Fic: The World Can Wait (Torchwood Jack/Ianto PG)
Title: The World Can Wait
Author: magikalrhiannon
Fandom: Torchwood
Pairing: Jack/Ianto
Rating: PG (H/C)
Spoilers: set after Season 2 Episode 6 Reset
Summary: Ianto's sick...and Jack finds out.
Word Count: 3020
Disclaimer: All rights belong to BBC and Russell T Davies. I'm just finger-painting in someone else's masterpiece. No infringement intended.
Notes: For kajmere, cuz she owns me.
"Jack?"
The head of Torchwood Three looked up to find his tech specialist timidly hovering around the doorway to his office. "Toshiko! What a wonderful interruption." He frowned as he watched her walk into his office. "Something I can do for you?"
"I was wondering if you'd seen Ianto today?" Tosh asked, wringing her hands.
Jack opened his mouth and then paused. Come to think of it, he wasn't sure. "He's in the archives." Wasn't he?
"No. Actually, he's not here at all, and none of us have seen him all day. He's not answering his cell phone, his pager or his home phone." Tosh looked worried.
Jack frowned. How could it have gotten to - he checked his watch - two in the afternoon, without him realising that he hadn't seen or heard from Ianto? He glanced at the take away coffee cup on his desk that Gwen had brought him on her way in. Then he and Owen had taken that call out to the Hospital to see about the mysterious death which turned out to be not their case at all but a misdiagnosis by an incompetent doctor - which had Owen grumbling all the way back to the Hub. Pizza had been delivered to the Tourist Office coincidentally at the same time as Owen and Jack were arriving back from the Hospital...
Jack stood up and grabbed his greatcoat. "Hack his GPS to locate him and send me his co-ordinates. If he's not either in jail or his flat, I'm going to kill him."
"What do I tell the others?" Tosh asked, concerned.
Jack looked down at Owen and Gwen who were laughing and giggling over something. His lips thinned. "Nothing. I'll deal with them later. I want to make sure Ianto's okay first." She nodded. Jack put his arm around her. "We'll find him."
"Call me when you do."
Jack smiled at her and left. He decided to try Ianto's flat first, and see if Ianto's car was still there. Tosh called Jack on his comm unit to tell him she couldn't get a lock on his GPS - his phone must be either turned off or flat. Jack was now worried. Ianto's phone was never off. He pulled up outside Ianto's building and found Ianto's car parked there. But that meant nothing. He made his way upstairs to the third floor flat and inserted the key he had into the lock.
Jack entered as he would a crime scene with a potential assailant on the scene, quietly closing the door behind himself. When he went past the kitchen, there were dirty dishes in the sink and on the bench. Jack frowned. He made his way further into the flat to the small lounge. It looked like a bomb had gone off. Books and magazines were everywhere, DVDs littered the floor, blankets were strewn all over the couches and onto the coffee table and carpet. Tissue boxes and more dirty dishes were on the coffee able as well.
Jack was unsure if he'd entered the right flat. Maybe his key unlocked a neighbour's door as well? No, that wouldn't be right. Ianto had changed the lock when he moved in and given Jack the key himself. Confused, Jack turned and headed into the lone bedroom the flat had. Curled up on the bed under a pile of blankets was his missing archivist, fast asleep and looking deathly pale.
Jack hit the comm unit in his ear. "Tosh. Call off the search party."
"You found him?"
Jack sighed. "Yeah. Listen, tell Owen to get his ass over to Ianto's flat immediately, will you? He looks pretty sick." Jack wandered into Ianto's bathroom and turned and walked back out again. "Tell him Ianto's been vomiting." He sighed. Yeah, that was gonna need commercial grade bleach.
"Will do."
Jack risked the bathroom again and found a flannel washer, ran it under some cold water and folded it into thirds. He rummaged through Ianto's medicine cabinet to see if he had any painkillers but there was nothing. Instead he went to the kitchen and filled a glass with cool water and brought it and the makeshift compress to the bedroom and put them on the night stand. He shrugged out of his coat and hung it up in Ianto's closet, then sat on the bed next to his lover.
