Bingo Fic: Like A Coat From The Cold

[bk_forever]

Title: Like A Coat From The Cold

Author: badly_knitted

Characters/Pairings: Jack/Ianto, mentions the team

Rating: PG

Word Count: 1052

Summary: On a cold rooftop in the middle of the night, Jack and Ianto talk.

Spoilers: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, very slight End of Days.

Warnings: Extremely vague allusions to canon character torture (Jack). Possible schmoop.

Written For: My cottoncandy_bingo square Lending A Coat In The Cold.

Beta: The wonderful milady_dragon, who took a look at this one on very short notice. Thank you, hon! Much appreciated! I’ve fiddled about with this since it was betaed, so any remaining mistakes are on my head!

Disclaimer: I don’t own Torchwood or any of the characters. Which is sad.

A/N: The title is borrowed from the Guy Clark song that inspired the fic – one of my favourites.

Jack had checked them all into a hotel in order to avoid running into themselves after time looped back on itself. Once in their suite, Owen had patched himself up with Tosh’s help then headed back downstairs to take up residence in the bar while the girls headed for the hotel spa. Ianto had been thinking about taking the opportunity to catch up on some sleep, but as usual, Jack managed to derail his plans.

With the team seeming otherwise occupied, Jack had quietly slipped out the door. He needed time to think, about what Hart had told him among other things, so he made his way to one of his favourite rooftop thinking places. Being up high, looking down on the city, his mind always felt so much clearer. The chilly wind swept away the cobwebs and soothed his raw nerves. Too much had happened in the past few hours, since his return from that Year.

He understood that the team wanted answers; he just didn’t feel up to talking about what had happened while he’d been away. Not just yet and maybe not ever. Some things they were better off not knowing, but he doubted they’d agree, especially not Gwen with her endless questions and demands. He couldn’t deal with that right now.

Breathing deeply, he let go of the tension, willing himself to relax and letting his mind drift. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been standing there before he realised he wasn’t alone, and hadn’t been for quite a while. When he turned away from the view and found Ianto sitting a short distance away with his back to the parapet, sheltering from the wind, he wasn’t even surprised.

“How long have you been sitting there?”

Ianto looked up at him with a slight smile.

“Long enough.”

Crouching beside him, Jack took Ianto’s hands in his own; they were icy cold.

“You’re freezing!”

“Just a bit.”

That was typical Ianto understatement.

“Here.” Jack stood up, tugging his coat off and offering it to Ianto. “Put this on before you catch your death.”

“What about you? If I take your coat, then you’ll be the one freezing your arse off!”

“Ha! You admit you’re cold!”

Ianto just looked at him, stubborn as ever. Jack sighed.

“Ianto, please, take the coat. I don’t feel the cold as much as you do, and even if I did, it’s not like it’ll harm me. I don’t want you catching cold. Please? I’ll beg if I have to.”

“You should be ashamed of yourself, threatening people like that,” Ianto teased, then seeing the expression on Jack’s face he sighed. “Fine, if it’ll make you happy.” Rising to his feet, he let Jack help him into the coat. It was still warm from Jack’s body heat and he wrapped it tightly around himself, shivering a little as it started to warm him.

Jack watched him, concerned.

“What were you thinking anyway, coming up here without a coat?”

Ianto shrugged.

“I didn’t have a choice, my coat’s still back at the Hub; I couldn’t go back for it when time looped. Besides, I didn’t think it would matter, wasn’t exactly expecting to need it, but then you had to go swanning off. I figured someone should keep an eye on you.”

“You thought I might leave again?” Jack felt a little hurt that Ianto hadn’t trusted him, though after leaving the way he had before without even saying goodbye, he supposed it was only natural.

“No, it’s not that; you said you wouldn’t and I believe you. I was just worried about you, wanted to make sure you’d be okay after everything. It looked like you had a lot on your mind; I thought you might need a friend. Being alone isn’t always the best thing, Jack, not even for you. Maybe especially not for you. Something bad happened to you while you were away, didn’t it.”

“Yeah, it did. Look, I know you have questions. About why I left, where I’ve been…”

“Of course I do. We all do. But I’m not going to ask them, it’s none of my business. I know you’ll tell us what we need to know, if and when you’re ready. Right now it’s not so important; all that really matters is that you’re here, you came home.”

A weight lifted off Jack’s shoulders.

“Thank you. You have no idea how much that means to me. And Ianto?”

“Yes?”

“I’m glad to be back. I really have missed you. You, not the team. I mean, I missed the rest of the team too, I just missed you the most.”

Ianto laughed softy.

“I missed you too, Jack, a great deal. I’m glad you chose to come back. I’m not sure I understand why you’d give up all of space and time after waiting for so long, but I guess I don’t need to.”

“That’s one question I can answer.” Jack smiled, tilting Ianto’s chin up so he could look the younger man in the eyes. “Travelling through time and space is amazing, it’s an experience that can’t really be put into words. But as much fun as it is, it wouldn’t have felt right without you beside me. Someday, I’d like to show you what’s out there because I know you’d appreciate it. Despite everything you’ve been though, you’re not jaded; you can still see the wonder and beauty in the simplest things.” He touched the coat wrapped around Ianto. “I can loan you my coat to protect you from the cold, but when I have you beside me, I don’t need a coat; you’re all I need to keep me warm.”

Smiling softly, Ianto wrapped coat-clad arms around his captain.

“Then I’ll stay beside you forever if I can, so you’ll never have to feel the cold again.”

