(no subject)

[othercaptjack]

Jack has spent the last couple of weeks in a strange balance between relaxing and becoming increasingly stressed. The Doctor is conspicuously absent, and it seems almost certain that if he wants to get back to his home universe - Cardiff or otherwise - he needs to go out to the same place he came in from.

That wasn't fun last time.

So instead of going over options in his head again, he's sitting in his new room drafting a hugely belated resignation letter to Lilly - she's another one he can't find.

Comments

[likesthecoat]

Ianto smiles and starts untying his shoes. "I don't the small one, either."

[othercaptjack]

Jack eyebrows back at him, returning with the towel. It's something, that Ianto's steady enough to smile now.

"Here we go. One more time can't hurt."

[likesthecoat]

"It's helping," Ianto says, bracing himself for the cold.

[othercaptjack]

"Sorry," Jack says as he applies it again. His fingertips are already going decidedly tingly with cold, so things can't be much better for Ianto.

"You know, we can probably find you a magical healer, here. If you'd rather not bother with these."

A light finger traces the edge of a particularly discoloured place.

[likesthecoat]

"I think I'd rather avoid magic for a while," Ianto says, starting to sound sleepy. "I'll be better tomorrow."

[othercaptjack]

"I can understand that," Jack says, shifting to one hand on the towel in order to brush his thumb gently over Ianto's cheek.

It's probably rather cold. Sorry, Ianto.

[likesthecoat]

Ianto is quite all right with that, if his answering smile is any indication.

[othercaptjack]

"Give me five minutes to leave a note downstairs?" Jack asks, after a moment.

"People should know about this."

[likesthecoat]

"Yes, of course," Ianto says. "Try not to frighten anyone, Jack."

[othercaptjack]

"Well, there goes the standing on a chair with a megaphone option," Jack says dryly. "I'll just put down what we know. Won't be long."

He heads out, locking the door behind him.

It's another perk of Milliways that he's managed to code it to the technology in his wrist strap, and the door itself is... sturdy. Anyone apart from him trying to get into that room is not going to meet with much success.

[likesthecoat]

Ianto lies back, holding the cold towel to his bruises, far safer than he knows.

[othercaptjack]

Caring is sealing your bruised and possibly concussed boyfriend in a locked room under heavy encryption without his knowledge?

Jack's morals, if they have shifted since he was last in Milliways, are still highly questionable.

The note hardly took long to leave, so it is pretty much exactly five minutes later that the door opens again, after a few quiet but definitely technological-sounding noises that are Jack bypassing his inbuilt security to get back in.

[likesthecoat]

"Satisfied you've done your civic duty?" Ianto murmurs and smiles at him a little. He's gotten under the covers and has laid a dry towel over the damp one.

He can do a lot in five minutes. He's Ianto Jones.

[othercaptjack]

"Very," Jack says blithely, shutting the door behind him. "You know me, aiding the law makes me feel all warm inside."

As, for the record, does total BS.

He pauses slightly, walking closer.

"Still feeling all right?"

[likesthecoat]

"Liar," Ianto says.

"Yeah. I'm all right. Just tired, now." He pats the bed beside him.

[othercaptjack]

"Professionally," Jack says with a smile, and takes the seat indicated.

"You might have escaped a concussion this time," he says a little more seriously. "Lucky thing."

[likesthecoat]

"Yeah. One's enough." He pets Jack's sleeve absently.

[othercaptjack]

Did Jack speak too soon?

No, on the whole, he thinks not - but shock and tiredness are a gruelling combination.

"Okay, early night," he says firmly. "Come on. Sleep."

[likesthecoat]

"Lie down with me a while?" Ianto puts on his most winsome expression.

[othercaptjack]

Jack laughs at the expression.

Which doesn't actually mean he's immune to it.

"Could I possibly say no to that?" he says.

[likesthecoat]

"You can't," Ianto says, both smug and sleepy, which takes talent, and moves over to give Jack enough room. "But I'll fall asleep faster, so I think everyone wins."

[othercaptjack]

Jack kicks off his shoes on the way to switch off the lights, still smiling to himself.

"Well, I'm a sucker for a happy ending," he says idly, as the room suddenly darkens, and meanders his way back to the bed.

[likesthecoat]

Ianto snorts. "There's a joke waiting to be made there, but I'll abstain."

[othercaptjack]

"Keep it for when there's an audience," Jack suggests, making himself comfortable next to Ianto.

"I have faith in your ability to work a crowd."

[likesthecoat]

"Hm." He finds Jack's hand in the dark. "Generous. I hope I can prove myself."

He yawns enormously.

"I hope Sam will be okay," he adds more softly. "He's a nice bloke."