A Little Spark of Madness (Torchwood)

[Jelloicious]

Sometimes, we do stupid things.  Sometimes we put up with stupid things.

 

TWTWTWTWTW

It’s late afternoon, the rift has been quiet, and Jack has been in Hub nearly all day. And so far as Jack knows, Ianto has too. So, the fact that Ianto has been practically invisible is a bit of an oddity. For Jack, the fact that he hasn’t actually seen Ianto since early this morning has grown steadily through the day from an indifferent curiosity, into a niggling itch to outright annoyance. It’s not that he thinks Ianto isn’t working. Coffee has appeared on his desk when he wasn’t looking. Reports awaiting his signature showed up when he was...well...somewhere else in the hub, apparently. But Ianto has not once slipped into Jack’s office and pulled up a chair to share a cup of conversation. He’s not annoyed with Ianto, so much as with himself, as he is not sure when the casual banter, the sly looks through downcast lashes, and the lingering touch of fingers as Ianto passed him a fresh mug of coffee became something... more. He really could not put his finger on just when Ianto became essential, but somehow, somewhen, he had. And today, Jack has missed Ianto.

There’s not much point in having a secret underground base with its own internal CCTV if you can’t use it to track down your suddenly gone invisible employee, the one with the eyes like the stormy sea, with those handsome suits, and the low wry chuckle, from the comfort of your own desk chair. So, Jack pulls a screen close, and flips through a series of live video feeds. He is surprised when he is not able to locate Ianto in the Hub. He’s tried the Tourist Information center, the archives, the vaults, the gun range, the garage. Jack frowns, and thumbs his bluetooth. “Ianto!” he says, and waits expectantly for the younger man’s answer, rolled in his delicious Welsh accent. When only silence answers, he tries again. “Ianto...”

He frowns again. It’s one of those frowns that makes a little line between his eyebrows.

Jack repeats his search through the CCTV feeds. This time, he is methodical and thorough, taking time to pan each camera. Still, he almost misses the young man, deep in the archives, amidst so many ancient and crumbling boxes of files, reports, and rift objects. It’s only the sudden movement that catches Jack’s eye, prompts him to swivel the camera and adjust for a tighter frame. He smiles triumphantly, having finally found his quarry.

Ianto is bent over a work table, intently writing notes into an archival log. His blue tooth earpiece is visible, cast aside on the table to his left, patiently blinking its announcement of Jack’s unanswered call. Jack is still basking in his triumph over having found Ianto, when Ianto’s posture stiffens, slightly, and Jack watches as Ianto sits straighter, pinching the bridge of his nose. Jack is confused for just a moment, before Ianto’s head dips forward and Jack is a voyeristic witness to a silent sneeze. Ianto pushes himself back slightly from his worktable, eyes still closed, as he fumbles first on the table and then in his pocket for something, locating a handkerchief in time to catch a much more powerful sneeze, and Jack is transfixed, as he watches Ianto sneeze, mightily, for a third time. It’s as intriguing as it is odd, Jack thinks, as he watches Ianto give himself over bodily to the reflex, and Jack is drawn in by the unrestrained display Ianto allows himself in the relative privacy of the archives.

There is no sound, and the video feed is not the highest quality, but there is no mistaking the weariness in Ianto’s frame as he scrubs roughly at his nose with his handkerchief, and coughs. Ianto checks his watch, then pulls his coffee mug close to take swallow, coughs again then sets back to his task with a rough swipe at his nose.

Time, Jack thinks, for Ianto to stop working. Jack checks to see what time it actually is. It’s late enough for the others to have gone home on a day like today when the rift has been so quiet. He knows, however, that Ianto won’t stop until he is finished with his task. He suspects Ianto has made himself intentionally invisible so as not to be caught out as ill and sent home before his work is done. Time, Jack decides, for him to do exactly that. Time, Jack determines, for someone to take care of Ianto.

 

[AngelEyes]

This is absolutely delicious! Some of the simple little descriptions and details are delightful and add so much depth.

11 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

He’s not annoyed with Ianto, so much as with himself, as he is not sure when the casual banter, the sly looks through downcast lashes, and the lingering touch of fingers as Ianto passed him a fresh mug of coffee became something... more. He really could not put his finger on just when Ianto became essential, but somehow, somewhen, he had. And today, Jack has missed Ianto.

Awww!

 

11 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

“Ianto!” he says, and waits expectantly for the younger man’s answer, rolled in his delicious Welsh accent.

Definitely delicious! I admit I may have a bit of an addiction to his voice. He could read me the dictionary and it would be sexy!

 

11 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

It’s as intriguing as it is odd, Jack thinks, as he watches Ianto give himself over bodily to the reflex, and Jack is drawn in by the unrestrained display Ianto allows himself in the relative privacy of the archives.

I like this distinction between Ianto when he thinks he's by himself as versus when he's with others.

 

11 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

He suspects Ianto has made himself intentionally invisible so as not to be caught out as ill and sent home before his work is done. Time, Jack decides, for him to do exactly that. Time, Jack determines, for someone to take care of Ianto.

I like how this is phrased.  Might this be continued? 

[Jelloicious]

On 8/26/2018 at 10:55 PM, AngelEyes said:

I admit I may have a bit of an addiction to his voice. He could read me the dictionary and it would be sexy!

Yes.   This is why Everyone Should Watch the Series.  

On 8/26/2018 at 10:55 PM, AngelEyes said:

Might this be continued? 

Oh, yes....there's more to this... can't have Sniffly!Ianto without having Caretaking!Jack,  (or Inappropriate!Jack, take your pick) and you cant have Torchwood without weird stuff.

 

 

TWTWTWTWTW

Jack stops off in the Hub’s small kitchenette, fills and sets the tea kettle on to heat, and riffles through drawers, through cabinets, looking. He is not especially surprised to find some rather high quality tea leaves, and also some honey, but he hadn’t really expected to find any lemons, so Ianto will just have to make do, he supposes. Jack measures out tea leaves with care, but is too impatient to let the leaves steep properly, stirring them in a way that Ianto that would probably disapprove of, then adds honey, generously, managing to make his fingers slightly sticky in the process. He licks them, then sips the steaming liquid to test it, and satisfied with his work, makes his way down the stairs toward the archives, and Ianto.

Jack’s usual bounding footsteps are silenced as he moves cautiously down the stairway, careful not to spill the steaming hot liquid in mug he carries. He wonders if Ianto is fussy enough to care that the tea is in a coffee mug, rather than a proper teacup, smiles fondly at just this thought.

Maybe, somewhere in the back of his mind, he hopes he will actually see one of Ianto’s unrestrained sneezes in person, rather than filtered through black and white CCTV. There’s something undeniably thrilling about seeing his very proper young lover’s wholely unrestrained release, and Jack actually has to remind himself that he’s a just looking to take care of his ailing employee, not explore the kinkworthiness of his sneezes. (Unless Ianto wants to, he amends to himself, mentally).

He hears Ianto sneeze again before he rounds the corner, knows without seeing it that it’s a perfect repetition of the first sneeze he witnessed on the closed circuit feed just a short time ago, breathy and restrained, and he hopes it will be followed shortly by more, increasing in their intensity. He’s not disappointed, as he sees Ianto’s second, more forceful sneeze shake the young man, who is compelled to immediately draw in a sharp breath and issue a third even more spectacular sneeze, before sniffling wetly. Definitely kinkworthy, Jack decides.

“Bless you,” Jack says, startling Ianto, who looks up in surprise, trying to sniff inaudibly, discreetly, as if there were any way Jack had not just witnessed him sneezing.

