[for ianto and daniel] Wednesday Sept. 19

[more_flexible]

Jack took the bucket and left House and Wilson together in the rec room. He made good on his suggestion, finding his way to Ianto's hut easily in the twilight. It really was magic because by the time he got there, not only had none of the ice melted, there were a few more beers than there had been before.

He knocked on the door and waited, hoping it was still early enough he wasn't interrupting anything. And hey, if he was, he had a peace offering.

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[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"I love him," he repeated, half-heartedly. "I love you, too, but it doesn't seem to be an issue that you're with Daniel. Or that Chase and the Doctor are married. Or that Gwen is marrying Peter. I love a lot of people, Ianto," Jack said nervously, avoiding meeting his eyes.

He took a step back and bumped into the table, reaching back to set the bottle down. He looked over at Daniel and his brows knit, creased, and finally he couldn't meet his eyes either. "I didn't feel guilty. It was just like I thought...he didn't even know. He doesn't pay attention. I...he...we..." he stammered, his eyes narrowing. "He told me not to wait up. It seemed like the most natural thing. That's not how it's supposed to be? He's not with both of us?" he asked, clearly trying to puzzle it out.

[theunascended.livejournal.com]

Daniel's jaw tightened abruptly and he took a long sip of his drink, belatedly realizing that he'd finished it. He shouldn't read into that, but, dammit, he couldn't help but read into a statement like that. He moved closer to Ianto.

"No, because you're clearly not with Ianto, even though you say you love him." He breathed, trying not to get pissed off and failing. He grabbed another bottle, popping it open. Jack had said he'd loved Ace, too, and no matter what Ace said, how they'd resolved it, he'd seen how hurt she was over it.

[coffee_sir]

Ianto glanced sideways at Daniel, catching the other man's movement, not that it was very difficult to catch. "Because you love him in a different way than you love me," he said, the slightest edge to his voice as he looked back to Jack which disappeared soon after. "That's not how it is. He's with you, and just you. And you're only with him. No one else, even though you love many people. You're faithful to each other."

He held onto the vague hope that whatever was affecting Jack was something like retcon, and if they jogged enough proper thoughts and memories, whatever was holding him would break down. It was worth a shot.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

The confusion melted away as Jack looked up at Ianto from beneath his lashes. His lips curved into a tell-tale smirk. "Apparently not as much as you'd think," he said darkly. "All this time I've been toeing the line, so careful who I talk to, and how. Who I can touch and who I can't. Who I can kiss, how I can kiss, who I have to avoid. It's been months and all I've done is flirt and dance and kiss Owen. Owen. And now Greg's fucking Wilson and I...have beer."

Memory jogged, but instead of making him want to sprint back to the Compound and tear the two men apart, all he wanted was to drink another beer and...well...not wait up.

[theunascended.livejournal.com]

Wasn't this what he'd been worried about? That Jack wasn't quite as faithful about his boyfriend as Ianto had said he was? He moved a step or two closer to Ianto, running a hand over his back. He raised an eyebrow and shot Ianto a look of his own?.

See? it said. Maybe I wasn't as wrong as you seem to think I was.

"So, you've decided, what? That now is the time to hit on my boyfriend?" He couldn't help the flare of possessiveness that hit when the said the words, though he gave Jack a rather bland look.

[coffee_sir]

This was a little more familiar. The look in Jack's eye, the quirk of his mouth. But rather than slap him as he had said he would, Ianto just shook his head slowly.

"You're going to regret this," he said calmly. "You really are. If the island's mucking around again and House is just as confused about everything as you were a minute ago, you're going to regret acting hasty right now."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

He looked Daniel over slowly, consciously turning on the sensuality that he'd all but let atrophe. "You'd rather me hit on you?" he purred, meeting Daniel's gaze and holding it before turning to grab another beer.

