I' m drunk; for goodness sake I'm so drunk I don't even remember how I got home on the first place. I know I didn't drive, I'm not that drunk; maybe I took a cab or maybe sweet and beautiful Toshiko drove me here. Either way, I´m home and that's all that matter right now.
With some difficult I´m able to open the door and get inside, I didn´t get far though, the moment I saw the couch I crashed on it.
While my brain rots due to probable alcohol poisoning i recalled the events of that day. It had been Gwen´s wedding and as expected it has been a very Torchwood wedding: form an alien pregnancy, me buying a dress, chaos and mayhem at the ceremony, you know the usual but was the reception party the thing I remembered the most: the way the bride danced happily in Jack arms.
When poor little Ianto was still taking care of the cleanup details with the supposed help of the team, said team were enjoying themselves.
Tosh and Owen were talking, a bit tipsy thanks to the champagne, Jack and Gwen dancing inside their own little world and Rhys was just staring at his wife with dreamy eyes.
"Isn´t she radiant?" he asked me when I offered him a drink
I smiled politely at him "Indeed she is"
Poor sob, he was so lost in his perfect world, and who am I to criticize him? I´m exactly the same.
We stood there, drinking, making small talk until I couldn't get it more; I left Rhys and walked straight to them. Gwen smiled the moment she saw me, guessing my intentions.
"I think I will dance with my husband now" she said happily "Enjoy yourselves" her smile was so sweet an honest I just couldn´t be mad at her.
She walked away as I took her place. We dance, slowly and very close to each other, a warm fuzzy feeling grew inside me because we were doing it in front of everybody as if what they could think didn't matter, as if this meant something. I dare to look at Jack´s face and the feelings died an instant death, his eyes were fixed in the laughing dancing couple a few feet away. I forced myself to keep a cool and compose façade for the rest of the song stepping away from Jack the moment it ended.
"What is it?" he asked me with concern shining in his eyes
I wanted to laugh, the nerve of this man, if I were less of the professional that I was I would have told him many things, a bit to laud, making a scene, fortunately for him I´m a master of the art of pretending.
"Nothing sir, I just need to cheek everything is in order" and without another word I left the salon.
Everything is a bit blurry after that, I did cheek everything was alright, every guest retconned and settled in their rooms before sat in a dark corner, in some random room drinking straight from a bottle of champagne.
The sound of my front door closing brought me back into reality. I don't need to open my eyes to see who it is. Even with an alcohol clouded mind the smell of Jack´s pheromones was very distinctive. Why he is here escaped me, then again it´s not the first time he invites himself into more places than just my home.
I stay still, pretending I´m asleep and for a moment it seems to work, I can hear footsteps in the living room, then the kitchen and back again. He lights one of the lamps in the room, the light that filters through my lids makes my eyes hurt.
"Open your eyes Ianto. I know you are not sleep"
I do as he asked mostly because I'm too tired to fight and the pounding in my head is draining all the energy I have got left. I slowly open my eyes to let them adjust to the light. I sat straight the world spinning around me
"What are you doing here?" I manage to ask
"Checking on you" he said matter-of-factly "You were acting weird at the party"
"I told you I needed to check everything" I keep my voice low and calm, I´m not laying but knowing Jack the only way I can get him out of here so I can get some rest is to assure him I´m fine.
"Your work is impeccable Ianto, I know it"
The sweetness in his voice makes me look right at his face, what was he up to? His eyes are so blue I could get lost in them for eternity…NO…I need to get out of here but the moment I got up the world started spinning again
"Easy there, are you alright?" he asked
"No" I said running making it to the bathroom just in time to throw up. Jack entered the room right behind me. I can feel his hand rubbing small circles in my back.
"It's ok, let it out"
I want to say lots of things to him but the only thing that came out of my mouth is leftovers from lunch. He say no more, just stood there waiting for me to finish. Once I did, I washed my mouth, my face and let him lead me into the living room again.
"Take this" he handed me a pair of painkillers and a glass of water. I obediently swallow them, the cold water doing wonder to my sore throat. After a long moment of silence he spoke again "Feeling better?"
I nodded looking at his eyes again, still not getting why he was here, I´m supposed to be drowning my sorrows with the alcohol I drank at the party knowing I will have to nurse a vicious hangover in the morning.
He is supposed to be back at The hub, thinking of her.
"Why are you here Jack?" I said at loud without noticing it.
He got up from the coffee table where he sat to sit in the space next to me, his hand framed my face, and his thumb gently caressed my cheek. "I´m here because I'm worry about you"
I finally laughed at him, as if he could felt anything for me. I saw his face turn serious; maybe my laugh was a bit too sarcastic.
"Don't be ridiculous" I said to him letting my head rest on the sofa. I'm so tired I felt like I could fall asleep right there. I waited for him to yell at me, he tended to do it when I'm acting childish or he thinks I´m being dense. But the seconds passed slowly and he was not yelling, instead he kept caressing my cheek.
"Oh Ianto, my Ianto" he said in a low voice before pulling me into his arms. I rested my head against his chest, too tired to think, too tired to be mad at him. "You put too much thought into it"
"mmh" is the only thing I say, the warm of his body, the feeling of his arm around me, the beat of his heart lull me to sleep
"Just rest" he said while his hand stroked my hair "I will be here when you wake up"
I´m drunk, but even if I am somehow I knew he is telling me the true.