7. Gin and Tonic
Jack stared at the young man gazing out across the bay, standing alone in the darkness. He'd just sent Tosh home after allowing her the chance to decide the fate of the pendant. And though he was surprised she'd chosen to destroy it, he was also fiercely proud that she had recognized the danger of keeping it. Gazing at Ianto, head down and shoulders hunched over the railing, he almost wished he had the pendant now so he could understand how to help the man before him.
A board on the quay squeaked beneath him, and Ianto's shoulders tensed. He did not move as Jack came to stand next to him.
"She sent you, didn't she," Ianto stated bluntly, and Jack nodded, though Ianto didn't turn to look at him. "Look, I told her I'm fine and I am, I don't need the company pep talk—"
"We have a company pep talk?" Jack asked with exaggerated surprise. "And here I've been making them up! Where can I get a copy?"
Ianto's head fell a bit, but Jack was fairly sure the man was hiding a smile, and probably rolling his eyes as well. Jack took a deep breath and continued more seriously.
"She didn't tell me what she heard from you," Jack said, and that earned a look of patented skepticism. "She did tell me she was concerned, however. About you, about me, about Gwen and Owen—"
Ianto snorted in derision. "I hope you're aware of how poorly they handled themselves when she left the conference room." When Jack didn't answer, Ianto turned to him, eyes flashing with anger. "They didn't even bother to ask how she was doing, to offer their condolences. They just wanted to know what she heard from them, and could she keep it secret? Heartless bastards."
Jack nodded. That explained the distinct chill he'd felt in the Hub before everyone had gone their separate ways. Though it appeared Gwen and Owen's ways were not that separate anymore. He wasn't sure what to do about that situation, however, and decided to concentrate on the reason he'd come outside in the first place.
"How are you, Ianto?" he asked quietly, hoping for an honest answer.
"I'm…" The Welshman seemed to think about it. "I'm coping. I'm here, and sometimes I have good days, sometimes I have bad days."
Jack was both relieved and saddened by the answer. He wanted to reach out and pull Ianto into an embrace and assure him that the good would outnumber the bad some day, but Ianto was tense beside him, gazing out across the water again.
"What's your poison?" Jack asked abruptly, thinking he'd have a better time of getting Ianto to talk away from the water, where the darkness and the silence were more smothering than soothing. A drink couldn't hurt either.
"What?" asked Ianto.
"Your drink. Firewater, hooch—you know, a nightcap?" he added.
Ianto stared at him for a moment before the side of his mouth quirked up. "People don't really talk like that anymore."
"I'm an old-fashioned sort of guy," Jack offered. Ianto nodded, and Jack could almost see the wheels of sarcasm turning in the man's mind.
"Because the World War II greatcoat didn't even come close to giving that away."
"Hey, it's classic, like me," said Jack. This time Ianto definitely rolled his eyes.
"I'm fine, sir," he said. "Like I said, I don't need the pep talk."
"Then I won't make one up," said Jack. "But I feel like a good gin and tonic is in order. I've got a bottle of Tanqueray in my office if you'd rather stay in."
Ianto turned and frowned. Jack spoke again before Ianto could offer any protests. "I'm not asking for anything, just if you want a drink. Some company. Talk, or listen, or shout at the world until your hoarse, it's up to you." He stopped short of saying please, though he almost felt like begging. For some reason he really wanted Ianto to say yes. Jack had always enjoyed Ianto's company, and he missed the easy banter and flirting from Ianto's first few months at the Hub. But more than anything, he wanted to reassure himself that Ianto was as fine as he claimed.
It wouldn't be easy. Ianto was a private and stubborn man, and there was a good chance he might read Jack the riot act for his actions that night. And Ianto would be right. Jack knew perfectly well he had done the right thing in the wrong way. Maybe he needed to confess it to someone. He inclined his head toward the tourist office.
Ianto blew out a breath and slowly nodded. "I prefer mine with lemon."
Jack laughed and led the way. "Then I hope we have a lot of lemons."