Fic: Consequential Velocity (Torchwood Jack/Ianto NC17)
Title: Consequential Velocity
Author: magikalrhiannon
Beta: kajmere
Fandom: Torchwood
Pairing: Jack/Ianto
Rating: NC17
Spoilers: Up to Season 2 Episode 9 Something Borrowed
Summary: Gwen discovers that Jack asked Ianto to move in... months ago, and she was the last to know.
Word Count: 3251
Disclaimer: All rights belong to BBC and Russell T Davies. I'm just finger-painting in someone else's masterpiece. No infringement intended.
Notes: For kajmere, cuz she owns me.
Follows on from Consequential Confidentiality, and requested by well... pretty much everyone who's read the first four.
Gwen came into work early on the day back from her honeymoon. She couldn't wait to come in and tell everyone about their two week trip to Paris, and to hear about what everyone had gotten up to while she'd been away. To surprise everyone she came in through the visitor entrance via the perception filter in front of the Millennium Centre. She was practically bouncing with excitement as she carried her bags of goodies for everyone. When she got to the bottom, she jumped off it and ran up the stairs to their workstations, and put Tosh and Owen's bags on their desks. She then headed into Jack's office to put Jack's bag on his desk. She'd put Ianto's bag on his desk down in the archives.
She heard laughing, and turned around. There was no one behind her, but the hatch to Jack's room was open. She smiled. Jack was up.
“Jack!” she called out happily. “Jack, I'm back!” She walked over to the hole in the floor.
“Fuck!” she heard groaned out below, followed by a squeaky sound. “Oh yeah... just like that... don't stop baby...”
“That's it, Jack... wider... open wider...”
Gwen's eyes widened as another groan filtered up through the hole in the floor. She covered her mouth, and stifled a giggle. Jack's moaning and groaning became louder, deeper and more lust filled. Ianto's encouragement became filthier and filthier. Gwen was surprised to hear the things she did out of her friend's mouth. She never expected to hear that side of Ianto. Come to think of it, she never expected Ianto to have a side that... kinky.
“Come on Jack, you can take another...”
Another lust-filled moan floated up to Jack's office, and Gwen sniffed the air. There was a thick scent wafting, something she'd never smelled before but it was unbelievably good. It made her lightheaded. She fell back against the cabinet, her fingers clutching it for support.
“Oh fuck,” Jack's voice broke on the last word.
“You should see it Jack,” Ianto panted. “I wish you could see my whole hand inside you.”
Gwen gasped, and felt her own arousal flood her system. She stumbled out of the office and back to her desk. She shook her head and tried to clear the images the sounds she heard conjured up, but in her head, all she could see was Jack, naked and on all fours with Ianto behind him, his hand fisted up his arse. Biting her lip, she headed down to the bathroom, and splashed some cold water on her face. Cooled off, she dried her face and hands before heading back up to the main Hub level.
Gwen sat down on the couch and twiddled her thumbs as she waited for Jack and Ianto to finish their morning session. Obviously Ianto had stayed over the previous night. Gwen couldn't help the twinge of jealousy in her belly at the thought. Her thumb automatically pushed on her wedding and engagement rings, sliding them around her left ring finger as she did when she was agitated. She sighed and looked around. Nothing had changed in her absence.
She jumped when she heard a sound, and leapt up to investigate. When she rounded the corner to the kitchen, she came face to back with Ianto, who was wearing... nothing.
“Ahem. Morning Ianto!” Gwen said cheerfully, openly amused at having caught the man unawares.
He jumped, dropped the spoon in his hand and knocked over the sugar as he spun around.
“G-Gwen!” Ianto's eyes widened as he looked down at himself. He frantically looked around and found a tea towel to cover what was left of his dignity. Gwen covered her mouth as she tried not to laugh. “You're...you're back! And in early I see. It's not even six yet.” He cleared his throat. “Uh, did you have a nice trip?”
“It was lovely, thank you.” She grinned. “Paris was beautiful. Saw the Eiffel Towel. Lovely building, very tall. Erect, like.”
He smiled tightly. “Excellent. Pleased to hear it. Glad you're back. Excuse me, I'll just go and... and... yep,” he said pointing in the direction of Jack's office and pushed past her, disappearing down the ladder faster than she'd ever thought possible.
