JMDC Challenge 170 - One imperfect day

[m_findlow]

Title: One imperfect day
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Jack, Ianto
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 2,150 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for enchanted_jae's JMDC Challenge 170 - Perfect, picnic, posture, preen, prepare, propose, puffy (yep, used all of them :) )
Summary: Jack treats Ianto out to a day off but there's no such thing as a totally perfect day.

As Jack pulled up the SUV on the grassy headland of Friar's Point, Ianto chanced making a comment. Up until now he'd been silent, putting up with Jack's secretive "I'm not telling you where we're going" for their overdue date. Not that he was overly concerned. Just getting out in the car on a drive was nice in itself. He'd rolled down the window, letting in the fresh air which was now tinged with the saltiness of the sea. All in all it was utterly refreshing and just what the doctor ordered, even if the doctor hadn't ordered it but had simply told him to "get out of here and take him - Jack - with you". Those were the kind of doctors orders he could happily comply with. No one needed to tell him twice that they were overdue a day off.

Ianto stepped out of the car and let the ocean breeze ruffle through the layers of thin jacket and t-shirt he was wearing. He breathed in deeply before looking around at their terminus once more. 'For a while there I thought you were taking us to Barry Island,' he remarked. 'I thought I was going to be forced into a dodgem car rematch,' or worse, he thought, made to ride the roller-coaster until he was ready to throw up. Ianto's constitution couldn't compete with Jack's stomach and its ability to withstand the G forces of space travel. And Jack was just the sort to carry a grudge at being beaten on the dodgem cars four times in a row. For all his manic driving around the streets of Cardiff in an emergency - and even when there was no emergency - Ianto had him beaten hands down with his patient, focused driving skills.

'We can always pop down there for a few rides later in the afternoon,' Jack promised him. 'I might even win you a teddy bear in the shooting gallery, but what I really wanted was just to make today all about us spending some quality time together. The weather seemed just perfect for a picnic out in the late summer sunshine.'

Ianto couldn't disagree. South Wales had put on an absolutely stunning day, just screaming to be enjoyed outdoors before the usual overcast grey days returned to settle in for the long haul, bringing with them the rain, hail, and sleet that the city was far more famous for.

From up here on the headland, they could see for miles all around, the Barry Harbour behind them and Whitmore Bay in front of them, with nothing but sparkling jade Bristol Channel seas stretching off into the distance. From here they could still hear some of the screams and laughter from the fun park a mile or so away, along with the familiar pipe organ style music that befit a fun park, but the happy sounds just carried on the breeze and went by them, neither disruptive nor annoying. It only added to that perfect summer day Ianto imagined in his mind of strolling along the beach whilst children paddled in the shallows and built sandcastles on the shore. Jack of course would insist on ice cream, but there would be time later for that as well.

'It's lovely up here.' It might not have been totally secluded, and a few other hikers and nature lovers could be spotted wandering along the headland, but it didn't detract from it being just right. Sometimes it was nice not to be totally alone, like they were just another normal couple out doing normal couply things.

Jack tugged a large blanket out of the back of the car. 'A perfect picnic spot for my perfect fiancé,' he announced, walking further up the embankment and picking a nice flat spot before tossing the blanket wide until it settled on the grass.

Ianto raised an eyebrow at him. 'Picnic? I didn't see you making any sandwiches.'

Jack grinned mischievously. 'You thought I was going into the hub early this morning to check on the overnight readings and make a to do list for everyone whilst we were out, didn't you?'

'More or less.'

'Ah ha!' Jack cried. 'Turns out I really am smarter than the average Ianto. What I was actually doing whilst you were still snoozing in bed was picking up everything we need to top this basket up so that we can eat all day long and not run out. I got Gino down at the deli to whip us up some of those baguettes you love so much, and almond cake, ginger beer, some nice cheese, liqueur chocolates...'

'Sounds like you just paid Gino's rent for a whole month,' Ianto observed. 'Don't know what I did to deserve such a treat.'

Jack chuckled. 'Nothing but the best for my best,' he said, setting the heavy basket down and flipping open the lid. 'And it's just as much a treat for me.'

'I wish you were this prepared all the time. It would certainly make my job easier,' Ianto teased, finding a spot on the blanket as Jack started pulling out drinks and wrapped up baguettes of every kind. He eased back, letting Jack do all the heavy lifting for once and just stretching out in the sunshine. It was far better than being cooped up indoors and there was only so much of sitting at his desk that his back could take. He knew it was bad for his posture to stay in one spot like that all the time, but when you had hours and hours of research to pile through, what other option was there? Today however he could lie back and give his spine a reprieve and his body a dose of vitamin D that it was severely lacking. Why not give his physical health a boost as well as his mental health?

'Someone's enjoying themselves,' Jack said, still unpacking even more food as he watched his lover basking in the sunshine.

'Just stocking up my reserves of pleasurable time off lest it not happen again for several months,' he said with his eyes shut, face pointed up at the sky letting the sun warm it. He'd have to take his jacket off at this rate, as it was getting warm enough even with the breeze. When was the last time he'd been outside in just a t-shirt? Even Jack had dispensed with his usual garb, opting for jeans and a t-shirt.

