Red is My Colour Day Thirty-one - Jones and Sons
Title: Jones and Sons
Pairing: Jack/Ianto
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: BBC owns these boys and I am pretty sure they own each other… Damn
Summary: All good things come to an end.
Warning: Not beta checked so I apologize for any mistakes… I really need a beta.
A/N: Written for day 31 of redismycolour. Oh my, it just really hit me this is the last day even though I am late. Sorry!
When the small clock sitting on Jack's desk chimed 5 o'clock he was surprised at how late it had already gotten. What concerned him even more was that he hadn't seen Ianto since the younger man had brought in curry for lunch over 4 hours ago. Jack leaned back in his chair and stretched, groaning when his shoulders and back popped. He had been hunched over too long and without Ianto's distractions he had barely moved. Jack found it very odd that the Welshman had been absent for so long. Usually when he had the time to pull an all day paperworkathon Ianto would show up in regular intervals with coffee and snacks.
Jack decided he had enough paperwork for one day and got up, intend on finding his missing lover. Jack did a quick sweep of the Hub but did not find Ianto, although he did nip a few cookies from Tosh's desk when she wasn't looking. Weighing his options Jack settled on checking the tourist office next, Ianto usually wasn't in the basement at this time of day. On the other side if he was in the tourist office he probably was brooding; as Ianto integrated into the team more and more the sign on the tourist office remained on closed more than open. Jack really didn’t mind, it wasn't the best cover to begin with but he would bet good money most of the old bitties that visited daily missed Ianto's company.
Jack bounded into the tourist office expecting to see Ianto at his computer, instead he found the other man pacing and speaking in a hushed but angry tone into his mobile. "No Iola... I can't believe you did that without bothering to ask me... I don't have time to argue with you about this... It seems you have already done what you wanted. I'll call you later about arranging a money gram." Ianto snapped his phone shut and looked tempted to throw it across the room.
"Everything alright?" Jack asked.
Ianto jumped, he had obviously not heard Jack enter the small office. "Fine Sir. Everything is fine." Ianto grimaced and tossed his phone onto the old wood desk that took up most of the office.
"It doesn't seem fine." Jack frowned. He closed the few remaining steps between them and looped his arms around Ianto's waist. "What's going on?"
"It's stupid," Ianto whispered, trying to swallow the tight lump in his throat.
"Not a lot gets to you anymore so whatever is bothering you isn't stupid. You never make a big deal out of the stupid stuff." Ianto turned his head away and let out a few heavy breaths that warmed Jack's neck. "Please Yan, you're shaking. I can tell you're upset.
Ianto pulled Jack closer, tucking his head into Jack's neck. "Do you have time to go somewhere with me?"
"Of course." Jack wanted to ask Ianto a thousand questions but he knew if he pushed before Ianto was ready to share he would clam-up and try and deal with this on his own. "Do you need me to drive?"
"No." Ianto slid out of Jack's grip with ease and recaptured the captain's hand. They silently collected their coats and headed down to the garage together. Jack always had a hard time maintaining these silent periods that Ianto seemed so at ease with. The drive was long and Jack tried to remain quiet and calm even when he could see Ianto's knuckles turning white as he gripped the steering wheel tightly. Eventually they pulled up to a rundown area of buildings that Jack wasn't overly familiar with.
"Where are we?" Jack asked as Ianto cut the engine and unclipped his seatbelt.
"Newport, specifically Bettws."
"You grew up in Newport didn't you?"
Ianto remained silent for a short stretch as the interior light in the SUV shut off leaving them in darkness. "Yeah." Ianto finally pulled the keys out the ignition and tugged his scarf a little tighter; signaling to Jack it was time to get out. As Jack got out of the car a cold wind blew past him and he was beginning to wonder why Ianto had taken them all the way out to Newport in such bitter weather. The two men linked hands again when Ianto came around the side of the SUV and walked past a few rundown and vacant shops until he stopped in front of one with a peeling red door.
"This used to be my tad's shop." Jack wasn't sure if Ianto was expecting a response or if this was one of those times where he needed to keep muted and wait. Jack picked the latter and was rewarded a few minutes later. "Can you see where the sign used to be?"
"Jones and Sons?" Jack asked barely able to distinguish lettering on the crumbling wood.
"Was always supposed to take over." Ianto sighed and picked at the peeling paint with his free hand. "When my tad died I wanted to start right away. My mam didn’t think it was practical for a 16 year old to drop out of school and work in a tailor shop."
"Why didn't you after high school? You could have found someone to apprentice with couldn't you?" Jack asked, watching the other man's facial expression carefully.
Ianto's eyes took on a faraway look. "I was so angry at my mam for closing the shop I turned into an utter brat. You've seen my record... By the time I got my shite together she was already ill. After everything I put her through I couldn't place her in a hospice house. We couldn't afford much more than the mortgage payments on the house and shop with both of us not working. Then my life just seemed to run away with me. Ended up in T1 with Lisa and then Canary Wharf destroyed the life I had finally pulled back together. I had hoped after Lisa was well I might get a second go at it..."
Jack brushed his thumb along the side of Ianto's hand. "And now?"
"Now my older sister has sold it and it will become a football pitch in a few months time." Ianto let a bitter smile develop on his face and wiped away a bit of the wetness that had pooled around his eyes. "Even though it hasn't been in the cards for a long time keeping the building gave me some odd form of hope. That maybe if I waited long enough I could have a life like that again."
"Oh Ianto," Jack said softly pulling the other man into a half hug. "I could probably buy it back for you if you wanted"
Ianto leaned his head on Jack shoulder and truly smiled for the first time that day. "Thank you Jack but I think it might be better this way."
"Why?"
"It's time to let go; that shop hasn't been a part of who I am for a long time. I have different hopes and dreams now. I needed to come out here to say goodbye but that's all. Though it would have been nice to see it become more than a football pitch but Iola really needed the money," Ianto said wistfully.
"You would have made a fine tailor." Jack looked into the shop's windows trying to imagine what it was like in its glory days.
"Thanks..." Ianto moved his ungloved hands into his coat pockets. "I love you Jack."
"Love you too Yan."
"A few more minutes?"
"As long as you need."
FIN