Gwen burst into a fit of giggles and made her way back to her computer and logged in. She was surprised though that it was an hour later when Ianto and Jack climbed out of Jack's room. Ianto blushed, and muttered something about going out to get them all some breakfast. He made to leave, but Jack grabbed his hand and pulled him back to kiss him lightly before sending him on his way with a smack on his arse. Ianto glared at Jack, but his mouth was turning up slightly at the corners as he turned and left them alone, heading out the cog door to a serenade of alarm bells ringing.
“Welcome back,” Jack said with a wide smile. “Ianto said you had a wonderful trip to Paris.” He raised an eyebrow, “The Eiffel Tower? Ooh-la-la.”
Gwen laughed and went to hug Jack but he turned and went to the kitchen, restarting the coffee machine and cleaning up the mess that Ianto had left behind. Gwen frowned but followed him.
“Yes, we went to the Tower though Rhys would barely let go of the elevator to look at the view.” She chuckled. “He nearly lost his lunch all over the people below. Doesn't like heights.”
Jack nodded in understanding. “And you went to the Arc de Triomphe? And the Louve?”
“Uh, we didn't get to the Louve. Rhys doesn't do Museums.” She smiled. “Too much reading.” She brightened. “But we toured all the pubs in Paris.”
Jack chuckled. “Yeah. Well, I'm glad you had a great time.” He handed her a cup of coffee. “How come you're in so early? I thought we would have had to drag you back in on your first day back.” He leaned against the counter and crossed his ankles as he sipped his coffee.
“Oh, you know, Rhys had to go in to the office early, you know... They can't do without him. There wasn't much point to hanging around at home by myself so I thought I'd get an early start, bring in everyone's gifts.” She nodded towards the bag she'd left on Jack's desk.
“Presents! You brought us presents?” Jack asked, then frowned. “From your honeymoon?”
Gwen nodded. “Well, its the first time we've been overseas, see. So, anyway, it's just a little something from Rhys and me to, you know, say thanks, for the Wedding and everything.”
Jack regarded her for a moment and then nodded. “Well thank you. I'm sure the others will appreciate the gesture too.”
“So,” Gwen said after she sipped her coffee. “Did I miss anything?”
Jack shrugged and shook his head. “It's been surprisingly quiet actually. Guess the rift knew you were out of town,” Jack joked, and they shared a chuckle.
“Well, here's hoping it hasn't heard I'm back yet,” Gwen grinned. They drank their coffees in silence for a moment. “How's Ianto?”
Jack smiled widely. “He's good. He's getting more and more movement back in his shoulder so Owen thinks the muscle is finally repairing itself.”
She nodded. “That's good.”
“So, tell me more about Paris?” Jack put his mug down on the counter and crossed his arms over his chest.
Gwen grinned and launched into story after story that had the pair of them laughing until the cog alarms went off and Gwen turned to see Ianto walk through the door.
“Breakfast for three,” Ianto said, holding up a bag.
“I'll bring the coffee,” Jack said, filling a carafe.
“Oh. Jack. Really?” Ianto paused on the stairs.
“You started it,” Jack reminded him. “I'm just pouring it into mugs.”
Ianto came over and inspected Jack's work. He picked up his mug and took a tentative sip. “Well, it's not quite mine, but good enough I suppose.”
Jack beamed, and refilled Gwen's mug and his own before leading them both up to the conference room where Ianto handed out the takeout containers to their respective owners. By the time Tosh and Owen came in, Gwen, Jack and Ianto had finished their breakfast and Ianto was cleaning up the remains that had been left behind.
Torchwood's day started with Gwen watching gleefully as her workmates opened their gifts. Tosh opened hers first, to find a book on the Eiffel Tower. She smiled tightly and thanked Gwen, and put the book to the side as she looked over at Owen.
“My turn. Right.” Owen rolled his eyes and opened his bag, then pulled out a white tourist t-shirt that said I ♥ Paris. “Gee. Just what I always wanted.” He stood up and gave Gwen a brief peck on the cheek. “Thank you darlin'. I shall cherish it always.”
