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[ FINISHED/CLOSED ]

Who: John Sheppard & Ianto Jones
What: I Held My Tongue For Like 30 Minutes What More Do You Want?
When: Backdated to the, 24th/25th of May?
Where: Leaving main Wyver for Khalo
Warning(s): Weird Tension, fyrra use

John's best lead for the whole thing is going to be Khalo, but they can at least meander through the main hub first so Ianto can get a drink before he collapses on the floor. He can explain it once Ianto is a little more alert. John is benevolent enough to suggest this without letting on it's mostly for Ianto's sake, even though they both know it is. It's fine, though, he knows the theoretical timeline they're working on -- and since the the whole altar thing was a bust (probably he should mention that, too) this is more firefighting than anything.

He waves off another kid trying to get suspiciously close to him and his bag, mouths scram as he waits for Ianto to get his drink (which, no doubt, he won't enjoy as much as his own fancy coffee) and skims his phone again. It's heating up enough that his jacket is stowed in his bag, and he eyes Ianto idly wondering if he's put on any sunblock. His own arms are getting browner every minute, and he probably has tan lines.

"So," he says, stowing his phone and squinting up at the sky thoughtfully. Clear so far, it's only going to get hotter then. "Your boyfriend seemed in a good mood."

Ultra smooth. Nailed it.

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He tries to shake off the touch, but Ianto's hand tightens and John sighs and stops to turn toward him. He's pulled his sunglasses down over his eyes defensively, but it doesn't help disguise the surprised way Ianto is looking at him as if he's done something wrong. Which, probably, he has. Again.

"What?" he challenges finally. "In case you hadn't noticed, we're probably all going to imminently die so, spit it out."

John's guards are up and Ianto understands that whatever he's done, he's hit a nerve. Which he hardly understands himself -- all he did was ask questions? And while it's true what John had said, he supposes, he really was just being nice, there's something off. There's been something off the whole time. Is that it, then? Because this is dangerous? Because they could die?

"Talk to me," he asks the other man, not quite releasing his grip on his arm just yet. He wishes he could see his eyes but he suspects that was done on purpose, with the sunglasses. He supposes he knows himself too well. He supposes he knows that Ianto is starting to know him well enough too. "Did something happen yesterday?"

Did something happen? John frowns and makes a second, irritable attempt to shake off the grip.

"Nothing happened other than me spending most of the night looking up shamans while you got yourself nice and cosy. Now, are we walking or not?"

Since he's not wildly comfortable having this weird conversation in the middle of a crowded area.

Ianto isn't going to cling to the other man if he insists on shaking him off, especially not with a mostly full cup of coffee in one hand, so he releases his grip as John tries again. But he can't hide the slight flinch in his expression as John pulls his dig. He might have had a relatively comfortable night in one place, but he had gathered some useful information too, hadn't he? At the sacrifice of an even more comfortable night in, no less.

"No," Ianto says, a bit more tetchily this time because he tried the nice approach and then John went for the throat, "I'm sorry. You show up with extra cuts and bruises I know for a fact you didn't have before, you tell me that I should take what I can get because we might all die in a dragon fire, and now you're upset with me for the fact that I was there in the first place? I gathered information, the same as you, and so what if I didn't to stay up the night wrestling bears or whatever the hell it is you've been doing to get it?"

John rolls his eyes at that, because really? That's what we're doing now?

"I wasn't wrestling bears. Listen, I don't know what your problem is Ianto but you really need to decide what it is you want from me. You're allowed to press me on anything you want but I'm not even allowed to ask questions about your boyfriend without this? Fine, have it that way if that's what you want but it's a little messed up."

He's just saying. He turns and begins to start walking again, half glancing back to see if Ianto is planning to follow or not.

Ianto stands frozen in place again, feeling a little as though John had reached out and struck him with that last comment. It isn't like that, is it? That isn't how he intends for it to be, at any rate. It's not like he minds the questions, per se. It's more the attitude in which they were posed.

He does follow, but he's not sure that he wants to hurry and catch John up again. Not when he's in this mood. They really should stop and look for those boots that Jim suggested, but he's not certain how well that would go over with the other man either. He's confused and honestly a little hurt that whatever it is John's decided to take it out on him too, so his words come out a little harder than he intends at first.

