14
"Hey good looking" Jack said as he watched Ianto work in the garden, an afternoon luxury to have time.
"This soil is so weird, I have no idea what will even survive but I shall try it all, so many seeds and such… shame not to try" Ianto muttered.
"So, my daughter tells me she got herself a job. Wants to celebrate so… do you and yours want to come for…"
"Stop" Ianto rose, sighing as he did so and Jack stepped back as the garden trowel came close to his nose "If you are about to ask us to go celebrate her stealing Rhiannon's job out from under her like a fucking turncoat… then no. I am busy seething and stewing thanks muchly. You go congratulate her on cutting Rhiannon's heart out and ruining their friendship by nicking the position I created specifically for my own child with a lot of time, favors cashed in and fast talking. Go… have fun. Any food would taste too sour right now."
"What… what do you mean?"
"I created a job in my own office for Rhi, it took time and cajoling and I pulled strings, called in favors and fucking shook my tail feathers to open it. Then she told your daughter like a fuckhead thinking they were friends and your daughter swooped in, going to her godfather and making him order me to give it to her instead." Ianto was on his knees again, slamming the trowel into the earth like he was killing it "Rhiannon is beside herself. She trusted her, it's not about the job, even if I am not happy about that aspect… pulling rank is a shitty thing to do, we both know how shitty that is…. But Rhiannon doesn't make friends easily and I told her to take a chance. I really thought… well. Bugger to all that eh?"
Jack was still processing "Wait. But she knew it was Rhiannon's job?"
Ianto was so longer talking, now putting so much effort in that he snapped the handle off the towel and he threw it angrily, watching it bounce off the side of the house. FUCK.
"This isn't right, you don't pull ran on others like that, nepotism… I hate nepotism used aggressively, Alice knows my stance. She really did?" Jack was now getting angered on Rhiannon's behalf "Alice was already offered a job at the school, she said it was too far to walk each day. I told her that if she made the boy walk, she can too but…. I had no idea she would do this. I am so sorry. Will she be OK?"
"It's OK. I am not blaming you. I am blaming my daughter or trusting someone. One of the first things I taught her was to keep things close, like I do. God she is just so trusting. Why she wound up with that gormless fuckface Johnny behind my back." Ianto rose and brushed off his trousers "But it might be a good idea to cool things for a while just until I have sorted me Jelly Bean another job close to me. And Alice might not find her first few weeks working under me as much fun as she thinks."
"Ianto, this doesn't mean…"
"No, of course not. This was not something YOU did to ME, no." Ianto assured him "not you Cariad, just… I have to put my child first for a while. She is crestfallen and it took do much to trust her, so much to make a friend. Now she is left bereft and lonely so… I have to show some solidarity. A few weeks, OK?"
"Weeks" Jack groaned, flopping against the house theatrically "But…. I need you too."
"Awwww diddums."
Ianto leaned in and kissed Jack softly, then moved away as Jack went to his house next door with a sour taste in his mouth.
Why had Alice fucked things up so spectacularly. He knew the answer of course… she was his child after all and any chance to fuck up something good would be used like a bomb.
After all… he seemed to excel t it.
.
.
"What? But…"
"I have made my mind up" Ianto said calmly as his CO sat gaping back at him.
"But, you said this was your dream job, you have already made such stellar changes and… frankly FL, we need you here." The man spluttered.
"I am unable to continue as long as I do not have autonomy in the position. It has come to my attention that nepotism and rank pulling is rampant here, I know that position I created was for Rhiannon but that was also because I knew her skill set. I … I am beyond pissed and I chewed over it all night so… no. I am tendering my resignation and shall look for something else where I am not able to be influenced in my decisions" Ianto folded his arms defiantly "I am retired now. I should have control over my own life. Yesterday felt… shitty. Really shitty. I had to listen to her crying all night and… it's shitty. I cannot work with that woman after what she has done and I cannot fix things now as the order was given and things are set. My only alternative is to remove myself instead."
His CO floundered with suggestions but Ianto shook his head adamantly. He was a stubborn arsehole too, and this CO knew full well once the chin jutted out the man who had once trained him in hand to hand combat was determined.
"Well… damn it. Can we spit the duties or something? Give them both a job? Bugger, this is going to cause some problems and I will have to shuffle things…. It can be done though. FL, we can't lose you now. You are critical to the progress we still need to make."
Ianto did not expect this to be offered so easily, the arguments and twiddling he had prepared in his head now not needed. He settled back to consider.
"What are you offering me sweetie?"