Gwen waved him off. “You're a little hard to shop for, Owen.”
“Rubbish. I'm easy to shop for! Well... I was before I died.” He sighed, then looked at the shirt. “Now I get cheesy tourist t-shirts.”
Ianto tried to hide, but Gwen had none of it. “Your turn,” she said, thrusting his bag at him.
“Oh, really, I couldn't.”
“Nonsense, love! Take it!”
Ianto opened the bag to find a navy silk tie inside. “Thank you, Gwen. This is … this is lovely. I have just the suit for it.”
Jack's gift was last. When he opened his, he found an antique silver cigarette case from the 1940s. Tosh gasped, and covered her mouth as Jack held it up. Owen sighed. Ianto's face turned to stone.
“Do you like it?” Gwen asked, grinning like a cheshire cat. “We found it in this neat little antique store next to this pub that Rhys dragged me to. I saw it and immediately thought of you, Jack.”
Ianto looked at his gift, then at Jack's and swallowed. He moved over and kissed Gwen on the cheek quickly. “Thank you for the tie,” he said softly, then headed for the archives.
Jack closed the lid on the box that encased Gwen's gift, and put it back in the bag as he sighed.
“What? Did I do something wrong?” Gwen's face fell.
“No, it's fine, thank you Gwen. It's a lovely gift. Really. We appreciate them all very much.” Jack looked around. “Time to get to work, people.” Jack took his bag into his office and put it on his desk, then sat down and turned on his computers.
Gwen stood there looking around at everyone and wondered why she suddenly felt completely lost.
~*~
After lunch, Gwen decided to go back to the conference room to talk to Ianto about his reaction to the cigarette case.
“And then I hear her clear her throat and say good morning, and I turn around and there she is, pleased as fucking punch and I'm standing there stark bloody naked!” Ianto sighed. “I tell you, Tosh, I don't think I've ever been so embarrassed, and after working here for three years, that's saying something.” Tosh was giggling. “It's not funny.”
“Oh c'mon, Ianto, it is a little. I could just imagine the look on her face. I bet she was quite amused to find you in your birthday suit instead of a tailored one for a change.” Gwen moved closer to the conference room and saw Tosh fold her arms over her chest as Ianto shoved trash into a garbage bag. “Anyway, this is your home. If you and Jack want to walk around naked between the hours of 8pm and 8am, then that's your prerogative. It's about time some boundaries were put in place around here.”
Gwen blinked. The Hub was Ianto's home? Since bloody when? She frowned. She turned on her heal, and walked away, unaware that she'd made a noise and alerted Ianto and Tosh to her retreating presence. She was now on a mission, and that mission was to get the truth from one man, and one man only: Jack Harkness.
She stormed into his office, and stood opposite Jack's desk, where Jack was seated and going through some paperwork. “What's this I hear about the Hub being Ianto's home?”
Jack looked up and raised an eyebrow. “Afternoon Gwen, by all means, c'mon on in. No, I wasn't busy. Sure, we have time for a chat. What would you like to talk about?”
“Don't play coy with me, Jack Harkness,” Gwen sneered back, folding her arms over her chest.
Jack put his pen down on the papers and sat back. “Would you like to start this conversation again?”
“Does Ianto live here? In the Hub?” she asked, staring wide-eyed at Jack.
Jack stared back. “He does.”
“Since when?” she asked, frowning.
“Since the Space Whale,” Jack answered.
Gwen spluttered. “B-but that... that was months ago!”
“Yes, I know,” Jack sighed. “Anything else?”
“Tosh knows. Does Owen know too?” she asked.
Jack sighed. “He does.”
“I'm the last to know?”
“Obviously.” Jack confirmed.
“Well! That's just bollocking great isn't it! And how long has this rubbish been going on, huh? Keeping secrets, laughing at me behind my back!”
Jack looked lost, “Keepin- laughin- what?”
“Why?” she demanded.
“Excuse me?” Jack choked out.
“Why?” she repeated.
Jack's face turned to stone, and he stood up. “I'm sorry, exactly when did I have to start explaining my personal choices to you?”
