[I’m… sorry. I have never watched Love Actually so I Wikipedia-ed it to find out what the scene’s supposed to be about. I’ve got a (very) brief and (very) vague idea now, but this is totally getting reinterpreted. And you did say Ianto!angst, so…]
would you wait?
It’s clearly a woman’s bracelet, and Ianto’s stomach does an unpleasant sort of rolling flop when he sees it. The receipt stares up at him mockingly from the bag. It’s beautiful and expensive. Perfect.
Afterwards, they all exchange their presents in the Hub, and Gwen coos over her gorgeous new bracelet. Ianto doesn’t say anything as he makes sure everyone’s drinks stay topped up. They might have to refrain from alcohol for now, until they can be sure nothing’s going to go drastically wrong with the Rift (it does have a tendency to act up every bloody Christmas), but he can at least ply them with enough good food and coffee and alcohol-free punch to stop Owen and Toshiko from giving him pitying looks.
Ianto puts on the simple, attractive watch Jack has bought him, and reminds himself that he’s not so materialistic he’ll start comparing the prices of gifts. The thing is –
The thing is, it’s not just the presents. It’s not just that Gwen gets the most expensive, pretty thing he’s ever known Jack to gift anyone. It’s that Jack constantly pays Gwen that kind of attention, that Jack always listens to Gwen, that Jack lets Gwen change his mind, that Jack dances with Gwen at her own bloody wedding and looks like he wants to be in Rhys’ shoes.
Toshiko sidles up to Ianto, ostensibly to ask for a refill of punch but actually to pet his hand consolingly. Ianto sighs, fills her glass, and lets himself wallow for a moment.
He barely ever calls Jack out on anything he does. He does so occasionally, very occasionally, when it comes to work and he thinks Jack’s really going way too far and needs to be reminded to step back. But after – after Lisa, Ianto doesn’t feel like he has the right to critique Jack’s decisions. Somehow, that reluctance has spilled over into his personal relationship with Jack. And so he knows, with weary certainty, that he will never ask Jack what he was thinking of when he gave Gwen that bracelet. He’ll simply take what Jack gives him, and turn a blind eye when, inevitably, what he gives Jack isn’t enough.
Ianto feels like he should be writing bad, anguished poetry about the state of his love life. His journals from when he was a teenager prove he’s very capable of it. Really, though, he’s just too tired to bother with anything, even getting the hell out of a relationship that can’t possibly go anywhere.
“Surely you can leave the drinks unattended for a while,” Jack says teasingly, coming up behind him with a half-empty glass.
Ianto carefully places the ladle back in the bowl. “Want a refill?” he asks.
“I’m good,” Jack says. “Come on, you’ve been hiding here long enough.”
“I do prefer peace and quiet,” Ianto says, but lets Jack tug him back towards the others. Gwen and Owen are currently engaged in a rapid-fire war of insults, Toshiko appears to be keeping score, and Jack happily joins in the moment he gets there. Ianto pulls over a chair and sips at his drink to avoid being drawn into conversation.
Gwen’s wrist glitters every time she moves. Ianto doesn’t look at it, but he can’t stop wondering when this will all end.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2011-12-26 03:20 pm (UTC)would you wait?
It’s clearly a woman’s bracelet, and Ianto’s stomach does an unpleasant sort of rolling flop when he sees it. The receipt stares up at him mockingly from the bag. It’s beautiful and expensive. Perfect.
Afterwards, they all exchange their presents in the Hub, and Gwen coos over her gorgeous new bracelet. Ianto doesn’t say anything as he makes sure everyone’s drinks stay topped up. They might have to refrain from alcohol for now, until they can be sure nothing’s going to go drastically wrong with the Rift (it does have a tendency to act up every bloody Christmas), but he can at least ply them with enough good food and coffee and alcohol-free punch to stop Owen and Toshiko from giving him pitying looks.
Ianto puts on the simple, attractive watch Jack has bought him, and reminds himself that he’s not so materialistic he’ll start comparing the prices of gifts. The thing is –
The thing is, it’s not just the presents. It’s not just that Gwen gets the most expensive, pretty thing he’s ever known Jack to gift anyone. It’s that Jack constantly pays Gwen that kind of attention, that Jack always listens to Gwen, that Jack lets Gwen change his mind, that Jack dances with Gwen at her own bloody wedding and looks like he wants to be in Rhys’ shoes.
Toshiko sidles up to Ianto, ostensibly to ask for a refill of punch but actually to pet his hand consolingly. Ianto sighs, fills her glass, and lets himself wallow for a moment.
He barely ever calls Jack out on anything he does. He does so occasionally, very occasionally, when it comes to work and he thinks Jack’s really going way too far and needs to be reminded to step back. But after – after Lisa, Ianto doesn’t feel like he has the right to critique Jack’s decisions. Somehow, that reluctance has spilled over into his personal relationship with Jack. And so he knows, with weary certainty, that he will never ask Jack what he was thinking of when he gave Gwen that bracelet. He’ll simply take what Jack gives him, and turn a blind eye when, inevitably, what he gives Jack isn’t enough.
Ianto feels like he should be writing bad, anguished poetry about the state of his love life. His journals from when he was a teenager prove he’s very capable of it. Really, though, he’s just too tired to bother with anything, even getting the hell out of a relationship that can’t possibly go anywhere.
“Surely you can leave the drinks unattended for a while,” Jack says teasingly, coming up behind him with a half-empty glass.
Ianto carefully places the ladle back in the bowl. “Want a refill?” he asks.
“I’m good,” Jack says. “Come on, you’ve been hiding here long enough.”
“I do prefer peace and quiet,” Ianto says, but lets Jack tug him back towards the others. Gwen and Owen are currently engaged in a rapid-fire war of insults, Toshiko appears to be keeping score, and Jack happily joins in the moment he gets there. Ianto pulls over a chair and sips at his drink to avoid being drawn into conversation.
Gwen’s wrist glitters every time she moves. Ianto doesn’t look at it, but he can’t stop wondering when this will all end.