Letting Go
Title: Letting Go
Author: Timelordshines
Characters: Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones
Rating: 15
Words: 2635
Spoilers: S2E1, S2E5, 2E13
Disclaimer: Characters and situations belong to RTD and the BBC - I’m just borrowing them.
Written for hc_bingo prompt "Alien Abduction"
Author's Note: As always, comments and criticism are welcome and would help me to improve.
Ianto was woken suddenly by Jack’s flailing arm hitting him across the chest. As he struggled to get his thoughts together he became aware of Jack mumbling in his sleep, still tossing and turning. Ianto groggily reached out to try and soothe his lover, opening his eyes just in time to be able to dodge Jack’s flailing arm again, catching his wrist to avoid a black eye.
Still fast asleep Jack turned his hand to grab Ianto’s arm, bringing his other hand up to cement his death grip. Jack’s hold was agonisingly tight and Ianto opened his mouth to say something, but just as he was about to speak Jack shouted a single anguished word “Gray!” and woke himself up.
Ianto leant over him and used his free hand to stroke the sweat soaked hair off Jack’s forehead, trying to soothe him as he stared up with unseeing eyes. Jack blinked and croaked “Ianto?”
“Yeah, it’s me Jack. You’re ok. You’re safe”
Jack let go of Ianto’s arm and pushed him out of the way so that he could sit up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed.
“Jack?”
“I’m fine. Just go back to sleep.”
“Are you going to go back to sleep?” Ianto asked, hugging the covers to his chest.
“No.” Jack said, then added quietly “I never can after the dream.”
Previously when Jack had woken in the night he would leave Ianto’s bed and not return until morning. Ianto had followed him on the CCTV to see where he went and watched him standing on the roof of the Millennium Centre, unmoving for hours on end. Not this time. Ianto would find a way to get through to him.
“Jack?” Ianto asked, waiting for the other man to turn his head and look at him over his shoulder before continuing “who’s Gray?”
Jack turned away from him and looked down at his hands “Leave it Ianto.”
“Jack?” Ianto said scooting across the bed to sit behind the older man. He reached up to massage Jack’s stiff shoulders, ignoring the way he flinched from the touch, “Please, don’t push me away. Just tell me who Gray is.”
“My brother” Jack said quietly through gritted teeth, standing up suddenly, surprising Ianto and knocking him backwards onto the bed.
Ianto struggled to sit up again as he watched Jack pace backwards and forwards across the room, finally coming to a halt by the window, opening the curtains a crack to stare out into the empty Cardiff night sky.
Ianto sighed heavily and got up, stumbling as he pulled on his black boxer shorts and yanked his white t-shirt over his head. Ianto walked across the room and paused with his hand on the bedroom door as Jack turned towards him and asked him where he was going, somehow managing to sound angry and needy at the same time, like a petulant child.
“I’m just going to get a drink” Ianto replied, forcing himself to keep his voice light.
He went into the kitchen and set about making hot chocolate. As he waited for the milk to warm Ianto reflected on what to do with his distant lover. This was the third time this week that Jack had woken up screaming and refused to talk about what was troubling him. This time however Ianto had been able to make a bit of a breakthrough. This time he had been able to understand the one word “Gray” and realised that this must be the mysterious Gray that John Hart had spoken of. Ianto broke the dark chocolate into the milk and watched it melt as he stirred, the action cathartic and soothing. Yes, he was annoyed that Jack wouldn’t confide in him, he thought they were past all the secrets and lies, but tonight was about Jack. Tonight Ianto was going to find a way to exorcise Jack’s demons. As he poured the hot chocolate into two cups adding cream and chocolate sprinkles, Ianto formulated his plan.
He picked up the mugs and went back into the bedroom. Jack was exactly where he had left him, stark naked staring out of the window. Ianto shook his head, hoping that the hour was too late for his neighbours across the road to be looking out of their windows.
He put the drinks down on the bedside table on his side of the bed and rearranged the pillows, piling them against the head board. Then he climbed onto the bed and made himself comfortable sitting up against the pillows with his legs spread wide. Ianto knew his lover well enough not to push him, and to know that Jacks’ curiosity would soon get the better of him. Right on cue Jack turned to see what Ianto was doing.
