Ianto was determined to keep Jack distracted at least for a little while, taking his mind off Gray and all of the confusion. There hadn't been other nightmares since that night, but Ianto could see it was still weighing heavily on Jack, with the older man watching him a bit more closely, holding him more tightly as if he was preparing to protect him from some upcoming disaster or attack.
He and Gwen had talked at great length as to what to do, how best to help the man they both loved so much. Gwen had decided it would be good for all of them to get away for the weekend, and everyone was inclined to agree. What they hadn't quite agreed to, however, was a trip out into the countryside. And yet that's where they were now headed on the bank holiday weekend.
"This is the middle of bloody nowhere!" Rhys protested as they pottered along a back road off the A470 into the Brecon Beacons. Jack and Ianto were following behind, Gwen insisting that travelling in a car with Jack's driving is tantamount to an extreme sport.
The campsite was actually on the land of an old relative of Gwen's, giving the pretense of being completely isolated although it was only really an hour or so out of Cardiff. Gwen had spent a fair bit of time up here with her family in her youth, and was completely at home, even if the same couldn't be said for her companions.
"Don't know how I feel about the countryside. Its dirty, its unhygienic" Owen was grumbling in the back seat, "And what is that smell?"
"That would be grass" Gwen said, rolling her eyes, catching Tosh's amused gaze in the mirror.
"Its disgusting" Owen pouted, earning him an elbow in the ribs,
"Oh, come on it'll be fun! In a couple of hours we can be telling stories by a campfire all cosy"
"we'll see, I still can't shake the feeling we're going to be eaten by cannibals or something"
"Brilliant thanks for that mate" Rhys laughed, "Here we are anyway"
They pulled up into a clearing, sheltered on all sides with a wooded area where they could collect firewood, a perfect little campsite. They all piled out of the car gratefully, breathing in the fresh mountain air. They'd picked a beautiful weekend for the trip, with the sun beating down into the clearing and a warm breeze drifting through. Tomorrow they could hike around the area, take in the peace and the scenery, but for tonight settling in with good friends and good drinks was the aim.
Jack sat back in the seat of his SUV as they pulled in behind the other group, stretching his arms up with a sigh,
"Ah the great outdoors" he grinned at Ianto, "Don't worry city boy, I'll look after you"
Ianto raised an eyebrow incredulously, "city boy? What makes you think I never went camping?"
"did you?"
"I was a boy scout" Ianto saluted, "I can look after myself in the wilderness thank you very much"
"Just when I thought you couldn't get any sexier"
Ianto winked as he got out of the car, heading to where the others were beginning to unpack the campsite. They got to work organising the three tents all around a makeshift firepit, camping chairs surrounding it with a cooler full of beers courtesy of Rhys. Owen was in the process of trying to get the tent out of its bag, Tosh looking on in amusement as he called the thing progressively more violent expletives. Gwen was attempting to help Rhys with their tent, although helping seemed to consist of staring at the poles in confusion while Rhys worked around her.
"Help me get the tent up?" Ianto asked Jack as they picked out a good spot,
"You know me, never have a problem getting it up" Jack winked, approaching his boyfriend with a lewd grin,
"Ok captain innuendo lets focus shall we" Ianto tossed him the tent bag with a classic roll of his eyes. Between the six of them they managed to get the campsite up and before long they were sat around a roaring campfire, a beer in their hands as they exchanged stories, with the content getting more and more sordid as the beer kept flowing.
"Oh come on its a bit of fun" Gwen nudged Tosh, "weirdest place you've had sex"
"You first then!"
"Ooh lets see, um..." she glanced at Rhys sheepishly, "I guess that time we were on the beach in Tenerife"
Rhys groaned, "oh god yeah that was awful... not you love" he said quickly at the affronted look on Gwen's face, "its just there are certain places a man doesn't want sand"
All the men around the fire winced in agreement, before Gwen turned back to Tosh, "ok your turn"
"Ok... I suppose my weirdest place would be in the linen cupboard in work... sorry Yan but it was years ago"
"Was that Adam?" Ianto asked, pulling a disgusted face when Tosh nodded, "Utter arsehole, I hated him"
"I have erased the man from my memory don't you worry" Tosh agreed with a shiver, leaning into Owen who tightened his grip around her possessively. Ianto watched them with a fond smile, pleased that his best friend had found someone who clearly cared about her so much.
"Jack always wins this game anyway so we may as well give up" Rhys chuckled, leading to everyone turning their gaze on Jack with raised eyebrows.
"oh really?" Ianto grinned at him, "anything you want to share there love?"
"Rhys Williams you're making me sound like some kind of sexual fiend" Jack gasped indignantly,
"Does that mean you won't be telling?"
"Oh its nothing really" Jack shrugged, "Just while I was in the army things got a bit... heated when we were um... in a helicopter"
"In the air?!"
"I mean it was just a training exercise we weren't deployed or anything"
"Captain Jack Harkness you are indeed a fiend" Ianto grinned, "I think we can safely say you win that one"
They continued into the evening, laughing and getting to know eachother more and more, and before they knew it the sun had dipped down below the hill, the dusky air giving an eerie feel to the campsite.
"I'm convinced this trip is going to turn into one of those films, like Friday the 13th or something" Owen muttered, glancing out into the darkness of the woods.
"Oh I don't know" Jack said thoughtfully, "I was thinking more Brokeback Mountain"
Ianto spluttered into his beer as Gwen and Tosh giggled hysterically, both a bit tipsy by this point.
"You think I'm getting naked in a tent in the middle of the beacons you've got another thing coming"
"Ah I'm sure I can persuade you" Jack winked, "bed time everybody?"
"Just remember that tent walls are not real walls, Harkness" Gwen pointed a finger at her, "paper thin!"
Jack saluted her seriously before heading into the tent, "We'll keep it down"
Ianto was already snuggled warm on the airbed when Jack zipped up the tent, and he wasted no time in jumping in beside him, pulling the younger man into his arms.
"I mean it Jack, no funny business in the tent its too bloody cold"
"Its a surefire way to warm up" Jack teased, softly kissing along Ianto's neck up towards his jaw. Ianto shivered in a way that had nothing to do with the cold, leaning into the touch as he felt his resolve crumbling with each brush of Jack's lips.
"Paper thin walls, remember" Ianto murmured, pressing his body back into Jack's even as he tried to protest,
"Then you'll have to be really quiet won't you"
"ME?! You know full well you're the loud one" Ianto muttered, biting back a moan as Jack's hands moved over his body.
"Hmm, that may be true" Jack admitted, "But lets call it a challenge for the both of us"
Ianto turned in Jack's arms, leaning in until there were millimeters between their lips, whispering just before he closed the gap,
"Challenge accepted, Captain"