Who: Jack and Ianto When: The night before they see the Doctor 6-8-2011 Where: Ianto's Apartment
Today was one of those days when the Rift was quiet and Jack felt like being away from the Hub for once. He was in the kitchen of Ianto's flat making dinner for the pair of them and hoping his lover would stick around long enough to be able to eat it. With all the random disappearances, it was putting a lot of stress on everyone. But especially on Ianto, Jack, and Martha. And since Martha was busy visiting her sister, that left the boys to their own devices for the day.
Ianto was much more relaxed when Jack and Martha stayed close by. He actually slept at night. It had been almost a week since his last little trip and he was grateful for that. It was showing on him, as much as he tried to deny it. Even now, he was sitting on the couch, watching Jack lazily, wrapped up in a blanket. No matter how bad it had been, he couldn't help but smile. That man in the kitchen loved him. That was something to be happy about.
Jack's sleeves were rolled up as he finished slicing vegetables, adding them to the pot of stew he had cooking. It wasn't anything fancy, but it was tasty and filling. Plus he'd picked up a nice loaf of bread and even fixed a salad for them. Jack wiped his hands on a nearby dish towel and wandered into the living room, smiling as he sat on the arm of the couch and looked down at Ianto. "You look comfy," he teased, letting his fingers run through the younger man's hair.
"Little bit," Ianto smiled, looking up at Jack. "Much more comfortable when you're sitting beside me. But I have to say, I've enjoyed watching you walk around the kitchen. You're sitting on one of my favorite sites." Ianto sat up a little better and kissed Jack, his hand giving his lover's leg a squeeze.
Jack started laughing and leaned over, kissing Ianto again in return. "I just figured that I'd spoil you a little and cook dinner for us since Martha's away for the day. And you haven't disappeared for a while, so I'm taking that as a good sign."
"You know that doesn't mean it's fixed yet though. I've jus hit a bit of a lucky streek lately. Which is good because I don't feel like any maybe trips right now." Ianto yawned, resting his head on Jack's thigh. "I do enjoy being spoiled though."
"I know, but I'm trying not to think about that for now. So just enjoy the moment and be happy that for now you've stayed put." Jack smiled and went back to running his fingers through Ianto's hair.
"You don't know how happy I am, believe me." He sighed contently, loving Jack's fingers in his hair. But he also knew he'd have to move. He hadn't since they got home from the Hub that night. Pushing himself up he stood infront of Jack, stretching. "So what's on the menu tonight?" he asked, smiling coyly.
"Nothing fancy... just come home made stew, some nice bread, and a salad," Jack replied. He got up from the arm of the chair and wandered back into the kitchen, smiling and wiggling a finger in a 'come hither' gesture. "Should nearly be done."
Ianto followed Jack like the puppy he was. he folded his arms behind his back and looked at what Jack was making. "Smells fantastic," he said, his hand moving to rub Jack's back in small circles. He was enjoying the time with Jack, couples time. Ever since Jack had told him he loved him, they seemed closer then before.
Jack closed his eyes and smiled, letting out a quiet sigh of contentment. "Mmm... that feels nice," he murmured.
Ianto rubbed a little harder and put himself between the stove and Jack, kissing him again. He let out his own sigh, before he hugged Jack close. The man was a walking security blanket. No matter how bad things got, if Jack was close, Ianto kept his calm well.
Wrapping his arms around Ianto, Jack hugged him in return and tenderly kisses the man's temple. "You okay?" he asked him, taking a step away from the stove just to be safe.
"Hmm?" Ianto moved with Jack as he walked him away from the stove and leaned on the counter. "Yeah... tired. But I'm okay."
"Okay, good. And since you're tired, this makes it an official lie in day," he declared with a smile. "Of course, that's pretty much what we've already been doing today. But I might as well make it official," he joked.
"That's what we've had all week," Ianto said, kissing Jack again. "Just admitt I've gotten lame and old on you." He turned around in Jack's arms and looked back into the pot, taking a deep inhale. It really did smell amazing. "How long do we have till it's done?"
"You're not lame or old. Hell... I'm way older than you," Jack commented, rolling his eyes. He glanced at his watch and said, "About ten minutes I think. And even if you did end up getting old, it wouldn't change anything. I'd still love you."
"Don't you roll your eyes at me, Jack Harkness. You may be getting older, but you get to keep your amazing good looks and that beautiful ass." Ianto chuckled, but then blushed like an idiot when Jack said he loved him. "I know you would," he said, unable to stop the dorky smile from spreading wider. He still couldn't believe Jack was saying it sometimes. He always felt it, but this was WAY better. "10 minutes, hmm? What to do in 10 minutes..."
