Fic: Drinks For All Occasions
Title: Drinks For All Occasions
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Ianto, Jack, Team.
Rating: PG
Word Count: 903
Summary: The Torchwood team take their beverages very seriously indeed; they only drink the best.
Spoilers: Nada.
Warnings: None.
Written For: cozy_coffee’s prompt ‘Any, any, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, wine,’ at comment_fic.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Torchwood or any of the characters
Coffee is the fuel that keeps Torchwood running on all cylinders; without it, chances are the team wouldn’t have the energy to do their job. They’d slump over their workstations in a caffeine deprived stupor while everything went to hell around them. Actually, some of them do that anyway, even with regular caffeine infusions.
In the past, they survived on cheap instant brewed in the Hub, or overpriced lattes and espressos from the coffee shop across the Plas, but now their coffee is made in-house, the most divine caffeinated beverages ever created by man, and the whole team has become utterly spoiled. They can never go back to instant, not by choice, and even the best and most expensive brews available at coffee emporiums pale into insignificance beside what the resident Coffee King provides.
Not that any of them seem to mind; Ianto has perfected blends for all occasions, drawing almost orgasmic groans of pleasure from his colleagues as they breathe in the rich aroma and take that first cautious sip when it’s really still too hot to drink and they know they should resist but the temptation is too great. They lust after his coffee, would do almost anything to prove themselves worthy of receiving a steaming mug of liquid heaven. On those occasions when they earn themselves the dreaded cheap instant decaf, even Owen, thick-skinned, hard-hearted cynic that he is, has been known to break down in tears.
Ianto doesn’t hand out such punishment lightly, because he considers instant decaf to be a crime against the coffee gods, but when it’s merited, just as with his finest brews, he spares no effort. Though it pains him to do so, he creates the vilest abomination possible; after all, punishments need to be memorable in order for them to be effective, or what would be the point of them? Mistakes and errors of judgement happen, but none of the team have ever made the same one twice.
Tea is, understandably, no substitute for an excellent cup of coffee, but it has its place, especially late at night. Because as much as Ianto and his colleagues thrive on the high levels of caffeine in their bloodstreams, they also need to sleep, with the possible exception of Jack, who’ll drink coffee at all hours, given half a chance.
At the end of a long, exhausting day, Ianto willingly brews a soothing pot of proper tea to help the team relax before wending their weary way homewards; loose leaves of course, none of those cheap teabags for Torchwood! Besides, the Doctor, on his occasional visits, expects the best, and since Ianto is in charge of such things, the best is what he gets, along with custard creams, and jammy dodgers. Ianto takes his duties very seriously.
And of course tea, especially when liberally laced with honey, is also the best thing for anyone with a cold or a sore throat, while a cup of sweet tea is excellent for shock, so it has its medicinal uses too. There is always tea in the cupboards, green as well as black, plus peppermint tea, ginger, and chamomile for treating indigestion from rushed meals, settling stomachs, and soothing nerves.
While Ianto is Torchwood’s primary beverage provider these days, he steps aside and bows down to Jack’s expertise, born of many years’ experimentation, in creating the perfect drink for the coldest, dreariest days of winter, when the team returns to the Hub chilled to the bone. Hot chocolate is definitely not just for kids, and Jack would never stoop to using mass-produced cocoa powder.
The finest chocolate, carefully melted down and diluted with either almond or oat milk for a creamy texture or a delightful hint of nuttiness, is served in massive mugs, topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon, or with tiny marshmallows. Sometimes, Jack will add a splash of spirits, usually brandy, or whiskey. Occasionally, with Ianto’s approval and assistance, there might be a hint of finely ground roast coffee for an extra boost.
Whichever way it’s concocted, Jack’s hot chocolate is a decadent delight. If the team weren’t kept so physically active chasing Weevils, repelling invasions, and retrieving sundry objects delivered by the Rift, winter would likely see them piling on so much weight as to need new clothes. Thankfully, burning off the extra calories is never a problem.
Hot drinks are ideal for the long days at work, but on date nights, either at home or at one of Cardiff’s better restaurants, wine is the drink of choice, and although Jack has occasionally suggested that they try making their own, Ianto has thus far stood firm. Better to order a glass or two of a crisp, dry white, or a full-bodied, fruity red to accompany their meal, or to open a bottle of something they know they both enjoy, than to risk uncorking some homebrewed elderflower and finding it tastes like vinegar. Ianto respects his palate too much to sully it with something sub-par, and if that makes him a wine snob, then so be it. He has his standards, and he’s sticking to them.
Then, the morning after a date, when his head is a little fuzzy from a mild hangover and not enough sleep, because date nights inevitably end in very enjoyable physical… entertainment, Ianto heads for the kitchen to brew coffee. There really is no better way to start the day.
