Fic: Comfort

[lefaym]

Title: Comfort
Author: lefaym
Betas: Many thanks to the wonderful lionessvalenti, who offered invaluable advice while I was writing this, and the most excellent used_songs, who always knows exactly the right suggestions to make.
Fandom: Torchwood
Pairing(s): Gwen/Ianto
Summary: Set after the events of Lost Souls: Gwen tries to fix a luggage mix-up, and discovers that Ianto

Comments

[used_songs]

Jack doesn't deserve either one of them. I love the delicate portrayal of Ianto, in pain and needing comfort but wholly in character. Your depiction of Gwen is just as finely drawn - this is Gwen who sees pain and does what she can to alleviate it.

[lefaym]

Thank you (again). :) I'm glad that the characterisation worked for you.

[iamshadow]

I do love that this really is about the title - comfort. It's about closeness and release, not sex or love, though there is a bit of that, too.

[lefaym]

Thank you-- that is such a great way of putting it. :)

[iamshadow]

Glad I was coherent! I've had a bit of wine. :">

[lefaym]

Mmmm... wine. :)

[lucy_locket]

Awww, I love it! So beautiful and real and painful. I especially like your description of Gwen's job/duties being unexplainable. Because that's how I see it too. I think her feelings are definitely the same.

[lefaym]

Thank you. I think Gwen is in such a difficult position most of the time -- her job is always going to create these ethical conflicts, her loyalties will always be split in some way -- yet she deals with it and grows and learns from it.

[bloodredroses1]

Oh thank heavens!

I almost didn't read this because I have this HUGE problem with Gwen being with anyone else but Rhys after they're married. Add to that the fact I don't care for Ianto/Gwen 99.9% of the time...

Long story short, I'm very glad I read this. You took a tricky subject and made it work. It was handled with a lot of sensitivity and care. Their thoughts and actions were very much in character. Ianto's pain, both from what happened earlier & Jack's leaving him alone now, shine through and Gwen sensing that pain and wanting to make it better are just marvelous. As was the choice you made for frottage rather than full-blown sex. Aw hell, everything about this was just fantastic. A perfect gem of a story.

Morgan

[lefaym]

Thank you so much for taking a chance on it!

I totally understand why many people have a problem with Gwen being with anyone but Rhys after the wedding, and I wouldn't have written this if I hadn't felt like there was an IC way of doing it. Even so, I worried that I didn't quite get it right, so to get a comment like this from someone coming from your perspective is very reassuring. :)

[lefaym]

Thank you -- and yes, I think you're right, it's about the intimacy, and the sex just happened to be a way of achieving that.