Jack felt Ianto's head. He was burning up with a fever. He reached over for the compress and laid it over Ianto's forehead. Ianto groaned, his head moving from side to side.
"Shhhh, its okay," Jack soothed, carding his fingers through Ianto's sweat-soaked hair.
"Jack..." Ianto mumbled, still asleep. He sighed and shivered. Jack smiled. He couldn't help but feel good that even when asleep, Ianto thought of him, wanted him with him, wanted his comfort. Ianto wasn't so big on sharing how he felt, so Jack revelled in stolen moments like these. Ianto looked so young and innocent when he slept. Ianto, however, didn't remain asleep. He frowned and then blinked. "Huh?" He squinted, and tried to swallow. "Jack?" He croaked.
"Hey," Jack didn't stop his fingers carding through Ianto's dirty, sweaty hair.
"Why are you here?" He asked, then started hacking a cough.
"Easy, easy. Breathe." Jack rubbed his back. "Owen's on his way over to check you out." Ianto groaned again and tried to hide his face in his pillows, but found he couldn't breathe and came up gasping. "Why didn't you call me?" Jack asked when Ianto collapsed down on the bed again.
Ianto opened an eye and looked at Jack. "You're still here?" Jack frowned and felt his head. "Or am I hallucinating?"
"Not this time. Why, was I here before?" Jack asked wryly.
"Nevermind," Ianto muttered. "Just... Go away would you? Let me die in peace."
"Ianto, I'm not letting you suffer here alone," Jack said softly. "Now have you had anything to drink?"
"Not in a few hours."
"Drink this," Jack ordered, holding out the glass of water. Ianto looked at him and made a noise but struggled to sit up. Jack put his arm around his back to support him as he drank the whole thing down greedily. "Slowly, Ianto. You'll choke if you're not careful."
Ianto handed the glass back and flopped back onto the bed. "It would be a merciful death."
Jack gave him a sideways look as he stood up at the knock at the door. "Don't choke on your own snot." Ianto gave him the finger and rolled over, pulling the blankets over his head. Jack shook his head and hurried to the door. "Owen."
"Where is he?"
"Bed," Jack said, and gave Owen directions. Owen made his way down to Ianto's room.
"Right. I'm assuming the lump under the blankets is my patient," Owen said, placing his medical bag on the floor and opening up as he sat down on the edge of Ianto's bed.
An arm flung out and Ianto's head popped up. "It wasn't enough that I'm dying, you had to call Owen to sign my death certificate?" Ianto frowned at Jack. "What did I do to you, Jack?"
"Oh stop moaning," Owen said, and shoved a thermometer into Ianto's mouth.
"Thus butter nut huv bin uf anybuddy's afth," Ianto grumbled, struggling to sit up against the pile of pillows behind him.
"And I didn't bother to disinfect it either," Owen chirped back, pulling out a slender torch and flashing it in Ianto's eyes, then making him follow his finger. Tossing the torch back into his bag, Owen reached out to feel Ianto's glands, pressing and massaging around the swollen area. He found Ianto's pulse and looked at his watch. "Throat sore?" Ianto nodded. "Face sore? Coughing? Snotty nose, mucus when you blow your nose?" Ianto nodded. "Lemon or lime?"
"Themmen."
Owen nodded, took out the thermometer and looked at it before shaking it. "Uh huh. Jack said you were throwing up?" Ianto nodded miserably. "How long since you last kept anything down?"
"Lunch yesterday."
"Right." Owen closed his bag and stood up. He looked at Jack. "My official diagnosis is... He's dying."
"Thank you!" Ianto groaned and flopped back on his pillows.
"What?" Jack looked alarmed.
Owen clapped Jack on the shoulder. "Nothin' I can do mate, sorry."
"Owen!"
"Jack," Owen relented. "He's got the flu. He needs sleep, fluids, and to stay warm. I'd like to see him eat something but until he can keep anything down, I don't like his chances. Soup would be best. He's got to ride it out. I may work miracles, but no one has worked out how to cure influenza. It's a virus that mutates. We kill it, it evolves and becomes immune to the drugs we create. Its a vicious cycle."
