Title: I'll Be Home for Christmas.
Pairings: Jack/Ianto.
Rating: PG-13/ fluff.
Spoilers: Set post-Exit Wounds and pre CoE. I actually wrote this ficlet a year ago, so it might be a bit AU for CoE.
Word count: 1600-ish (one-shot).
Disclaimer: Torchwood and all its characters belong to RTD and BBC.
Summary: It's Christmas Eve…
A/N: I wrote this ficlet just because I wanted to write something Jack/Ianto involving Christmas. It became fluffier than I expected, but fluff is good for the soul, lol.
It's unbeta'd, so please forgive and point out any mistakes you may find.
*****
"Yep. Don't worry. I'll be home for Christmas…"
Jack heard Ianto saying, as he stepped inside the tourist office.
"No, mum… I've got to go now. My boss is here, luv ya."
"Good morning, sir," Ianto greeted Jack flipping close his mobile.
"Morning, Ianto," Jack smiled at him, "Everything alright with your mum?"
"Yes, everything is fine. You know how people get emotional this time of the year," the younger man replied as Jack walked across the office. "If things keep running smoothly," Ianto added. "In Rift terms, you could come with me for Christmas. Meet my mum, my sister, and her family."
And for a moment, a rare moment, Jack was speechless. He surely wasn't expecting such invitation; He surely could feel Ianto's hesitation asking the question. But what made Jack uncomfortable was that he didn't know if Ianto was inviting him because he just walked in while the he was on the phone, or it was because Ianto wanted Jack with him there, with his family.
"I would really love if you could go," Ianto added as he was reading Jack's thoughts. And that was the sincere look Jack needed to make up his mind. "You don't have to answer it now."
Jack walked across the tourist information centre, touched the Ianto's cheek and placed a gentle kiss on Ianto's lips.
Without a word, the older man ordered Ianto to open the door and as soon as he obeyed, Jack vanished in the dark corridors of the Hub, an unavoidable smile appearing on his lips.
The rest of the day did run smoothly. Gwen had taken a two hour lunch break for Christmas shopping with Rhys. Ianto stayed in the archives for long hours, and once in a while he appeared at Jack's office with a fresh coffee and a cookie. Jack stayed in his office, making lots of phone calls and assuring the Prime Minister that nothing would go wrong on Christmas this year.
A few days later, on Christmas Eve a pack of Weevils kept the team busy for almost six hours. Apparently, there was something wrong with some rival Weevil clans fighting for the same territory at the sewers. Those were things that the Torchwood Team would never understand. But by five o'clock in the afternoon they were back at the Hub. Everyone well, alive, and stinking.
It didn't take more than twenty minutes for Rhys to show up at the Hub and take Gwen to a dinner with their families. Of course he waited until she was properly clean and not smelling like the sewers.
After the happy couple were gone Jack ordered Ianto to go and take a shower, with his assistance of course, so that they wouldn't be very late for the dinner party at Ianto's family house.
Jack was nervous. Ianto knew it.
As an automatic thing, that kind of thing that couples do and don't even realize it. While Ianto was silently helping Jack to get dressed, not that Jack really needed it, but Jack liked it and Ianto felt good doing it. Ianto smiled when he saw that, even picking their clothes individually, Jack had chosen braces that matched Ianto's shirt. Jack realized that too and gently squeezed Ianto's hand that was placed over the left side of his chest.
It was perfect, as perfect as the moment could be.
It was so perfect that it had to be ruined by the sound of Jack's mobile ringing. They both knew it couldn't be a good thing, not on Christmas Eve, not when everything was going so well and perfect.
"Answer it," Ianto said calmly. "It might be important."
Jack looked at him; still hoping Ianto would change his mind and ask him not to answer the phone.
And for a long second Jack waited, and waited.
Ianto didn't withdraw his words, nor rephrased the sentence. He wanted Jack to be Jack, and Jack knew it.
He answered his phone walking away from Ianto. Facing the other wall of the room.
Ianto remained there, at the exact same spot, he couldn't listen to what Jack was saying, and he put his hands on hips and waited, unable to move.
After a few minutes, Jack turned to his direction, with a hint of sadness on his brow.
"What happened?" Ianto asked calmly. Things were just too good to be true. They both knew it.
