"You okay?"
Ianto only gives Jack a brief glance. "Yes, sir," he says quietly. He clears his throat and says with more volume, "Did you need something, sir?"
Jack shakes his head. "No." He puts his hand on Ianto's shoulder briefly and leaves.
Ianto lets out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. Of course Jack didn't pursue the subject. He probably doesn't want to know if Ianto isn't okay. It's not like Ianto wants to face it, either.
Just best to pretend everything's fine.
Even though it isn't. It really, really isn't.
Ianto notices Jack watching him from across the room and inhales sharply, immediately looking back to his computer screen.
Jack stands up and for a moment Ianto is afraid he'll come over. He doesn't.
The clock on the computer says it's 9:48 PM. The rest of the Torchwood team has gone by now; Gwen left earliest, then Owen, and Tosh last, just a few minutes ago. Jack already offered for Ianto to head home, but he can't motivate himself to actually go anywhere.
Soft music starts to play from somewhere and Ianto frowns, looking up.
Jack strolls up to him and extends a hand. "May I?"
Ianto stares at his hand for several seconds, frozen. Then his eyes find Jack's and he can see a surprising warmth there: sympathy, encouragement, and something apologetic.
He accepts the offer and allows himself to be pulled to his feet. Jack smiles in that charming way of his and pulls Ianto close, putting one hand on his right hip and using the other to clasp their hands at shoulder height.
"I know you're hurting," Jack says quietly.
Ianto doesn't look at him, instead staring over his shoulder. He doesn't have anything to say to that.
"It does get better, Ianto. I promise."
"That's hard to believe right now," he says, almost inaudibly.
"I know," Jack says. "But try to trust me."
"You say that like you know how I feel." Ianto finally looks to Jack's eyes.
He can practically see the mental doors close. "I just understand, that's all."
Ianto realizes he's starting to lean a little closer to Jack, but he doesn't make an effort to back away. Not this time. He doesn't see this side of the Captain very often, but he finds it particularly…nice…when he does.
The song ends and is replaced by a familiar one: Imagine by John Lennon.
"Jack, when I first tried to join Torchwood Three, you turned me down. So many times. Why?"
Jack raises his eyebrows slightly. "Why are you asking this now?"
"Just wondering."
He sighs. "It wasn't you. I never supported Torchwood One—it wasn't like here. I didn't want anything to do with them, and that extended to you. Besides, you were pushy. Persistent. I thought I didn't like that."
Ianto feels a tiny hint of a smile touch his lips. "Has your opinion changed?"
Jack smirks. "Maybe. Anyway, I'd never seen you in a suit."
Ianto actually smiles this time. "Not sure why you keep saying that."
"Why do you think?" Jack says flatly but with a lingering smile.
They fall into silence, moving slowly together until the end of the song. Although another old song, instrumental this time, starts up, they don't continue dancing, but they don't part. Ianto finds himself with his arms around Jack's neck, looking up at him with his breath caught somewhere in his throat.
Jack wraps his arms around Ianto's lower back and pulls him slightly closer.
Ianto starts to speak before he can stop himself. "Are you glad you made that decision, sir?" he asks quietly, almost a whisper. "The decision to let me into Torchwood." He hopes he doesn't sound like he's expecting a compliment; he really just wants to know.
"Could we drop the 'sir'?" Jack asks him.
The fact that he avoided answering the question makes Ianto's stomach flip. "Are you?"
Jack breaks into a smile. He lifts a hand and rests it against the side of Ianto's neck and face. "In a word, yes. In no words…"
And he kisses him.
Ianto closes his eyes and hesitantly runs a hand through the back of Jack's hair. For a moment—just a brief moment—he can forget everything. He can forget all the little things hidden in the back of his mind and just dissolve in this.
Then Jack pulls away and all the pain comes back.
"Go home, Ianto Jones," Jack says with a small smile. He drops his hand from Ianto's face. "I'll see you in the morning." He steps away and starts to head back toward his office, but calls over his shoulder, "And you'd better be ready to make me some of that magical coffee of yours."
Ianto can't help but smile as he looks at the floor. He glances up. "Good night, sir," he says and heads for the door.
Yes, the pain comes back. But somehow, it's a little more manageable this time.