[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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[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.

[coffee_sir]

Ianto nodded in a distracted fashion, then gave Daniel a wry, weak grin. "Thank you," he said softly. He took in a deep breath and exhaled heavily, flexing and then relaxing his hand under Daniel's. "I didn't mean for that to happen, but maybe it's for the best. Maybe he'll wake up with a little more sense."

[theunascended.livejournal.com]

"Maybe," Daniel said dubiously. "I hope so, for your sake if nothing else." It wasn't sense that worried Daniel. Anyone could get sense given enough time. It was the refusal to listen to people who only wanted to help. Daniel knew he was a hypocrite for blaming Jack for that, but he couldn't help it. Ianto was the one that was hurt in the end by it.

[coffee_sir]

Ianto sighed again and took Daniel's hand, squeezing it gently. "So," he said, looking to Jack's unconscious form now. "What are we going to do with him then?"

[theunascended.livejournal.com]

"What I want to do to him is completely different than what we should do. What we should do is try to wake him up and see if he's all right. What I want to do...well, that would involve him being even more knocked out than he probably is."

It was part joke, part serious. Daniel was not pleased with Jack and he figured that after this, he was entitled to it.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

Jack moaned softly and rocked his head away from the pain in his jaw. His mouth was filled with the electric tang of metal and his head was throbbing steadily with his heartbeat.

Daniel's statement filtered slowly through the cottony haze and he blinked and pushed himself up. Before he could say anything, he walked over to the window and hung his head out, spitting blood onto the ground outside.

It wasn't as though he hadn't heard and understood Ianto...it just seemed so ridiculous to entertain any jealousy or hurt. House and Wilson were meant to be. It wasn't worth it to even...feel.

He stood up and wiped his mouth, blood smearing across the back of his hand as he turned to look at the two of them. He leaned heavily against the wall, unsure what to say. He'd gotten what he wanted, the same way he'd gotten it from Logan...and just like then, it didn't help. He was just numb.

[coffee_sir]

"Well?" Ianto said, looking at Jack expectantly and ignoring Daniel's statement for the moment. He understood where it came from, but he wasn't going to seriously entertain it. "Are you done being a twat or no?"

His gaze barely flickered over the blood. It was minimal and nothing that needed much attention. Jack could handle it.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"I can be done," he sighed, wincing a little at the pain. He'd bitten his tongue, which, while not life threatening, definitely put a stop to his buzz.

"I'm just going to bed. I really don't want to walk in on them fucking in my bed," he said quietly and turned, opening a door that hadn't been there a moment ago. Without another word, Jack walked in, leaving the door open.

Jack smiled as he looked around the room. A sleigh bed in dark wood, blue-green walls, books and a closet right where he knew it was supposed to be. He'd been in this room before. Sort of. In Princeton.

[theunascended.livejournal.com]

Daniel peered into the new room. "And with things like this, you wonder whether it's island related or not," Daniel said dryly. He took a few more steps in, curiosity taking him where he normally wouldn't go. "This happened just because you wanted it." He glanced between Jack and Ianto. "I think we know what happened, then."

Maybe Jack would actually listen to them, now. One could hope. Except that every time Daniel expected something from Jack, he got those expectations shattered. Maybe he just shouldn't expect anything.

[coffee_sir]

Ianto blinked and followed Daniel to look into the room in surprise. "Why would he want.." Ianto trailed off and shook his head. Even though he dealt with the strange and sometimes inexplicable at Torchwood everyday, and had to deal with the island's tricks, this was somehow something he didn't expect.

"So you're... staying here?" he asked Jack warily.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

He turned around and couldn't hide the fact that he was completely lost and utterly destroyed.

"This...is Greg's room. At home," he said quietly. He turned back to look at the bed, the dresser...everything, down to the alarm clock and the bottle of Vicodin. "...Did I do this?"

[theunascended.livejournal.com]

"Well, since I've never met the man and I don't think Ianto has ever seen his room, I'm going to go with yes." It reminded Daniel of any number of apartments he'd stayed in during his younger years. He sighed and shook his head. His gut twisted against the words, but he said them anyway. "Look, Jack. I trusted you, right? When I didn't believe in anything else, I trusted you. Can't you trust that I might be right?"

He just didn't mention that he didn't trust Jack anymore.

[coffee_sir]

Despite the angry words from earlier, the look on Jack's face made Ianto's stomach drop a little. "Something's going on with the island again, Jack. If an entire room shows up just because you willed it, then whatever's going on between House and Wilson is probably a product of that as well. Don't give up on it yet."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"You can't be right," he said, quiet, and with far less certainty than before. He couldn't be here, not like this. Not in Greg's room without him. His heart was beating hard and it just made his head hurt all the more.

Jack closed his eyes and the room shifted before them, even though he wasn't looking. The bed became something big and wide and closer to the floor. Japanese silks covered it and rice paper screens and lanterns adorned the room. The walls were more like the hut's, but the bamboo was lighter, split carefully, and all the gaps sealed tightly.

By the time he opened his eyes, tears had tracked his cheeks, but he could take the sight of Kyoto much easier than New Jersey.