[for ianto || backdated to Saturday June 16]

[more_flexible]

If he could just forget Friday, it would be for the best. He was losing his mind, he was sure of it. His boyfriend was in pain, there wasn't anything he could do for it. House was adamant about refusing the Vicodin, and after they'd been in New Jersey it was obvious how much better the man functioned on it.

And then there was Rose. Why had he kissed her? How did she have such an effect on him? It hadn't had anything to do with sex, he simply couldn't be close enough...he couldn't let her go.

When the world fell apart, Jack hated admitting to his weakness, but sometimes, just soetimes, it was good to be taken care of.

Which is why he found himself at Ianto's door, knocking softly.

Comments

[coffee_sir]

Ianto hadn't much planned for the day, other than working on Gwen's birthday present, which was turning out to be more difficult than he had thought. Which made it all the easier to drop when he heard the knock on the door. Setting aside the small chisel and flat wooden bead, Ianto got up from the table and opened the door.

"Jack," he greeted, then frowned slightly. "How are you?"

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"I'm fine," he lied with a smile. "Are you busy? I just...I was wondering if I could...be here," he said awkwardly, looking behind him once as if he anticipated her being there.

[coffee_sir]

Clearly Jack wasn't fine, but Ianto didn't point it out. "Not busy at all, no," he answered with his own smile. "You're always welcome here... just to be." Holding the door open, Ianto stepped aside so that Jack could come in.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

Jack came in, his eyes ajusting quickly to the dark interior. "Thanks. How are you? Other than not busy?" he asked, trying to keep it light.

[coffee_sir]

"Good," Ianto responded, shutting the door and taking a quick second to glance out, trying to see what it is Jack was looking for. And seeing nothing. "Just trying to work out Gwen's birthday present."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

Jack turned to look at Ianto scanning the outdoors and he ducked his chin. "You won't see anyone. Don't worry about it, Ianto," he said quietly, moving over to the man's bed and laying down on it, kicking his shoes off. "She's in my head. Not the jungle."

[coffee_sir]

Ianto followed Jack, pausing in the doorway of his room, only a slight frown of confusion on his face, the immediate concern hidden. "Who's in your head, Jack?"

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

He took a deep breath, then sighed heavily. "Rose," he said flatly. "She's been talking to me since September, and now she's...appearing. Or something. Greg said he'd figure it out," he said, trying to keep it so he didn't sound completely insane.

[coffee_sir]

"Appearing?" Ianto echoed. His immediate reaction was not to think Jack was crazy, but rather than the island was meddling with his mind for some reason. "What does she say to you?" he asked, keeping his voice gentle and even.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

That drew a laugh and he rolled his eyes. "Not to panic. That she brings life. This last time...she wants her mom. I guess that makes sense. The Doctor said she's trapped in a parallel dimension."

[coffee_sir]

"That would follow," Ianto said. He moved away from the doorway and to the bed, sitting down on the edge without disturbing Jack. "You alright? Honestly."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

Rubbing a hand across his eyes, he shook his head slowly. "I was. Things were going so well after I woke up. Greg and I went to New York. Spent all that time together. It was fantastic. Then Ace and I...yeh, anyhow. It was great until Friday. Now...well, I didn't sleep last night."

Which spoke volumes. Not sleeping meant nightmares, which he hadn't been having for weeks now.

[coffee_sir]

Ianto ran his hand up and down Jack's arm, just soothing and light. "You want to just relax here? Try to get some sleep."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"I just didn't want to sit in the hut alone," he shrugged, but closed his eyes anyhow. "I shold probably find Dr. Deane at some point today. I told Greg I would."

[coffee_sir]

"I'll make sure you don't stay too long," Ianto assured him. "Be better if you spoke to the doctor at least somewhat rested."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," he laughed bitterly. "Because you should always have a good nap before telling your shrink that you can hold your mental delusions now," he scoffed.

[coffee_sir]

Ianto frowned a little at that. "Well, it wouldn't hurt," he began, then shifted gears. "Hold them? .. Are you sure she was a delusion?"

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

He opened his eyes a crack and nodded. "She was glowing, Ianto. None of the people here glow. I've heard her, and I catch glimpses of her. She was with me in the cave with Faramir, and in the clinic after. I'm used to her...it just unsettled me that she was there. She ran and jumped into my arms. I fell over," he said incredulously, full aware of how cracked it sounded. "But then, the people in New Jersey seemed so real, too. I heard you got to headbutt someone where you went."

