Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Torchwood
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Jack Harkness/Ianto Jones
Characters: Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones
Additional Tags: music fic, janto, Inspired by a Snow Patrol Song, The Forest is the Path, Torchwood - Freeform, Microfic, Flash Fiction, Angst
Summary:
A little snippet of Janto after an argument - heavily inspired by the Snow Patrol album The Forest is the Path, in particular the tracks: Talking About Hope, Everything's Here And Nothing's Lost and What If Nothing Breaks
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Return and Release, Chapter 2: Hold
Updated word count: 5,787
Summary: “That does make sense, but I still prefer to think about it the other way,” she sighs, eyes still on Myfanwy. “It makes them a bit more… human. I know they evolve to be our lizards and birds, but humanizing them helps us to understand and rationalize their behavior better. That’s all we look for, after all – a bit of ourselves in everything.”
Jack loved a good lunchtime quickie. Absolutely loved them, they were pretty much the only reason he still had the bunker even though he pretty much lived with Ianto now.
Ianto was one of those adorably ruffled, ‘I need a nap immidiately post sex’ people, and Jack thought Ianto immidiately post orgasm was absolutely the cutest thing on the planet.
He ran his fingers through Ianto’s hair, craning his neck to nuzzle him where he was sleeping on Jack’s chest. He glanced at the clock and sighed- Gwen would be back with lunch soon, and Tosh and Owen would be back from the rift alert. He nudged Ianto a little, and got a groan and a nuzzle in response. Jack chuckled, nudging him again. “Ianto, c’mon, wake up.”
“I am awake,” Ianto grumbled, and Jack laughed again, gently tugging on his hair. Ianto picked up his head to give him a tired glare. Jack leaned forward and kissed him, long and slow. Ianto followed his lead, idly licking at the inside of Jack’s teeth like they were candy. Eventually jack pulled back, sighing “we gotta go, or we’ll never leave.”
“So what?” Ianto said, and Jack blinked at him. Surely Ianto wasn’t suggesting-
“We’ve been on call the last three nights. I haven’t had more than two consecutive hours of sleep in a week. The rift is quiet today. We’ve earned a half day.” Ianto modded resolutely, pleased with his own logic, and dropped his head back to Jack’s chest. Jack laughed out loud, kissed his head and flopped back on the bed, tugging the blankets tighter around them. He grabbed his phone and texted Owen that he was in charge for the rest of the day.
“Eggs,” Ianto declared one morning as he dragged his toast around his plate “should be runny. Scrambling them or boiling them or whatever just kills the egg.”
Jack stuck his tongue out, shuddering at the idea of slimy egg on toast in his mouth. “You’re nuts.”
It was said affectionately, and Ianto tossed him a playful glare. Jack grinned at him, still working on his first cup of coffee of the day. Ianto was on his third now- his flat had one of those timed coffee makers that started pouring the coffee every morning at 5:30 sharp, when Ianto rolled out of bed with a thump and dragged himself into the kitchen.
Jack had made the mistake of interrupting the great coffee migration once and only once, and He still had nightmares about the terrifying look Ianto had in his eyes pre-coffee. Pre-coffee Ianto was a man with no morals, no guilt. He could and would (and had, on one unfortunate occasion) kill anyone who came between him and his coffee. (Luckily, that man was jack, and jack learned that even an oncoming apocalypse could wait until Ianto had caffeinated)
The first coffee of the day was always downed piping hot and black in about three gulps. Ianto didn’t even step away from the machine, just tossed the first cup back like a shot. Then he always poured himself his second and sipped it before his shower. This was around when Jack got up. Second-cup Ianto was semi-human, and accepting of eye-contact and kisses on the cheek, although he still lacked conversational skills. Second-cup Ianto also made jack his coffee, which jack would sip idolly while he made breakfast and Ianto showered.
Post-Shower Ianto was almost work-Ianto, but a little more playful, and a little less sassy than regular home-Ianto. Breakfast usually consisted of eggs and toast, occasionally with beans. Some days when they had late nights the night before Jack would do a fry up, and Ianto would skip his shower to supervise and Jack would watch Ianto rise with the sun as he drank his coffee.
The best mornings by far were the ones when they got to shut Off the alarm, wake with kisses. Pause for the vital first cup before sleepy morning sex. Jack loved those mornings.
Today was no special morning, just a regular pre-work ritual.
“Eggs are already dead, Ianto.” Jack said through a mouthful of toast, “I should know. On this one planet in the Romal system, they actually serve live eggs with-“
“Oi, no alien talk at breakfast.” Ianto said with a grimace, and Jack chuckled. He gave him a once over- suit jacket behind him, tie hanging undone off his shoulders, shoes off, casually slumped in his chair with his hair still curling and dry from the shower. Ianto would style his hair when he brushed his teeth, and come out of the bathroom immaculate as ever and ready to face the day. And jack got to witness it, got to watch Ianto transform from sociopath to butler every morning and was amazed by it every time.
