Anythingdrabble Challenge 161 - Pulled in multiple directions

[m_findlow]

Title: Pulled in multuple directions
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters/Pairings: Owen, Ianto
Word Count: 500 words
Rating: PG
Notes: Written for Challenge 161 - Pull at anythingdrabble
Summary: Owen and Ianto are out on the pull, even if one of them is already secretly spoken for.

'There you go,' Owen said, setting the tall green beer bottle in front of Ianto.

'I usually go for something stronger.'

'This isn't a one drink and go home, Teaboy. We're in for the long haul.'

Great, Ianto thought, wondering why on earth he'd agreed to go out on the pull with Owen. 'You need company for that?'

'One bloke out on his own says sad and lonely. Two blokes out together says potential dating material.'

Ianto didn't feel like mentioning that two blokes out together also looked like a gay couple. Owen wouldn't thank him for that, and he didn't really want to think about it. Not after what he and Jack… That was different. He wasn't gay, he just… liked Jack. Physically.

'What about that one over there?' Owen asked, nodding his head at a table just off to Ianto's right.

He turned and clocked the three girls huddled around the small table with their flirtatiously colourful cocktails. 'Which one?'

'One with the glasses.'

Ianto rolled his eyes. Of course. The least pretty of the three, though he felt bad about thinking of it in those terms. She was probably completely lovely and smart and funny. She just also happened to be the wallflower in their group. In another lifetime Ianto might have agreed with Owen. He'd always been the shy, quiet one at the pub with his mates too. He didn't have the pluck to go up to a girl and start talking to her, even if she was the most dowdy looking girl in the place. When girls came and talked to him he felt clumsy. He'd never dislodged that awkward feeling that he was jeopardising something that wasn't even a something yet.

'Why do I get the feeling you only pointed her out so that I wouldn't compete with you for one of the other two?'

Owen snorted and tipped his beer back. 'Well spotted, Ianto. As if I'm going to ruin my own chances. Not that you're much of a threat, no offense.'

'You paid for the beers. None taken.'

'So, what do you reckon? If I go over there are you interested?'

'If I say no are you going over there anyway?'

'Probably. Better if you're actually making an effort though.'

'I…' he began dissembling

'I'm not asking you to marry her. Just chat. Make her feel like she's special. God knows no one else is going to.'

'That's cruel, even for you.'

'What? Just cause I wouldn't shag her. When was the last time you had a proper shag, anyway?'

Last Thursday, he felt like saying.

'She's probably only the kiss and cuddle type anyway but you never know. And hey, whichever of the other two I don't hit it off with might fancy a shag. Could be your lucky night.'

Ianto tipped his beer back and took a very long pull on it even as Owen was sliding off the stool and moving toward them. What had he got himself into?