Jack smiles, thinks to himself that he so rarely catches Ianto off his guard, and it’s more just a little bit thrilling. He moves through the distance between them. “You sound a bit under the weather.” he says.

Before Ianto can properly weigh whether he’s been caught out or if he can still fake it, and muster the appropriate reply, Jack presses a mug of tea into his hands. “I made you some tea.”

Ianto stares stupidly down at the mug of tea he is now holding. The tilt of his head works with gravity and his sinuses to spill over, and he is forced to sniffle again, audibly, wetly. He realizes it’s a lost cause, closes his eyes, lets his shoulders fall and gives in, even as Jack presses a gentle kiss to his forehead.

Jack envelopes him with an arm. “Time to call it a day, I think.”

Ianto straightens himself, sniffs again, and pulls back. “Really, I’ve just a bit more to finish on this file. I’m fine.” sniff. Ianto colors, cheeks nearly as pink as his nose, embarrassed. “Thanks for the tea,” he mumbles, into the mug.

The liquid is hot, and he chokes a bit, and coughs, just once, forceably swallowing a second cough.

Jack can see that he’s going to have to take things into hand here, so he takes the mug away, setting it on the table, before looking intently as Ianto, scrutinizing him carefully. Ianto’s nose is an irritated shade of pink, and his lips are parted. Ianto lets his eyelids drop just slightly and Jack is willing to bet the young man has quite a headache, too. Jack traces Ianto’s hairline with gentle (and mostly not sticky) fingers.

“I think...” Jack says, slowly, as Ianto’s breathing changes, and the young man rubs a knuckle against his nose, “...that this file will wait.”

Ianto is forced inelegantly to abandon whatever argument he had planned to make by a mighty sneeze, as he abruptly twists away to avoid sneezing directly in Jack’s face. HiiiiSCHTUUH! …………. HahchSHUUUH!

The sneezes are mortifyingly wet and messy, and Jack passes Ianto the damp handkerchief Ianto had abandoned on the table, and politely averts his eyes while Ianto sneezes yet again, then struggles to right himself, complete with several wet blows. Jack allows himself this time to reflect on sneezing as an exquisitely sensual, physical release. He wonders if Ianto always sneezes in threes when he is ill. He imagines Ianto sneezing, naked.

“Sorry,” Ianto murmurs, jolting Jack out of his fantasies, and clearly embarrassed, by his lack of control, his weakness in falling ill in the first place, or maybe just this complete lack of decorum, Jack can’t quite tell, but he (heroically) restrains the impulse to press Ianto up against the file cabinets, in favor of just pulling him close.

“You, Mr. Jones, should be home, and tucked in bed,” Jack says, sternly. Ianto doesn’t cotton on to the fact that Jack intends to take him home and personally tuck him in until he finds himself sitting in the passenger seat of his own car, his car keys securely in Jack’s hand.

“Jack,” Ianto begins his protest. “It’s just a cold, I can take my self home just fine.”

Jack puts the car in gear, and doesn’t answer Ianto’s protests until they are well under-way.

“Maybe,” Jack begins, “I want to take you home.”

“Maybe you DON’T want to catch this cold,” Ianto counters, sniffling.

Jack shrugs. “51st Century immune system. I’m impervious.”

Ianto sneezes heavily, wetly, yet again, and tries not to resent Jack for having an impervious 51^st Century immune system.

“Maybe,”Jack smiles a bit wolfishly now, “I think your sneezes are kind of hot.”

Ianto is taken completely off guard by this, and is still trying to sort out the proper reply to Jack when he sneezes again. He blushes furiously..

Jack leers.

“You’re a sick man, Harkness,” Ianto mutters, and he sneezes once more, before blowing his nose.

“No, I don’t think so. But you clearly are.”

Ianto sniffs again in agreement. He hates being ill. Hates having anyone see him like this. Especially Jack, but he isn’t quite sure what to do about that. He resolves to shuck Jack off at the door to his flat, and hopes that maybe he can just banish this cold with a cup of tea and a good night’s sleep. He is certain he’ll be fine by morning.

Jack however has other plans, and stops the car, not at Ianto’s flat, but at a small but good Thai restaurant. He looks to Ianto. “Dine in or carry out? They have marvelous soups here.”

Ianto starts to tell Jack he’s not hungry, but in truth, a spicy bowl of soup does sound like just the thing to route this head-cold before it can fully get a proper hold on him. Ianto agrees, and resolves to just send Jack on his way after dinner. “Carry-out,” he says, cringing at the thought of falling victim to a fit of sneezes in the small restaurant.

They make it home and into his flat. Ianto excuses himself and Jack makes himself at home in Ianto’s small kitchen, locating bowls, napkins and utensils, giving Ianto privacy to both change out of his suit and blow his nose properly. For the second time today, Jack sets the tea kettle on to heat up, while he waits for Ianto. It whistles just as Ianto rejoins him, dressed in deliciously faded old denims and a comfortably worn hoodie. The contrast to his usual attire is striking, his reddened nose and cheeks, and slightly tousled hair complete the picture.

Jack finds it oddly appealing, seeing Ianto like this. Jack adores Ianto’s suits. He’s always had a thing for men in uniform, as so far as he’s concerned, the suits are Ianto’s uniform. For someone Jack regularly sees in various stages of undress, Ianto looks almost shockingly unclothed, clad as he is in old, worn in and comfortable clothes and woolen socks. He also looks surprisingly vulnerable, red nosed and sniffling. Jack wants to to draw him close, soothe him. He wouldn’t say no to doing more with him, if the younger man were up for it, but Jack has his doubts Ianto would agree just now, as the young man makes a futile effort to clear his sinuses yet again.. Jack imagines the soft touch of worn-smooth denim under his fingers, the delicious feel of Ianto’s skin beneath the sweat shirt, but Ianto coughs and Jack decides that his finger tips can wait until Ianto has had some tea, and something hot, spicy and soothing to eat.

The food is good, and the soup seems to open Ianto’s sinuses, and he relaxes a bit, suddenly able to breath more easily. The spice, however, also sets his nose to running, and makes him sneeze. Jack watches with such unrestrained fascination, that Ianto begins to suspect that Jack actually has a thing for sneezes, thinks he may file this thought away for use later. Maybe when he feels a bit better, (and maybe isn’t the one at the mercy of a miserable head cold). Ianto excuses himself to go blow his nose, while Jack clears the table and tidies the kitchen.

Ianto’s resolve to send Jack off after dinner is fading, as he returns to the lounge and finds Jack on his small couch, two teacups on the table before him. Ianto joins him on the sofa, and doesn’t resist when Jack pulls him closer. Ianto closes his eyes, warm on the inside, sleepy, and for the moment at least, able to breathe. Jack presses a kiss into his hair, and strokes the soft, worn denim.

“I’ve never seen you dressed like this,” he says. The denim is soft the way denim only gets after a lot of life. Jack remembers a long time ago when everyone wore denim like this. Remembers some good times, in denim like this.

“’s comfortable,” Ianto mumbles, sleepily, enjoying Jack’s touch as his hands explore the softness of year’s worn denim, the warmth of the inside of Ianto’s sweatshirt, and the part of Ianto’s brain that worries that Jack might catch his cold despite Jack’s assertions is drowned into silence by the part of his brain that only wants Jack’s touch, everywhere, and now, consequences be damned.

