Title: Valentine's Day
By: hobbit985
Pairing: Jack/Ianto
Rating: PG
Summary: Valentine's day wasn't just a celebration for lovers. One of Torchwood's members has a secret, another wants a double date and Jack is caught in the middle. One shot because I'm feeling nostalgic.

***

Jack wandered round the Hub. He and Ianto were alone and it was very quiet. Myfanwy was asleep in her nest and only the sound of Ianto making coffee could be heard. It was nice like this, just the two of them. Peaceful almost.

"Happy valentine's day!" Gwen suddenly burst into the Hub, disturbing the silence and causing both Jack and Ianto to jump.

She bounded up the steps happily, scattering confetti everywhere. Jack could see out of the corner of his eye that this wasn't making Ianto very happy.

"I thought maybe we could celebrate!" Gwen said grinning at Jack. "Me and Rhys, you and Ianto. Double date sort of thing."

"I-"

Jack was cut off by the loud crash of Ianto dropping his coffee tray. Several cups smashed and scattered over the floor, making Jack wince. Gwen glanced over to Ianto worriedly.

"Are you ok Ianto?" She called.

"Fine," Ianto's voice sounded strained.

"So about that date..?" Gwen turned back to Jack, shrugging off Ianto's accident.

"Yeah... I'll think about it," Jack said. He didn't really do 'dates'. Well... not double ones anyway.

Gwen seemed satisfied with the answer. Jack looked like he was distracted so she left it for now. She wandered over to her desk and setting up a card that Jack presumed was from Rhys and some other little decorations. Ianto meanwhile seemed to have disappeared. Jack had the feeling he knew where he would find the Welshman hiding.

Wandering down to the archives, Jack found he was right. Ianto had taken refuge in the one place he had complete control over. Even Jack didn't know how the filing system worked, despite having been at Torchwood the longest.

"Alright?" Jack asked, watching as Ianto marked things down on his clipboard. Despite all the technology in the Hub Ianto never used a PDA when he was in the archives.

"Yeah I'm fine," Ianto said softly, though he didn't look it.

Jack had known Ianto only a few years, yet somehow in that time he'd learnt everything about the other man's body. Not just sexually, but generally. He knew that when Ianto was exceptionally happy he would sing to himself, and when he was upset he'd mutter under his breath. So Jack could tell that right now Ianto's stance and muttering meant he wasn't in a good mood.

"What's up?" Jack asked.

"It's Owen's birthday," Ianto turned to look at him finally. "It would've been Owen's birthday..."

"Oh..." Jack blinked for a moment. He'd never even... "Of all the birthday's for Owen to have..."

"It's ironic isn't it?" Ianto agreed sadly. "But I can't... Gwen's presence is unbearable sometimes and I don't want her... "

"I know," Jack said pulling Ianto towards him. "I know."

"I don't even know why I'm so bothered," Ianto said accepting the hug gratefully.

"I never even knew that today was his birthday," Jack admitted.

"Yeah... well... I actually bother to read the personnel files," Ianto smiled slightly.

"Hey," Jack pulled away frowning at him. "I can't be expected to remember-"

"Jack, it's fine," Ianto said softly. "Owen never wanted his birthday known anyway. It was only me that ever..."

Jack watched as Ianto trailed off, sighing.

"I used to leave him these little heart shaped chocolates... you know... as a joke," Ianto pulled one out of his pocket and held it out to Jack. "I didn't even realise I'd brought one in this year until Gwen mentioned..."

Jack smiled slightly.

"What?" Ianto asked raising an eyebrow. He didn't find the subject of their dead friend very funny.

"That is the sweetest thing I think I've ever heard," Jack replied. "You'd leave him these?"

"It was just..." Ianto shrugged. "He appreciated the thought because I wasn't invasive..."

"Ianto Jones you never cease to amaze me," Jack grinned at him and pulled him in for a kiss.

"It's just a chocolate," Ianto shrugged when Jack let him go.

"It's not just a chocolate," Jack shook his head. "It's... a really sweet thing to do."

"Well... he never used to get anything from anyone else," Ianto said. "I couldn't let him miss a birthday each year. Even his mother used to bypass the card and phone call."

"You know this is exactly why I hired you," Jack said. "Your initiative."

"I thought you hired me because I found a pteranadon flying around a warehouse?" Ianto almost smiled.

"Well, that too," Jack admitted, kissing Ianto softly. "Happy valentine's day Ianto."

"Happy valentine's day Jack."

***