Ianto lifted one of the cups offering it out to Jack, eyebrow raised in question. Jack nodded and moved away from the window to retrieve the mug from his lover. As Ianto handed the cup over he patted the bed in front of him “Please Jack?” he asked catching Jack’s eye and raising his own eyebrow again, knowing Jack wouldn’t be able to resist it.
Jack sighed, but did as Ianto asked, pulling the duvet up over himself and tucking it carefully around them both. Ianto kissed the back of his partner’s neck then wrapped his arms around Jack’s waist and rested his chin on the older man’s shoulder. “Tell me a story Jack? What was your childhood like?”
Jack was surprised. He had been expecting Ianto to come right out and ask him about Gray, about his dream. He should have realised that his lover would be more subtle than that. Ianto knew that a direct question wouldn’t work and would just make him shut down completely. “Ok….” He said, “Where do you want me to start?”
“Tell me about your planet. Did you live in a city or a village or some other settlement?”
“Ok… we lived in a seaside colony on a desert planet. You’ve seen Star Wars right? It was actually a little bit similar to Tatouine but with a few more trees and a bit of sparse grassland.” Jack chuckled “just don’t tell George Lucas.” Jack could feel Ianto’s smile as he kissed the side of his neck “The village was quite small, a really close knit community, everyone knowing everyone else’s business. Dad was a fisherman. Mum was a housewife and looked after me and Gray. I was the oldest. He was four years younger than me.” Jack paused, taking a sip of his hot chocolate. Ianto reached for his from the bedside table and drank too, digesting the information that Jack had just told him. He felt that in the last few minutes he had probably learnt more about his lover’s past than he had in all the time he had known him.
Not wanting Jack to stop, Ianto gently prodded with another question “Tell me about your school. Did you have a school system like we do here?”
“Yeah, we did. It was pretty much the same although the lessons were a bit different obviously. I liked school. I didn’t find the lessons too challenging, and I was good at sports and I was quite popular.”
“Of course!” Ianto laughed.
“Oi!” Said Jack, nudging him with his elbow, “I’m just saying school was fun and being in all the sports teams made me popular. Everyone knew me. But I only had a handful of really close friends. Including my first boyfriend, Scott.” Ianto could hear the smile and tenderness in Jacks’ voice as he remembered. “We were only together a few months, less than a year.” Jack stopped to take another sip of his drink and to collect his thoughts before continuing. “I was eleven, nearly twelve when we got together. He was a year older. He was taller than me, with the most gorgeous eyes and kissable lips. We promised each other we would get married as soon as we were old enough.” Jack laughed, but there was a slightly bitter edge to it, which warned Ianto not to ask him any more about that particular topic. “We were always getting told off for kissing at school!”
“I’ll bet,” Ianto said, hugging him “some things never change!” there was a smile in his voice which warmed Jack.
“So,” Ianto said changing the subject slightly “what is your earliest memory?”
“Hmm,” Jack said, finishing his drink as he thought, letting the bitter taste of the dark chocolate mix with the sweetness of the cream on his tongue. Ianto’s hot chocolate was as perfect as his coffee. “I was three years old. Mum and Dad sat me down and told me I was going to have a brother. I was so excited. I couldn’t wait for him to be born so I would have someone to play with and look after.” Jack stared off into the distance, lost in his memories.
“We were really close. We used to play together all the time. Sometimes dad would come down to the beach and play ball with us and we would have barbeques. Sometimes just the four of us, sometimes with the other families in the village.” Jack smiled, but it was tinged with sadness.
“I was the big brother. Gray used to really look up to me. I used to help him with his homework and teach him stuff. I remember one summer teaching him to climb trees. We had a big tree in our yard which I used to sit in and he was desperate to be able to follow me. When he was about six he was tall enough to reach the first branch so I helped him climb. Mum was so angry when she came out of the house and saw him at the top of the tree.” Jack stopped speaking. Ianto could feel the tension in his shoulders as he hugged him. He placed his lips to Jack’s shoulder and kissed him gently. Ianto’s silent support was too much for Jack. He couldn’t hold his sobs in any longer “She was terrified he would fall and hurt himself and she shouted at me for being irresponsible enough to teach him.” He said through his tears.
Ianto put his cup down and gently prised Jack’s out of his hands placing it on the bedside table next to his own. Then he wrapped his arms tightly around his lover, kissing soothing trails across Jack’s shaking shoulders. Jack held on tightly to Ianto’s wrist where his arms crossed over the older man’s chest.
