Really, he should be surprised when this place shows up instead of the conference room. Ianto should be completely, utterly surprised that this strange, warm place has suddenly thrown him in its grip
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Jack happens to be still lounging near the door when Ianto walks in, and for a moment he sits there silently just watching him with a faint smirk. New one. That much is obvious. Good-looking new one, which is the part Jack's really focusing on.
"You're not going to find any of them here, whoever they are," he says at last. "Don't worry, I'm sure they'll be there when you get back."
Jack, for his part, is not dressed the way Ianto would be expecting. Granted, he's usually an anachronism anyway, but usually of a different sort. Today, he's wearing a World War I uniform, about thirty years off his usual style. A very dirty and very bloodied World War I uniform, though both the dirt and blood are old - he could've gotten a new uniform, but none of them had clean uniforms where he was going, so it would have just looked out of place.
Although it may not show, he is a little surprised to hear a very familiar voice. Turning to look at Jack, his face lights up a little bit, even if the statement he's made was a little odd.
"Perhaps if I knew where I was, sir, then going back might be a little more comforting."
And, as usual, there is the offer of the coffee cup, with that damnably strong blend that his Jack always preferred. He's notice the change in the other, but doesn't question it just yet. They're all minor things, so, well, maybe it's just one of those days.
Jack's a little surprised to see the sudden change in expression - it's subtle, but Jack's good at reading people. But he'll let it go for the moment. It's the "sir" that really makes him raise his eyebrows. Yeah, he gets that all the time - military and all - but this man is definitely not a military person. Jack knows the type.
He blinks at the offered coffee, and accepts it, though he looks a little surprised. "...Thanks. This is the Inn. It's outside of space and time. I think the actual name is Outside Inn, but that's a little too punny for my taste. At least, when I'm not making the puns. And I'm Captain Jack Harkness."
Ianto knows something is very different about the Captain, and about the place around him in general. Sitting the tray down on one of the closer tables, he'll turn slowly and look at the other man.
"I know who you are, sir." He'll state carefully, questions about the place around him long forgotten for the time. "Are you feeling ill?"
He doesn't approach, though. This isn't the Jack Harkness he knows, that's for certain. Not completely. Fingers twitch because he's tempted to reach for his gun, for his own safety. But he doesn't, not yet.
Jack frowns a little, considering him. He can't help but notice that little twitch of his fingers, but he's decidedly unconcerned about it - for one thing, Jack can deal with being shot at (or just plain being shot). For another, it's the Inn, and he's pretty sure he can't shoot him here.
On the other hand, he's got an edgy kid who apparently knows some version of him and... Oh, doesn't he just love timeline complications.
"It seems I'm at a bit of a disadvantage here, because I don't know you." He sets the coffee aside and gets to his feet, stepping forward, still with that smile. "And I'm sure I'd remember you if I ever met you before. You're pretty, and I like people who call me sir. So... when and where am I supposed to know you from? My life doesn't always happen in exactly the right order sometimes."
With the other advancing, Ianto takes a step back. He's considering what he should say, if anything to this man. They haven't exactly dealt with shapeshifters of sorts before, but certain those who will easily possess a person.
But would Jack succumb to that sort of thing?
He relaxes a slight, "21st century, Cardiff." There's a moment of thought, but he dismisses any and everything about Torchwood. Also, don't mind the slight twinge of a smirk set on his lips. "And that could easily be sexual harassment, so I would be careful, sir."
He can't help it. No matter what sort of Jack this might be, he has a way about it.
Jack raises his hands in a slight "it's okay" gesture when Ianto steps back, stopping a bit away from him to give him some space. Just until he calms down.
"Could it really? Well, there's not really anyone to reprimand me if it is, is there?" And this kid really doesn't seem to mind. Like anyone ever minds Jack flirting with them. "Twenty-first century Cardiff makes sense, though. I'm not crazy about the idea of waiting that long, but there is the Rift right there, and... Sorry, I didn't catch your name."