"UNIT is requesting my help with a strange magnetic fluctuation." Jack's heart broke when he saw Ianto's face after hearing the words.
After a long minute, Ianto spoke again.
"But… that would be in London, wouldn't it?"
"Yes, I know." Jack reached a hand and held Ianto's hand, pulling Ianto closer, entwining their fingers.
"I'm sorry, Ianto. I'm so sorry. They want me to be there as soon as I can."
"It's fine, Jack," Ianto squeezed Jack's hand. "I know Christmas is always a complicated time. Especially on Christmas Eve."
Jack closed the distance between them pulling Ianto into a tight embrace. They remained together for a few minutes, neither one of them wanting to break the hug apart.
"You should go," Ianto finally broke the silence. "Just let me know when you get back, ok?"
"I will," Jack replied and then he pulled Ianto into a deep and passionate kiss.
When they managed to break apart from the kiss, Jack's mobile was ringing again.
When he nervously finished the second call, Ianto was standing by his side, carefully carrying the greatcoat. Jack thanked him and dressed it himself.
With a sad brow, he kissed Ianto goodbye and headed towards the Hub exit and SUV parking place. He would never understand UNIT's urgency in having him there. They never shared the same opinions about alien-related stuff anyway.
****
Jack arrived in London after midnight, still regretting the moment he picked up the phone. Still unable to forget the look on Ianto's face when they said goodbye.
The night couldn't have passed any slower. At some point, Jack was really hoping some alien would materialize through the magnetic fluctuations and he would have something to do, or someone to command. But nothing happened. When the sun started to rise, Jack gave up. He grabbed his stuff, said goodbye to the general, and thanked everyone for the enormous waste of time.
Jack headed to the place where the SUV was parked and planned no stops until he arrived back in Cardiff.
****
The rain was pouring fairly well when Jack arrived in Cardiff. He decided he wouldn't let Ianto know he was in Cardiff. Not now. He would go back to the Hub, change his clothes, take a shower, and plan a great day for him and Ianto. Maybe take Ianto's mum for lunch or a special dinner.
Everything was quiet at the Hub, the computers were humming on their regular rhythm, Myfanwy was still sleeping, and no signs of Gwen or Ianto. That was a good sign.
A thousand different ideas, about how to make it up for Ianto, ran through Jack's minds.
He shrugged off his greatcoat, put it on the coat-hanger in his office, and when he was about to climb down the ladder to his private room underneath his office. He realized someone was on his bed.
The dim light of the artificial lights of Hub couldn't reveal much, but Jack knew those pale features. Even if there were no lights, he could still see it was Ianto who was there. The younger man was sleeping so peaceful, that Jack could even hear a light snore. He smiled at the view.
Jack carefully climbed down silently trying not to wake up Ianto. He removed his shirt, belt, socks and pants, keeping only the undershirt and boxers. He climbed on the small bed and gently shifted the younger man's body so that they both could fit in the bed. Ianto automatically rested a hand on Jack's chest.
Jack closed his eyes, enjoying the moment.
"I think the coffee is still hot," Ianto said sleepily after a few seconds.
"Hey… Sorry, I didn't want to wake you up," Jack replied placing a kiss on Ianto's forehead.
"Who said I'm waking up?" Ianto asked putting his head on Jack's shoulder.
"I thought you would sleep at your mum's tonight."
"I couldn't," Ianto informed.
"Why not?" Jack frowned.
"Because I said I would be at home for Christmas…" Ianto said, sleepily, meeting Jack's gaze. "And here I am... at home."
Jack, for the second time in a too short period of time, was speechless. He could only answer to that with a kiss. So he kissed Ianto deeply, a very deep and lingering kiss.
"So am I, Ianto. So am I." Jack managed to answer when he found the words he wanted, gently caressing Ianto's arm.
"Did you tell your mum I couldn't meet her for the dinner?" Jack asked after a few minutes.
"As a matter of fact, I did."
"And? What did she say?"
"She said she can't wait to meet you at the New Year's party at my sister's," Ianto chuckled lightly and rested his head on Jack's shoulder again, closing his eyes.
Ianto didn't need to see it, but he knew Jack was smiling as well.
~fim~