2/2
"You are, Jack," Ianto assured him, "you're a leader and a brilliant one at that. Your past doesn't define you. It helped shape the man you are, but it doesn't decide who you are now. That's up to the choices you make now. You can't hide behind your past because you're scared that maybe things are going right. You can't keep punishing yourself and pushing away good things. You deserve happiness, Jack. And it was only easy because you were him. You were from that point in time. It wasn't you and you need to accept that. Because, whether you want me to or not, I do not blame you, and I am not going to stop loving you."
If Ianto had known what Jack was thinking, he might have suggested that the word to describe what was causing Jack to feel 'out of sorts' was feelings. But he didn't, and so he didn't.
He didn't give Jack a chance to speak, before he kissed him again, long and slow and pouring everything he felt into it, wanting to be sure Jack understood how much he needed him and wanted him and loved him. "I love you," he said, "because I don't know how not to. Because it's as natural as breathing, and sometimes I feel like if I tried to stop, I'd die." He kissed along Jack's jaw and down his throat. "I love you because it's the most right thing in the world for me and it makes all of, the loss and the fighting and every fucked up bit of our lives worthwhile." He pulled away and looked at Jack. "I love you because I choose to and I want to. And I need to. And you most certainly deserve this."
And he let go of Jack's hands, moving his own up to cup Jack's face as he kissed him with everything he had, and hoped it was enough.