Jack lays him back on the couch, leaning in for a kiss, when Jack’s wristband beeps insistently with the rift’s announcement that it has its own plans for their evening. “Dammit!” Jack sits back, scowling at the information on his wrist strap, then looks up, apologetically. “It looks small, but it’s out over...looks to be in Dyffryn Ewias. I can call Owen, or Tosh,” he says. Ianto is already pulling on boots. “It’s just a head cold, Jack,” Ianto sniffs. “I’m not an invalid.” His tone is annoyed, but he takes the time to pour the still-hot water left in the kettle into a thermos, with a couple of herbal tea bags, and pulls on a heavier coat than he had worn earlier. He grabs several fresh handkerchiefs, on the way out the door, and Jack frowns again, but follows him.

 

Edited August 29, 2018 by Jelloicious
tenses really should match

[AngelEyes]

5 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

This is why Everyone Should Watch the Series.  

(And maybe everything else he's ever been in...)

 

5 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

There’s something undeniably thrilling about seeing his very proper young lover’s wholely unrestrained release, and Jack actually has to remind himself that he’s a just looking to take care of his ailing employee, not explore the kinkworthiness of his sneezes. (Unless Ianto wants to, he amends to himself, mentally).

Oh Jack!

 

5 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

Definitely kinkworthy, Jack decides.

LOL

 

5 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

Jack allows himself this time to reflect on sneezing as an exquisitely sensual, physical release. He wonders if Ianto always sneezes in threes when he is ill. He imagines Ianto sneezing, naked.

I love this train of thought.

 

5 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

Ianto doesn’t cotton on to the fact that Jack intends to take him home and personally tuck him in until he finds himself sitting in the passenger seat of his own car, his car keys securely in Jack’s hand.

Poor confused Ianto.

 

5 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

“Maybe,”Jack smiles a bit wolfishly now, “I think your sneezes are kind of hot.”

Ianto is taken completely off guard by this, and is still trying to sort out the proper reply to Jack when he sneezes again. He blushes furiously..

Jack leers.

“You’re a sick man, Harkness,” Ianto mutters, and he sneezes once more, before blowing his nose.

LOL

 

5 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

t whistles just as Ianto rejoins him, dressed in deliciously faded old denims and a comfortably worn hoodie. The contrast to his usual attire is striking, his reddened nose and cheeks, and slightly tousled hair complete the picture.

Gods, I adore this look on him! Countrycide...Hot!

 

5 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

Jack watches with such unrestrained fascination, that Ianto begins to suspect that Jack actually has a thing for sneezes, thinks he may file this thought away for use later. Maybe when he feels a bit better, (and maybe isn’t the one at the mercy of a miserable head cold).

Mmmmm...

 

5 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

The denim is soft the way denim only gets after a lot of life. Jack remembers a long time ago when everyone wore denim like this. Remembers some good times, in denim like this.

This is very poignant.

 

5 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

Jack lays him back on the couch, leaning in for a kiss, when Jack’s wristband beeps insistently with the rift’s announcement that it has its own plans for their evening. “Dammit!”

Bugger!

 

5 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

Ianto is already pulling boots. “It’s just a head cold, Jack,” Ianto sniffs. “I’m not an invalid.” His tone is annoyed, but he takes the time to pour the still-hot water left in the kettle into a thermos, with a couple of herbal tea bags, and pulls on a heavier coat than he had worn earlier. He grabs several fresh handkerchiefs, on the way out the door, and Jack frowns again, but follows him.

Probably not a good idea dear Ianto...

[queenie]

Oh no!! He’s going to be so exhausted and sick when they’re done! Jack will have to do a lot of quality care taking!

[Jelloicious]

17 hours ago, AngelEyes said:

And maybe everything else he's ever been in..

I really didn't care for how unsexy he looked as Doctor Watson... that suit did NOT fit!

17 hours ago, AngelEyes said:

Gods, I adore this look on him! Countrycide...Hot!

Exactly.  This isn't suit porn, but it's close enough...remember when you used to get levi's dark and stiff and what gloriousness they became after a few years?  Today's jeans are not remotely the same.  I almost put Ianto in button-flies, but he's not of the correct time frame.  Now, Jack has to have a pair of button flies somewhere, I'm sure.  

 

17 hours ago, AngelEyes said:

Probably not a good idea dear Ianto...

What are you talking about---sometimes the rift brings good things. 

 

17 hours ago, queenie said:

Oh no!! He’s going to be so exhausted and sick when they’re done Jack will have to do a lot of quality care taking!

Oh, no doubt.  Poor, sweet Ianto.   There's some Awwwww factor here...but really, it's not Jack.

 

Comments, feedback is always appreciated.  Some of the best ideas come from comments! 

 

 

TWTWTWTWTW

It takes them nearly an hour to reach the coordinates high in the hills above Cardiff, where the rift monitor leads them. Jack can tell from his wrist strap that whatever gift the rift has seen fit to deposit is something exceedingly small. He supposes he should be grateful that it’s not something large, like an alien army, but large enough to spot from the car would have been nice. He knows better than to expect the rift to be nice.

Ianto doesn’t complain, but Jack can see that he’s bone-weary, and Jack hopes they can make short work of this game of hide and seek. The temperature at this elevation is a fair bit chillier than in Cardiff proper, and Ianto pulls his coat close as they head away from the car into the gloom. It is well past sundown, and a heavy low fog does not promise a quick or easy search.

It’s not raining, exactly, but the misty damp surrounds them and clings to their hair and everything is slick with wet. The moon is obscured by a heavy blanket of fog, and even their torchles can't illuminate much. This makes the search in the rocky meadow even more slow and treacherous. It would be ridiculously easy to turn an ankle here.  The execute a well-coordinated search pattern, and Jack keeps track of Ianto in the growing dark by the muted foggy glow of his torch, the ever present sound of his sniffling, and occasional sneezes.   Jack feels a pang of guilt for not insisting that the younger man stay home, as the sneezes and sniffles become steadily more frequent, and more insistent.An hour and forty five minutes of fruitless searching later, they are both thoroughly chilled and sodden, and the warmth of their shared dinner is only a distant memory. Ianto’s nose is running nearly constantly, now, and he sniffles repeatedly. Blowing his nose doesn’t seem to help at all, and when he is forced to stop when he is overcome by an onslaught of desperately insistent sneezes, Jack sends him back to the car.

Ianto tries to protest, but Jack isn’t having it and in the end Ianto dutifully, miserably, heads back to the car, still sneezing. Jack watches him the whole way, and doesn’t return to his methodical searching until he hers the engine start and Ianto is safe, and dry(ing) in the car..

The fog has grown denser, and this muffles the usual noises of the night. Still, Jack thinks he hears something. He waits, listening. Maybe just his mind playing tricks on him. He moves, but is stopped again by...something. There. Ever so faint. He follows the sound, and almost misses the spot, but hearing it again, he crouches down, and finds small, mewling creature. It looks almost exactly like a tiny black kitten. Its silvery eyes give it away as something otherworldly and Jack scoops up the trembling, sodden little rift gift. It promptly sinks needle sharp teeth into the fleshy part of Jack’s hand. The burning sting of the bite suggests that the small creature is venomous, and Jack shifts the little creature into the crook of his elbow in an effort to protect himself from the tiny teeth that can’t possible get through the thick wool of his coat. By the time Jack makes it to the car, the little demon has skittered up his sleeve and is determinedly trying to work its way into the shelter of his greatcoat by way of Jack’s neck.

