All the time we have 2/8 + epilogue

[zazajb]

Title: All the time we have
Author: zazajb

Beta: The absolutely wonderful: badly_knitted 

Artwork by: the amazing penny_sieve 
Rating: NC-17, adult concepts, occasional language, M/M

Warnings: mentions of character death end s2 and day 4 CoE
Pairings/Characters: Jack/Ianto, team
Spoilers – possible all s1-3 TW, plus radio 4 play The Dead Line: set between TW s2 & s3, directly after Radio 4 play The Dead Line
Summary: Following Ianto’s speech to Jack in The Dead Line, Jack tries to show Ianto he’ll never be just a blip in time

Word count: 23100

Written for TW Big Bang Round 2

A/N Not done anything quite like this before and I have to say I loved every minute! I have to say a huge thank you to my wonderful beta badly_knitted who shared the highs and sent me cookies and hugs when I was doubting my sanity [that’s a lorry-load of cookies and even more hugs!] Thank you *hugs close* Also special thanks to the amazingly talented penny_sieve who took my words and gave them life with her awesome artwork – thank you so much *raises a glass to you*

A/N 2 Hope you enjoy...xxx

 

 

All the time we have 2/8 + epilogue

Chapter 2

The next few days were quiet, the rift worryingly docile and leaving the team with way too much time on their hands. Jack found that whilst he yearned for these quiet times when they were run ragged with weevils and all manner of rift activity, when they actually got them, no-one ever knew what to do with them! More than anything, it gave them too much time to think...and thinking was dangerous...dangerous and painful...

He shoved his files aside and glanced at his watch. It was coffee time...he heaved himself out of the chair and looked out over the hub, the all too empty hub...Tosh, Owen...I miss you... Gwen was tapping away on her keyboard, an intense expression on her face he recognised as one borne of grief - she’d been working on Tosh’s mainframe programmes in between the frantic bursts of activity so it stood to reason that as it was quiet...

He rested his head against the glass and closed his eyes, trying desperately to block the image of Tosh sprawled broken and bloody on the autopsy floor, that quiet look of acceptance in her eyes as she gazed at him...Tosh...I’m so sorry...

He sighed as warm arms wrapped around his waist and a chin nestled into his shoulder. No words were spoken, but he knew what they would’ve said...this was hard on them all... He turned in the embrace and pressed their lips together lightly before nuzzling into the Welshman’s neck. For one so young he certainly had a way of knowing exactly what Jack needed – usually before he knew himself...I do love this man... 

He breathed in deeply, the comforting scent of Ianto flooding his senses and he felt himself relaxing, the tension in his shoulders easing to be replaced with stirrings of desire as the young man ran feather-light kisses down the side of his neck, lingering on the soft skin behind his ear, before trailing across his throat and up the other side where he claimed his lips...softly at first, the kiss deepening as Jack slid his tongue into Ianto’s willing mouth where they duelled pleasurably...

Breaking apart, panting for breath, they rested their foreheads together, their eyes closed in comfortable silence. Ianto sighed gently, “I think Gwen might appreciate the chance of a long lunch with Rhys...” he murmured against Jack’s ear. “Then maybe we could...relax?” He nibbled on Jack’s earlobe, feeling the shudder of desire that eddied through him and the twitch in his groin as it pressed against him.

Jack slid reluctantly out of his Welshman’s arms and went down to stand behind Gwen’s workstation. As he’d suspected, she was working through one of Tosh’s many programmes and tears dripped down her cheeks to splash onto her jeans. He put one hand on her shoulder and offered her his hanky with the other. She took it with a muffled “thank you” and turned a watery smile on him.

“Take a break,” he said gently. “Go and find Rhys and have a long lunch – I don’t want to see you back before three at the earliest...and I promise I’ll call if anything happens...” he forestalled her protests with a smile. “Go...” He watched as she saved the programme and picked up her bag, dabbing her eyes and smearing mascara all over his hanky. She offered it back to him and he grinned, “...can you imagine what Ianto would do to me if he saw that?”

Gwen’s smile was genuine this time and she crumpled the offending hanky in her hand, planted a gentle kiss on his cheek and was gone, the roller door closing loudly behind her.

Ianto came out of the office, their mugs of now cold coffee in his hands, as he headed across to the kitchen. Jack followed him, watching as he rinsed the mugs and set them to dry. As the young man reached for the beans to make some fresh, he batted his hands away and tugged him into his arms, sliding one hand round to the small of his back and the other to the back of his neck, pulling him close before capturing his mouth with a passionate kiss that quickly became wild and messy as they writhed against each other.