"Hence the Pharm," Jack nodded.
"Hence the Pharm," Owen agreed.
"Now that you've figured out how modern medicine sucks, can you all fuck off?" Ianto growled from beneath the covers.
"Call me if you feel any worse," Owen ordered. "I mean it, Jones. Don't make me kick down your door in four days time to find your decomposing corpse. I won't be happy."
"When are you ever?" Came back the reply.
Owen considered. "Yeah, true enough. Right, I'm off to placate Tosh. She was in a right state when you called back. Nice one, by the way, cheers, Jack."
"What did I do?" Jack called out after him but Owen just waved over his shoulder as he left the flat. Jack looked back at Ianto. "Right. You, get up."
"Jack, I know you're my boss, but at the risk of being fired... fuck off and leave me alone. Please."
Jack sighed and sat down on the bed. "Ianto... I'm not here as your boss." He looked down at his hands.
Ianto rolled over and looked up at him. "Then why are you here?" He asked, then hacked out a cough.
"You're sick," Jack stated as if it was obvious. "Where else would I be?"
Ianto looked at the blankets covering him. "Saving Wales from alien invasion?"
Jack smiled. "I think the country can survive without me for a day or two. You, on the other hand... I'm not so sure."
Ianto looked affronted. "I can take care of myself. Always have." And then he sneezed so hard, he hit his head on the headboard of the bed.
"Yeah. You look it." Jack handed him a tissue. Ianto blew his nose and Jack picked up the overflowing rubbish bin for him to add it to the top of. "Right. Now, here's what we're going to do. We're going to run you a hot bath, and you're going to soak in it for at least 15 minutes while I change these sheets, empty that bin and find some disinfectant. Then you're going to get back into bed and I'm going to make you some soup."
Ianto looked at Jack warily. "You're going to cook?"
"You're dying anyway, what have you got to lose?" Jack retorted, pulling the blankets off him. Jack tugged Ianto up onto his feet and pushed him into the bathroom. While Ianto leaned on the counter Jack ran the bath for him. "C'mon. Get out of those clothes and into that water." Jack then opened cupboard doors and found some disinfectant and poured some down the toilet and flushed.
"Sorry," Ianto mumbled, tossing his clothes half-heartedly in the direction of the clothes hamper.
"What for?" Jack asked, helping Ianto as he struggled with the remaining items of clothing.
"Everything," Ianto huffed, kicking his pants out of the way. He sighed. "Jack-"
"Ianto, I'm not leaving, so don't bother. Just get in the damn tub," Jack ordered.
Ianto opened his mouth to say something but shut it at Jack's glare and stepped into the warm water, moaning in pleasure and relief as he sank down. Jack watched to make sure he got settled okay before he picked up Ianto's dirty laundry and returned to his room where he stripped the bed. He quickly re-made it with fresh sheets he found in Ianto's closet, and then went into the lounge and gathered up the dirty dishes, piling them all into the kitchen sink to soak. Jack put a call in to one of their regular cafe's that they had dates at, and when he told Lauren that Ianto was sick, she had no qualms about sending over a big batch of their famous chicken soup with one of their kitchen-hands - even though they didn't deliver.
Jack picked up all the blankets and folded them, leaving them on the couch. Next were the DVDs, replaced into their cases and back onto the bookshelf in their correct order. By the time there was a knock on the door, Ianto had been soaking for half an hour. Jack tipped the delivery boy a £20 for his trouble and served some into a bowl for Ianto into a bowl, put the leftovers in the fridge and carried it into the bedroom. He left it on the night stand, and looked around. The room looked, and smelled, a lot better.
When Jack walked into the bathroom he leaned on the door frame and smiled at the sight in front of him. Ianto had fallen asleep curled up in the tub, one arm slung over the side, his face squished against the edge. Jack pulled out his phone and snapped a photo, chuckling to himself before he put it back in his pocket.