“Hey! OW, Dammit!!” Jack exclaims, twisting around to secure the now spitting and hissing creature. Apparently, otherworldly venomous kittens also spit sparks. Jack grabs hold and fairly tosses the small creature into the car. “Careful, it bites!” Jack informs Ianto sourly as he slips into the driver’s seat and closes the door. He runs a hand over his neck and checks his fingertips for blood. “And scratches, too.” Jack tastes the blood on his finger tips, then sucks at the stinging puncture marks on his hand. “Hey, be careful,” Jack cautions as Ianto matter of factly scoops up the small creature and tucks it into the warmth of his hoodie, murmuring softly to it. Jack thinks he can make out the words “bad man” as Ianto soothes the frightened and terribly, terribly lost creature.

Jack checks his wrist strap, and verifies that this little bit of fur, spark and venom is all there is. He wiggles the fingers on the hand where he was bit, against the pins and needle sensation of creeping venom. “Be careful with that thing,” he warns again.

“Its ...”Chuu! “fine,” Ianto says, sniffling, again, and ignoring the seriousness of the situation. “You just scared the hell out of the poor creature.” Ianto’s tone changes as he soothingly informs the small creature that it’s safe now and the bad man won’t hurt him.

Jack sighs heavily, puts the car in gear and begins the trek back to Cardiff.

 

 

Edited August 28, 2018 by Jelloicious
words...they have to make sense

[AngelEyes]

2 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

I really didn't care for how unsexy he looked as Doctor Watson... that suit did NOT fit!

I will agree with that but have you seen Dark Signal? Awesome creepy horror movie. He is freaking perfect in it. He has glasses that make him look absolutely Adorable! Bonus: it's a brilliant movie with an Epic plot twist! (And it's on Netflix.)

 

2 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

The are well past sundown, and a heavy low fog does not promise a quick or easy search.

It’s not raining, exactly, but the misty damp surrounds them and clings to their hair and everything is slick with wet. The moon is obscured by a heavy blanket of fog, and even their torchles can't illuminate much. This makes the search in the rocky meadow even more slow and treacherous. It would be ridiculously easy to turn an ankle here. 

You set this setting wonderfully, vivid.

 

2 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

Jack feels a pang of guilt for not insisting that the younger man stay home, as the sneezes and sniffles become steadily more frequent, and more insistent.

Poor baby.

 

2 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

Blowing his nose doesn’t seem to help at all, and when he is forced to stop when he is overcome by an onslaught of desperately insistent sneezes, Jack sends him back to the car.

Mmmm.

 

2 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

He follows the sound, and almost misses the spot, but hearing it again, he crouches down, and finds small, mewling creature. It looks almost exactly like a tiny black kitten. Its silvery eyes give it away as something otherworldly and Jack scoops up the trembling, sodden little rift gift.

Awwww!

 

2 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

“Hey, be careful,” Jack cautions as Ianto matter of factly scoops up the small creature and tucks it into the warmth of his hoodie, murmuring softly to it. Jack thinks he can make out the words “bad man” as Ianto soothes the frightened and terribly, terribly lost creature.

LOL. Dear Ianto.

 

2 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

Ianto says, sniffling, again, and ignoring the seriousness of the situation. “You just scared the hell out of the poor creature.” Ianto’s tone changes as he soothingly informs the small creature that it’s safe now and the bad man won’t hurt him.

So sweet and cute!

Can't wait to see what they do with the little demon, and what consequences there may be!

[Seeker]

Um...everything @AngelEyes said. Beat me to it lol

3 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

Ianto doesn’t complain, but Jack can see that he’s bone-weary,

Oops I'm quoting anyway. Of course he doesn't, he's a sweet angel baby.  Oh sleepy boys...

3 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

Blowing his nose doesn’t seem to help at all, and when he is forced to stop when he is overcome by an onslaught of desperately insistent sneezes, Jack sends him back to the car.

I liked this

3 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

Its ...”Chuu! “fine,” Ianto says, sniffling, again, and ignoring the seriousness of the situation. “You just scared the hell out of the poor creature.” Ianto’s tone changes as he soothingly informs the small creature that it’s safe now and the bad man won’t hurt him.

And I double like this...that cute little sneeze and snuggling the "kitten"

[Jelloicious]

17 hours ago, AngelEyes said:

I will agree with that but have you seen Dark Signal?

Ooh...no, I haven't!  I will have to check it out!

17 hours ago, AngelEyes said:

You set this setting wonderfully, vivid

Thanks! 

17 hours ago, AngelEyes said:

Can't wait to see what they do with the little demon, and what consequences there may be!

Oh, and there are always consequences, aren't there?

17 hours ago, ReidSeeker said:

Oops I'm quoting anyway.

Please do--I am pretty new at this whole writing fetish fic thing and feedback is helpful.  Especially since I am writing on a ten years out of date fandom.

 

17 hours ago, ReidSeeker said:

And I double like this...that cute little sneeze and snuggling the "kitten"

Of course, Ianto would be a cat person.   Jack on the other hand...

 

TWTWTWTW

Jack’s intent, really, is to first drop Ianto off at his flat (to get warm and dry before he bloody well catches pneumonia), and then to take their tiny little riftugee back to the hub and deposit it in the security of a (non-flamable) cell. Ianto’s plan, to the contrary, is to  keep the small creature with him. Jack might have held to his original plan, if Ianto hadn’t insisted, threatening even to spend the night in the cell with the small alien. This is so plainly a ridiculous idea that Jack thinks he might have let him, if Ianto wasn’t so obviously ill. If he didn’t feel just a bit guilty for having Ianto out in the dark and the chill and the wet for hours. If Ianto hadn’t spent so much of the trip back into town sniffling, sneezing and suffering at the indifferent mercy of an increasingly dreadful head cold.

Jack drops Ianto and the rift kitten off at Ianto’s flat, promising to return with supplies. He isn’t surprised when Ianto texts him a concise list, and almost laughs as he reads it. Litter, two small bottles and baby animal formula, some small cans of kitten food (they had no idea what this little animal would eat but it was worth a try) a small cat bed, a fire extinguisher, lemsip, cough sweets, and tissues, bulk package.

It takes some time to reach the only shop open at this hour likely to stock all of the items on Ianto’s list. Even with the heater on full blast, Jack can’t get the damp out of his clothes. Or the warm into his body. By the time Jack returns to Ianto’s flat, with a cage (his own idea), food and other supplies, Jack thinks to himself that he just might be tired enough to actually sleep. He finds Ianto and the demon cat are already fast asleep. Ianto’s little alien demon kitty is warm fluffy and dry and tucked securely under Ianto’s chin. Jack strips out of his own damp clothes and warms himself in Ianto’s shower, standing under the hot spray long enough to chase most of the lingering chill from his bones.

By the time he’s finished, and wrapped in Ianto’s robe, Jack determines that enough feeling has returned in his fingers, for him to forgive the little alien monster, or at least have enough use of his fingers to work a can opener, and he mixes bottle of kitten milk for the tiny alien creature. He has no idea if this is remotely close to what the small creature would eat where it came from (where ever it came from), but they had to start somewhere. Starting with catfood when the alien looks like a cat is probably as good a place as any to start.  

When Jack tries to carefully to lift the little alien off his sleeping lover, it growls a low and intimidating grow that far outsizes its trembling tiny body, and glowers as Jack with its quicksilver eyes. “I don’t like you much, either,” Jack informs the little beast with an indignant sniff, and plucks it up by the scruff of the neck, offering it the bottle before it can properly get going on the sparks it’s trying to spit, and set fire Ianto’s duvet. The little beast quickly works out that the “bad man” has food, and sucks frantically, noisily at it until the small bottle is drained and the tiny creature’s little belly is round and tight. All that remains now is to see if the furry little git could digest its meal. Feeding done, Jack dumps it unceremoniously into the cage, next to the small tray of litter. He considers adding a folded up towel for warmth, but decides that giving Sparky anything to set on fire would be a Bad Idea. He thinks the little demon should be grateful to be fed and be in out of the cold and wet. He sniffs again, and adjusts the thermostat in Ianto’s flat a couple of degrees warmer. He doesn’t want Ianto getting chilled overnight.

