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Ianto Jones is writing in his diary and having coffee.

There's a lot of catching up to do--things happen fast sometimes, and it wasn't but two pages ago that he was missing Jack and wondering what he'd say if Jack ever returned, and now...

Well, Ianto doesn't use a lot of exclamation points, as a general rule. But one or two may have turned up in today's entry.

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"Er," says Ianto.

"No. Actually I've been warned about you. Rather vaguely, which I'm afraid has only made me curious, but apparently you're wily and dangerous."

"Am I?"

Puck appears terribly put out.

"Scandal. I must say I object; I have not nearly the intelligence to be wily."

"But you clearly are quite dangerous, particularly to caffeinated beverages."

He laughs, running a hand through his hair in some embarrassment.

"But sir," he protests, "such beverages have neither wit nor sensibility. Need I take them into account? A cow may be a danger to a field of clover, but I find it difficult to imagine that any should therefore fear to go near one."

"The humble coffee cup has no means of self-defense," Ianto counters. "It's up to us to treat it with respect."

:O

"But has it any feelings?" he wants to know.

"Else how should it know respect from digestion?"

"Of course coffee feels things. Strongly and darkly."

Puck laughs, surprised.

"Well-- and I suppose it must."

Ianto smiles and sips.

If his coffee objects, it is silent on the matter.

"So, if I know my Shakespeare, you are actually one of the Fair Folk, yeah?"

"Whether you know it or not," Puck says dryly, "such I assuredly am."

"Well, the name is a big hint."

Puck gets eyed a little.

"You're a lot less green than other fae I've encountered, is why I ask."

Puck laughs.

"In terms of worldliness, or coloration?"

(His skin turns to an abrupt asparagus hue.)

"Colorization," says Ianto faintly. "Don't tell me you can control the weather, too."

Puck looks shifty.

"I shan't tell you, then. As a courtesy."

Ianto chuckles dryly--very dryly, Sahara-dryly--and sips his coffee again.

"One of these days I hope I'll get used to all the magic in this place."

"And on another day," Puck replies, more or less in kind, "I hope to grow accustomed to all the mortals."

"I would have thought you would be already," Ianto remarks. "Don't we outnumber you?"

He grins.

"Oh. Rather."

"And yet we're still disturbing." He tsks.

"Oh, did I say 'disturbing'?" Puck laughs.

"On the contrary, I find you simply delightful."

Ianto tilts his head. "Then you are accustomed to us."

"Indeed not," Puck says, shaking his head with a smile.

"After all, one may find any number of surprises and vagaries of chance to be delightful, if unlooked-for."

"Oh." This actually makes him smile. "That's good, then."

His own smile brightens in return.

"And what do you do, good Master Ianto, when you are not regaling our ranks with coffee?"

"Defender of the earth," Ianto says. It's his automatic answer now, here.

"Which also involves making a great deal of coffee."