They Come in Pairs - 9/?
Jack/Ianto (mentions of Jack/Rose/Doctor and Ianto/Lisa)
NC-17
set between 1x08 and 1x13
I'm totally stressed out and overworked and didn't find the flow with this part, so I apologize. I'm also working tomorrow and don't get Monday off either, so I'm not sure when I'll be able to get another part written. It might be a long wait.
They Come in Pairs - 9
-----
It was quiet in the Hub, Ianto not having returned with him, and Jack sat on his bed, staring blankly at the wall. His fingers traced absently along the metal of the glove in his lap. Feather-light touches, almost a caress. They glove was beautiful, and God, but he'd been right when he'd said it was addictive. He was supposed to be blowing the thing into a thousand pieces, not admiring grace of the craftsmanship beneath his touch.
Letting his mind drift, thoughts obviously wandered to the man he'd used the glove to bring back.
Their first date, if it could even actually be considered a date, had been rather dismal. He and Ianto were so wrong together. And so right. They had a lot in common. Unfortunately, it was their shared history that was tearing them apart. It was a hell of a lot to get over. Maybe too much. Too hard of a fight, and Jack was so tired of fighting.
He dropped his gaze to the glove. Nothing ever came easily, did it? He sighed deeply. Some things were worth fighting for. He closed his eyes, remembered the last time he'd told somebody that, recalled blonde hair and a gentle kiss against soft lips... Worth fighting for, worth dying for.
Worth dying for.
If he could find Rose's body, he could bring her back... Erase Canary Wharf. He could bring back Lisa for Ianto as well. He and Ianto would never be together if he did, but perhaps they would no longer be broken either. Jack could remove their shared loss. Perhaps they could remain friends. Friends with benefits would be ideal, but that wasn't likely.
He couldn't change time, not without Reapers flying, couldn't go back and correct that day. And yet...
He could buy second chances, pay for them with his own blood.
They'd be together again, him, Rose, and the Doctor. Not his Doctor - he doubted the glove could deregenerate - but some version of the Doctor, skinny and with wild hair and a creepy hand, but Jack could get used to that so long as the personality wasn't too very different. Or even if it was. Unconditional.
He'd died once for Rose, he could do it again. More accurately, he'd died buying the Doctor time. Rose had already been sent home. But he was willing to die for her. Whatever way she'd died, he'd take it gladly. He'd paint the entire planet with his blood if it would bring her back. He slid his hand into the welcoming liquid cold heat of the glove. He could do it again. And again. He never had to lose anybody. Not ever again. He could control life and death.
He yanked his hand free of the glove.
A single sob escaped from Jack's lips. He had to destroy it. There wasn't a choice.
He couldn't play God. His ghosts were only that, dead and gone. He couldn't bring anybody else back. Because he would never stop.
So he needed to destroy the glove, and if Ianto died when he did so, then his death was meant to be and couldn't be avoided. Jack would have to accept that, accept yet another loss and move on. He ran his hands across his face, through his hair. He was on the verge of breaking down and just fucking crying.
He was destined to spend eternity alone. Alone other than companionship that was merely there for brief flickers. He'd never understood the Doctor so much as he did now. And Jack was going to outlive him as well. Unless the Doctor could somehow fix him, cure him... kill him.
In the meantime, however, Jack still needed to put an end to the Risen Mitten. He could very well have bought Ianto a second chance. No reason to think otherwise, really. It was an irrational fear. He gotten away with it, just once, and if that were true, Jack was going to take it. He'd be grateful, and he'd fight.
Ianto wasn't the Doctor or Rose, but he was still worth fighting for, whatever path their relationship took, Jack was going to accept it. For however long they had left.
Then an alarm went off in the Hub.
-----
Reports had started coming in at a little after midnight of it raining jellyfish in Canton. Jack stashed away the glove, saved literally by the bell. Except that he wasn't avoiding what needed to done, merely postponing it in favor of calling in the team and carrying on with business as usual. He was still going to destroy the glove, he told himself, only not right now.
They all arrived at the Hub within half an hour, Owen and Tosh looking ruffled as though they'd just gotten out of bed yet still properly prepared right down to the rubber boots, Gwen in high heels and a spaghetti strap dress, and Ianto impeccable as always.
