Tea & Conversation
Title: Tea & Conversation
Author: crazycatt71
Rating: PG
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Ianto, 10th Doctor, little bit of Jack Harkness at the end.
Word Count: 987
Summary: Ianto & the Doctor sit down to tea and a conversation. Takes place after
You Can't Have Him which should be read first.
Author's notes: This was written for writers_choice challenge #417-tea
It was beta'd by likeitisntso so any and all mistakes are all mine.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, I'm just having some fun
Ianto looked up from his computer screen when the bell over the tourist office door jangled, anger instantly filling his gut when he saw the tall, skinny man standing there.
"What do you want now, Doctor?" he demanded.
The Doctor stood with his hands in his pockets staring down at his trainers for a moment, then looked up, his dark brown eyes meeting Ianto's storm-filled ones.
"I came to apologize." he said, "I was horrible to you, Ianto Jones, and I'm sorry."
Ianto felt some of the anger flow out of him as he watched the Doctor, but he wasn't anywhere near ready to trust the man yet: this could all be a trick to steal Jack away from him.
"Thank you." he said, a bit stiffly.
The Doctor shuffled his feet and rocked back on his heels.
"I guess I needed someone to knock a little sense into me about the way I'd been treating Jack." he said, "It's amazing how a right hook to the jaw can clear your thinking."
He gave Ianto a little smile and Ianto felt the corners of his mouth curl in response.
"I was just going to make myself some coffee, would you like some?" Ianto asked.
"No coffee, but tea, a cup of tea would be nice, if it's no bother." the Doctor replied.
Ianto gestured for the Doctor to follow him down to the lounge area of the Hub. The Doctor looked around while Ianto prepare their drinks.
"Jack's done quite well with Torchwood." he commented.
"He's had a lot of time." Ianto replied as he walked in, carrying a tray.
"At least he put it to good use." the Doctor said.
Ianto cocked an eyebrow, but didn't say anything as he handed the Doctor a cup of tea. He pulled a chair over and sat down, gesturing toward the couch. The Doctor sipped his tea and hummed with appreciation.
"Wonderful drink, tea." he said, "Humankind spreads all over the universe and everywhere they are, there's tea, but the best place to get it is still here on Earth. I wonder why that is? Because this is where it all started I suspect; birth place and all that."
Ianto sat quietly and drank his coffee, letting the Doctor ramble on. Jack did that when he had something he wanted to get off his chest and Ianto had learned to wait him out as he'd get to it when he was ready. The Doctor stopped talking and looked at Ianto.
"I'm glad Jack has you, Ianto, he deserves to be happy." the Doctor said. "I think I got a little jealous when he talked about you."
"He talked about me?" Ianto asked.
"Oh, yes, his whole team, but especially you," the Doctor said, "it wasn't hard to see what you mean to him."
The Doctor drank his tea and stared off into space for several minutes.
"I got jealous and angry with Jack because he had found love when I'd lost it." the Doctor said, "When I came here last time, I was so angry and hurting and I think I wanted somebody else to hurt as bad as I did."
Ianto didn't say anything, he just let the Time Lord talk.
"I lose everybody I care about," he continued, "time always takes them from me somehow."
It dawned on Ianto that the Doctor didn't have a companion with him; he was traveling alone, and he was lonely.
"I won't always be in Jack's life." he said.
"But you'll always be in his heart." the Doctor told him, "When Jack loves someone, it's forever."
That idea both thrilled and saddened Ianto: forever was literal for Jack.
"I think that's something you have in common." he said.
A smile curled the corners of the Doctor's mouth.
"I miss Jack, Ianto, I miss his energy and his passion and his love for life' he said.
A ball of icy fear formed in Ianto's chest. It must have shown on his face because the Doctor set his cup down and leaned forward.
"I not trying to take Jack from you, I don't have that right." he said, gently squeezing Ianto's arm, " Besides, I've seen you riled, and I really don't want to get punched again."
Ianto smiled as the iciness left his churning guts. An idea was forming in his mind, but he wasn't sure if the Timelord would go for it.
"I have an idea, if you're interested." he said, slowly.
"And what would that be?" the Doctor asked.
Ianto looked the Doctor right in the eye.
"We could share Jack." he said.
Ianto watched as confusion, then surprise, then pleasure crossed the Doctor's face.
"You'd be willing to do that?" he asked.
Ianto nodded.
"If I've learned one thing from Jack, it's to keep an open mind." he said. "I know my place in Jack's heart. I also know there's room for more than one."
He looked the Doctor over and smiled.
"It doesn't hurt that you're easy on the eyes." he added with a grin.
"You know I won't always look like this." the Doctor asked.
"That just makes things more interesting." Ianto replied.
"Jack has been a horrible influence on you." the Doctor told him as a big grin spread across his face.
The two men were shaking hands when Jack came running in. He had seen the Tardis and was afraid that he'd arrive too late to stop a blood bath, so he was quite startled to see the two of them getting along so well.
"Hello," he said, looking from one to the other, "what have you two been up to?"
"We've had tea and a lovely conversation about sharing." the Doctor said.
"Sharing?" Jack asked.
"Yes, sharing." Ianto replied.
"Sharing," Jack said, confused, "okay, sharing is good. Just what would you be sharing?"
Jack's confusion deepened when Ianto and the Doctor burst out laughing.