Jack sat on the edge of the bed watching Ianto sleep, memorising every curve of his face, every lash, even the way his beard grew. The start of a beard gave him a sort of rough quality, a quality that just wasn't there after he shaved. His eyes scanned the sleeping man's form, the way the covers draped over his frame. Few would believe that Ianto was as muscular as he was underneath the three piece suits that he wore, but lying here now, Jack appreciated every muscle. There wasn't an ounce of fat on him; not anywhere. Not that he ever would get the chance to become flabby while working for Torchwood. The very nature of their jobs prevented anyone from going flabby. Jack traced a finger gently down the young man's biceps. His physique was toned, and .... Ianto shifted in his sleepy and muttered something like: not now, go back to sleep, Jack. The sleepy utterance brought a grin as Jack's hand stopped mid-air and then rested on his own hip.
Jack couldn't believe his own stupidity when it came to realising just how much he truly loved the young Welshman lying next to him. Loving anyone hadn't been on his agenda for such a long time, but somewhere along the way, Ianto stopped being a part-time shag, morphing instead into his partner. Jack was afraid to say life partner; he would never have a life partner. Still, since coming back two months ago, they had made a commitment to each other. Something neither ever thought would be possible. Jack still flirted; it was ingrained in his nature, but for as long as Ianto lived, he would always come home to him.
Almost losing the Doctor taught Jack the value of pulling your friends close and your lover closer. It had especially taught him the importance of saying the L word. Jack whispered that word to Ianto a lot now. Since coming home, they had all grown closer, from dinners out with the Williams' to planning ski trips in Switzerland. It was almost like having Tosh and Owen back. He chuckled; Torchwood had gone domestic while keeping the planet safe from whatever fell through the rift.
Jack knew he should be asleep. Maybe, he was too tired. He and Ianto had played hide-n-seek with the stopwatch until they collapsed in exhaustion, but then he just laid awake staring up at the ceiling unable to let go of the day's events. Finally, somewhere around three, he gave up the attempt, placed a gentle kiss on Ianto's cheek, and eased out of bed. Ianto mumbled and shifted in his sleep bringing a smile from his partner. In need of coffee, and two aspirin, Jack quietly slipped into his trousers. pulled up his braces and headed up the ladder.
This had been a rough week for the Torchwood group. For some strange reason, a gaseous alien had come through the rift and started attacking dogs. The thing had a real taste for the long haired yappy ones. Jack didn't care that it decreased their population, but the old ladies and the dog show crowd certainly did. Even the Queen complained. To shake things up further, a chemical dump into the sewer system triggered a Weevil population explosion in the parks and sewers leading to an increase in their sightings. While doing a population count, Jack lost a battle with a mother weevil protecting her baby. The result was his throat getting ripped out and a perfectly good great coat getting shredded -- again. In all, it was truly a lousy week.
He climbed the ladder from his hideaway, padded to the kitchen in his bare feet, found the aspirin and dry swallowed three pills. Even nuked, a cup of Ianto’s leftover coffee was better than anything he could make. The report he’d left on the table still needed a signature, but it could wait until at least daylight. He dropped down on a chair half expecting Tosh's ghost to come along and smack his feet off the table off. Instead he heard the sounds of the TARDIS fill the cell hallway.
The night of fun with Ianto left him a bit stiff and sore, limiting his run for the cells to more of a quick step. He laughed when he reached the ship in time to see the Doctor step out of the TARDIS looking decidedly guilty.
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Broken: A Time Lord's Story (Doctor Who Novel)
FanfictionIn the 42nd century, a search for a kidnapped baby takes a man known as the Doctor to Regulus IV where he's kidnapped and brutally tortured. His salvation lies in the hands of a gentle telepathic child. Forced by her captor to tend to his wounds...
