m_findlow

Title: Tempers flaring
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Ianto, Jack, Rhiannon
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 2,308 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for prompt "In hindsight, tact would probably have been the better solution to this problem"
Summary: Ianto has made a grievous error of judgment and now has to pay the price

Ianto leant his forehead against the door and beat it a few times, for all the good it would do. Jack hadn't opened it when he'd belted it with his fist for the first half an hour, he didn't think beating it with his head now was going to change things.

Idiot. Stupid bloody idiot, he cursed himself. What on Earth must their neighbours think?

He slumped down and sat there with his knees pulled up, trying not to notice how cold it was. Jack wouldn't really leave him out here all night to freeze, would he? He smacked the back of his head against the door a few times, just to compliment the front, cursing his own stupidity once more.

He'd been busy turning down the bed covers when he'd heard Jack's heavy footsteps stomping up the stairs.

'What a day,' Jack groaned, flopping back onto the bed without preamble, interfering with what Ianto was trying to do. 'I feel utterly shagged,' he said, before cracking an eye open at Ianto and grinning. 'But just enough left in the tank for round two,' he added, grabbing a fistful of Ianto's top and pulling him down on top of him.

He landed ungracefully on top of Jack, sure that he must have winded his lover in the process, practically elbowing him in the solar plexus, before he caught a whiff of Jack, and recoiled. Jack's scent was strong. It wasn't sweat or grime or something alien that got right up Ianto's nose; it was a smell he knew all too well. There was only one time Jack smelled like that, and smelled that strong. He remembered what Jack had said not five minutes ago and connected the dots. The thought horrified him.

'You've been having sex with someone!'

'No!' Jack exclaimed, sounding genuinely shocked.

'Yes, you have! I can smell it all over you.'

'Ianto, I can explain,' he said sitting up.

'Oh, I bet you can. Was it good? No, actually, I don't want to know.'

'It was an alien,' Jack began.

'Oh, well that makes it alright then!' Ianto said cutting him off before he could say more. 'Had six cocks, did it? Sorry, I can't compete, sad little earthling that I am.'

'Ianto, it's not what you think, just listen to me.'

'How dare you come into my house, smelling like that and then have the nerve to lie about it!'

'Our house,' Jack corrected, feeling slightly annoyed. 'And I'm not lying. I picked up an alien this afternoon.'

Ianto let out a mirth filled chuckle.

'Okay, bad choice of words,' Jack admitted. 'It was big,' he said, cringing again. Why did everything that came out of his mouth sound so full of innuendo? 'It was a very tall, very broad, alien,' he said, pleased to have manged a single statement that didn't infer anything sexual. 'I thought it was a bit on the nose myself. It was very friendly though.' He cringed again. 'I spent half the afternoon being cuddled by it, and I mean that in the most platonic way possible. Owen thought it was hilarious, so he refused to sedate it. He said it wasn't a threat, and that drugging aliens that weren't dangerous was in itself dangerous. I don't know when he got so high and mighty about these things.'

'That doesn't explain why you smell the way you do,' Ianto said, still feeling cross.

'Maybe my own pheromones reacted with its. '

Ianto couldn't helpbut feell miffed at the comment. 'Oh, you get off on that sort of thing, do you?'

'Ianto, stop being so ridiculous,' he said, stepping forward to try and wrap his arms around him. 'It's the truth. You think I wanted to be hugged all afternoon?'

Ianto wanted to believe him, but as soon as he was that close again, all he could smell was post-sex Jack. It made him feel sick. He pulled away again. 'No. I don't even want to be in the same house as you.'

Jack's expression turned dark. 'Fine,' he said, grabbing Ianto forcefully by the arms and shuffling him out into the hallway and down the stairs.

'Let go of me!' Ianto yelled, struggling against Jack's grip.

'No. You want to be some place else, then go.' Before he knew what had happened, Jack had shoved him out through the front door and the lock clicked sharply behind him.

Ianto spun around and banged on the door. 'Let me in!'

'No!' came the definitive answer from the other side, before he heard the footsteps fading away.

He stood there for a while longer, banging and yelling, not caring that he was making a scene. He was just so mad at Jack, less about the sex now, and more about the fact that he'd locked him out of his own house. The more he thought about it, the more it made sense that some alien might be responsible for Jack's scent. It wasn't as if he could control the way he smelled. He'd never cheated on Ianto in all the years they'd been together, and he'd had plenty of offers and opportunities. It had probably been very stupid to jump the gun and throw wild accusations at him. In hindsight, tact would probably have been the better solution to this problem. Why had his usual talents failed him so spectacularly on this occasion?

Because you love him, the little voice in his head replied. Because being polite and diplomatic is great for complete strangers and people you have to work with, but when it comes to the centre of your universe, you throw everything you have at it, and damn what everyone else thinks.

'Jack? I'm sorry, okay?' he said, talking to the door, fairly certain there was no one on the other side listening. Jack wasn't the kind to sit there and wait for an apology. Not like Ianto would, feeling simultaneously mad and guilty. He was a storm off and sulk kinda guy.

Ianto walked around to the back of the house, finding the back door equally locked. He stared up at the spare room window on the first floor. He was forever telling Jack off for leaving it open, letting all the warm air seep out of the house. There was a downpipe that ran along the side, just near the window. He immediately discounted the idea of climbing up it to get inside. He'd seen way too many episodes of Casualty to know how that was likely to end.