“Oh c'mon, Jack!” Jack shook his head and walked out of his office. Gwen followed him. “Don't walk away from me, Jack!” she yelled. Ianto and Tosh were coming down the stairs from the conference room, but stayed on the stairs as they watched the events unfolding. Owen had come up the stairs from the medical bay to watch. “Why is he living here? What, is he broke and can't afford a place of his own? Why am I the last to know? Why do Tosh and Owen get to know before I do? Why, Jack?!”
Jack whirled around and stood toe to toe with her, his hands on his hips. “Gwen, what is between Ianto and I is none of your business.”
“You make it our business! Everyone else knows before I do! Hell, I came into work this morning to find him in the kitchen making coffee naked!” Gwen yelled.
Jack's eyes narrowed. “Which you would not have done had you not entered our home before six-thirty in the morning!”
“I didn't know it was your home!”
“This has always been my home, Gwen. But it's been my home with Ianto for quite some time, not that you'd bothered to pay any attention to anyone outside of your own wedding for the last few months.” Jack drew in a breath and let it out slowly as he stepped back.
Gwen gasped. “Is that what this is about? You're upset that I married Rhys?”
Jack closed his eyes and shook his head. “No! Gwen, God. You're not listening to me!” He sighed.
But Gwen kept going, “Is this some sort of sick payback? I went through with the wedding, so you've shacked up with your part-time shag? Is that it?”
Jack stilled. “What did you just say?”
Gwen stopped, and covered her mouth. “Oh Jack. Oh I'm sorry, I didn't- I didn't mean it.”
“Yes, you did. People say what they really mean in the heat of the moment. So I'm going to be the bigger person and not slap you silly like I want to right now. But let me make this perfectly clear. Ianto is not now, nor has he ever been a 'part-time shag'. I asked him to move in with me because I want him here with me every day. I want to wake up next to him every morning. I want to go to sleep with him every night. He keeps my nightmares at bay, and he makes me feel safe. He is my partner, in every sense of the word, and if you can't respect that, Mrs Cooper-Williams, then you may have to find yourself alternate employment. Are we clear?”
Gwen blinked back tears. “As crystal.” Jack was about to leave when Gwen said, “Jack, what about the flirting? You said... you said you came back for me?”
“I flirt with everyone, Gwen. I'm sorry.” Jack hung his head. “I said I came back for all of you.”
Gwen's eyes filled with tears and she shook her head. “No, no down in the cells, remember? You said... you said you came back for me, and then you found my ring and I told you about Rhys' proposal?”
Jack narrowed his eyes. “That was a year ago, Gwen, and I came back for all of you. But if you're talking about who I came back for because of my heart? Then I'm sorry, I gave you the wrong impression, because I came back for Ianto. My heart belongs to him.”
Gwen stared into his eyes for a moment, then nodded and backed away. Jack walked into his office and sat down. Gwen, meanwhile, called out that she was going for a walk.
“Make sure you're contactable!” Jack called out. Gwen waved over her head as she made her way out of the tunnel.
Tosh and Ianto looked at each other. “Guess you know how he really feels about you now,” Tosh said as she squeezed his arm.
Ianto looked down at Jack in his office. “I... already did.” A small smile spread across face. “Excuse me.” Ianto made his way down to the kitchen to dispose of the rubbish and then into Jack's office. “Are you alright?”
“You heard everything I'm assuming?” Jack said as he sighed and spun in his chair to face Ianto.
“Jack, the two of you were yelling so loud I think the tourists at Millennium Centre heard you.”
Jack snorted and shook his head. “Yeah, well. Maybe we can actually get some work done instead of walking around like we're on the set of 'Eastenders'.”
Ianto raised an eyebrow. “That's your point of reference?”
“You got a better one?” Jack asked, clearly amused.
Ianto paused to think. “Nothing I would want to be referred to as, no.” He perched on the end of Jack's desk. “You didn't have to say all of that to her, you know.”
Jack reached out and squeezed Ianto's knee. “Yes, I did.” Jack's eyes darkened. “Maybe I should send Tosh and Owen home early and we can avoid doing some work ourselves?”
The rift alarm sounded.
“Raincheck?” Ianto asked. Jack stood up and kissed him, then ran out of the room and over to Tosh who was clicking away on her computer.
