... The house might feel less empty given the fact that there is, rather unceremoniously, a dozing Captain Jack Harkness curled up on Ianto's couch. Despite having miraculously kicked his shoes off, apparently, before taking up residence on the sofa to nap, Jack is nevertheless still in his greatcoat (looking suitably stuffy) and wearing his gun holster, complete with Webley. The sound of the door - not the mention the excited barks of the dog at the obvious presence of someone else - startle him from his already fitful sleep and the Captain sits up quickly to look around.
"Oh," he says groggily, trying to pull an apologetic expression out of thin air. It doesn't work very well and he ends up with a somewhat lost expression on his face. "Sorry. Guess I ... fell asleep." Yes, of course, though it doesn't at all explain what he was doing there in the first place.
Jack isn't the only one startled - no sooner does Ianto close the door and lean down to unfasten the leash, than the dog scampers off in the direction of the lounge, barking loudly. Dropping his bag at the bottom of the stairs, he follows, tossing his keys onto a table as he goes. He draws up short as he catches sight of the sofa and, more specifically, the person sitting on it. "Jack?" Well, that's a daft question - of course it's Jack.
Ianto still can't help but stare a little bit dumbly. "You're back." Another astute observation, but he has to say something, if only to reassure himself it's real. "How long have you been here?" That's a better question; he doesn't think it looks as if Jack has been waiting long, but ... in his current state, Ianto isn't entirely sure Jack wouldn't curl up on the couch and wait an unreasonably long time.
Actually, it's entirely likely that Jack has been there, curled up and sleeping, for the entire time Ianto has been away in Newport, as he certainly looks like a man who's just woken up from a several-days long sleep. He spends a moment rubbing at his eyes and somewhat scruffy chin, blearily attempting to collect his thoughts into something cohesive and realizing, annoyingly, that his head is throbbing. "Not sure," he answers, drawing his legs up onto the couch (as opposed to standing) and away from the excitedly barking dog.
"I was ... gone for a while," Jack explains ambiguously, "but I - came back - so that I wouldn't be gone that long." He does realize, after a moment or two, that his explanation probably makes very little sense, carefully amending: "For you. I - I didn't want to be gone another four months."
Fortunately, the dog is as disciplined as its master would require, and at a quiet call of "heel" from Ianto, the still-a-puppy steps back and sits down with an impatient undercurrent. He's had people to play with all weekend, some of them even children, and there's still a lingering of hyperactivity from more suburban life.
Ianto moves around to shoo the dog from the room, not wanting to make Jack uncomfortable - he has noted the feet up on the sofa - then turns back to address the words. "Thank you." The gratitude is genuine; his spirits have lifted at the sentiment. "Is everything all right? Did you find him?" Are you here to stay, now?
Comments 20
... The house might feel less empty given the fact that there is, rather unceremoniously, a dozing Captain Jack Harkness curled up on Ianto's couch. Despite having miraculously kicked his shoes off, apparently, before taking up residence on the sofa to nap, Jack is nevertheless still in his greatcoat (looking suitably stuffy) and wearing his gun holster, complete with Webley. The sound of the door - not the mention the excited barks of the dog at the obvious presence of someone else - startle him from his already fitful sleep and the Captain sits up quickly to look around.
"Oh," he says groggily, trying to pull an apologetic expression out of thin air. It doesn't work very well and he ends up with a somewhat lost expression on his face. "Sorry. Guess I ... fell asleep." Yes, of course, though it doesn't at all explain what he was doing there in the first place.
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Jack isn't the only one startled - no sooner does Ianto close the door and lean down to unfasten the leash, than the dog scampers off in the direction of the lounge, barking loudly. Dropping his bag at the bottom of the stairs, he follows, tossing his keys onto a table as he goes. He draws up short as he catches sight of the sofa and, more specifically, the person sitting on it. "Jack?" Well, that's a daft question - of course it's Jack.
Ianto still can't help but stare a little bit dumbly. "You're back." Another astute observation, but he has to say something, if only to reassure himself it's real. "How long have you been here?" That's a better question; he doesn't think it looks as if Jack has been waiting long, but ... in his current state, Ianto isn't entirely sure Jack wouldn't curl up on the couch and wait an unreasonably long time.
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Actually, it's entirely likely that Jack has been there, curled up and sleeping, for the entire time Ianto has been away in Newport, as he certainly looks like a man who's just woken up from a several-days long sleep. He spends a moment rubbing at his eyes and somewhat scruffy chin, blearily attempting to collect his thoughts into something cohesive and realizing, annoyingly, that his head is throbbing. "Not sure," he answers, drawing his legs up onto the couch (as opposed to standing) and away from the excitedly barking dog.
"I was ... gone for a while," Jack explains ambiguously, "but I - came back - so that I wouldn't be gone that long." He does realize, after a moment or two, that his explanation probably makes very little sense, carefully amending: "For you. I - I didn't want to be gone another four months."
Reply
Fortunately, the dog is as disciplined as its master would require, and at a quiet call of "heel" from Ianto, the still-a-puppy steps back and sits down with an impatient undercurrent. He's had people to play with all weekend, some of them even children, and there's still a lingering of hyperactivity from more suburban life.
Ianto moves around to shoo the dog from the room, not wanting to make Jack uncomfortable - he has noted the feet up on the sofa - then turns back to address the words. "Thank you." The gratitude is genuine; his spirits have lifted at the sentiment. "Is everything all right? Did you find him?" Are you here to stay, now?
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