Jack only had eyes for Ianto, and he really wondered how he managed that constant look of perfection. Not one wrinkle in his suit, not a hair out of place. He seemed to notice Jack's gaze but he didn't return it, instead going directly about his work.
Owen took one look at Gwen, obviously cold despite her wrap, and laughed.
"I was out with Rhys," she defended herself. Owen merely checked his watch, shook his head, and mumbled something about chicks.
Jack ignored them both. They had a job to do. "Tosh, what have we got for cover stories?"
She was already typing away at her computer. "Damaged plane, dropping its cargo of rare seafood... Offshore storm siphoning water out of the bay, resulting in unusual weather patterns and small marine life in the rain..."
Jack frowned. Odds were they'd be retconning at least a few people. "Alright, your call. Owen, Gwen, load the SUV."
Owen walked past carrying a shovel. "Fucking mating season..."
"Mating season for what?" Gwen asked, looking a little more fearful than curious.
"Ianto..." Jack continued.
"I'm already translating a letter to the ambassador, informing him of other planets suitable for spawning that aren't inhabited." He only met Jack's eyes briefly before looking away. Not enough time for Jack to gauge anything.
"For all the good that ever does," Owen muttered, walking through again with a box of garbage bags under one arm and handful of biohazard stickers.
Toshiko scooped up her laptop and followed him, calling, "You coming?" over her shoulder to Gwen. Jack turned to head out also.
"Jack."
He spun back around to find Ianto holding out an umbrella to him. He grabbed it with a grin. "Whatever would I do without you?"
"Your own laundry, Sir." There was a trace of a smile behind the comment, and Jack was glad to see that they were perhaps falling back into the normal routine more easily than expected after their rather discouraging attempt at dinner together.
They really needed to talk, figure things out. Perhaps the only relationship between them was their working one, that and the remains of a strained friendship, but Jack still wanted to try for more. He didn't want to be merely Ianto's boss. He pecked a quick kiss to Ianto's lips before dashing off.
-----
It was just after dawn when the weary team arrived back at the Hub. They'd retconned four people, Gwen had broken a heel on her expensive shoe and sprained her ankle, Jack figured he must have gotten a splinter from one of the shovels because his finger stung, and Tosh and Owen were both covered in slime up to their knees.
Ianto handed them all cups of coffee. Jack sipped his and practically moaned in pleasure. It warmed him and eased away some of his tiredness.
Tosh flopped into the chair by her computer, and Owen helped Gwen hobble down the stairs to the medical area so he could wrap her ankle. Which left Jack alone with Ianto who was already refilling his cup.
"You want to go out and get some breakfast?" Jack asked.
Ianto fetched a small notepad and pen from a nearby drawer, clearly intending to write down everybody's order.
"I meant with me," Jack clarified, taking the pad from him, fingertips brushing over Ianto's, leaving them standing only inches apart.
Taking a step back, Ianto gave him a rather dumbfounded look. "Seriously?"
Jack closed the gap between them once more and grabbed Ianto's hand, having noticed something fairly alarming. Ianto had a band-aid on his finger.
"Paper cut," Ianto explained, awkwardly removing his hand from Jack's. "No idea what I sliced it on, just started to sting."
It was completely cliché, but Jack swore his blood ran cold. It was the same finger where he'd gotten the mystery splinter. The link was still active. What was worse, Jack wasn't entirely sure which way it had gone.
"Jack?"
He broke his gaze away from Ianto's hand and looked up, shaking himself out of his daze. Breakfast... "Well, second time's the charm."
Ianto stared at Jack like he didn't know how to respond, finally settling with, "Third time."
"Right..." Jack nodded. "So are you free for lunch as well then?"
"You honestly think that's a smart idea?" Ianto sounded skeptical, and after their failed date, Jack couldn't exactly blame him. But hadn't he said they should do it again? Although he'd probably meant the talking part.
"I think we're worth another try," Jack stated truthfully. He wasn't sure whether they could make it work either, but he wanted to give them a fair shot at finding out. "I was an ass last night. I'm sorry."
Ianto gave a slight tilt of his head. "Yes."
"Glad we agree on something," Jack said sarcastically.
"You were an arse," Ianto confirmed. "Nevertheless... yes, I am free for lunch."
