m_findlow

Title: Keeping warm
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters/Pairings: Jack, Ianto
Word Count: 500 words
Rating: PG
Notes: Written for Prompt 1 - Fireplace at adventchallenge

'Ianto, you know what this place is missing?' Jack said, lounging back on the sofa.

'A chef and a personal masseuse?' he replied, unsure what else could possibly be missing from their very nice new house. It had been worth all the effort, being fussy and not conceding on anything until they found a place that was just perfect. Sure, it needed a lick of paint and a bit of work in the garden, but it was light and airy, with big bay windows.

'No,' Jack chuckled, 'a fireplace.'

'What do we need a fireplace for? We have central heating to keep the whole house warm.'

'It's not the same,' Jack replied. 'There's nothing like cuddling up in front of the fire.'

'Except that they're a nightmare to maintain, keeping the floo clean, stockpiling logs and keeping it stoked.'

'All part of their charm,' Jack said.

'You know, for a fifty-first century guy, you're very old fashioned. It's quite endearing. Next thing you'll be telling me you want us to cook our meals on an aga and have outdoor toilets.'

'Ianto Jones, are you calling me a caveman?'

'Not a caveman. Just an oxymoron.'

'I like to think of myself as an enigma.'

'A riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma; but perhaps there is a key,' Ianto teased.

'Hey, who do you think gave Winston that line? It's what he called me one night after we'd had way too much to drink. He thought it was so clever that he couldn't wait to use it again.'

'Of course he did. And was this whilst you were both sat in front of the fire one night, sipping brandies?'

'How did you know? But before you ask, it was totally platonic.'

Ianto rolled his eyes. One of these says, he was going to have to get Jack to write that book. 'If you'd wanted a fireplace so bad, why didn't you say so?'

'I figured we had enough things on our wishlist already. Besides, we wanted a reasonably new house. It's only the older houses these days that still have those romantic old fireplaces.'

Ianto laughed. 'I don't think our house is lacking in romance.'

'Ianto, trust me. I don't care how sexy you are. There's nothing romantic about curling up in front of the central heating vent.'

Ianto nestled back on the sofa and stared around at their spacious living room. It melded into the open dining area and kitchen without a wall in sight. There were a lot of modern gas powered fireplaces on the market these days. If they just moved their sofa a little bit, he could picture having one installed in the middle of the room, all sleek and glass, with a fire safely tucked inside. No wood, no smoke. Just those warm dancing flames Jack yearned for. The best of both worlds.

'What are you thinking about?' Jack asked, knowing that look on his lover's face.

'Just what I might buy you for Christmas.'