Disclaimer: I don't own anything - everything belongs to RTD and BBC until the day they sell all the rights to me (which isn't happening any time soon)
AN: I have honestly no idea where the idea for this one came. I was in my English lesson watching My Fair Lady when suddenly I started to think about Ianto in jeans watching how the world ends. Apparently I have a very strange mind. Un-betad so all the mistakes are mine. Enjoy!
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When the world ends Ianto Jones watches it from TV dressed in jeans. He knows he should be panicking and crying but instead he sits still in his own dark living room, light from the TV flickering on his pale blue dress shirt. Bombs are going off in the USA, deadly virus is spreading in India, Australia and New Zealand are drowning to the ocean and there are not enough boats and surf boards for everyone. Most of the Europe is still untouched but Paris is burning with Madrid, Florence, Rome, Berlin, Stockholm, Luxembourg, Bristol and London.
This is not something Torchwood could've stopped. This is inevitable, something that had to happen, or at least so Jack told them three days ago when Cuba literally exploded out of the map. Jack had sent Gwen home with Rhys and the last he heard about them before the phone lines went dead was that they were leaving the city to go to countryside hoping that they would be safer there. Jack had spent the first night with him, they had sat in the Hub shoulder to shoulder watching TV until he couldn't stand it anymore and went to make coffee. Jack had followed him and stared him when he made the coffee like it was the last time he was going to see it.
Maybe it was.
Ianto hasn't touched the coffee machine after that night. Not that he has touched Jack after that night either. Not after they heard that Martha and Tom were still in London when the burning started as were Donna, Sarah Jane and Luke. No one has heard a word about the Doctor and Ianto doubts he will come. But Jack doesn't throw away his hope - that foolish hope that Doctor will save everything - and he sits in the Hub as helpless as everyone else.
Ianto flicks the channels but he can't find anything but more news about destruction. Prague and Moscow are added to the list of burning cities. Earthquakes are shaking Japan and China. Danube is flooding. Then suddenly something snaps and the picture is replaced by static. Ianto doesn't move. He can only wonder when the fires reach Cardiff or if the ocean swallows them too, drowning Jack in the Hub all alone leaving him to live in a dead world. Sometimes Ianto wonders if it was better to take the matter to his own hands. His sleek hand gun is placed on the coffee table. He hates the idea of killing himself but there is no chance in hell he will burn to death - according to Jack that is the worst way to die (drowning is the close second).
He almost misses the sound of the key turning in the lock but when he hears the heavy footsteps on his soft carpet he doesn't turn his head. There is only one person in the world that has the key to his front door and that would be Jack and Jack knows better than to expect a warm welcome ceremony.
Jack doesn't comment the static on TV and just slumps down to the couch with him, close but not close enough to touch. They sit in silence for a long time, it's impossible to estimate how long because the stopwatch is broken and the batteries of the digital clock went dead yesterday. When Jack speaks his voice is hoarse and tired and sounds like it used to after nights of screaming Iantos name in ecstasy except now it has a bitter undertone to it.
"21st century is when everything changes."
"And we weren't ready" Ianto adds.
"Yeah."
"This could be worse."
"How? The world is ending and we're sitting here and the Doctor is not coming" Jack hisses, hands clenching to fists. "He's not coming. Not this time."
"Well at least you're here now. We could be alone. That would be much worse."
Ianto finally turns to look at Jack who keeps avoiding his gaze. Since the first signs of this started to appear Jack pulled himself away from him like he suddenly became toxic or something. Personally Ianto thinks this is a little too late for trying to push him away in hope that his death would hurt less this way. He also knows that if he doesn't make this and Jack ends up all alone the older man would just regret the fact that he didn't use the last days they had together more wisely.
"Are you scared?" Jack asks silently.
"Fucking terrified" Ianto admits.
"You look calm."
"There's nothing I can do anymore. Just hope that somehow I manage to live to see the end of this."
"I hope so too" Jack whispers. "I just…"
"I know" Ianto answers even when he really doesn't but as long as it makes Jack feel better little lies are acceptable.
Jack lets out a shaky breath and grabs Iantos hand to his own squeezing tightly. It hurts but it's better than the numbness eating his bones. It reminds him that he's not dead yet and as long as Jack is here there is a small glimmer of hope in the horizon.
"I'm terrified too" Jack says. "I don't want to be the only one left."
"You won't" Ianto answers squeezing back. "You won't get rid of me this easily."
"My brave, strong Ianto" Jack chuckles and without a warning pulls Ianto to him. "I'm so sorry. I should've remembered this. Maybe I could've saved you that way. I could've done something."
"You can't change the history Jack. You said yourself that this had to happen."
Jack sighs pulling Ianto tight against his side, absentmindedly running his hands trough Iantos short hair, enjoying the softness after long days of punching the rough walls of the Hub. He has no idea where Gwen and Rhys are - if they are still alive or not - but he knows almost for certain that Martha is dead like everyone else connected to Doctor in London. Ianto might be the only one left for him and just the thought terrifies him. He doesn't remember how long this will last, maybe this is just the beginning and losing Ianto too is just the matter of time.
"You have seen humans in future. Some of us do survive this. This is not the end of the world, just the end of the world that we know" Ianto softly mentions nuzzling his nose to warm curve of Jacks neck.
"What made you so wise?" he mumbles pressing a kiss to Iantos temple.
"I was born wise."
Jack chuckles lightly and leaves the talking to that. It's easy with Ianto, silence between them hasn't been awkward in ages and Ianto is one of those people who can bear silence, who doesn't need words or loud declarations of love. Jack likes it this way and understands now that this wouldn't have been possible with Gwen or the Doctor. He spent decades waiting for the Doctor and pined after Gwen for months before he realized that what he was looking for was right under his nose in the form of the quiet office boy who followed his every order never questioning him but always gently reminding him if he was doing something idiotic. And he doesn't want to lose this, not yet, they were supposed to have years together, decades.
"Take me to bed" Ianto whispers and he can't do anything else but comply.
Iantos bed is still covered perfectly; he hasn't slept in it since he left the Hub, rather spending his nights curled on the couch than lying alone in a bed he has shared with Jack so many times before. Jack peels back the covers. They are too tired to strip and just lay together, pressed tight together on the king sized bed.
"I don't think I can do this without you" Jack says admitting his greatest fear.
"Me neither" Ianto answers.
"I don't want to…"
"You're not. You're not going to lose me. I won't let that happen."
"And exactly how you're going to stop it from happening?"
"Don't know" Ianto shrugs. "I am a very resourceful man. I'm sure I can come up with something."
"Please do that."
"Tomorrow will be a better day" Ianto comments after a while of silence.
"It will. I'm not leaving you until this is over."
"Thank you."
Jack slides his hand under Iantos shirt to feel the warm, smooth and very much alive skin of his young lover. He matches his breathing with Ianto too, exhaling against the back of his neck, soft hair tickling his nose. He knows that Ianto hasn't showered in few days but he still smells like coffee and coconut instead of sweat. He hums silently, pressing his body closer to Jacks in search of comfort. Jack doesn't complain, just throws his leg over Iantos and presses small kisses on the younger mans neck and hair.
"If we burn, we burn together" Ianto mumbles against the pillow, entwining his fingers with Jacks.
"Yes. Together."