Fic: Conversation, If That What We're Calling It Now (Torchwood Jack/Ianto M)
Title: Conversation, If That What We're Calling It Now
Author: magikalrhiannon
Beta: kajmere
Fandom: Torchwood
Pairing: Jack/Ianto
Rating: M for language
Spoilers: All up to season three Children of Earth. AU because this scene wouldn't have happened in the episodes. And the radio play Submission.
Summary: Ianto opens up to Rhiannon... Rhiannon gets mad at Jack. Jack apologises to Ianto.
Word Count: 2070
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.
Prompt: by comicinks: Jack is taking out his frustrations on Ianto, Rhiannon finds out and puts him in his place, Jack grovels :) Set in COE
“And just so you know, I have a daughter called Alice and a grandson called Steven, and Frobisher took them hostage yesterday.”
Ianto stood there, unable to say anything as he watched Jack walk out, his coat billowing behind him in his wake. He knew now that there was no equality in this … relationship. Yes, it was a relationship. He cemented that when he confirmed it to his sister, Rhiannon. God, Rhiannon. And Johnny! His brother-in-law was his greatest fear in telling his family. Not because he thought it would be a problem, but because he knew that Johnny would tease the ever-loving hell out of him for it, which he did. He was worse than Owen.
The ringing of Ianto's phone caused him to frown. He looked down and saw his sister's name. A cold chill ran down his spine. “Rhiannon? Are you alright? The children! Are they okay?”
“They're okay, for now. What's goin' on, Ianto?” Rhiannon asked worriedly. “They've been doing it again! This chanting thing! I'm scared!”
“We... I don't know. We're working on.”
“You're working on it? You are? Just what is it you do for the government?” she demanded.
“I... can't tell you that. I'm sorry.”
She sighed. “Are you alright?” Ianto didn't answer. “Ianto! Are you alright?”
He sighed. “I'm fine, physically.”
“What aren't you telling me? Is it Jack? Is there-?”
“Rhiannon.”
“Tell me! Please. Ianto. Don't shut me out, not now. Not when the world is-”
“Alright! Alright. It's just. It's difficult. Things are... tough right now. There are things I can't tell you. National security, Rhiannon.” Ianto closed his eyes.
“You don't work for the council, do you?” Rhiannon asked quietly.
“No.” Ianto sighed. “It... Jack...” Ianto didn't even know how to word it. “Something happened. I can't say what. Jack... He doesn't talk to me about things. We're... not exactly like that.”
“He shuts you out?”
Ianto swallowed hard. “He... protects me. That's how he looks at it, I guess.”
“Protects you? From what?”
“Him. Me. Getting hurt. Him getting hurt. I don't know. Sometimes I don't understand what's going through his mind and sometimes we're so in tune we finish each other's sentences.” He dragged in a deep breath. “I don't know what I'm doing, Rhi. I don't... I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I'm sorry, I'm sorry for everything.”
“Ianto, it's alright.”
“No, I've been the worst brother and uncle, absent and distant. You were right, Dad died and I disappeared on you. I...” He hesitated. “It seems the only person I can even open up to these days is Jack, and even then it's not reciprocated. Not really. Not honestly. Mind you, it's taken until now for me to even wrap my head around the fact that I'm actually... with him.” He gave a small hysterical laugh. “I don't think he appreciated that I had only now started to point out that people were calling us a couple.”
“What did he say?” Rhiannon asked.
“'Well, we are.' When I mentioned it again later, he asked what my problem was, and then told me he hated the word 'couple'.” Ianto closed his eyes and shook his head. “I... I don't... I love him, Rhiannon. There! I said it! I love him.” He barked out a laugh. “You're the second person I've told.”
“Who was the first? Jack?”
“God, no!” He laughed. “No, I've never... we don't. No. I told... an old friend. She... she admitted that she was in love with me.” He barked out another laugh. “I... tried to let her down gently, but she'd already noticed how Jack... um. Anyway. I told her. H-how I felt. A-about him. I love him. But he will never truly be mine, Rhiannon. He will one day leave me and move on. He... doesn't love me, not... not like I love him.” Ianto's eyes filled with tears and he sniffled. “I'm sorry.”
“Now you listen here, Ianto Jones, if that man doesn't love you like you deserve, then he can fuck right off, you hear me? I don't care how handsome he is!”
