"So then what happened?" Tosh was on the very edge of her seat, drinking in all Ianto's news.
"Precisely nothing. I took that as my cue to leave and didn't even look back as I did so."
"Have you seen him since?"
"No, I've made it my mission not to."
"You're not worried are you?"
"Not unduly - why should I be?"
"Well you have heard about him, haven't you?"
"Heard what exactly?" Sometimes Ianto's habit of hiding out in his ivory tower, meant that he missed out on things happening at street level. Tosh gave him a sideways glance before she continued, not sure how Ianto would take this,
"It's just that our dear leader likes to ride his bike on both sides of the street."
Incomprehension had made its home on Ianto's face.
"Pardon?"
"He's bi-sexual Ianto, and quite open about it too." Tosh watched carefully as the message finally took root.
"It doesn't seem to cause him any hardship either." This last part was said gently. Tosh reached out her hand and laid it on Ianto's sleeve for added comfort.
Ianto tried not to flinch, but just couldn't help himself.
Splinters still remained.
Tosh nodded sympathetically, she left Ianto to his thoughts. He'd done well.
Today.
-OOO-
It's not that Jack Harkness was a drama-queen or anything; it was just that things, events seemed to happen to him more so than anyone else.
Take his room, his den he liked to call it. It had played ball quite happily for three months, but it was now throwing the mother of all tantrums and had decided to flood itself. Jack thought they had thrashed out the ground rules and that when he saw fit he could move the dimensions of his private space, as long as he undid his actions within twelve hours. He had only missed this deadline by two hours a week ago, when he had been in conference with Ianto Jones (a fine figure of a Welshman if ever he saw one) and now he was knee-deep in world-war sulkiness.
Sometimes Jack felt like he was dealing with a truculent child.
The upshot of all of this was that Jack was effectively homeless. He had been forced to start a nomadic existence, literally setting up his Bedouin tent of office in unoccupied work spaces throughout the corporation.
He was hot-desking.
His spirits could not have been higher.
-OOO-
Ianto liked to make plans and adhere to them faithfully. If "to do" lists hadn't have been invented, Ianto would have saw fit to invent them. Having a plan meant having a purpose; this notion appealed to the very core of his being and yet Ianto was currently experiencing a problem, his latest plan wasn't working.
Hiding from Jack Harkness.
He didn't know whether it was fluke or fate, but Ianto was seeing Jack everywhere. Two days ago Jack was hard at work outside the HR department on the sixteenth floor and yesterday Ianto had twice seen him wedged in-between the gents and the stationery cupboard on the third floor.
Each time Jack had tried to pull Ianto into conversation.
Each time urgent business had pulled him away.
Ianto felt as though he was being stalked. He knew this was irrational but still, he felt what he felt.
-O-
Tosh and Ianto's working relationship was one of almost equality. Almost, in the fact that Ianto liked to let Tosh think they were equals, when in reality he knew she was far superior to him in every way. It was a secret they liked to share.
Within their team of two they had established a good division of labour, Tosh would provide the biscuits for their breaks (chocolate naturally) and Ianto would provide the coffee. Whenever Ianto was in the kitchenette preparing their beverages with skill and precision, people would gather. The aroma of his special blend of beans, transported everyone, (who was lucky to experience it) to their happy place. If Ianto had been inclined to increase his social circle, this would be the perfect crowd pleasing ploy to use.
Heading back to his desk with two steaming mugs of coffee in his hands, Ianto encountered Jack,
again.
He seemed pleased to see him.
"Ianto."
"Sir."
Jack looked at the mugs appreciatively. He licked a lip.
"Is it that time of day already?"
"It would appear so."
Jack smirked.
"I don't want to hold you up so let's walk and talk."
More talking - great.
"Ianto I think it would be beneficial if we had a follow-up session to our aborted induction. A pow-wow if you will."
"If you wish sir."
"There's just one snag in my tapestry, I don't have a permanent address at the moment."
"I see."
"Ideally I would need somewhere that was comfortable and private."
"Of course."
"Somewhere that was reasonable spacious because I'll have files," Jack looked Ianto dead in the eye "lots of files, papers and charts too."
"Spacious sir, but isn't your office more of a bolt-hole?"
"I fancy a change."
"Obviously."
"So would you have any suggestions where we could go - together?"
"Not off the top of my head sir."
"Think about it Ianto, give it your best shot."
Ianto remained quiet, experience had taught him that gaps in conversations such as this, usually resolved themselves.
Time ticked by.