It was a simple promise, made on a midnight rooftop, but perhaps the universe was listening and granted their unspoken wish that night. After all, what else could have made it possible for them to stay together, keeping each other warm with their love until the end of time?

Eternal life is a blessing when you can share it with the other half of your soul, and no two people were ever more blessed than the Captain and his Welshman.

The End

Comments

[owensheart.livejournal.com]

This was moving and beautiful.

[bk_forever]

Thank you! Not as fluffy as I'd hoped, but it's much more what I wanted than the other fic I started for the prompt. I'll finish that one another time, becaudse it has potential, it just drifted away from the coat lending and started getting more focussed on something else.

[excentric397.livejournal.com]

I kind of just want to say 'Awwwwww' at the ending, but I won't. This was very nice. Just a calm conversation. No angst to speak of, no Gwen, just the two of them connecting again. I liked it a lot. Thanks for sharing.

[bk_forever]

Thank you! It's a scene that I needed to do. Loads of people have done KKBB reconnecting stories, but I've only done that in drabbles until now.

[iantojjackh.livejournal.com]

Awwww

[bk_forever]

*grins* Thank you! My second attempt at the prompt, but I got what I was after!

[lilyrose225.livejournal.com]

Aaaahhhh!!! TT.TT I really needed this today! Someone special to me in my life is leaving us (I'm sure it won't be long), and the fluff is just what I need to make me feel better.

(I HAVE ALL THE FEEEEEEELS AND I DON'T WANT THEM. SOMEBODY ELSE TAKE THEM PLEASE)

[bk_forever]

Oh dear, too many feels, Nosy will take them. It's good with excess feels *hugs*

I'll try to keep providing fluff!

Thak you!

[milady-dragon.livejournal.com]

You know you're quite welcome, hon. *hugs*

I do love this, because it's just so Jack to go off to be alone, and it's just like Ianto to follow and try to help. Which he succeeds at wonderfully.

[bk_forever]

Thank you! *hugs*

After everything that happened, Jack going off alone seemed inevitable and there's no way Ianto would have ignored that. He takes his respnsibilities seriously and he's said it before - Jack needs him.

[timelordshines.livejournal.com]

Awwww.
I love the way Ianto just sits there looking out for Jack but not interrupting, letting him have his time alone to try and get his head around everything that happened. And even though Ianto is freezing he doesn't complain. And then Jack sacrifices his own comfort to warm Ianto up and make him feel better.
And the ending is just so awwww. :-)

[bk_forever]

Ianto is the loyal, quietly supportive boyfriend, there if Jack needs him, and Jack will always need him.

Thank you!

[bluelilacs.livejournal.com]

This was beautiful!

I loved Ianto knowing that Jack would wander off by himself and that he needed to be there for him. Also, that he knows not to push Jack to talk, that he will when he's ready and able.

Their conversation was so open, almost raw on Jack's part, but so intimate at the same time. Things they NEEDED to say to each other to set a stable foundation for their future, together. And I really like the sound of them having eternity to spend together. The idea of Jack being alone forever is so sad.

[bk_forever]

I want them to always be together, so I keep twisting things to make it happen, lol!

After everything that happened, it seemed only natural that Jack would want to get away from all the questions and find somewhere to get his thoughts in order. Ianto would understand that and respct Jack's privacy, but at the same time he'd want to be nearby in case Jack needed him. Jack's always going to need him. Ianto is the one Jack has chosen to walk through his life like a coat from the cold.

Thank you!

[bluelilacs.livejournal.com]

I love that metaphor! It fits so perfectly.

[bk_forever]

I can't claim responsibility for the metaphor myself, that's entirely the great Guy Clark's work, the song is one of my favourites and just seemed to fit them. I desperately wanted to use the idea for the coat prompt but the problem came from trying to fit it to the right point in the timeline. I think post KKBB worked perfectly. Jack's made his choice by this point, Ianto's the one he wants. =)

[angelsphonebox.livejournal.com]

Loooooved this! Such a realistic heart to heart with Jack and Ianto, especially after that episode. I really love the way Jack opened up to Ianto about why he came back and how he feels. Really really lovely!!!

[bk_forever]

*grins* Thank you! I chose to have the coat prompt on my bingo card, then it took me forever to decide what I wanted to do with it! I just love the song though, so I let that inspire me. It says what I wanted to say about these too. Ianto is the one Jack has chosen to walk through his life like a coat from the cold =)

[jedi-harkness.livejournal.com]

Gorgeous. I love stories when they share moments like this, and this was just wonderful. <3<3<3

[bk_forever]

Thank you! There wre things needing saying after KKBB. I didn't know that's what I was going to use this prompt for - my first attempt will eventually be a very different story - but I got to thinking about the words of the song and this was where the sentiment fit best.

[asia27.livejournal.com]

And that is the basic difference between Gwen and Ianto and why Ianto won Jack's heart. Gwen makes Jack run away at times because she's shrewish and demanding with her questions and instant judgments. Ianto sees and knows when Jack simply can't answer and gives him the time and space until Jack feels able to cope again. This is the best relationship Jack's ever had and its part of their Library.

Beautifully composed and written! :D :D :D

[bk_forever]

Thank you, and thanks for your very insightful comment, that's exactly it. Ianto is the one who supports without judging. Gwen hasn't got that in her.

[black59.livejournal.com]

aawww
I've asked this question, but how do you do to make such beautiful stories so moving!
thank you for sharing.
it brightens my day.

[bk_forever]

I don't really know what I do, I just start writing and see what happens!

Thank you!