Jack shucks out of Ianto’s robe and slips into the bed, next to his young lover. Ianto automatically burrows into Jack’s familiar warmth and Jack wraps his arms around the other man, listening in the dark as the small alien creature rustles about and seems to work out the operation of the litter pan (Jack doesn’t care to actually check). Ianto is snoring softly, and Jack might even have started to drift off himself, when the small, annoying creature sets up a proper yowl, apparently not at all best pleased by the change in sleeping arrangements.

Ianto stirs sleepily.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you,” Jack says apologetically.

Ianto answers with a sneeze. Hit’CHUU

“Bless.”

Ianto sniffs wetly, sits up, pulls a tissue from the box on the bedside table and waits for another sneeze. Hhh...hih... IICHUUU!

“’s okay. Have to piss anyway. Must’ve had a gallon of tea.” Ianto rolls himself out of bed and pads down the hall.

Jack finds himself waiting expectantly for the third sneeze he knows is coming, and is slightly disappointed when it doesn’t.

Jack turns his attention to the yowling rift gift. Tries shushing the little alien, to no effect.

“Be. Quiet,” he enunciates sternly, commandingly, also to no effect.

“It’s scared, Jack,” Ianto says as he returns, voice low and nasal. “Probably cold, too.” Ianto says with a shiver as he kneels to extract the little beast from the cage, cooing softly at it.

“Don’t tell me you’re going to sleep with that thing,” Jack protests.  He can think of all kinds of reasons that sleeping with a venomous, fire-spitting alien is a bad idea.

Ianto sniffs. “I am,” he asserts defiantly, with an oddly dignified sniffle.“You don’t have to if you don’t want to, but I am.”

In the end, Sparky wins out, and reclaims his place tucked cozily under Ianto’s chin. Jack gives up, settles in next to Ianto and his new pet, all thoughts he might have had of doing other things with Ianto are firmly quashed. Jack tries not to feel jealous, when the damned beast is snuggled more closely to Ianto than he is.

[AngelEyes]

4 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

Jack’s intent, really, is to first drop Ianto off at his flat (to get warm and dry before he bloody well catches pneumonia), and then to take their tiny little riftugee back to the hub and deposit it in the security of a (non-flamable) cell. Ianto’s plan, to the contrary, is to  keep the small creature with him.

First of all I love Riftugee! Perfect! Second, of course they have totally different plans! LOL!

 

4 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

“I don’t like you much, either,” Jack informs the little beast with an indignant sniff,

LOL

 

4 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

Ianto sniffs. “I am,” he asserts defiantly, with an oddly dignified sniffle.“You don’t have to if you don’t want to, but I am.”

Oh Ianto.

 

4 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

Jack tries not to feel jealous, when the damned beast is snuggled more closely to Ianto than he is.

Poor Jack!

[Jelloicious]

 

 

20 hours ago, AngelEyes said:

irst of all I love Riftugee! Perfect!

That's not my brainchild...it's in other torchwood fic.  It's just headcanon, because it's an apt description.

20 hours ago, AngelEyes said:

Poor Jack!

It's gonna get a whole lot worse before it gets better for Jack.

 

TWTWTWTWTW

Jack wakes to the soft glow of morning light and a very disconcerting feeling in his hair. The demon rift kitten has abandoned Ianto for Jack’s pillow, and is now using it’s rough kitten tongue to groom Jack’s hair as it kneads Jack’s scalp. Jack is horrified. He pulls away, sitting up abruptly and glowering, as he feels an uncomfortable sensation growing in his sinuses and he...... is going…. to sneeze. Hechmmph! CHMPH!!

He tries his best to muffle the sneezes and not disturb his sleeping lover, but he fully lacks Ianto’s ability to bury a sneeze, and it is no use.

Ianto stretches, and opens his eyes. He frowns at Jack.

Jack sneezes again, more powerfully, ARRASHOOOOO!!!!!! but it doesn’t even begin to quiet the now insistent irritation in his sinuses, so he scrubs irritably at his tickly nose.

“Bless you.” Ianto says, roughly. He makes and effort to clear his throat, coughs, then says, accusingly, “I thought you said you couldn’t catch my cold.”

“I don’t….I never….” Hashshooo!!…..heh...HasSHOOO!!!...get sick. sniff

Ianto sits up looks at him skeptically. “I don’t think you can use the word ‘never’ in this context.” He passes Jack a box of tissues from the bed side table and Jack takes several, gratefully, sneezing yet again. Dammit!

Ianto draws his own tissues from the box, closes his eyes, and waits for his own first sneezes of the day. “’...ChHuuuh… HetchCHHHUUUU! Heh, hehh. HATCHHEWW!!!!

They are strong enough to shake the young man’s frame, but Jack doesn’t notice, because Jack has to sneeze again himself, and he forgets to bless Ianto, forgets to enjoy Ianto’s sneezes as he blows his nose and tries to free himself from the irritation in his sinuses.

He’s sure it’s that damned rift cat. Wasn’t he sniffling just a bit, last night, after he fed the cat? He probably should have washed his hands before bed. And then the damnable beast slept on his pillow. It’s no wonder he woke up sneezing his brains out. Jack’s never actually been allergic to cats before, but he’s never seen this sort of alien cat-thing before so it would be possible, right? HARAACHOOO!!!!!!

Ianto chuckles watching him, shaking his head, until his laughter turns into a cough.

Jack is annoyed at Ianto’s clearly inappropriately mirthful response to Jack’s predicament, but he sneezes again, instead of telling Ianto off properly.

Ianto drops back onto his pillow and tugs Jack to lie down with him. Jack rubs at his nose and doesn’t see what’s funny at all, but allows his young lover to pull him back down. Decides it’s just a little better, wrapped up in Ianto, and he moves to twine his leg around Ianto’s. Demon Kitty pounces on the moving lump of duvet that is Jack’s foot.

“HEY!!”

Jack is so indignant at this assault that it sets Ianto laughing again, until the laughter dissolves into a proper coughing fit, and Ianto is forced to sit up until he can catch his breath.

Jack soothes him, hands him tissues and when he can breathe properly again, Jack says, “I think you should maybe stay home today. You sound pretty rough.”

Ianto can’t disagree with Jack’s assessment. Apparently, tromping about half the night until he was thoroughly wet and chilled has only helped this cold take root, and the thought of staying in bed with Jack sounds lovely. He wonders if Jack is ready to admit he is ill as well.

“You’ve sounded better yourself, he prompts, hopefully. “Perhaps we both should take a day? We could sip tea, watch old movies, sneeze, snog, sip tea, ...”

“I’m…..” Eyeshoo!! sniff. “..not sick.” Jack insists.

Ianto arches an eyebrow at him. “You’re sneezing,” Ianto points out, as if Jack hasn’t noticed.

Jack sneezes again, in agreement. Sniffs again, and insists. “This? This is not a cold.”

“Oh, really?” Ianto thinks Jack has lost his mind. He’s also pretty sure Jack knows he thinks this, as he watches Jack’s face contort, and his eyes close before the sneezes again, quite spectacularly, into a tissue. He waits for Jack to blow his nose. It’s wet and gurgley and most definitely sounds unwell.