“There were aliens. Creatures. We lived in fear. Every couple of years they came sometimes they passed over, but sometimes we weren’t so lucky. It happened so fast, without warning. We never knew what species they were or where they were from.” Ianto’s mind raced, struggling to keep up with Jack’s splintered sentences. “They killed everyone. Decimated the planet” Jack said between sobs, his knuckles white as he held onto Ianto’s arms for dear life. With his hands trapped, all Ianto could do was hold on tighter and kiss Jack’s neck and shoulders, whispering soothing nonsense into his ear as he witnessed his strong captain fall apart in his arms.
“Anyone who couldn’t find shelter was killed” Jack continued, “they were looking for children. They took small children!” Jack all but shouted, with such loathing, revulsion and disgust in his voice that Ianto flinched, gasping sharply when he realised what this meant “God Jack, I am so sorry!” he muttered, a tear tracking down his face to mirror those already coursing down Jack’s.
“Gray and I were out playing on the beach with Dad when they came. I can still hear their screeching. And Dad’s words, etched into my memory: ‘Run. Take Gray, keep him safe.’ I pleaded with him to come with us, but he said he had to go and find Mum. He shouted at us to run so I grabbed Gray’s hand and we ran. We stumbled but I kept going, and I guess that’s when I must have let go of Gray’s hand although I wasn’t aware of it at the time. I took shelter under a big tree root and heard the creatures flying past with their bloodcurdling howls. I turned around and Gray wasn’t there!” Jack loosened his grip on Ianto’s arm to turn slightly and look over his shoulder at his lover, tears streaming down his face. “I let go of his hand Ianto.” Jack stated quietly. Ianto slipped one hand out from Jack’s hold and ran it through Jack’s hair in a soothing motion. “It wasn’t your fault Jack.” Ianto said quietly, kissing the tears from his partner’s face.
Jack took a shuddering breath then turned and faced forward again, snuggling further into his lovers embrace. “I looked for him, but I couldn’t see him. I thought, hoped, that when we were separated he got scared when he couldn’t see me and ran home. I ran all the way home, but when I got there…” Jack broke off, unable to finish his sentence. Ianto rubbed his arm comfortingly and kissed the side of his neck, “What happened Jack?”
“Dad didn’t make it to the shelter of the house.” Jack spoke quietly, “I found his body.”
“Oh, Jack” Ianto said pulling him tight, “I am so sorry.”
“I fell to my knees and shouted at him to wake up. Shouted for someone to help!” Jack wailed. “I don’t know how long I was there before Mum came running out to us. She didn’t even see me, just fell at Dad’s side, distraught. When I spoke to her, she turned and saw me, and hugged me. But then she asked after Gray.” Ianto kissed the base of Jack’s neck where it met his shoulder, nuzzling into him and offering silent support. “I had to tell her that I had lost him.” Jack sobbed.
“I went back out, retracing my steps back to where I had hidden. I looked everywhere. Behind every tree, under every rock. I checked every dead body…” Jack stopped. Ianto could feel his shoulders shaking from the sobs he was trying desperately to hold in. He couldn’t see his lover’s face, but he could sense the pain that was etched into it. “Jack?” he asked gently.
“I found Scott’s body. My boyfriend was dead.”
“Jack” Ianto whispered. There were no words he could say to express how truly sorry he was.
“I never found Gray. I searched for years. My mum was never the same after that day. She blamed me for losing my brother. As soon as I was fourteen I ran away. I forged my papers to appear sixteen and joined the army before being picked for the time agency. I had to try and fight those creatures who took my brother, my dad and my boyfriend. They stole my childhood and my innocence and I had to make them pay!” Jack drew in a deep shuddering breath, “I looked for years, but I never found him. And now, John said he knew where he is and then he left. I know John is a pathological liar, and is probably just messing with me, but he knows how important Gray is to me. He wouldn’t be that cruel! Would he?”
“I don’t know Jack,” Ianto said pulling Jack back to rest against his chest, holding him tight and resting his chin on his lover’s shoulder, feeling the dampness from Jack’s tears on his own cheek as he continued to cry.
Eventually, Jack’s sobs subsided and he went heavy against Ianto’s chest, finally surrendering to sleep. Jack was heavy and Ianto was uncomfortable, but there was nothing in the world that would make him move his lover now.