“Time to go to work, kids. What have we got?”
Next: Consequential Confrontation
Author: magikalrhiannon
Beta: kajmere
Fandom: Torchwood
Pairing: Jack/Ianto
Rating: NC17
Spoilers: Up to Season 2 Episode 9 Something Borrowed
Summary: Gwen discovers that Jack asked Ianto to move in... months ago, and she was the last to know.
Word Count: 3251
Disclaimer: All rights belong to BBC and Russell T Davies. I'm just finger-painting in someone else's masterpiece. No infringement intended.
Notes: For kajmere, cuz she owns me.
Follows on from Consequential Confidentiality, and requested by well... pretty much everyone who's read the first four.
Gwen came into work early on the day back from her honeymoon. She couldn't wait to come in and tell everyone about their two week trip to Paris, and to hear about what everyone had gotten up to while she'd been away. To surprise everyone she came in through the visitor entrance via the perception filter in front of the Millennium Centre. She was practically bouncing with excitement as she carried her bags of goodies for everyone. When she got to the bottom, she jumped off it and ran up the stairs to their workstations, and put Tosh and Owen's bags on their desks. She then headed into Jack's office to put Jack's bag on his desk. She'd put Ianto's bag on his desk down in the archives.
She heard laughing, and turned around. There was no one behind her, but the hatch to Jack's room was open. She smiled. Jack was up.
“Jack!” she called out happily. “Jack, I'm back!” She walked over to the hole in the floor.
“Fuck!” she heard groaned out below, followed by a squeaky sound. “Oh yeah... just like that... don't stop baby...”
“That's it, Jack... wider... open wider...”
Gwen's eyes widened as another groan filtered up through the hole in the floor. She covered her mouth, and stifled a giggle. Jack's moaning and groaning became louder, deeper and more lust filled. Ianto's encouragement became filthier and filthier. Gwen was surprised to hear the things she did out of her friend's mouth. She never expected to hear that side of Ianto. Come to think of it, she never expected Ianto to have a side that... kinky.
“Come on Jack, you can take another...”
Another lust-filled moan floated up to Jack's office, and Gwen sniffed the air. There was a thick scent wafting, something she'd never smelled before but it was unbelievably good. It made her lightheaded. She fell back against the cabinet, her fingers clutching it for support.
“Oh fuck,” Jack's voice broke on the last word.
“You should see it Jack,” Ianto panted. “I wish you could see my whole hand inside you.”
Gwen gasped, and felt her own arousal flood her system. She stumbled out of the office and back to her desk. She shook her head and tried to clear the images the sounds she heard conjured up, but in her head, all she could see was Jack, naked and on all fours with Ianto behind him, his hand fisted up his arse. Biting her lip, she headed down to the bathroom, and splashed some cold water on her face. Cooled off, she dried her face and hands before heading back up to the main Hub level.
Gwen sat down on the couch and twiddled her thumbs as she waited for Jack and Ianto to finish their morning session. Obviously Ianto had stayed over the previous night. Gwen couldn't help the twinge of jealousy in her belly at the thought. Her thumb automatically pushed on her wedding and engagement rings, sliding them around her left ring finger as she did when she was agitated. She sighed and looked around. Nothing had changed in her absence.
She jumped when she heard a sound, and leapt up to investigate. When she rounded the corner to the kitchen, she came face to back with Ianto, who was wearing... nothing.
“Ahem. Morning Ianto!” Gwen said cheerfully, openly amused at having caught the man unawares.
He jumped, dropped the spoon in his hand and knocked over the sugar as he spun around.
“G-Gwen!” Ianto's eyes widened as he looked down at himself. He frantically looked around and found a tea towel to cover what was left of his dignity. Gwen covered her mouth as she tried not to laugh. “You're...you're back! And in early I see. It's not even six yet.” He cleared his throat. “Uh, did you have a nice trip?”
“It was lovely, thank you.” She grinned. “Paris was beautiful. Saw the Eiffel Towel. Lovely building, very tall. Erect, like.”
He smiled tightly. “Excellent. Pleased to hear it. Glad you're back. Excuse me, I'll just go and... and... yep,” he said pointing in the direction of Jack's office and pushed past her, disappearing down the ladder faster than she'd ever thought possible.