"Ianto," he said softly as he knelt down and ran a hand through his wet hair. "Wake up."
"Huh?" Ianto's eyes opened slowly. "Wha? Where am I?" The water splashed as he flailed. "Why is my bed wet?"
"You're in the tub," Jack smiled.
"Oh."
"Time to get out before you catch a chill." Jack helped him to his feet and handed him a towel as he stepped out. Jack emptied the tub as Ianto lethargically dried himself off and wrapped the towel around his waist. "Feel any better?"
Ianto gave Jack a small smile, "A little, yes. Thank you."
"What are boyfriend's for?" Jack asked, clapping his hands on Ianto's shoulders and massaging them a little. "Go, get dressed." Ianto stumbled into his room and found a warm tracksuit to pull on, then fell into bed. "Sit up." Jack said, handing him the bowl. "It should be cool enough to eat now."
"This isn't going to poison me is it?" Ianto asked, accepting the bowl and sniffing at the soup. He didn't want to let it show how good it smelled but his growling belly gave him away.
"I think I should be offended that you have such little faith in me," Jack complained as Ianto bravely ate a mouthful.
"Mmm, Lauren's chicken soup." Ianto poked Jack with his spoon. "You cheated."
"I always cheat," Jack replied, a soft smile on his face as he watched Ianto eat slowly. "You didn't really think I was going to try and make soup with the crusty bare cupboards you have here, did you? I really would have finished off what this bug has started."
Ianto shrugged. "I have learned never to underestimate you, Jack."
"That sounded awfully like a compliment," Jack was surprised.
Ianto suddenly handed Jack his half eaten bowl and threw back the covers as he made a mad dash for the bathroom. Jack heard him throwing up and sighed. He took the soup out into the kitchen and tipped it down the sink, washing it away. Jack then made his way into the bathroom just as Ianto flushed.
"Doesn't taste as great the second time around, in case you were wondering," Ianto muttered, leaning against the wall. Jack held out his hand and helped him to his feet. As Ianto brushed his teeth, Jack rubbed his back. Ianto spat out the paste and rinsed his mouth. "This can't be very entertaining."
"View's pretty good from back here," Jack teased. Ianto rolled his eyes. "Back to bed for you."
Ianto went without complaint and crawled back under the covers. Jack laid down on the other side of the bed. "What are you doing?"
"Laying down?"
"You'll get sick!"
Jack smirked. "Are you concerned about me?"
Ianto sniffled and blew his nose on a tissue. "I kind of like you. But don't let it get to your head. Your ego is ginormous enough as it is."
Jack laughed. "I don't know if I should be offended or honoured." He lifted his arm and rested it behind his head. He patted his belly with his other hand. "C'mere. You know, the best kind of warmth is body heat." Ianto looked at Jack's chest longingly. "Come over here. Stop being ridiculous."
Ianto rolled over and rested his head on Jack's chest, his ear over his heart. Jack's arm came around him and rubbed up and down his back.
"Thank you," Ianto said softly.
"What for?"
"This. Being here." Jack was about to speak when Ianto sniffled and added, "No one's ever looked after me when I was sick before."
"Sure they have," Jack scoffed.
Ianto shook his head against Jack's belly. "Nope. I always looked after Rhi. Mum died when I was a baby. Dad, well..." He sighed. "Lisa used to go to her mother's when I was sick." He closed his eyes, his arm tightening around Jack's waist. "Always had to do this stuff alone."
"Lisa went to her mother's?" Jack couldn't stop the question, or the incredulous from his voice.
"Mmm," Ianto agreed, nuzzling into Jack's ministrations as his fingers moved up to card through the hair at the back of his head. "Yep." Ianto sighed. "I complained too much apparently. Anyway I didn't want her to get sick too."
"Well, you might be a little stubborn, but you don't complain too much. You're sick. You're allowed to be grumpy. Within reason," Jack amended. "Rest now, Ianto. I'll be here when you wake up."
"Mmm," Ianto sighed again. "Should be saving the world."
