They were in bed in Ianto's flat. The rift, uncharacteristically quiet had allowed them the luxury, of not only a night off, but also a long lazy morning of sex. Ianto was warm, sated and comfortable, and then Jack had to bring IT up again,
'You know we could…' he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively
'No'
'Please'
'No'
'Please Ianto'
'No'
'Why not?'
'Jack I fucked you when you were dead; it was hardly my most shining hour! Why on earth would I want ...'
'This would be different' interrupted Jack bouncing excitedly and sliding his hand down to stroke Ianto's cock, which stiffened almost immediately. 'See,' beamed Jack, 'you don't absolutely hate the idea'
Ianto sighed, ever since he had given into temptation and explored Jack's dead body in an intimate and eventually orgasmic way, Jack had been keen to return the favour. This, despite Ianto's strenuous objections and the practical difficulty inherent in making death temporary for anyone other than Jack. Unfortunately the rift had recently spit out what Jack identified as a Stasis Bracelet, which would mimic death and suddenly the project was feasible. Now Jack was looking at him with those damn puppy dog eyes and the sweetest pout and Ianto knew he was going to agree because it would make Jack happy and there was nothing that Ianto Jones would not do to make that happen.
'Puleeeeezzzzze'
Ianto leant in, kissed Jack gently and sighed 'Ok then'
Jack pulled him into a massive hug and kissed him passionately, 'Gods you are the best, Ianto Jones! '
Ianto eyed him uncertainly, 'how does this work then?'
Jack grabbed the stasis bracelet from the bedside table and studied it, 'It can be set for different period of insensibility' he said, 'how long did you…?'
Ianto blushed ' about an hour' he said shortly
Jack pushed a couple of the small gem stones on the bracelet and slid it onto Ianto's wrist, 'Ok then' he winked at Ianto and flashed a brilliant smile at him, 'see you on the other side' he said and pushed the final stone.
The speed with which Ianto collapsed alarmed Jack, one minute he was looking into Jack's face with a mixture of exasperation and love, the next he was limp and unresponsive on the bed. Hastily Jack checked his vital signs; heart beat and respiration were so shallow and infrequent that Ianto looked to all intents and purposes as if he was, indeed, dead.
Jack sat back and surveyed his lover. He carded a gentle hand though Ianto's hair and leant in close to sniff it. The unique scent of Ianto floated up to him, the clean smell of the apple shampoo he favoured, the faintest hint of coffee and the sweaty musky smell of the remnants of their lovemaking. If he really were dead thought Jack, this would be the last time I'd smell this. Gently he ran his fingers over Ianto's face, tracing his eyebrows and lips and dropping light kisses on them. He kissed the up turn of Ianto's nose, simply because Ianto hated him doing it.
He licked and nibbled his way down Ianto's body, swirling his tongue into his belly button. He realised that he was wanting for Ianto to make the little sound of anticipation that this action usually generated and his heart gave a disappointed thump when none was forthcoming. Grinning to himself, Jack swiped his tongue the length of Ianto's inner arm, planting a small sucking kiss over the spot where his brachial pulse would be if he weren't dead. Not dead, Jack reminded himself, I'll have him back soon enough.
Slithering down Ianto's body Jack amused himself by placing a number of bites and kisses in his inner thigh, lifting Ianto's leg and working his way to the soft sensitive spot behind his knee. Ianto was particularly responsive to being kissed and licked in that spot and Jack found it disconcerting that the soft moans of pleasure and encouragement that these actions usually induced were absent. Jack had always been surprised by how vocal Ianto was in bed, but he had thought that vocality was confined to urging harderfastermore and screaming Jack's name as he came. Jack had never realised the quiet soundtrack of love that Ianto had supplied as a counterpoint to their fucking and the deathly silence nearly broke his heart. Not deathly he reminded himself, just death like.
Jack sat cross-legged next to Ianto's body, and gently massaged his balls. They were so soft in his hands; he was accustomed to feeling the hardness of imminent orgasm and he regretted that he had not taken the time to enjoy this softness before. He slid his hands over Ianto's penis, this at least was a sensation he was familiar with, he knew the feel and the taste and the weight of Ianto's cock, in his hands, in his mouth, in his arse. I should have told him, he thought, I should have told him how much he gives me, how much he makes me a better man, how much I love him.
Jack looked at Ianto, so quiet and still and knew that one day, maybe not too far away he would be like this again, only with no coming back. No more raised eyebrow, no more witty sarcasm and no more long sessions of love and sex and care and consolation in a small flat in Grange town where he didn't have to be Captain Harkness, immortal leader of Torchwood, he was just Jack of Ianto and Jack. Jack placed the palm of his hand over Ianto's heart and the stillness in that chest was more than he could tolerate.
Ianto awoke with a soft sigh, nothing like Jack's overly dramatic gasping back to life, to find himself enfolded in a tight embrace. He struggled to free himself only for Jack to hold him tighter. Ianto also became aware that Jack was sobbing desperately, huge, gulping, keening sobs that spoke of misery and heartbreak and pain beyond enduring.
'Jack?' he managed to reach up and gently cup Jack's face, 'what on earth is the matter'
Two tear filled sapphire eyes met his, 'I just…I just thought, this is what it will be like when you really are dead. I thought about how much you mean to me and how crap I am at letting you know that. I don't want to lose you ever, even more now because I know how much it will destroy me.'
Ianto struggled to sit up and pull the distraught man into his arms, 'Hush cariad' he murmured, 'I'm fine, I'm OK, see?' And he softly kissed the tears from the older man's face. 'This was supposed to be fun,' he continued.
'I know' Jack gave him a watery smile, 'but…it was too real, you know? It wasn't sexy, it was devastating. ' He gave a small huff of laughter, 'Maybe I did it wrong'
Ianto thought about what Jack's reaction to his pseudo-death showed, the commitment, the love. He knew now that, even if he couldn't say the words out loud, Jack loved him so very very much. He held Jack tighter and brushed a kiss into his hair,
'No Cariad,' he said, ' I think you did it exactly right.'