floor "She attacked me and I think my chest is bruised."
Owen shoved Jack out of the way and bustled over to Ianto with open concern and Gwen rose, crushing off her clothing "Oh. Um … this is … oh. Why didn't you say so? I never meant to fall against you like that, I only tripped."
"You fucking attacked me and I defended myself" Ianot shot back, "Get out of my house!"
"I believe this is Jack's house at the moment, didn't he get it through work?" Gwen shot back and Ianto made a lunge at her then winced, stepped back instead.
"you know what? I do not have to deal with you. Jack?" Ianto turned to him and Jack loked confused, then he placed the box down.
"Gwen. You need to appologise for that and leave" Jack said firmly and her mouth fell open.
"Apologise?" she squeaked "To that wilting flower that stole you away from …"
Toshikko is a lovely friend and sometimes Ianto feels a little like he takes her for granted, her slap across Gwens' face reminding him that he really needs to make her some of that fresh pumpkin soup she likes so much.
She left screaming the place down and Toshiko turned to Ianto with wide eyes "Are you OK?"
"I am beyond angry" Ianto said "And my chest it on fire."
"Uncle?" Mica's voice was full of fear as she clung to her brother and Jack looked at them, then felt a fresh flare of anger, striding to the door and flinging it open to shout at the woman still getting in her vehicle.
"If you ever go near Ianto again I will fucking kill you!" he roared "Do you hear me? You bitch!"
Gwen slammed her car door and sped off narrowly missing another vehicle on the road.
Jack turned to Ianto with open apology for his moment's delay in defending him but Ianto was already cuddling the kids as he assured them he ws OK.
Jack could not believe himself. Way to stall out.