Jack smiled and kissed his head. "The world can wait. You need me here more."
Author: magikalrhiannon
Fandom: Torchwood
Pairing: Jack/Ianto
Rating: PG (H/C)
Spoilers: set after Season 2 Episode 6 Reset
Summary: Ianto's sick...and Jack finds out.
Word Count: 3020
Disclaimer: All rights belong to BBC and Russell T Davies. I'm just finger-painting in someone else's masterpiece. No infringement intended.
Notes: For kajmere, cuz she owns me.
"Jack?"
The head of Torchwood Three looked up to find his tech specialist timidly hovering around the doorway to his office. "Toshiko! What a wonderful interruption." He frowned as he watched her walk into his office. "Something I can do for you?"
"I was wondering if you'd seen Ianto today?" Tosh asked, wringing her hands.
Jack opened his mouth and then paused. Come to think of it, he wasn't sure. "He's in the archives." Wasn't he?
"No. Actually, he's not here at all, and none of us have seen him all day. He's not answering his cell phone, his pager or his home phone." Tosh looked worried.
Jack frowned. How could it have gotten to - he checked his watch - two in the afternoon, without him realising that he hadn't seen or heard from Ianto? He glanced at the take away coffee cup on his desk that Gwen had brought him on her way in. Then he and Owen had taken that call out to the Hospital to see about the mysterious death which turned out to be not their case at all but a misdiagnosis by an incompetent doctor - which had Owen grumbling all the way back to the Hub. Pizza had been delivered to the Tourist Office coincidentally at the same time as Owen and Jack were arriving back from the Hospital...
Jack stood up and grabbed his greatcoat. "Hack his GPS to locate him and send me his co-ordinates. If he's not either in jail or his flat, I'm going to kill him."
"What do I tell the others?" Tosh asked, concerned.
Jack looked down at Owen and Gwen who were laughing and giggling over something. His lips thinned. "Nothing. I'll deal with them later. I want to make sure Ianto's okay first." She nodded. Jack put his arm around her. "We'll find him."
"Call me when you do."
Jack smiled at her and left. He decided to try Ianto's flat first, and see if Ianto's car was still there. Tosh called Jack on his comm unit to tell him she couldn't get a lock on his GPS - his phone must be either turned off or flat. Jack was now worried. Ianto's phone was never off. He pulled up outside Ianto's building and found Ianto's car parked there. But that meant nothing. He made his way upstairs to the third floor flat and inserted the key he had into the lock.
Jack entered as he would a crime scene with a potential assailant on the scene, quietly closing the door behind himself. When he went past the kitchen, there were dirty dishes in the sink and on the bench. Jack frowned. He made his way further into the flat to the small lounge. It looked like a bomb had gone off. Books and magazines were everywhere, DVDs littered the floor, blankets were strewn all over the couches and onto the coffee table and carpet. Tissue boxes and more dirty dishes were on the coffee able as well.
Jack was unsure if he'd entered the right flat. Maybe his key unlocked a neighbour's door as well? No, that wouldn't be right. Ianto had changed the lock when he moved in and given Jack the key himself. Confused, Jack turned and headed into the lone bedroom the flat had. Curled up on the bed under a pile of blankets was his missing archivist, fast asleep and looking deathly pale.
Jack hit the comm unit in his ear. "Tosh. Call off the search party."
"You found him?"
Jack sighed. "Yeah. Listen, tell Owen to get his ass over to Ianto's flat immediately, will you? He looks pretty sick." Jack wandered into Ianto's bathroom and turned and walked back out again. "Tell him Ianto's been vomiting." He sighed. Yeah, that was gonna need commercial grade bleach.
"Will do."
Jack risked the bathroom again and found a flannel washer, ran it under some cold water and folded it into thirds. He rummaged through Ianto's medicine cabinet to see if he had any painkillers but there was nothing. Instead he went to the kitchen and filled a glass with cool water and brought it and the makeshift compress to the bedroom and put them on the night stand. He shrugged out of his coat and hung it up in Ianto's closet, then sat on the bed next to his lover.
