m_findlow

Title: Eye on the time
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Ianto/Jack
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 500 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for Challenge 476 - Cold turkey at slashthedrabble
Summary: Ianto is a stickler for punctuality.

'You're late,' Ianto said, tapping his foot as he waited outside for Jack to arrive.

'I am not.'

'Yes, you are. Have you even seen the time?' he said, thrusting out his wrist and showing Jack the time on the small digital display.

Jack rolled his eyes as he inspected it. 'It says 10:08.'

'And you promised to meet me here at ten.'

'So?'

'So? You're late!'

'You're splitting hairs, now.'

'Am I?'

'The world does not revolve around everything being done precisely on the dot.'

'And thus why the world is in a mess,' Ianto replied.

'You just need to be a little bit more flexible,' Jack said.

'Not what you were saying last night,' Ianto quipped.

'I bet you couldn't survive without that watch,' Jack said.

'I could. I have an innate sense of timing.'

'Fine. I dare you to go a whole week without wearing it, starting right now.'

Ianto shook his head sadly at Jack. 'It's not as if I can't find out the time other ways, Jack. It is on my phone, and my computer. And that giant clock on the town hall right above us,' he said, pointing to the display that now read quarter past.

'Fine. So you won't mind me taking your watch then.'

Ianto quickly agreed, unsure why Jack felt the need to make a fuss about it. It wasn't as if he needed the watch anyway. He'd managed to turn up on time perfectly well. If anything it was Jack who needed the watch, though he already wore one.

If only he'd known how wrong he'd be!

He didn't realise just how much he depended on it for the time during the day, cursing himself for constantly tugging back his sleeve to check it, only to find his wrist bare, and even more pale in the spot where his watch usually sat. Not having it right there where he needed it was actually very annoying, the more he went to refer to it. He was going to go back and ask Jack for his watch, but he had a point to prove and there was nothing he hated more than Jack proving him wrong.

'Is this my three pm coffee?' Jack asked when Ianto served up afternoon tea closer to four.

'It's your just be grateful coffee,' Ianto replied, annoyed. He'd gotten used to counting off the pips from his watch during the day, giving him an indication of the time, even if he wasn't watching it. It didn't help that he'd been distracted by work.

'So much for that innate sense of timing,' Jack replied. 'I just hope you're not late tonight,' he teased. 'It's date night and drinks before dinner at seven. If you're not there on time I might just pick up whatever handsome guy rolls up to the bar first.'

'Then if you value your life, you might give me my watch back. Pick up some other guy and it'll be sex you'll be going without.'