Ianto barked out a laugh. “Yep. Right. Okay.” He dragged in a breath. “I've got to go, Rhiannon. I've got work to do. Look after Mica and David. Don't let them out of your sight.”
“Keep in touch, yeah? Promise?!”
“I will.” He hesitated. “Hey. Rhiannon.” He swallowed. “I love you. I love those kids. Even warming to Johnny a little.”
She sniffled. “Love you too, ya dumbo. Go save the world.”
He chuckled, “We're trying.” Ianto hung up and stared at his phone, before heading back inside to where Gwen, Rhys and Clem were.
~*~
Jack was leaning on a car after he'd called Frobisher, his head a mess, when his phone rang. He frowned. No one should have this number unless it was Gwen or Ianto.
“Hello?”
“Is this Jack Harkness?” a feminine voice demanded.
“Who is this?”
“Is this Jack Harkness?”
“How did you get this number?”
“Right. Ya must be Harkness. My brother's not the only one in the family with skills, you know,” was the smug reply.
“I'm sorry, what-” he thought for a moment. Brother. “Your brother... Rhiannon? Rhiannon Davies?”
“Oh, so he has spoken about me?” she asked, surprised. “I wasn't sure. I mean, I know he said he did, but. Well, that's not the point.”
“Are you going to get to the point any time soon? It's just that the world is kind of coming to an end right now, and I'm kind of in the middle of trying to stop it.”
“Yeah, you are a snarky bastard, aren't ya? Wow, he said you were handsome, so did Susan, but ya must be bloody good lookin' to make up for the attitude.”
“What attitude? What the hell are you talking about, lady?”
“That brother of mine is in love with ya, ya daft prat! Now, he might not be good with words, bless him, but he makes up for it where it counts. In his actions. God knows he does what he can to keep a roof over our heads. Don't think I don't know he's the one paying my mortgage every month. It was only a matter of time before the bank called and asked why I was ten years ahead of my repayments.”
“He what?”
“When Ianto loves, he loves so deeply, he'll stop at nothin'. He'll die for ya, ya know that?”
“I...” Jack swallowed. He thought back to the cyberwoman, and Ianto's defiance. He'd seen the devotion in his eyes that he'd once directed at her now directed at him. “I do know that.”
“Does he know that you know that?”
“I...”
“Do you talk to him, Mr Harkness?”
“Captain,” Jack corrected her absently.
“Whatever! Just... look. Ianto's sensitive, yeah?”
Jack laughed. “Ianto Jones? My Ianto? Are we talking about the same man? Because my Ianto is great with words, and he's not sensitive, he's strong and brave and-”
“Now you listen here Captain Jack Harkness! I don't care if you're some handsome, arrogant pratting hero off to save the fucking world! That brother of mine is in love with you, and you need to listen up and listen good! If ya haven't worked out by now that he's an emotional person, who takes what ya say to heart, why, ya don't know him at all! He won't tell ya any of this, Captain. He won't let himself be vulnerable to ya.”
“Why not?”
She laughed. “Because you're a man.”
He blinked. “What? That's stupid! He said he wasn't ashamed of us.”
“He isn't. It's just what our Dad taught us. Men are men, they don't show emotion, talk about their feelings, or sleep with other men. That's what women do.”
Jack opened his mouth and then closed it again. “Ah. A lot of things are starting to make sense now. And I should really be talking about this with him, you know.”
“Then why aren't ya?” she prompted him.
He smiled. “Good question.”
“Ya know... he's under the impression you're going to leave him, that ya don't love him like he loves you.”
Jack's heart stopped beating for a few moments. “He said that?”
“Talk to him, Captain.” And she hung up on him.
Jack stared at his phone for a moment, then legged it back to the warehouse where they were currently based. He had an important conversation to have.
~*~
“Jack! You're back!” Gwen announced when she heard him open the door and step through.
“Yeah. Uh, Ianto, can I have a word?” he asked, walking with purpose into the room, and then pointed to the other room. “In private.”
Ianto's mouth went dry. “Uh. Yes, of course.” Jack strode into through the drafty warehouse and through the door to the other side. He heard Ianto's light footsteps behind him, and turned to face him. Jack brought his hands up to his mouth, as he did when he was thinking. “You wished to speak to me, Jack?” Ianto said, frowning a little as he came to a halt a few steps shy from where Jack was standing.