"Stop calling him that, he's not my boyfriend. I've met him in person all of four or five times now, and yes, I spent the night at his apartment. I had a lovely time sleeping on his bed while he courteously slept in the chair, and yes, okay, he offered to take me to Khalo to relax sometime -- a proper date, I imagine -- although as you've so delicately pointed out we might all die in a great dragon fire and that may not end up happening either, so just stop, alright?" He frowns very hard in the other man's direction. "I'm not keeping any great secrets from you, John. If that's what you think."

"Fine," John accepts, and he turns to face Ianto -- gives an exaggerated, sardonic sort of shrug. "I don't care."

He shoves up his sunglasses up again and turns back to the road, trying to clamp down on the waves of irritation. Get it together, John.

"I wouldn't recommend Khalo for relaxing anytime soon, that's our most likely bandit hideout. We buying you shoes or not?"

If Ianto has any of the money he gave him left, that is. Not that he needed it for a room, so unless he's been splurging on something he should. Not that it's any of his business. Ianto can buy whatever he wants.

"Don't you?" Ianto asks, frowning at the other man as he turns away again, his eyebrows furrowed. "I do. And I certainly care what you think of me, at any rate, but if that's how it is."

He lets out a sigh, running a hand over his face before taking a fortifying swallow of his coffee. He really wishes the other man would just tell him what was wrong. Whether it's something he's done so that he can apologize for it or who knows. Explain himself. He hasn't had enough caffeine for this yet. And he really wishes he would stop turning the conversation around.

"Jim was right. I should probably get something better than these, and if I don't want to draw attention to the ring, I should probably get something to put over it as well." Though the thought of wearing gloves in this heat makes him feel a little queasy.

"Shoes take time to walk in, they'll hurt your feet at first. You probably want to not wear them right away if we're going on a lengthy walk. Soaking them first will help."

He dodges around some people and adjusts direction to head toward where he thinks the shops are, trying to remember if he saw a shoe shop. Probably? Not that he was exactly looking for shoes at the time, more for people and likely trouble hot-spots.

"And finish that so you can put some sunblock on," he adds, because he hasn't forgotten that Ianto still isn't wearing any.

And he's back to fussing about the sunblock again. And now the shoes. As if he hadn't had a defensive outburst there about how he was 'just trying to be nice', and Ianto knows, he knows there's more to this than that.

He doesn't protest the attention or the advice. He supposes that John has a point -- to all of it, really. But it eats at him. Leaving the rest of it unresolved. Especially after John's latest jabs. I don't know what your problem is. I don't care.

Ianto takes another sip of his coffee, giving himself the excuse not to respond right away, before finally he asks, "How do you propose we do that, if we're headed to Khalo, then?" Soaking his shoes, that is.

"I was thinking we'd figure something out when we get there, but if you want to just try walking them in be my guest. I'm not carrying you when your feet hurt."

He squints up at the sun, takes a deep breath and digs out his phone as he walks to check something. The heavy overhangs of foliage provide intermittent shade, but more than that John is silently keeping himself aware of people around them. Whatever the shamans are up to, there's equally no reason to think they'd wouldn't be aware anyone who'd been with the wagon could be looking for them and could be a threat. He pauses for a second to glance back, scanning Ianto idly until he's a few steps closer before continuing to walk.

"I'm not asking you to," Ianto replies, glancing aside at the other man as he lets him catch up to his side, before away again. Quietly frowning as he sips at his coffee. John's deflections bother him. John's behavior bothers him. A lot about this situation bothers him, and most of all the way the other man has taken to lashing out at him for pushing him.

"Whatever you think is best," he says, continuing to sip at his coffee and wishing a bit as though he could crawl into his cup and hide from the world at this point instead of dealing with John's odd mood or this trip to Khalo or the mess that might meet them there or any of it. "I shall defer to your expertise." He supposes that John would know how to treat boots after all, having been in the military.

His expertise. Right. John's face twitches at that, some mild twist of irritation. He can't tell if Ianto is digging at him on purpose or if he's just projecting, but either way he can feel himself tensing up again -- as if preparing for another round of attack.

"Maybe you should," he drawls, even though it's not exactly done a lot of good so far. His supposed expertise hadn't helped when the carriage was attacked. He supposed expertise hadn't stopped him being stabbed or Ianto being hit in the head. He glances down at his phone again, agitated, and quickly types a message before stowing it away again. "You need anything else while we're here?"

