Anythingdrabble Challenge 173 - No point making plans

[m_findlow]

Title: No point making plans
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters/Pairings: Rhys, Ianto
Word Count: 500 words
Rating: PG
Notes: Written for Challenge 173 - Dent at anythingdrabble
Summary: Rhys bemoans being cooped up at Ianto's but he isn't the only one doing it tough.

Rhys was surprised to find Ianto stumbling in through the apartment door. It was only three in the afternoon and he was only halfway through vacuuming the living room. It seemed like the least he could do since Ianto was putting him up here, even if the place was so clean and tidy that vacuuming was a pointless exercise.

'You're home early,' Rhys said.

Ianto looked up and saw Rhys, looking a little surprised that he was here. Rhys supposed it was partly that he still wasn't used to having a lodger, and partly those stupid retcon pills he was taking so that he didn't accidentally end up causing a paradox that would rip the universe apart. 'Oh, don't mind me,' he said, as if he was the invader and not Rhys. 'Just popped by to change into some clean clothes. I had three spare sets at the hub but I've managed to destroy all three of them since yesterday.' He frowned a little. 'One of my favourite ties, too.'

Rhys tried and failed to look sympathetic. A tie to him was a last resort, reserved for funerals and dinner out with his in-laws. 'Shower?'

Ianto gave him a weary smile. 'No,' he replied, already beginning to peel off his jacket which was filthy yet still appeared remarkably untattered, like he'd merely walked through a cloud of dirt. 'Got to get back before Gwen's forcefield loses power and we've got two thousand Vrackka Mites swarming the city. Should've known. Thursdays are always bad days.'

Rhys nodded, as if this was a positively normal conversation to have. 'Oh,' he murmured.

'What?'

'I just remembered. Thursday was when I was supposed to be out at the pub with the lads. I mean, other me will still be there tonight. Good night all up.' He sighed.

Ianto paused unbuttoning his shirt cuff. 'And?'

'And, it was just nice for five whole minutes not to be thinking about Gwen in danger and all. A bit or normal. And that was before I got flung back into the past. Now that I know how bad things really are…'

'There's probably some beers in the fridge,' Ianto offered. 'I know it's not quite the same.'

'No. I checked. Your milk expired yesterday, by the way.'

Ianto looked sheepish, as if that were a stain on his ability to keep house. 'I skipped breakfast this morning, actually. But, I could pick up milk and beer on my way home.'

'Oh, alright. Be home for tea, then?'

'Uh… Probably not, come to think of it. Bit on.'

Rhys nodded in agreement. If he recalled correctly now, tonight was the first night that the Field of Despair was due to hit the radio waves.

'Now that you've said it, I was really looking forward to a few hours off and a beer,' Ianto said.

'Guess that's both our plans for the evening dented, eh?'

Ianto sighed, inspecting and dropping another ruined tie into the bin. 'That's Torchwood for you.'