Monday morning, early, very early.

Ianto texted Jack:

‘Do I have your permission to come to work?’

The reply took fifteen minutes to arrive.

‘Permission granted.’

…

It was like playing a part, being at work, and the rôle was so familiar that it took barely any effort.  His proximity to Jack caused the occasional twinge but, all things considered, Ianto was happy to be back.  Jack had cooled off to the point of being cold toward him and Ianto failed to notice that it was mutual.  Perhaps Jack’s indifference was another perfectly executed performance, but Ianto was too busy trying not to be jealous of the possibility that Jack had replaced the tea boy’s once-convenient body with another to see that.

Ianto spent most of his time in the reception or in the archives, content to be alone.  He’d always been very insular before Lisa and returning to that state was not exactly a hardship now he’d made up in his mind that Cardiff was ending and London was his new beginning.

He gradually came around to the idea of selling the house.

INSTANT MESSENGER TRANSCRIPT

JACK:  Gwen, will you tell me something?

GWEN:  Anything in particular?

JACK:  Ianto.

GWEN:  Don’t get me involved, my nerves can’t cope.

JACK:  He never used to be like this.

GWEN:  Like what?

JACK:  Or did he?

GWEN:  Like what?

JACK:  He’s freezing me out.  He wasn’t like this before, was he?

GWEN:  Which before are you talking about?  Before you were furious a few days ago?  Before you insulted him in the autopsy room?  List is endless so ?????

JACK:  Was he like this Before I Left?

GWEN:  To be honest I didn’t know him that well back then, but probably not.

JACK:  Why is he like it now?

[  GWEN is typing a message  ]

GWEN:  I’m sorry, Jack.

JACK:  Why sorry?

GWEN:  I think he’s the man you made him.

[  JACK has left the conversation  ]

[  Ends  ]

INSTANT MESSENGER TRANSCRIPT

TOSHIKO:  Ianto?

IANTO:  Yes?

TOSHIKO:  What happened?

[  IANTO is typing a message  ]

TOSHIKO:  Or would you rather I didn’t ask?

IANTO:  I broke up with Bryn.

TOSHIKO:  Oh, I’m sorry.

IANTO:  Jack was furious.

TOSHIKO:  I would have thought he’d be delighted.

IANTO:  He was furious because I didn’t do it for us.  For *him*.

TOSHIKO:  Now it starts to make sense.

IANTO:  I RetConned Bryn to stop it hurting.

[  TOSHIKO is typing a message  ]

IANTO:  That’s thrown you.

TOSHIKO:  I’m not sure what to say.

IANTO:  Nothing would probably be best.

TOSHIKO:  He loved you, Ianto.

IANTO:  And now he’s got a new bloke and he’s happy.  I wasn’t worth a broken heart.

TOSHIKO:  I’m going to come up and hug you.  Don’t disappear before I get there.

IANTO:  Okay.

[  Ends  ]

Attrition 17       Attrition Index       Attrition Notes

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