Other than shoes, apparently, and gloves. John has a little food and water packed, but he doesn't know what Ianto picked up while he was lingering around Wyver. Or what Kirk might have givn him, for that matter.

Ianto glances down at the phone in John's hands and the way he keeps pulling it out, but he doesn't ask. Not yet. Is he allowed to? If he does, would the other man see it as a breech of his privacy? He's obviously got a problem with all the other questions Ianto's been asking.

"Well, another weapon wouldn't hurt," he answers, honestly. "The stun gun can only do so much. But it's rather a moot point I suppose. Unless they're selling firearms around here anywhere, I'm not really trained on anything else. So boots and gloves it is. Maybe an extra canteen or two. Unless you've spotted anything else of note."

"I don't even have a gun," John points out, so really -- if for some reason there are discount gun shops around here then he's buying one for himself first. Still, he slows down again as they begin to pass through some ramshackle things that are beginning to look like shops. Here, everything slowly begins to be more built up -- bit by bit more lit up and noisy as they get further into the more urban areas of Wyver's central sprawl. John turns toward Ianto and starts to dig out his wallet, begins counting out money without really looking up at Ianto.

"Just -- buy whatever you want," he says finally, and holds out what amounts to most of his money. It's not as if it really matters, anyway. It's not a huge amount to begin with, since he's already covering the bulk of everything else. John is not brilliant at saving.

Edited (moodier icon tbh) 2018-06-05 00:41 (UTC)

John may not be great at saving, but Ianto is. At this rate Ianto might wind up having a small fortune himself with all the money John keeps shoving at him to buy himself things. He thinks about commenting to say as much, but there's something about the other man's behavior that stops him. Has him reaching out to take it and carefully hiding it away in his bag (with the rest) before glancing back at the other man, thinking about saying something else, and then thinking better of it.

"...thanks," he says. Feeling a little as though he's being treated like a child, but he doesn't have any money so what right does he have to complain for being given them. "Look, I... Just don't go anywhere, yeah? If you're not coming with me." That's the last thing he needs is John up and disappearing or leaving him behind here.

For a second John looks around and seems as if he's considering the merits of just bolting, of making an excuse for why he has somewhere he needs to go.

"Sure," he says finally, and his tone is light and airy in contrast to the awkward stiffness in his body-language. "Pick a place and I'll wait outside or something, make sure nobody jumps us." You know, shamans or bandits or just people who dislike refugees. He begins to walk again, reflexively reaching out to touch Ianto's arm for a second and draw him along in his wake. "Though you should know I have limited opinions on fashion, so I'd just recommend waterproof and sturdy. Aren't any tailors in my family."

Unlike Ianto's dad, apparently.

Ianto doesn't make any comment on the subject, though there is a definite inward flinch at the words. "Lucky for you and I that I've got taste, then," he quips in return, glancing up at the shops as they pass them before stopping at a particular place. Its leather goods don't seem any different than the next, but Ianto can tell quality when he sees it. He'll just have to hope they won't cost an arm and a leg, or that he can haggle the price down if they do.

He casts a look aside at the other man. "I'll try not to take too long," he says, before raising a single eyebrow at him to continue and add, "Stay."

He doesn't wait to see what sort of a reaction that earns him, ducking into the shop to see what he can do to get himself a nice, sturdy pair of boots that might actually fit him correctly, and a pair of gloves as well. Waterproof both, the gloves light and surprisingly cool. He pulls out the ring to make certain it will fit beneath them, which in retrospect is something of a blessing as well as a mistake. Mistake because of the attention it earns him and slow rise in murmuring throughout the shop the longer he stays. Blessing because the owner essentially starts throwing things at him for free at that point. A couple of canteens for holding water. An extra belt or two. Refusing even the money Ianto pulls from his bag as he makes the attempt to pay for something. He's not going to complain as he graciously rounds it up and folds it into his bag, but as he tucks the ring back into his pocket, he doesn't take his time in making his way out of the store. Feeling a little as though he's just robbed the place. He's no hero, after all. He doesn't even live in Wyver.