"Well, it would help if I knew the circumstances. Again, you've got a bit of an advantage here. At least, surrounding you and me - I'm pretty sure I get the circumstances surrounding where we are and all that."
Jack's gratified to see that smile, and the slight step forward. He doesn't like people being scared of him, except when they really deserve it - and then he makes damn sure that they are.
"Nice to meet you, Ianto Jones. I always liked Joneses. Good people to have around." After all, there's Martha, and Harriet Jones, who Rose seems pretty fond of... and this Ianto fellow certainly seems like a good person too. Good enough evidence for Jack.
Stuffing hands in his pockets, Ianto gives a soft nod of the head. "Then, under your circumstances, I assume it's not harassment at all, is it, sir?" Though the lingering smile does nothing to point out his views.
Sorry, Jack, dropping the whole 'sir' bit will take a while.
Ianto, normally, is not one to ask questions, but he can't help himself, "What time period are you from? Now, I mean."
Because talking to your present, but somewhat future Boss? Awkward.
"Considering I don't even know you, not really. But it's usually not for me anyway. I get special allowances." For being, you know, utterly gorgeous and charming. Of course.
He chuckles softly at the question. "I'd have thought the uniform gave it away. World War I. Specifically, September of 1914, in France. Try to avoid that, by the way. Trench warfare, not the most fun thing you could do."
Well, the uniform would be a complete give-away if his own Captain didn't sport an age-old coat, himself. That seemed to be a relatively common theme for the other.
"I'm not too sure I plan on traveling through time at any point, so not to worry."
And here, you'll have a small laugh, "And I'm not too fond of trench warfar in any sense, so I believe that settles it."
Well, yes, there is that. But that's just because there are certain time periods Jack's always felt comfortable in, or that he's particularly attached to for one reason or another... World War I is the obvious one, for equally obvious reasons.
"Good man," Jack says, reaching out with a grin to chuck Ianto's chin lightly. Like he was going to not flirt for longer than a minute or two. "Very smart of you. I never could avoid the time travel thing. Guess that says something about my intelligence... When I had access to it, at least, though lately it's not so much an option."
His later self will be very annoyed at himself for this whole conversation. But this Jack isn't quite so concerned about people knowing details of his life.
Ianto will duck away a little, alsmot shyly, as the hand comes to his chin. He doesn't completely avoid it, but it's enough to show he might be a little resistant to it.
"It's rather easy for me to avoid it, though, as we don't quite have that sort of technology."
Time travel is still very much a sort of sci-fi fantasy. Not that he would know, goodness no.
"How could you not have access to your intelligence? That doesn't seem very logical." Though, he could think of a few ways in which it might happen...
"No, you wouldn't. Twenty-first century and all..." Jack sighs a little. It would appear he gets all the way to the twenty-first century, at least, before he sees the Doctor. Now that's depressing. But he's not thinking about that now. Because if he thinks about that too much now... he's never going to actually leave.
So he focuses on Ianto's comments to distract himself, snorting a little in amusement at the question. "I meant that I don't have access to time travel. Or was that a joke? It's a little hard to tell with you, you know."
"You're not going to find any of them here, whoever they are," he says at last. "Don't worry, I'm sure they'll be there when you get back."
Jack, for his part, is not dressed the way Ianto would be expecting. Granted, he's usually an anachronism anyway, but usually of a different sort. Today, he's wearing a World War I uniform, about thirty years off his usual style. A very dirty and very bloodied World War I uniform, though both the dirt and blood are old - he could've gotten a new uniform, but none of them had clean uniforms where he was going, so it would have just looked out of place.
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"Perhaps if I knew where I was, sir, then going back might be a little more comforting."
And, as usual, there is the offer of the coffee cup, with that damnably strong blend that his Jack always preferred. He's notice the change in the other, but doesn't question it just yet. They're all minor things, so, well, maybe it's just one of those days.
