Chapter Text
„Ugh not again,“ I say, when I the Sun shines into my closed eyes. I look at the alarm clock and you won’t guess what, I got up! Yep, really. It’s 7 am, shifts starts at 8 am, but today I don’t want to run here and there around my flat. I look at myself in the mirror my hair is everywhere, under my eyes are big black circles like I haven’t slept in a month, even though I sleep minimally 5 hours, that’s actually not much, when I’m thinking about it, meh, fuck that. I look at my wardrobe, hmm what about I wear a shirt and a sweater? Like everyday in the past month. I take violet shirt, black sweater over it, plus the same pants I wore yesterday. And of course nice pair of grey socks. I go to kitchen, my breakfast is yoghurt, last one, after work I’m gonna have to go shopping. I look at the clock, 7:30 am, still good. I go wash my teeth, try to brush my hair, but they are living their own life, they don’t like listening to me. I use a little bit of gel so there wouldn’t be a hair sticking out everywhere. I check myself for the hundredth time, because what if American shows up today? I go to put on my shoes then coat. Keys? Yea, phone? Yea, earbuds? Yea, happiness? A little bit, that’s weird.
I get out of my flat, I look around, trees are still green, I prefer them when they’re orange-red-brown-yellow-ish. As always earbuds in ears listening to Abba. What seems like a 2 minutes is 10 in the end and I’m in work.
„You’re … eh not late, Ianto,“ Toshiko says confused.
„Weird right?“ I smile at her.
„I want to invite you for a dinner party, you in?“
„When, where, why,“ I ask, long time since we talked for more then two minutes, even when we know each other for about 3 years.
„Tomorrow, at mine, just a dinner party with few of mine and Owen’s friends, so we can all make a big friend group.“
„A big friend group? And you ask your gay nerdy friend, who you work with a in coffee shop, to join.“
„Exactly.“ She says with smile. She’s not kidding, is she?
„I’m confused as much as, well as I’m normally confused,“ I say looking at her, trying to see if she’s lying, „Fuck it, I’m in, what should I wear?“
„Knew it, nerdy gay coffee shop guy, just a shirt and pants, like what you wear here everyday.“
„Alright. Now I have to go for my apron, If you excuse me,“
„Of course, I would never held you against work.“ She laughs. I go to the back, I take off my coat and put the apron on. Then I walk back into the shop and go behind the counter. Tosh is already at the coffee machine and our boring shift starts.
„Ianto, you wouldn’t mind if I take my lunch brake now, right?“ It’s been three hours behind the counter, of course I don’t mind, hope she’ll come back soon.
„Oh yeah, no worries. Where you going?“
„Owen’s shift starts at the time we end, so we’re gonna shop for the dinner party now. Also we’ll take a lunch together. Because, he has some other appointments later.“
„Enjoy your shopping lunch and your actual lunch,“ I smile at her, she goes to the back, opens the door throws the apron in, closes the door and walks away. I immediately start laughing at her. She’s smiles and waves me as she walks out of the café. I’m still giggling at Toshiko, looking at the register.
„Hello, giggly coffee boy.“ I stop giggling, the accent, AMERICAN PRINCE IS HERE! Oh fuck oh fuck. BREATH IANTO!
„Hello, American. What can I get you today?“ I smile at him, he’s so lovely.
„One big Americano. And I’ll take it with me.“
„Big Americano for big American, got it,“ I wink at him, did I just wink at him?! I’m an idiot.
„Exactly.“ I’m gonna faint.
„That’ll be 3 pounds, sir.“ He takes his leather wallet from his back pocket.
„There you go.“ He smiles at me, he’s so handsome. I start making his americano right away. While turning on a kettle with water, I say: „If you want to, you can sit down, my colleague is not here now, so it’s gonna take a while.“ Please stay here, please stay here.
„I would actually love to have a little more chit chat with you, if you don’t mind of course.“ YES
„I would love that.“
„What’s your favourite drink here, coffee boy?“
„Green tea latte, sir“ I say proudly with a smile.
„You really are British aren’t you?“ He giggles.
„No, I’m Welsh.“
„Is that good or bad?“ He asks, he’s genuinely interested, wow.
„Oh, the worst.“ I hand him the coffee. We smile at each other. Omg so cute.
„Have a nice day, coffee boy!“ He says while leaving.
„You too, American!“ I say back, he waves so I wave back at him. After that, nothing interesting happened. Made a few lattes, espressos, etc.
When Tosh comes back it’s about 12 am.
„I’m back big boy!“ Tosh yells, she immediately goes for the apron she just threw in the back an hour ago.
„How was shopping lunch and lunch?“
„Oh just perfect! The dinner party is gonna be amazing!“ I’m actually excited, even though I’ve never been at one, „As I was going back here, I have seen a new bookshop! It looks really nice.“
„Really? Where is it?“
„Do you know that nice old building with flower shop at the corner?“
„Yeah“
„It’s next to it! What about you take a lunch brake too? Y’know buy a book and get some nice fast food lunch. You haven’t taken your break for a while.“
„It sounds nice, I’ll go.“ I go to the back, take off my apron.
„See you in an hour!“ I say to her, wave and go out of the cafe. She’s already talking to a new customer, so she just waves to me.
I put earbuds, no abba now! I decided to listen to a Je the laisserai des mots. I love the song. It takes about five minutes and I see the flower shop that she was talking about. Next to it is a little bookshop with a name „Cozy on the corner“. I like it, kidding, I love it. I go inside, there’s a woman in her early thirties, brunette, she looks at me with a smile, she has a lovely hazel eyes, nice lady.
