Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood. If I did, Jack and Ianto would kiss in every episode.
Author's note: This is an excerpt from "The Thing About Love" where Jack is infected with an alien toxin and is quarantined in a clean room. The reason that it's in a separate entry is that I wrote this fic and posted it before I decided that the longer story was worth writing thanks to the positive feedback from this fic.
It should be noted that Ianto is wearing a white Hazmat suit in this fic.
An Excellent Boyfriend
When Ianto walks into the clean room, Jack's face lights up. He even tries to appear as though he isn't that sick at all even though the bags under his eyes, the cracks on his lips, and the red rash on his neck say otherwise. Ianto offers his boss a small smile, but he can't bear to see Jack look this vulnerable. Feeling helpless, all he can do is offer his Captain a bit of water.
Seeing the anguished expression on his lover's face, Jack asks light-heartedly, "You want to know what really ticks me off about all of this?"
"What?" Ianto asks.
"I had a reservation at a bed and breakfast this weekend. It was supposed to be just the two of us, away from all of this."
Ianto sits on the edge of Jack's bed and takes his hand. "I know. Don't worry. I canceled the reservation."
"It was supposed to be a surprise."
"There are some things you can't keep a secret from me."
Jack rolls his eyes, "I should have known you would have found out."
Ianto chuckles softly. "Of course, I've wasted so many hours rehearsing my surprise face."
"Can I see?"
Ianto stands up and takes a deep breath like an actor getting into character. He slaps his gloved hands on the large clear mask that surrounds his face. He opens his mouth wide open and shakes his head, jumping up and down like the winner of a contestant on a cheesy game-show. "Well, I wasn't dressed like the Stay-Puft marshmallow man from Ghostbusters when I was rehearsing."
Jack laughs until the pain catches up to him. He begins to vomit, but Ianto is ready with a bucket. The Welshman rubs his back as he finishes. "That wasn't very sexy," Jack mutters.
"No," Ianto replies. "But I'm here for you all the same." Ianto cleans up the Captain's mouth and cleans up the rest of the mess. Without even thinking about it, he adds, "I make an excellent boyfriend." He realizes that he just dropped the b-word. "I, um... I didn't mean to sound presumptuous. You and I..."
"You are an excellent boyfriend." Jack says as he sinks back in his bed.
A rare awkward silence falls between the two as Ianto tries to figure out how to hold Jack without causing him any pain. "I can't kiss you. I can't even touch your skin," he says.
"Hey. I got through the Spanish flu of 1918. I've also had typhoid once. Now that was really scary. I'll get through this. We'll get through this. In the meantime, try not to destroy any cities in the name of Goser."