m_findlow

Title: Well suited
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters/Pairings: Jack, Ianto
Word Count: 500 words
Rating: PG
Notes: Written for Challenge 93 - Wear at anythingdrabble
Summary: Jack is in two minds over Ianto's wardrobe.

'Morning,' Ianto greeted, carrying in a large tray with two cups of coffee and a rather generous helping of pastries.

'Morning,' Jack replied, looking up from the file on his desk.

'I've got a mountain of dry cleaning to take down the street today,' Ianto said, already rifling through the items hanging on the coat rack in the corner of Jack's office. 'Anything else you need me to get cleaned for you?'

Jack's eyebrows knitted for a moment as he took in the sight of his general support officer, folding one of Jack's dirty shirts over his arm. 'Is that a new suit?' he asked, admiring the charcoal three piece with its fine grey pinstripe and the dark tie with stripes of mauve running through it.

'Thank you for noticing,' Ianto replied, trying hard not to blush at the attention.

'You know,' Jack began, before pausing to shove nearly half a pastry in his mouth in one go, chewing it with purpose before swallowing and continuing on, 'I meant what I said earlier. You don't need a suit to make coffee.'

'I know,' Ianto quickly responded. He tugged absently at the cuff, unknowingly giving Jack the briefest glimpse of the fancy silver cufflink hidden underneath. 'It's just...'

Jack gave a knowing nod of his head. Ianto wore his suit in the same way Jack wore his smile. The best defense was a good offense, as the old saying went, and it was true. Sometimes it amazed him just how easy it was to distract someone from what was really going on just by putting up a good front. Jack could disarm even the toughest customer with a glint of those pearly whites. That suit had become Ianto's armor against anyone that might want to get too close, or who might notice the cracks in that otherwise perfect exterior. It reflected a sense that he was in complete control. Jack had even let himself be fooled by that calm countenance, but now he knew the truth. Ianto was complicated. There were some things that took time to heal, and some things that never really did; they just became wounds that healed over for a time, before something else came along and tore them back open again.

'If you gave away the suit, you wouldn't feel like you,' Jack replied, answering for him.

Ianto nodded. 'Something like that. You have your coat,' he countered.

'Yes I do,' Jack agreed. That coat and him had been a lot of places together. 'But,' he added, 'if you did want to, y'know, go for something more casual... Maybe next time we head out to the beacons?'

'I'd rather not be reminded about that if it's all the same to you.'

Jack threw his hands up. 'Understood. Not that I don't love admiring this look you've got going on, but... well, that rugged look kinda suits you.'

Ianto blushed a deeper shade of pink. 'Maybe when you break habit,' he suggested.

Jack chuckled. 'Never gonna happen.'