„Hi, what genre would you like?“ Now ehm, that’s the question, Sherlock and Rwarb doesn’t have a lot in common, except for the main characters to be gay and in love.
„Hmm, Young adult, miss.“
„Oh it’s ma’am, young adult is over there,“ she points to a bookshelf, which is surrounded by flowers, probably from the shop in next door, „Next is romance, sometimes these two are not good telling apart y’know.“ She smiles.
„Thank you, yeah sometimes they’re not.“ I head to the young adult bookshelf. The books are not the newest, but there some titles I haven’t seen. I take a book named muffin and tea. Looks interesting, I look at the story, Daniel and Kit are two sixteen year olds, who can’t have more differences. One is the best student in school, acts cold, anxious and guides his privacy. The other has is artsy, messy and talks before he thinks. I like it. I look at the price tag 4 pounds. That’s not bad. After my fifteen minute of picking some books I go to the counter.
„These, thank you.“ I say handing her the books with smile.
„Of course, nine pounds.“ She’s still smiling, the happiness is almost pouring out of her eyes, from how much happy she looks.
„Here you go.“ I bought muffin and tea for 4 pounds and a sequel named Cupcakes and conspirators for 5 pounds.
I get out of the bookshop, thinking what should I buy for lunch. I still got a forty five minutes. With my books in hands I go to look at the square, there’s always some nice food there. I see a notification pop on my phone so I check it, oh it’s just the silly game-
„Coffee boy?“ What? I look at the left and I see my American prince.
„Hi, American.“ I’m gonna die, I’m gonna die.
„On your lunch break?“
„Yeah, I’ve been to a bookshop here,“ I point at the store which is just a few meters from us, „Gonna get lunch now, what about you?“
„Would you mind if I join? I’m hungry too.“
„I would love that.“ You’re an idiot Ianto.
„Perfect, what are you hungry for?“ eeeeh, you?
„No idea.“ He laughs, he’s so pretty when he laughs.
„Ok, hmm, fast food or normal restaurant?“
„Wouldn’t the restaurant look like a date?“
„Interested?“
„I -I uhh.“ My brain is not braining. I think I’m frozen.
„I am actually, but when we have more time.“ DID HE JUST SAID THAT OR AM I DREAMING?
„You-You mean that?“ I’m so confused.
„Absolutely.“ FUCK YEA!
„I would love that too actually.“ I know I’m blushing, I hate it.
„What do you want for food now?“
„Still no idea.“ you just said that you wanna have a date with me, I’m busy thinking about our wedding.
„Pizza?“
„Ok, I’m in. Where will we take it from? And what pizza?“
„I heard that John’s pizza is good, what about margarita?“
„Yea, I’m in.“ We start walking in the direction for the pizzeria.
„What is your name, coffee boy?“
„Jones, Ianto Jones.“
„Nice to meet you Jones, Ianto Jones.“ He giggles.
„What’s yours American?“
„Captain Jack Harkness.“
„Really?“
„Yes, really and stop saluting Ianto.“
„Yes, captain. O captain my captain!“ He’s doing a poker face and I’m laughing like an idiot. We continue walking, he’s looking at me like „you fucking kidding me?“ And I’m like „omg that was a perfect one.“
We get the pizza at Joe’s, we take it to a park near. He paid for the pizza and now I feel bad. We’re eating calmly, he looks at his watch, „To when do you have your break?“
„To one, what’s the time?“
„12:45“ Damn it.
„Oh god, really? I should get going.“
„Come on, let’s finish the pizza, then we’ll run there.“ He giggles, there’s two slices left, each of us takes one.
When we finish eating, he tells me we have ten minutes left.
„Come on, I promised you running to work.“ He smiles and gets up from the bench. I get up to, „I’m not running, not even in my nightmares.“ He laughs and we get going.
When we’re 2 minutes away from the cafe, I say „Thanks for the pizza. I would love to pay you back.“
„No.“ huh?
„What?“ I’m confused.
„What about tomorrow lunch? Same time?“ Yes, please.
„But I’ll pay.“
„Ok, if you want to. Oh and tomorrow I’ll get coffee little bit before noon. So I’ll pick you up here, if you want.“ Yes yes yes yes yes.
„I would love that, tomorrow, goodbye Jack.“
„Goodbye Ianto.“ He turned around and I go to „Our history“. When I walk in I see Tosh with open mouth, smiling.
„You didn’t told me you had a date!“ She squeals when I walk next to the counter.
„Shut it.“ I go the back for my apron, plus I put the books there too and get back behind the counter.
The rest of my shift I ignored all of the questions about Jack. I thanked her for that she told me to have a lunch break, because thanks to that Jack and I had a wonderful time. Instead of me, thank god, we talked about the dinner party that’s tomorrow evening. She told me she doesn’t even know who’s coming. Owen, her fiancee, and her actually just invited bunch of people in hopes that everyone would be friends. Now that’s stupid. Our shift ended at four pm, as always. We locked the shop and parted our ways.
I, yes earbuds in ears, nope, nothing new, but today I’m listening to some 80’s music. Basically a Spotify playlist is playing in my ears as I walk home, books in my hands. As soon I get there, it’s a one big mess there, so I do my chores. Vacuuming, washing the dishes, nor that I use them a lot. Also some laundry and I also clean my mirrors and windows. It takes me full evening, because I got distracted a lot. It’s now about 8 pm. I decided to watch a series. I turn on a tv and pick some random sitcom. The episode ended and I decide to read a book, not the new ones, but I’ve got a lot of books which I’m currently reading. I pick a detective book. I read for about an hour. Then I went to sleep, thinking about me and Jack.