Jack noticed the smile and arched an eyebrow in curiosity. "What?" he asked, wondering what prompted the adorable dorky smile thing time. "What's so funny?"
"Nothing is funny, I'm just happy." Ianto kissed his cheek, playing with Jack's suspenders.
"Okay, but then what's with the goofy smile?" Jack asked. He wasn't going to let it go now that his curiosity was piqued.
Ianto was turning bright red again as he put all of his focus on Jack's suspenders. "I didn't... did I?" Playing dumb wouldn't get him far. "I just, I guess when you say he love me, I look goofy..."
"Ahhh... so that's what this is all about." Jack smiled and gently nudged Ianto's chin upwards, forcing him to look at him. "You'd better get used to hearing it, Ianto. Because I mean it when I tell you that I love you. Okay?"
Ianto bit down on his lips, containing the grin he felt coming on and nodded his head. "I never doubted that you did," he said. "I love you too." Dinner was starting to smell really good and he looked back over at the stove, day dreaming a little.
"Alright, Mister Jones... grab a couple of bowls and set the table for us while I finish this up. Okay?" Jack winked and him and playfully reached over to pinch Ianto's bottom.
That woke him up and his attention snapped back to Jack. "Oh, right, sure," he agreed, going to pull a few bowls down and plates so they could have dinner. He set the table and sat down at his spot, watching Jack bring everything over. "Do you want some help?"
"Nope, I've got it. Besides... I told you that today I get to spoil you." Jack carried the pot over to the table and carefully set it on a hot pad, smiling at Ianto. He went back for the salad and bread, then sat down.
As soon as Jack settled in he helped himself to a little bit of everything and started in. "It's really good," Ianto said between bites, his free hand reaching under the table to give Jack's leg a squeeze.
"Yeah? Glad you like it." Jack filled a bowl for himself and took a taste, glad that it had turned out like he'd wanted it to. "See? I told you I can cook..."
"Yes you're full of surprises," Ianto said, breaking off a piece of bread. Dinner was light and filling and when he was done, he cleared his plates away, leaning on the sink for a moment, before he turned back to sit down with Jack.
Jack was having seconds, smiling as he looked over at Ianto. He had never really been one for the whole domestic thing, but Ianto and Martha were slowly winning him over to their side.
Ianto made his way back over to Jack, rubbing his shoulders. "Martha said the Doctor's awake... doing al right is he?"
"Yeah, I think so. He's been through some rough spots before. And since he didn't regnerate, it just took some time for him to get back to normal." Jack ate a spoonful of stew and tore off a corner of his bread, dipping it into the stew.
"Well that's good then," Ianto said, kissing the top of Jack's head. He moved around the table and sat back down in his chair, watching Jack for a moment. Martha and Jack were both so sure the Doctor could fix him and after all this, he hoped they were right. "Be odd, won't it. Gotten so used to hunting me down the last month or so. Actually stay in one place like I'm suppose to." Ianto smiled, trying to make light of it all.
"If we can get you to actually stay in one place, then i'm taking you on a week long vacation to the place of your choice," he promised. "We can and will fix this, Ianto. If anyone can help Martha and me put all the pieces together, it's the Doctor."
"Bed." Ianto smiled at Jack. "You said it was my choice."
"You want a week in bed... seriously?" Jack asked, arching his eyebrows. "At least choose someplace exotic where you can lounge around in bed."
"I have done enough traveling in the last month, I could care less where the bed is." Leaning across the table, he kissed Jack.
"Okay, okay... you're really stubborn sometimes," Jack teased. He was going to say more, but found himself cut off by the kiss.
"Ahh yes because you're not stubborn at all," Ianto against Jack's lips, before he was kissing him again.
"Sometimes, yeah. But not all the time," Jack protested. He again found himself silenced though and soon decided that talking was completely over rated.
The kiss lasted for a few minutes, before Ianto needed to come up for air. They'd been so busy lately, pulling the Doctor out of cold storage and hunting him down, he didn't realize how much he missed moments like this with Jack. Smiling at him, he took a few more things off the table and over to the sink.
"So... Martha's kind of been hinting that she doesn't want to stay in her flat anymore. She said it reminds her too much of the Skrull, which is why she likes to stay at the Hub with me, or sometimes here with you," Jack commented.
