In Sickness and in Health (3/5)
Jack was woken in the early hours by the sound of Ianto vomiting violently across the hallway. Running a hand through his hair, Jack turned to see the clock; it was a little after three. Sighing, he rolled out of bed and padded across the hallway to the bathroom, gently pushing the door open before coming up behind the young man and wrapping one arm round his waist; rubbing his back soothingly until the heaving resided and the young man rested against him; exhausted.
“Shh, ‘s okay, I’m here,” murmured Jack, gently stroking his damp hair off his clammy forehead and kissing his warm neck lightly.
“You should’ve woken me,” whispered Jack, reaching round the ill man, flushing the toilet and putting the lid down before sitting Ianto down for fear he’d collapse again he was that pale.
“I didn’t want to disturb you,” mumbled Ianto, once again showing his selflessness, or stupidity, Jack wasn’t sure which.
The Immortal sighed as he crouched down in front of the young man, “Darling, I honestly don’t mind, I’d rather be here helping you than asleep and have you suffering on your own hmm?” he murmured, brushing a stray tendril of hair off Ianto’s face.
The Welshman nodded and smiled sleepily.
“That’s more like it,” said Jack, patting his knee as he stood up and moved to the sink to pour a glass of water for his young lover.
“Besides, I’m good looking enough to be able to afford to go without sleep for a couple of nights,” he smiled, holding he glass so the boy could drink from it easily.
Ianto just shook his head disbelievingly as he stifled a yawn.
“You on the other hand need the rest,” said Jack gently, helping him up and to bed where Ianto curled on his side already half-asleep.
“I’ll be back in a minute okay? I’ve just got to go and get something,” murmured Jack, kissing his hair lightly before leaving and returning a couple of minutes later with a bowl from the kitchen.
“So you don’t have to keep running back and forth,” he whispered by way of explanation, placing it on the bedside table before climbing in behind the young man; wrapping his arms round his waist and pulling him close so his back was to his chest.
“Thank you,” mumbled Ianto, shifting closer so he could feel the Immortal’s heartbeat.
“Shh, sleep love,” murmured Jack, his hand snaking under the hem of Ianto’s shirt, gently stroking his sore stomach. “You spend so much time looking after us that we forget you need looking after too. You make it so easy; never asking for and never expecting anything in return for everything you do for us, I know part of that is down to how you were brought up but maybe part of it’s down to how we see you; dependable, reliable, unchanging and you think that if you show the side of you that is human; that does get sick and tired and hungry, you’ll be rejected because you don’t meet the impossibly high standards you’ve set yourself, But you know what? It’s okay not to be perfect all the time, to get ill and forget things, I’ll love you just the same,” murmured Jack to the now oblivious man, hoping that somewhere in his sub conscious, Ianto could hear him.
http://welsh-scotsman.livejournal.com/6225.html chapter two
http://welsh-scotsman.livejournal.com/6807.html chapter four