Jack moved forward and pounced, pulling Ianto into his arms and kissed him. Surprised, it took Ianto a beat to respond before he opened his mouth and met Jack's questing tongue with his own. Jack wrapped his arms around his lover, and held him tightly against his body, relishing the heat of him, the strength of him, memorising the feeling of having him there, his scent, his taste, everything... just in case. When the kiss ended, Jack rested his forehead against Ianto's and breathed him in.
“Okay. I enjoyed that conversation, if that's what we're calling it now. To what do I owe the honour?” Ianto asked, amused.
“I just... I haven't shown you how much you mean to me lately. With everything that's been going on, I guess I've been taking it out on you a little. I'm sorry for that.” Jack pressed a kiss to Ianto's forehead.
“It's understandable, given the circumstances.”
Jack shook his head. “You're too understanding for your own good, Jones.”
“If it were anyone else...” Ianto teased, smiling.
“Yeah.” Jack sighed. “I'm so thankful I have you by my side, Ianto Jones,” he said, hugging him tightly. “I couldn't imagine anyone else with me like you are.”
Ianto's breath hitched. “Nor I, sir.”
Jack pulled back. “I know I don't talk about my past, Ianto. I'm sorry.” He cupped Ianto's cheeks. “I... I've done so much I'm not proud of. I... I think I'm a little terrified that if you knew it all, you wouldn't like me so much.”
Ianto surged up and kissed him. “Nothing could change how I feel about you, Jack. Nothing.”
Jack laughed hysterically. “You sure about that?”
“You killed Lisa,” Ianto reminded him quietly. “Nothing could change how I feel about you.”
Jack nodded. “When this is over, we'll have a proper talk, yeah? I'll tell you anything. Whatever you want to know.”
“Even the Doctor?” Ianto asked, eyebrows raised.
Jack grinned. “Yeah, even him. Anything. Home, Grey, anything. You want to know it, I'll tell you. Full disclosure. Promise.”
“Deal.” Ianto grinned and Jack kissed him as they heard Gwen calling out to them. “C'mon. Work to do.”
“World is ending after all.”
Ianto chuckled as they headed back to the others, “The world is always ending. I want to celebrate getting your coat back.”
“When this is over, Ianto, I promise,” Jack breathed in his ear. They walked over to the others. Jack shared a smile with Ianto as they took their posts on either side of Gwen who was seated at the computer. “Alright, what have we got?” he asked.
Author: magikalrhiannon
Beta: kajmere
Fandom: Torchwood
Pairing: Jack/Ianto
Rating: M for language
Spoilers: All up to season three Children of Earth. AU because this scene wouldn't have happened in the episodes. And the radio play Submission.
Summary: Ianto opens up to Rhiannon... Rhiannon gets mad at Jack. Jack apologises to Ianto.
Word Count: 2070
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.
Prompt: by comicinks: Jack is taking out his frustrations on Ianto, Rhiannon finds out and puts him in his place, Jack grovels :) Set in COE
“And just so you know, I have a daughter called Alice and a grandson called Steven, and Frobisher took them hostage yesterday.”
Ianto stood there, unable to say anything as he watched Jack walk out, his coat billowing behind him in his wake. He knew now that there was no equality in this … relationship. Yes, it was a relationship. He cemented that when he confirmed it to his sister, Rhiannon. God, Rhiannon. And Johnny! His brother-in-law was his greatest fear in telling his family. Not because he thought it would be a problem, but because he knew that Johnny would tease the ever-loving hell out of him for it, which he did. He was worse than Owen.
The ringing of Ianto's phone caused him to frown. He looked down and saw his sister's name. A cold chill ran down his spine. “Rhiannon? Are you alright? The children! Are they okay?”
“They're okay, for now. What's goin' on, Ianto?” Rhiannon asked worriedly. “They've been doing it again! This chanting thing! I'm scared!”
“We... I don't know. We're working on.”
“You're working on it? You are? Just what is it you do for the government?” she demanded.
“I... can't tell you that. I'm sorry.”
She sighed. “Are you alright?” Ianto didn't answer. “Ianto! Are you alright?”
He sighed. “I'm fine, physically.”
“What aren't you telling me? Is it Jack? Is there-?”
“Rhiannon.”
“Tell me! Please. Ianto. Don't shut me out, not now. Not when the world is-”
“Alright! Alright. It's just. It's difficult. Things are... tough right now. There are things I can't tell you. National security, Rhiannon.” Ianto closed his eyes.
“You don't work for the council, do you?” Rhiannon asked quietly.
