A chilly ocean wind blew over Ianto's face. He shivered and blinked. It took him a couple seconds to recall where he was and what he was doing there. On the top of an abandoned building overlooking the Irish Sea was, for some reason, where he and Jack had spent the night. Or, well, where he had spent the night. Because Ianto dimly recalled that as he had been falling asleep, Jack had tucked his own coat around Ianto and crept off.
Keeping the coat wrapped tightly around himself, Ianto sat up. He looked around. Jack must have returned sometime during the night, because there he was. Looking rather small without his coat, the captain had curled up a few feet away from Ianto and was sleeping soundly. On the other side of Ianto sat a stack of his clothing, neatly folded. Jack must have done that, too, because Ianto certainly hadn't.
Ianto decided not to wake Jack just yet and dressed, shivering at the cold morning air. Then he went over to Jack and placed the coat on top of him. He leaned over to kiss Jack on the cheek.
Jack's eyes opened. "Morning," he murmured.
"You smell like smoke," Ianto responded.
Jack groaned. "I know."
"Were you burning down that church?"
Jack nodded.
"Smart."
"Generally." Jack smirked as he sat up slowly. "Home?"
Ianto took his hand and pulled him to his feet. "Roofs are nice, but a bit chilly. Home."
Jack laughed. "Cold, Ianto?"
The young man shrugged. "A bit. We are right next to the ocean, and you might be able to protect me from the scary sea monsters, but not from the sub-zero wind chill."
Jack hadn't actually put on his coat fully, and slipped it off and onto Ianto's shoulders smoothly. "Can't I?" he remarked. Ianto smiled at him, pulling the coat tight around himself. Jack slipped his arm around Ianto's waist, and led him over to the door that led down from the roof into the stairwell that extended downwards onto the lowest floor of the building.
Together, they made their way through the waking city of Cardiff and back to the Hub. It was just before 6:30 when they arrived. Ianto immediately went over to make coffee and Jack headed over to his office. They didn't even need to talk to each other again before Gwen arrived, and even then, they mostly discussed work and the strange, strange events of the previous day. But whenever they caught each other's eye, they spoke silently, saying things they would never say out loud. Gwen would remain completely oblivious, as usual. But the conversations were there all the same.
This is set the morning after The Sin Eaters, an audiobook read by Gareth David-Lloyd, which, by the way, highly recommend. Hope you liked it! Please review?
~Clare