AN: I am in danger of having too many stories on the go at once again as I continue to extend the stories that were intended to be one-shots. Here's another story for all you Ianto/Owen fans out there – and I know you exist! Let me know what you think of Owen in this – I've tried to make him closer to the original character than he was in my other story "We're Getting Badges" where people commented that he was a little too "nice". There will be more chapters after this one – Jack is going to want to throw his opinion into the ring, as I'm sure you can all imagine. Please review x
"Thanks." Owen said as Ianto handed him a coffee and sat down on the opposite end of the sofa to him. Taking a grateful sip he smiled at the fact that Ianto could make his delicious coffee at home as well as at the Hub.
"You know I've known you for what four years now, and I have never been inside your home." Owen commented as his eyes scanned the sparsely decorated apartment they were settled in. Aside from the sofa they were currently occupying the room housed a large flat screen TV with a pile of DVD's beside it, a low coffee table and a rather ill looking pot plant.
"I'm never here to receive social calls." Ianto said with a smirk.
"Work for a slave driver do you? So do I." Owen replied with a grin.
Ianto smiled. "I've never seen your apartment either." He pointed out.
"I'm sure we can rectify that." Owen said with a twinkle in his eye as he drank from his mug.
As Ianto returned the look his mobile sprang into life. "Ah," He began, "the slave driver." He mused as he answered. "Hey Jack." He said cheerfully. "I'm at home." He replied to the unheard question as he rolled his eyes at Owen who sniggered. "Owen? He's sat on my sofa drinking my coffee." He said, flinching slightly as Owen playfully smacked his arm. "And he just hit me. Is there something you want Jack, because as I recall the rift monitor was pretty quiet for today, and I think we all deserve a snow day?" Ianto asked, Owen's eyes widening in shock at the tone he was using. "Bye." Ianto said after listening to a lengthy reply and tossing his phone onto the other chair.
"What?" Ianto asked looking at Owen who still looked somewhat agog.
"Nothing." Owen replied. "What did he want, or is that a stupid question?" He asked.
"He wanted a coffee, and realised I wasn't back yet." Ianto explained. "I think he was a little surprised to learn that I was with you." He added.
Owen smirked. "So am I." He murmured.
Ianto placed his coffee mug down on the table. "Want to talk about it?" He asked.
"About what?" Owen replied.
"You kissed me Owen. Rather unexpectedly." Ianto commented.
"You didn't seem to mind." Owen pointed out smugly.
"Never said I did. I said it was unexpected. For several reasons. What's going on?" Ianto asked.
"What reasons?" Owen asked, avoiding the question.
"You being straight… you hating me…" Ianto began but Owen cut him off.
"I don't hate you." He replied incredulously. "Why do you think I hate you?" He asked.
"The phrase 'Fucking Tea Boy' is hardly complimentary." Ianto pointed out.
Owen smirked.
"And your tendency to throw medical equipment and office supplies at me is hardly my preferred method of having my attention attracted." Ianto continued. "And then there was the snowball. Though I am starting to think that came with an ulterior motive." He added.
"It did." Owen admitted.
"So I repeat my question: what's going on?" Ianto asked.
"Are you and Jack still… whatever you and Jack are?" Owen asked.
"Stop changing the subject." Ianto complained.
"I'm not." Owen replied. "Are you?" He asked again.
Ianto shook his head. "Not for a few months. I wanted more than he was willing to give me, and it turned out I wasn't the only person warming his bed. I ended it before I let myself get any more hurt than I already was." He explained.
Owen nodded. "I thought things had changed, but I didn't want to get my hopes up." He said lowering his eyes to study his mug intently.
"Owen?" Ianto prompted softly.
"I hated watching you with him. The way he played with you like some kind of toy. The way he abandoned you when you needed him. The times he cheated on you." Owen spat angrily.
"You knew?" Ianto asked, eyes wide in shock.
"I wanted to tell you. There was so much I wanted to tell you." Owen confessed, his tone turning soft again.
"I doesn't matter." Ianto said gently. "He wasn't very discreet when it came to cheating on me. He didn't have anyone to clear up his mess for a change." He explained.
"He cleared up after himself Ianto. He just didn't bank on me undoing some of his handiwork." Owen admitted somewhat ashamedly.
"What?" Ianto asked.
"I retrieved the CCTV footage he'd deleted… planted a few items in his bunk when he was out. I'm sorry if what I did ended up hurting you, but I had to find someway for you to find out. I just couldn't have me telling you what he was up to." Owen explained.
"Why not?" Ianto asked confused.
"Because I don't hate you Ianto… far from it in fact. I didn't want you to think I was taking enjoyment out of seeing you hurt. I couldn't bear seeing you hurt." Owen returned his attention to his now chilled coffee.
"Thank you." Ianto said after a few moments silence.
Owen's head snapped up in surprise. "Thank you?" He echoed.
Ianto nodded. "For what you did. If you hadn't… well… he'd still be hurting me wouldn't he?" He said simply.
Owen leant forward and placed his mug on the table before settling back in his seat. "And are you over him?" He asked cautiously.
Ianto nodded. "I will always care about him. The way I care about all my friends. But I'm not in love with him if that's what you mean. Not anymore."
A look of relief swept over Owen's face as he went to speak again. As he opened his mouth to speak his own mobile sounded. "Shit." He cursed as he pulled it roughly from his pocket and answered it without checking the caller ID. "What?" He said angrily. "I'm still at Ianto's – is there an emergency?" He asked the caller who Ianto determined must be Jack again. "Does this call have a point then?" Another pause as Jack replied. "You take arrogance to a whole new level do you know that?" Owen snarled before hanging up and slamming his phone rather forcefully onto the coffee table beside his abandoned coffee.
"Dare I ask?" Ianto said gently.
"He said, and I quote 'Try and find out if he's seeing anyone new, and let me know'. I'll leave the reason for that to your imagination." Owen said rubbing his hand through his hair roughly.
"I am." Ianto replied.
"You are what?" Owen asked.
"Seeing someone new." Ianto expanded.
"You are? Who?" Owen asked shocked. "You could have mentioned something sooner – preferably before I made a total idiot of myself." He ranted jumping to his feet and snatching his phone from the table, hurrying towards the door.
"You." Ianto called as Owen disappeared from the room and into the hall. He sniggered as he heard Owen's footsteps halt. The footsteps sounded again, but this time they were coming closer and Ianto smiled cautiously as Owen popped his head around the door.
"Me?" He asked.
"Isn't that the ulterior motive we were referring to earlier?" Ianto asked rising nervously to his feet.
Owen nodded as he entered the room fully. Ianto smiled fully as he crossed the gap between the two men slowly, stopping a few inches away from Owen.
"Are you sure?" Owen asked, his voice low and fearful and unlike his usual spark and confidence.
Ianto nodded. "Are you?" He asked.
Owen looked up at Ianto. "Definitely." He replied with a smirk before he closed the gap between the two men completely, his lips crashing into Ianto's as they clung to one another.