Slashthedrabble Challenge 589 - The perfect moment

[m_findlow]

Title: The perfect moment
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Ianto, Jack
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 500 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for Challenge 589 - Courage at slashthedrabble
Summary: Jack is gearing himself up for the big question.

This was nice, Jack thought, raising the glass of water to his lips and not feeling any need to rush like they usually did. Normally drinking of any kind resulted in a rift alert going off at just the right moment, forcing them to down the last of their drinks in a hurry. Tonight however his team had assured him the night off and even the world ending wasn't going to get in the way - or so he hoped.

‘You can drink the wine, Jack,’ Ianto told him. ‘There's a whole bottle of it and nobody has to get behind the wheel tonight.’

Jack smiled across the table at him. ‘I know. I'm just alternating and pacing myself.’

‘If you insist,’ Ianto replied, enjoying his own glass.

‘I do.’ More than that, he didn't want to start drinking too much too early. He could hold his liquor at a party no problems, but tonight he wanted a clearer head than usual. Tonight wasn't just any night, after all. Tonight was the night Jack planned to propose, and any need for some Dutch courage would come later on.

He hadn't planned this as the big momentous occasion. The whole idea of marrying Ianto wasn't crazy but just something that Jack had never rushed into. They had time yet and he hadn't wanted to marry just for the sake of it, or to underscore the fact that maybe they didn't have all that much time. Torchwood was dangerous and any day could be their last day together but that didn't feel like reason enough to do it. Love one another fiercely every single day but no need to make it official. They loved each other and that was enough.

But something had changed. Maybe it was Jack, or maybe it was Ianto who was doing the changing, but Jack had begun to feel a certain urgency about it. It was more a feeling that if he waited too long Ianto might find someone else. Perhaps that was mad, but it bothered him deep down. Maybe Ianto would get tired of waiting for Jack, and so without too much thinking, Jack resolved himself. He already had the ring - his father's wedding band that had been his mum's last parting gift. It burned a hole in Jack's pocket.

‘This is nice,’ Ianto said, echoing Jack's earlier thought. ‘Dinner at home with no one rushing us to order or hassling us about whether we're enjoying it. Even if it means we have to cook and do our own dishes.’

‘I know you don't like me spoiling you at those fancy restaurants, even if you deserve it. You'll only tell me someone saw us there.’

Ianto smirked. ‘Yes, not being the subject of all the gossip on the estate is definitely something. I think maybe they're jealous.’

‘Can you blame them?’

‘This though… This is just perfect. I wouldn't want anything spoiling this moment.’

Jack pulled his hand away from his pocket, suddenly losing his nerve.