Too little, too late
A/N: Hello there. First ever fanfic (I know, it's terrible but I'm getting there.) This was written right after I saw Children of the Earth. Please review, even if it's to tell me how terrible it is, and leave constructive criticism. Thanks
~Magic
"Don't."
The word echoed in my head. Even in the end I couldn't say it. All I could do was tell him not to feel the very thing I felt for him. I stared down at his cold, lifeless with a pain filled gaze. The clipboard in my hand shook then dropped to the floor and I gripped the edge of the cyro-freeze unit tight. A single tear snaked down my cheek as I leaned my forehead against his. The droplet dripped on his face and trickled down his cheek and for a moment it looked like he was crying too, sharing my pain.
"I love you." I whispered, but it was too late for him to hear, too late for the fool to know I loved him back. "I love you." My breath caught in my chest. My hand came to rest on his face, thumb stroking across his cold cheek.
"Why did you have to leave me?" I asked him. "You were supposed to grow old. We were supposed to have a long time." My hand tightened on his face in a way that would have been painful if he could feel.
"You selfish bastard, coping out early." I tried to laugh through the tightness in my chest but it came out choked. My heart felt like it was being torn in tow and my knees were weak but I forced myself to stand. With shaky hands I pushed the U.N.I.T cyro-freeze closed. When it was shut and locked I sagged against it, feeling drained. I swallowed the lump in my throat and blinked away the threatening tears. It wouldn't do for the U.N.I.T officials to see me crying. I slid the name plate in with trembling fingers
Ianto Jones (26)
Archivist
There was so much that little plaque could never say. He was someone's friend, someone's child, someone's brother.
He was someone's lover.
My hand rested on the cool metal for a moment. Never again would I hear his laugh, or see his grin, or feel his kiss. I leaned my forehead against the wall, fighting tears. My brain called up a memory of Ianto. He was sitting behind my desk with a cocky grin, shirt undone and hair pleasantly sex-ruffled. He smirked at me, daring me to tell him to move from the chair. His blue eyes sparkled and flashed playfully. I banished the memory with a muffled sob. I swallowed thickly, trying to regain my composure.
"I love you." I whispered again. "I love you and I will never forget you."
And in that echo-y little hall I swore I heard that lilting laugh and soft Welsh accent whisper:
"I know."