[for ianto]

[more_flexible]

Jack had been at Stu's for days, working on so many parts and pieces that sometimes he thought he'd go blind. Finally, one evening it got too dark and he laid the pieces in the little box so none would get lost and rather than trouble Jane, he made his way down the path to Tosh and Ianto's hut, wondering how they were recovering from the past week. He was finally to a place where he could think about Gwen and that day and the TARDIS and the drill without getting ill. Mostly.

"Ianto?" he called, knocking lightly. "...Tosh? Are you inside?"

Comments

[coffee_sir]

Ianto had been relaxing on his bed, doing a little reading in the combined fading light and candle light. Hearing the knock, he got up and walked to the main room, not bothering with shoes or the fact that his tie and jacket had been abandoned already, and the two top buttons of his shirt undone.

He opened the door with a light smile. "I'm here," he said. "Tosh is resting. Everything alright?"

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," he nodded, leaning easily on the jamb since Ianto stood in the way. "Just...checking up on you."

[coffee_sir]

Ianto lifted an eyebrow slightly at Jack, then stepped to the side so he could in if he wanted. "Can't do a good job of that from outside," he said, still with a slight smile.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

He pushed off with easy grace and stepped inside. His eyes kept returning to the hollow of Ianto's throat and he finally had to force himself to look around the hut. "Missed you," he said casually, finally looking back to meet his eyes as he stepped forward.

[coffee_sir]

Ianto shut the door quietly behind Jack, and tried not to look surprised when he spoke. His eyebrows may have twitched upwards slightly, but he met Jack's gaze with even features. "Sorry," he said. "How are you?"

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"Like always," Jack replied, hesitating just a second before closing the distance and pulling Inato into a tight hug. "Glad you didn't get hurt."

[coffee_sir]

Ianto returned the hug just as tightly as soon as he was in it, letting out a little sigh of relief as well. "I'm glad you didn't either," he said softly.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

The tightness abated, but he didn't let go. He just let his arms slide down to Ianto's waist. "So how was it? Patrol, right? Or did you do round up too?"

It had been far too chaotic to know what anyone but his own team was doing, and he'd been far too focused at the task at hand.

[coffee_sir]

He ran his hand lightly up and down Jack's back twice, then kept it at his middle back as he shook his head. "Repairing the fence with Tosh. Not quite mad enough to go wrangling dinosaurs yet," Ianto replied with a half smile. He paused and bit at his upper lip before adding, "Thank you."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"What for?" he asked softly, comfortable and grateful himself for the easy closeness. "Being crazy?"

[coffee_sir]

He huffed softly, not even a laugh. "No, for taking care of Gwen and Ace," Ianto answered. "Thank you for that."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

The smartass grin faded fast and Jack nodded. "Yeah. You're welcome," he said softly, laying his head on Ianto's shoulder. God, he had a fantastic body.

It was thoughts like that he shoved to the back of his mind, along with the images of Gwen, screaming, bleeding, fainting in his arms. Of Ace with the hole torn through her. Of years and years of other people whose faces he remembered and wished he didn't.

"It's what I do."

[coffee_sir]

Ianto trailed the fingers of one hand up and down Jack's back slowly, tracing his spine through the fabric of his shirt. "Wish you didn't have to though," he said softly.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

He arched involuntarily, his spine chasing Ianto's touch, and he closed his eyes. "Yeah, but then I wouldn't be cool," he teased. Tried to tease...it was hard when he was half breathless.

[coffee_sir]

He didn't change his touch at all, just kept the same slow pace up and down. Ianto smirked lightly. "I'm sure you'd find another way to be cool," he said. "Although there are more important things."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," he agreed, ready to agree with nearly anything. Days of tension simply melted away as leaned against him, passively taking the gentle contact and returning it with a light caress of Ianto's waist. His fingertips were rough from the work he'd been doing and scratched against the fine cotton. He could easily do just this for hours.

[coffee_sir]

The quiet of the shelter, steadily growing darkness of the evening, and heavy warmth of Jack against him had a soporific effect. Ianto had his eyes closed for a few minutes before another idea occurred to him. "Do you have anywhere you need to be?" he asked softly.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"No. I have to check in on Ace, but that's all. She's probably asleep right now," he replied quietly to keep from disturbing the atmosphere. "Why? Do you?"

[coffee_sir]

"No," he answered, quietly as well. "Just thought we could lay down, if you'd rather."

[ bwhaha. i win. ]

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

That statement got him to look up, not exactly in surprise, but he did tense again slightly. He hadn't come with any ulterior motive, but just laying down did sound...nice. He nodded after another moment and a faint smile played over his lips.

"Okay. Yeah, actually that would be good."

[coffee_sir]

Ianto didn't have any ulterior motive in the suggestion either, unless getting them off their feet was somehow sneaky. Hands on Jack's back, though, he felt the change in Jack's muscles. "Just to lay down," he said evenly, looking at him carefully. "Unless you don't want to."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"I do," he nodded. "It's not why I came, but...yeah. I might fall asleep, though," he added with a grin. It seemed like lately whenever he got remotely horizontal, he was dozing off.

[coffee_sir]

Ianto smiled lightly and nodded, moving backwards to his room. "I figured you might. Which is why I asked if you needed to be anywhere and if you wanted to lay down," he explained.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"You know me better than I do," he said quietly, following along willingly. "How is it you do that, again?"

[coffee_sir]

Still smiling, he shook his head slightly. "Better to have you wonder, I think," Ianto replied, letting go of Jack to move his book from the bed.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"I think I can handle that mystery," he said softly, the hush of the evening and the gentle touch making it impossible for him to want the spell broken.

[coffee_sir]

Book set aside, Ianto knelt one knee on the mattress, and nodded towards the bed. "Get comfortable then," he instructed with a slight grin and soft voice before laying down on the bed himself.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

He laid down and stretched out, his shoulder popping loudly as he reached above his head and curled his arm under his head, laying on his side to face Ianto.

Imagine that, I'm not even naked," he laughed softly.

[coffee_sir]

"Will wonders never cease," Ianto deadpanned, then turned on his side as well. "How is your shoulder? Did you get very battered up out there?"

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"No, it's fine. It always does that now," he replied dismissively. "I never let it heal right back in September, so..." he shrugged. Not much more to say about it, really.

[coffee_sir]

"Hm," Ianto noised softly, reaching out to run his hand up and down Jack's back again. "Should take better care of yourself," he said gently.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"Right," he agreed quietly. "I...swim. It helps."

That and not following people into the caves, ever. That helped too.

[coffee_sir]

"Sorry," he said, feeling that he had somehow stepped over a line there, then settled into silence, quietly rubbing at Jack's back and not disturbing the hush of the night with chit-chat.