Title: Howl ~7/?~
Author:
saar_fantasyPairing: Jack/Ianto (kind of...)
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Character death + reincarnation
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters used in this fic. The words and plot of the story are mine. Completely fabricated for fun.
Summary: Ianto has died, but he comes back in another life form. The form of a wolf. How will Jack react when he finds out? A story about a man and his wolf.
A/N: Since I'm not religious, I'm using a lot of creative writing freedom. I do, kind of, believe in reincarnation. Don't flame me for it.
Jack was lying in bed in Ianto's apartment, staring up at the ceiling, his talk from earlier with Ianto still running through his mind.
He wondered where things had gone wrong, again. Probably when he denied Ianto the chance to join Torchwood as a wolf. But Jack didn't have much of a choice. Or at least he didn't let himself give Ianto much of a chance, just to protect his own feelings.
What worried him the most was that Ianto hadn't returned back to the Hub after his walk. He really wondered where he was. He had been thinking about holding a search party, but Gwen had told him to leave Ianto alone for a while.
She was sure he would come back, but Jack wasn't. Not anymore.
Suddenly he heard a weird noise; like something scratching on wood... Something scratching on wood?!
Jack was out of and at the front door of the apartment in no time, opening it in one swift movement. Then he looked down, right onto the bowed down head of a very familiar wolf.
Jack made some space so Ianto could enter, the latter still not looking up, once he closed the door behind him and broke the silence.
"Ianto."
The wolf stopped in it's tracks, his back stiff and his ears flat against his head. He didn't turn around to see Jack slip down to the floor with his back against the door.
"Ianto," Jack repeated softly, "Come here."
Ianto turned around but didn't move towards Jack, at least he looked at him now.
"Please," Jack whispered and that was what got Ianto's legs to move. He stopped right in front of Jack, waiting. He didn't know what he was waiting for exactly, but still, he waited.
"Can you forget, even for just a minute, that you're angry at me and come closer so I can hug you?" Jack stared intently into Ianto's eyes. "I missed you."
Ianto took a tentative step closer, but Jack couldn't wait any longer. He leaned forward, stretched his arms out and pulled Ianto against his chest, who let out a surprised yelp.
"I'm sorry," Jack whispered into Ianto's ear, "I'm so sorry. Can you talk?" Ianto shook his head and Jack reached out for his collar. "So you pawed at the buttons out of frustration, huh?"
"I couldn't exactly let people catch me talking, could I?" Ianto answered dryly, but there wasn't any heat behind his words.
"That would be kind of stupid." Jack smiled sadly, combing his fingers through Ianto's fur. "Did your walk help?"
"A little." if wolves could shrug, Ianto would be doing it right now. "I'm sorry too."
Jack waved his hand dismissively, "It's fine."
"No, it's not. I know you want to protect me, Jack."
"I do." Jack answered, "But maybe I acted a little too overprotective."
"You could say that." Ianto smiled inwardly at Jack's half-glare. "But it's fine. I know where it's coming from."
"Yeah." Jack paused, sighing softly. "But I've been thinking..."
"Oh-oh."
"Shut up." Jack gently flicked Ianto's ear, getting a chuckle in return. "Seriously, now. Ive been thinking and maybe we could us your help. But-"
"Now we're getting there..."
"Only on the easy missions. No surprises."
"How will you know when it's easy and when not?"
"You'll go with us, but when I order you to stay in the car, you stay in the car." Jack raises his eyebrows at Ianto. "Got it?"
Ianto smiled, wagging his tail to show he was happy. "Got it."
"You're really gonna have to listen to me, Ianto. No joking around." A pause. "And no muttering in Welsh behind my back."
"You're taking away all of the fun."
Jack couldn't stop his lips from quirking up into a smile. "Alright. You can talk in Welsh behind my back."
Ianto wagged his tail and let his tongue loll out of his mouth to show that he was happy.
"We're gonna do this together, alright?" Jack said softly, stroking through Ianto's fur lovingly.