“No.” Ianto sighed. “It... Jack...” Ianto didn't even know how to word it. “Something happened. I can't say what. Jack... He doesn't talk to me about things. We're... not exactly like that.”
“He shuts you out?”
Ianto swallowed hard. “He... protects me. That's how he looks at it, I guess.”
“Protects you? From what?”
“Him. Me. Getting hurt. Him getting hurt. I don't know. Sometimes I don't understand what's going through his mind and sometimes we're so in tune we finish each other's sentences.” He dragged in a deep breath. “I don't know what I'm doing, Rhi. I don't... I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I'm sorry, I'm sorry for everything.”
“Ianto, it's alright.”
“No, I've been the worst brother and uncle, absent and distant. You were right, Dad died and I disappeared on you. I...” He hesitated. “It seems the only person I can even open up to these days is Jack, and even then it's not reciprocated. Not really. Not honestly. Mind you, it's taken until now for me to even wrap my head around the fact that I'm actually... with him.” He gave a small hysterical laugh. “I don't think he appreciated that I had only now started to point out that people were calling us a couple.”
“What did he say?” Rhiannon asked.
“'Well, we are.' When I mentioned it again later, he asked what my problem was, and then told me he hated the word 'couple'.” Ianto closed his eyes and shook his head. “I... I don't... I love him, Rhiannon. There! I said it! I love him.” He barked out a laugh. “You're the second person I've told.”
“Who was the first? Jack?”
“God, no!” He laughed. “No, I've never... we don't. No. I told... an old friend. She... she admitted that she was in love with me.” He barked out another laugh. “I... tried to let her down gently, but she'd already noticed how Jack... um. Anyway. I told her. H-how I felt. A-about him. I love him. But he will never truly be mine, Rhiannon. He will one day leave me and move on. He... doesn't love me, not... not like I love him.” Ianto's eyes filled with tears and he sniffled. “I'm sorry.”
“Now you listen here, Ianto Jones, if that man doesn't love you like you deserve, then he can fuck right off, you hear me? I don't care how handsome he is!”
Ianto barked out a laugh. “Yep. Right. Okay.” He dragged in a breath. “I've got to go, Rhiannon. I've got work to do. Look after Mica and David. Don't let them out of your sight.”
“Keep in touch, yeah? Promise?!”
“I will.” He hesitated. “Hey. Rhiannon.” He swallowed. “I love you. I love those kids. Even warming to Johnny a little.”
She sniffled. “Love you too, ya dumbo. Go save the world.”
He chuckled, “We're trying.” Ianto hung up and stared at his phone, before heading back inside to where Gwen, Rhys and Clem were.
~*~
Jack was leaning on a car after he'd called Frobisher, his head a mess, when his phone rang. He frowned. No one should have this number unless it was Gwen or Ianto.
“Hello?”
“Is this Jack Harkness?” a feminine voice demanded.
“Who is this?”
“Is this Jack Harkness?”
“How did you get this number?”
“Right. Ya must be Harkness. My brother's not the only one in the family with skills, you know,” was the smug reply.
“I'm sorry, what-” he thought for a moment. Brother. “Your brother... Rhiannon? Rhiannon Davies?”
“Oh, so he has spoken about me?” she asked, surprised. “I wasn't sure. I mean, I know he said he did, but. Well, that's not the point.”
“Are you going to get to the point any time soon? It's just that the world is kind of coming to an end right now, and I'm kind of in the middle of trying to stop it.”
“Yeah, you are a snarky bastard, aren't ya? Wow, he said you were handsome, so did Susan, but ya must be bloody good lookin' to make up for the attitude.”
“What attitude? What the hell are you talking about, lady?”
“That brother of mine is in love with ya, ya daft prat! Now, he might not be good with words, bless him, but he makes up for it where it counts. In his actions. God knows he does what he can to keep a roof over our heads. Don't think I don't know he's the one paying my mortgage every month. It was only a matter of time before the bank called and asked why I was ten years ahead of my repayments.”
“He what?”
“When Ianto loves, he loves so deeply, he'll stop at nothin'. He'll die for ya, ya know that?”
“I...” Jack swallowed. He thought back to the cyberwoman, and Ianto's defiance. He'd seen the devotion in his eyes that he'd once directed at her now directed at him. “I do know that.”
“Does he know that you know that?”
“I...”
“Do you talk to him, Mr Harkness?”
