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Ianto stood on the beach as he watched the waves moving up and down in that tireless fashion of a breathing monster. He was contemplating his life. His love. His betrayals and maybe… above all… how to end it.

How did he get here!

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"Roddy! You're going to be late love" Ianto yelled one more time up the stairs as his husband crashed and banged about in their bedroom.

Ianto had laid out all the clothes, down to the watch he preferred with that suit so there should be no reason for this carry-on and Ianto knew it was down to the nervousness of his partner, this deal he was about to make a big one.

Finally 'Hot Rod' Roderick Hayes Jr came down the stairs and stood before Ianto, slowly turning for approval. Ianto noted the tie had been changed to the one his mother had sent him last Christmas and he smiled softly, trying not to be insulted by that as Roddy … or RJ to his friends…. Chose to swap out an outfit he had told Ianto several times was not to be altered in any way. His lucky outfit. Only Ianto called him Roddy.

"You look edible… were you not so late I might bite a part of you now" Ianto said and RJ made a noise of disappointment in the blow job offered and yet snatched away.

"You are terrible ya know" he leaned over the counter to kiss Ianto and snatch a piece of toast.

"Come on… sit down and eat… stop pissing me off mister" Ianto fake growled, then motioning him to the dining room where RJ sat and started to eat his full English breakfast.

"Right… so… I close the deal and we do the drinks thing tonight with the guys and then… ah… shit. Forgot to tell you" RJ made a sad face "I have to work this weekend."

"No!" Ianto said with annoyance "You promised. I wanted to go to that gallery opening. Oh Roddy."

Ianto was the only one to call him that and it always made him smile as Ianto emphasised the Y. "Sorry love… it just came up. Partners Meeting… hey… we will have the Sunday night… OK?"

"An overnighter?" Ianto was pissed now.

These overnight stays in the city were becoming more frequent and he hoped the Partners knew how much they were pushing one of their best assets like this, dangling that carrot of partner at him all the time. He worked hard for it though, Ianto was proud of him.

"Sorry love… that's the man you married… work… work… work…" RJ crooned "Gotta keep you in your pretties."

"Oi!" Ianto grumbled, this an old joke between them as Ianto came from 'the other side of the tracks' and was still considered a Gold-digger by some of RJ's friends despite making a rather comfortable living off his amazing gift as an artist. Truth be told, Ianto's name was just as big as his husband's … he just used his own name and no one ever seemed to catch on that he was not really Mister Hayes… RJ was Mister Hayes. Ianto was and will always be Ianto Jones… a highly sought after artist actually.

"So… I love you… I am sorry… it's all good." RJ said as he kissed his husband and rose "Prefect as always."

Ianto watched him exit and walk to in his flash convertible and sighed, going to clear away the dishes and call to cancel the reservations he had made at their favourite restaurant for the weekend.

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"God he is edible"

Ianto tried not to react knowing all eyes were on his 'movie star good looking' husband, the properly developer actually had done some modelling in his younger years ya know. Ianto was the equivalent of a trophy wife, a good ten years between them and it did not bother him at all.

The fact RJ had teenage children who hated Ianto … well… that WAS a little problem. Despite the fact he met RJ two years AFTER the divorce, they still seem to blame him for their parents not being together.

At 38 he looked closer to Ianto's 28 … a handsome couple to be sure.

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"I love this"

Ianto looked up and smiled at his best friend as she sat back in the mass of cushions on the huge couch, admiring the beadwork on the little clutch purse Ianto had just presented her as a belated birthday gift. One of RJ's meetings in Paris had gone over and Ianto could not exactly take the compact jet to fly back without him… right? She was a good stick about it. Toshiko was always a good stick. Married to the mad Owen I guess she had to be a calm and kind person.

RJ was in a huddle with his friends, Ianto over on the other side of the room with their significant others and it was another thing that secretly riled him sometimes. He's a man. Why is he relegated to the 'wifey' corner? If not for Toshiko… he would not even want to come. Arghhhh…. Speaking of reasons not to come… Gwen Cooper entered on the arm of Rhys Williams and Rhys lit up as he headed towards the 'wifey' corner, Gwen peeling off to go lean on Jack like a fucking leech.

"Hey guys… ooo… raspberry daiquiris?" Rhys grinned.

"Thank god you are here… I can get a beer now" Ianto smiled back and they headed to the bar as the day rolled to a close. Jack Harkness sat at the bar nursing his whiskey and they nodded to one another in passing as old friends or old school chums might.

Just another normal day… right?

Shame the next one would not be so… normal.