m_findlow

Title: You only live once
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Ianto, Jack
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 775 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for juliet316's prompt "Any, any, celebrate good times" at fic_promptly
Summary: Ianto and Jack are celebrating a special occasion

Ianto sauntered down the street, hand in hand with Jack, feeling full and sleepy from their delicious meal. He didn't know what half the things Jack had ordered were, but he'd learnt long ago to just go along with it and trust Jack.

Overhead the street lights twinkled in the night sky like little fireflies. It reminded him of Chinatown streets, with their hanging lanterns and fairy lights, and full of people regardless of the late hour. As far as birthday celebrations went, this was just to his liking, and there was no need for anything fancy. Forty seven was hardly a milestone event, especially when it was looking very likely that there would be several thousand birthdays to follow it.

He felt Jack tug on his hand just a little bit, pulling him over to the left.

'Where are we going?'

'Now, I know you wanted to keep things low key,' Jack began, 'but there's this little club just down here that's amazing.'

Ianto raised an eyebrow at him. 'You want to go clubbing? Aren't we a bit old for that?'

'You're never too old for a good party. Besides, you don't look a day over twenty five.'

Ianto wanted to take it as a compliment, but it was quite literally true. Well, maybe not twenty five. He'd been closer to thirty at the time. Oh well, what did it matter? He looked a lot younger than he was and that was the whole point.

Jack looked at his hesitation. 'We don't have have to, of course. It's your big day.'

'I don't mind, really.'

'Just one drink, then,' Jack promised. 'You'll love it in there. Such a good vibe.'

Jack lead him by the hand and slipped them past the velvet rope and the large bouncer standing at the door, stamping the backs of their hands with some kind of invisible but indelible ink.

Inside the place was wall to wall bright royal blue with little silver lights dotted about. There was every kind of alien represented inside, but all of them looked to be having a good time, swaying to the groovy sound or lounging in plush booths.

'What do you think?' Jack asked.

'It's much more chillax than I expected for a club.'

'That's just this level,' Jack replied. 'Things get crazier the higher up you go. Down here it's smooth and casual.'

As a waitress glided past, four different trays of drinks held one in each tentacled hand, Jack grabbed a bright green concoction. Ianto was fairly certain it wasn't Midori. He surveyed the passing tray and selected a tall glass with clear sparkling water. Just as he was about to take a sip, Jack took it off him.

'Oh, no. I don't think you want that one.' He switched it for something in a curvy glass that, like the rest of the interior, was electric blue and handed it across.

'I thought we were going easy,' Ianto said.

'We are. Trust me, you didn't want that drink.'

'Why not?'

Jack chuckled. 'The last time I had one of those, I woke up on the top floor of this club, had lost four whole days, and everything I value from the waist down ached for another four days afterwards.' He grinned. 'In a good way, though. There's a reason why they call that drink "Foursomes and moresomes".'

Ianto looked down at his glass, and then back at Jack. It was lucky he had someone around who knew more than he did about the universe, even after all these years.

'Happy birthday, Ianto,' Jack said, raising his glass in toast. 'May there be many more.'

Ianto looked at the glass again. Yes, there would be many, many more, and here he was, standing in a club on his birthday trying to pick out the least alcoholic beverage they had. Forty seven wasn't over the hill yet, was it? If it was, then it didn't bode well for the next few millennia. He'd be a sad old man on the inside forever.

As soon as the waitress sped past with her trays again, he quickly switched drinks, taking back the one he'd originally picked out. Before Jack could stop him, he sculled it down.

'Ianto, what the hell?' Jack said, stunned by the sudden break in sanity.

'It's my birthday,' Ianto said. 'I've decided that you only live once, er, sort of. Now are we going to have some fun tonight, or not?'

Jack turned and grabbed a second clear drink, downing it quickly, grabbing Ianto firmly by the hand. 'Upstairs?'

'Lead the way.'

Jack pulled him closed and kissed him roughly. 'See you in four days.'