“Captain,” Jack corrected her absently.
“Whatever! Just... look. Ianto's sensitive, yeah?”
Jack laughed. “Ianto Jones? My Ianto? Are we talking about the same man? Because my Ianto is great with words, and he's not sensitive, he's strong and brave and-”
“Now you listen here Captain Jack Harkness! I don't care if you're some handsome, arrogant pratting hero off to save the fucking world! That brother of mine is in love with you, and you need to listen up and listen good! If ya haven't worked out by now that he's an emotional person, who takes what ya say to heart, why, ya don't know him at all! He won't tell ya any of this, Captain. He won't let himself be vulnerable to ya.”
“Why not?”
She laughed. “Because you're a man.”
He blinked. “What? That's stupid! He said he wasn't ashamed of us.”
“He isn't. It's just what our Dad taught us. Men are men, they don't show emotion, talk about their feelings, or sleep with other men. That's what women do.”
Jack opened his mouth and then closed it again. “Ah. A lot of things are starting to make sense now. And I should really be talking about this with him, you know.”
“Then why aren't ya?” she prompted him.
He smiled. “Good question.”
“Ya know... he's under the impression you're going to leave him, that ya don't love him like he loves you.”
Jack's heart stopped beating for a few moments. “He said that?”
“Talk to him, Captain.” And she hung up on him.
Jack stared at his phone for a moment, then legged it back to the warehouse where they were currently based. He had an important conversation to have.
~*~
“Jack! You're back!” Gwen announced when she heard him open the door and step through.
“Yeah. Uh, Ianto, can I have a word?” he asked, walking with purpose into the room, and then pointed to the other room. “In private.”
Ianto's mouth went dry. “Uh. Yes, of course.” Jack strode into through the drafty warehouse and through the door to the other side. He heard Ianto's light footsteps behind him, and turned to face him. Jack brought his hands up to his mouth, as he did when he was thinking. “You wished to speak to me, Jack?” Ianto said, frowning a little as he came to a halt a few steps shy from where Jack was standing.
Jack moved forward and pounced, pulling Ianto into his arms and kissed him. Surprised, it took Ianto a beat to respond before he opened his mouth and met Jack's questing tongue with his own. Jack wrapped his arms around his lover, and held him tightly against his body, relishing the heat of him, the strength of him, memorising the feeling of having him there, his scent, his taste, everything... just in case. When the kiss ended, Jack rested his forehead against Ianto's and breathed him in.
“Okay. I enjoyed that conversation, if that's what we're calling it now. To what do I owe the honour?” Ianto asked, amused.
“I just... I haven't shown you how much you mean to me lately. With everything that's been going on, I guess I've been taking it out on you a little. I'm sorry for that.” Jack pressed a kiss to Ianto's forehead.
“It's understandable, given the circumstances.”
Jack shook his head. “You're too understanding for your own good, Jones.”
“If it were anyone else...” Ianto teased, smiling.
“Yeah.” Jack sighed. “I'm so thankful I have you by my side, Ianto Jones,” he said, hugging him tightly. “I couldn't imagine anyone else with me like you are.”
Ianto's breath hitched. “Nor I, sir.”
Jack pulled back. “I know I don't talk about my past, Ianto. I'm sorry.” He cupped Ianto's cheeks. “I... I've done so much I'm not proud of. I... I think I'm a little terrified that if you knew it all, you wouldn't like me so much.”
Ianto surged up and kissed him. “Nothing could change how I feel about you, Jack. Nothing.”
Jack laughed hysterically. “You sure about that?”
“You killed Lisa,” Ianto reminded him quietly. “Nothing could change how I feel about you.”
Jack nodded. “When this is over, we'll have a proper talk, yeah? I'll tell you anything. Whatever you want to know.”
“Even the Doctor?” Ianto asked, eyebrows raised.
Jack grinned. “Yeah, even him. Anything. Home, Grey, anything. You want to know it, I'll tell you. Full disclosure. Promise.”
“Deal.” Ianto grinned and Jack kissed him as they heard Gwen calling out to them. “C'mon. Work to do.”
“World is ending after all.”
Ianto chuckled as they headed back to the others, “The world is always ending. I want to celebrate getting your coat back.”
“When this is over, Ianto, I promise,” Jack breathed in his ear. They walked over to the others. Jack shared a smile with Ianto as they took their posts on either side of Gwen who was seated at the computer. “Alright, what have we got?” he asked.