Anythingdrabble Challenge 148 - Half-baked

[m_findlow]

Title: Half-baked
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters/Pairings: Jack, Gwen, Ianto
Word Count: 500 words
Rating: PG.
Notes: Written for Challenge 148 - Aftertaste at anythingdrabble
Summary: Something is not right about a mysterious donation of baked goods at the hub.

Jack was accustomed to people storming into his office with their various complaints. Some days it felt like there was a neverending queue of grievances that were somehow his responsibility to correct. Surely one of these days he'd master leadership.

'Is this your idea of a joke?' Gwen demanded, thrusting a small plate in his face with a chocolate muffin on it. He might have gotten excited about the offering were it not for the bite missing from the side of it. People weren't in the habit of offering him half-eaten food unless of course it was Ianto having conceded defeat that perhaps that fifth slice of pizza really was more than he could eat.

'What's the problem?' Jack asked, being careful not to sound sarcastic lest Gwen take that as further proof hoped committed some crime.

'You left these for us to eat, didn't you? Quite frankly, I can't believe even you would stoop this low. They're disgusting.' She reached across his desk and stole his mug of coffee, taking several large gulps.

'Hey, that's mine!'

'I know, but I've got to get the taste out of my mouth.' She wiped the back of her hand across her mouth. 'Honestly, how do you drink it with this much sugar? I don't know what's worse, your coffee or that muffin.'

'What's wrong with the muffins.' It looked very much like one of Ianto's famous dark chocolate muffins.

'See for yourself.'

Jack took a bite and chewed it more than he usually would, before gagging slightly and spitting it in the bin. 'Urgh.' He retrieved his coffee and drained it, but it did little to mask the sweaty sock aftertaste. 'What the hell?'

Gwen nodded. 'Good, so not just me then.'

Jack was about to say something when he heard Owen's expletives ringing out across the hub. 'Who's trying to poison me?'

Jack stood up, wrapping the remaining muffin in a tissue. 'Pardon me, but I think I have a date with a Welshman.'

 

Jack found Ianto in the archives at his desk. He looked on the verge of falling asleep there. 'Ianto!' he called loudly, bringing him back to the land of the self aware. 'Were you baking last night?'

Ianto rubbed his face. 'Yeah. Couldn't sleep.'

'Did you lick the spoon?'

Ianto's face scrunched up in disdain. 'I never lick the spoon, you know that.' It was apparently some kind of unspoken crime.

'Well, you might want to from now on.' He held out the slightly squashed muffin, breaking off a piece.

Ianto reluctantly took it, popping it in his mouth, before forcing himself to swallow it, cringing. 'Oh, God, is that salt?'

'I think so. You did check which cannister you used, didn't you?'

Ianto looked confused. 'I thought I did. The sugar is the one without a label.'

'Except the label fell off the salt jar weeks ago. You're the one who told me to be careful about that.'

'Oops. Guess I shouldn't bake when I'm overtired.'