Author: Timelordshines
Characters: Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones
Rating: 15
Words: 2635
Spoilers: S2E1, S2E5, 2E13
Disclaimer: Characters and situations belong to RTD and the BBC - I’m just borrowing them.
Written for hc_bingo prompt "Alien Abduction"
Author's Note: As always, comments and criticism are welcome and would help me to improve.
Ianto was woken suddenly by Jack’s flailing arm hitting him across the chest. As he struggled to get his thoughts together he became aware of Jack mumbling in his sleep, still tossing and turning. Ianto groggily reached out to try and soothe his lover, opening his eyes just in time to be able to dodge Jack’s flailing arm again, catching his wrist to avoid a black eye.
Still fast asleep Jack turned his hand to grab Ianto’s arm, bringing his other hand up to cement his death grip. Jack’s hold was agonisingly tight and Ianto opened his mouth to say something, but just as he was about to speak Jack shouted a single anguished word “Gray!” and woke himself up.
Ianto leant over him and used his free hand to stroke the sweat soaked hair off Jack’s forehead, trying to soothe him as he stared up with unseeing eyes. Jack blinked and croaked “Ianto?”
“Yeah, it’s me Jack. You’re ok. You’re safe”
Jack let go of Ianto’s arm and pushed him out of the way so that he could sit up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed.
“Jack?”
“I’m fine. Just go back to sleep.”
“Are you going to go back to sleep?” Ianto asked, hugging the covers to his chest.
“No.” Jack said, then added quietly “I never can after the dream.”
Previously when Jack had woken in the night he would leave Ianto’s bed and not return until morning. Ianto had followed him on the CCTV to see where he went and watched him standing on the roof of the Millennium Centre, unmoving for hours on end. Not this time. Ianto would find a way to get through to him.
“Jack?” Ianto asked, waiting for the other man to turn his head and look at him over his shoulder before continuing “who’s Gray?”
Jack turned away from him and looked down at his hands “Leave it Ianto.”
“Jack?” Ianto said scooting across the bed to sit behind the older man. He reached up to massage Jack’s stiff shoulders, ignoring the way he flinched from the touch, “Please, don’t push me away. Just tell me who Gray is.”
“My brother” Jack said quietly through gritted teeth, standing up suddenly, surprising Ianto and knocking him backwards onto the bed.
Ianto struggled to sit up again as he watched Jack pace backwards and forwards across the room, finally coming to a halt by the window, opening the curtains a crack to stare out into the empty Cardiff night sky.
Ianto sighed heavily and got up, stumbling as he pulled on his black boxer shorts and yanked his white t-shirt over his head. Ianto walked across the room and paused with his hand on the bedroom door as Jack turned towards him and asked him where he was going, somehow managing to sound angry and needy at the same time, like a petulant child.
“I’m just going to get a drink” Ianto replied, forcing himself to keep his voice light.
He went into the kitchen and set about making hot chocolate. As he waited for the milk to warm Ianto reflected on what to do with his distant lover. This was the third time this week that Jack had woken up screaming and refused to talk about what was troubling him. This time however Ianto had been able to make a bit of a breakthrough. This time he had been able to understand the one word “Gray” and realised that this must be the mysterious Gray that John Hart had spoken of. Ianto broke the dark chocolate into the milk and watched it melt as he stirred, the action cathartic and soothing. Yes, he was annoyed that Jack wouldn’t confide in him, he thought they were past all the secrets and lies, but tonight was about Jack. Tonight Ianto was going to find a way to exorcise Jack’s demons. As he poured the hot chocolate into two cups adding cream and chocolate sprinkles, Ianto formulated his plan.
He picked up the mugs and went back into the bedroom. Jack was exactly where he had left him, stark naked staring out of the window. Ianto shook his head, hoping that the hour was too late for his neighbours across the road to be looking out of their windows.
He put the drinks down on the bedside table on his side of the bed and rearranged the pillows, piling them against the head board. Then he climbed onto the bed and made himself comfortable sitting up against the pillows with his legs spread wide. Ianto knew his lover well enough not to push him, and to know that Jacks’ curiosity would soon get the better of him. Right on cue Jack turned to see what Ianto was doing.
