m_findlow

Title: Worn out
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Ianto/Jack, Martha Jones
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 500 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for Challenge 492 - Exhaustion at slashthedrabble
Summary: Ianto has completely worn Jack out.

Ianto couldn't help but smile at the familiar face that walked in through the doorway of the tourist information office. Martha Jones must have been his favourite person outside of Torchwood. Sometimes he wished she'd just say yes to Jack's endless offers of a job, but then again, he also liked the idea that they had someone on the inside at UNIT who could always do them a favour if need be.

'Well, this is a surprise,' he said, coming around and gratefully receiving the welcoming hug. 'You should have called ahead and let us know you were coming.'

'It was all a bit last minute,' she replied, 'and I figured, well, sky's not on fire and people aren't screaming in the streets so they're probably at the hub.'

Ianto chuckled at that. 'It's when things outside are really quiet that you ought to worry. Come down and we'll grab a coffee.'

Martha smiled at that. 'You have no idea how magical those words are, Ianto.'

'Careful now, you're a married woman,' he warned. 'Can't have you getting too excited to see me.'

She laughed. 'No, I'll leave that to Jack. He's excited enough for the both of us most days. I can't remember the last time we all caught up.'

'Oh,' Ianto said. 'I should have probably mentioned that Jack isn't here.'

'Off on a case?'

'Nope. Just stuck in bed for the day. Apparently the exhaustion from our day off yesterday has caught up with him.'

'Since when does Jack get exhausted?'

'Even he has his limits it seems,' Ianto said, beginning to twiddle dials on the coffee machine, 'though I can't help but think it's all a bit of an act. A little physical activity and suddenly he claims that everything hurts: back, shoulders, neck, arms, legs. I daresay he's just getting unfit.'

Martha raised a curious eyebrow. 'Really? What on earth did you two get up to yesterday?'

Ianto poured milk into the steamer. 'Well, I mean obviously we had to sort out the front first, but all the real action happened behind. It's a veritable jungle back there. It took ages to clear a bit of a path through it and then it was back and forth all day ploughing into it. There were definitely a few tricky spots where we had to bend over to reach, but I didn't think it was enough to still be sore in the morning. We probably made just as much mess, admittedly, trying to finish everything off, so then we had to clean that up to. After that, we were both so tired and sweaty that the only thing I was interested in was a nice hot bath.'

Martha blushed as Ianto handed her the mug. 'Well, I didn't expect you to be so, um, descriptive. I mean, your private life isn't anyone else's business.'

'Trust me, if you'd seen the state that back garden was in, you wouldn't even recognise it now. Jack's just playing for sympathy.'