Jack felt Ianto's head. He was burning up with a fever. He reached over for the compress and laid it over Ianto's forehead. Ianto groaned, his head moving from side to side.
"Shhhh, its okay," Jack soothed, carding his fingers through Ianto's sweat-soaked hair.
"Jack..." Ianto mumbled, still asleep. He sighed and shivered. Jack smiled. He couldn't help but feel good that even when asleep, Ianto thought of him, wanted him with him, wanted his comfort. Ianto wasn't so big on sharing how he felt, so Jack revelled in stolen moments like these. Ianto looked so young and innocent when he slept. Ianto, however, didn't remain asleep. He frowned and then blinked. "Huh?" He squinted, and tried to swallow. "Jack?" He croaked.
"Hey," Jack didn't stop his fingers carding through Ianto's dirty, sweaty hair.
"Why are you here?" He asked, then started hacking a cough.
"Easy, easy. Breathe." Jack rubbed his back. "Owen's on his way over to check you out." Ianto groaned again and tried to hide his face in his pillows, but found he couldn't breathe and came up gasping. "Why didn't you call me?" Jack asked when Ianto collapsed down on the bed again.
Ianto opened an eye and looked at Jack. "You're still here?" Jack frowned and felt his head. "Or am I hallucinating?"
"Not this time. Why, was I here before?" Jack asked wryly.
"Nevermind," Ianto muttered. "Just... Go away would you? Let me die in peace."
"Ianto, I'm not letting you suffer here alone," Jack said softly. "Now have you had anything to drink?"
"Not in a few hours."
"Drink this," Jack ordered, holding out the glass of water. Ianto looked at him and made a noise but struggled to sit up. Jack put his arm around his back to support him as he drank the whole thing down greedily. "Slowly, Ianto. You'll choke if you're not careful."
Ianto handed the glass back and flopped back onto the bed. "It would be a merciful death."
Jack gave him a sideways look as he stood up at the knock at the door. "Don't choke on your own snot." Ianto gave him the finger and rolled over, pulling the blankets over his head. Jack shook his head and hurried to the door. "Owen."
"Where is he?"
"Bed," Jack said, and gave Owen directions. Owen made his way down to Ianto's room.
"Right. I'm assuming the lump under the blankets is my patient," Owen said, placing his medical bag on the floor and opening up as he sat down on the edge of Ianto's bed.
An arm flung out and Ianto's head popped up. "It wasn't enough that I'm dying, you had to call Owen to sign my death certificate?" Ianto frowned at Jack. "What did I do to you, Jack?"
"Oh stop moaning," Owen said, and shoved a thermometer into Ianto's mouth.
"Thus butter nut huv bin uf anybuddy's afth," Ianto grumbled, struggling to sit up against the pile of pillows behind him.
"And I didn't bother to disinfect it either," Owen chirped back, pulling out a slender torch and flashing it in Ianto's eyes, then making him follow his finger. Tossing the torch back into his bag, Owen reached out to feel Ianto's glands, pressing and massaging around the swollen area. He found Ianto's pulse and looked at his watch. "Throat sore?" Ianto nodded. "Face sore? Coughing? Snotty nose, mucus when you blow your nose?" Ianto nodded. "Lemon or lime?"
"Themmen."
Owen nodded, took out the thermometer and looked at it before shaking it. "Uh huh. Jack said you were throwing up?" Ianto nodded miserably. "How long since you last kept anything down?"
"Lunch yesterday."
"Right." Owen closed his bag and stood up. He looked at Jack. "My official diagnosis is... He's dying."
"Thank you!" Ianto groaned and flopped back on his pillows.
"What?" Jack looked alarmed.
Owen clapped Jack on the shoulder. "Nothin' I can do mate, sorry."
"Owen!"
"Jack," Owen relented. "He's got the flu. He needs sleep, fluids, and to stay warm. I'd like to see him eat something but until he can keep anything down, I don't like his chances. Soup would be best. He's got to ride it out. I may work miracles, but no one has worked out how to cure influenza. It's a virus that mutates. We kill it, it evolves and becomes immune to the drugs we create. Its a vicious cycle."