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He blinks at the offered coffee, and accepts it, though he looks a little surprised. "...Thanks. This is the Inn. It's outside of space and time. I think the actual name is Outside Inn, but that's a little too punny for my taste. At least, when I'm not making the puns. And I'm Captain Jack Harkness."
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"I know who you are, sir." He'll state carefully, questions about the place around him long forgotten for the time. "Are you feeling ill?"
He doesn't approach, though. This isn't the Jack Harkness he knows, that's for certain. Not completely. Fingers twitch because he's tempted to reach for his gun, for his own safety. But he doesn't, not yet.
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On the other hand, he's got an edgy kid who apparently knows some version of him and... Oh, doesn't he just love timeline complications.
"It seems I'm at a bit of a disadvantage here, because I don't know you." He sets the coffee aside and gets to his feet, stepping forward, still with that smile. "And I'm sure I'd remember you if I ever met you before. You're pretty, and I like people who call me sir. So... when and where am I supposed to know you from? My life doesn't always happen in exactly the right order sometimes."
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But would Jack succumb to that sort of thing?
He relaxes a slight, "21st century, Cardiff." There's a moment of thought, but he dismisses any and everything about Torchwood. Also, don't mind the slight twinge of a smirk set on his lips. "And that could easily be sexual harassment, so I would be careful, sir."
He can't help it. No matter what sort of Jack this might be, he has a way about it.
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"Could it really? Well, there's not really anyone to reprimand me if it is, is there?" And this kid really doesn't seem to mind. Like anyone ever minds Jack flirting with them. "Twenty-first century Cardiff makes sense, though. I'm not crazy about the idea of waiting that long, but there is the Rift right there, and... Sorry, I didn't catch your name."
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"Perhaps it could; it all would depend on the circumstances, I suppose."
He's getting the feeling that this Captain isn't an imposter. Not many people could manage to be... well, Jack.
"Ianto Jones." A small smile and he'll even take a step closer. "
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Jack's gratified to see that smile, and the slight step forward. He doesn't like people being scared of him, except when they really deserve it - and then he makes damn sure that they are.
"Nice to meet you, Ianto Jones. I always liked Joneses. Good people to have around." After all, there's Martha, and Harriet Jones, who Rose seems pretty fond of... and this Ianto fellow certainly seems like a good person too. Good enough evidence for Jack.
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Sorry, Jack, dropping the whole 'sir' bit will take a while.
Ianto, normally, is not one to ask questions, but he can't help himself, "What time period are you from? Now, I mean."
Because talking to your present, but somewhat future Boss? Awkward.
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He chuckles softly at the question. "I'd have thought the uniform gave it away. World War I. Specifically, September of 1914, in France. Try to avoid that, by the way. Trench warfare, not the most fun thing you could do."
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"I'm not too sure I plan on traveling through time at any point, so not to worry."
And here, you'll have a small laugh, "And I'm not too fond of trench warfar in any sense, so I believe that settles it."
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"Good man," Jack says, reaching out with a grin to chuck Ianto's chin lightly. Like he was going to not flirt for longer than a minute or two. "Very smart of you. I never could avoid the time travel thing. Guess that says something about my intelligence... When I had access to it, at least, though lately it's not so much an option."
His later self will be very annoyed at himself for this whole conversation. But this Jack isn't quite so concerned about people knowing details of his life.
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"It's rather easy for me to avoid it, though, as we don't quite have that sort of technology."
Time travel is still very much a sort of sci-fi fantasy. Not that he would know, goodness no.
"How could you not have access to your intelligence? That doesn't seem very logical." Though, he could think of a few ways in which it might happen...
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So he focuses on Ianto's comments to distract himself, snorting a little in amusement at the question. "I meant that I don't have access to time travel. Or was that a joke? It's a little hard to tell with you, you know."
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Being professional all of the time? Perhaps not the best habit in the world to have.
"Not that I would assume you were unintelligent by any sort, of course." What's that? Light sarcasm?
Smirk.
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