Pride

Seventh in the Seven Deadly Sins Series

It is better to lose your pride with someone you love rather than lose that someone you love with your useless pride.

-Anonymous

"Ianto." Jack banged on the bedroom door again. "Come on, open the door."

He could hear Ianto moving within but heard no reply. It had been this way for half an hour now. Ianto sulking in his room while Jack paced outside the door and attempted to apologize.

"Ianto." Jack sighed heavily. The first five minutes he understood; Ianto was renowned for his ability to hold a grudge. But as they had approached the twenty and then the thirty minute mark, Jack's patience had begun to slip.

"Open the door, Ianto. This is getting very childlike. Am I going to have to break it down and take you over my knee?" Jack chuckled, actually hoping the opportunity would present itself. He heard a slam, assumingly the ensuite bathroom door, and then footsteps.

Suddenly the bedroom door swung open and Jack was met with a very, very pissed Ianto Jones.

"Did you just threaten to take me over your knee? Who are you, my mother?" Ianto shoved past him and marched into the kitchen. Jack followed.

"I just meant you're acting like a little kid." Ianto slammed a coffee cup onto the counter (Jack was surprised it didn't shatter on impact.) He then began fiddling with his coffee maker, which looked almost as high-tech and expensive as the one housed at Torchwood.

"I am not a child."

"You were sulking. Over something ridiculous!"

"It was not! You are a pompous arse, and don't deserve to be in my kitchen. Get out!" Ianto gave him a shove towards the door, then turned and pressed a few more buttons. The machine roared to life.

But when Ianto turned back moments later, Jack still stood in the doorway between the kitchen and the den.

"I told you to get out!"

"I did. I got out of the kitchen." Ianto gave a loud, angry sigh and began slowly counting to ten in his head so that he wouldn't take a knife from the drawer and fling it at the very annoying Captain.

"Look, Ianto," Jack tried to reach out a hand to touch his shoulder but Ianto shrugged him off. "I'm sorry."

The coffee maker was beeping, indicating the brew was almost complete. Ianto turned and gave him an annoyed look, but one that said he was listening and might possibly forgive, if Jack gave the right answer.

"Sorry for what?"

"Sorry that you never win at Hide and Seek." Jack smiled his signature smile. Ianto threw a dishtowel at him.

"Jack! God, you really are an egotistical bastard. Do you ever think of anyone but yourself?"

Jack didn't answer.

"You're just so pissed off that I beat you. You can't handle not being the top dog all the time. Well, guess what? Sometimes I like to be on top."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah!"

Jack gave a suggestive grin, and, realizing the only way to make this situation go away, was to show Ianto that he didn't always have to be on top.

So he did.

Jack hadn't bottomed in quite some time, but it didn't matter. The saying was true; it was just like riding a bike.

Ianto lay behind Jack, his arms around his waist and one hand making patterns in the sparse hair on Jack's chest.

"Ianto?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm sorry I'm such an arse sometimes."

"Sometimes?"

"Okay, most of the time."

"You're forgiven. On one condition."

"What?"

"Next time we play Hide and Seek, I get a two item handicap."

"What? No way, that isn't-"

Ianto loudly cleared his throat.

"Agreed." And Jack snuggled in closer, understanding that sometimes you had to let go of your pride, in order to gain something else.

A/N: So, I am finally finished with this story! Yay! Thank you to all who have reviewed or favorited or whatnot. They do mean a lot to me. I hope you all have enjoyed this story, and please be on the lookout for more!

sl

PS: Please review!

Disclaimer: Torchwood is the property of Russell T. Davies.