AN: Warning, there be angst ahead. Don't tell me you weren't expecting it! This is quite a short chapter, but I didn't want to weigh it down with lengthy descriptions. As always, reviews equal love. Xx
"Ianto. I'd like you to meet someone." He could tell by the tone of his mother's voice he was not going to like this one bit. "Elizabeth Matthews."
…
She was nice enough.
A pretty young girl, well spoken and perfect manners. She was dressed immaculately, with her long brunette curls fashioned into an intricate hairstyle. She had beautiful rosy cheeks, partnered perfectly with porcelain skin, rose bud lips and big blue eyes.
But she was no Jack. She lacked his personality, his charisma, his attitude.
In fact, Ianto realised that she could be a goddess, but he had fallen so far in love with his footman, that he found no one compared. No one possibly could.
Of course, he had to pretend, if only for his mother's sake, that he showed even the slightest interest.
So he smiled in all the appropriate places, offering her a top up of tea, which she accepted gratefully, and held the plate of cakes out to her. She refused. He responded suitably to the conversation, and asked her plenty of questions to keep her talking.
But after a while, it became evident that no matter how nice she may have seemed, she was simply a boring young woman. She lacked the sense of humour that Jack possessed, the one that never failed to brighten his day. She didn't have his quick wit and sharp tongue, or slightly teasing nature.
And most importantly, he couldn't picture himself falling in love with her.
He had already found someone to give that privilege to.
…
"Did you not hear? Master Jones had been promised to a beautiful young lady. Elizabeth, I believe she's called."
…
As soon as the words had left the chef's mouth, Jack felt physically sick. His Ianto. The man he was in love with, was going to marry. Of course, it had never crossed his mind until now that it was inevitable. He could never keep Ianto to himself forever.
They were doomed from the start.
He knew it was selfish, Ianto was probably as upset, if not more so than he was, but he couldn't stop hurting. He needed something to make him feel better.
And that's where Annie came in to the equation.
He was numb from pain, so he didn't feel anything when she kissed him. Didn't feel anything when she pulled off her top, revealing her small, pert breasts. He didn't feel anything when he entered her. He acted on autopilot, thrusting continuously, but not baring to look at Annie, instead he focused on the dull wall behind them, tears stinging his eyes as he heard her cry out above him.
He didn't even feel anything when he came.
But he did practically drown in one feeling afterwards - shame.
When she hurriedly picked her clothes up from off the floor, quickly dressing, and sat on the edge of her bed, it eventually clicked for Jack.
Annie rummaged around in her drawer, locating her secret stash of alcohol and taking a large swig from the glass bottle. She offered it wordlessly to Jack. He declined, shaking his head, still not able to bring himself to look her in the eye.
When she struck a match, lighting a cigarette, and taking a long drag, Jack eventually shook himself out of his trance.
"Annie?" He cleared his throat. His mouth was impossibly dry, and he felt like he was going to vomit, but he needed to ask her this.
"Are you…do you love me?"
Another swig.
Another long drag.
"No." She coughed dryly, running a hand over her tired eyes. "I thought I did, that's why I was actin' all strange an' sorts, but… no. It's too weird. You're like a brother to me, Jackie-boy. Anyway, you love Master Jones."
She didn't even question why, if he did in fact love Ianto, he had just done that.
He outstretched his arms, and gestured for her to join him. By now she had finished her cigarette, and the burn in her throat from the alcohol just made her feel worse than she already did.
"I'm so sorry, Annie. So, so sorry."
He ran his fingers through her hair as her skinny frame was racked with sobs as she sat in his arms.
And he figured that if she was going to cry, he might as well join her.