Jack had a well-known fondness for roofs, often heading up to look down over the city and brood. But what was less well known is that Ianto did the same thing. After a particularly difficult day, if he had something on his mind or he just needed some time, he would head up to the roof of the Millennium Centre. But unlike Jack, who would look out at the people below going about their mundane lives to ground him, Ianto always looked upwards. He looked up to the stars, the millions upon millions of faraway galaxies, and felt so small in comparison. Those millions of galaxies had no clue at all that he existed, all of his worries and doubts were completely insignificant up there, and that thought gave him comfort. It was absurd, he knew, but he felt a profound sense of calm looking up at those stars. It made him think that with all the shit they see on Earth, there was so much more beauty up there, untouched and infinite.

This particular day was laying heavily on Ianto, it had been far too close to home. A young girl, a dark haired slip of a thing that reminded him so much of his sister at that age, had been very nearly killed, getting caught up in an alien chase, the creature using the poor girl as leverage to escape by damn near slitting her throat. They'd managed to get both the alien and the girl to the Hub in record time, but it was so so close to not being fast enough. The girl had required emergency surgery, and they'd all reverted to their roles as they always did in a crisis. Ianto had been professional and got the background jobs done as he always did, letting Gwen and her bleeding heart demand Jack's attention with her outward emotion and compassion. She'd clung tearfully to Jack's shoulder as Owen had worked to save the girl and hugged the Captain in relief when the medic achieved his goal. Meanwhile Ianto had manoeuvred the alien into the cells and kept his quiet distance, sighing exhaustedly when he heard the girl would be alright then taking his leave up to the roof. The adrenaline is familiar to him by this point, after all saving the world was a regular occurrence, but sometimes they all needed room to breathe.

"Ianto?" a voice called from the rooftop doorway. He didn't look towards the man, knowing exactly who was approaching. Nobody else knew of his little habit, and of course he'd recgonise that voice anywhere.

"Over here" he called without taking his gaze from the night sky, feeling the presence as Jack positioned himself next to him, his undeniable warmth radiating towards Ianto without the other man having to touch him,

"you ok there?"

"yeah I'm fine" Ianto nodded, "just needed some time"

"I know" Jack was well used to this routine by now. He would usually leave Ianto have his space, waiting patiently for him to return to the hub, looking like a weight had been lifted from him. But today had been particularly draining on all of them, and he'd had no way to comfort the man or receive any comfort himself in the heat of the moment. So he'd searched him out after a little while, and stood by his side in silence now, following Ianto's gaze upwards.

"It's beautiful isn't it" Jack noted, "I can see why you like it up here, even on freezing cold nights like this"

"I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night" Ianto quoted, a soft smile on his face as he studied the sky,

"Galileo?"

Ianto shook his head, "No, everyone always thinks its Galileo. It's actually from a poem, 'the old astronomer to his pupil'"

Jack smiled, "How appropriate" he reached for Ianto's hand, stroking his thumb across the other man's fingertips as he held them, "I'd love to show you the stars, you know. Take you up there to all those far off galaxies. There's so many of them to see"

"I like to look at them from a distance" said Ianto, "gives me some perspective of my place in the universe"

"I don't think you have any idea at all of your place in the universe, Ianto" Jack murmured, "At least not in mine"

Ianto turned to him, lost for words at what was essentially a confession, one he hadn't expected or been prepared for. Jack looked at him seriously, giving every indication that he meant every word he'd said, along with those three words he was very carefully not saying.

Ianto pulled the other man towards him by his lapels, bringing their lips together hard. He poured his emotions into the kiss, hoping Jack would understand. Jack's hands came around Ianto, holding the other man flush against him. They held each other, continuing blissfully into the evening as stars twinkled up ahead, the endless galaxies oblivious to the two of them...


Very short and random I know, just something about the quote was stuck in my head having recently got it tattooed in Gallifreyan style