'Well,' Jack said, 'you're missing the view, which was kinda the point of coming out here.'

Ianto rolled his eyes behind closed lids and then opened them again, embracing the ocean views. He could just make out the tiny cars on the roller-coaster crawling to the top and then hurtling down the other side, or spinning around the triple loop that always made his stomach feel like it was being tugged out the back of his spine. A lone helium balloon floated by, having escaped the child who'd owned it just minutes ago, now a long way from where it had begun its life. There was a light breeze and the sea birds were out in force, enjoying gliding on the updrafts, or gathering at the cliff's edge in small clusters, preening themselves before taking to flight once more. 'It must be nice to be able to fly like that.'

'Hmm?' Jack was still buying hismelf with unpacking their culinary buffet.

Ianto pointed at the gannets soaring in circles at the very tip of the headland. 'They look like they haven't a care in the world up there.'

'Didn't realise you were into paragliding. We can always schedule that for our next date. I haven't done it for years. A weekend up in the Cotswolds is the best place to do it. Great views. Some much green countryside, like a patchwork.'

Ianto cringed, wishing he hadn't mentioned it. It didn't quite sound like as much fun as Jack made out, and he'd never been great with heights. Humans just weren't designed for flight, unless it was in a jumbo jet - business class, preferably. 'I'll think about it.'

'Okay, well whilst you're thinking about it, dig in,' Jack said, snapping the top off and passing him a bottle of ginger beer, letting his own clink happily against it. 'To us and our day off.'

'To us,' Ianto agreed, taking a deep swig.

Jack wasn't wrong when he said he'd packed enough food. Ianto could hardly decide where to begin. Did he choose the Swiss cheese and salami, or the marinated capsicum and ricotta, or the brie and pesto? He couldn't eat them all, even if he'd wanted to. In the end he cut them in half, doubling his options and sharing with Jack. He found more of an appetite after that, sneaking in an extra half that he hadn't planned on, just because they were so fresh and so delicious. If he couldn't indulge now, when could he? He could always nap it off, or at worst, have Jack roll him back down the hill to the car.

'Careful you leave some room for ice-cream,' Jack warned him, as if hearing his thoughts as he reached for a second generous slice of almond cake. 'I heard they opened up this gelateria right on the beach. A hundred and forty flavours, so they say. Maybe they even have a special Ianto coffee-flavoured gelato for you.'

'I'll need a walk on the beach after this just to burn off a few excess calories,' he said, patting his stomach contentedly. He eased back on the blanket again and his hand found the edge and the grass. It was soft and cool as he clutched at it, before a sharp pain struck his hand. 'Ow!' he cried, pulling his hand quickly back.

'What?' Jack's eyes flashed with momentary panic.

'Something just...' He turned around and there, right where his hand must have been, was a tiny little wildflower and in it was a tiny little bee.

Jack followed his line of sight and spotted the bee before turning his attention back to Ianto who was clutching his hand to his torso. 'Let me take a look,' Jack said, gently pulling the stricken hand towards him. 'Yep,' he said, squinting at the end of Ianto's ring finger, carefully brushing out the little sting that had spiked its way in. 'That little bee has just stung its last Ianto,' he declared.

'Poor little bee,' Ianto replied, suddenly feeling sorry for it. He hadn't meant to upset it but clearly his hand had wrapped around both bee and flower and the bee had done the only thing it could to defend itself. It had probably been minding its own business, gathering pollen for a honeycomb somewhere before Ianto had put his hand there without looking first.

'Well, let's worry about poor little Ianto for now,' Jack said. He rummaged around in the picnic basket, pulling out one of the ice packs that had been keeping their drinks nice and cool. 'Put this on it to ease the stinging,' Jack instructed. 'You're not allergic to bee stings, are you?'

'Don't think so,' Ianto replied, pressing his finger gently against the cool ice pack. It did take some of the pain out of his finger, though it didn't stop it from swelling up considerably. Even in a medical emergency, Jack had enough kit in their picnic basket to do the trick. He didn't even have to go back to the car to get the first aid kit. Talk about prepared. Jack might have just earn himself his boy scout medicine badge. Ianto looked down at his finger and began to laugh.

Jack looked at him like he'd lost his mind. 'What's so funny?'

He held his hand up to show Jack his finger, the gold band of his engagement ring, which had only been there about three weeks, glinting in the sunshine. 'Look at how puffy it is! Thank God you didn't pick today as the day you'd been planning on proposing to me.' Ianto laughed again. 'You'd never have gotten the ring on! Hashtag awkward!'

Jack finally seemed to find the funny side of the joke now that he was fairly certain Ianto wasn't having some delayed reaction to being stung which resulted in his taking complete leave of his senses. 'Well, you won't be getting that ring off anytime soon either,' he replied. It was going to be wedged on until the swelling subsided some time tomorrow at the earliest. He just hoped it didn't become uncomfortable. If he had to wrap Ianto's whole hand in ice, he would.

'Never taking it off,' Ianto promised him. 'They'd have to cut my finger off first.'

Jack took his hand and kissed the swollen digit tenderly. 'Not on my watch, they aren't. You're mine. Anyone tries it and they'll lose a lot more than a finger.'