Title: Roles
By: Flo Wynn
Pairing: Ianto/Jack
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Nope - not me. Guess again.
Summary: Ianto muses on the relationship of the team members after 1x13 End of Days and up to 2x01 Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang.

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The Torchwood Three employees had certain established relationship statuses in the year leading up to Jack's... disappearance. Gwen was the new girl who was more of a man's woman than a girl's girl; as in, she responded better to men than other women, especially those she saw as a threat. At least that's what Ianto assumes is the reason why she and Tosh were never close. Gwen slept with Owen and spent the whole time wishing she was sleeping with Jack - but completely ignoring Ianto's role. But then it's not like he had made a big fuss on being mates with her either, on his side he now thinks it's that he saw her as a threat to Jack and him, even before he started sleeping with Jack. She was always making moon eyes at him, and he let her get away with far more than any of the other staff - and then sent Ianto to clean up her messes. After Jack... leaves... she becomes like his big sister.

 

It's a shocking turn around - one no one could have anticipated. Her natural leadership abilities and the fact that she replaced Suzie who was second in command make her the natural choice for leader - and they all except her as such. Ianto at first kept trying to correct the way she did things, the silent words 'but Jack does it this way' never leaving his mouth but they both knew he was thinking it. Until one night she comes in, having forgotten her coat, and finds him in Jack's office staring at a picture that the other's didn't realise existed. In it Ianto is holding Jack's hand and looking away, blushing as Jack leans in trying to get his to kiss him. After the flash had gone off Ianto had pulled Jack into his lap and kissed him until they were both breathless.

 

Gwen, upon seeing her saddened co-worker, apologised. She had said she was sorry, that she knew he must be hurting right now because his lover had left him and they had no idea if he was coming back or not, but she was there for him. It had made all the difference in the end and after that there were no more problems.

 

Tosh, of course, was the little sister he had begged his parents to give him. He didn't care that she was older than him. She was little and sweet and still young at heart. Both Ianto and Toshiko literally spoke the same language and both were romantics who tried to hide their naivety with their intelligence. Sometimes it worked.

 

Owen, surprisingly, became his best friend, but in a typically male way. They didn't talk about things or share anything. They drank beer and watched action movies and football and yelled at the screen as if the actors could hear them. Owen watched out for Ianto - making sure he always got his injuries checked over, and Ianto made sure to take extra care in cleaning up after Owen. It was a silent deal.

 

All of that changed after Jack returned - Gwen got over her pain and started lusting after Ianto's man again; but this time Ianto felt a little more secure because she was marrying Rhys and Jack could never give her that, and at heart Gwen Cooper was an old fashioned Welsh girl. Tosh remained sisterly to him, but they drifted apart, Ianto not feeling comfortable discussing his relationship with Jack with her and she was still trying to deny she was in love with Owen to everyone. Owen didn't quite return to the obnoxious jerk he had once been, but instead of chilling out at their flats he brought the beer to work and they no longer had any social time to spend watching tv with each other. And sometimes Ianto resented Jack for this, for ruining the bond they had developed.

 

But then Jack's warm blue eyes meets Ianto's and Jack takes him into his arms, just holding him until the sun rises and Ianto thanks whatever God is looking out for him that Jack is back in his life.

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