m_findlow

Title: Spoilt for choice
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Ianto/Jack, Owen
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 500 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for Challenge 483 - Favourite at slashthedrabble
Summary: Jack never knew shopping could be so tricky.

'Shit,' Owen swore as he drove them back to the hub.

'What is it?' Jack asked.

'I forgot today's Valentine's Day. I haven't bought Tosh anything.'

'Bugger,' Jack replied. 'I'd completely forgotten as well. I haven't gotten Ianto anything, either.'

'Right,' Owen said, taking a sharp turn. 'It's only four o'clock. We can stop by the shops on the way back and get something so we don't look like the world's most useless boyfriends ever.'

By the time they'd arrived at the shops, Owen already had a plan in place. 'Okay, so we've got just under an hour. Time enough for flowers, chocolates, and perfume. That ought to be enough, right?'

'Right,' Jack agreed.

Jack followed Owen into the flower shop first. They were out of roses, but everything else was still available.

'Tosh likes irises,' Owen said, grabbing a bunch. 'What about Teaboy?'

Jack looked perplexed at having so many options. 'I don't know.'

'What d'you mean you don't know?'

Rather than reply, Jack hastily picked up daisies.

Next was the chocolate shop. Owen rushed to the counter. 'Dark, milk, or white, Jack?'

'Um, dark?' Ianto preferred dark chocolate, right? He bought it for Myf all the time. That must be right.

'Two boxes of dark,' Owen said, requesting them to be gift wrapped, even though it cost extra.

By the time they reached the department store fragrance counter, Jack felt flustered. Who knew there were so many colognes? He knew Ianto always smelled amazing, but he had no idea what it was called. Try as he might to explain it, the girl behind the counter couldn't find one that matched what Jack remembered. She offered several others in its place, but Jack couldn't decide, and Owen was growing impatient with him, having already picked out something in a sparkly peach bottle for Tosh. In the end, he let the shop assistant decide for him.

Gifts in hand, Jack felt all out of sorts when he finally made it back to the hub.

'You took your time,' Ianto said, grinning at him before seeing the panicked look on Jack's face. 'Jack, what on earth is wrong? You look like you've just run over someone's dog.'

'It's terrible, Ianto! Beyond awful!'

'What? What is it?'

'I don't know anything about you!'

Ianto frowned. 'What are you talking about?'

'I was last minute shopping with Owen and I realised I don't know any of your favourite things. I don't know your favourite colour, or what music you like, or even what you like to eat.'

Ianto shook his head. 'It's not important.'

'Yes, it is.'

'Fine. Burgundy, jazz, lasagne.'

'Huh?'

'My favourite colour is burgundy, I like to listen to jazz, and if I was condemned to death and offered a final meal, it'd be lasagne.'

'Oh. Well, I don't have any of those,' Jack said. 'But I did buy you flowers, chocolates, and a bottle of cologne. I hope they're okay.'

Ianto kissed him on the cheek. 'All excellent choices.'