The first time Ianto showed up at the Hub not wearing a suit, no one knew what to do. It was as if the world had tilted slightly on its axis. He strolled in, perfectly on time as usual, except instead of his usual pressed trousers and fitted jacket, he was wearing jeans and a hoodie.
Jack, who had been leaning casually against his desk, dropped the pen he'd been fiddling with. It clattered onto the floor in what felt like an unnecessarily loud manner.
"Uh… morning?" Jack ventured, his eyes trailing up and down Ianto's decidedly casual attire.
"Morning," Ianto replied, completely unfazed, holding his cup of coffee like it was any other day.
Tosh, already at her station, blinked several times, clearly trying to process the situation. "Ianto… what happened to your suit?"
He glanced down at himself as if he'd only just noticed. "Decided to mix it up a bit."
"Mix it up?" Gwen echoed, walking in from the kitchenette with a bewildered look. "You're always in a suit."
Ianto shrugged. "Felt like going for a change. Don't you get tired of the same thing every day?"
Owen, arriving just in time to hear this, snorted. "You? The guy who irons his shirts and his socks?"
"Maybe I'm trying out a new lifestyle," Ianto said with a straight face, though there was a hint of mischief in his eyes. "Thought I'd embrace the… laid-back look."
Jack frowned, his eyes narrowing slightly as he leaned in closer. "Is this about that magazine I caught you reading?"
Ianto smiled mysteriously and took a sip of his coffee. "I don't know what you're talking about."
The day continued in a surreal haze. Ianto ran his usual efficient routine—managing paperwork, organizing alien artifacts—but now in what could only be described as 'weekend dad' clothes. At one point, he walked past Jack's office with a packet of biscuits under his arm, and Jack almost choked on his coffee.
By mid-afternoon, the entire team was on edge, waiting for the punchline. Surely, this was some kind of prank. Maybe he'd lost a bet. But Ianto remained calm, professional, and alarmingly casual in his outfit, refusing to give anyone a straight answer.
Jack couldn't stand it anymore. As the day wound down, he cornered Ianto by the archives.
"Alright, out with it. What's going on?"
Ianto quirked an eyebrow. "Going on with what?"
Jack gestured to the hoodie. "This! You've never worn anything like that in the two years I've known you. It's… disorienting."
With a smirk, Ianto leaned in closer, his voice low. "Maybe I just wanted to see how long it'd take you to crack."
Jack huffed, crossing his arms. "Well, congratulations, it worked."
Ianto straightened, taking a step back. "Don't worry, I'll be back to my usual self tomorrow." He paused, eyes glinting with mischief. "Or maybe not."
Jack's jaw dropped as Ianto sauntered away, the faint sound of his soft laughter trailing behind him.