"Hence the Pharm," Jack nodded.
"Hence the Pharm," Owen agreed.
"Now that you've figured out how modern medicine sucks, can you all fuck off?" Ianto growled from beneath the covers.
"Call me if you feel any worse," Owen ordered. "I mean it, Jones. Don't make me kick down your door in four days time to find your decomposing corpse. I won't be happy."
"When are you ever?" Came back the reply.
Owen considered. "Yeah, true enough. Right, I'm off to placate Tosh. She was in a right state when you called back. Nice one, by the way, cheers, Jack."
"What did I do?" Jack called out after him but Owen just waved over his shoulder as he left the flat. Jack looked back at Ianto. "Right. You, get up."
"Jack, I know you're my boss, but at the risk of being fired... fuck off and leave me alone. Please."
Jack sighed and sat down on the bed. "Ianto... I'm not here as your boss." He looked down at his hands.
Ianto rolled over and looked up at him. "Then why are you here?" He asked, then hacked out a cough.
"You're sick," Jack stated as if it was obvious. "Where else would I be?"
Ianto looked at the blankets covering him. "Saving Wales from alien invasion?"
Jack smiled. "I think the country can survive without me for a day or two. You, on the other hand... I'm not so sure."
Ianto looked affronted. "I can take care of myself. Always have." And then he sneezed so hard, he hit his head on the headboard of the bed.
"Yeah. You look it." Jack handed him a tissue. Ianto blew his nose and Jack picked up the overflowing rubbish bin for him to add it to the top of. "Right. Now, here's what we're going to do. We're going to run you a hot bath, and you're going to soak in it for at least 15 minutes while I change these sheets, empty that bin and find some disinfectant. Then you're going to get back into bed and I'm going to make you some soup."
Ianto looked at Jack warily. "You're going to cook?"
"You're dying anyway, what have you got to lose?" Jack retorted, pulling the blankets off him. Jack tugged Ianto up onto his feet and pushed him into the bathroom. While Ianto leaned on the counter Jack ran the bath for him. "C'mon. Get out of those clothes and into that water." Jack then opened cupboard doors and found some disinfectant and poured some down the toilet and flushed.
"Sorry," Ianto mumbled, tossing his clothes half-heartedly in the direction of the clothes hamper.
"What for?" Jack asked, helping Ianto as he struggled with the remaining items of clothing.
"Everything," Ianto huffed, kicking his pants out of the way. He sighed. "Jack-"
"Ianto, I'm not leaving, so don't bother. Just get in the damn tub," Jack ordered.
Ianto opened his mouth to say something but shut it at Jack's glare and stepped into the warm water, moaning in pleasure and relief as he sank down. Jack watched to make sure he got settled okay before he picked up Ianto's dirty laundry and returned to his room where he stripped the bed. He quickly re-made it with fresh sheets he found in Ianto's closet, and then went into the lounge and gathered up the dirty dishes, piling them all into the kitchen sink to soak. Jack put a call in to one of their regular cafe's that they had dates at, and when he told Lauren that Ianto was sick, she had no qualms about sending over a big batch of their famous chicken soup with one of their kitchen-hands - even though they didn't deliver.
Jack picked up all the blankets and folded them, leaving them on the couch. Next were the DVDs, replaced into their cases and back onto the bookshelf in their correct order. By the time there was a knock on the door, Ianto had been soaking for half an hour. Jack tipped the delivery boy a £20 for his trouble and served some into a bowl for Ianto into a bowl, put the leftovers in the fridge and carried it into the bedroom. He left it on the night stand, and looked around. The room looked, and smelled, a lot better.
When Jack walked into the bathroom he leaned on the door frame and smiled at the sight in front of him. Ianto had fallen asleep curled up in the tub, one arm slung over the side, his face squished against the edge. Jack pulled out his phone and snapped a photo, chuckling to himself before he put it back in his pocket.