"I don't care much for her apartment either. Has this weird air to it. Notice she's been staying here and there more. What do you think?" Sometimes he felt his place was to small for two people. Upgrading wouldn't be such a bad idea.
"Well, she mentioned getting a new place. Something a little more permanent for all three of us." He popped the rest of his bread into his mouth and chewed. "It's not a bad idea actually."
"That would be nice. There's a few places, close to the Hub I saw with signs. I'd been looking around for her. Perhaps a nice big loft apartment for us all. One big happy family," Ianto smiled, taking Jack's soup dish away and filled the sink with water so he could wash the few dishes up.
"Once things with you are sorted out, the three of us can sit down and decide what we want to do." Jack finished his water and stood up, following Ianto into the kitchen.
"Yeah, suppose it does depend on my sticking around longer then a few days." Ianto started to put most of his focus on scrubbing out the bowls in the sink.
"Which we're working to sort out," Jack reminded him. "Hey... you've got to think positive, Ianto."
"No I know, I know I do. I am. We'll sort this out." He smiled back at Jack as he rinsed off a few plates. The last few places he'd been sent to just weren't the most pleasent in the mind. He'd come back, trying not to let it show, but he was awful at hiding his feelings from Martha and Jack. The last thing he wanted was to get stuck in one of those places forever.
Jack placed his hands on Ianto's shoulders and gently squeezed them. "Have some faith in us. We've found you every time you've disappeared, right? THen trust we'll sort it too."
"I have all the faith in the world you. I know you'll do everything you can and you have found me, everytime. It's not you guys I'm worried about." Ianto let the water drain out of the sink. "You've noticed it Jack, the condition I come back in everytime. What if I'm not strong enough..." He shook his head, letting out a frustrated sigh. "I'm not giving up. I refuse to give up."
"You're going to be fine," Jack said firmly. "You are strong enough, so don't even talk like that. You understand? I'm not losing you again, Ianto. For these little trips, okay... fine. I can deal with that. But when you vanished and we thought you were dead... No. Not again."
Ianto nodded his head. It wasn't just being strong for himself, Jack was always so strong for everyone else. Sometimes, he needed someone to be so for him. He didn't know what it would take to keep him there, but he would do anything.
"I'm not losing you again," Jack repeated. He placed a light kiss on the nape of Ianto's neck and hugged him from behind. "I promise."
"And I promise I'm not giving up. You're not going to lose me, Jack. Do everything in my power for that not to happen." He leaned back into Jack's hold, his arms holding the ones around him.
Jack kissed Ianto's temple and smiled, holding him protectively in his arms. "Good."
Ianto closed his eyes, enjoying being held by Jack. Once he'd relaxed though, he started to feel as lethargic as he had on the couch before dinner.
"Come on, lazy bones. Back to the couch with you." Jack grinned and led him back into the other room. The dishes could wait until tomorrow.
Before Ianto could protest, he was being lead back to the living room and away from the sink full of dishes. Any thought of agrueing left him once he was sitting down.
And just to make sure that he wasn't going to go anywhere, Jack parked himself right next to Ianto and kept an arm around him.
Instantly, Ianto fell into habit and leaned against Jack, watching whatever news story was on the TV. His focus didn't stay long as he started to drift off. He wasn't normally a napper, but he was finding himself falling asleep more and more. He was thinking of it as not being as uptight as he used to be and relaxing more.
Jack switched the channels until he found something interesting to watch, more than content to just stay on the couch and to hold Ianto as he slept. He smiled as he looked down at him, lightly stroking his hand up and down Ianto's arm.
Ianto didn't know how long he'd been out for, but his body rocked awake and he sat up, almost startled. Living room, his living room. Jack was right behind him. He was still here. "Sorry, didn't mean to pass out on you," he said, easing back against Jack.
"No need to apologize." Jack smiled and ran his fingers through Ianto's hair. "I watched a movie while you napped."
"A whole movie," he said looking at the clock on the wall.
"Yup." He continued smiling and nodded.
"Would you like some coffee?" he asked, peeling the suit vest he'd yet to take off yet and moved to slide off the couch. It wasn't even nine o'clock yet and he was this tired? He was turning out to be the old man of this relationship.
"If you don't mind making some, then sure." Jack stretched his arms and rolled his head, smiling up at Ianto.
Ianto made his way off into the kitchen, but he was in there for a while. It didn't even sound like the coffee maker was running. That might have been because Ianto had the coffee in his hands and was just standing like he was lost in a daydream.
