parked | IC CONTACT POST

[Back when...? Oh. God, that seemed like it'd been ages ago, by now, though it must not have been more than a year or so]

You teased him about something he was already self-conscious about...

Yep. In my defense, though, I didn't know it at the time. And joking around is usually how I make situations stop being awkward...

Yeah, I get how that can be. I can just imagine how he must've taken something like that. Probably turned and walked away or something like that, didn't he? [Jack muses aloud]

Pretty much. Without the umbrella and everything. I didn't let him get too far, though, and I haven't made the same mistake since.

Yeah, well. There you go. He shut you out, only he didn't have an actual door to close and lock on you that time, so you could go after him. At least you learn from your mistakes... [It's more than he can say for himself, after all]

If you weren't so stubborn, you would be able to too. And you'll be able to make it up to him.

[Jack shoots him a look at Sulu at the comment about him being stubborn. Like that's going to change any time soon...] How? [he questions, before adding:]

He's stubborn too, you know. It's not like I'm the only one at fault for our arguments.

Of course you're not. But I'm not talking to Ianto, so... [He shrugs.] I'm not sure how to tell you to not be stubborn. Take deep breaths, I guess?

[Jack's look does nothing to change as he regards Sulu for the moment. Take deep breaths indeed...] You do work in the military, don't you? You do know that stubbornness is almost a requirement for the job of captain, right? It's not exactly something that I can just turn on and off...

Stubbornness when it's appropriate is useful. But, that's called tenacity. [Sulu's on the career path most likely to take him to captaincy, after all. He knows this sort of stuff is important.] But knowing how to cooperate and show leniency and patience is important to the job, too. And even then, I know there's more to you than just your captaincy.

[A muscle in Jack's jaw tightens. He knows how to cooperate and show leniency and patience on the job, it's when it comes to his personal life that he starts to struggle]

[Sulu sees that and frowns.] ...I don't know what you want me to tell you, Jack.

[Jack makes a noise of frustration and sits back in his chair] ...that's fine. I'm not even really sure what I'm doing here.

[Going back to the Hub was out, and staying with Ianto was out, and Scotty wouldn't understand where he was coming from, so. That left Sulu. Either that, or brooding somewhere in Cardiff for a while, and Jack doesn't feel much like being alone at the moment]

Taking comfort in the fact that someone else knows Ianto can be a little overdramatic, maybe? [He grins a little, to show that he's joking.] I don't mind you being here, or anything. I just wish I could offer something better than what I have.

[Jack shrugs] It's not your problem. You're not the one who pissed him off this time. I guess it does help to know that I'm not completely in the wrong like he tries to make me out to be. That's got to count for something.

You were trying to have a real discussion. I told him to try and listen, but I guess that didn't really help...

Like I said. I'm not the only one who can be stubborn. I guess it didn't help that he was tired. I probably should have noticed that a long time before you texted me to let me know. [It turns out that Ianto isn't the only one that's tired. Not that Jack would ever admit to that fact...]

You were both working for... what, fourteen hours, right? [It occurs to him that Jack might be tired too, but he's not going to mention it quite yet.]

Well. I called him in fourteen hours ago... [Which is Jack's way of avoiding the question. Avoiding mentioning that he'd been on the job for the entire night before he'd called Ianto in]

[Sulu catches on to that pretty quickly.] And how long before that had you been working?

[Jack shrugs. It may seem that he's trying to play it cool but the reality is that he can't remember when he last slept. Sometime earlier that week. It might have been a day ago. Possibly two or three]

... [Sulu gives Jack a Look.] You should probably get some sleep

I don't need sleep. I'll be fine. [LIES]

[Jack Harkness you go to bed right now.]

Either you're not telling me how long you were working because you know I'll be irritated by it or because you don't know how long it's been. Either way, you need to get at least a few hours. [Pause.] You can sleep in my cabin.

You don't have to do this. I can leave. You have better things to do than babysit me in your time off.

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