TEXT; UN: J.SHEPPARD

[impavid]

Alright, new pop quiz. When you think of home, what do you think of?

[ Open question, which he's not going to expand on unless prompted -- though really he's curious about something specific. Do people consider Olympia or Wyver their home now? Maybe the Natha station? Or do they think of home worlds they've been told no longer exist? ]

Comments

[impavid]

You're not supposed to answer the same as other people, you're supposed to say what it is for you. Doesn't matter if it isn't the same as anyone else, that's not the point.

[torchwoodteaboy]

Doesn't it? I feel as though it should. I haven’t been there much since she died when I was 14. Even if there was a way to return to Earth, it's not like it's something I'd be able to bring back.

[It's not like he could bring her back. Wow, what a downer he is. He pauses a beat, before he adds:]

But I could try and find it again somewhere else. That's what this is all about, isn't it?

[impavid]

Does everything have to be about something?

[torchwoodteaboy]

Words have a tendency to carry a meaning in my experience, yes.

[He too can make irritating jokes.]

[impavid]

You gonna ask me how it makes me feel, too?

[ Don't psychoanalyse him, Ianto. ]

[torchwoodteaboy]

Oh, that's right. You're the only one allowed to pose the deep questions this time, my mistake.

[impavid]

I don't make the rules, that's just how it is.

[torchwoodteaboy]

Uh-huh. Just how it is.

I'll have to remember that for next time.

[impavid]

Make sure you do!

[torchwoodteaboy]

And apparently I'm not allowed to intuit anything from this conversation either, then. Despite the fact that I do know you fairly well by this point. Or so I'd like to think, at any rate.

[Since that's what he had done.]

[impavid]

Pretty sure nobody needs a degree in psychology to intuit that I am dwelling on the concept of home, Ianto.

[torchwoodteaboy]

You ask me where I picture myself belonging in this life, and you accuse ME of trying to play the therapist just because I try to puzzle out why?

[impavid]

[ What? ]

You didn't have to answer if you didn't want to.

[ You were the one who brought up the belonging thing! John was just tried to get you to be more specific? ]

[torchwoodteaboy]

I wanted to answer. I also wanted to have a conversation with you after the fact. It's generally what people do on this thing. You don't seem to have trouble talking to anyone else.

private;

[impavid]

[ Oh come on -- ]

About ice cream and card games and what a plane is. Don't do that.

private from here on...

[torchwoodteaboy]

That's my fault too then I suppose.

[impavid]

[ What?! ]

As far as I know, you didn't force people to contact me about ice cream and card games so... no?

[torchwoodteaboy]

[hhhhHHHHHH]

It's my fault that I'm not 'fun'. My fault I decided to pipe in and tell you another story about my shitty life instead of reminiscing about my favorite pizza I used to order for the gang. Oh, except there was that one time where I got the pizza delivery girl killed by my cyber girlfriend since she needed somewhere else to transplant her brain.

Guess that one's out too.

[impavid]

[ ...??? ]

When did I say you aren't fun? Because I'm pretty sure I didn't.

[ We're not even touching the pizza story right now. ]

[torchwoodteaboy]

You've said it just now. Ice cream and card games. I don't have any grand stories of being a captain of my own space ship and I decided to answer your question instead of flirt with you about it. My mistake.

[impavid]

[ ??????

What is even going on here, John has completely lost track. ]

Where does flirting relate to ice cream and card games and spaceships? I told you, you didn't have to answer if you didn't want to. I didn't say you had to be fun! Or flirt with me.

[ Augh this conversation is stupid. ]

When's your next break?

[ He would rather not continue having this weird text based argument. ]

[torchwoodteaboy]

[OH SO NOW HE'S STUPID TOO IS HE???

No, Ianto would prefer not to keep this up either, since John isn't getting it and it's only making him angrier. He thinks he might be scaring the customers and he is supposed to be working...]

An hour.

[impavid]

Alright, what if I bring our lady friend down for a visit?

[ The dog, he means the dog. ]

[torchwoodteaboy]

[He's going to hope he means the dog, yes.]

Yeah, sure. I'll see you then.

[Sorry for the attitude, John. You can't be surprised he's in A Mood, considering.]

>ACTION ?

[impavid]

[ An hour is good!

An hour is long enough for John to take a shower, get dressed, have a cup of tea and coax the puppy into walking with him down.

He waits outside, a bundle of fur mostly held against his chest as he tries to read his phone at the same time. This is mostly so she doesn't keep lunging curiously toward people as they walk out of the cafe.

John looks up every time someone steps out, until finally the person who steps out is Ianto. His expression brightens and he juggles the dog so he can stow his phone in his pocket, trying to keep her from squirming to reach Ianto. ]

Hey!

[ A casual start...? ]