Fic: Down the Rabbit Hole
TITLE: Down the Rabbit Hole
AUTHOR: Erin Giles
DISCLAIMER: Torchwood and it's characters are property of the BBC.
RATING: PG-13
PAIRINGS/CHARACTERS: Ianto/Jack
WORDS: 844
CHALLENGE: horizonssing Day 12: "Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: "What! You, too? Thought I was the only one." - C.S. Lewis
SUMMARY: Set post-Countrycide. Ianto and Jack have never really been friends, but near-death and death experiences seem to change things.
“Ianto?”
Ianto looked up from where he was trying to do up the laces on his boots with shaking fingers, meeting the gaze of his Captain looking down at him.
“I thought you were going home?” Jack asked, folding his arms in an act of leadership, trying to hide his discomfort in the situation as well. If he was honest it made his stomach to turn to look at Ianto’s face even if it was covered in white gauze now.
“I’m just going now, Sir.” Ianto replied, dropping his shoe lace for the third time and letting out an annoyed sigh.
“I thought it was only be who had trouble with chasing the rabbit down the hole.” Jack tried to joke.
Ianto’s eyebrow quirked as he looked up at Jack through heavy lidded eyes.
“I believe chasing the rabbit down the hole, while being a euphuism for taking drugs, is also how you tie your tie. I think you’re thinking of making ‘bunny ears’ when it comes to tying shoelaces.” Ianto informed him before bending to try again, but his fingers were shaking so badly now that he could barely grasp the laces let alone tie them.
Jack bent down without a word, taking the shoelaces before making ‘bunny ears’ with them and tying the laces with a flourish before patting Ianto’s boot like he was a small child as he moved onto the next one.
“I’m sorry about today Ianto.” Jack mumbled into the floor as he took his time tying the second lace. “I shouldn’t have forced you to come.”
Ianto didn’t say anything, just swallowed past the lump in his throat as he felt the horror and guilt welling up in him again.
“I would say that we’re now even Sir when it comes to almost getting each other killed.” Ianto eventually managed through quivering lips. Jack’s head shot up, pausing mid-knot tying to look at Ianto properly. Ianto’s gaze didn’t waver from Jack’s as they regarded each other.
Jack had a hundred and one things that he wanted to say to Ianto at that point; about how he forgave him for Lisa because he understood why he did it, how Ianto had paid his penance through his own self flagellation and he didn’t deserve what had happened to him today, no one did. But he didn’t say anything, because it still hurt him to know that Ianto had betrayed his loyalty. What hurt more was the fact Ianto thought Jack had made him come as punishment when it had really been about getting him more involved with the team. Ianto had been isolated originally for his previous experience with a Torchwood that were the opposite of everything Jack’s Torchwood represented and no one had bothered to find anything out about him. Jack, thanks in part to Gwen, had realised the only way they were going to be a team was to be close.
Jack pulled himself to his feet, watching as Ianto’s gaze fell to the floor again, resignation in his movements as he too pulled himself to his feet.
“Come on, I’ll drive you home.” Jack encouraged, placing a reassuring hand on Ianto’s shoulder. He didn’t miss the involuntary flinch the young man gave as Jack picked the keys for Ianto’s car up off of Tosh’s desk.
“Sir, you really don’t have to.” Ianto put up a token effort of protest, but the truth was he wanted Jack to take him home and just stay with him. He was in desperate need of comfort now and he had barely gone two steps before everything caught up to him. He felt tears slipping down his cheeks, exhaustion weakening his emotional state before he was sobbing openly.
“Hey,” Jack’s hand was sliding round to the front of Ianto’s body, pressing against his chest to make him stop.
“Hey, come here.” Jack soothed, pulling Ianto in close for a hug. Ianto barely resisted, falling into Jack’s arms gratefully as he cried, tears of grief and loneliness mingled with those of relief that he was still alive.
“You’re ok now.” Jack soothed again as he stroked at the back of Ianto’s neck. He could still smell the mud and the blood on Ianto; could smell the fear and the horror of the day as he held him close like a helpless child.
“I’m sorry.” Ianto blubbed after a moment, pulling back slightly from Jack, but not letting go of the front of his shirt.
“Guess I’ve just had a bad day.” Ianto admitted, trying to lighten the mood.
“Really? I thought I was the only one.” Jack replied, a smile playing on his lips before he pulled back from Ianto, not breaking physical contact as he gently lead Ianto out of the hub.
“I mean I got mud all over my coat.” Jack continued, trying to distract Ianto as they stepped into the lift. Ianto let out a light chuckle.
“God, you did have a bad day.” Ianto mocked as he stuffed his hands in his pockets to stop himself reaching out for Jack again.