Gwen burst into a fit of giggles and made her way back to her computer and logged in. She was surprised though that it was an hour later when Ianto and Jack climbed out of Jack's room. Ianto blushed, and muttered something about going out to get them all some breakfast. He made to leave, but Jack grabbed his hand and pulled him back to kiss him lightly before sending him on his way with a smack on his arse. Ianto glared at Jack, but his mouth was turning up slightly at the corners as he turned and left them alone, heading out the cog door to a serenade of alarm bells ringing.
“Welcome back,” Jack said with a wide smile. “Ianto said you had a wonderful trip to Paris.” He raised an eyebrow, “The Eiffel Tower? Ooh-la-la.”
Gwen laughed and went to hug Jack but he turned and went to the kitchen, restarting the coffee machine and cleaning up the mess that Ianto had left behind. Gwen frowned but followed him.
“Yes, we went to the Tower though Rhys would barely let go of the elevator to look at the view.” She chuckled. “He nearly lost his lunch all over the people below. Doesn't like heights.”
Jack nodded in understanding. “And you went to the Arc de Triomphe? And the Louve?”
“Uh, we didn't get to the Louve. Rhys doesn't do Museums.” She smiled. “Too much reading.” She brightened. “But we toured all the pubs in Paris.”
Jack chuckled. “Yeah. Well, I'm glad you had a great time.” He handed her a cup of coffee. “How come you're in so early? I thought we would have had to drag you back in on your first day back.” He leaned against the counter and crossed his ankles as he sipped his coffee.
“Oh, you know, Rhys had to go in to the office early, you know... They can't do without him. There wasn't much point to hanging around at home by myself so I thought I'd get an early start, bring in everyone's gifts.” She nodded towards the bag she'd left on Jack's desk.
“Presents! You brought us presents?” Jack asked, then frowned. “From your honeymoon?”
Gwen nodded. “Well, its the first time we've been overseas, see. So, anyway, it's just a little something from Rhys and me to, you know, say thanks, for the Wedding and everything.”
Jack regarded her for a moment and then nodded. “Well thank you. I'm sure the others will appreciate the gesture too.”
“So,” Gwen said after she sipped her coffee. “Did I miss anything?”
Jack shrugged and shook his head. “It's been surprisingly quiet actually. Guess the rift knew you were out of town,” Jack joked, and they shared a chuckle.
“Well, here's hoping it hasn't heard I'm back yet,” Gwen grinned. They drank their coffees in silence for a moment. “How's Ianto?”
Jack smiled widely. “He's good. He's getting more and more movement back in his shoulder so Owen thinks the muscle is finally repairing itself.”
She nodded. “That's good.”
“So, tell me more about Paris?” Jack put his mug down on the counter and crossed his arms over his chest.
Gwen grinned and launched into story after story that had the pair of them laughing until the cog alarms went off and Gwen turned to see Ianto walk through the door.
“Breakfast for three,” Ianto said, holding up a bag.
“I'll bring the coffee,” Jack said, filling a carafe.
“Oh. Jack. Really?” Ianto paused on the stairs.
“You started it,” Jack reminded him. “I'm just pouring it into mugs.”
Ianto came over and inspected Jack's work. He picked up his mug and took a tentative sip. “Well, it's not quite mine, but good enough I suppose.”
Jack beamed, and refilled Gwen's mug and his own before leading them both up to the conference room where Ianto handed out the takeout containers to their respective owners. By the time Tosh and Owen came in, Gwen, Jack and Ianto had finished their breakfast and Ianto was cleaning up the remains that had been left behind.
Torchwood's day started with Gwen watching gleefully as her workmates opened their gifts. Tosh opened hers first, to find a book on the Eiffel Tower. She smiled tightly and thanked Gwen, and put the book to the side as she looked over at Owen.
“My turn. Right.” Owen rolled his eyes and opened his bag, then pulled out a white tourist t-shirt that said I ♥ Paris. “Gee. Just what I always wanted.” He stood up and gave Gwen a brief peck on the cheek. “Thank you darlin'. I shall cherish it always.”
Gwen waved him off. “You're a little hard to shop for, Owen.”
