Title: The Company They Keep

Fandom: Torchwood

Prompt: 'The one no one sees' from 500 prompts

Disclaimer: I do not own Torchwood, though that would be nice…

Summary: Ianto shows his connections.

The Company They Keep

Someone was spreading a dangerous alien drug in Jack's city. Jack was naturally peeved and determined to catch he dealer. The trouble was the dealing was coming from Splott and that was where most dealings of shady nature went on. They would need to get someone on the inside, to find the right one.

Owen had been Jack's first choice but Ianto had surprised them all by volunteering. There was no real reason to say no, especially when Jack wanted Ianto to prove himself as a member of Torchwood beyond being self sacrificing. But Gwen did make one vital point.

"No one will believe Ianto belongs in Splott, never mind in the druggie group."

Ianto grinned at that.

"Oh I think I can handle that." he said, looking rather devilish. It was a good look on him.

"Wear the contacts." said Jack.

Ianto nodded.

That was how the team come to be sanding around Tosh's computer watching the world through Ianto's eyes.

The first shock had been the clothing. Ianto had forgone a suit for jeans, a Welsh jersey and a worn jacket. He had not shaved, and he had heavily gelled his hair. He looked like a completely different person. They had seen it all through the reflection in his bathroom mirror as he put in the contacts.

"Tea-boy scruffs up well." muttered Owen, sounding a little impressed with Ianto's transformation. Jack had expected Ianto to do his job thoroughly so the clothing was not as big a surprise to him. What happened next though caught them all off guard.

Ianto walked into Splott, eyes taking in everything for the team. Three hookers were standing at a corner, talking to one another as they waited out the last bit of sunlight in the day. Their voices, loud and slurred, filled the area. Ianto went straight for them, eyes focused on the brunette.

"What is he doing?" demanded Owen. Jack had no idea. Then Ianto's voice came through the speakers.

"Oi! Steph." The accent was thicker, rougher, cruder, but it was only Ianto who could be speaking. The brunette turned and her face lit up.

"Ianto!"

As one the team's jaws dropped as the hooker, Steph, threw herself at Ianto. The screens went black for a moment as Ianto's eyes reflexively closed as she kissed him. When the screens cleared, Steph was talking again,

"Girls, you remember Ianto Jones, don't you?"

The women made noises of affirmation.

"Long time Yan." purred the blonder one. "Haven't seen you around in months."

"It's been years!" said Steph. The blond one shrugged.

Ianto took out a cigarette and lit it before he answered them. "Yeah, went to London." he drawled, as if that explained everything.

"Ooooh, London." mimicked the last woman in a high pitched voice. "Very posh. How'd you wind up back in this shit hole?"

"Because London is full of fuckwits." sighed Ianto, his arm around Steph.

"Aww…" cooed Steph, pressing up against him.

Jack felt warmth coming into his ears. As confused as he was, he was both impressed and annoyed by the fact that the three women were surrounding Ianto like he was the lion king. He told himself he was annoyed that Ianto was being held up in doing his job.

"Anyway babe," said Ianto, exhaling his smoke, "I'm looking for Daffy."

"Faffy Daffy?" asked Steph.

"Yup. Need a word with him."

"He's not around anymore." drawled the blond.

"Ah, what happened? Shot?"

"Droved him out, didn't they?" she sneered.

"Who?"

"New guy, and the old crew."

"New guy got a name?"

"I calls 'im big daddy." she laughed.

"What about you babe?" Ianto asked Steph.

"Gethin Thomas." she giggled.

"Thomas?" demanded Ianto, "That fucking wimp? He's your new pimp?"

"Yeah, bit of a shock that." sighed Steph. "Still, us slags have to roll with the punches."

"Yeah well, remember what I said about actual punches, ok babe?"

Steph nodded. Ianto pulled away from her, stepping on his cigarette.

"Right, well I had better go and find Thomas. Need a few words with him."

As he walked away, Ianto muttered, "Well that tells us who the dealer is. I'll get him now."

"What?" yelped Jack, even though Ianto could not hear him.

Before they could really reason with Ianto, he tracked down this Gethin Thomas and had bullied him into surrendering his source for the drugs. Ianto retconned him and reinstated 'Faffy Daffy' into his place as head drug dealer and pimp lord in Splott. It was all done so fast and so seamlessly well that the team found themselves just sitting and watching the whole thing. The last thing they saw was Ianto's hall as he got home. He muttered,

"These fucking contacts are driving me nuts!"

And the screens died as he took them out.

The four of them stared at the screens for a while longer. Then they sat back and looked at each other. Gwen was the one who summed it up.

"We… we really have no idea who Ianto is… do we?"

Jack silently agreed. He had never imagined that there was this sort of person inside Ianto, let alone this strong a force. Clearly there was much about Ianto Jack had not seen yet.

This prompt screamed for a fic about Ianto needing Jack to see him and I just didn't want to do that. I've done way too much Janto angst lately. So I decided to give something else a try. Let me know how it worked, please.

Night's Darkness