Disclaimer= don't own Frosties, coco pops or any other trademarked products mentioned
CHAPTER 4=
Jack stood over the gravestone, fighting not to cry. He read the message carved on the rough marble over and over until he knew it off by heart.
HERE LIES
IANTO MEREDITH JONES
1983-2009
A DEARLY LOVED SON, BROTHER, UNCLE AND PARTNER WHO WAS TAKEN BEFORE HIS TIME
R.I.P
Shit, he had promised himself that he wasn't going to cry. He bent down and brushed away a cobweb that was partially covering the bottom left corner, Ianto couldn't be forgotten, he'd promised. "Hey Yan," The immortal ex con man whispered, voice cracking, "I haven't forgotten you." And he hadn't, he hadn't slept with anyone else in over a decade, "I know I never said it enough Yan but I love you. D'you remember how I came back from my time with the Doctor and I could hardly stand being touched by anyone else except for you; 'specially my wrists? You understood and tried your best to help me. You were such a brilliant boyfriend Ianto, you deserved someone much better, I'm sorry."
He could hardly see now, his eyes masked by a waterfall of salty tears that didn't seem likely to stop anytime in the foreseeable future. "I'll love you forever Yan." Jack promised in hushed tones. He had to get back to the safe house, or Gray would start to wonder where he was. Yet he just couldn't bring himself to leave this place. With a tiny noise that he pretended wasn't a sob, Jack thought about all of the times that the Welshman had been there for him.
FLASHBACK
He wished Ianto was here, the welsh man would have rubbed circles in his back and wiped down his face with a soft fluffy towel before pulling him up on to his feet and settling his exhausted body back on to the mattress; making sure to tuck the covers in so that he stayed nice and warm while he went to get some chamomile tea to help quell the ripples of nausea that still remained. Then would come snuggling and hugging until the tea had been finished off- Jack had always tried to get that particular stage done with in the quickest amount of time that Ianto would let him,
"'You have to drink slowly Jack or else you'll just throw up again and we don't want that, do we?'"
Because after a drink then there would be the time to cuddle, their bodies pressed so close together that it was almost impossible to tell where one stopped and the other began. And Ianto would whisper soothing welsh words in his ear until he fell asleep and if he woke up and he still felt bad the welsh man would somehow convince to stay in bed that day. He would listen as Ianto pottered round the flat for a while before coming back with a hot water bottle and a bucket and a drink and he would untangle the sheets and tuck him back in again and kiss his forehead because he would have to go in to work to provide Gwen with some much needed coffee but he would come back at lunch time and if it was going to be a quiet day Ianto might stay the rest of the day with him in bed and Jack would refuse to let go of him until he managed to fall asleep again because although he would never ever say it, just being held in Ianto's strong arms was enough to make him feel much better.
END OF FLASHBACK
He cast one last longing look towards his dead lover's grave before walking away, coat flapping behind him.
TW
"Where'd you go?" Gray asked as he trudged through the backdoor.
"Nowhere special," Jack shrugged, "you want some breakfast?"
"Might as well see what 21st century food is like," the younger replied, "also there's these things in a box in the cupboard and they're like little white pouches full of black sand. Should I chuck 'em?"
"Nah, they're teabags." The immortal told him, retrieving the box from the overhead cupboard and explaining to him how they worked.
TW
A few minuites later they were sitting at the table, Gray happily taking alternate bites of Frosties, jam on toast and Coco Pops. Jack simply stared miserably down at his cup of tea, lost in thought- it wasn't an awkward silence. Soon after, the younger man had finished his food and delved into the cupboards in search of some more. "I take it you like Frosties and Coco Pops then?" Jack observed him with a smirk.
"Sugar and chocolate with milk that tastes like sugar and chocolate, it's brilliant!" Gray said happily and if he were younger Jack would have had an incredibly hyperactive child on his hands. "You want some?"
"I'll pass thanks." The former time agent replied.
"Your loss." Gray shrugged; he spied what looked like another box of cereal hidden away at the back of the cupboard behind a pile of tins and quickly made a grab for it. He was disappointed to find that it was a cheap shop's own brand sort- it didn't even have proper sugar in it.
"If you're quite finished," came Jack's voice and he just knew that his elder brother was trying hard not to laugh, "Come and help me dry these plates."
"Do I have to?" Gray pouted.
"The quicker you do it then the quicker you can go home."
"You're coming as well," Gray told him as he came over to help dry the crockery, "why wouldn't you come too?"
"Let's just say that after the invasion things between me and mom were… tense," Jack shrugged, "and we didn't exactly part on the greatest of terms."
"Yeah but you found me again didn't you? She'll forgive you."
The ex con man couldn't bring himself to dash his younger sibling's hopes but he also couldn't bring himself to lie either so he just shrugged again and carried on with washing the dishes.
TW
Gray watched from his position in the corner of the garden as Jack locked the back door of the safe house and placed the key back in its place under the door mat. "You ready?" Jack asked him as he crunched across the dewy grass. The younger sibling nodded, hoping that he seemed more confident than he felt.
"I'm ready."
"Next stop: home." The immortal former time agent grinned. Another nod and this time a tentative smile- those words still hadn't sunk in properly. Gray couldn't help but cling on tightly to Jack's sleeve fearfully and his brother offered him a reassuring smile.
A flash of light and a weightless but somehow clunky feeling later and he heard sand crunching beneath his boots and the sound of the sea roared in his ears.
A/N: this story will probably be updated in a while because there will be 15 chaoter in total and although i have written 5 and 6 i need to type them up and that takes time!