Jack sniffs. “I thidk I’b allergic to your dew pet,” he say, thickly, and with irritation, before sneezing again, twice more.

This is quite clearly the stupidest thing Ianto has heard. “Jack….that’s the stupidest thing I’ve heard.” Ianto is feeling poorly enough that his usual finesse words just isn’t there, but he gets the point across.

“I wasd’t sdneezing before you brought that dambned thig idto the bed,” Jack says, accusation plain in his voice. He punctuates this with another wet sniff.

“You mean you weren’t sneezing before your spent the past sixteen hours with me and my raging head cold, either.” Ianto emphasizes his point with a sneeze, that he doesn’t even try to cover. “Some of it, up close and personal, and on your assurance that you couldn’t catch this cold.”

“I cad’t!” Jack insists, before sneezing again.  He tells himself that even if he could catch Ianto's cold, it certainly couldn't happen that quickly.  It has to be the stupid cat.

Ianto scowls darkly at him, and the moment of contented snuggling seems hopelessly lost.

“I’b..” HaCHOOO!!!! “..going to the Hub, so I cad actually breathe!” Jack gets up and moves off toward the bathroom to shower off alien cat dander, wondering if his life is really as comical as it sounds sometimes.

“FINE!” Ianto calls after him,

“FIDE!”

[AngelEyes]

5 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

It's gonna get a whole lot worse before it gets better for Jack.

Yay! (Is that mean of me? Sorry not sorry!)

 

5 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

He tries his best to muffle the sneezes and not disturb his sleeping lover, but he fully lacks Ianto’s ability to bury a sneeze, and it is no use.

I like and fully concur with this distinction between the two of them.

 

5 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

They are strong enough to shake the young man’s frame, but Jack doesn’t notice, because Jack has to sneeze again himself, and he forgets to bless Ianto, forgets to enjoy Ianto’s sneezes as he blows his nose and tries to free himself from the irritation in his sinuses.

Not a good sign!

 

5 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

This is quite clearly the stupidest thing Ianto has heard. “Jack….that’s the stupidest thing I’ve heard.” Ianto is feeling poorly enough that his usual finesse words just isn’t there, but he gets the point across.

LOL!

 

5 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

Jack gets up and moves off toward the bathroom to shower off alien cat dander, wondering if his life is really as comical as it sounds sometimes.

Yes. Yes it is.

 

5 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

“FINE!” Ianto calls after him,

“FIDE!”

I can totally see this. Stubborn boys.

This is so wonderfully delightful!

[queenie]

Ahhh!

[Seeker]

13 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

The demon rift kitten has abandoned Ianto for Jack’s pillow, and is now using it’s rough kitten tongue to groom Jack’s hair as it kneads Jack’s scalp. 

When my cat was a kitten, she would knead my scalp as I tried to go to sleep. I say try because she really stuck her claws in...I had to train her to get the pillow instead or sleep at the bottom of the bed. So, I feel ya, Jack, that HURTS!

14 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

They are strong enough to shake the young man’s frame, but Jack doesn’t notice, because Jack has to sneeze again himself,

Noisy morning 😊

14 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

“I thidk I’b allergic to your dew pet,” he say, thickly, and with irritation, before sneezing again, twice more.

So...lovely congested speech here. Also, that's what I was thinking, but Ianto disagrees 🤔

14 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

“FINE!” Ianto calls after him,

“FIDE!”

Oh, no, boys, don't fight! Get back to snuggling! 

Grrrrr, this is a job for Owen. 

[Jelloicious]

16 hours ago, AngelEyes said:

Yay! (Is that mean of me? Sorry not sorry!)

That, um, is why you're here....

16 hours ago, AngelEyes said:

I like and fully concur with this distinction between the two of them.

The contrast between the two is always what makes their relationship interesting, don't you think?

7 hours ago, ReidSeeker said:

Grrrrr, this is a job for Owen.

Owen Harper, Relationship Counselor.  (He would not appreciate the description, but yeah, that's him).

TWTWTWTWTW

The shower seems to help relieve most of the irritation in Jack's sinuses. He shampoos his hair twice at the thought of cat slobber in his hair. (and to make sure the parts sticking straight up after the grooming session will fall properly). He feels bad about snapping at Ianto earlier, and Ianto must feel bad about the row too, because Ianto is out of bed and there is hot coffee waiting when he gets out of the shower. They take the time to share a cup together—as a sort of truce. Time for Jack to insist again that Ianto take a sick day. Ianto only relents on this point, Jack suspects, because he really hasn’t nearly had enough sleep. This much shows plainly in the dark circles under his eyes. Jack feels bad again, for keeping his ill young lover out late, and probably because of this, he accedes to Ianto’s insistence on keeping Sparky home with him,. He watches Ianto cradle the little beast as it messily gobbles down another bottle of formula, and Jack keeps to himself for now the thought that this can’t possibly end well.

Ianto smiles when Jack refers to the rift demon as Sparky and immediately adopts the name, as if this will give Jack some ownership of the dreadful little curse.

When Jack sneezes again, it’s obviously because Sparky is chasing his shoe laces, even as he tries to tie them. He looks forward to escaping the irritant. Hopes Ianto will come to see sense on his own. Sparky is immensely enchanted by Jack’ shoe laces and when Jack lifts him bodily, the little creature is irate, and spits a couple of sparks at him, singing the sofa cushion. He thinks Sparky would fare well on Flat Holm. Surrounded by water. Lots of nonflamable water. And away from Jack. HekSHHH!! Definitely away from Jack.

The morning is relatively uneventful. Jack pointedly ignores the lingering tickle in his sinuses. Without his archivist around to do it for him, Jack descends into the lower levels to do his own research on their small rift survivor, to see if he can sort out where it came from, what it should properly eat, and whether it is actually likely to burn down Ianto’s flat before the day is out. When he sneezes, it’s clearly because the old archival files are just so much moldy, dusty disintegrating cardboard. When he shivers, it’s obviously because the lower levels of the hub are never quite warm enough. Why else would Ianto always insist in the layered suits?

His searching is less than successful, and after a couple of hours of distracted, sniffling effort, he heads back upstairs. Maybe Owen has something for these damndable allergies, he thinks rubbing a knuckle at this nose against the insane tickle.

 

Owen’s expression is professional and serious as Jack first explains his problem, then demonstrates it by sneezing several times over into a damp handkerchief. When he’s done sneezing, he sniffs uselessly against blocked sinuses, and waits for Owen’s magic.

Owen stares at him for a long moment. Then, “You say you got bit?”

Jack shows him his hand. The twin puncture marks are tiny, and unremarkable. Jack confirms that he can feel his hand properly and everything works.

“...and where did you get scratched? Jack shows him. Owen inspects the marks carefully.

He shines his doctor light at Jack’s throat, in his ears and up his nose. Then steps back, arms crossed.

“Allergy pills won’t help,” he declares firmly.

Jack sniffs again. “Surely you have something…..I’ve been sneezing like crazy.” HekSHHHHH!!

“Go home, Jack. You snog someone with cooties, you get cooties. You have a cold, Jack.”

“I never...” Jack began.

Owen cut him off. “Nope, Jack, that’s not true. You might ‘hardly ever’, but you don’t ‘never’.. And today, you have.

Jack blinked at him stupidly, trying to work out what the young doctor just said. He suspects it would make more sense if his head didn’t feel so thick.

“Go home, Jack,” Owen repeats.

“I am home.” Jack’s response sounds petulant, even to Jack. He tries again. “Look, really, this has to be allergies. I know it. I didn’t start sneezing until Ianto let that damned little beast sleep in the bed with us. It was licking my hair when I woke up this morning.”

