Ianto had lost his comm. And he was absolutely fucked.
"Jack!" He tried to call through the overpowering music. "Jack!" The crowd closed around him and Ianto lost sight of the Captain. Ianto pushed through the bodies grinding up against one another. He called for Jack. The tall man over just visible through the dancing people. "Jack!" He yelled and yelled. But the man didn't hear him.
He disappeared once again and Ianto resulted to sliding between a couple of dudes rutting against each other to enthusiastically.
His foot got caught on someone else's. Suddenly he stumbled and fell. 'Shit, shit.' He thought, scrambling to rise again. The constantly moving shoes threatening to stamp down on him. A particularly sharp heel catching the soft flesh of his palm. Ianto cried out. But it is hardly heard with the music and screams of excitement and fun. Somehow he managed to get up. His feet planted firmly on the streamer-covered ground.
He'd lost Jack yet again. The flowing greatcoat nowhere to be seen. The dazzling smile not reflecting the lights anyway. "Jack!"
Someone's hip slammed into his side. It sent Ianto stumbling again. He fell into another man who wrapped his arm around Ianto's waist. He was quickly flung back into the masses of people. A busty woman showing her breasts up against him. Someone's crotch against his own arse. Ianto struggled as a hand squeezed his thigh. He needed to get to Jack. Ianto roughly pulled himself from the group, straightening his suit. His tie had been pulled loose. His cufflinks gone. 'Fuck.'
The glint of metal caught Ianto's eye sharply. Jack's comm.! He moved towards it. He almost got stuck between a slightly more round man and the bar. Ianto elbowed his way through a bunch of people. They had skimpy outfits on and alcohol in their glasses. There were too many people. Everything was extra loud. God, he wanted to just go home!
His hand must have brushed someone wrong as the next minute his not-so-pristine shirt was bunched up in some blokes mitts. He was large. Larger than Jack. Longer hair too. Blonde. But Ianto hardly noticed as a first met his face. And again. Blood flooded his mouth, a tooth came loose. The hands let go of him briefly before grasping his tie. Then he was tugged forward. Ianto choked as it cut his air. He was forced to follow the brute out. 'Thank god.' He thought 'At least he was outside.'
But the slight relief was expelled as the beating continued. The Welshman's head connected violently to the sharp corners of the building. The brick dug into his spine. His feet hardly held him up. The world spun. Sounds escaped him. Ianto watched as blood spurt out from his mouth, dropping silently to the moist floor.
'Fuck.'
How the fuck did he get into this mess? Ianto could hardly concentrate. His face was being bashed in my some drunk Tom, Dick, or Harry. He hadn't even done anything wrong. And Jack wasn't even here.
He could feel his consciousness slipping away. He still hadn't found Jack...Ianto slumped forward, out cold.
~~~
The first thing Ianto noticed was the warmth.
Last time he was awake it had been cold. The chilly air had nipped at his skin through the thin fabric of his suit. And he assumed the rain-covered concrete wasn't hated either. But now he was warm, pleasantly warm. Ianto let out a small, satisfied sigh.
A second or so after, something covered his lips. It didn't take long for Ianto to realise it was someone else's lips. He panicked, thinking he was back in the club being snogged by some drunken stranger, but the familiar scene of 51st-century pheromones washed over him. Jack.
A light hand along his jawline as Ianto opened his eyes. At first, the light was too much and they flickered shut again. Then a shadow fell over him and Ianto tried again. They came to focus on the looming face of Jack. Concern swimming in his eyes. Ianto brought his hand up to cup Jack's neck. The Captain smiled and the two shared a quick kiss before pulling away.
"Hey," Jack whispered, smile still plastered on his face. It grew a little wider.
"Hey," Ianto replied, his voice a little rough.
"Gave us quite a scare earlier," Jack said, settling back a little. Ianto must have looked confused - he couldn't remember much - so Jack leant closer again. His warm hand running through Ianto's hair soothingly. "Tosh tracked your comm. only you weren't with it. Couldn't find you until some lady boasted about her boyfriend beating up this perv in a suit."
"'m not a perv..."
"Don't worry, I know." Ianto's eyes must have fallen closed, as they fluttered open when Jack pressed his lips to his forehead. It was a tender kiss, soft and loving. Ianto found himself craving more. He arched his head up, Jack's fingers gliding along his neck and resting on his pulse.
" 'm sorry."
"For what?"
"Scaring you, losing earpiece."
"Oh, don't worry Ianto. It's all okay, I'm more worried about you." Ianto looked at him, eyes holding Jack's gaze. "You aren't so easily replaced." Ianto nodded slightly so Jack lightly kissed his button nose. "You got quite banged up."
Although Ianto couldn't feel a thing. Thank god for Owen's never ending supply of painkillers.
"I looked for you."
"I know, I know." Jack pulled the blanket around Ianto a little more, not wanting to mention that he'd seen the CCTV. He'd seen Ianto struggle to follow after him. The room had gone quiet and Jack though Ianto had fallen back asleep, until the Welshman spoke up and broke Jack's thoughts.
"G'night Jack."
'Goodnight Ianto. Sleep well."