AUTHOR: Erin Giles
DISCLAIMER: Torchwood and it's characters are property of the BBC.
RATING: PG-13
PAIRINGS/CHARACTERS: Ianto/Jack
WORDS: 844
CHALLENGE: horizonssing Day 12: "Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: "What! You, too? Thought I was the only one." - C.S. Lewis
SUMMARY: Set post-Countrycide. Ianto and Jack have never really been friends, but near-death and death experiences seem to change things.
“Ianto?”
Ianto looked up from where he was trying to do up the laces on his boots with shaking fingers, meeting the gaze of his Captain looking down at him.
“I thought you were going home?” Jack asked, folding his arms in an act of leadership, trying to hide his discomfort in the situation as well. If he was honest it made his stomach to turn to look at Ianto’s face even if it was covered in white gauze now.
“I’m just going now, Sir.” Ianto replied, dropping his shoe lace for the third time and letting out an annoyed sigh.
“I thought it was only be who had trouble with chasing the rabbit down the hole.” Jack tried to joke.
Ianto’s eyebrow quirked as he looked up at Jack through heavy lidded eyes.
“I believe chasing the rabbit down the hole, while being a euphuism for taking drugs, is also how you tie your tie. I think you’re thinking of making ‘bunny ears’ when it comes to tying shoelaces.” Ianto informed him before bending to try again, but his fingers were shaking so badly now that he could barely grasp the laces let alone tie them.
Jack bent down without a word, taking the shoelaces before making ‘bunny ears’ with them and tying the laces with a flourish before patting Ianto’s boot like he was a small child as he moved onto the next one.
“I’m sorry about today Ianto.” Jack mumbled into the floor as he took his time tying the second lace. “I shouldn’t have forced you to come.”
Ianto didn’t say anything, just swallowed past the lump in his throat as he felt the horror and guilt welling up in him again.
“I would say that we’re now even Sir when it comes to almost getting each other killed.” Ianto eventually managed through quivering lips. Jack’s head shot up, pausing mid-knot tying to look at Ianto properly. Ianto’s gaze didn’t waver from Jack’s as they regarded each other.
Jack had a hundred and one things that he wanted to say to Ianto at that point; about how he forgave him for Lisa because he understood why he did it, how Ianto had paid his penance through his own self flagellation and he didn’t deserve what had happened to him today, no one did. But he didn’t say anything, because it still hurt him to know that Ianto had betrayed his loyalty. What hurt more was the fact Ianto thought Jack had made him come as punishment when it had really been about getting him more involved with the team. Ianto had been isolated originally for his previous experience with a Torchwood that were the opposite of everything Jack’s Torchwood represented and no one had bothered to find anything out about him. Jack, thanks in part to Gwen, had realised the only way they were going to be a team was to be close.
Jack pulled himself to his feet, watching as Ianto’s gaze fell to the floor again, resignation in his movements as he too pulled himself to his feet.
“Come on, I’ll drive you home.” Jack encouraged, placing a reassuring hand on Ianto’s shoulder. He didn’t miss the involuntary flinch the young man gave as Jack picked the keys for Ianto’s car up off of Tosh’s desk.
“Sir, you really don’t have to.” Ianto put up a token effort of protest, but the truth was he wanted Jack to take him home and just stay with him. He was in desperate need of comfort now and he had barely gone two steps before everything caught up to him. He felt tears slipping down his cheeks, exhaustion weakening his emotional state before he was sobbing openly.
“Hey,” Jack’s hand was sliding round to the front of Ianto’s body, pressing against his chest to make him stop.
“Hey, come here.” Jack soothed, pulling Ianto in close for a hug. Ianto barely resisted, falling into Jack’s arms gratefully as he cried, tears of grief and loneliness mingled with those of relief that he was still alive.
“You’re ok now.” Jack soothed again as he stroked at the back of Ianto’s neck. He could still smell the mud and the blood on Ianto; could smell the fear and the horror of the day as he held him close like a helpless child.
“I’m sorry.” Ianto blubbed after a moment, pulling back slightly from Jack, but not letting go of the front of his shirt.
“Guess I’ve just had a bad day.” Ianto admitted, trying to lighten the mood.
“Really? I thought I was the only one.” Jack replied, a smile playing on his lips before he pulled back from Ianto, not breaking physical contact as he gently lead Ianto out of the hub.
“I mean I got mud all over my coat.” Jack continued, trying to distract Ianto as they stepped into the lift. Ianto let out a light chuckle.
“God, you did have a bad day.” Ianto mocked as he stuffed his hands in his pockets to stop himself reaching out for Jack again.