Slashthedrabble Challenge 604 - Staying in

[m_findlow]

Title: Staying in
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Ianto, Jack
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 500 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for Challenge 604 - Thunderstorm at slashthedrabble
Summary: Jack has managed to ruin date night but Ianto isn't too bothered.

Jack pulled a face as he studied the computer screen, watching the classified data stream in from some orbital satellites that the government didn't know about. He'd learned long ago not to trust any satellite imagery supplied by the Met Office. Their satellites were forever being hacked by the alien equivalent of alien teenagers, made to look like torrential downpours were due on bright sunny days, and perfect weather ahead on days more likely to sprout hail and blizzard conditions. They always said blame it in the weatherman for getting it wrong but Jack felt for the guy. It actually wasn't his fault. Today however he definitely had cause to frown.

'Are you finishing up soon?' Ianto asked, entering Jack's office to tidy away the day's mugs and plates, replacing one stack of completed paperwork with another that was due Jack's attention tomorrow.

Jack looked up from the screen and his face fell enough for Ianto to read the expression immediately.

'What is it?'

'Thunderstorm headed our way,' Jack replied. 'Looks like a big one.'

'So much for that clear night with just a chance of mist and fog,' Ianto said, sighing. 'Does anyone look out the window these days before reporting the forecast?'

'Doesn't seem so.'

Ianto leaned back against the edge of the desk and looked at Jack. 'Guess that's our night off scuppered.'

'I'm sorry,' Jack apologised. He'd been looking forward to a night cuddled up on the couch just as much as Ianto. 'It's just…'

'I know. You worry that the rift machine gets a little tetchy when there's a lot of lightning around.'

Jack nodded in defeat. The water tower looked nice but it was a massive lightning rod during a bad storm, and the rift machine was fickle at the best of times. One of these days the right bolt of lightning was going to cause them real trouble when it hit. 'You should go home and hunker down for the night. At least one of us can still have a night off in front of the idiot box.'

Ianto raised an eyebrow at him. 'What? And watch Bake Off all by myself? That's our thing. It's what we do together. I'm happy to stay here and keep you company.'

'Ianto, no,' Jack pleaded, reaching out to grasp his hand and feeling ten kinds of guilt. 'You spend forever here now as it is. Go home. Rest. You've done enough work. More than enough,' he added.

Ianto shrugged him off. 'Who said anything about working? I can curl up on the sofa in your office whilst you're monitoring the storm. Once you've decided to stop being a panic merchant, and that the rift machine won't explode because Tosh has installed every kind of electrical discharge safety mechanism between the hub and the tower, then you can come curl up on the sofa with me, and I can mock your obsessive worrying. How's that sound?'

Jack smiled at how well Ianto knew him. 'Sounds perfect.'