Ianto was such a marvel, was so...
“Your so beautiful in the mornings,” Jack blurted, and Ianto froze for a second, and Jack felt like his heart was gonna burst- and then Ianto chuckled, and sipped his coffee. He grinned at him. “Yeah, you too. C’mon, we should get to work.”
Jack whined- a fake, token protest- and Ianto gave him a look. “Hush Jack, the sooner we go, the sooner we can come home.”
This time Jack froze.
Home. Was this home? The couch where they watched movies and the morning routine and Most of all Ianto, present and steady at all times-
Home.
Jack decided he liked the sound of that.
“Yeah,” Jack smiled, finishing off his toast and standing to collect the plates. “Home.”
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Hey guys, it’s almost Christmas, time for me to post my coffee-shop/Christmas Janto AU again. It’s good and fluffy and a li’l angsty, and it has a good ending!
MASSIVE SPOILERS FOR BROKEN. GO LISTEN TO THE BIG FINISH TORCHWOOD AUDIO DRAMA ‘BROKEN’ FIRST.
That last scene from Jack’s point of view. - 2,041 words
Read it on ao3.
A/N unbeta’d because i know no-one in the torchwood fandom now lol
Jack looked down at his watch and let out a deep sigh. It had been ten minutes. “Time’s up,” he murmured, turning over the engine.
He had really thought that Ianto was going to come back with him. He had become such a fixture in the Hub that he couldn’t imagine what it would be like without the younger man around.Their work relationship and friendship had just started to become normal again. Bar tonight’s incident with the aliens, of course. But would that have got it out of his system now? Ianto did come through in the end and save him.
The sound of the door opening snapped him out of his thoughts, turning in his seat to look at ... well, the man who had been occupying his thoughts. He stared silently at Ianto, not sure what to say.
“Sorry. I’m sorry.”
Jack just continued to stare at his employee. He had hoped that Ianto would come back to work with him. But, then... was he really going to do this? Was he going to forgive this man for betraying him again? This young man. You know that you’ve forgiven the Doctor, Jack. And you don’t even know if he left you on purpose. He probably did. The legends of the Time Lords had made them out to be these all-knowing beings. The way that Doc’ would stare at Jack sometimes. It was almost like he knew what he was thinking sometimes.
“Jack?”
Realising that he had just been staring over Ianto’s shoulder off into the distance, Jack shook his shoulders a little, and met the other man’s gaze again. Ianto’s face was always so hard to read. He could pull off that stoic mask too well. Jack hid his emotions behind over-emoting... hiding his real emotions deep down. Ianto... Well, Ianto was good at hiding his emotions behind a blank expression. Now, all Jack could see was confusion mixed with a bit of desperation. He could understand that completely. Jack, himself, just wanted a bit of normality in this backwards century. His team were great... even when they were at each other’s throats, but he didn’t want to get too close. One day, he’d go off with the Doctor and get his answers, and maybe he would come back. Even if it were a century into Jack’s lifetime. It didn’t seem like he would be dying any time soon.
“So...” Jack started. He needed to stop zoning out. This was an important conversation. Ianto clearly isn’t coping well. Not that Jack blames him at all. Also he should probably start driving back to the hub.
“So.”
Great conversation, Jack. Well done.
“You wanna tell me what that was all about?” Was Ianto going to do this again? Did Jack have to watch his back from someone in his own team? Ianto seemed calm now, and he clearly regretted what he did but... he couldn’t be too careful.
“I-I don’t think I know... I don’t... I’m broken and I just have to deal with it.”
Jack’s brows furrowed slightly, turning in his seat more to face the younger man, his voice growing in intensity. He had guessed that Ianto was broken, but Tosh and Owen weren’t exactly the epitome of wholly sane and put together, either. Let alone Jack’s problems. The only one who seemed to be okay’ish was Gwen and he was a bit wary about her friendship with Owen recently. “Ianto, we’re all broken. Every single person on this planet is broken. We’re all just dealing with it.”
“You’re not, though, are you?”
Jack stared at Ianto in confusion, slightly incredulous. “What?”
“The way you are, Jack... Do you feel anything?”
Ianto thought he was an emotionless monster? “Do you really think I don’t?” Jack’s incredulous tone definitely broke through that time. There was an echo of a memory from the night of the cyberwoman attack that floated to the back of his mind. I love her. Can you understand that, Jack? Haven’t you ever loved anyone? What about the week of the faeries? Was Ianto the only one not to have a go at Jack about Jasmine, just because he didn’t think Jack cared? Did he really give off that vibe?
