Jack couldn't remember when he'd had such a perfect moment – and it made him feel rather guilty. The moment was perfect for him, he felt fine, hangovers kind of didn't happen when your body mended itself before your eyes. Ianto, however, didn't share Jack's condition.
What had started as watching the Wales-England rugby at the Goat Major pub had turned into celebrating the win at Glyndwr, The Prince of Wales, and Duke of Wellington before going back down Caroline Street for chips for the walk back to the bay.
Jack just hadn't quite realized that Ianto was drinking more than usual. Possibly because the benefit of Ianto being relaxed enough to hold his hand publicly made him not want to question the cause. Of course, Ianto was a grown man and not given to overindulgence in drink, so Jack figured he knew his limits. And so he did, but that didn't mean he'd get a pass on the hangover on those rare occasions that he pushed those limits.
And so a fun night out had led to a miserable morning for one, but total contentment for the other. Ianto sat curled up beside Jack on the couch after a breakfast of two Panadol and a cup of tea. He'd rested his aching head on Jack's shoulder and slipped into a nap as the medicine took effect.
For Jack, it was ideal – he had everything he wanted right in his arms and wouldn't trade it for the world. He knew Ianto would be fine soon, and it was kind of nice being able to take care of him for a change, so his guilt didn't manage to get too much of a hold on him.
What did sneak up on Jack, though, was a sudden, overwhelming desperation for a normal life and a serious relationship with Ianto. Jack knew the impossibility of him ever getting into another real partnership or marriage, and knew also that the longer Ianto stayed in Torchwood, the closer he got to the customary Torchwood early grave. The Universe itself stood against them, almost literally.
But holding his sleeping, hungover lover, all Jack could think was that this one was so different to all the others that he would give everything just half a chance at normal with him. All the little random things that make up a life with someone, the things usually ignored or wished away, would be deeply treasured by Jack. But he knew these little fragments of time were all he'd ever have. He'd simply have to preserve these memories as fully as he could until he finally got to the 37th century when memory and dream upload/download technology was invented. Then he could store away all these little moments with his Ianto and relive them whenever he needed them. He'd just have to do it the old fashioned way for the next 1691 years.
"Please stay as long as you can." Jack whispered, barely audible even to himself. "Maybe one day I'll even be able to tell you what you mean to me, so stay, please?"