Slashthedrabble Challenge 579 - Game day date

[m_findlow]

Title: Game day date
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Jack, Ianto
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 500 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for Challenge 579 - Odd (wo)man out at slashthedrabble
Summary: Ianto's idea of a day out together isn't quite Jack's cup of tea.

Jack cast a disparaging eye down at himself as he nestled into the hard plastic seat beside Ianto. 'I look ridiculous,' he moaned.

'You don't. Really,' Ianto assured him, turning and fixing Jack's scarf so that it wasn't tied at the front, but hanging down around his shoulders. 'You'd look ridiculous if I'd bought you the matching beanie.'

Jack huffed, letting Ianto fuss with his new look. 'Fine. Then I feel ridiculous.'

Ianto smiled back at him, a little teasing smirk that suggested he was enjoying Jack's discomfort. 'Well, that I can't do much about.'

Jack heaved a sigh and watched as the crowds began to fill the seats around them. They were rowdy with their trays of beers or kids with their clackers and painted faces. 'Why are we here?'

'Because you said it was my turn to pick an outing for the day and this is what I chose.'

Jack rolled his eyes. 'It's football.'

'Yes, and it's a bright spring day, not too cold and with lots of sunshine. You couldn't ask for better weather to come watch a game.'

'Lots of other things we could be doing in such nice weather,' Jack grumbled, tugging the tasseled ends of his scarf. It was nice of Ianto to buy it for him so he didn't feel completely like the odd man out. Ianto had made him abandon his usual garb for a more ordinary look of jeans and a zip-front jacket. They were almost matching with their supporter scarves draped around them, blending in with the rest of the crowd. They weren't Torchwood today, just ordinary people doing the very ordinary, very Welsh thing, of watching a football match. He supposed being blue and white striped it was at least his colour. Those poor sods across the other side of the pitch in the away section had the most godawful yellow and black stripes. They looked like bumblebees, and that was the kindest thing he could say. Their chanting was far less endearing.

'What's got you in such a snit, today?' Ianto asked him.

Jack squirmed. 'I don't do football... Or sport in general. It's not me.'

Ianto snorted. 'Says the two time badminton Olympic silver medallist.'

'It was my doubles partner I was enamored with, not the sport itself. He was married to it so that was the only way to guarantee we spent as much time together as possible. It was the longest six years of my life. Truth be told, I hate badminton.'

Ianto quirked an eye at him. 'More than football?'

'I didn't say I hated it,' he backtracked, not wanting to offend Ianto. 'It's just not my thing.'

Ianto quickly patted him on the knee without making a show of it. 'Well, today it is your thing and tomorrow it can go back to being not your thing.'

'I don't know the rules. How do I know when to clap or cheer?'

'When the ball goes in the back of the net, cariad.'