A quick thought

[eldarwannabe]

So, let's take two steps back to before House of the Dead.

What if Jack was the one who was constantly sharing his feelings, saying "I love you" to Ianto a la this as a casual, everyday sort of thing, and Ianto was the emotionally closed one

Comments

[eldarwannabe]

I've always thought of "closed-off" Jack as just where he is in his LOOOONG life. When he first meets Ianto, he's waiting around for the Doctor, not committing to a real relationship, fine. When he gets back, he's just been told that there is no cure - he's going to be trapped like this forever. I can see him trying to close himself off as a way to try and train himself to be colder. He's loved and lost before (Estelle, unnamed wife...) but he thought he only had 100 years to kill. Ianto caught him at a particularly bad moment. I've read at least two fantastic fics that run with that idea (and some timey-wimey ness) to show that future!Jack will be far more adjusted and open and truer to himself.

Oh, Ianto. I mean, I've written about this before, but really, we're working with so little that you can justify lots of interpretations. I love yours. I think Cyberwoman as PTSD fallout works the best, but if we take that he was desperately in love with her, and digging himself deeper for weeks/months/???? then it could easily just be immediate fallout. Although you have mentioned the Ianto-makes-out-to-shut-Jack-up thing before, and it is MOST DEFINITELY HILARIOUS. But...it could be taken in other ways.

I don't really tend towards weepy needy Ianto. Although doubtful Ianto is reasonable, depending on where Jack is. (And we never see Jack being particularly loving to Ianto unprompted in canon.) But I do tend towards a more secure Ianto. Who never talks about his feelings. (As I just pointed out to iceshade, Martha comes over and is like, "SO??" and Ianto's like "Dabbling. Crazy sex. 'S great." RUNS.)

And just because I play devil's advocate here doesn't mean I don't agree with you A SIGNIFICANT amount of time. It's just...Ianto! Jack! So many ways to interpret!