The End
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Ianto, Jack, Team.
Rating: PG
Word Count: 903
Summary: The Torchwood team take their beverages very seriously indeed; they only drink the best.
Spoilers: Nada.
Warnings: None.
Written For: cozy_coffee’s prompt ‘Any, any, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, wine,’ at comment_fic.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Torchwood or any of the characters
Coffee is the fuel that keeps Torchwood running on all cylinders; without it, chances are the team wouldn’t have the energy to do their job. They’d slump over their workstations in a caffeine deprived stupor while everything went to hell around them. Actually, some of them do that anyway, even with regular caffeine infusions.
In the past, they survived on cheap instant brewed in the Hub, or overpriced lattes and espressos from the coffee shop across the Plas, but now their coffee is made in-house, the most divine caffeinated beverages ever created by man, and the whole team has become utterly spoiled. They can never go back to instant, not by choice, and even the best and most expensive brews available at coffee emporiums pale into insignificance beside what the resident Coffee King provides.
Not that any of them seem to mind; Ianto has perfected blends for all occasions, drawing almost orgasmic groans of pleasure from his colleagues as they breathe in the rich aroma and take that first cautious sip when it’s really still too hot to drink and they know they should resist but the temptation is too great. They lust after his coffee, would do almost anything to prove themselves worthy of receiving a steaming mug of liquid heaven. On those occasions when they earn themselves the dreaded cheap instant decaf, even Owen, thick-skinned, hard-hearted cynic that he is, has been known to break down in tears.
Ianto doesn’t hand out such punishment lightly, because he considers instant decaf to be a crime against the coffee gods, but when it’s merited, just as with his finest brews, he spares no effort. Though it pains him to do so, he creates the vilest abomination possible; after all, punishments need to be memorable in order for them to be effective, or what would be the point of them? Mistakes and errors of judgement happen, but none of the team have ever made the same one twice.
Tea is, understandably, no substitute for an excellent cup of coffee, but it has its place, especially late at night. Because as much as Ianto and his colleagues thrive on the high levels of caffeine in their bloodstreams, they also need to sleep, with the possible exception of Jack, who’ll drink coffee at all hours, given half a chance.
At the end of a long, exhausting day, Ianto willingly brews a soothing pot of proper tea to help the team relax before wending their weary way homewards; loose leaves of course, none of those cheap teabags for Torchwood! Besides, the Doctor, on his occasional visits, expects the best, and since Ianto is in charge of such things, the best is what he gets, along with custard creams, and jammy dodgers. Ianto takes his duties very seriously.
And of course tea, especially when liberally laced with honey, is also the best thing for anyone with a cold or a sore throat, while a cup of sweet tea is excellent for shock, so it has its medicinal uses too. There is always tea in the cupboards, green as well as black, plus peppermint tea, ginger, and chamomile for treating indigestion from rushed meals, settling stomachs, and soothing nerves.
While Ianto is Torchwood’s primary beverage provider these days, he steps aside and bows down to Jack’s expertise, born of many years’ experimentation, in creating the perfect drink for the coldest, dreariest days of winter, when the team returns to the Hub chilled to the bone. Hot chocolate is definitely not just for kids, and Jack would never stoop to using mass-produced cocoa powder.
The finest chocolate, carefully melted down and diluted with either almond or oat milk for a creamy texture or a delightful hint of nuttiness, is served in massive mugs, topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon, or with tiny marshmallows. Sometimes, Jack will add a splash of spirits, usually brandy, or whiskey. Occasionally, with Ianto’s approval and assistance, there might be a hint of finely ground roast coffee for an extra boost.
Whichever way it’s concocted, Jack’s hot chocolate is a decadent delight. If the team weren’t kept so physically active chasing Weevils, repelling invasions, and retrieving sundry objects delivered by the Rift, winter would likely see them piling on so much weight as to need new clothes. Thankfully, burning off the extra calories is never a problem.
Hot drinks are ideal for the long days at work, but on date nights, either at home or at one of Cardiff’s better restaurants, wine is the drink of choice, and although Jack has occasionally suggested that they try making their own, Ianto has thus far stood firm. Better to order a glass or two of a crisp, dry white, or a full-bodied, fruity red to accompany their meal, or to open a bottle of something they know they both enjoy, than to risk uncorking some homebrewed elderflower and finding it tastes like vinegar. Ianto respects his palate too much to sully it with something sub-par, and if that makes him a wine snob, then so be it. He has his standards, and he’s sticking to them.
Then, the morning after a date, when his head is a little fuzzy from a mild hangover and not enough sleep, because date nights inevitably end in very enjoyable physical… entertainment, Ianto heads for the kitchen to brew coffee. There really is no better way to start the day.
The End