m_findlow

Title: Unsettling behaviour
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Ianto, OC, mentions Owen
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 800 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for Challenge 174 - Exuberant at drabble_weekly
Summary: Someone is concerned about Owen's behaviour.

Ianto didn't recognise the phone number the popped up on his phone. There weren't all that many people that had it, but then again, it was hard keep it a secret when there were so many people all vying for five minutes of his time. 'Director Jones, speaking,' he answered, always feeling slightly awkward at the formality of the title.

'Oh! I'm so glad you answered. I wasn't sure if they were going to give me your real phone number.'

Ianto frowned at the comment. If this was another one of those crazy journalists, he was going to stick Jack on their case. He ate nosy people looking for a scoop for breakfast and would enjoy tracking them down and making them think twice about hassling Torchwood for a bit of page three gossip. 'Who exactly am I speaking with?'

'D-D-Doctor Mathers, Director Jones,' he stuttered. 'I work in the medical research division in London?'

'Right. Of course.' It was getting impossible to keep up with all these new faces, particularly the ones being recruited to work in their London branch. 'What can I do for you, Doctor Mathers?'

'Director, I need to report a potential foothold situation,' said the young doctor.

Ianto sat up straight in his chair, gripping the phone and automatically feeling every muscle in his body tense. 'I'm listening. Take it slow and tell me everything. Every detail you can think of, even if you think it isn't relevant.' He needed information and he knew that even the most insignificant thing could be vital information for them in their plans to mobilise any response.

'It's Doctor Harper. He's acting very strange. Has been all day.'

'Strange how?'

'Super nice to everyone. He came in this morning and was all friendly and nice, wishing everyone good morning and asking them what were they doing for the weekend. He's been cracking jokes all day, too. And I don't mean the usual sardonic kind that are kind of insulting. Like actual properly funny jokes. And there was the round of coffees he brought in this morning. I think maybe he actually paid for them. He was very insistent we all take one. I didn't, of course, Director. Policy is very clear on these sorts of things. Any suspicious activity should be reported to your supervisor, only... well, Doctor Harper is my supervisor, and well... you're his supervisor.'

Ianto suppressed a chuckle. He didn't want to discourage such enthusiasm for adhering to policy, but he couldn't wait to tell Jack about this phone call. He'd be in stitches with laughter. 'Stand down Doctor Mathers. There's no emergency. No alien influence to concern yourself with. I think we can safely attribute Owen's exuberant behaviours to his excitement about going out on a date tonight.'

There was a curious pause in the other end of the line. 'A date?'

'A very important date,' Ianto confirmed. 'With someone he's been wanting to go out on a date with for a very long time.' And about bloody time, too, Ianto thought. For someone that wasn't backwards in telling everybody his feelings -obnoxious and insulting as they so often were- the one person who deserved to know how he really felt was the one person he always managed to walk around on eggshells. It would have served him right if Tosh had just moved on and gotten herself a date with someone that had a bit of spine. Even Ianto had gazumped Jack and been the first to make a move on him all those years ago. If he could do it, what was Owen's excuse?

'Oh. So, I shouldn't worry, then?' Doctor Mathers asked. 'The coffee is safe to drink?'

'Was if from that place around the corner from the office?'

'Yeah, I saw the name on the cups. It's normally okay.'

Ianto rolled his eyes at the inference that any café in London made coffee sufficient to meet his exacting standards. 'I wouldn't go that far, but let's just say if you were after a pay rise, today would be a very good day to ask for one.'

'Wouldn't that be taking advantage, sir?'

Ianto beamed at the young man's sense of decency. Whilst he might not be responsible for recruitment of everyone anymore, it seemed someone was doing the right thing in picking out those who were bright, observant and highly principled. It was also good to know that even though he no longer saw Owen every day, that he hadn't changed one bit, even now that he had his own department to be responsible for. 'Owen's good moods are worth taking advantage of, he replied. Just don't tell anyone I told you that. I still need everyone else following protocol, but I expect Owen will be having more goods days ahead.'

Original double drabble version here.