Thanks a lot for the reviews and follows; sorry this chapter took a little longer, I have A-Levels to revise for! I had to use a workaround to upload this chapter as well because FanFiction is playing up. Glad I've finally managed it though!
Owen had been scowling at his computer screen for at least 15 minutes before realising that he didn't actually know what he was so bitter about. I mean, it wasn't like he had plans other than going out to get shit-faced over Christmas, and in a job like Torchwood you can barely even get a day off over the holiday that aliens just couldn't seem to grasp the concept of. Obviously, 'peace and goodwill to all mankind' didn't transmit very well in orbit. Yet still, Owen felt like he was justified in being slightly pissed off at being locked in his place of work, although maybe he could lay off the coffee-boy and his apparently smitten leader. Even if it does mean it takes Ianto an unnecessary amount of time to make his coffee.
Owen's internal rant was interrupted by a loud moan from Gwen. "Guys, I am so bored." She informed them.
"Gwen, you've been working for less than an hour." Jack reminded her as he appeared from the kitchen, a slightly dishevelled but happy Ianto following him with a small grin.
Gwen just rolled her eyes. "Blame Torchwood." She stated. "I'm so used to the thrill of almost dying everyday, that paperwork bores me to hell."
"Try actually dying everyday; you'll be begging for paperwork." Jack joked, yet with a slight wince at his own misfortune. "Sometimes I feel you guys deliberately get me killed." The man frowned.
Ianto grinned as he looked at him. "Whatever would make you think that, sir?" He asked innocently, a mischievous glint in his eye.
Gwen grinned as she watched Jack raise his eyebrows at the younger man, a playful smile on his face. "Was that sarcasm, Ianto?" He asked, stepping closer to the Welshman. "Are you being sarcastic to your employer… your boss?"
"Dunno what you mean, sir. Even though we actually get some peace and quiet for the few minutes that you're dead, that doesn't mean we'd deliberately get you killed…right?" Ianto fired back, a smile that matched Jack's painted across his features. The team looked on in deliberation, the girls happy to see a public display of their relationship that they usually kept hidden.
The two men were agonizingly close as they looked at each other, their eyes daring the other to either say something witty or kiss the life out of them. However, as usual, Owen broke the spell surrounding them. "This Disney moment is all very heart-warming… but weren't we figuring out something to do?" He reminded them.
Jack, Tosh and Gwen sighed as Ianto stepped away from the older man. "What do you suggest we do, Owen? In case you hadn't realised, the Hub wasn't made to entertain its employees what with its primary function being… oh yeah, to protect the Earth." Ianto quipped back, annoyed at the interruption of their playful banter.
"Why don't we play a game?" Jack suggested, a grin spreading across his features as he put a hand on Ianto's shoulder to calm him down.
"A game?" Gwen asked. "Ooh… we could play cards!" She exclaimed excitedly, remembering all the times she had wiped the floor with Banana and Rhys when they played poker on her rare nights off.
"We're a top secret organisation who literally fight the scum of the universe on a daily basis and Gwen Cooper wants to play…" Owen paused for dramatic effect. "…cards, ladies and gentlemen."
Gwen just rolled her eyes at the snarky reply. "Well I don't see you offering any brig-"
"I wasn't thinking of cards." Jack interrupted, the look on his face making Ianto immediately suspicious. Jack looked at him pointedly, and they appeared to have a silent conversation using just their eyes as Ianto's widened in realisation, a look that was soon replaced by an equally mischievous look.
"What were you suggesting then, Jack?" Tosh asked, as she finally looked up from the report she'd been typing, trying to ignore the bickering that had been happening around her. She was secretly impressed at Jack and Ianto's ability to have an entire conversation without actually saying any words.
Jack grinned one last time. "Anyone wanna play 'Truth or Dare?'"
"Are you serious!" Owen spluttered. "I didn't realise that we were in fact 8-year-old girls!" He chuffed.
"Well I'll play!" Gwen replied gleefully. This is exactly the sort of team-bonding she had been trying to get them to partake in since she joined Torchwood; anything to find out a little bit of gossip about her colleagues.
Tosh looked a little unsure, but after remembering that Ianto had given her the code for the place where they kept the retcon, she figured it couldn't hurt to play and then backtrack if she made a complete fool of herself. "Yeah… I'll play too, I think." She told them, as Ianto also confirmed his involvement.
"So, Owen? You in or out? Oh I forgot to mention… I have alcohol." Jack smirked.
"I thought you didn't drink, Jack?" Tosh asked.
"Well I don't normally because someone always has to be ready to tackle something that comes through the rift, but since we couldn't do anything about it anyway stuck in here, it's UNIT's problem – not mine." Jack explained cheerfully, happy to have relieved the burden of the rift for at least a few nights.
"I might as well play your stupid game if everybody else is." Owen grumbled in response. "But I want in on that alcohol promise."
"Good. Now that's sorted, everyone get ready and meet in the boardroom in 10." As the team started to shuffle about, Jack turned to Ianto, eyes wide. "Ianto, can you bring coffee?" He pleaded, with a slight pout.
Ianto rolled his eyes. "You know I can't resist that face." He muttered, a smile on his face. The team were slightly shocked at how open Ianto was being around Jack whilst they were still there; not that they were complaining, but it was unlike the reserved man to be so playful with his boyfriend whilst at work. They put it down to the fact that they weren't technically in work hours, yet nothing prepared them for what they heard next.
Jack face lit up at the younger mans response. "Love you, Ianto." He told him, as though he'd said it a million times before, and then leaned forward to give him a wet kiss on the cheek before turning away.
Ianto was not half as surprised as the rest of the gaping team, and simply rolled his eyes and replied, "Love you too, Jack." before making his way towards the kitchen.
Once out of earshot the three turned to each other in shock. "Okay… did anybody else know that they were 'in love'!?" Owen exclaimed in a harsh whisper.
"No!" Gwen practically squealed. "That is so adorable!"
"I knew they were going out together a lot more, and they pretty much always spend the night together… but I hadn't realised they'd traded 'I love you's.'" Tosh admitted, though it showed on her face how happy she was for her friends.
"Well shit… the teaboy and the captain are pretty serious." Owen muttered as he leant back in his chair. 'This game of 'Truth or Dare' is going to be pretty interesting' he thought as he opened up his desktop again, now his turn to sport a mischievous smirk.
