m_findlow

Title: Coffee, tea or me?
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Ianto/Jack
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 500 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for Challenge 487 - Coffee or Tea? at slashthedrabble
Summary: Tea has a place in life, just not Jack's.

'Tea of coffee, Jack?' Ianto asked as he padded towards the small kitchenette adjoining their living quarters. It was one of many on their ship, all of which were kept well stocked with everything they could want during those long trips between planets and way-stations.

'Sorry?' Jack mumbled, not really listening to the question, too busy agonising over something for them to watch as they were curled up on the sofa.

'I said, tea or coffee?'

Jack turned and stopped what he was doing. 'Okay, who are you and what have you done with the real Ianto Jones? Ianto would never ask if I wanted tea. We don't even drink it.'

Ianto laughed. 'Don't be so dramatic. And we do drink tea.'

'Not by choice,' Jack grumbled. He'd never been a fan of tea, and if he did drink it, it needed lots of milk and sugar so that he could almost pretend it wasn't tea at all. Tea was far too astringent for his tastes, and usually only drunk out of necessity. In their line of work, it paid to be diplomatic and observe the local customs. 'We don't do tea.'

'I like tea,' Ianto said.

'Since when?'

'Jack, have you been paying attention at all in the last forty years? I drink tea lots of times.'

In a universe where coffee was the rarity, tea was hard to avoid, but it did mean that he'd tried a great many types and collected favourites from across the stars, all of which now lived in their kitchen pantry.

As much as he adored coffee, there were just some times when tea was the better option. Coffee was great when there was time to savor it properly, and sometimes even when there wasn't time, but simply a need for a caffeine boost. Sometimes however, a cup of tea was definitely in order.

It was the perfect drink for warming yourself up. When you spent hours traipsing around in the cold, wrapping hands around a piping mug of tea was the only thing going to warm him back up. It was exactly what the doctor ordered when he was feeling unwell, and his throat aching. It was also the drink he associated with mulling over problems. His mum had always made them tea when he had things on his mind. Rhiannon the same, though largely because he didn't trust her to make any coffee that would satisfy his standards. She was a pro at bringing up matters that they needed to discuss over tea, so he naturally associated the beverage with comfort and problem-solving. Coffee was great, but tea had its place in his life as well.

'You can keep your tea, Ianto,' Jack sulked. 'There are only two things I want. The first is you, and the second is coffee made by you.'

Ianto smiled at the admission, dropping a teabag in the second cup just to spite. 'Well, I'm glad you got your priorities in the right order at least.'