We've Still Got Time
Disclaimer: Imagine what could possibly happen if I did own Torchwood? However, we will simply have to settle for the written word and our own lovely imaginations. *sigh*
Summary: One moment that captures the purity and depth of the love of Ianto Jones and Jack Harkness. Ianto/Jack. Thirty-first in the "Immortal Janto" series.
Annabelle is eleven in this fic.
Note – I'm glad that there has been positive feedback from Eleanor. It'll be a little bit before I go back to the Rhys storyline. I have this story and another one that I'm working on that focus on our favorite boys. But I promise that I'll go back to them soon!
Note 2 - With the approach of Hurricane Irene, I'll probably lose power for a few days, so this will hopefully hold you all over until I can get back on!
I've been thinking about something like this for a bit and this just popped into my head. I hope you enjoy!
A picture is worth a thousand words, the old saying goes, and this particular photograph captures something that transcends a thousand words. It was soul-moving.
Two men hold each other close as they dance to an unheard song. A ray of the setting sun catches one man's wedding ring. One has his head on the other's shoulder. Lips are near an ear, either humming along or whispering words of love.
Ianto didn't remember the photo being taken. When he sees it, however, he remembers exactly when and where it was taken. And, as he stares at it, hanging on the wall of a gallery in London, he can't help but smile.
To the regular passerby, it's near impossible to distinguish the distinct facial features of the people in the photo. The sunset in the background casts shadows over their faces in such a way that obscures who they are, but Ianto knows that it is him and Jack. The body language is all there and he (vaguely) remembers a photographer walking around at the street festival that the label says the photograph was taken at, though Ianto had thought that he was just from a newspaper and was covering the festival for a bit in the paper. The time was certainly right, if the date on the label is correct.
Oh, Ianto does remember the street festival.
It was almost fourteen years ago, before Annabelle was born. He and Jack had only recently been married and he had yet to die in the reactor. They had stopped at the street festival because Donna wanted the twins to experience it. The Doctor had (initially) been reluctant to go along, but, as with most things that the twins and Donna did, he warmed up quickly and had a great time.
As the day wore on, there were a few local bands playing. Jack had been keen on dancing with Ianto and Ianto was never one to turn down an offer to dance from Jack. He remembered Jack pulling him into the street and wrapping his arm around Ianto's waist.
It had been a quiet moment, one that made Ianto remember why he loved Jack so much.
Jack didn't make any grand gesture or put on an act for the crowd. No, it was just a simple slow dance for the two of them.
Ianto remembered leaning his head against Jack's neck as Jack quietly sung the lyrics of the song into his ear. He remembered how nice it felt to be close to Jack. He remembered how Jack had woven their fingers together and that he was possessively glad to see Jack's rings flashing in the evening sun.
And, as Ianto studying the image, he knew that, though their faces were shadowed, he was grateful to the photographer for capturing that moment. True, it was a number of years prior (by Earth standards), but there was a beauty to the photograph.
He heard the quiet comments of the other patrons of the gallery as they too studied the photograph and, for the most part, they made him smile. Others saw the quiet beauty of the moment and commented on it. A few mentioned how they wished they had that kind of obvious closeness in their lives.
A hand slipped around his waist.
Ianto turned his head a bit and smiled at Jack. He put his hand on Jack's hand.
"How's Annabelle?" he asked.
"She's good. She has her homework finished for the weekend," Jack supplied. "Tomorrow, Donna is going to take her shopping for summer clothes."
"Shot up like a weed this year, didn't she?"
Jack chuckled and kissed the side of Ianto's head. "Well, she is almost a teenager now. That's what they do."
Ianto couldn't agree more, though he had to add, "Yeah, and she'll have a boyfriend before we know it."
The offended gasp from Jack was well-earned. "Bite your tongue."
"And nothing else?"
Jack kissed his ear. "Martha's right. You have been spending too much time with me." Ianto merely smiled at his husband. For a moment, they were quiet, looking at the photograph in front of them. Then, Jack commented, "You know, that was a good day."
"I was just thinking about that. We should see if we can get a copy of that photo."
"Agreed."
That was settled, Ianto knew.
Jack's fingers moved along his side. He raised an eyebrow a fraction of an inch as Jack began humming a tune into his ear. A moment later, as Jack began whispering the lyrics of the song to him, Ianto smiled. That song was near and dear to the both of them.
They stood there for a few minutes longer before they left the gallery, heading to the romantic evening that Ianto had planned for them.
As they left, a few patrons watched them go.
It would be said, in passing conversations, that the two men in the photograph were still going strong and the people who said that would be right. Many years later, when the photograph became internationally recognized and well-known throughout the galaxy, Ianto and Jack would share a smile.
Sometimes, when Ianto was feeling blue, Jack would take his hand and pull him close, humming the tune in his ear as they slowly danced together, even if there was no other music. They had danced their first married dance to it and it defined their relationship.
It was their song.
Short, sweet, simple, and to the point.
I wanted to touch back on the little moments of Jack and Ianto without having to create a long build-up to a romantic moment. This seemed appropriate.
As always, let me know what you think and I will strive to have another story posted soon!