Just Imagine...

Date Night

AUTHOR'S NOTE: this fic was inspired by an art piece by @avaantares Tumblr and was written for the Torchwood remix fest!

Jack and Ianto were out of breath when they reached the edge of the park, watching the feathered pink tail of the tyrannosaurus they were chasing disappear among the trees.
"Jack, stop," Ianto panted, "we're not gonna get it by ourselves. We're gonna need to call for backup."
Jack slowed to a stop, growling in frustration under his breath.
"The others are all busy," he said, "this stupid lizard is gonna have to wait."
"Actually, theropods were more closely related to birds." Ianto murmured.
"Whatever," Jack sighed, "my point is that there's a Tyrannosaurus rex loose in Cardiff, along with God knows how many other creatures from other points in time and space, there's no one to call for help because Gwen, Owen, Tosh, and Sam are all busy with other problems, and this is all ruining our date night!!"
"Jack," Ianto began gently.
"I was so looking forward to tonight," Jack went on, fighting back tears, "I thought it would be perfect, I thought it would be like the first time we went on a date again, when we just had a relaxing evening and the others took care of everything."
"Jack," Ianto repeated.
"We didn't even get to sit down and have dinner together before a giant octopus came crashing through the ceiling! Restaurants have to stop with the glass ceilings, none of this would've happened if that thing had just stayed on the roof. I know, I know, I was the one who picked the restaurant with the glass ceiling. Another stupid, stupid decision by me!"
The trees shook nearby and Jack tensed, waiting for their prehistoric friend to come back out. But it didn't - it was just the wind.
Jack sighed, defeated. He was tired, he was cold, his feet hurt, and his stomach was growling - he knew Ianto was likely feeling the same way. This wasn't at all what he'd wanted.
He hadn't meant for his words to come and bite him in the ass when he'd said "this is why we can't have nice things" a couple months ago in Serenity Plaza, but it looked like they were doing just that.
"Ianto," Jack said, "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry that our evening got ruined. I'll do whatever it takes to-" he cut himself off as he turned around and saw Ianto with his shoulders hunched and his whole body shaking. "Oh, Ianto," Jack said, voice rising slightly in panic, "don't cry! I can't stand you crying and if you cry over this I'm gonna cry too and how stupid is two grown men crying in a park gonna look-?" He broke off again as Ianto leaned his head back and Jack saw - to his great surprise - that his boyfriend wasn't crying.
He was laughing. Loudly, from his belly, so hard there were tears in his eyes.
Jack was caught off guard and didn't know what to make of it, but the sound of Ianto's laugh was one thing that could bring him joy on his darkest night. Jack felt his heart skip a beat as Ianto snorted.
"Ianto, what are you laughing at?" He asked, dumbfounded.
"YOU!" Ianto exclaimed, "you are so cute!"
Jack averted his eyes, feeling himself blush.
"I really don't understand what's happening right now." He muttered.
"Jack, I don't care about the aliens or the dinosaur or the glass ceiling," Ianto said once he had his breath back, wiping his cheek with a handkerchief from his pocket, "I care about spending time with you. And whether I get to do that by having dinner with you and going back to my flat for a movie or by chasing an overgrown pink chicken around the city at nine o'clock at night, doesn't matter to me."
"Really?" Jack asked.
"Really." Ianto murmured, stepping closer to kiss him before wrapping his arms around him in a fierce hug.
"I'm so hungry." Jack admitted after a moment of silence.
"Me too," Ianto replied with a chuckle, "c'mon, let's drive over to your parents' house to change and get something to eat before we tackle the T-Rex again. Hopefully she's too scared to leave the park for now."
He slipped his hand into Jack's and led him back towards where they'd parked the SUV.
"I don't deserve you." Jack choked out.
"Yes you do." Ianto responded matter-of-factly, not even looking back, just tightening his grip on Jack's hand slightly to let him know he meant it.