“Rubbish. I'm easy to shop for! Well... I was before I died.” He sighed, then looked at the shirt. “Now I get cheesy tourist t-shirts.”
Ianto tried to hide, but Gwen had none of it. “Your turn,” she said, thrusting his bag at him.
“Oh, really, I couldn't.”
“Nonsense, love! Take it!”
Ianto opened the bag to find a navy silk tie inside. “Thank you, Gwen. This is … this is lovely. I have just the suit for it.”
Jack's gift was last. When he opened his, he found an antique silver cigarette case from the 1940s. Tosh gasped, and covered her mouth as Jack held it up. Owen sighed. Ianto's face turned to stone.
“Do you like it?” Gwen asked, grinning like a cheshire cat. “We found it in this neat little antique store next to this pub that Rhys dragged me to. I saw it and immediately thought of you, Jack.”
Ianto looked at his gift, then at Jack's and swallowed. He moved over and kissed Gwen on the cheek quickly. “Thank you for the tie,” he said softly, then headed for the archives.
Jack closed the lid on the box that encased Gwen's gift, and put it back in the bag as he sighed.
“What? Did I do something wrong?” Gwen's face fell.
“No, it's fine, thank you Gwen. It's a lovely gift. Really. We appreciate them all very much.” Jack looked around. “Time to get to work, people.” Jack took his bag into his office and put it on his desk, then sat down and turned on his computers.
Gwen stood there looking around at everyone and wondered why she suddenly felt completely lost.
~*~
After lunch, Gwen decided to go back to the conference room to talk to Ianto about his reaction to the cigarette case.
“And then I hear her clear her throat and say good morning, and I turn around and there she is, pleased as fucking punch and I'm standing there stark bloody naked!” Ianto sighed. “I tell you, Tosh, I don't think I've ever been so embarrassed, and after working here for three years, that's saying something.” Tosh was giggling. “It's not funny.”
“Oh c'mon, Ianto, it is a little. I could just imagine the look on her face. I bet she was quite amused to find you in your birthday suit instead of a tailored one for a change.” Gwen moved closer to the conference room and saw Tosh fold her arms over her chest as Ianto shoved trash into a garbage bag. “Anyway, this is your home. If you and Jack want to walk around naked between the hours of 8pm and 8am, then that's your prerogative. It's about time some boundaries were put in place around here.”
Gwen blinked. The Hub was Ianto's home? Since bloody when? She frowned. She turned on her heal, and walked away, unaware that she'd made a noise and alerted Ianto and Tosh to her retreating presence. She was now on a mission, and that mission was to get the truth from one man, and one man only: Jack Harkness.
She stormed into his office, and stood opposite Jack's desk, where Jack was seated and going through some paperwork. “What's this I hear about the Hub being Ianto's home?”
Jack looked up and raised an eyebrow. “Afternoon Gwen, by all means, c'mon on in. No, I wasn't busy. Sure, we have time for a chat. What would you like to talk about?”
“Don't play coy with me, Jack Harkness,” Gwen sneered back, folding her arms over her chest.
Jack put his pen down on the papers and sat back. “Would you like to start this conversation again?”
“Does Ianto live here? In the Hub?” she asked, staring wide-eyed at Jack.
Jack stared back. “He does.”
“Since when?” she asked, frowning.
“Since the Space Whale,” Jack answered.
Gwen spluttered. “B-but that... that was months ago!”
“Yes, I know,” Jack sighed. “Anything else?”
“Tosh knows. Does Owen know too?” she asked.
Jack sighed. “He does.”
“I'm the last to know?”
“Obviously.” Jack confirmed.
“Well! That's just bollocking great isn't it! And how long has this rubbish been going on, huh? Keeping secrets, laughing at me behind my back!”
Jack looked lost, “Keepin- laughin- what?”
“Why?” she demanded.
“Excuse me?” Jack choked out.
“Why?” she repeated.
Jack's face turned to stone, and he stood up. “I'm sorry, exactly when did I have to start explaining my personal choices to you?”