"Ianto, I appreciate your concern, really. But I'm going to drink my beer, then leave you two the bucket, walk out that door, and...let nature take it's course," he grinned, cheeky as hell. He popped the cap and held it, twisting it between thumb and forefinger as he took a drink. No one had any right to drink the way Jack did. Since he was actively reacquainting himself with everything he'd discarded to be with House, the air suddenly seemed thicker, the hut a little darker, everything close and warm in the best of ways.

He could even feel the heat rising from his neck and the scent it carried. There was no real mystery to how or why he'd always been very good at this.

[theunascended.livejournal.com]

Daniel regarded Jack coolly, the flirting not phasing him in the slightest. Well, almost. Even he had to admit that Jack was good. Very good. But, then, Daniel had lived with Vala down the hall.

"I can handle myself," Daniel said with a small smirk. He considered Jack and shook his head. "I've seen worse. I've lived with worse. Vala would have had her hand down my pants ten minutes ago. The way I see it, you don't have anything on that."

Again, it was an exaggeration. Vala wasn't nearly as bad as that, but she'd been close when he first met her and it made for a good effect, now. Besides, he had Ianto beside him and so nothing could phase him. So he told himself.

[coffee_sir]

Crossing his arms over his chest, Ianto considered Jack, kept his eyes on him and his expression stone-faced in spite of what was being said and that little exchange between the two men. He had already chastised Jack for hitting on Daniel before; he didn't think Jack would take it too far again. And if Jack was going to turn on the charm like that, Ianto knew he should prepare himself to see through it.

"Don't be the one to fuck this up, Jack," he said evenly. "Go back out there and get your boyfriend or stay here the night and find out what's different in the morning, but don't go out to pull. Just don't."

He ignored the way the room had changed, looking completely unphased as he kept his focus on Jack, as if willing him to knock himself out of this.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

Jack took another drink, letting his eyes bore into Ianto. He didn't blink, didn't look away, didn't waver.

Somehow, in the power struggle between the two of them, Daniel ceased to be a factor. Jack counted on Ianto for a lot of things, and a lot of the time it was to keep a level head. But he was on his fifth beer and his mind was competing with his heart for what the truth was.

[theunascended.livejournal.com]

Daniel was perfectly willing to be left out of the actual confrontation, but he couldn't help but watch the silent battle between them both. He honestly wasn't sure how he felt about it. At the moment, it was just a non-sexual power play between two friends, with Ianto trying to stop Jack from doing something stupid.

As long as it stayed that way, Daniel wasn't sure he'd have too much of a problem. As long as it stayed that way.

[coffee_sir]

Ianto continued to stare back at Jack, not letting anything break his concentration. But there was only so much that staring would accomplish, which in reality was hardly anything, so he repeated himself.

"Don't do it," he said, firm but quiet. "That's not what you really want, Jack."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"And what exactly is it that I want, Ianto?" Jack asked quietly, the urr still in his voice. It wasn't going away any time soon. "I'm not fighting for something I won't win. He doesn't want me anymore. There's no point...and there's no point in crying about it. Been there, done that."

[theunascended.livejournal.com]

At that, Daniel couldn't help put put his two cents in. "I thought we'd determined that was because of the island. But if you're not willing to fight, well... Why should I bother listening to the advice that you gave me about going after what you want? Or do you think I would have been better off walking in the opposite direction that evening. It's not what you thought at the time."

It was a double standard and Daniel was tired of it. Their situations were exactly analogous, but they were close enough.

[coffee_sir]

"You need to talk to him," Ianto said with a shake of his head. "Either tonight or tomorrow, your choice, but you need to talk to him before you make any hasty decisions. Going out there won't really make you happy, not for much longer than tonight."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

Daniel's two cents sparked white hot fire in Jack's guts and Ianto's words were lost as he whirled on the man. "Go after what I want? They love each other, Daniel. This is no different than if Lisa showed up, whole and healthy."

Another name was on the tip of his tongue...every word Daniel had said had been tucked away. A name, one he knew would make his point, at whatever cost.

"Or Sha're. Tell me, when you're in my position and have to choose, what direction I should go," he spat angrily.

