Xyst (288 words)
xyst [zist]
- noun
(In an ancient Roman villa) a garden walk planted with trees.
Jack held out his wrist. 'Here, put your arm on mine.'
Ianto eyes the Vortex Manipulator with some suspicion. 'Why?'
'I'm taking you somewhere special,' Jack explained.
Ianto warily extended out his arm and put it on top of Jack's. Jack keyed in some numbers and then Ianto felt light as he dematerialised and rematerialized on a deserted sandy beach. Jack led Ianto to a pathway and they walked down it side by side, air quiet around them.
'Where are we, Jack?'' Ianto asked.
'The Boeshane Peninsula,' Jack said as they walked down the path. 'They loved the Roman architectures, and so they made villas and these xysts everywhere.'
'What does this place mean to you?'
Jack turned to look at Ianto. 'This is my home. Or at least, it was my home.'
Ianto looked around at the deserted landscape, trying to imagine it as it had been when Jack was young. The images escaped him though, and he could only see the desolate wasteland it had become. 'It must have been beautiful.'
'It was,' Jack answered.
'Why am I here?' Ianto asked, turning to the Torchwood leader.
'This is an important part of my life,' Jack explained, 'and I wanted to share it with you.'
'Jack,' Ianto sighed as he moved to place a kiss on his lover's lips.
'I love you, Ianto Jones,' Jack murmured against Ianto's lips.
'I love you too, Jack.'
'We'd best be off,' Jack said as he looked around once more. 'We have things to do back on Earth.'
Ianto placed his hand on Jack's arm and they were transported back to the Hub, where they went back to work, both of them unable to stop looking at each other and smiling.