Hope To Make It Through Another Day
A Speeding Dead Cat
Ianto stuck his hand out from under the quilt and gave the alarm clock a wallop. It bounced from the impact and dropped to the floor. Jack retrieved it and carefully placed it back on the bedside cabinet next to Ianto's mobile phone. He sat down on the edge of Ianto's expansive and extremely cosy bed and began to pull the covers away from his lover.
"What did that clock ever do to you?" He chided.
Ianto glared at him and held on tightly to the quilt. He replied in Welsh to be annoying.
"I haven't even slept properly yet and your smug, cheery arse face is really pissing me off right now. How can you not be tired Jack?"
Jack shrugged in puzzlement at Ianto's outburst in his native tongue knowing full well that Ianto was trying to wind him up. Ianto hauled out a deep sigh before finally allowing the faintest of smiles to curve his lips. He reverted to English.
"How long have you lived in Cardiff?"
"About a hundred and thirty years I guess."
"And how long have you been screwing this particular Welsh boy?"
"Eighteen months?"
Ianto rolled his eyes. "Learn Welsh already!" He curled himself up with the intention of going back to his sleep and Jack started to laugh, really laugh and it was a wonderful sound too long absent from both their lives. Ianto couldn't help but smile at that.
"I'm sorry Yan, but you have to get up. Duty calls and with Martha and Mickey away…..well…..no lie in basically. Gwen called there's something we have to check out." The apology in Jack's tone was genuine; he was hoping to give Ianto a day off today, as he hadn't had one since Owen and Tosh, well since that day…...
Ianto decided against a long suffering look and just sat up, back to business then.
"I'll be ready in ten minutes." He said unhappily as he got off the bed and padded barefoot to the bathroom. The cheerful moment gone Jack wandered into the kitchen to make Ianto some tea and toast. It was the least he could do after everything he'd put Ianto through over recent months.
The young Welshman was there, ready and looking as perfect as always 9 minutes later. Jack wondered how Ianto had got getting ready into such a practiced art form. However there was a slightly jaded look about the young man, bone deep tiredness that was starting to show in Ianto's demeanour and Jack realised rather guiltily that it was mostly his fault. Like his days off, Ianto had not had a decent nights sleep for months either.
Ianto accepted his tea and plate of toast with a nod of thanks; he put the plate down on the bench.
"Are we going back to the Hub?" Ianto asked, not even out of his front door and he was already in Torchwood Mode.
"No we're meeting Gwen in Swansea, she's bringing the SUV."
Ianto hesitated. "Swansea? Oh, I hate that place." He replied sipping at the tea.
Jack frowned at his obvious discomfiture.
"What's so bad about Swansea?"
Ianto looked at Jack with a world full of hurt in his eyes. "My parents are buried there." He looked away as he put down the barely touched mug of tea. "We should get going."
Ianto walked out to get his coat and car keys.
"You wanna sit this one out?" Jack asked gently aware that Ianto hadn't touched his breakfast, and that Ianto could easily be affronted by the suggestion given his current mood. But Ianto graced him with a knowing smile understanding the intention and grateful for it.
"No, its fine. I'll be ok."
"Good, then I'll drive. You can have a nap in the car on the way."
Ianto handed over his keys, realising that was more by way of an order and one he wasn't going to protest at. Ianto pulled on his coat, checked he had his mobile, wallet and gun before following Jack to the front door. Jack halted and turned to face him with a serious look on his handsome face. Putting his hand to the back of Ianto's neck, he drew him close and kissed him briefly on the lips. Ianto just looked at him like a deer caught in the headlights. Jack thought his heart would break every time his young lover looked at him like that and he leant forward to kiss him again only to be met by Ianto's fingertips on his lips.
"Jack, we should go and if you kiss me again we are not getting out of this door in a hurry." Ianto whispered with a smile and a rising blush in his pale cheeks.
"Later then?"
Jack could've sworn that Ianto's eyes sparkled at the suggestion.
"Yep, later."
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Ianto stood and watched as Jack and Gwen swung the body bag into the back of the SUV. He rubbed at his forehead with a hanky, he was still bleeding and hurting like hell from the blow he had taken. As soon as the SUV was loaded Jack was at his side a concerned frown on his face. He cautiously reached up to touch Ianto's cheek, the one he recalled, (somewhat uncomfortably), punching a few weeks back.
"Here, let me see."
The bruising was pretty spectacular and was spreading up into Ianto's left temple and the cut over his cheekbone would need stitching at least.
"How's it feel?"
Ianto winced when Jack prodded. "Worse now, don't poke!"
Jack smiled at the chastisement.
"I'll take you to Casualty."
Ianto shook his head. "No Jack, there's no need for the fuss. It's fine. Just take me home."
Jack froze for a moment. "Don't argue, that needs seeing to." He turned to Gwen who had joined them and was rubbing Ianto's arm comfortingly. Ianto flinched at the contact and did not find it helpful but he kept quiet.
"Gwen can you get that thing back to the Hub? Then go home. It's been a long day. The rift alert is diverted to my mobile so I'll deal with anything that comes up. I'm taking Yan to Cardiff General."
Gwen nodded. "OK, call me, let me know how it goes?" She got in to the SUV after a nod from Jack and drove off.
Ianto got into the front passenger side of his Mini Cooper and before he'd even realised it Jack was there, behind the wheel nudging his arm.
"Ianto? Seat belt, you know what my driving is like." He was grinning.
Ianto didn't smile in return even though he knew Jack was trying to lift his darkening mood. It had been an exhausting and painful day. Ianto just wanted home, a hot bath and bed. Jack of course had other plans and Ianto knew there would be no point in arguing with him about it. The Captain broke the speed limit all the way back and Ianto was certain that it would involve at least three speeding tickets and cost him the rest of the points on his licence. Jack got flashed by safety cameras every time he drove, with out exception. Ianto gripped the dashboard and tried to swallow back his queasiness. Something thumped against the front of the car and Jack slammed on the brakes throwing them both hard against the seat belts. Ianto felt his stomach lurch as he snapped off his safety and jumped out of the car. They were in a quiet residential street. Ianto spotted the cat lying in the gutter some twenty yards away and went to check it. Being hit at 'Jack speed' it hadn't stood much of a chance and Ianto found himself feeling a little tearful at the pathetic sight. He bent down to see if it had a collar with a nametag and phone number. There wasn't one. Ianto straightened himself up as Jack joined him.
"What did I hit?" He spotted the cat as he said it, then he clocked the look on Ianto's face right before the young man yelled at him.
"That could've been a kid, Jack!" He stormed off and resumed his place in the passenger seat, wishing to hell he was able to drive himself.
Jack hesitated before following Ianto back to the car. He knew he was in trouble now. Ianto was always on at him about his speeding.