"We need to go," he says, hooking a hand in John's elbow and doing his best to tug him as quickly as he can away from the shop itself.

Stay.

John shoots a wary look at Ianto as he heads inside, watches him moving around deciding for a few minutes before just propping himself up against the door-frame and digging out his phone again. He's paying more attention to the street outside than Ianto, so when he feels a hand on his arm and gets drawn along John snaps to attention with a degree of alarm. It's the hurry that really catches him the most, and he complies without a thought -- moving alongside Ianto quickly and freeing his arm to rest a hand on Ianto's back protectively. Just in case he needs to do some literal body guarding, or flatten him out of the way.

"What happened?" he whispers after a moment, when they're a few paces away but seemingly not being... pursued? His eyes dart warily along the lines of shops either side of them, just in case he's missing something. How on earth did Ianto upset people just buying shoes? Were they recognised? What is going on?

Ianto casts as subtle a glance as he can behind them but it doesn't appear as anyone is following, which is a relief. Still, he doesn't think it's very wise to linger, and he appreciates the fact that even though John is asking questions, he's doing so while listening to Ianto's request as well.

"The ring," he says quietly. "I had it out, the shopkeeper saw. He started to make a fuss. People were talking." He looks back to John. "Let's just make sure we get a few blocks between here and ourselves, yeah?" Spare him the awkward social situation that might arise. Spare the pair of them anything worse that might come from it for that matter. He doesn't think they really want the attention, given the present circumstances.

Ring? John squints, and it takes him a moment to put everything together before he finally works out exactly what they're talking about.

"Right," he says, with something like -- resignation? Mild irritation? "The thing Kirk gave you."

He didn't say 'Hot Date' or 'Boyfriend', at least, so that's one thing. Herding Ianto through the streets John largely tries to block line of sight to Ianto where he can until they're back out of the built up area, into slightly more wild paths -- for good or ill. His hands steer him vaguely, flitting between his shoulders and his back just in case he needs to yank him away at a moments notice. Eventually, though, they're away from the crowds. His eyes flit around, still, as if wary of something surprising them, but so far nothing has. So far, either anyone following them lost track or lost interest.

"Tell me you at least got something before we left," he says finally, because it doesn't feel like they should walk back after making a rapid exit like that.

He hears a note of — something in John's voice at that. He isn’t calling Jim names anymore and he suspects it’s because he had told him off for it. But there is still something there and now without the guise of the mild insults it stands out more.

His expression furrows at the other man. “I’m not completely useless,” he bites back, because he can’t help but be defensive at the comment. “Yes, the ring he gave me. I wanted to see that it would fit under the gloves I was looking at. The shopkeeper saw it. He thought it marked me as some hero that I’m obviously not, and started shoving things at me and making a fuss. And now here we are.”

He stops in his tracks and turns towards the other man, shaking his head. Unable to hold himself back from asking, “Look, why does this bother you so much?”

He's about to protest that surely Ianto doesn't have to wear it all the time when he grinds to a halt suddenly, and John is walking close enough that he barely avoids bumping into him before taking a step back.

"What?" he responds, and then realises that isn't perhaps eloquent. Then -- "Well, I guess it bothers me if you're getting in trouble because of this thing."

Since it does, after all. Whatever sort of gift it's meant to be, it isn't a good one if they're fleeing a shop because of it. Gifts that put you in danger are bad gifts, however fancy or expensive they might be.

Ianto lets out a scoffing noise that's not all that far away from a snort because honestly it's more than that and he knows that but if that's how John wants to play things then fine. He can play too, he supposes.

"I made a mistake," he replies, exasperatedly. "And he didn't give it to me to get me in trouble. He gave it to me to get me out of it. There's a spell or something on it. I don't know. I think it only works the one time, but it's a fail safe. In case I run into trouble. It's why he told me to wear it if I'm in danger, it's supposed to protect me. It could have spared me a literal headache back at the carriage if I had only remembered I had the damn thing in the first but I suppose if we're going up against these people again or worse, a dragon as well, it's better I saved it for the real fire fight I suppose."

"Fine," John says, because fine is the theme he's going for. "Sorry I didn't do a good enough job."

His hands drop away from Ianto completely at last, and he takes another step away to put more comfortable breathing space between them.

"Are we done here?"

With this, with shopping, in general he supposes.

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