07 ✘ [visual] or [location: Sunnydale beach]

[damnfinecoffee.livejournal.com]

In the months that Ianto's been here, he's almost started to get used to Taxon. Not completely, of course. And he definitely still misses Cardiff. Given the choice he'd be stood in Roald Dahl Plass gazing out at the bay rather than sat on here on Taxon's very own beach. It's almost a surprise to him how okay he is with being here. He misses Gwen, and he'd have liked to at least had a phone call from his sister today, but at least Jack's here. Even if wasn't, there are other people here Ianto quite likes talking to.

Okay, so perhaps it isn't the best birthday ever, but it's far from the worst, even if he is reluctant to admit it to himself.

He makes no move to speak, seemingly unaware that his tablet's on. He reclines back onto his elbows, wiping some of the sand from his hands onto his jeans as he does so. He's lost several suits to his job before now, but he sees no sense in ruining another one at the beach, so he has gone for a slightly more casual look than usual today.

Although he has come here to get some peace outside of the Hub, he's certainly not adverse to people talking to him. He's not yet noticed the effects of the glitch, which is probably just as well for him.

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[aces-are-rare.livejournal.com]

The urge to run has lessened since her conversation with The Doctor, but after the tour of the TARDIS and seeing everything that has changed in the years (or days, from her end) since she's traveled with him Ace needs a breath of air. She walks away from the park and the center of the city until she finds the beach that she remembers seeing her first day. Water, particularly the ocean, has always had a calming influence on her.

With a swimsuit on under her clothing it's her intention to swim until she's exhausted. She hasn't had a good night's sleep since arriving in Taxon with the exception of the night she slept at Kara's, and that was thanks to the copious amounts of alcohol they drank. Ace is unaware that the water does not go out that far - perhaps it is a good thing she finds herself not alone on the beach. Distraction is a good thing.

Also, ironically, tomorrow is Ace's birthday.

Glitch? Oh dear, Ace hasn't spoken to anyone today, and is unaware of the Taxon wide glitch.

"Hullo," she says to the only other person on the beach.

[damnfinecoffee.livejournal.com]

Ianto looks up at her with a polite smile. In a way it's nice to be distracted from his thoughts. It's probably better for him than thinking about the things he can't have today, anyway.

"Hello," he replies, stretching a bit as he sits up properly again. He's not saying much, but his body language shows he's happy enough to carry out a conversation with her if she wants to.

He doesn't think he's seen her before, so she might be new. Then again, she might have been here for a while. He hasn't exactly been paying much attention to who's been arriving lately. Something he should perhaps start doing.

[aces-are-rare.livejournal.com]

Happy or not he's going to get a conversation, because Ace is in that 'talk to new people' sort of mood. the Doctor has rubbed off on her after three years with him.

"I'm Ace," she offers as she sits in the sand not far from him. She's carrying a black rucksack which she tosses next to her, and the first order of business once she's settled is to take off her Doc Martins and socks. The feel of sand between her toes is brilliant.

[damnfinecoffee.livejournal.com]

Lucky for Ace, Ianto's glad for the company, so he's not going to make talking difficult for her. "Ianto," he replies, moving his own shoes and socks so they're out of her way. He's got nothing else to move though, so he settles back down again.

"Have you been here long?" he asks, mostly because he can't think of much else. But you have to start a conversation somewhere, and that seems as good a place as any.

[aces-are-rare.livejournal.com]

"Welsh," she comments idly after hearing his accent. She digs through her bag for a pair of sunglasses, then slips them on.

"Seems like forever. Little over a week though, I think. You?"

[damnfinecoffee.livejournal.com]

"Observant," he remarks drily, though there's no real bite in his voice. He's the only Welshman he's come across in Taxon, so it's bound to stand out. There don't even seem to be that many English people here, in comparison to the Americans. "English?" he asks in return. He's fairly sure she is, but you can never be too sure. Particularly since there do seem to be a few aliens around with an English accent, the Doctor among them.

Ianto exhales, taking a moment to work out how long he's been. "Four months. Almost exactly." He smiles faintly, both surprised at how long it's been and actually that he hasn't been here for much longer. "Feels like forever."

