Torchwood: Fanfic: Sign your name

[m_findlow]

Title: Sign your name
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Jack, Ianto
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 624 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for m_findlow's prompt "Any, any, signature" at fic_promptly
Summary: Ianto has overstepped the mark.

Jack frowned at the page in front of him, trying to figure out how his life had gotten so completely out of control.

He appreciated everything that his team did to try and make his life easier, which often meant doing things that they shouldn't. No one felt that pain more than Ianto, who had practically taken over running Torchwood, bar actually sitting at the head of the table and issuing orders. He took all of Jack's phone calls, drafted replies to most of his emails, did most of the paperwork, Jack's included, and kept the place ticking over, paying bills, making sure money went where it was supposed to, and always ensuring the team had whatever they needed, usually pre-empting any requests for things before they themselves knew what they needed.

His neat penmanship and email signature was attached to pretty much everything that crossed Jack's desk, unless of course it was more appropriate for it to appear to have come from Jack's email account. He couldn't have every government department thinking he wasn't really in charge of what was going on. He was more than happy for Ianto to be penning emails to and fro with Bridget Spears, but it was going to look a bit awkward if he started responding to personal requests from the Crown. Jack still had his personal pride and reputation to protect. Plus no one but Jack really understood Prince Phillip's dirty sense of humour and some of the comments he put in his correspondence.

Looking down at the page again, he feared he may have conceded a little too much control to his second in command.

He waited until Ianto entered his office, bringing coffee and cream cakes. It really was a red letter day if he was buying Jack cakes. It was a shame he had to ruin the good cheer by sitting Ianto down to have a quick chat about where they needed to draw the administrative line in the sand.

Ianto seemed to sense the confusion etched on Jack's face. 'Anything wrong?'

Jack held up the document. 'That's not my signature.'

'Looks like it,' Ianto replied, taking it and checking it.

'Oh, no,' Jack said, playing along. 'It's a very good forgery, I'll grant you that, but that's definitely not me.'

'Well,' Ianto said, setting it back down on the desk. 'It's not like it would be the first time.' He'd been made to forge Jack's signature on any number of letters and reports. The world of email was so much better now, since all he had to do was make sure he sent documents from the right account.

Jack leaned forward, taking a cake and inhaling in two large bites, lest what he say next result in the plate of sugary goodies being withdrawn. 'I don't mind you signing stuff on my behalf, Ianto, but you signed my passport!'

Ianto rolled his eyes at Jack. 'You didn't give me much choice. I've been trying to get you to sort it out for weeks and you kept fobbing me off. If I hadn't, we would have had to cancel our holiday to the Maldives. Or at least you would have. My passport is still current.'

Jack huffed. Hadn't he been the one nagging Ianto for the vacation? And now he was the one who'd put it in jeopardy, all because he'd been too lazy.

'Okay, just this once,' Jack warned him. 'Next time you feel like forging my name and getting me sent to jail, warn me first.'

'As if I'd ever do that,' Ianto said, picking up the second cake and taking a bite. 'If I was planning on doing something criminal, it'd be Owen's signature I'd forge on the documents.'