Jack closed his eyes and stretched out on the couch, just relaxing while Ianto was off making coffee. He could get used to this... dinners other than take away, spending time outside of work for sex and sleeping, and doing the actual home thing again.
Ianto was almost frozen there till he brought himself back, dropping the coffee tin on the floor. He barely realized he spaced out till he looked at the clock on the stove. Half and hour since he'd walked in. Ianto stepped away from the mess on the floor and walked back out into the other room. He didn't go anywhere, but he felt like he had.
Jack cracked one eye open and called out, "Ianto?" He noticed the slightly shaken look on his lover's face and quickly sat up. "What's wrong?"
"I've been in there a half hour. Feel like I just walked in..." He looked back at the grounds on the floor. "I didn't make anythin'..."
"I've been in there a half hour. Feel like I just walked in..." He looked back at the grounds on the floor. "I didn't make anythin'..."
Jack was starting to get worried now. He'd assumed Ianto had been doing something in the kitchen during all that time. "I'll get it," he offered. "You've got two options: One... go back to the couch. Or two... go crawl into bed."
Ianto watched him for a moment, but he didn't answer when Jack gave him options. He stepped out of the kitchen and walked down to his bedroom. He stripped down to his briefs before he laid down, covering himself with the blankets.
After cleaning up the kitchen, Jack sent a quick text message to Martha. He didn't know if this was connected to Ianto's disappearing act, but it still worried him. They had to get this sorted out and fast before something happened. Jack made his way into the bedroom and quietly sat on the edge, reaching out to gently take hold of Ianto's hand.
"It.. it felt like my body was catching up, ya' know? I didn't go anywhere, but I felt stuck." Ianto closed his hand around Jack's looking up at him.
"But at least you stayed here..." Jack squeezed his hand, but it was clear from the look on his face that he was really worried.
"Yeah," Ianto said softly, putting on a meek smile.
He hated feeling helpless like this. It wasn't in Jack's nature to be able to just sit around and wait. Which unfortunately was what he was pretty much forced to do at the moment. "I told Martha I want us to try and fix this tomorrow."
"I do want to fix this tomorrow. As soon a possible. It's gonna get fixed. I'm okay." Ianto sat up in the bed and held Jack close. "You said it yourself, we're going to figure this out."
"Yeah, but it doesn't mean I can't worry," Jack told him.
"I'm glad you do," he said stroking Jack's face. "But the Doctor... if anyone can fix it, he can right?" Ianto's hand stilled on Jack's cheek and he looked like he was dazing off like before.
The Doctor hadn't been able to fix Jack, but that was a special matter. "Yeah... I'm sure he can." Jack watched as Ianto dazed off and he frowned, snapping his fingers to see if it would get his attention.
The snapping didn't work. His pupils had dialated and it looked as though he was reacting to something, but the rest of his body stayed still. It was several minutes before he snapped to, grabbing onto Jack's arms to steady himself. "...right? Wait.. did I? A... again?"
"You didn't leave, but it's like you were in a trance or something," Jack told him.
Ianto sat back on the bed and pulled his knees up to his head. He was really tired. "That's what happened before. I felt like I was somewhere else, but I didn't leave..."
"If you want, I can give you some of the medication that Martha left for you. It'll knock you out for a while so you can rest," Jack offered.
Ianto just nodded, giving in. He hated pills like that, but he knew it might be best to be knocked out right now. Less trouble that way.
Jack went to get the bottle from the other room and returned with it and a bottle of water. He sat back down and handed it to Ianto, nodding for him to take it.
Hand shaking, he took the pills and the bottle of water and took them quickly, before he changed his mind about it. He drank half the bottle of water, before he set it aside and laid down. "He'll fix it, because I belong here. This is my time. I belong with you and Martha and everyone else. T... this is where I fit," Ianto said, his voice cracking. He cleared his throat, shaking his head.
"Yeah... this is where you belong and we love you. So we're not going down without a fight." Jack stretched out on his side and gathered Ianto into his arms, holding him protectively. "We're not losing you."
He let himself be pulled in and curled up against Jack. "You're not. Not without a fight, kicking, clawing and screaming," he whispered, feeling the pills start to take him. He hated being drugged, but he knew he needed to sleep. Ianto watched Jack a few minutes, before his eyes closed and he passed out.
As Ianto slept, Jack remained at his side. He just held him in his arms, hoping in some way it might help to keep the young man grounded. Some how, some way, they'd fix this. Jack wasn't going to let them all lose Ianto again.