12

Ianto knew he was blushing as he tried to shave, the man in the mirror behind him was buck naked as he got out of the shower totally oblivious to the chaos he was causing in Ianto's morning routine.

"Right, gonna go check Ifan… don't worry... I will get dressed first. Can't give him a heart attack now, can I!" Jack chuckled, leaning into kiss Ianto's cheek "Sweetheart."

Ianto stared at his reflection with wide eyes, the horror of the pet name still hanging in the sir… Sweetheart? Oh shit. Nope on that one. We gotta talk! Ianto came out and started breakfast as he heard soft laughter in the other room. Jack no doubt playing about with old man who loved it. Jack emerged with a wide grin.

"Right, he wants a strawberry smoothie this miring" Jack said as he bent over to get the blender out.

"OK then poppet" Ianto said as he places some bread in the toaster, Jack's hesitation telling him the pet name rankled. Maybe turn it up "Anything else he needs Honey?"

Jack straightened up and stared at him then said slowly "No thank you… love."

Ianto stared back and Jack broke first, sniggering as he put his hands up "OK… you don't like Sweetheart?"

"Well... I am not that sweet Jack. No." Ianto said as he stepped in to kiss him, showing that there was no animosity.

"Well… you are sexy in those PJs. Tiger stripes.. look at you. All sexy and shit." Jack crooned, his hands sliding inside the PJ's front to tickle as Ianto squeaked and pulled back, slapping at him.

Ianto struggled around the heavy petting and blatant attempts to goose him, getting the smoothie made as Jack seized him, kissing him solidly against the refrigerator then whispered "OK then… Tiger."

Ianto pondered that and decided he could live with that one.

He wandered into his old man's room to find him sitting up, his cheeks red from laughing as Jack regaled him about some army thing gone wrong.

"And then… and… and then…" Jack was laughing so much he could hardly get it out "… then John sat in it!"

They both roared with mirth, the old man clutching at his oxygen mask as he slapped at Jack to stop.

"Hey" Jacks face changed as he saw Ianto, straightening op and looking hopeful "You OK?"

"Yes. Heading into work to check some inventory… ah… thinking… maybe this afternoon we can go to the art gallery... they have an exhibition on World War II memorabilia. Might see that coat of yours there" Ianto said softly.

Jack lit up "My Granddad's coat? Yeah… that sounds cool. Hey, might even find mention of him in the lists… I didn't know it was open yet."

"Opened last night. So, today will be quiet after the madness" Ianto smiled.

"Hey, I don't mind a little madness" Jack assured him, Ianto laughing as he leaned over to kiss him then took off as the old man watched with open eagerness

"So... you two fixed things?"

"If you mean … connected… yeah" Jack grinned.

"About time, I was starting to think I was paying you for nothing" the old man chortled and outside the bedroom door Ianto hesitated, his hand on the handle to push it open to say goodbye.

Paying him? Oh no… now that is in his head and he headed into work with it swirling around in his brain. Did Jack really like him? Was he being paid to like him? Was this another job? Was he left something in the will if he let Ianto think he was loved for a while? You know… those self hatred things you do to yourself when you hear something and chew on it like a frantic lunatic.

"What the hell is wrong with you!" Toshiko asked after the third time Ianto turned to look for the stapler in front of him.

"I overhead Grandy telling Jack he was glad we finally hooked up became he was not paying him for nothing" Ianto sighed "My brain immediately went to Jack being paid to like me."

"For Godsake… are you mad? Jack is not paid a dime by your Grandy. He gets paid by the Medical Centre to provide the physical therapy, most of the time he is there on his own time, unpaid. Do you really think it's to see the old man?" she scolded.

Ianto smiled "I now. But you know me."

"Yeah, any chance to put yourself down…. God. Look… Jack has… I shouldn't say but… Jack has told Owen that he asked the old man for permission to woo you… like… proper." She whispered softly "Don't' let on that I told you. The old man told him that he better not break your heart and he had better get on with it."

Ianto smiled, "I… I sort of hoped that was the case. I know Grandy says caustic things for a joke and Jack seems to have that same humour I just… you know how pathetically fragile my ego is. I seem to look for negatives."

"No seem about it… you really do put yourself down all the time. Cut it the hell out!" she laughed "Look!"

They watched a florist deliverer coming in with a delivery of peonies and Ianto felt his mouth going dry, knowing who they were from as Toshiko sighed and plucked out the card.

"To my Tiger… thanks for fluffing up my life… from your Sexy Captain"

Ianto snatched the card with a soft blush "Stop that!"

"Tiger?"

"None of your business" Ianto said as he slipped the card into his breast pocket, his glow almost blinding.

Toshiko was glad to see Ianto finally accept that Jack was here with good intentions.

I swear.. that boy really is his own worst bully.