Ianto lifted one of the cups offering it out to Jack, eyebrow raised in question. Jack nodded and moved away from the window to retrieve the mug from his lover. As Ianto handed the cup over he patted the bed in front of him “Please Jack?” he asked catching Jack’s eye and raising his own eyebrow again, knowing Jack wouldn’t be able to resist it.
Jack sighed, but did as Ianto asked, pulling the duvet up over himself and tucking it carefully around them both. Ianto kissed the back of his partner’s neck then wrapped his arms around Jack’s waist and rested his chin on the older man’s shoulder. “Tell me a story Jack? What was your childhood like?”
Jack was surprised. He had been expecting Ianto to come right out and ask him about Gray, about his dream. He should have realised that his lover would be more subtle than that. Ianto knew that a direct question wouldn’t work and would just make him shut down completely. “Ok….” He said, “Where do you want me to start?”
“Tell me about your planet. Did you live in a city or a village or some other settlement?”
“Ok… we lived in a seaside colony on a desert planet. You’ve seen Star Wars right? It was actually a little bit similar to Tatouine but with a few more trees and a bit of sparse grassland.” Jack chuckled “just don’t tell George Lucas.” Jack could feel Ianto’s smile as he kissed the side of his neck “The village was quite small, a really close knit community, everyone knowing everyone else’s business. Dad was a fisherman. Mum was a housewife and looked after me and Gray. I was the oldest. He was four years younger than me.” Jack paused, taking a sip of his hot chocolate. Ianto reached for his from the bedside table and drank too, digesting the information that Jack had just told him. He felt that in the last few minutes he had probably learnt more about his lover’s past than he had in all the time he had known him.
Not wanting Jack to stop, Ianto gently prodded with another question “Tell me about your school. Did you have a school system like we do here?”
“Yeah, we did. It was pretty much the same although the lessons were a bit different obviously. I liked school. I didn’t find the lessons too challenging, and I was good at sports and I was quite popular.”
“Of course!” Ianto laughed.
“Oi!” Said Jack, nudging him with his elbow, “I’m just saying school was fun and being in all the sports teams made me popular. Everyone knew me. But I only had a handful of really close friends. Including my first boyfriend, Scott.” Ianto could hear the smile and tenderness in Jacks’ voice as he remembered. “We were only together a few months, less than a year.” Jack stopped to take another sip of his drink and to collect his thoughts before continuing. “I was eleven, nearly twelve when we got together. He was a year older. He was taller than me, with the most gorgeous eyes and kissable lips. We promised each other we would get married as soon as we were old enough.” Jack laughed, but there was a slightly bitter edge to it, which warned Ianto not to ask him any more about that particular topic. “We were always getting told off for kissing at school!”
“I’ll bet,” Ianto said, hugging him “some things never change!” there was a smile in his voice which warmed Jack.
“So,” Ianto said changing the subject slightly “what is your earliest memory?”
“Hmm,” Jack said, finishing his drink as he thought, letting the bitter taste of the dark chocolate mix with the sweetness of the cream on his tongue. Ianto’s hot chocolate was as perfect as his coffee. “I was three years old. Mum and Dad sat me down and told me I was going to have a brother. I was so excited. I couldn’t wait for him to be born so I would have someone to play with and look after.” Jack stared off into the distance, lost in his memories.
“We were really close. We used to play together all the time. Sometimes dad would come down to the beach and play ball with us and we would have barbeques. Sometimes just the four of us, sometimes with the other families in the village.” Jack smiled, but it was tinged with sadness.
“I was the big brother. Gray used to really look up to me. I used to help him with his homework and teach him stuff. I remember one summer teaching him to climb trees. We had a big tree in our yard which I used to sit in and he was desperate to be able to follow me. When he was about six he was tall enough to reach the first branch so I helped him climb. Mum was so angry when she came out of the house and saw him at the top of the tree.” Jack stopped speaking. Ianto could feel the tension in his shoulders as he hugged him. He placed his lips to Jack’s shoulder and kissed him gently. Ianto’s silent support was too much for Jack. He couldn’t hold his sobs in any longer “She was terrified he would fall and hurt himself and she shouted at me for being irresponsible enough to teach him.” He said through his tears.
Ianto put his cup down and gently prised Jack’s out of his hands placing it on the bedside table next to his own. Then he wrapped his arms tightly around his lover, kissing soothing trails across Jack’s shaking shoulders. Jack held on tightly to Ianto’s wrist where his arms crossed over the older man’s chest.
