"What the hell time is it?" Owen grumbled.
"Six of ten… now," Ianto replied at 9:54, exactly.
Owen shook his head. "Uncivilized. Have we done with all the 'heavy' work?"
"I think so, yeah," Ianto said, standing and surveying their work that far. There had been sledgehammers involved and Ianto had to admit that knocking that section of wall down was really quite therapeutic.
"Good. Let's have a refresher, then," Owen said, nipping down to his operating theatre and returning with a cold bottle of peach vodka.
"Not sure that's a good idea," Ianto hesitated.
Owen rolled his eyes, pouring two glasses. "I think we'll manage. Just the one. We've cleared up, nothing to trip over."
"Right, well… one. I still don't think Jack would like it."
"Fuck Jack. Not that I have to tell you."
Ianto coloured slightly and hurriedly knocked back his drink.
As they took a break from the 'heavy' work, Owen switched on a radio. Moments later both he and Ianto jumped up to switch the thing off, practically tripping over one another.
"Bloody hell. I thought that had died with the millennium," Ianto sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"And that was too damn late. Along with all things Oasis."
Ianto rolled his eyes. "A waking nightmare."
Before long, he and Owen were exchanging favourite 'worsts' and cordially topping up one another's drinks. They pottered around the Hub a while longer, tidying up, having telling stories, having a laugh. Eventually, Owen flopped down on the couch. Ianto attempted to generate some reports from a computer station but couldn't seem to make the machine do what he intended it to.
It was passed midnight when Jack returned to find Owen passed out and Ianto stupefied in front of a losing game of Minesweeper. The empty bottle of peach vodka on the coffee table explained rather a lot.
"Hey. You ok?" Jack asked, touching Ianto's shoulder.
"Huh? Uh huh. Stupid computer… 's stupid."
"Yeah, that happens occasionally. Let's get to bed, ok? And I think you should take the morning off. Something tells me you're gonna need it."
"Bed? K…. Where?"
"How about here? The same thing that tells me you're gonna need a little rest in the morning tells me the way I drive wouldn't set well with you at the moment."
"Hmm. Jack… would you, uh… stop spinning?"
"Sorry bout that," Jack snickered, helping Ianto down into his bunker.
As soon as Ianto reached the bottom of the ladder, he straightened up and silently wobbled toward Jack's loo, where he was promptly copiously ill in as dignified a manner as anyone could manage.
"You alright?" Jack whispered, stroking Ianto's back. "Feel a little better?"
Ianto looked up miserably. "I don't know what hit me."
"Half a bottle of vodka would be my guess."
"Oh, god… don't even talk about… that stuff. Never again."
Jack just smiled indulgently. "That's what one of my executioners said that morning." Jack dampened a face cloth with cool water and held it to the back of Ianto's neck while he loosened Ianto's tie and undid his waistcoat. "Come on, sweetheart, lie down. Try to relax, ok?" Jack said once Ianto was down to his pants and undershirt.
"Jack… you angry?"
"No, of course not," Jack said quietly, remembering at the last moment not to shake his head and set off another dizzy spell for Ianto. "Except that you were working that late in the first place. Then again, I'm sure you and Owen can bond further over shared hangovers and coffee tomorrow. Team bonding works in mysterious ways," Jack mused.
"Jack…? Stay with me?" Ianto whispered, reaching for Jack's hand as Jack's other hand rhythmically stroked his hair.
"Just try to get rid of me," Jack murmured, settling in beside Ianto on his bunk.