Torchwood: Fanfic: Well suited

[m_findlow]

Title: Well suited
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Ianto, Jack, Owen 
Author: m_findlow 
Rating: PG
Length: 554 words 
Content notes: none 
Author notes: Written for juliet316's prompt "Any, any, business attire" at fic_promptly 
Summary: Ianto's attire say a lot about him

He'd always worn suits at Torchwood One, so it didn't occur to him to turn up to his new job in anything less than his best suit. It wasn't fancy by any stretch, it was just the most expensive of the cheap suits he owned, paid for by his hard earned wages. 

He hadn't loved the concept of business attire when he'd first started out, but it was what everyone at Canary Wharf got around in. It was the new hub of London, where you wanted to be seen, so that people knew you'd made it. Everywhere he looked, there were groups of men and women strutting about, coffee cups in one hand, briefcase in the other, discussing important matters, or seated at cafe tables with laptops and mobiles, busily taking over the world, one keystroke at a time. 

He'd felt like a fish out of water the first time he'd joined their ranks, looking the part even if he didn't feel it. Soon though, he came to realise whether you were a bigwig or just a lowly clerk, everyone looked just the same. He just became one of the crowd, inconspicuous as he went about his day. 

He'd known something of the Torchwood Three team before he'd finally landed the job. He knew for instance that there were only and handful of them, and that, in Yvonne's own words, "they were so laid back it was embarrassing". 

Still, it didn't stop him sticking to old habits. If anything, his chosen attire felt like a barrier, behind which he was safely ensconced. He knew full well that he was walking into the lion's den, his plan fully formed with only a few technical details to iron out. He couldn't afford for anyone to take too much notice of him whilst he put it all into action. His suits had made him invisible in London; maybe they'd work here, too. 

It was practically the first thing Jack pulled him up on. 

'Not that I'm complaining, but you don't have to wear a suit around here. Our dress code is a bit more lax. Clothes have a habit of getting destroyed around here. Plus, we're good looking enough as it is.'

Ianto didn't say anything. When he got up the next day he pulled out another shirt and tie combination, donning them heedless of Jack's suggestion. Turning up to work in anything less just felt wrong. 

'Trying to make us look bad?' Owen said. 'Or does the boss like you dressed like that?' 

That had been then, when he'd been hiding himself away from them, using his suits as armor against a world that didn't care about him, and about saving Lisa. They were neat and pressed, sharp at the edges, smooth and unruffled in between, just like him.

Today though, he had to go back in there and face up to what he'd done, and to live with the consequences of his actions. 

The dark navy pinstripe suit was laid out on the bed, accompanied by a lighter blue shirt and a deeper coloured tie. The shoes were polished to a high shine, cufflinks gleaming, handkerchief pressed. It was business attire that he'd arrive to the hub wearing, because he meant business, determined to make up for his mistakes by working his arse off. 

Comments

[bk_forever]

Ianto's suits have become his comfort blankie,,,