WOO! Chapter nine! Nothing exciting happens, but I had fun writing this chapter...
Veronica Elise: *SQUEE* Yay! I'm honored that this is starting to be one of your fav fics at the moment :D! Hope you like this chapter!
bbmcowgirl: Thanks! Yeah, I think I wouldn't mind going through some pain if I got Jack as my caregiver.
Stossle: Ah, no, it's fine! I just tend to read reviews around midnight when I'm dead tired, so my reactions to them tend to be a little on the dramatic side.
the darkness revealed: Thank you! Glad you're enjoying it :].
EgyptianPrincess92: Thank you!
RandomScribblesOfACrazyPerson: Thank you! Like the username, by the way :P.
Phoenixclara: Glad you're loving the story so far!
specialfrancine: Thank you!
captain-ally: Janto is amazing xD. Glad you loved the last chapter, hope you like this one too :]!
Enjoy!
Chapter Nine
The next morning started with Ianto coming back to the world slowly, shifting a bit on the bed as he woke up and startling when he felt a body pressed against his own. Memories from the previous night rushed to the surface after a moment and he shifted a bit to see Jack looking right back at him. The captain was wide awake and raised an eyebrow when Ianto caught his gaze as Jack shifted up on the bed more to look down at Ianto. It was silent for a moment as they regarded each other, then Jack's lips quirked up into a small smile. "You hungry at all, Ianto? You didn't eat anything yesterday." He noticed when Ianto made to sit up and Jack's hands were instantly underneath the younger man's, lifting him up as the captain waited for a response.
Ianto was hungry, even though the thought of food made him sick to his stomach still. "I am." He said quietly after a moment, staring down at his hands. "I don't know if I can stomach food right now, Jack." The Welshman glanced up to catch the understanding look in the older man's eyes.
"You'll have to eat sometime, Ianto. Sooner is probably better than later, you know." The next second, Ianto felt himself hauled to his feet by Jack's hold on his arms. This proved to be a mistake as he swayed and nearly fell over but instead fell into his boss who had moved quickly to grab a hold of him. Jack's arm slid around the younger man's waist, tugging him up to lean more against the captain. "We'll start you on something simple at first. Do you have cereal or something?" A snort sounded from Ianto, and he glanced up at Jack, raising an eyebrow. He hadn't had cereal since childhood. The captain caught the look and gave a slight grin. "Of course you wouldn't. Well...is there anything you actually want to eat?"
The Welshman pulled a face, mentally going through a list of everything he kept stocked in the small kitchen area. "Half the things that I want I don't trust you to make, Jack." His lips tugged up into a reluctant smile at the affronted look on his boss' face. "The times I actually was brave enough to try eating your cooking, I regretted it." And he'd thrown up on more than one occassion, too.
Now Jack had a definite pout on his face. "You always gave the impression that you liked my food."
"Then I must be an excellent liar." The small smile widened a bit as the older man fixed him with a glare. "Eggs, by the way."
"What? You trust me to make you eggs?" There was sarcasm in the older man's voice now.
"Oh, don't sulk." Ianto couldn't help a laugh as Jack helped him sit in one of the kitchen chairs. "It really doesn't suit you." That slipped out before Ianto could stop it, and he tilted his head at the sudden amused look on Jack's face. Surprisingly, Jack didn't say anything, but moved toward the refrigerator and got out the eggs. Ianto watched him move around, shifting and trying to ignore the pain as he worried on his lower lip. "Jack."
"Yeah?"
There was a pause as Ianto hesitated, worrying on his lower lip worse. "I...can you tell me what happened to those - those things?" He couldn't call the cannibals people. Not after what he'd seen. "Please. I need to know."
Jack was staring at him, a small crease between his eyebrows. "Why?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean...why do you need to know, Ianto? It's over. Finished."
The Welshman stared at his boss for a second, his lips parted as he thought it over. He wasn't really sure why, but he needed to know. It had been bothering him ever since Ianto had woken up. "I just do." Ianto laid his hands down on the table, entwining his fingers together, making pain shoot up from his arms to his shoulders. He barely fought back a wince as he held eye contact with his boss, who placed the eggs down in front of him and then sat down on the chair across from the younger man.
Finally, Jack gave a small sigh. "Fine. Alright. The ones who survived are currently in custody of the police." He'd caught Ianto's raised eyebrow and confused expression, and went on to explain. "I shot most of them, but some managed to survive." There was a bitter, angry edge to the captain's voice when he said this.
"Who survived?"
"Does it matter?"
"Yes."
Jack gave another sigh, a crease appearing between his eyebrows for a second as he held eye contact with Ianto for another minute or two. "A man who appeared to be the leader and a couple of others who didn't seem to be nearly as dangerous." He leaned back, crossing his arms as Ianto fought back a shudder, recalling the man with the bat. The man who had been plagued the Welshman's dreams the entire night. "Satisfied?"
The younger man glanced up and gave a faint nod, letting his gaze drop back to the plate and trying not to think of the villagers. Ianto concentrated on the eggs instead, lifting up his fork and giving the yoke a tentative poke. Nothing seemed wrong, so he sliced a bit off and put it in his mouth, chewing for a moment. A second later, Ianto had to fight back a gag as he quickly pushed the plate away. "Jack?"
"Mm?"
"...These eggs are horrible." Jack glared at him once the words left the Welshman's lips, and Ianto couldn't help the grin that slipped onto his face.
R&R please!