Toshiko interrupted them then, spinning around her computer screen. "We've got rift activity."
-----
TBC
NC-17
set between 1x08 and 1x13
I'm totally stressed out and overworked and didn't find the flow with this part, so I apologize. I'm also working tomorrow and don't get Monday off either, so I'm not sure when I'll be able to get another part written. It might be a long wait.
They Come in Pairs - 9
-----
It was quiet in the Hub, Ianto not having returned with him, and Jack sat on his bed, staring blankly at the wall. His fingers traced absently along the metal of the glove in his lap. Feather-light touches, almost a caress. They glove was beautiful, and God, but he'd been right when he'd said it was addictive. He was supposed to be blowing the thing into a thousand pieces, not admiring grace of the craftsmanship beneath his touch.
Letting his mind drift, thoughts obviously wandered to the man he'd used the glove to bring back.
Their first date, if it could even actually be considered a date, had been rather dismal. He and Ianto were so wrong together. And so right. They had a lot in common. Unfortunately, it was their shared history that was tearing them apart. It was a hell of a lot to get over. Maybe too much. Too hard of a fight, and Jack was so tired of fighting.
He dropped his gaze to the glove. Nothing ever came easily, did it? He sighed deeply. Some things were worth fighting for. He closed his eyes, remembered the last time he'd told somebody that, recalled blonde hair and a gentle kiss against soft lips... Worth fighting for, worth dying for.
Worth dying for.
If he could find Rose's body, he could bring her back... Erase Canary Wharf. He could bring back Lisa for Ianto as well. He and Ianto would never be together if he did, but perhaps they would no longer be broken either. Jack could remove their shared loss. Perhaps they could remain friends. Friends with benefits would be ideal, but that wasn't likely.
He couldn't change time, not without Reapers flying, couldn't go back and correct that day. And yet...
He could buy second chances, pay for them with his own blood.
They'd be together again, him, Rose, and the Doctor. Not his Doctor - he doubted the glove could deregenerate - but some version of the Doctor, skinny and with wild hair and a creepy hand, but Jack could get used to that so long as the personality wasn't too very different. Or even if it was. Unconditional.
He'd died once for Rose, he could do it again. More accurately, he'd died buying the Doctor time. Rose had already been sent home. But he was willing to die for her. Whatever way she'd died, he'd take it gladly. He'd paint the entire planet with his blood if it would bring her back. He slid his hand into the welcoming liquid cold heat of the glove. He could do it again. And again. He never had to lose anybody. Not ever again. He could control life and death.
He yanked his hand free of the glove.
A single sob escaped from Jack's lips. He had to destroy it. There wasn't a choice.
He couldn't play God. His ghosts were only that, dead and gone. He couldn't bring anybody else back. Because he would never stop.
So he needed to destroy the glove, and if Ianto died when he did so, then his death was meant to be and couldn't be avoided. Jack would have to accept that, accept yet another loss and move on. He ran his hands across his face, through his hair. He was on the verge of breaking down and just fucking crying.
He was destined to spend eternity alone. Alone other than companionship that was merely there for brief flickers. He'd never understood the Doctor so much as he did now. And Jack was going to outlive him as well. Unless the Doctor could somehow fix him, cure him... kill him.
In the meantime, however, Jack still needed to put an end to the Risen Mitten. He could very well have bought Ianto a second chance. No reason to think otherwise, really. It was an irrational fear. He gotten away with it, just once, and if that were true, Jack was going to take it. He'd be grateful, and he'd fight.
Ianto wasn't the Doctor or Rose, but he was still worth fighting for, whatever path their relationship took, Jack was going to accept it. For however long they had left.
Then an alarm went off in the Hub.
-----
Reports had started coming in at a little after midnight of it raining jellyfish in Canton. Jack stashed away the glove, saved literally by the bell. Except that he wasn't avoiding what needed to done, merely postponing it in favor of calling in the team and carrying on with business as usual. He was still going to destroy the glove, he told himself, only not right now.
They all arrived at the Hub within half an hour, Owen and Tosh looking ruffled as though they'd just gotten out of bed yet still properly prepared right down to the rubber boots, Gwen in high heels and a spaghetti strap dress, and Ianto impeccable as always.