Ianto moaned against Jack’s mouth as he ground their hips together, desire and feral want building rapidly. His hands groped at Jack’s clothes, pulling the braces from his shoulders and fumbling with the buttons of his shirt as Jack attacked the buttons of Ianto’s waistcoat. They came up for air, briefly, diving back in to more hot, wet kisses, teeth clashing as they continued to tear each other’s clothes off.

Jacket, waistcoat, shirts and undershirt piled up on the floor, hands scrabbling at belts, buckles, buttons and zips until the offending items pooled around their ankles to leave them almost naked. They toed off shoes, boots and socks, finally kicking their tangled undergarments and trousers away as they thrust and arched together, senses reeling, passions rising...

Jack pulled away and launched an assault on Ianto’s neck, nipping with his teeth and soothing with his tongue, Ianto’s moans rising in volume as his Captain moved down his body, pausing to leave vivid purple bruises at random intervals. Ianto’s breath was a mix of hard pants and load groans, his knees were weak and his body was trembling from head to foot, a hoarse cry escaping his gloriously pink, kiss-swollen lips as Jack’s mouth closed around him...

Ianto felt the waves of pleasure building, raging through his body, igniting fires in every nerve ending, muscles taut and straining, his focus narrowed to the feel of Jack’s hands and the heat of his mouth. He arched forward, crying out Jack’s name as he exploded...fireworks going off in his brain and he almost blacked out with the intensity of his climax, his body shuddering over and over until he slumped limply against the worktop.

Jack released him and slid up his body, crushing their lips together, his tongue diving into his Welshman’s mouth so he could taste himself as he was kissed to oblivion and back again. Parting long, breathless minutes later, Ianto gazed into Jack’s eyes, drowning himself in the intensity of emotion that reflected back at him. He loved Jack with all his being and he wanted to be with him forever...but that’s not going to happen, is it...you’re going to die - soon...Torchwood always die young... The brutal thought stomped across his head, crushing the fledgling buds of recovery that had begun to emerge over recent weeks and his feeling of contentment vanished. He shoved the destructive thought aside and clung on to his Captain, burying his face in the older man’s hair as tears filled his eyes.

Jack held him tightly, sensing the change as the young man’s body tensed. He had no idea what had prompted the swift change in mood, but he knew him well enough to know that he’d talk when he was ready. In the meantime he would just hold him...which wasn’t actually a hardship, especially as they were both naked...

He tipped the Welshman’s chin up and brushed his tears aside gently with his thumbs, pressing light kisses to every inch of his face, feeling him trembling in his arms. “Sshh, it’s ok...it’s going to be ok...” punctuating his words with more soft kisses. “C’mon...” Entwining their fingers, he led them to his office and down the ladder where he pulled back the covers and urged the now shivering Ianto into bed, climbing in after him and tugging him back into his arms, pressing their bodies together to feel the heat of his skin transfer to the chilled body beside him.

Ianto snuggled in close and lost himself in the feel of Jack’s reassuring warmth wrapped around him. He closed his eyes as Jack continued to pepper his skin with loving kisses, gradually relaxing under the gentle touch of his Captain’s lips. Jack stroked his hair and held him tightly, “...better?” he whispered, his breath soft and warm against Ianto’s ear.

“Mmnn,” he mumbled in reply, the soothing stroking of his hair and the lingering effects of his wild release making him quite sleepy. His breathing slowed and he drifted off, secure in the arms of the man he loved...

Jack continued to thread his fingers through the young man’s hair, loving the silky feel of it against his skin. He tucked himself in closer and closed his eyes, telling himself five minutes wouldn’t do any harm...

A couple of hours later his eyes fluttered open as he felt his gorgeous armful of Welshman stirring, shifting round to face him, a gentle smile on his lovely face. “Hey..!” Ianto leant in for a kiss, his lips soft and responsive against his Captain’s, their tongues entwining, dancing first in one mouth, then the other as the kiss intensified and delicious shivers of desire ran through them.

