who makes you feel?
Dammit. To the Last Man deserves a full review, because Tosh was awesome in it, she was so beautiful and so brave and such a bad-ass. And Neville Longbottom's brother gave a very solid performance and I might have gotten choked up at certain points, even. And the thing with the ghosts on both sides was so cool. And Gerald and Harriet! There should be so much fic about them. Plus, there was all that chewy goodness re: wars and the people who wage them vs. the people who fight them, which is one of my favorite topics in sci-fi. But.
Instead I give you an exhaustive screencap-by-screencap analysis of THAT SCENE. Because I am shallow.
Definitely not dial-up friendly. Also, you may need to protect your ears.
Jack's sitting at his desk; Ianto comes looking for him. Everyone else has gone home. Without turning around, Jack says, This time tomorrow [Tommy]'ll be back in 1918. Ianto is so quiet. Seriously, the papers that Jack is shuffling are making more noise. And yet, Jack knows exactly where Ianto is.
Ianto: In his own time. There's a pause, Ianto keeping to the shadows. Would you go back to yours? Pause. If you could? Good reversal of the "office romance" scene in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang where Jack wanted to pursue a personal conversation and Ianto wanted to (try and) keep it all business.
Jack, smirking, Why? Would you miss me?
Ianto, deadly serious, Yep. He starts walking forward, towards Jack. Jack loses the smirk and takes a deep breath: I left home a long time ago.
Jack: Don't really know where I really belong. He starts putting away the letter, putting the work aside. Maybe that doesn't matter anymore.
Ianto, reaching the desk, finally: I...know you get lonely. He pivots to sit on the edge like he's done it a thousand times before. This guts me. Wow, that is crack STRAIGHT TO THE VEINS. I know you get lonely? So, I know you get lonely and that's why I let you fuck me on your desk. Or, I know you get lonely and the sex is (I'm) just a temporary salve for it. Or, I know you get lonely because I AM LONELY TOO. Please feel free to add any other heartwrenching options in the comments. Jesus Christ.
Jack: Going home wouldn't fix that. Holy shit. This is such a welcome change from last year's "living in the 21st century is such an unbearable burden" mantra. I mean, Jack *is* lonely and that's terrible, but he's right here. He's probably always going to be lonely, no matter where or when he is. His best friend was tortured in front him when they were kids. He then grew up to be the torturer. How do you come back from that? You don't. But he's finally accepted that this is his job, his choice. He could walk away, but he's not going to.
Also, please see Ianto's sad face. :|
Jack: Being here, I've seen things I never dreamt I'd see. Again, this is definitely putting a positive spin on his experiences and it's good to have him acknowledge that there *are* good things. Like the magic and the wonder of Torchwood and not just the gore and the death. Also, certain Welshmen in natty suits.
Jack: ...loved people I never would have known if I had just stayed where I was OMG IANTO'S SAD FACE. He's looking down, avoiding Jack's eyes, and nodding a little bit here. He's thinking, "Yes, yes, the Doctor. Or someone else. Other someone elses." HE DOESN'T REALIZE JACK MEANS, "INCLUDING YOU."
Jack looks up to see Ianto's expression.
He waits until Ianto's looking back at him, and then he says, softly: And I wouldn't trade that for the world. ASFGHJKKL;FHJKHSJKLAHSJHKL MASH MASH MASH.
They stare at each for an INFINITY while the words sink in.
And then, BAM. The dynamic completely reverses. Getting it, Ianto leans in and kisses Jack. There is no way to do this moment justice via screencaps. He just grabs Jack like he's been hungering for this.
Meanwhile, Jack's a bit startled. If you look carefully, you can see how Jack's eyes are still open when Ianto's mouth touches his. NNNNNNNGGGGGGHHHHH.
Aaaaaaaand, Ianto's hand comes up.
Jack gets over his surprise and his, uh, hand, comes up as well.
This is Ianto saying, "I'm going to tilt your head to the side this way so that I can PUT MY TONGUE IN YOUR MOUTH."
I just wanted a chance to talk about how it's SO FREAKING HOT that they're both fully clothed here. In layers and layers and layers. Ianto hasn't even taken his suit jacket off. *boom*
This is Ianto HOLDING JACK IN PLACE. And Jack CLUTCHING AT IANTO'S SHOULDER.
More of Ianto totally taking charge. I'm reminded that when Gareth David-Lloyd was asked if Ianto was going to get more action this year, he replied, More action in terms of driving the SUV or in terms of driving Jack? Also, please note that they're both holding each other with BOTH HANDS. And that Barrowman's hands are GINORMOUS.
Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Yeah. The. Wow. The way Jack's head is tilted aaaalll the way back. The way he's clutching at Ianto again. I just.
Payback.
Hands! Back of the neck! Both of them!
HOLY MOTHER OF GOD TONGUES.
I really, really appreciate pretty boys who can switch. D-d-does anyone have a cigarette?
Shit. I've gone completely around the bend.
eta: for those of you not yet playing the home game; small version (3.2 MB); large version (5.1 MB); youtube. Many thanks to myhappyface for ripping the smaller version. It's been playing on my work screen, um, a lot.