[coffee_sir]

Ianto started to open his mouth to respond, to poke holes in some of Jack's thinking, but held off. Arguing something like Jack's sanity didn't seem the thing to do at the moment. Instead he nodded. "Yes. This... woman.." -- there was clear distaste in his voice -- "stole something from the base Daniel worked at. When we came after her, she used some power to throw Daniel and two of his friends through the air. She certainly felt real, too," he said, idly rubbing at his forehead.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"Greg got me a hooker," Jack said, eyes closed again. "Rose felt as real as that. Atually, the hooker seemed more real," he laughed.

[coffee_sir]

"Lucky you," Ianto replied with a wry smile. "To have a boyfriend who looks out for you like that." There was no judgment in his voice, or in his mind either. "What else did you two do?"

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

His expression softened and he relaxed all over. "We went to his hospital and he worked. Then we went to New York and spent obscene amounts of money on the most decadant hotel suie, the best food, the best champagne. He got his medication regularly and felt better. And the rest, I don't think you want the play by play," he smiled.

[coffee_sir]

Ianto wondered idly if he looked like Jack did now when talking about Daniel, if he let himself. Because he knew how that felt. "I'll pass for now," he said with a light smile. "I think I'm a little jealous of your coma dream though. We had to go on a mission. I wouldn't have minded a little vacation time in the lap of luxury."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"It was fantastic. Just he and I. I've never had such a good time that didn't involve criminal activity," he chuckled.

[coffee_sir]

Ianto smirked. "Maybe now you'll have a fun, raunchy story that all of us will actually be able to believe."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

His laugh grew a little stronger. "What, about how I finally quit being a coward and learned to get over the Doctor?"

[coffee_sir]

That was an odd way of phrasing it, but Ianto only grinned at him. "About how you and your boyfriend had a brilliant weekend in New York once. Much easier to believe than that story about the thing with the tusks."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

Jack held up a finger and looked at Ianto, dead on. "That was one hundred percent true, including the being naked part," he said, then considered something for a second. "Funny how all my best stories include me being naked."

[coffee_sir]

"That surprises you?" he asked, amused. "I should think that would be true of most stories, not just yours. ... I think you just have an abundance."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"You have good stories that involve your own nudity?" he grinned. "Ianto, you've ben keeping secrets."

[coffee_sir]

"I never said I had stories like that," Ianto pointed out mildly, a small grin at the corner of his mouth. "And you really shouldn't be surprised if I were keeping secrets."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"It would shock me if you didn't," Jack answered, drapinghis arm over his eyes and settling in to Ianto's bed. "Keep secrets, I mean. It'd shock me if you didn't have any good, naked stories either, but we can let that go."

[coffee_sir]

"Hrm," Ianto noised, glancing sideways at Jack, then paused, considering something. "Daniel got upset at me for that. Thinking I was keeping secrets from him."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

He couldn't see him, but the tone of his voice was enough. "House did too, to me. It's not easy opening up when everything's always been secret," he sighed. "What did you tell him?"

[coffee_sir]

"I told him I wasn't," Ianto answered with a soft sigh of his own. "And I'm not. Not really. If he asks or it comes up, I'll tell him. But somehow the fact that I don't open up to Gwen or Tosh means that I'll never open up." He paused, looking down at his hands. "Even though I'm trying."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"You lost me on that bit of logic...you don't tell the two people you've always kept secrets from your secrets, so that means you can't ever do it with Daniel?" he asked, removing his arm and blinking away the blurry vision. "That's...stupid."

[coffee_sir]

Ianto shook his head, still looking down. "Daniel was very close to his team back home. He doesn't really understand how we weren't. So the logic works in his mind."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

Jack smiled softly and reached out for him. "Ianto...just...don't change yourself. You've seen how well that worked with me."

[coffee_sir]

Ianto huffed a small laugh at that, looking down at Jack. "I won't. I'm not. It's a minor thing." He hoped, at least. He stretched out beside Jack on the bed. "And you're not like most people anyway."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

He shifted over, making room, and draped his arm over the solid warmth of Ianto's body. "That is one of the universal truths. Gravity, mass, forces, and Harkness," he said softly.

[coffee_sir]

"Oh is that how it goes?" Ianto said with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. "I knew there was something missing from the textbooks."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"Shh. It's a secret," he smirked. "You know...I love your bed. It might be better than mine."

[coffee_sir]

Ianto huffed a short laugh at that. "It's the same mattress as you have. It's practically the same bed."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"Must be the company then," he said, rolling against him. "Safe place to sleep."

[coffee_sir]

"Must be," Ianto murmured in return. "Glad you feel that way," he added, running his hand lightly along Jack's arm.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"Just an hour. Maybe two," he murmured, already heavy with sleep. "Got to see...Deane."

His arm tightened possessively, but as he drifted off, he released the hold, warm and comfortable against Ianto.