A/N: Right, as usual, I'm not completely happy with it, but I'll live. The song is Always Attract by You Me At Six :) This turned out completely different from how I imagined it, but I'm happy with the ending :P Anyone who's reading my other fic 'Dreams', I'm sorry it's taking so long.. finding time to write it along with writers block is making it difficult, but I have started the next chapter and will hopefully be up soon :) Hope you enjoy this one, please review etc.
Jack rolled onto his side, then turned again to lie on his stomach, he'd been flitting between the two for the last half an hour or so; he'd shifted away from Ianto so he wouldn't wake him up. He sighed, propping himself up onto his elbows, glancing over to Ianto's side of the bed. Staring intently at his face, Jack wondered to himself why it was happening again; why was he so taken by the young man, had he seriously not learnt his lesson by now. Ianto's cat purred happily and stretched out its paws, seeing the rare opportunity to curl up beside Ianto. Jack leant over and scratched its ears, he watched Ianto's eyes move behind the lids and his mouth twitch; a smile came over him as Jack brushed the hair from his forehead gently. He felt uneasy, like a deep pain in his stomach; why was he subjecting himself to something like this. Or a better question still, how did Ianto do it.
If it hurts this much
Then it must be love
And it's a lottery,
I can't wait to draw your name
Jack's head ached, a shooting pain that reached the bottom of his spine and back again. What did leaving do to him; what did it do to Ianto; why did he accept him back; why did Jack want to be accepted back?
"I have a team to be back for…" He could remember saying it, hearing him say they'd be back soon and trusting in him above anything else.
Getting back and seeing their faces and the emotion they had was probably the most painful thing of the whole experience; anger, scepticism, guarded, even then all he could see was relief in those eyes. A shared relief; maybe be was wrong, but maybe there was still something to be salvaged from the wreckage. All too soon was that look; the one that shook him "I came back for you," The look that said it all 'Liar' and then it was back to covering up and keeping up appearances "All of you."
Oh, I'm trying to get to you,
But time isn't on my side
If the truth's the worst I can do,
Then I guess that I have lied
He slept on the floor, awkwardly with his arms bent back to accommodate heavy chains; the enormity of the situation made it easier to focus, to concentrate. His team, if they were alive; Gwen would, undoubtedly, have everything under control; Owen would, undoubtedly, try to keep her in her place; Tosh could be decoding something right now, while peering over her glasses at Owen, who was probably playing Pacman; Ianto, a silent support, unappreciated, holding them together without them knowing.
Keeping me awake,
It's been like this now for days
My heart is out at sea, my head all over the place
I'm losing sense of time
And everything tastes the same
I'll be home in a day,
I fear that's a month too late
Perhaps it had been a while since then, everything was 'better' and 'good' again so everyone told him; but the wounds were still there. He was still the same Ianto, the same 'I don't know how long it will last; but you make my heart skip a beat anyway' Ianto. It wouldn't last forever and, in the grand scheme of Jack's life, maybe Ianto would only take up a small amount of that time; maybe he was worth it, maybe the impact he made in that small amount of time was so much more significant than the impact his death ever could. He smiled at this lengthy contemplation; it had been a winding road to concluding that Ianto Jones was worth it; despite his drawbacks. Perhaps he would never find the courage to break through it all and express that 'for you, I try to be a good person, and you're all that matters.'
That night I slept,
On your side of the bed so
it was ready when you got home
We're like noughts and crosses In that
opposites always attract
Ianto stretched his arms out the side, around the weight he felt on his chest pushing against his ribs, before placing his hands gently back to his stomach. Instead, his hands settled on Jack's spine; feeling his head pushed snugly underneath his chin. He took a while to untangle himself from Jack, but eventually stood from the bed and opened up the wardrobe, trying to find something to wear to work.
All of his suits were back at the hub. His eyes scanned over a few waistcoats and suit jackets; double-taking at a glint of red and silver. A red brace…still attached to a blue shirt, with some scruffy brown boots sitting underneath. Ianto let the brace slip through his fingers, tugging it from the shirt. He shut the wardrobe again; sifting through the drawers below, finding an old grey shirt he didn't remember having.