Ianto smiled again, licking Jack's free hand. "Together."
~~..~~
Seemed like Ianto didn't have to wait long for his first task back on the team. They had just gone to bed a few minutes earlier when Jack's wrist strap started beeping, alerting them for some Rift activity.
Jack groaned, grabbing for his phone, trying not to jostle Ianto, who's head was on his chest. Ianto was awake already though.
Just as Jack had his phone in his hand, it started ringing, just as he expected it to.
"Gwen, what have you got?" Jack answered his phone in way of greeting.
"I don't really know." Gwen answered on the other end of the line. "Something certainly came through the Rift, but I can't tell if it's a living being or an object."
"We'll go check it out."
"We?" Gwen asked and Jack could hear the relief and excitement in her voice, making him smile. "Ianto's there then?"
"Yep. He's with me." Ianto was already out of the bed, so Jack followed him. "Just send me the coordinates and me and my wolf will check it out."
Jack could hear Gwen giggle and could see Ianto roll his eyes, even though his back was turned towards him.
"It's been send."
"Thanks Gwen. I'll call you if we need back-up."
"Ok. Good luck."
--..--
It ended up just being an object that came through the Rift, which made Ianto a little disappointed. He did have fun being back on the road again, though. Especially alone with Jack.
Now he was able to talk, they were getting into their old banter again. They couldn't touch each other's body, or at least Jack couldn't touch a human body and for Ianto it was a little hard to really touch Jack with his paws, but Jack's hand was carding through Ianto's fur almost constantly during the car ride.
The object was lying between Ianto's front paws, he was clearly fascinated by it. Well, he still hadn't lost his interst for foreign objects.
He couldn't wait to store it in the archive with the other objects that came through the Rift. Wait, maybe that could be a problem...Wolf paws and all that. Jack or Gwen would have to do it for him then, with his supervision of course. Maybe Gwen was the best person to do so, because Jack in the archive, just...No.
"We're here." Jack's voice brought Ianto out of his train of thoughts and his slight slumber."Come on, sleepyhead." Jack smiled as he stepped out of the car and went to open the door on Ianto's side.
Jack took out the alien object, which even he hadn't seen before, then held the door open for Ianto to jump out. Ianto stumbled a little, because when he was sleepy, those four legs weren't really that easy to navigate.
"Don't ask me to carry you, because I will."
Ianto rolled his eyes, "I will be fine, thank you."
Jack smiled, letting Ianto walk before him, watching his ass; just like the old days. Ianto seemed to notice, because he lifted his tail a little. Jack chuckled, amused.
"You tease." Ianto's chckle made a shiver run down Jack's spine. Damn him.
Once inside the new Hub, Jack dropped their new gadget on Lois' desk, who started inspecting it immediately. Jack sat down on the couch where Ianto joined him shortly afterwards.
Jack couldn't help it, he had to stroke his hands through the wolf's fur. Ianto leaned into it automatically, trying to stifle a yawn, which wasn't easy to do when you were a wolf.
Jack chuckled, "Seems like someone needs his bed."
"I'm fine. I would like to hear what Lois thinks about our new toy."
"You can hear that tomorrow too."
"No, I..." another not so stifled yawn, "want to hear it now."
Jack stood up, picking a sputtering Ianto up in his arms. "Tomorrow."
"Jack!" Ianto yelped indignantly, while Gwen and Lois giggled. "Jack. Put me down. Now!"
"Nope," Jack answered, "Say bye to Gwen and Lois." he turned his head towards the girls and winked. "See you tomorrow, girls."
"Bye," Lois and Gwen called out in unison, waving at Jack and a struggling, complaining Ianto. When the door closed behind Jack, they started laughing.
"They're so cute together." Lois commented, to which Gwen nodded.
"Always have been. I'm glad they're back together." A small pause, a thoughtful look."At least in some kind of way."
"Sometimes having a good friend is better than having a boyfriend."
"That's true." Gwen answered with a smile. "And at least Jack looks happy again."
And that was still the most important thing.