Jack was a patient soul; he allowed the silence to speak for itself.
The coffee chilled.
Eventually even Ianto was embarrassed by the lack of sound.
"We could always .."
"Always?"
"….go to my place. I mean due to the exceptional circumstances."
"That's a fantastic idea."
"I wouldn't go that far. It solves a problem that's all."
"So it's a date."
"It's not a date."
"I like dates."
"I don't do dates."
"Dates are cosy."
"Seriously, drop the D word from your vocabulary."
"Can I call it a mini-date?"
"There you go with the D word again."
"A dmeeting then?"
"Oh if you must."
"'Til our dmeeting, I bid you adieu dIanto."
Ianto turned, tutted and rolled his eyes as he made his escape with his overdue refreshments.
-OOO-
"It's weird."
"It's not weird, unorthodox maybe but not weird."
Ianto was spilling the beans to Tosh, who had bought herself a small carton of orange juice in lieu of her long-lost coffee.
"He's weird."
"Not weird just different."
"He wears jewellery."
"So."
"Bracelets."
"Oh."
"He's always happy."
"When was happiness made a criminal offence?"
"He's far too friendly." Ianto huffed.
Tosh's nose wrinkled and eyes crinkled at this.
"You could use a little friendliness right now." Even though laughter surrounded this line, she sincerely meant every word.
Ever since Ianto had returned to work Tosh had been increasingly concerned about his limited social circle. As far as she was aware, Ianto only had herself and Owen to call upon; and Owen Harper was a doctor, a paid professional. Between them they had been managing Ianto's anxiety levels with kindness, care and therapy.
"What's your level right now hun?"
The change of tack took Ianto by surprise. He felt a flash of anger, but this was quickly tempered by good sense, as he knew Tosh only had his best interests at heart.
"8 maybe 9."
"Wow that high? He really got to you didn't he? Why do think that is?"
Ianto shrugged his shoulders. As Tosh gave possible explanations for his current mood, he spied a gift. He slowly reached out his hand towards an absent colleague's desk. Discarded on his worktop was a box of matches. Ianto's hand closed around them. Praising himself on his stealth Ianto found that Tosh had placed her hand over his. The silent struggle was over in seconds. Ianto released his bounty into his vigilant bounty-hunter's palm.
"Maybe you should give Owen a call."
"No.!" Ianto said this quicker and louder than he should have.
"Just to check-in with him. Give him an update."
Ianto slowly nodded. He knew the quickest way for this discussion to end was to agree.
"I'll call him tonight."
"I think it's for the best, don't you?"
"Hmmmm." This was all Ianto was able to commit to right now.
-OOO-
Later that night:
"Dr Harper's Out-of-Hours Service: How may I help you?"
"May I speak to the doctor please?"
"Is it an emergency?"
"Erm.."
"It's just that he only deals with emergencies at this hour. Routine calls need to made during office hours."
"I think it is."
"Are you sure?"
"Well not completely."
"Only I'd hate to waste his time."
"Of course I understand. Could I just have a quick chat with him regardless, I'm a bit muddled at the moment?"
"You really ought to be sure before you call. His time is very precious you know."
"You're right, maybe I should leave it."
"Whatever you think is best."
"Thank you - goodbye."
"Goodnight sir."
-OOO-
2ND Feb 07.30
Jack had woken up excited. This didn't happen very often. After paying particular attention to his appearance, he put on his greatcoat and left for the office with a spring in his step. If Jack had been younger, he might have played mind games with himself and put his bubbly good mood, down to the fact that Cardiff was experiencing an exceptionally mild day for February, or to the fact that his horoscope had stated, that he would wrestle successfully with his future today. No Jack was no fool; he knew he was as giddy as a goat, because he would be spending time with a certain Welshman. Alone time too.
To expedite matters, Jack would be hot-desking on the first floor, so that he could make a speedy exit.
Their appointment was at mid-day, and as it was Friday, he thought that an afternoon out of the office may lead to evening drinks and distractions. Jack was the eternal optimist.
By 11.30 Jack was good to go. All his files were ready and he had packed a small trunk as well, just for show.
12.00 came and went, so did 12.30. Jack had formed many impressions of Ianto, but none of them included tardiness. He decided to investigate.
On the thirteenth floor Jack came across Ianto's colleague, a dainty smartly dressed Asian woman, Ms Sato.
She looked worried, anxious, almost to the point of distress.
"Ms Sato have you seen Mr Jones at all?"
"No I haven't, in fact I was just about to come and see you. I'm very worried."