You've taken me to the top
And let me fall back south
You've had me at the top of the pile
And then had me kissing the ground
We've heard and seen it all,
No one's talked us out
The problems that have come
haven't yet torn us down
Ianto smiled at how mundane things could be one minute, changing so drastically the next, he sat at the table, sipping mindlessly on a cup of coffee, it was different to what he was now used to, ordinary. His mind drifted to Jack in the other room; in a few hours they would both undoubtedly be putting their lives on the line for the sake of the planet, but for now they were just like anyone else, practically the couple next door; sleeping, having breakfast, getting ready for work. Jack wondered from the bedroom, putting a hand over his face to the keep the light out of his eyes, mumbling a 'good morning' and pulling the Frosties from the cupboard. Captain Jack Harkness, a fearless, alien hunting leader, would only ever settle for Frosties, Ianto chuckled slightly, before taking a bite of toast. Jack shot him a questioning look over the milk, but ignored it and sat down.
"Grey shirt…You don't wear grey…"
"My other's are back at the hub."
"I like it…Are those-"
Ianto cut him off, nodding "Why?"
"No reason…" He shrugged, grinning slightly
"What now?" Ianto watched him get up from his chair, moving to stand behind him.
"Nothing." He stooped to ping one of the braces that Ianto was wearing and kiss him lightly on the neck "I never thought someone would look better than me in my own clothes."
"Well, you met your match with me."
Jack hummed, taking a place on the sofa, flicking back and forth through the channels.
Ianto picked up his mug and took it to the sink; it just wouldn't come out in the way he wanted it to 'We're a perfect match…you and me.'
Am I keeping you awake?
If I am then just say
You can make your own decisions,
You can make your own mistakes
I'll live and let die
all the promises you made
But if you lie another time
it'll be a lie that's too late
Ianto sat at his desk, filing through paperwork that just seemed to keep coming, paperwork about Jacks many disappearances, one more bad excuse on top of the other, including his latest 'adventure'. Ianto had always tried to get more from Jack, get him to open up to someone, if not for Ianto's gain, then for his own. Jack however, seemed not the slightest bit interested in what Ianto had been doing in his absence. Despite it all, Ianto preferred sitting alone in the tourist information centre, there was no inappropriate Jack, no flirty Gwen and no sarcastic Owen to struggle through. No matter how much he wanted to stay angry at Jack for everything, or how stupid he felt for sleeping in Jack's side of the bed when he was gone so it was warm if he was to come home, Jack would worm his way back in, turning him back to that kid who had turned up at Torchwood 3 begging for a job.
That night I slept
on your side of the bed so
it was ready when you got home
We're like noughts and crosses
In that opposites always attract
"Ianto…" He leant back to the lips on his neck and strong arms around his waist; a warm drink was passed into his hands and he gripped it appreciatively
He sniffed the drink and let the liquid slosh from side to side before placing the mug down on the desk "I'll pass, thanks." Jack pulled a thumb past the suit jacket and underneath one of the braces he was wearing "Affection? At work? No innuendo? Not your usual self; are you alright?"
"Just..." He twirled the clip of the brace between his fingers, before hooking his thumb through Ianto's belt loop "…thinking."
"Unusual…" He smiled, earning him a smack on the arm "Sorry…what about?"
Jack remained silent for a few moments, as if contemplating locking things up and throwing away the key, or letting it spill out and see where it would lead. As Ianto was about to speak again, Jack spun him around to face him.
"If we had some music and candle-"
"I love you." Well, it was out there; how long it would last and where it would lead was difficult to say. Learning your lesson in love meant more than going it alone, but being more particular about who you chose your picket fence with.
You always have your way
For now it's too soon for you to say
will we be always, always
You always have your way
For now it's too soon for you to say
will we be always, always
A/N: Thanks for reading and please review :) x