Giving Jack's side a gentle squeeze, Ianto really couldn't give any solid reassurance about their reason for being there yet - except to let Jack know he was grateful that whatever it was hadn't kept him away for too long. Not the ideal situation, stranded in the unknown, but he felt better for being there for Jack. He just hoped that his expectation of those vampires were wrong. It happened, occasionally. The being wrong part. It had occurred when he'd first heard about fairies. On the other hand, he'd been very right about his assumptions of cannibals.
He recognised that growing grin of Jack's. There were times when it provoked a raised brow response from Ianto, a roll of the eyes, or more frequently, the same expression mirrored back at him. He tried not to read too much into the glint in his eyes, because Ianto certainly wasn't the only person or thing that caused it. Not all of them reaped the benefits of what came after, granted, but then it wasn't like Jack had promised him anything now, and why the hell was his neck starting to feel far too humid in its shirt-collared trapping.
Sending Jack a look, it was apparent that the echo was getting quite serious. But unconsciously he shifted at the thought of that coat of Jack's. Ianto did love the coat, because it was so distinctly Jack, a mix of the past and present, and perhaps a dash of the future. When he moved while he wore it, it truly became his, a thing that he owned with his spirit, and not a thing that owned him with its military nature.
"I'll settle for you putting on the coat, because if I take your other suggestion, my superior would threaten to keep me in for a one-on-one," he replied without missing a beat. So easy. So easy to slip back into their normal vocal patter. It was more to Ianto than just a pattern in conversation - Jack's expression was intensifying with every answer, growing stronger, more promising. Ianto probably didn't look like he was resisting too much. Mostly because... he wasn't.
"Doesn't surprise me," he replied dryly to Jack's declaration that such a date was actually normal. Jack, it could be said, wasn't conducive to any degree of normality. Then the very last fray of careful indifference slid from Ianto's face. Replacing it was unguarded surprise. If there had been anything he'd expected of Jack, it hadn't quite approached the offer he let drop from the mouth that had given him only casualness in the months that fell behind them - well, behind Jack - now. His lips parted in answer, but nothing slid from them, nothing save a breath before he caught his words.
"Uh, yeah. Yeah. Sure. Why not. I'd like that. But let's make it that bit more exciting by not chasing the backwash of the city and ending up in a dock this time," he breathed again, very aware of the path on his face that Jack trailed with gentle fingertips, "I'd hate to ruin a perfectly good second pair of shoes."