Slashthedrabble Challenge 593 - A joint effort

[m_findlow]

Title: A joint effort
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Jack, Ianto, Tosh, Owen
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 500 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for Challenge 593 - Present at slashthedrabble
Summary: Tosh is debating whether Jack and Ianto have reached coupledom for the purposes of gift giving.

Tosh scrolled through the endless pages of department store items, waiting for inspiration to hit. All the things she saw felt small and trite. She really wanted to buy something that was more substantial and would last beyond Christmas. 'Owen,' she called out. 'Should we get Jack and Ianto a joint gift this year?'

Owen leaned back on his wheeled chair. 'A joint gift?'

Tosh rested her chin in her hand. 'Do you suppose there's a protocol for this sort of thing?' she mused.

'How the hell should I know, Tosh?'

'I just thought… Maybe buying them separate presents is like us thinking that they're not a couple.'

'Tosh love, they snog in front of us all the time. I think everybody is pretty clear on the fact that they're a couple. And if they're not then we need to have a serious talk with them.'

Tosh smiled at Owen's assessment. It may have sounded silly but there were honestly moments when Tosh was convinced that the pair of them were the very last people to realise just how serious a couple they were. They were just so adorable the way they teased and made playful banter all the time without actually ever flirting as such. She was amazed that she hadn't cottoned on to the fact that there was more going on behind closed doors than she realised. When she'd first seen the two of them kiss, that day after Jack came back to life after defeating Abaddon, it had come as a shock. Two people did not kiss like that for the very first time.

What drove her mad was that after Jack came back -the second time, that is- they were so coy about the whole thing, like there was a reason for keeping things secret from the team even when they all now knew. Ianto wasn't the openly affectionate type but that didn't account for Jack. He should have been all over Ianto now that the cat was out of the proverbial bag, but even he kept his distance. Maybe they were going for that professional working couple thing but she didn't think so. It was almost like they were scared of it getting too serious, like it was a fragile soap bubble about to pop at any moment. That was of course, in Tosh's humble opinion, totally ridiculous. She could see that Ianto was crazy about Jack, in his own bespoke and thoroughly understated way. And Jack was besotted by the quietest of their team, which whilst at complete odds with his own personality, somehow fitted, like ying and yang.

'I think a joint present would be nice,' she finally said, making the decision for the both of them.

'Whatever you like, Tosh. Just so long as you're doing all the picking it out and I'm just paying for it.'

Tosh smirked. 'I hadn't even thought about using your credit card, but since you offered… I'll be able to buy them something extra nice now.'