Torchwood: Divergence
Book Two: Adferiad
Chapter 32
The team set to work and the Captain took a moment to just breathe and enjoy having them all there alive, well, and more than ready for the Holiday. Today was going to be a good day.
Jack turned toward the office, a flash of red in the raised kitchenette catching his eye as he moved. He looked up to find Ianto wiping down the outside of the coffee machine… and the counter, the fridge, the toaster, the cupboard where the plates and things were stored, as well as the supply shelves and specially built microwave. Concerned, the former Time Agent trotted up the stairs, reaching out to catch the younger man's hand when he started to apply a disinfectant wipe to the top of the railing around the area.
"Last time I saw you cleaning like this," Harkness stated evenly, taking the disposable towelette from his partner and throwing it away in the bin nearby. "You were still wondering if I was planning to shoot or Retcon you over having your Cyber-converted girlfriend in the basement. What's wrong?"
"Not sure," Ianto answered truthfully, his expression bordering on the pensive, lost child look that always made his lover worry. "I think maybe I'm still a bit off from last night. I just started feeling sort of nervous and claustrophobic, so I thought doing something simple, kind of mindless and routine would help."
"Did it?" the older immortal enquired quietly.
"Not really, no," the young Welshman murmured, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly as his hands started to shake. "Nope… that didn't work either."
"Was it talking about the Doctor that upset you?" Jack prodded, knowing the twenty-six-year-old had sometimes been jealous of the attachment he felt to the Time Lord.
"Most likely," Ianto nodded, meeting the American's blue-eyed gaze. "I know he's always been incredibly important to you, and I know he's partially responsible for or at least closely linked to your inability to stay dead. But it sounds like he's changed so much now, that none of you who travelled with him in the past are comfortable with his new persona. And I can tell that it really hurts you… it's like you've lost your best friend or favourite family member. Seeing you like that bothers me, especially when it's over someone who wilfully left you for dead all alone on a gutted space station once the Daleks were gone, and has made himself scarce when you've needed him most since then.
"He's the reason you had to live an entire year being tortured by his childhood friend, and was so relieved you turned down the conciliatory offer to travel again afterward because he thinks you're 'wrong'. I may not have remembered that reversed year before, but since my time in Hell I do… two sets of memories for several months, plus all the rest of the pain and horror and desperation are there now and I know you and the rest of the world suffered horribly for the sake of the Doctor's ridiculous plan that almost didn't work. He owes you so much, Jack, and treats you like dirt under his feet. I know I don't understand everything between the two of you. But it seems incredibly unfair that he can have such a negative effect on you even in absentia, when he doesn't do anything to prove that he actually gives a rat's arse about your existence apart from how it's been altered because of him and whether he needs cannon fodder for whatever new mess he's created. And I'm sorry if that upsets you too, but I can't help it."
"Slow, deep breaths," Harkness urged the younger man, reaching out to put a hand on either side of his neck. "It's okay, Ianto, honestly. I don't have any reason to be upset with you. I know my preoccupation with the Doctor is messed up, that maybe I need to look at it from a different perspective and stop obsessing, especially now. All you're doing is pointing that out and telling me you're worried about it. And that's okay. Don't let the whole thing work your nerves. You are still tired and unsettled after last night. It's good that you got it out in the open now instead of letting it get worse. I need to learn from your example. And part of that will be the two of us talking about The Year That Never Was… I didn't want to burden you with all that before because you didn't remember, but it's different if you know everything that happened. We can try to help each other with those memories and finally move on from what happened. For right now though, you need to relax. Come 'ere…"
He drew the Changeling into his arms, held him close and stroked his hair. Ianto returned the embrace, settling cheek to cheek with the older immortal and closing his eyes. The Captain started a slight rocking motion, shifted just enough to whisper in his partner's ear.
"Dance with me…" Jack breathed. "Feel my heartbeat and relax."
Ianto brought one hand around to press against his lover's chest, the older man bringing his corresponding hand up to curl over it. The two swayed together in a tiny area on the kitchenette floor, oblivious to the rest of the team for the moment. Harkness was quietly humming, then began to softly sing, the old melody drawing a small smile from his Archivist who still had his eyes closed.
" 'Fly me to the moon – And let me play among the stars'," the former Time Agent whispered in tune. " 'Let me see what Spring is like – On Jupiter and Mars. In other words, hold my hand. In other words, darling, kiss me.' "
" 'Fill my heart with song – And let me sing forever more'," Ianto joined him on the second verse, his voice barely audible but clear. " 'You are all I long for – All I worship and adore. In other words, please be true. In other words, I love you.' "
They continued to simply rock together for a few minutes, then stopped and just enjoyed leaning against one another. Finally, Jack drew back to lay a warm hand on either side of his companion's face and give him a soft but promising kiss.
"You okay now?" he queried hopefully, glad to see that the lines of anxiety had faded from the young Welshman's expression.
"Yeah," Ianto breathed, able to smile and mean it. "We'll have to remember that next time I start getting wound up about something. Might be awkward in public, but does a brilliant job here at the Hub."
Harkness chuckled and nudged the twenty-six-year-old toward the stairs… at the bottom of which Gwen was standing with her mobile out, obviously having been using it to take pictures.
"That has got to be the cutest 'don't be sad, sweetie' I've ever seen," she told the two as they descended the risers. "Were you even singing?"
"Can't really dance without music," Jack smiled. "Ianto's gonna help me with my mounds of paperwork. If things stay quiet, you might even convince him to give us a Christmas carol later."
"That could take some substantial bribery," the Scieron Guardian warned with a brief smile, following his partner toward the office. "Be creative."
The pair disappeared up the three steps into the room that hid their sleeping quarters, settling on either side of the big desk with the door still open. Cooper returned to her work station with a grin on her face, and the day progressed on a more positive note.
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AN: Nothing like a little slow dance to get things back on an even keel. Think Gwen will come up with a suitable bribe?
Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda.
Dymuniadau Gwyliau Cynhesaf.
Boed eich 2023 yn flwyddyn anhygoel.
Thank you to those reading the story. And thank you to those who have followed, favourited, and reviewed. NM