[theunascended.livejournal.com]

Daniel felt like he'd been punched. Sha're was a weak point and Daniel knew it and Jack had no right, no right to bring her up. He took a few steps closer, cold rage in his voice as he spoke. "Leave her out of this, Jack. All you need to know is that I wouldn't leave Ianto no matter what. For no one. Not even her. So my advice to you is the same. Stop being a fucking idiot."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

That had been the big, threatening button and Jack was filled with a smug satisfaction as he pushed it. He shifted his footing, leaving himself wide open to Ianto as he closed in predatorially on Daniel.

There was one real truth in the universe he'd gotten. Of all the things he'd seen and done, he only was absolutely certain of one fact.

"Everyone. Leaves."

[coffee_sir]

"No, they don't," Ianto snapped. If Jack was going throw low blows, there was no reason why Ianto shouldn't. He shoved at Jack's shoulder, pushing him back and away from Daniel, so that he was turned more towards Ianto, so he could hear every word. "You do. You run the second there's trouble. That's what you do, Jack. Volcano Day. And it's no different in the future, is it? And now, when things seem to be going badly, you run for it, without even trying to talk to House. You just run."

He stood in front of Jack, hands on his hips, a hard, expecting glare in his eyes. "You say you're different, then prove it. This is your chance to hang around and deal with the consequences. Or are you going to ask me to clean up your mess again?"

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

Thrown off balance, Jack recovered quickly and by the time Ianto had finished, he had closed the distance and was standing nearly against him. One hard glare met the other and Jack waited. One heartbeat. Another. One more...and he flashed a grin like a blade.

"I never really have to ask," he said darkly. "Do I?"

One more heartbeat and he took a step back. He had no choice but to deal with the consequences. He'd be faced with House or Wilson every day for the rest of his time on this fucking island, and no matter what, someone was going to wind up unhappy. He felt perfectly fine with how things were. No reason to be hurt, jealous, or heartbroken. Things were how they were meant to be.

[coffee_sir]

Ianto didn't even think. The second Jack took a step back, he cocked his arm back and let his fist fly for Jack's jaw. It connected in a hard, satisfying way that left his knuckles stinging when it was done. But he didn't regret it at all.

He had no words, just silent rage that Jack would just throw that back in his face, as if nothing that Ianto did meant anything to him. It hurt more than Ianto wanted to admit, so he didn't trust himself to speak.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

Sometimes he wondered if he had a target there on his jaw. Faramir, Logan, House, even Gwen...

That was about as far as he got with any kind of thinking at all before his legs went out from under him and he crumpled to the floor, his head connecting with the wood in a second connection to finish the job Ianto had begun.

Warm, quiet darkness enveloped Jack and he sank into it. Swam in it. Melted away from the confliction and confusion.

He'd known Ianto would take care of him, one way or another.

[theunascended.livejournal.com]

Daniel bent down to check on Jack so that Ianto didn't have to. He was definitely out, but otherwise didn't seem much the worse for wear. Standing up, he walked over to Ianto.

"Are you all right?" It was a dumb question, but it was better than some of the other comments he had rolling around in his head. Daniel was keeping firm control of his mouth, because he knew how he got when he was pissed, and it wasn't Ianto who had upset him.

He moved his hand up to Ianto's cheek.

[coffee_sir]

"Shit," Ianto muttered under his breath as he turned away. He hadn't intended to knock Jack out; he had just wanted to hurt him like he had hurt Ianto. But what was done was done. He turned away, waving his hand to get the sting out, but turned back to listen to Daniel.

"Fine," he answered, short, but giving Daniel a softer look. "He's okay, right?"

[theunascended.livejournal.com]

"He's mostly unhurt," Daniel said, capturing Ianto's hand and taking a look at the knuckles. After a moment, he nodded to himself and started stroking the back of Ianto's hand. "I wouldn't say that he's fine. He's an asshole and if you hadn't punched him, I probably would have." Daniel's nostrils flared, just thinking about it, but the hand stroking Ianto's was still gentle.