Post-Countrycide

[othercaptjack]

Jack is thinking about torture.

The team had mostly been silent on the way back, in varying degrees of shock or exhaustion, and Jack himself still in the eerie spaced-out calm that had followed the blinding, murderous rage that had driven him almost to the edge of a place he thought he was done with. Further, he thinks grimly, eyes steady on the road, hands gripping the steering wheel just a little too tight and for once driving strictly within the traffic laws.

A long time ago, he was pretty good at torture.

He still is, today proved that. But now that's not something good, even when it helps them. Just another day in the life of Jack Harkness, monster for humanity. Funny how that turned out.

He drops off Gwen, Owen and Tosh at their respective flats, Gwen to Rhys' unknowing presence, Tosh and Owen alone, but he brings Ianto back with him to the hub almost without thinking about it. The paramedics had gone over him at the village - nothing broken, but savagely beaten, and fairly badly concussed - and who else does he have to sit up with him? It's not as if Jack will sleep tonight in any case.

They park outside the office, and Jack goes around to open the door.

"Come on," he says, offering a hand.

Comments

[likesthecoat]

Ianto nudges him with his knee. "Good for you."

[othercaptjack]

Jack pats it gently.

"Thank you," he says. "Anyway, it took a while, but eventually our heroes hacked into the planetwide broadcasting network. There were gadgets and everything. And so the Queen got to broadcast her new law to the populace, despite what a few politicians wanted. She was still technically the supreme power, you see, even if she'd never really wielded it."

[likesthecoat]

"Yay," Ianto murmurs. "Happy ending."

[othercaptjack]

"It gets better," he tells him.

"The conflict of interests confused citizens so much that entire armies ended up going on strike. Governments were furious, but what could they do? The Queen was nice and safe with us on a heavily armoured stealth ship, and half their people were turning on them, so three ongoing wars basically collapsed, and another one fizzled out over the next couple of weeks."

[likesthecoat]

"Victory through confusion." He smiles deeper. "I like it."

[othercaptjack]

"I thought you might," Jack says, amused and soft.

"Fast forward a few years, and the Liirthuni were taking an oath on reaching adulthood to be utterly peaceful, except in dire need of defense. And they're still that way today. Just because one young queen made it that simple."

[likesthecoat]

Ianto smiles and softly applauds. "Hooray for Ianto and Captain Jake. And the Queen, of course."

[othercaptjack]

"Absolutely," says Jack, brushing a light hand over Ianto's hair, careful to avoid bruises.

"You can probably doze for a little while now, if you wanted. I'll have to wake you in an hour to check up, but if you're still tired..."

[likesthecoat]

"I could sleep," Ianto murmurs, getting as comfortable as he can while moving as little as possible. "Thank you, sir."

[othercaptjack]

Jack nods, slipping carefully off the couch to let Ianto have it to himself.

"I'll check on you soon," he says quietly, before leaning down to kiss his teaboy gently on the forehead.

Normal employer-employee relations have somewhat passed Jack by.

[likesthecoat]

This bothers Ianto very little.

He makes an affirmative-sounding hum and pulls up his legs so he can stretch out on the couch.

[othercaptjack]

Jack smiles to himself, and brushes Ianto's hair back, just once, then adjusts the pillow under his head, before standing up straight, regarding him, bruises and all.

Guilt he can understand in himself, and even perhaps the protectiveness is natural right now. But really, even for him, it should be a little early for fondness. But there it is.

He turns in silence, and heads off to let Ianto sleep awhile.