Ianto tried very hard not to think about the cold, wet mud squishing into his incredibly expensive shoes as he observed the crime scene - or as he more accurately considered – marsh, surrounding him.

Aliens crashed in the most inconvenient places.

Rain trickled down the back of his neck and he resisted the urge to rub his hands through his hair and ruffle it back to life in front of Cardiff’s finest. Sighing internally Ianto put away his scanner, turning it off and running his leather clad thumb over the edge, he caressed it gently as he pretended not to notice Jack’s eyes burning into him.

 

‘You’re wearing new gloves.’ Jack said as he stood next to him, hands deep in the pockets of his billowing coat and eyeing his new leather gloves with interest.

 

‘You are most observant this morning Sir.’ Ianto snarked back, trying not to wince as a blast of wind whipped rain into his face, ‘can you also observe the fact that I am both fucking wet and cold and covered in mud?’

 

‘I know. It’s a good look.’ Jack raised an eyebrow amusedly and Ianto glared.

 

‘It isn’t a look,’ he scowled, ‘it’s the Universe telling me it hates me at 5 o’clock on Monday morning.’

He shoved his hands in his pockets mirroring Jack’s pose and glanced over at the Captains blank expression, ‘Jack? Jack are you even listening to me?’

 

‘Sorry,’ he blinked out of his reverie and turned to look at him, ‘I was just having a thought about mud wrestling…’

 

Ianto hesitated for a second before choosing to ignore him, ‘just point me in the direction of caffeine. Please. Now.’

 

Jack smiled and shouted into the crowd, ‘can we get some coffee over here?’

Ianto rolled his eyes - there was no way that would work. Jack turned back to look him up and down.

‘The windswept Welshman is a look and it is most definitely working for you Ianto.’

 

He was about to retort when a hand moved in front of his face and he was presented with a steaming mug of coffee. He took a sip and almost closed his eyes in thankfulness as the hot liquid slipped down his throat and warmed him briefly before frowning and looking at Jack.

‘I can’t believe that worked. If I had asked for that I would have gotten tea or something…’ He winced in disgust and Jack grinned.

 

‘Are you a Captain though?’

 

‘No. Why are you?’ Ianto grumbled, ‘you never told me - you know you should make a bigger deal about it, you’re too modest.’

 

Jack smirked, watching the rolling clouds as thunder cracked in the distance and lightning flashed in the damp, dawn sky.

‘Drink your coffee before your brain overloads with sarcasm and I have to perform an unanaesthetised lobotomy.’

 

‘Should have known your skills include the ability to perform brain surgery,’

Ianto replied, wrapping his fingers round his mug as he drank gratefully and watched Gwen make her way over, grimacing as mud and water ruined her favourite boots.

 

‘I’m done! We should get the bits back to the Hub and write up reports.’

She gasped as a violent gust of wind nearly knocked her off guard and spattered her legs with wet dirt, ‘by which I mean - have a shower and get the mud out of everywhere on my body.’

 

‘You’ve got some in your hair too.’ Ianto pointed and she flicked it forwards to have a look as he ran his index finger through the mud on the SUV and wiped it in her hair, laughing as she jerked back and screamed.

 

‘So have you!’ She reached down and picked up a handful of it rubbing it into his head and cackling as Ianto shouted and tried to run away.

 

Jack interrupted them as they grabbed for each other.

 

‘Okay children lets go.’

 

They all turned and went to get into the SUV, Ianto was almost shivering, there was mud trickling down past his ear and his socks were wet, Gwen didn’t look much better with chattering teeth and blue lips. He took off his coat, offering it to her and smiling modestly when she gratefully accepted it.

 

‘Before I forget, that guy was here again,’ she said, wrapping herself in Ianto’s woollen jacket and inhaling slightly at his scent. It was clean and manly, a hint of aftershave and rain, it smelt Welsh she thought absently as she sank into the seat.

 

‘What did he want?’ Jack asked as he sped off out of the field and down the country road.

 

‘Dunno he was just lurking like normal, trying to be shady and failing.’

 

‘Who?’ Ianto looked up confused as he intercepted reports of the alien crash going to the local news station and created a press release to cover it up.

 

‘Some random guy that’s been stalking us. Always at crime scenes, watching, sometimes he has a camera.’ Jack replied distractedly. Ianto was typing quickly and the traffic was increasing as they reached the city.

 

‘Want me to check him out…sort it?’

 

‘He’s probably harmless. Give him a week - see if he gives up.’

 

Gwen opened her eyes from dozing, ‘oh yes. It always works really well when we take the initiative and actively ignore the threat.’

 

‘Alright Gwen,’ Jack agreed, ‘go home, have a shower, check it out however you want. Just - discreetly...’

 

‘I’m discreet!’ She protested looking at Ianto who was trying not to grin, ‘aren’t I?’

 

He schooled his features and looked her in the eyes, ‘more discreet than Jack.’

 

‘That’s not discreet at all.’ Gwen frowned and Ianto couldn’t help himself.

 

‘You’ve got mud on your face.’ He pointed and she crossed her eyes trying to see as Ianto wiped a trail across her cheek and laughed.

 

‘Oi!’

 

Jack grinned and Gwen glared at him. ‘No wonder you’re smiling like an idiot Jack Harkness you were clearly no help - it’s the only way you remained so clean!’

 

‘I’m specifically dirty,’ Jack explained, ‘when it suits me. And I never liked mud.’

 

‘You’re specifically dirty?’

 

‘He is.’ Ianto glanced up, ‘normally it’s just as a precursor to shower sex.’ 
He returned to his work as Jack grinned and Gwen shook her head, rolling her eyes whilst he reached over and wiped some of the mud from her face across his eyebrow.

 

‘Woops. It would appear I’m dirty.’ He grinned and Ianto absolutely refused to look him in the eye.