Owen sighs. “So, you slept in the same bed with Ianto and the cat…”

“Yes!”

“...and Ianto has a cold….” Owen prompted.

“Yes, but….” Jack began to waiver, just slightly.

Owen looked toward the ceiling. “And you probably shared a bed with Ianto the night before. Maybe did something yesterday that involved some close bodily contact or even exchange of bodily fluids with Ianto.”

“...welll, we….”

“I DON’T NEED DETAILS,” Owen said, hands raised, and pressing his eyes shut against whatever Jack was about to say.

“My point, Owen resumed, once he was sure Jack was listening and not talking, “is that you have been quite amply exposed to Ianto, who happens to have picked up a cold virus.  And now, you have the symptoms of a cold, Jack.”

Jack was beginning to realize that he was about to lose this argument. “but the cat..”

“Correlation isn’t causation, Jack. You know that. First off, it isn’t actually a cat, is it?”

“Well, no, but….”

“Secondly,” Owen continued, “by your own account, you aren’t actually even allergic to real cats.”

“Well, no, but…”

“Thirdly, allergies are an immune response that develops after an initial exposure. You’ve never encountered this species before last night, correct?”

“No, but”

“….and neither the bite nor the scratches appear to be causing any kind of reaction at this point.”

Jack sneezed.

“And, now you have been in the hub, away from Ianto’s little pet for, what, six hours now?”

Jack sneezed again, sniffed deeply and nodded.

“GO HOME, Jack, Go home with Ianto before you give the rest of us your damned cold.”

 

[queenie]

Jack is going to be so sulky to go home to Ianto, who was right. But Ianto is also too sick and tired to be particularly smug about it, so hopefully Jack will be bashful enough that they’ll just take a good nap together instead. 

[AngelEyes]

11 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

He feels bad about snapping at Ianto earlier, and Ianto must feel bad about the row too, because Ianto is out of bed and there is hot coffee waiting when he gets out of the shower. They take the time to share a cup together—as a sort of truce.

Awww

 

11 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

His searching is less than successful, and after a couple of hours of distracted, sniffling effort, he heads back upstairs. Maybe Owen has something for these damndable allergies, he thinks rubbing a knuckle at this nose against the insane tickle.

I love all of his justifying in the hub.

 

11 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

Owen’s expression is professional and serious as Jack first explains his problem, then demonstrates it by sneezing several times over into a damp handkerchief. When he’s done sneezing, he sniffs uselessly against blocked sinuses, and waits for Owen’s magic.

I love professional!Owen, Jack's misery, and his faith in Owen to fix everything.

 

11 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

Owen cut him off. “Nope, Jack, that’s not true. You might ‘hardly ever’, but you don’t ‘never’.. And today, you have.

I love the way this is phrased! Perfect Owen! I really love all of Jack's yes, but; no, but! LOL! And Owen just laying out the facts.

 

11 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

“...welll, we….”

“I DON’T NEED DETAILS,” Owen said, hands raised, and pressing his eyes shut against whatever Jack was about to say.

Poor Owen. Constantly traumatized!

 

11 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

“GO HOME, Jack, Go home with Ianto before you give the rest of us your damned cold.”

You tell him Owen! 

It will be interesting to see how Jack handles things back home. Hopefully Ianto will be gentle. Although, a little smugness wouldn't be totally out of line. LOL

[ellwren]

So, so, so good!

 

[Seeker]

23 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

Jack sniffs again. “Surely you have something…..I’ve been sneezing like crazy.” HekSHHHHH!!

“Go home, Jack. You snog someone with cooties, you get cooties. You have a cold, Jack.”

Haha, cooties! Also, Ianto wins! You can't just be immune to something because you're from future times...you never had these germs to become immune to. Until now. Go home. Snuggle Ianto. 

23 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

“GO HOME, Jack, Go home with Ianto before you give the rest of us your damned cold.”

Lol yes home to Ianto, not hub home. With apologies and maybe flowers lol and maybe a fire Toothless)extinguisher for Sparky (who totally makes me think of Toothless)

[Jelloicious]

On 8/31/2018 at 7:08 PM, AngelEyes said:

I love the way this is phrased! Perfect Owen! I really love all of Jack's yes, but; no, but! LOL! And Owen just laying out the facts.

I'm glad that worked....I almost took it out because it reads so funny, but I could see Owen saying it.

On 8/31/2018 at 7:08 PM, AngelEyes said:

I love all of his justifying in the hub.

Jack constitutionally struggles with the idea that he is at all vulnerable to anything. 

On 8/31/2018 at 7:08 PM, AngelEyes said:

Hopefully Ianto will be gentle.

Ianto is an old soul.  He can be gentle when no one else could possibly....

18 hours ago, ReidSeeker said:

ou can't just be immune to something because you're from future times...you never had these germs to become immune to. Until now. Go home.

There's just so many ways to play with this....because playing with Jack's immunity (or lack thereof) is so much fun, and Jack sneezing is so much fun, I solemnly swear I will never be consistent in dealing with Jack's ability to catch a cold or find something he's allergic to. And for the record, TW Series 4 is Not In My Canon

18 hours ago, ReidSeeker said:

Sparky (who totally makes me think of Toothless)

That's lovely!!!  If I could find a way to work it in...

On 8/31/2018 at 7:48 AM, queenie said:

Ianto, who was right.

Ianto is always right....of course!

And thanks @ellwren for reading and commenting!

 

TWTWTWTWTW

Jack is standing on the small front step to Ianto’s flat, key in hand. Of course he has a key to Ianto’s flat. He has a key to the homes of all of Torchwood 3’s staff. Ianto’s is the only one he keeps on his key ring and in his pocket though. Ianto’s is the only place he keeps clothes, toothbrush and a razor. Jack even has a stack of reading material growing on the bedside table on the side of Ianto’s bed he favors. He thinks about Owen referring to Ianto’s flat as his home, tries to remember the last night he and Ianto did not spend together, and wonders if Ianto’s noticed that Jack has for all intents and purposes moved in. Wonders how it is that he himself had not noticed.

He sneezes, and fumbles a bit with the key, crowding close to the door because it is raining and cold and he doesn’t have an umbrella, and the small alcove around the door doesn’t provide much in the way of shelter. Thinks he really should have brought an umbrella, as cold rain finds its way down the back of his neck and he shivers. He sneezes again, trying to fit the key into the lock, and is forced to give up the effort for the moment as he turns to sneeze again, twice more. - he doesn’t realize that Ianto has opened the door until he hears the words.

“Bless you”.

He swipes at his nose and looks up. Ianto is standing before him, clad comfortably in fleece lounge pants, and a dark t shirt, and woolen socks. His nose is pink and hair messy, but his eyes are twinkling, and Jack is overcome by the feeling that he just should have admitted to himself he was ill hours ago. He sniffs a wet, pathetic sniff, and wonders if he looks as pathetic as he’s sure he sounds. Ianto takes his hand and pulls him inside, scolding him fondly, “Well don’t just stand out there in the rain, Jack!”

The flat is warm and welcoming. Something is simmering on the stove. There are rumpled blankets on the sofa and Sparky is snuggled deeply among them.

Ianto is still sniffling a bit, but he looks rested, and freshly scrubbed. He clearly knows how to do a proper sick day. Ianto takes Jack’s coat, and hangs it up by the door, as Jack works himself out of his boots. He’s not quite sure what to say, to Ianto. He regrets the way they left things this morning.

Ianto finally breaks the silence. “You know, you actually held out longer than I thought you would.”