“But you’re so - bloody - cocky.”
Jack laughed at that. Okay, he had to give Ianto that one. But his bravado was definitely earned, thank you. He had been around long enough to be justified.”Yeah, and you wear a suit and don’t think I don’t know why?” You know you look good in those suits, Ianto. It was one of the first things I complimented you on. Well, that, and it was still ingrained in Ianto from Torchwood One. Everyone who wasn’t in combats wore suits in that damn tower. “You don’t need a suit to make coffee.” Jack shook his head, before putting the car into drive and pulling away.
“What are you gonna do to me?” The wariness in Ianto’s tone sobered him up a bit and he shoved his joking aside for now, he could get back to that later. “I left you to die.”
Jaw tensing a little at the memory, Jack gripped onto the steering wheel tighter. “Yeah, it’s not the first time a friend’s done that.” His tone was almost nonchalant. The Doctor abandoning him still hurt sometimes, but it had faded to a dull ache in the back of his mind. He had had over 150 years to learn to deal with it after all.
“A friend?”
“Don’t make me say it!” With the way this conversation was going, Jack wouldn’t be surprised if he had emotional whiplash by the end of this.
“Please, say it.”
Jack closed his eyes, briefly, and took a deep breath, before returning his focus to the road, catching glimpses of Ianto out of the corner of his eye. “You’re my friend,” he admitted. “You’re not just my employee.” I care about you as a friend. Just like I care about the rest of the team. I want to trust you again. “And you keep lying to me, and you just nearly killed me...” He was really getting on a roll now and couldn’t help but throw in a little dig. “And, you know, just occasionally, your coffee isn’t as good as we say it is, but you’re still-”
“Stop the car!”
Almost jumping at the abrupt tone from Ianto, Jack pulled the car over. He scanned the road ahead and saw nothing, before turning to look at Ianto with a confused and exasperated look. “Why? What is it?” He pulled the handbrake up before turning in his seat slightly to stare at Ianto.
Ianto’s face was stony as he glared at Jack. “My coffee?”
Jack swallowed a laugh, trying not to burst out laughing at Ianto’s put upon expression. It was kind of cute, actually. Like an angry kitten. Insulting Ianto’s coffee was never a way to get into Ianto’s good graces. He couldn’t help the laugh that burst out. “Okay, okay. Calm down. Obviously, most of the time it is fantastic,” he reassured him, holding his hands up in a placating gesture. “But just occasionally it’s not your best work.” Those would be the days where Jack could wish that he could make a subtle exit to go and get coffee from a local coffee chain, but he knew he’d feel guilty and he didn’t want to find out Ianto’s reaction to him doing so.
“Oh.”
His face softened at the slight break in Ianto’s voice. He didn’t want to upset the younger man. Jack’s hands fell down by his sides and he gazed into Ianto’s eyes, trying to sound as earnest as possible. “Ianto, you are my friend.” Your wittiness, and your snark and your quiet nature is what drew me to you in the first place, and I want to be your friend properly. “No matter what you do... I’m here for you.”
“I f- ... I’ve been in so much pain... Everything hurts.” Ianto’s broke a couple of times, causing Jack to feel a pang in his chest. He almost wanted to reach out and pull Ianto into his arms but he didn’t want to force contact on him.
“I know, I know.” Even if Tosh hadn’t admitted her worries to Jack about what she overheard with the alien necklace, he had guessed so himself. Ianto was a fighter. You could see him fighting every day. But this job was taking its toll on him. Ianto probably needed someone to talk to. He did, but then she turned out to be shipping people off to a slave planet, so he could understand Ianto’s hesitancy, especially with Jack’s track record. Jack wouldn’t mind someone to talk to either. He didn’t really want to bother Tosh, she was doing so much better. “I know, and I would do anything in the world to take that pain away.”
“Kiss me.”
Jack’s eyes widened in surprise, his mouth falling open a little. Did he hear Ianto wrong? His voice was barely above a mumble. His breath left him in little gasps. “What did you just say?” he asked hesitantly.
“You could kiss me.”
So, he didn’t mishear him. Good. It wasn’t like Jack had never thought about it before.
“I mean, only if you wanted to.”
“What?” Jack was still a bit flabbergasted. After Lisa had been found, he had shoved all of his thoughts of Ianto away. It’s not like he had pined for Ianto, but he did always find the younger man attractive. Ianto in those jeans when they first met and helping him with the weevil. Ianto in that suit when he helped to catch Myfanwy. Falling into Ianto’s arms after sedating Myfanwy. Rolling across the warehouse and ending up with the younger man’s warm weight on top of him. He had smelt so good that night. And felt amazing on top of him. Now everything was coming back to him, but...
“I’m more complicated than you might think. Sir...”
