milliways_bar | (no subject)

"I have a hope," Ianto says as he peels off the paper. "Not entirely a plan.

"Would you like half?"

"Only if you honestly don't want it," Lorne says. "In which case, I'd be offended that you didn't like my present. It's your birthday. Be a little selfish.

"So what's the hope?"

"Eating it on my own seems impolite."

He has a bite anyway. Yum. Chocolate.

"My hope is my particular friend will come in today and we can do something together."

"I can order one for myself if it would make you feel better." Ah, the sacrifices Lorne is willing to make for a friend.

"Just 'something'? Not a particular thing?" He's good with the needling someone until they blush furiously and/or stammer and/or confess to naughtiness. It comes of working with McKay.

"We've talked about having an actual date," Ianto says with a shrug. "Today's as good a day as any."

He is a rock. He is an island.

"Oh," Lorne says, trying to sound more disappointed then he actually is. "Well...I suppose a date's an okay way to spend your birthday."

There's a definite air of 'If you want to be boring' about him.

Ianto eyebrows at him. "Glad to have your approval."

"I wouldn't go that far," Lorne says.

"Not, of course, that you need my approval. You celebrate your birthday however you want. Really, it's none of my business."

Ianto smirks and has more cupcake. "You want details, I have to assume. You want me to say, oh . . . 'I want John to take me in a manly fashion until I pass out from ecstasy, as I deserve it on my birthday.'"

Don't let the suit fool you. He's a naughty, naughty boy.

"Well, it sure seems like a better way to celebrate than just a date," Lorne says, smiling and not admitting any such thing as wanting details.

Him? Gossip? Never.

"So, I'm assuming, since you do actually want a date, that you've worked out your 'sleeping with people you don't talk to' problem?"

Ianto makes a see-saw motion with his hand. Kinda-sorta.

"We're . . . something more than friends who fuck, something less than boyfriends. All a bit up in the air at the moment."

Lorne shrugs and makes a 'could be worse' sort of face. "It's somewhere to start, at least. Are you...satisfied with that?"

'Or am I gonna have to kick someone's ass for fucking around with a friend of mine' is rather implied in his tone of voice. He gets protective. Some people think it's a flaw.

"I've no complaints." He pauses a moment, then says more quietly, "I've forgot how much I like being special to someone. It's . . . good."

Lorne smiles a private sort of smile. "Yeah...it is."

Ianto smiles too, quiet and private, and says, "So that's how things are with me."

"You're someone's special someone? Sounds like things are pretty good then."

"Yes," Ianto says. "I rather think I am.

"And like I said, I've no complaints. He's a bit rough around the edges but I think we fit, nonetheless."

"Well, you're pretty smooth yourself," Lorne says. "You probably complement each other pretty well."

Ianto chuckles. "Smooth. Thank you."

"Smooth in the sense of being as far from rough around the edges as you can get," Lorne amends.

"So this guy...John, you said? What's he like, other than rough?" Mmm...innuendo...

"I figured that's what you meant. I've been called a lot of things but never smooth. I like it.

"He's . . ." He has to stop and think of the right words. "He's older than me by a bit. Very gruff, but with a tender side. A better man than he thinks he is.

"It's likely you'll meet him if you hang around here enough--his name is Constantine. John Constantine. Approach with caution, but I'd daresay being on his good side is well worth it."

"I'll keep an eye out for him," Lorne says. "And I'll try not to get on his bad side."

"Yellow raincoat, blond hair, usually smoking. Or drinking. Or smoking and drinking."

"Yellow raincoat," Lorne repeats. "Got it. Shouldn't be too hard to find."

Ianto nods and sips his coffee. "And you? I take it all's still well."