“There were aliens. Creatures. We lived in fear. Every couple of years they came sometimes they passed over, but sometimes we weren’t so lucky. It happened so fast, without warning. We never knew what species they were or where they were from.” Ianto’s mind raced, struggling to keep up with Jack’s splintered sentences. “They killed everyone. Decimated the planet” Jack said between sobs, his knuckles white as he held onto Ianto’s arms for dear life. With his hands trapped, all Ianto could do was hold on tighter and kiss Jack’s neck and shoulders, whispering soothing nonsense into his ear as he witnessed his strong captain fall apart in his arms.
“Anyone who couldn’t find shelter was killed” Jack continued, “they were looking for children. They took small children!” Jack all but shouted, with such loathing, revulsion and disgust in his voice that Ianto flinched, gasping sharply when he realised what this meant “God Jack, I am so sorry!” he muttered, a tear tracking down his face to mirror those already coursing down Jack’s.
“Gray and I were out playing on the beach with Dad when they came. I can still hear their screeching. And Dad’s words, etched into my memory: ‘Run. Take Gray, keep him safe.’ I pleaded with him to come with us, but he said he had to go and find Mum. He shouted at us to run so I grabbed Gray’s hand and we ran. We stumbled but I kept going, and I guess that’s when I must have let go of Gray’s hand although I wasn’t aware of it at the time. I took shelter under a big tree root and heard the creatures flying past with their bloodcurdling howls. I turned around and Gray wasn’t there!” Jack loosened his grip on Ianto’s arm to turn slightly and look over his shoulder at his lover, tears streaming down his face. “I let go of his hand Ianto.” Jack stated quietly. Ianto slipped one hand out from Jack’s hold and ran it through Jack’s hair in a soothing motion. “It wasn’t your fault Jack.” Ianto said quietly, kissing the tears from his partner’s face.
Jack took a shuddering breath then turned and faced forward again, snuggling further into his lovers embrace. “I looked for him, but I couldn’t see him. I thought, hoped, that when we were separated he got scared when he couldn’t see me and ran home. I ran all the way home, but when I got there…” Jack broke off, unable to finish his sentence. Ianto rubbed his arm comfortingly and kissed the side of his neck, “What happened Jack?”
“Dad didn’t make it to the shelter of the house.” Jack spoke quietly, “I found his body.”
“Oh, Jack” Ianto said pulling him tight, “I am so sorry.”
“I fell to my knees and shouted at him to wake up. Shouted for someone to help!” Jack wailed. “I don’t know how long I was there before Mum came running out to us. She didn’t even see me, just fell at Dad’s side, distraught. When I spoke to her, she turned and saw me, and hugged me. But then she asked after Gray.” Ianto kissed the base of Jack’s neck where it met his shoulder, nuzzling into him and offering silent support. “I had to tell her that I had lost him.” Jack sobbed.
“I went back out, retracing my steps back to where I had hidden. I looked everywhere. Behind every tree, under every rock. I checked every dead body…” Jack stopped. Ianto could feel his shoulders shaking from the sobs he was trying desperately to hold in. He couldn’t see his lover’s face, but he could sense the pain that was etched into it. “Jack?” he asked gently.
“I found Scott’s body. My boyfriend was dead.”
“Jack” Ianto whispered. There were no words he could say to express how truly sorry he was.
“I never found Gray. I searched for years. My mum was never the same after that day. She blamed me for losing my brother. As soon as I was fourteen I ran away. I forged my papers to appear sixteen and joined the army before being picked for the time agency. I had to try and fight those creatures who took my brother, my dad and my boyfriend. They stole my childhood and my innocence and I had to make them pay!” Jack drew in a deep shuddering breath, “I looked for years, but I never found him. And now, John said he knew where he is and then he left. I know John is a pathological liar, and is probably just messing with me, but he knows how important Gray is to me. He wouldn’t be that cruel! Would he?”
“I don’t know Jack,” Ianto said pulling Jack back to rest against his chest, holding him tight and resting his chin on his lover’s shoulder, feeling the dampness from Jack’s tears on his own cheek as he continued to cry.
Eventually, Jack’s sobs subsided and he went heavy against Ianto’s chest, finally surrendering to sleep. Jack was heavy and Ianto was uncomfortable, but there was nothing in the world that would make him move his lover now.