Jack only had eyes for Ianto, and he really wondered how he managed that constant look of perfection. Not one wrinkle in his suit, not a hair out of place. He seemed to notice Jack's gaze but he didn't return it, instead going directly about his work.
Owen took one look at Gwen, obviously cold despite her wrap, and laughed.
"I was out with Rhys," she defended herself. Owen merely checked his watch, shook his head, and mumbled something about chicks.
Jack ignored them both. They had a job to do. "Tosh, what have we got for cover stories?"
She was already typing away at her computer. "Damaged plane, dropping its cargo of rare seafood... Offshore storm siphoning water out of the bay, resulting in unusual weather patterns and small marine life in the rain..."
Jack frowned. Odds were they'd be retconning at least a few people. "Alright, your call. Owen, Gwen, load the SUV."
Owen walked past carrying a shovel. "Fucking mating season..."
"Mating season for what?" Gwen asked, looking a little more fearful than curious.
"Ianto..." Jack continued.
"I'm already translating a letter to the ambassador, informing him of other planets suitable for spawning that aren't inhabited." He only met Jack's eyes briefly before looking away. Not enough time for Jack to gauge anything.
"For all the good that ever does," Owen muttered, walking through again with a box of garbage bags under one arm and handful of biohazard stickers.
Toshiko scooped up her laptop and followed him, calling, "You coming?" over her shoulder to Gwen. Jack turned to head out also.
"Jack."
He spun back around to find Ianto holding out an umbrella to him. He grabbed it with a grin. "Whatever would I do without you?"
"Your own laundry, Sir." There was a trace of a smile behind the comment, and Jack was glad to see that they were perhaps falling back into the normal routine more easily than expected after their rather discouraging attempt at dinner together.
They really needed to talk, figure things out. Perhaps the only relationship between them was their working one, that and the remains of a strained friendship, but Jack still wanted to try for more. He didn't want to be merely Ianto's boss. He pecked a quick kiss to Ianto's lips before dashing off.
-----
It was just after dawn when the weary team arrived back at the Hub. They'd retconned four people, Gwen had broken a heel on her expensive shoe and sprained her ankle, Jack figured he must have gotten a splinter from one of the shovels because his finger stung, and Tosh and Owen were both covered in slime up to their knees.
Ianto handed them all cups of coffee. Jack sipped his and practically moaned in pleasure. It warmed him and eased away some of his tiredness.
Tosh flopped into the chair by her computer, and Owen helped Gwen hobble down the stairs to the medical area so he could wrap her ankle. Which left Jack alone with Ianto who was already refilling his cup.
"You want to go out and get some breakfast?" Jack asked.
Ianto fetched a small notepad and pen from a nearby drawer, clearly intending to write down everybody's order.
"I meant with me," Jack clarified, taking the pad from him, fingertips brushing over Ianto's, leaving them standing only inches apart.
Taking a step back, Ianto gave him a rather dumbfounded look. "Seriously?"
Jack closed the gap between them once more and grabbed Ianto's hand, having noticed something fairly alarming. Ianto had a band-aid on his finger.
"Paper cut," Ianto explained, awkwardly removing his hand from Jack's. "No idea what I sliced it on, just started to sting."
It was completely cliché, but Jack swore his blood ran cold. It was the same finger where he'd gotten the mystery splinter. The link was still active. What was worse, Jack wasn't entirely sure which way it had gone.
"Jack?"
He broke his gaze away from Ianto's hand and looked up, shaking himself out of his daze. Breakfast... "Well, second time's the charm."
Ianto stared at Jack like he didn't know how to respond, finally settling with, "Third time."
"Right..." Jack nodded. "So are you free for lunch as well then?"
"You honestly think that's a smart idea?" Ianto sounded skeptical, and after their failed date, Jack couldn't exactly blame him. But hadn't he said they should do it again? Although he'd probably meant the talking part.
"I think we're worth another try," Jack stated truthfully. He wasn't sure whether they could make it work either, but he wanted to give them a fair shot at finding out. "I was an ass last night. I'm sorry."
Ianto gave a slight tilt of his head. "Yes."
"Glad we agree on something," Jack said sarcastically.
"You were an arse," Ianto confirmed. "Nevertheless... yes, I am free for lunch."
Toshiko interrupted them then, spinning around her computer screen. "We've got rift activity."
-----
TBC