"Ianto," he said softly as he knelt down and ran a hand through his wet hair. "Wake up."
"Huh?" Ianto's eyes opened slowly. "Wha? Where am I?" The water splashed as he flailed. "Why is my bed wet?"
"You're in the tub," Jack smiled.
"Oh."
"Time to get out before you catch a chill." Jack helped him to his feet and handed him a towel as he stepped out. Jack emptied the tub as Ianto lethargically dried himself off and wrapped the towel around his waist. "Feel any better?"
Ianto gave Jack a small smile, "A little, yes. Thank you."
"What are boyfriend's for?" Jack asked, clapping his hands on Ianto's shoulders and massaging them a little. "Go, get dressed." Ianto stumbled into his room and found a warm tracksuit to pull on, then fell into bed. "Sit up." Jack said, handing him the bowl. "It should be cool enough to eat now."
"This isn't going to poison me is it?" Ianto asked, accepting the bowl and sniffing at the soup. He didn't want to let it show how good it smelled but his growling belly gave him away.
"I think I should be offended that you have such little faith in me," Jack complained as Ianto bravely ate a mouthful.
"Mmm, Lauren's chicken soup." Ianto poked Jack with his spoon. "You cheated."
"I always cheat," Jack replied, a soft smile on his face as he watched Ianto eat slowly. "You didn't really think I was going to try and make soup with the crusty bare cupboards you have here, did you? I really would have finished off what this bug has started."
Ianto shrugged. "I have learned never to underestimate you, Jack."
"That sounded awfully like a compliment," Jack was surprised.
Ianto suddenly handed Jack his half eaten bowl and threw back the covers as he made a mad dash for the bathroom. Jack heard him throwing up and sighed. He took the soup out into the kitchen and tipped it down the sink, washing it away. Jack then made his way into the bathroom just as Ianto flushed.
"Doesn't taste as great the second time around, in case you were wondering," Ianto muttered, leaning against the wall. Jack held out his hand and helped him to his feet. As Ianto brushed his teeth, Jack rubbed his back. Ianto spat out the paste and rinsed his mouth. "This can't be very entertaining."
"View's pretty good from back here," Jack teased. Ianto rolled his eyes. "Back to bed for you."
Ianto went without complaint and crawled back under the covers. Jack laid down on the other side of the bed. "What are you doing?"
"Laying down?"
"You'll get sick!"
Jack smirked. "Are you concerned about me?"
Ianto sniffled and blew his nose on a tissue. "I kind of like you. But don't let it get to your head. Your ego is ginormous enough as it is."
Jack laughed. "I don't know if I should be offended or honoured." He lifted his arm and rested it behind his head. He patted his belly with his other hand. "C'mere. You know, the best kind of warmth is body heat." Ianto looked at Jack's chest longingly. "Come over here. Stop being ridiculous."
Ianto rolled over and rested his head on Jack's chest, his ear over his heart. Jack's arm came around him and rubbed up and down his back.
"Thank you," Ianto said softly.
"What for?"
"This. Being here." Jack was about to speak when Ianto sniffled and added, "No one's ever looked after me when I was sick before."
"Sure they have," Jack scoffed.
Ianto shook his head against Jack's belly. "Nope. I always looked after Rhi. Mum died when I was a baby. Dad, well..." He sighed. "Lisa used to go to her mother's when I was sick." He closed his eyes, his arm tightening around Jack's waist. "Always had to do this stuff alone."
"Lisa went to her mother's?" Jack couldn't stop the question, or the incredulous from his voice.
"Mmm," Ianto agreed, nuzzling into Jack's ministrations as his fingers moved up to card through the hair at the back of his head. "Yep." Ianto sighed. "I complained too much apparently. Anyway I didn't want her to get sick too."
"Well, you might be a little stubborn, but you don't complain too much. You're sick. You're allowed to be grumpy. Within reason," Jack amended. "Rest now, Ianto. I'll be here when you wake up."
"Mmm," Ianto sighed again. "Should be saving the world."
Jack smiled and kissed his head. "The world can wait. You need me here more."