[aces-are-rare.livejournal.com]

"Hey, I call them like I see them. And yeah, I'm English. At least I was - don't know what I am now" She reaches into the bag again and pulls out two beers and a bottle of sparking lemonade. Next comes two glasses.

"Shandy?" she offers as she pours equal parts beer and lemonade into a glass. It's easier to focus on the drinks then the fact that if he's been here for four months she could be here that long too.

[damnfinecoffee.livejournal.com]

Ianto raises an eyebrow. It's an unusual statement, and he can't help but be curious. "Why wouldn't you know what you were now?"

He glances over at the glasses, nodding. "Might as well." He's not usually much of a shandy drinker, but he doesn't really think it's that bad. And, well, beggars can't be choosers. "Thanks," he adds after a moment, smiling at her.

[aces-are-rare.livejournal.com]

"Been three years since I lived there and I don't plan to ever live there again. And the there's the questions of radiation and the cheetah virus, so I'm not even sure I'm completely human anymore." Wait, what did she just say? She's usually friendly but she never shares that much, especially not her memories of Kara.

"I..." Bu But no, much better to take a few sips of her drink first. "You're welcome," she mumbles.

[damnfinecoffee.livejournal.com]

If Ianto knew Ace, he might realise something's off. He doesn't, though, and so the only thing that seems strange is the claim that she might not be human anymore.

"Cheetah virus?" he asks, sipping at his own drink.

[aces-are-rare.livejournal.com]

"There was this planet, too primal to have a proper name; it's gone now so it doesn't matter anyway. The natives of the planet were cats, some little like tabbies and others sort of like our cheetahs. If you spent any time there you became like them, and the longer you stayed..." She tenses her jaw as she thinks of Midge and Kara, the Mater and the way she almost stayed there, if it hadn't been for the Doctor. "Bugger all."

[damnfinecoffee.livejournal.com]

Ianto frowns, putting his glass down. He hasn't meant to make her feel like she has to talk about anything she feels uncomfortable with, and since she's originally from Earth too he is a little surprised she so readily admits going to another planet. He hasn't even hinted at his job at Torchwood to her, so he doubts she suspects he accepts the existence of aliens too.

"You know you don't have to tell me anything you don't want to," he tells her, though he sees no sense in showing any disbelief at what she's just told him.

[aces-are-rare.livejournal.com]

"It doesn't matter," she says with a shrug that really means just the opposite. She looks out at the sparkling water for a long time before turning back to Ianto.

"You seem less surprised to hear about traveling to other plants then someone from Wales should be. Any reason why?

[damnfinecoffee.livejournal.com]

"I work for Torchwood. There's a Rift in space-time in Cardiff, and we deal with whatever comes through." His eyes widen, even as he speaks. He's been less secretive about Torchwood since coming here, granted, but he's not that open about it.

Not with someone he's only just met.

[aces-are-rare.livejournal.com]

"Torchwood? Never heard of you. Do you have anything to do with UNIT? Got a few friends there, a Brig by the name of Winifred and a retired bloke called Lethbridge-Stewart." It's easier to ask the questions then risk answering them.

[damnfinecoffee.livejournal.com]

Ianto shakes his head at that. "Nothing to do with them. They're not even that fond of us, for the most part. You've had dealings with UNIT before?"

[aces-are-rare.livejournal.com]

"They're not fond of many people, I think. Right annoyed with the Professor sometimes too. I met 'um once, when Morgana and her army tried to destroy the world.

[damnfinecoffee.livejournal.com]

Ianto thinks back to the UNIT records he's seen. He knows there a lot he's unaware of, but he thinks he knows a little about this particular story. "Morgana, as in Arthurian legend?"

[aces-are-rare.livejournal.com]

"That's the one. Right crazy, she was. Swords, demons and to top it all off she tried to nuke England out of existence." And she'd give everything to be back there, as scared as she was at the time.

[damnfinecoffee.livejournal.com]

"Lucky for us, that's clearly something she failed at." Which he'd already known, of course. Given that England still existed, Ianto wouldn't have even needed to consult UNIT records to be sure of that.