(Untitled)

[coffee_sir]

He hadn't expected an answer the next day. He didn't think for a second that he'd find Charlie in the main room, waiting for him to wake up so that life could go back to the way it was. But it still hurt to wake up and not have Charlie next to him in bed. Almost hurt enough not to get out of bed altogether, but he did. Ianto had plans, and he

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[captainjack]

Jack had a lot on his mind, but his smile was no less bright and his swaggering cadence was the same as ever. Strong, confident strides carried him down the path and he breathed deeply, enjoying the morning already. He was out and doing something. Every day it was becoming more and more of a challenge to do something that took his mind off of...well, everything else.

He hummed a few bars of Blow, Gabriel, Blow as he looked back at the other men from beneath his lashes. It was quiet, which made him suspicious, even if he was strangely comfortable for once without dozens of questions hitting him rapid-fire.

[coffee_sir]

"You're healing up well," Ianto remarked as he fell into stride with Jack. It was easy to care about Jack, and to take care of him when he was allowed. Almost as natural as breathing, which meant Ianto didn't have to think about why he cared a bit much today.

"The power coupling on the TARDIS not work out?"

[captainjack]

Jack smiled just a bit brighter and his whole demeanor virtually lit up at the mention of the TARDIS. "Oh, they're working out okay, just a little tricky with the coupling transformers. She can really throw sparks," he laughed. Healing up wasn't much of an issue because new damage covered old damage and after a few late night covert trips to the clinic was healing up the new and helping along the old.

"You should come in and see her. I'll let you hold my tool," he added with a smirk, taking a quick sidestep and laughing at his own quip.

[coffee_sir]

Ianto's eyes slid to the side to give Jack a look for that remark, but it wasn't very strong, and only the corner of his mouth pulled up. "I'd love to see her," he said, acting as if Jack hadn't said anything out of the ordinary. Which, for Jack, he hadn't. "Maybe even work on her if you need help."

[karmic_darwin]

Mohinder had been surprised, pleased, by Ianto's invitation. It came at the best possible time: after Dani, after Coraline, after football tryouts of all things, and now, after Hiro. Hiro's news that they'd stopped Sylar changed exactly everything and nothing, and left precisely where he'd been with a gold star in his wallet and a hole in his heart named Molly.

So a hike, away from people who felt they had the right to know why he smiled less, with those he might tell but who wouldn't ask. And if he said less, enjoying the air and the exercise, both Jack and Ianto might be counted on not to mind in the slightest.

[coffee_sir]

Mohinder knew Charlie. Mohinder knew Peter. Hiro knew both Charlie and Peter. Certain rules, at least of geometry, dictated that there was an excellent chance that Mohinder knew Hiro as well. Ianto didn't want to bring up the repercussions of Hiro's arrival on his relationship with Charlie, but he knew entering into a conversation with Mohinder might result in such a discussion.

But the morning was so clean and peaceful, the task so simple, that Ianto thought he might be willing to take that chance. "Thanks for coming," he said to the other man, checking over his shoulder to make sure that Banon was following along. "You'll probably want to escape before the real work gets done though. Roasting coffee beans do not smell as appetizing as they might sound."

[karmic_darwin]

Ianto seemed quieter than usual, if it were possible to say that of a man who held his own counsel as thoroughly as Ianto did. Mohinder didn't know him well enough to begin to guess at a cause, and Ianto wouldn't thank him for trying. So he offered a pleasant nod of acknowledgment when Ianto spoke and resolved to let the conversation go wherever it might.

"It's my pleasure," he answered, accent rolling out warm and genuine over his words. He also glanced back after Banon, finding a smile on his lips for the memory of her licking Coraline's face. "Of course I won't skip out to leave you to do the real work. I count it compensatory for the pleasure of the hike. Besides, the magic begins with the beans, and I'm determined to learn how you do it."

[coffee_sir]

"It just takes a lot of stirring and a lot of patience," Ianto told him, for once not in the mood to glorify his own coffee-making abilities. Not yet, anyway.

"And the hike itself isn't something to give and take," he pointed out. "It doesn't need payment."