Ianto's jaw clenches as Jack waves him over as if nothing is wrong. For a long moment, he stares at Luthien. She's easily the most breathtaking woman he's ever seen. It's with a painful clarity that he understands just how outclassed he is by her. But that doesn't mean he's worth nothing. That doesn't mean he should be so utterly forgettable to someone he's been with for over three years. And yet, here he is, once again the outsider looking in.

Strangling the words that want to rip from his throat, he looks viciously at Jack's beaming face before turning and stalking back out into the hallway. He'll be damned if he makes a public scene like some jilted teenager. Jack bloody Harkness can enjoy his sodding date.

Ianto rips his arm from Jack's grip, spinning around to face him. They're not nearly far enough from the door for his taste, but the wound that Jack has inflicted is bleeding fast and bubbling up in Ianto's throat. The look of confusion on Jack's face tips him right over the edge, sending the words spilling out in a hissing torrent.

"I waited for you an hour before I went looking. A whole sodding hour while dinner went cold and I started to think you must have been killed on your way back. I looked everywhere, and I didn't even bloody well think to call you or text you because surely, surely if you were in any position to use your communicator, you'd have done it first, yeah? You'd have called me and told me there was an emergency, or you were running late, except there wasn't any emergency, was there? No, instead I find you in the pub, on a date with some elvish tart! And you've been here the whole time, haven't you? Laughing it up while I wait around and worry!"

He's in Jack's face now, eyes welling up, unable to separate pain from anger. "You want to know what the worst thing is, though? The worst thing is, you didn't even think enough of me to text me a comforting lie."

"You didn't think I would care," he repeats icily. "You thought I asked if you were off your shift at the usual time out of idle curiosity, did you?"

He's so upset, he's shaking. On some level he understands that Jack hadn't purposely meant to hurt him, but it doesn't improve matters. Deliberate harm would be terrible, but for Ianto, passive harm is far worse. The ability to disregard him so easily, to forget about him with less than a thought, makes him feel invisible again.

"You weren't supposed to know!" he shouts, uncaring now if anyone can hear them. "That was the point! It was supposed to be a surprise! I got a pie from Ned, for free because it was going to be for the two of us. I cooked our last two steaks, made bread because there wasn't any left that hadn't gone off! But you just— You didn't even bother asking."

He deflates, backing away a step, the hurt overwhelming the anger. "Did you think I was just being overbearing? Am I that easy to disregard as soon as a pretty face looks your way?"

That's unfair and Ianto knows it, but it comes out anyway. It's a natural instinct to accuse, to hurt in turn.

"Fine," he snaps. "You didn't know. It's my fault, is it? I should have to spell things out for you if I expect any kind of consideration." The words are bitter in his mouth, and he casts a lancing glare in the direction of the bar.

"Have your damn drink. I'm not hungry anymore." He turns away harshly, stalking back down the hallway the way he came. He can barely keep his thoughts straight and he's too emotional to have a productive conversation. All he wants is to get away from Jack and be alone for a while.

Ianto tears his arm from Jack's grip again, holding his hands up to ward off Jack's approach.

"Just leave me alone, Jack." There's less vitriol in his words now, because he's choking back tears. He refuses to cry in front of Jack, but he's not going to last much longer and he needs to get away. "Just... leave me alone for a while. Please."

He emphasizes with his hands, pushing back as if against an invisible barrier, backing away as he does. When there's distance between them again, and Jack doesn't make any signs he's going to push his advantage, Ianto flees back down the hallway as fast as he can without running.