11
"Hey" Jack said as he walked into the den where Ianto was sitting with some papers, Ianto's smile inviting as he stood to greet him.
"You heading back to get those cameras today with Art and Henry?"
"Yeah. Will be back around lunchtime, just a quick jaunt We will review them back here. It doesn't feel safe out there at the moment, not until we have a better idea of how many there are" Jack nodded "Besides, the snow is not far away and we don't want to get caught in the storm."
"OK, I will let Miss Mae know to have hot soup waiting for you" Ianto smiled, then fiddled with the papers as he leaned on the edge of the desk "Jack… what is happening between us? I mean… is it all for show or…"
Jack felt annoyance at the question, the insinuation that his gentle prods to feel the water were being construed as mere play and he reacted in anger "Why. Am I pawing at you too much? Well… I can take it back a notch if ya like… or would you rather I pretend to hump your leg around him? Hmmm? You know... just Art. I don't know why we have to pretend to like one another at all!"
Ianto insulted now snarled back "I see. So this is all pretence is it? Right. Now I know. I understand. All this time you have been merely doing your job. I see. Good. Fine. Thanks. No I know… just… don't' touch me again OK? I don't like being touched and I was wrong to let you… now I know it ws not a real advance… don't do it again. Now I understand. Right. Thanks!"
Jack stood gaping as Ianto blistered through the angry outburst then stormed from the room leaving Jack standing there with open confusion over what had just happened. What the fuck was that. Why had he said that? Why had Ianto reacted like that?
As Jack stood there he finally saw what was happening, his anger now directed at himself.
Ianto hadn't been asking for clarity. He had been asking for truth. For… "Fuck! Ianto! Walt!"
But Ianto was gone and Jack was left to curse himself for now saying what he knew deep down this really was.
Ianto was asking for hope.
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..
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"Henry, have you seen Ianto?" Jack asked as he entered the barn.
"Just missed him. Gone to get the horses in for the West field, a storm is brewing and he doesn't want that little foal out in the snow." Henry replied "Was pissed about something. Said he thought it was wrong to have released the mare and foal so early. Never heard him snarl like that."
"My fault. I sort of messed up" Jack grimaced.
"Well… first time for everything I guess. I never seen him pissed before. Not even after the missus died and there was the fight over the kids … never seen that." Henry shook his head "you know… you are getting under his skin."
"I think that goes for both of us." Jack sighed.
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..
Ianto rode along the fence line as he pondered the events of the last few months since this infuriating arse of a prick had arrived making him feel something again after so long, after telling himself he would never feel this way again here he was a complete and utter….
Ianto's horse stopped dead, and then took a single step back. Ianto frowned as he tried to urge it on but it took another step back and Ianto felt the first tendrils of fear as he realised how far out he was. He pulled the revolver from the saddle bag, cocking it and laying it across his thigh as he scanned the area, now on alert.
A noise in the brush had him swinging in the saddle but the horse remained still, scenting the air with its head high and nostrils flaring.
Ianto could hear his heart beating, the fear raw now as he cursed his temper for riding off without one of the hands with him. Rule number one, don't go alone. He knew that. So pissed at Jack and the admission that his affections were one sided that…. Over there. Ianto strained to see the movement in the dense bush ahead, the horse shuddering as its skin seemed to crawl.
Ianto took a better grip of the reins and prepared o flee when the Green Wartheggle stumbled out in the open, grunting as she led her two little piglets with her. Ianto relaxed and let out a chuff of laughter at himself for being spooked by a little green warthog creature that was as harmless as the barn cats.
Poor thing was probably terrified of them, not the other way around.
"Stupid" Ianto said to himself as he patted the horse's neck, leaning forward to croon that it wss OK.
He never saw it coming.
The Blue was behind them the entire time.