“Well I-”
Jack’s words were cut off by Ianto pushing forward and bringing their lips together in a soft kiss. His eyes falling shut, Jack tilted his head to the side, and opened his mouth slightly, moving their lips together. It wasn’t the most coordinated of kisses but it felt good. And it felt right. It felt like it had been a long time coming. Jack reached up and cupped the side of Ianto’s face, before bringing the kiss to a close and pulled back just enough to gaze into Ianto’s blue eyes without his vision going blurry.
“You kissed me.” Jack breathed out, not quite believing that had just happened, a smile tugging at his lips.
“I did... and you kissed me back.”
The smile on Jack’s lips grew, Ianto seemed as disbelieving of this having happened as he did. “Yeah...” he drawled. His thoughts went back to what he was about to say before Ianto kissed him. “But this, er...” Jack breathed out heavily, chuckling loudly. “Relationships at work are never a good idea.” He was definitely attracted to Ianto, but he was also waiting for the Doctor and he couldn’t form strong emotional attachments, let alone be in a relationship with an employee. He was going to see the Doctor before the turn of the decade if the tarot girl were to be believed.
“Who said anything about a relationship?”
Ianto always seemed to surprise Jack. Times were moving forward more rapidly now, and Jack’s preferences weren’t looked down upon as much. And neither was casual sex, thank god.
“We’re both screwed up. Maybe this is what we need.”
Jack tilted his head as his gaze roamed over Ianto’s face. There was nothing there that he could see that wasn’t earnest and happy. He huffed out a laugh, “Maybe.” He’d finally be able to stop wondering what it would be like to be with Ianto. “But just this once, yeah?”
“Just this once,” Ianto nodded.
“Tomorrow, we go back to whatever passes for normal in our lives,” Jack reiterated, his lips curling back up into a smile.
“Tomorrow.”
The next day, Jack gets a call from a Detective Kathy Swanson. It never did stay as a one-time thing.
*one more night by maroon 5 starts playing in the background*
Would anyone be interested in reading a Janto AU with dæmons, like from The Golden Compass/His Dark Materials? Because I’m starting to write one, and your opinion on this will decide whether I write two thousand words and lose interest, or 50,000 words and make it the most in-depth and well planned fic I’ve ever written. ~Clare
There was absolutely no excuse for this amount of fluff. But here you go.
Jack threw his hands into the air in frustration. He had been searching for hours, and Ianto was no help. The young man had disappeared into the archive over an hour ago, protesting fatigue, and now Jack was left on his own, totally overwhelmed and practically despairing.
“Come on, it has to be somewhere,” he moaned. Tosh had entrusted it with Jack for the night, and now it had wandered off and disappeared. “This is why I don’t like cats,” complained Jack. He turned and stalked down the stairs, intent on griping at Ianto until he agreed to help.
Jack skipped the last stair and leapt onto the cold, smooth floor of the archives, taking a few running steps into the rows of shelves. “Ianto!” he called. “Hey, have you seen the–Oh.”
Ianto was lying on his side on the floor. He would have looked rather uncomfortable if it weren’t for the tiny, fluffy grey and white kitten perched on his shoulder. “Shh,” he warned, blinking up at Jack. “I think it’s asleep.”
“No kidding,” Jack responded, amused. He gazed at the tiny cat and the content young man. The kitten’s purring could be heard from several feet away, a sound quite disproportionate to its size. “You wanna come upstairs? I won’t have to tell Tosh I lost her friend’s cat while she was away, and you won’t have to lie on the cold floor.”
“But I don’t want to wake it up,” Ianto protested.
Jack crouched down next to him. “You know what, I bet it’ll go back to sleep,” he said gently. “Come on, you, it’s late.” He plucked the kitten off Ianto’s shoulder by the scruff of its neck, followed by a yelp of protest from both Ianto and the cat. Smirking, he then hauled Ianto up by the back of his collar. “You can curl up on the couch with the cat, but it is not sleeping in my bed,” Jack said mock-sternly. “Okay?”
“Fine,” grumbled Ianto, shaking Jack’s hand off and trying to take the kitten back. Jack, however, wouldn’t relinquish his hold on the small, fluffy creature.
“It’s kind of cute,” he said. The kitten mewed at him in disdain.
When Toshiko walked into the Hub the next morning, she giggled at the sight of Jack and Ianto curled up on the couch together, sound asleep. The kitten was stretched out as long as it could make itself so that it was lying on both men’s laps at the same time. It blinked slowly at Tosh as she took a quick picture as if to say, “I have decided that these humans are worthy to adore me.” Everyone was disappointed to see the little thing have to go home the next day, but…
“Ianto?”
“What?”
“I think we should get a cat.”
I am so sorry, I have no idea. But it was cute!!!! I hope you liked it, it was so much fun to write. Thanks for the request!
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