“Oh c'mon, Jack!” Jack shook his head and walked out of his office. Gwen followed him. “Don't walk away from me, Jack!” she yelled. Ianto and Tosh were coming down the stairs from the conference room, but stayed on the stairs as they watched the events unfolding. Owen had come up the stairs from the medical bay to watch. “Why is he living here? What, is he broke and can't afford a place of his own? Why am I the last to know? Why do Tosh and Owen get to know before I do? Why, Jack?!”
Jack whirled around and stood toe to toe with her, his hands on his hips. “Gwen, what is between Ianto and I is none of your business.”
“You make it our business! Everyone else knows before I do! Hell, I came into work this morning to find him in the kitchen making coffee naked!” Gwen yelled.
Jack's eyes narrowed. “Which you would not have done had you not entered our home before six-thirty in the morning!”
“I didn't know it was your home!”
“This has always been my home, Gwen. But it's been my home with Ianto for quite some time, not that you'd bothered to pay any attention to anyone outside of your own wedding for the last few months.” Jack drew in a breath and let it out slowly as he stepped back.
Gwen gasped. “Is that what this is about? You're upset that I married Rhys?”
Jack closed his eyes and shook his head. “No! Gwen, God. You're not listening to me!” He sighed.
But Gwen kept going, “Is this some sort of sick payback? I went through with the wedding, so you've shacked up with your part-time shag? Is that it?”
Jack stilled. “What did you just say?”
Gwen stopped, and covered her mouth. “Oh Jack. Oh I'm sorry, I didn't- I didn't mean it.”
“Yes, you did. People say what they really mean in the heat of the moment. So I'm going to be the bigger person and not slap you silly like I want to right now. But let me make this perfectly clear. Ianto is not now, nor has he ever been a 'part-time shag'. I asked him to move in with me because I want him here with me every day. I want to wake up next to him every morning. I want to go to sleep with him every night. He keeps my nightmares at bay, and he makes me feel safe. He is my partner, in every sense of the word, and if you can't respect that, Mrs Cooper-Williams, then you may have to find yourself alternate employment. Are we clear?”
Gwen blinked back tears. “As crystal.” Jack was about to leave when Gwen said, “Jack, what about the flirting? You said... you said you came back for me?”
“I flirt with everyone, Gwen. I'm sorry.” Jack hung his head. “I said I came back for all of you.”
Gwen's eyes filled with tears and she shook her head. “No, no down in the cells, remember? You said... you said you came back for me, and then you found my ring and I told you about Rhys' proposal?”
Jack narrowed his eyes. “That was a year ago, Gwen, and I came back for all of you. But if you're talking about who I came back for because of my heart? Then I'm sorry, I gave you the wrong impression, because I came back for Ianto. My heart belongs to him.”
Gwen stared into his eyes for a moment, then nodded and backed away. Jack walked into his office and sat down. Gwen, meanwhile, called out that she was going for a walk.
“Make sure you're contactable!” Jack called out. Gwen waved over her head as she made her way out of the tunnel.
Tosh and Ianto looked at each other. “Guess you know how he really feels about you now,” Tosh said as she squeezed his arm.
Ianto looked down at Jack in his office. “I... already did.” A small smile spread across face. “Excuse me.” Ianto made his way down to the kitchen to dispose of the rubbish and then into Jack's office. “Are you alright?”
“You heard everything I'm assuming?” Jack said as he sighed and spun in his chair to face Ianto.
“Jack, the two of you were yelling so loud I think the tourists at Millennium Centre heard you.”
Jack snorted and shook his head. “Yeah, well. Maybe we can actually get some work done instead of walking around like we're on the set of 'Eastenders'.”
Ianto raised an eyebrow. “That's your point of reference?”
“You got a better one?” Jack asked, clearly amused.
Ianto paused to think. “Nothing I would want to be referred to as, no.” He perched on the end of Jack's desk. “You didn't have to say all of that to her, you know.”
Jack reached out and squeezed Ianto's knee. “Yes, I did.” Jack's eyes darkened. “Maybe I should send Tosh and Owen home early and we can avoid doing some work ourselves?”
The rift alarm sounded.
“Raincheck?” Ianto asked. Jack stood up and kissed him, then ran out of the room and over to Tosh who was clicking away on her computer.
“Time to go to work, kids. What have we got?”
Next: Consequential Confrontation