He patted himself down. No phone, no wallet, no keys. Of course not. He'd been getting ready to go to bed. What would he need any of those things for? Oh, just on the off chance that you and Jack have a row, and he kicks you out of your own house, of course. How silly of me not to have contemplated that scenario. No phone meant no calling Jack, hoping he'd answer; or anyone else for that matter. No wallet meant he couldn't get a taxi anywhere, or put himself up in a motel for the night. No keys meant he couldn't drive himself anywhere, or at the very least, sleep in the car. Bollocks.

He sat by the door a while longer, praying Jack would come to his senses, or at least realise that Ianto had finally come to his. Never shooting my mouth off ever again, he vowed. Next time he'd simply tell Jack he was a bit on the nose, and that he should go have a shower, then ply him with coffee to get the the bottom of the explanation for it. When had he become such a jealous lover?

A shiver went through him as he huddled by the door. Jack wasn't coming. There was no way he could stay out here all night in the cold. Time for plan B. He cringed, knowing that the closest house was his sister's. Why had he bought her one so close to their own, just five miles down the road? Because it was a hell of a lot nicer than that dump they were living in on the estate, he answered. She'd kicked up such a fuss over it that he'd agreed to let her pay half, but putting it on an interest free loan arrangement with the bank of Ianto Jones. Anything she paid off was going into a trust fund for David and Mica. She'd fuss over that too when she found out. What was the point in getting paid more than he could ever spend himself if he couldn't look after his family?

He trekked along the empty streets, hoping that there were no late night curtain twitchers about to call him into the police for suspicious looking behaviour. That'd be all he needed. On the plus side though, at least he'd be out of the cold and with a roof over his head for the night. The downside however would be the entry in his police record that would require deletion later. After over an hour of walking through the cold, he finally trotted up the front path of his sister's yard and hit the doorbell. Please let Johnny answer the door at this hour of the night.

The door swung open, a long pink dressing gown stood there. Just not your night tonight, Jones, is it?

Rhiannon folded her arms across her chest. 'Is the world about to end or did you two have a row?'

Ianto ignored her and shoved his way past.

'Come in and make yourself at home, why don't you?'

Ianto sighed and turned around. 'Can I please crash here tonight?'

She scoffed. 'What's left of it,' she said. 'Have you seen the time?'

He was quite well aware of the time. It was one of the reasons he didn't want to get into it with her right now. There'd be plenty of time for that a few hours from now when he felt ragged and sleep deprived, trying to force down the greasy bacon and vitriol she'd serve up in equal quantities.

She sighed, looking at her hopeless younger brother. 'Sofa's where it always is. I'll fetch you a blanket.'

'Thank you.' He was curled up asleep on it before she'd even returned, just grateful that it was a damn sight more comfortable than their doormat.

'Idiot,' she muttered, kissing him and wrapping the blanket over him.

At seven AM there was a second doorbell chime, and Rhiannon didn't have to guess this time who would be waiting there. When had she become a couples therapist?

'Is Ianto here?' Jack asked, looking a bit frantic.

'Course he is.'

'Oh, thank God. He wasn't at home this morning and he didn't have his phone. I had no way of getting in touch with him.' He went to push past her, just like Ianto had several hours before. Did anyone around here wait for an invitation anymore?

She stopped him. 'Don't think you're having round two in my living room,' Rhiannon warned him, giving him a look she reserved for when she wanted to defend Ianto, rightly or wrongly. Ianto was still family, which made Jack the enemy by default.

'I promise we'll behave,' he said. She fixed him with a hard stare before rolling her eyes and letting him through. 'Probably still sleeping, mind,' she called after him. 'He'll be a right bear if you wake him.'

Jack ignored her warnings and sat down on the edge of sofa, brushing a hand through Ianto's hair as he woke up at the touch.

'Hey, you,' he said. 'You gave me a fright disappearing like that.'

Ianto was tired, but not tired enough to know he had the right of things and would take full advantage of the fact. 'You left me locked outside! In the middle of winter!'

Jack looked genuinely apologetic. 'I was going to let you back in, I swear. I was going to give it an hour or two until we'd both calmed down. I must've fallen asleep waiting, though.'

Ianto was about to say "and why should I believe you?" but decided better of it. Shooting his mouth off once had gotten him in enough trouble. He never used to just blurt out what was on his mind. Clearly Jack was becoming a bad influence.

He sat up, wrapping the blanket around him. 'You really did get hugged by a seven foot alien?'

'Nearly to death,' Jack promised. 'I have the CCTV footage to prove it. If I got a little amorous, it was totally accidental. Did I really smell that bad?'

'Not a bad smell,' Ianto said, usually loving how intoxicating it was, ' just like you'd been having sex all afternoon.'

'And not with you,' Jack said, knowing that was the most hurtful part.

'I should've trusted you.'

Yeah, he probably should have, Jack thought, wrapping an arm around the blanket bundle of his lover. Hadn't he done enough yet to prove that he wasn't interested in anybody else?

'Are you ready to come home, or do I have to cop a bollocking from your sister first?'

Ianto gave a wan smile. 'I think I can spare you from that.' If they made a run for it now, they might both avoid his sister's wrath.

Jack leaned down and gave him a long kiss, before Rhiannon interrupted them. 'I'm making pancakes and bacon. I assume your staying for breakfast?' she asked.

'Actually,' Ianto said, 'we probably need to be getting to work.'

'Breakfast sounds great,' Jack replied. 'I think we're playing hookey today and we're going to need a hearty breakfast to keep us going.'

'We are?' Ianto asked.

'I think I've got a whole day of smelly lovemaking to make up to you.'

'Oh, well why didn't you say so?'