m_findlow

Title: Under the tree
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Jack, Ianto
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 704 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for badly_knitted's prompt "Any, any, the stack of presents was so enticing, but sadly they weren't his/hers" at fic_promptly
Summary: Jack feels as if there's something missing under their tree

The stack of presents was so enticing, but sadly they weren't his. Jack stared longingly at the Christmas tree, trying to subtly check the tags and labels on the mountain of gifts sitting under the tree. When that didn't work, he resorted to the good old fashioned method of picking them up and checking them one by one. He felt his heart sink into the pit of his stomach as he came to the realisation, after having checked every last shiny, bow laden gift, that definitively and unequivocally none of them were for him.

Even after all these years, he'd still never quite gotten used to the idea. There was no shortage of gifts, but they were all labeled as belonging to any of their three beautiful offspring, or their niece and nephew.

'Christmas is for the kids,' Ianto told him. 'The ones that are physically kids, not the ones that just act like it.'

Jack knew that, and he still loved Christmas morning, watching the three of them excitedly tearing the paper wrappings off, revealing the toys inside. Now that they were old enough to unwrap the gifts themselves, the two of them could sit back and just watch the excited expressions and squeals of delight. They still exchanged their own gifts, though they often no longer required paper, ribbons and bows, but when they did, Ianto was still careful enough not to put them under the tree until Christmas Eve, knowing that Jack couldn't help but try and take a sneak peak. He'd even go so far as to slip open the neat sellotaped ends with a knife, but Ianto always knew when he had, because they were never stuck back together quite so neatly as they had been before.

Jack fingered the tinsel and toyed with a shiny golden bauble as he heard the footsteps coming down the hall. He pulled his face into a mask of neutrality, not wanting Ianto to see his disappointment at the lack of gifts. His own for his beloved husband were already under the tree, but so far his own cache was nonexistent.

'Don't think I don't know what you're doing,' Ianto said as he entered the room.

'I was just readjusting a bit of tinsel that had fallen off the branch,' Jack replied.

'Sure you were.'

Jack turned to face his lover, his face falling a little at the sight of Ianto clutching yet another gift to go under the tree. Probably something for his sister, Jack thought glumly.

'Why the long face, Jack? It's Christmas. I thought you loved Christmas?'

'I do,' he replied.

'But you'd like it more if there was something under the tree for you,' Ianto said, reading him like a book. Jack was entirely predictable, and there wasn't much he could hide from Ianto these days.

'It's fine,' he lied. 'As long as the kids have a good day. They love opening gifts.'

'Mmm,' Ianto hummed. 'I can't imagine where they get that from,' he grinned.

'Who's that one for?' Jack asked, eyeing the bright red and green wrapping.

'Why don't you check the label and see,' Ianto suggested.

Jack fingered the tag, flipping it around and seeing what looked like scribble. When he looked more closely though, he could make out the words. "To Daddy, xoxo."

'It's mine?'

'Well, unless they have another Daddy,' Ianto smirked. 'I think I'd know if I'd slept with someone else who got me pregnant with triplets.'

Jack's eyes lit up and he took the present in his hands.

'You'll have to wait until tomorrow to open it. The kids will be very upset if you spoil the surprise.'

'I think I can manage,' Jack replied, bending down to place it under the tree, feeling pleased to know there was a little something there just for him. What it was didn't matter, only that they'd gotten him something.

'What about you?' he asked Ianto. 'Can I maybe open one of your presents early?'

Ianto put a finger to his lips, feigning deep thought. 'I think there's probably one gift you could unwrap tonight after the kids are in bed. I'll even let you tear off the wrappings.'

Jack smiled. He really did love Christmas.