Slashthedrabble Challenge 431 - Keeping a promise

[m_findlow]

Title: Keeping a promise
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Jack, Ianto
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 500 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for Challenge 431 - Broken promises at slashthedrabble
Summary: Breaking promises was meant to be Jack's department

Ianto sighed inwardly, seeing the pout on Jack’s face.

And the worst boyfriend of all time award goes to…. he thought glumly.

‘You promised!’ Jack whined.

And he had. How often was it that they ever got a day off, assuming the rift wouldn’t change its mind at the last minute?

But… well, there was just so much stuff that needed doing! There was a mountain of laundry piling up, and they were almost down to the most threadbare pairs of socks they owned; the ones that lived at the very bottom of the drawers, rarely ever to see the light of day. That was to say nothing of the severe shortage of pants and shirts. Jack might be okay with parading around the hub naked, for wont of a lack of clothes, but Ianto was almost down to his t-shirts and summer shorts. He certainly wouldn’t be getting around in those, not in the middle of winter. Even summer in Cardiff was pushing it.

Then there was the sad state of their kitchen pantry. Whilst the hub may have been well-stocked, the same couldn’t be said at home. And what was in their fridge was destined for the bin, expired, mouldy or otherwise uncertain for continued consumption.

And the dust. The dust! It had taken up residence everywhere. They hadn’t been home to vacuum for at least three weeks and the bunnies were making themselves at home, even if they weren’t. When he added up all the other things that needed doing, he just couldn’t fathom how he was meant to justify a day off.

Then again, he didn’t know how he was supposed to justify it to Jack either. Jack had been the one who’d gone out of his way to ensure they had some time off. Even if the new rota for night duties and regular nine-day fortnights wasn’t appealing to all parties concerned, it was certainly necessary. Even Owen couldn’t argue with the fact that it was a proper rotation system or one of them was going to drop dead from exhaustion; and everyone knew which of them Jack was referring to.

Jack surveyed their living room. He couldn’t quite see the same mountain that Ianto could, but he knew his lover well enough to be imaginative.

‘All of this will still be here tomorrow, Ianto.’

‘Yes, but we won’t be. Sorry, world ending? Not today thanks, there’s ironing to be done.’

Jack wrapped his arms around Ianto’s hips, trying not to look disappointed, but failing miserably. ‘I thought today could just be for us.’

Us needs clean clothes too, Ianto felt like saying, but kept his mouth shut. Jack might not be upset with him yet, but they’d had arguments that turned on a dime for less than that in the past.

‘I‘ve got an idea,’ Jack said, pulling out his phone, dialing

‘What?’

‘I’m hiring you a cleaner for the day. Let them deal with it all.’

Huh. Why hadn’t he thought of that?

Comments

[jo02]

" Why hadn’t he thought of that ? "

Probably because he remembers that they are 'special ops' and having an un-vetted stranger in the place while they are out is against the regulations?

[m-findlow.livejournal.com]

Lol, I don't think there's too much risk in someone finding anything untoward at their house (though one should always double check Jack's pockets befofe putting them in the laundry!)

[bk_forever]

I just hope the cleaner performs to Ianto's exacting standards!

He does need to take some time off though, otherwise he'll not be able to do his job safely.