“You knew I was ill this morning,” Jack says, as if this is a new idea.

Ianto rolls his eyes. “Of course I did, Jack. I’m not an idiot. I did tell you, you know.”

Jack sniffs. “Yes, I suppose you did.” He rakes his hand through his hair, coughs.

“You sit down. I’ll make us some tea.”

Jack drops heavily onto the couch, and allows himself to feel the weight of the tiredness he’s been ignoring all day. He thinks Owen’s certain pronouncement that he has come down with a cold has given his body permission, now, to actually feel ill. He’s not exactly crazy about it. Hek-Shu……...hahk...SHUU!

Sparky stirs from his blanket nest, blinks at Jack with his otherworldly silver eyes, stretches and works his way toward Jack, butting his small head up against Jack’s hand. Jack relents just a bit and strokes the little alien with a finger. It’s very catlike, and Jack wonders if this isn’t the offspring of an earth cat accidentally sucked up and transformed by the rift.

By the time Ianto returns with a tray with two tea cups and a box of tissues, Sparky has tucked himself cozily into the crook of Jack’s elbow. Ianto sets the tray down on the coffee table, and joins Jack on the sofa. He plucks up the tissue box, draws out a tissue before setting the box on the sofa between them, and blows his nose, before taking his own teacup and settling comfortably on the couch. Jack is struck by the idea that this is oddly intimate, seeing Ianto like this, hair out of place, unshaven, pink cheeks and reddened nose.

“You look….comfortable.” Jack says, then thinks maybe that’s not exactly what he was trying to say.

Ianto smiles, as if he understands exactly what Jack was trying to say, though. “I’ll bet you are wishing you’d had stayed home for a lie-in this morning, about now! You must be exhausted.”

“I’m fine,” Jack protests automatically, but he knows that’s not entirely true, knows he owes Ianto honesty, at a minimum. “Actually,” Jack begins, then pauses to sneeze. “Actually, I’m not. I’m tired. I’m ill. I was an ass to you this morning, and you didn’t deserve it.”

Jack pauses to sneeze again, and he is suddenly desperately in need of a tissue. Ianto presses the box into his hands as he closes his eyes and draws several stuttering breaths, pulling another handful tissues out just in time to catch a mighty series of sneezes. HeYEShuhh! H’yeSHUUU…….....HechChUUU!! heh….heh…..HaCHOOOOOO!!! HASHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Sparky doesn’t especially approve of this demonstration, and moves to Ianto’s lap as Jack keeps sneezing. HyiSHOOOOOOO HaachCHOOO…….HYASHOOOO!!!!……..Heh…..heh. Hyashooo!!! Finally, Jack sags back against the couch, exhausted by the effort, that has done nothing to clear the irritation from his sinuses.  He sniffs uselessly, and closes his eyes.

Ianto gives him a moment to make sure he's finished, then blesses him, cautiously. “You haven’t been sneezing like that all day, have you?” Jack takes the times to blow his nose, before looking sheepishly at Ianto. “Yeah. Pretty buch.”  

Ianto considers his next question as he swallows a some tea. “And….You didn’t think you were ill, until…..”

“Owed told be.” Jack draws another weary breath, and sneezes again. Then explains, with a shrug. “I was id the archives.” sniff. “It’s cold and dusty and full of crubling old files ad” sniff  "I really…...sorry,” Jack pulled out a fresh tissue and blew his nose again. .sniff. “I’b ad idiot.”

Ianto sets his tea down. He probably knows better than to laugh, so he just pulls Jack close, running fingers through his hair. “For what it’s worth, I agree with your assessment”.

Jack sniffs again, and gives up on breathing through his abused nose. 

"What were you looking for?" Ianto asks.

Jack looks at him blankly...all he is looking for is way to breathe again.

"In the archives," Ianto prompts.  "You said you were in the archives." (Ianto tries not to imagine a Jack-created mess in the archives). 

"Oh! I was tryig to sort out where Sparky cabe frob.  What species he is.  Baybe fide out if he is likely to burd dowd your flat." Jack sniffs.

Ianto allows himself a moment to translate Jack's stuffy voice into standard English.

"Find anything?" he asks/

"Do, dot really."  Jack blows his nose.  "Though, I bight have overlooked sobething.  It's hard to read whed you cad't..... stop......haSHOOOO!!!  sdeezing."

Ianto allows himself the indulgence of finding Jack's sneezy stuffy voice to be sort of adorable.

"Guess I'll have to do my own research," Ianto says, with a long-suffering, but affectionate tone, punctuated with his own sniffle. "You should have just come home."

Jack turns to face Ianto, eyes bright, "I'b hobe dow," 

.  

 

Edited September 2, 2018 by Jelloicious
all sorts of editing failures...

[AngelEyes]

This is utterly adorable!

5 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

He thinks about Owen referring to Ianto’s flat as his home, tries to remember the last night he and Ianto did not spend together, and wonders if Ianto’s noticed that Jack has for all intents and purposes moved in. Wonders how it is that he himself had not noticed.

I like this. It just sort of happened without any intent or notice.

 

5 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

Ianto is standing before him, clad comfortably in fleece lounge pants, and a dark t shirt, and woolen socks. His nose is pink and hair messy, but his eyes are twinkling, and Jack is overcome by the feeling that he just should have admitted to himself he was ill hours ago.

Mmmm. What a beautiful image! Totally sexy, lol.

 

5 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

“You knew I was ill this morning,” Jack says, as if this is a new idea.

Duh!

 

5 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

“I’m fine,” Jack protests automatically, but he knows that’s not entirely true, knows he owes Ianto honesty, at a minimum. “Actually,” Jack begins, then pauses to sneeze. “Actually, I’m not. I’m tired. I’m ill. I was an ass to you this morning, and you didn’t deserve it.”

Way to man up!

 

5 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

Ianto gives him a moment to make sure he's finished, then blesses him, cautiously. “You haven’t been sneezing like that all day, have you?” Jack takes the times to blow his nose, before looking sheepishly at Ianto. “Yeah. Pretty buch.”  

Mmmmm...

 

5 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

Ianto considers his next question as he swallows a some tea. “And….You didn’t think you were ill, until…..”

“Owed told be.”

LOL

 

5 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

You said you were in the archives. (Ianto tries not to imagine a Jack-created mess in the archives). 

Oh dear. Poor Ianto.

 

5 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

Ianto allows himself the indulgence of finding Jack's sneezy stuffy voice to be sort of adorable.

I agree!

[Seeker]

9 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

He thinks Owen’s certain pronouncement that he has come down with a cold has given his body permission, now, to actually feel ill. He’s not exactly crazy about it. Hek-Shu……...hahk...SHUU!

Aw...it's like his body is scolding for not resting 

9 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

Sparky stirs from his blanket nest, blinks at Jack with his otherworldly silver eyes, stretches and works his way toward Jack, butting his small head up against Jack’s hand. Jack relents just a bit and strokes the little alien with a finger.

Good kitty-dragon 

9 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

Sparky has tucked himself cozily into the crook of Jack’s elbow. 

I love it

9 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

Actually, I’m not. I’m tired. I’m ill. I was an ass to you this morning, and you didn’t deserve it.”

 

9 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

I really…...sorry,” Jack pulled out a fresh tissue and blew his nose again. .sniff. “I’b ad idiot.”

I'm really glad he apologized 

and I really love the congestion 

9 hours ago, Jelloicious said:

Jack turns to face Ianto, eyes bright, "I'b hobe dow," 

Oh. Bam. Right in the heart. Adorable