Sulu had to hand it to him--Ianto was nothing if not punctual. Exactly at the time that Ianto was supposed to show up, Sulu started receiving a cal on his comm from the man in question. While it was true that he hadn't really had anything in particular in mind when the two of them had decided to meet up, he had just changed out of his uniform and y'know, possibly made an effort to look a little more decent than he would if it were just going to be him sitting around in his cabin by himself after his shift.
"Hey, there," he said warmly, as he answered the call.
"Hey," Ianto's voice came over the line, but already, with just one word, Sulu could tell that something was up. He paused where he stood, a dirty shirt in hand, frozen in mid-motion as he'd been attempting to clean up his cabin a little bit.
"What's up?" he asked, neutrally.
Ianto sighed. "Something's come up with a case we're working. We... We think we've found out where our guy is going to strike next, and so we've got to set up a bit of a stakeout. But, unfortunately..." he said, trailing off, not really wanting to say the words. Sulu, sensing Ianto's hesitation, stepped up and said them for him.
"Unfortunately that means that tonight's going to have to take a rain check again, then, isn't it," he said. Ianto sighed again, taking a minute to answer, confirming Sulu's conclusion.
"I'm sorry," Ianto said. "I was looking forward to the two of us having some time off together. Jack's got to follow up the trail from another angle, and well. I can't very well leave Gwen to fend for herself with--"
"Ianto," Sulu cut him off, "It's alright. Unfortunate, but understandable. We can always take a rain check. I know that you'd still be coming over if you had any choice in it. Don't worry about it. Go get yourself ready for the night. I'll talk to you later. We'll reschedule."
He knew that Ianto wouldn't be happy with rescheduling, and he wasn't either, to be perfectly honest, but there really was no choice in the matter. Work was work, after all, and the two of them understood that fact all too well. "I'll hear from you soon, though, alright?" Sulu said.
Obviously, it must've placated Ianto enough just for him to have said that. "Yeah, alright," he said, with a resigned note in his voice. "Next time, yeah?"
"Next time," Sulu said, and disconnected their call.
2.
"Hey, there," he said warmly, as he answered the call.
"Hey," Ianto's voice came over the line, but already, with just one word, Sulu could tell that something was up. He paused where he stood, a dirty shirt in hand, frozen in mid-motion as he'd been attempting to clean up his cabin a little bit.
"What's up?" he asked, neutrally.
Ianto sighed. "Something's come up with a case we're working. We... We think we've found out where our guy is going to strike next, and so we've got to set up a bit of a stakeout. But, unfortunately..." he said, trailing off, not really wanting to say the words. Sulu, sensing Ianto's hesitation, stepped up and said them for him.
"Unfortunately that means that tonight's going to have to take a rain check again, then, isn't it," he said. Ianto sighed again, taking a minute to answer, confirming Sulu's conclusion.
"I'm sorry," Ianto said. "I was looking forward to the two of us having some time off together. Jack's got to follow up the trail from another angle, and well. I can't very well leave Gwen to fend for herself with--"
"Ianto," Sulu cut him off, "It's alright. Unfortunate, but understandable. We can always take a rain check. I know that you'd still be coming over if you had any choice in it. Don't worry about it. Go get yourself ready for the night. I'll talk to you later. We'll reschedule."
He knew that Ianto wouldn't be happy with rescheduling, and he wasn't either, to be perfectly honest, but there really was no choice in the matter. Work was work, after all, and the two of them understood that fact all too well. "I'll hear from you soon, though, alright?" Sulu said.
Obviously, it must've placated Ianto enough just for him to have said that. "Yeah, alright," he said, with a resigned note in his voice. "Next time, yeah?"
"Next time," Sulu said, and disconnected their call.