"Oh."
"He hasn't been in all morning and that's not like Ianto, you can normally set your watch by him."
"He missed our appointment too."
"He's not answering his phones either."
"Has he ever done anything like this before?"
Tosh started to shake her head and then she stopped.
"Only once" she whispered "but he wasn't feeling very well, it was a while ago."
Jack furrowed his brow. Unease drew up a chair.
"What do you mean, not feeling very well?" For some reason this caused his insides to lurch to the left.
Even though Tosh wanted to help Ianto, she didn't feel comfortable giving all his secrets away. However she instinctively knew that now was not the time to be prudish.
"All I will say is that he was feeling a little agitated back then, I think he might be feeling that way again."
She pulled herself up to her full height of 5 ft 1" in an attempt to bring herself up to Jack's eye-level..
"Captain Jack.."
"Just Jack's fine."
"Ianto could use a friend right now."
"Say no more, let's go."
With a flourish of his greatcoat Jack swept out of the room, leaving Tosh trailing in his wake.
Once outside, they decided to split up to cover more ground. Tosh said she would scour Ianto's old haunts, such as they were and Jack would search the more standard places, Bus and train stations etc.
Jack climbed into his black SUV with tinted windows and made tracks.
Once Tosh was out of sight, Jack made his way down a side alley and pulled over.
Now he could use all the tools he had at his disposal. Pushing back his bracelets and strapping on his wristband, Jack searched all the time zones he had access to. Maintenance was never Jack's strong suit so he was several upgrades behind where he needed to be. Nevertheless his integrated pinpoint device picked up a weak signal, from a desolate area directly behind the conurbation known as Splott.
It registered 1am earlier today. Jack had to move fast, he only had small window of opportunity with this out-dated package. Turning on his vortex manipulator, Jack readied himself for a bumpy ride.
-OOO-
2ND Feb 01.00
Ianto wasn't much of a drinker. In fact it was safe to say that the term "lightweight" had been devised especially for him. When forced to endure nights out with friends and colleagues, Ianto could make a pint last the duration. He had even been known to leave some for Mr Manners. In light of this, his quest to drink his own bodyweight in gin seemed an odd one.
Gin makes you sin.
Ianto had his reasons. He was trying to keep them to himself; but he was running out of headspace.
He had slipped into the slipstream again.
He needed 'rushes to cling onto by the riverbank; but there weren't any.
He had tried treading water, but now he was beginning to drown.
He needed a release.
He was arranging it right now.
-O-
Jack spotted him. He wasn't hard to miss. A lone figure in the middle of wasteland, surrounded by five large metal drums.
The disquiet inside Jack's head grew louder.
He moved with deliberate slow motion. He didn't want to startle him.
Ianto appeared to be talking to himself. From this distance it was difficult to decipher the individual words, but Jack seemed to pick up on one refrain.
Worthless. I'm worthless, dirty and worthless.
It's not true Jack instinctively thought. How could you think such a thing?
Considering it was an unseasonably mild night, Jack was surprised to see that he could make out Ianto's reflection in the wetness that pooled at his feet.
A wetness that had a certain sheen to it…and smell.
Oh no!
Jack heard the click before Ianto had finished making it.
As Ianto became engulfed in a shawl of red, orange and yellow, the lighter fell from his hand.
Without thought Jack wrestled Ianto to the ground. They crash-landed in the slickness.
Nose-to-nose, chest-to-chest, thigh-to-thigh. Surrounded by a ring of fire.
Ianto realised that he wasn't alone for the first time.
Recalling his initial training, Jack knew that sweet and sour cancelled each other out.
Reaching into the elements, he summoned torrential rain.
The resulting localised cloudburst, puzzled meteorologists for weeks to come.
-O-
Scooping up Ianto into his arms was a challenge. He was lighter than he looked, although his current boneless state added difficulty.
Jack had wrapped his coat around him, for extra comfort. Ianto was unconsciously stroking his fingers over the fabric, as though in a trance.
Jack looked down at his face; even drunk and covered in grime, sweat and gravel he was still the most shockingly beautiful man Jack could remember seeing.
Something about his fragility touched his hearts. Something in him cried out to be cared for.
He knew Ianto was more than a plaything.
He knew that now.
Ianto was stirring.
He coughed and spluttered and attempted to speak.
"No don't talk, just rest Ianto. I've got you. You're safe."
"I I 's nice."
"Sshh."
"Feel's nic..
"Hush now."
"I l l like y y our coat sir."
-OOO-
Comments are always appreciated