Ianto’s hands slid down Jack’s body, fingers dancing lightly over his warm flesh, closing over his prize possessively as it sprung to attention under his touch. Jack moaned against his mouth as the young man moved his hand slowly...tantalisingly...enough to be movement without allowing momentum to build...he had other plans... He broke off from their endless kisses to whisper huskily, “...make love to me Jack...” before reclaiming his lips once more, sighing happily as the older man rolled them over to finish on top and he gave himself completely to the wondrous sensations as Jack proceeded to take him to heaven and back, leaving them spent and panting in a tangle of limbs...

Lying on his back, watching idly as Ianto traced circles on his chest and stomach, Jack broke the comfortable silence, “...so...are you ok now..? Y’know...after...earlier..?” He flicked a glance at the younger man as the hand stilled and he felt the tension return...”...you wanna talk about it..? I’m a good listener...and I can kiss it better...whatever it is...I’m really good at kissing things better...”

He reached up and tugged the Welshman down for a steamy kiss to prove his point, releasing him only when they ran out of air... Ianto’s heart was pounding in his chest and his tired body showed renewed signs of interest despite itself... He had to admit it – Jack was very good at kissing...

He fixed his gaze on Jack’s smooth chest and took a deep breath, “Do you remember all the people you’ve ever loved..?” his voice was low and controlled.

Whatever he’d been expecting, it wasn’t that! Jack was momentarily thrown off-guard and he answered honestly, before stopping to think if that was the answer he should’ve given... “No...not all of them...”

Ianto’s hand clenched and he bit his lip, expressions of fear and uncertainty washing across his face. “How far back do you remember..? Tell me about them...”

“Ianto...” Jack reached for him, not at all sure he liked where this was headed.

“No..!” A hand pressed flat on his chest kept him on his back. “Tell me...please...” he bit down on his lip again, harder this time, wincing absently at the sudden pain, “...please Jack...I need to know...” A shadow crossed his face, “...tell me about your other blips in time...” he bit back a sob, slumping forward onto his Captain’s chest, his breath heaving as he fought for control...

A brief silence followed, “Why do we all have to die?” suddenly bursting from his lips, his voice harsh and bitter as the dam finally broke and he sobbed uncontrollably, Jack’s embrace closing around him, rocking him, murmuring words of love and nonsense as the distraught young man fell apart in his arms.

Finally lifting his tear-stained face, his red rimmed eyes meeting Jack’s saddened blue grey depths, he whispered a tiny, “...sorry...”

Jack raised an eyebrow in surprise, “...what for?”

“I ruined our long lunch...and we didn’t even have lunch...” he mumbled, brushing fresh tears away impatiently.

Jack pulled him close and kissed him, long and deep, his tongue sweeping through his mouth possessively. “You didn’t ruin anything...and we did have lunch...” he waggled his eyebrows suggestively, “...not the kind you’d get over the counter at Subway maybe, but we did have lunch!”

Ianto grinned despite himself and kissed his Captain passionately, thrusting his body towards him, feeling the response from the older man match his own. Tangling his hands in his hair, they ground their bodies together, the foreplay hard and rough on both sides as they fought for control of the game, Jack finally surrendering to his Welshman who proceeded to love him wildly, an edge of rawness to his touches that took Jack to new heights of pleasure until they collapsed breathless and satisfied in each other’s arms, exhausted sleep claiming them almost immediately as they curled up together in the tiny bunk.

When Gwen returned at half past three, glowing from a loving session of her own, she was surprised to find the hub apparently deserted, until, deciding to see if Ianto had left any coffee on, she made her way to the kitchen to find their clothes strewn all over the floor... She grinned widely and picked them up, folding them carefully before taking them down to Jack’s office where she set them in the middle of his desk, apart from Ianto’s jacket which she hung over the back of the chair...

About to leave, she was overcome with curiosity and crept towards the hole in the floor, kneeling down to peek into the room below, a fond smile curving her lips as her gaze fell on the two men wrapped around each other, sound asleep. Looking closer she could see how closely they were pressed together, Jack’s nose buried in Ianto’s hair, his arm draped possessively around Ianto’s waist, their hands clasped together with expressions of contentment on their faces...

Giving in to temptation, she fumbled in her pocket and pulled out her phone, capturing the picture below for posterity. Chuckling to herself, she retreated and went back to the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea before spending a happy half hour downloading and printing the picture she’d just taken. Leaving a glossy postcard sized print on top of their clothes alongside a “Goodnight boys!” note, she took an executive decision to have an early night and hurried home to her husband.

Jack and Ianto slept on into the early evening, warm and content in each other’s arms...

 

Chapter 3 http://zazajb.livejournal.com/21902.html