TW Fic: The Measure of Our Sorrows

[nancybrown]

Title: The Measure of Our Sorrows
Author: nancybrown
Characters: Jack, Ianto (team mentioned)
Rating: R
Words: 2800
Warnings: (highlight to read) discussion of: suicide, depression, dismemberment, sexual assault
Beta: bookwormsarahSummary: "You can't save someone who doesn't want to be saved

Comments

[lawsontl]

Just lovely. Jack is pitched spot on. And I actually buy Ianto's reaction. Too often it's melodramatic, huge, the end of a long line of abuse. This time it's small, yet vicious, quiet, yet deadly. Awesome.

And the pipes are a nice touch. I'm always interested in Torchwood's plumbing and HVAC :)

[nancybrown]

I LOVE wondering about the plumbing in the Hub. My headcanon is that Emily and Alice insisted on it.

Thanks, re: buying the reaction. I don't see Ianto as poor abused woobie, just a normal person who has seen too much and really, is about to break.

[pocky_slash]

This was fantastic. Not only was it a portrayal of suicidal Ianto that I totally buy, but Jack's reaction was spot on and I love that there was no real easy solution. Great job all around ♥

[nancybrown]

Thanks. :D Yeah, I don't think he sobs into his coffee mug whenever Jack says something mean, but bodies in the fridge? That had to be hard when he let himself think about it.

[heddychaa]

Oh, absolutely lovely. The bits in Ianto's POV were my favourite: so raw and traumatized and panicked. Just perfect.

[nancybrown]

Thank you! It had to be a rough time for all of them. I'm frankly terrified of looking into Tosh's head, post-episode.

[heddychaa]

Yeah I can't imagine. Especially when you factor in the sexual undertones of how she was treated (UGH).

[nancybrown]

EXACTLY.

[neifile7]

This is a really intriguing twist on fanon; the usual post-Countrycide take is that the cannibals help restore Ianto's will to live (often with the addition of healing cock). And I've never seen this ep linked to Canary Wharf in quite this way, as a trigger for PTSD and suicidal thoughts. So yay, fandom rite of passage and a tweak on the tropes to boot! Even the inevitable shower is not the usual excuse for sexytiems!

The entire progression of Jack's reactions is beautifully done -- especially the way you underpin the whole with his awareness of his own fallibility as a leader. And the details of all this taking place while he puts his report together are lovely -- coffee, tea, play fetch with Myfanwy, keep Ianto from blowing his brains out. All in a night's tedium, eh Jack?

[nancybrown]

Thanks. :) I love post-Cc fic, but it's so hard for me to rectify "Jack takes Ianto home and fixes him" with the "rats in my stomach" bit from GBG an episode later, and then to TKKS an ep after *that* says some interesting things about the character for me.

Poor Jack. He's seen a lot of suicides in his time. He thinks one day he'll figure out the right thing to say to them.

coffee, tea, play fetch with Myfanwy, keep Ianto from blowing his brains out. All in a night's tedium, eh Jack?

Ha! It's a heck of a to-do list anyway.

[elainasaunt]

I have to echo Anya's comment - a refreshing twist on tired tropes.

[nancybrown]

Thank I echo my thanks. :)

[remuslives23]

Oh, this was so raw and achy and fantastic. Jack was just perfect - his wariness, the way he gave Ianto space. I really loved the parallels you made to Canary Wharf with the severed limbs, and that Ianto's fears weren't being eaten, like the others, but being chopped up. You create these little, amazing details and it feels so right for them. You're quite brilliant, you!

[nancybrown]

Thanks, hon. :) He was so panicked at the end of the episode. I think it all came crashing down.