Torchwood Fic: In Our Bedroom After The War (Part 4)

[fictional]

Title: In Our Bedroom After the War
Pairing/Characters: Jack/Ianto, Gwen, Mickey, Martha & the rest of the Doctor Who Cast.
Authors: rm & kalichan
Rating/Warning: NC-17, bdsm, d/s,
Summary: Homeward bound. Takes place during and after Doctor Who 4x13: Journey's End.
Wordcount: ~31,700 [posted in 4 parts]
Authors' Notes: This is the seventh installment of our series, I Had No Idea I Had Been Traveling. The title is from a song (and the album) by Stars. This is the first piece of this arc we’ve really had to write concurrent to an episode, because of the woeful lack of Torchwood Hub in DW 4x13. This means if you've not watched Journey's End, that the first part of the story might not make as much sense as it could. Here is a link to a brief recap, a full recap, a funny recap (with captioned pictures) or just the transcript -- in case you want to know what, exactly, is going on. Or you could just dive in and hope for the best! Next up, we'll be posting a Jack/Nine/Rose followed by a few other prequels covering the early education and adventures of both Jack and Ianto before returning to where we’ve left off with them in this timeline.

Previous installments:
A Strange Fashion of Forsaking
Dear Captain, Last Night I Slept in Mutiny
To Learn This Holding and the Holding Back
The Most Beautiful Girl in the World
I Imagine You Now in That Other City
Many of My Favorite Things Are Broken
In Our Bedroom After the War, Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3


Jack stalked through the entrance of the Tourist Information Centre, Mickey following behind him closely. He was not in the best of moods. Probably because he was encrusted with mud from rolling down a hill chasing after what he'd thought must be an alien explosive device, but actually turned out to be a couple of tin-hats with a geiger counter and also thoroughly exasperated from talking to various groups of taciturn Welshmen in pubs, who never seemed to open their mouths wide enough to let any information through. When they finally tracked down the 'stockpile' of guns, only to discover a convention of science fiction aficionados, whose only problem was the lead based paint they were using to paint their models, it had all combined to create one galactic-class temper that he was only managing to prevent from exploding by sheer force of will.

"Fucking morons," he muttered to himself.

"Got that right," Mickey answered, still obscenely cheerful.

Jack was pretty impressed with that actually. It wasn't many men who could be sent off on a 24-hour wild goose chase and still seem so unruffled by it all. He congratulated himself on the addition of Mickey to the team -- he'd do this high strung bunch of prima donnas some good. Prima donnas who, incidentally, Jack couldn't wait to have a few words with about the necessity of properly checking sources and intel before deciding they needed to have someone in the field.

They came through the cog door, and into the main workstation area, and Jack started talking before he even waiting to see if they were all assembled.

"Gwen," he yelled. "We need to have a chat about a little thing I like to call fact-checking--"

He trailed off and looked around. Something didn't seem right. Actually, everything seemed too right and felt very, very wrong. Everything looked very... neat. All present and accounted for, he noted, and staring at him innocently besides, waiting for him to finish his sentence. There was Ianto, Martha, Gwen... Jack narrowed his eyes at Gwen.

"Your hair is wet," he said.

"Yeah," she said. "Spilled something. Had to take a shower."

"You spill something too, Martha?" he asked.

"No," Martha said. "I just like to wash after I do an autopsy. Found a dead weevil while you were gone."

"Where is it?" Jack said, his eyes wandering to the medical facility.

"Incinerated," Ianto supplied. "Natural causes, it turned out to be."

"Ahh," Jack said.

He paused.

"You were saying, Jack?" Gwen asked. "About fact checking? How did it go anyway?"

"Funny you should ask," Jack said. "For an utterly unnecessary trip, it went great. Except for the dry cleaning bill, which I'm thinking about making you pay for, Gwen."

"What do you mean, unnecessary? Did you find the gun runners?"

"The thirteen science fiction fans? Yeah, I did."

"Oh," Gwen said. "God. Sorry. That's terrible! I was sure..."

Jack glared at her. "Yeah. We're gonna have a few words about that. First, I'm getting out of these clothes." He strode towards the stairs.

"Ah, about that, sir," Ianto said, his voice sounding abnormally high pitched. "If I could just speak to you in private for a moment."



Jack had turned his back on them, and was already making his way up the stairs; Ianto made a hysterical, frantic face at the rest of them, before chasing after him.

As they disappeared into Jack's office, and the door shut with a bang, Gwen caught Mickey's eye -- who gave her a quizzical 'did it work' look. She grinned.

"Oh man," Mickey said, sinking into a chair, as they all pricked up their ears, and listened unabashedly. "This is gonna be hilarious."

Martha shook her head, and laughed softly. "That's one word for it," she whispered.

"YOU DID WHAT?" Jack's voice came bellowing out from behind the closed door.

Gwen winced.

"Think he'll give you up?" Mickey said softly. "It was your idea, wasn't it?"

"No," Gwen whispered. "He won't."

"Lucky you," Mickey said.

"Yeah," Gwen said smugly. "I know."

And then they heard, even louder than before, "YOU FUCKED WITH THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE HUB?"

They all jumped, and Martha giggled helplessly.

"Captain's got a pair of lungs on him," Mickey said, shaking his head. "And Ianto. He's got stones, I'll give him that."

***

Meanwhile, in Jack's office, Ianto was feeling his bollocks shrink up into his stomach.

He'd got the information out, and now Jack was staring at him as if he'd been replaced by some sort of strange alien creature, and he was trying to decide if Ianto were insane, dangerously insane, or just needed to be put down.

"It was perfectly safe, really," Ianto said feebly.

Jack stared at him, and then looked around at the office for some inspiration. "How the hell did you do it?"

"Well, I tried to use the sonic blaster, but it... didn't work. So, dynamite, really the only option."

"YOU BLEW UP THE HUB? ARE YOU CRAZY? DYNAMITE IS NEVER THE ONLY OPTION."

"It was controlled," Ianto protested. "It's just the same down there, really. Only bigger."

Jack looked at him in absolute, flabbergasted silence.

"If you'd just take a look, sir," Ianto pleaded.

Jack took a deep breath, obviously trying to retain some semblance of calm. Then he went to the hatch door, pulled it up, and peered down at the cavernous, dark space beneath, and the first few rungs of the ladder, which were all that could be seen.

He looked back at Ianto, and shook his head in disbelief, before climbing down into the hatch and making his way down.

Ianto found himself babbling after him, "It's still a ladder, see. It's just, you know, longer... and your office is still the same. It wasn't a load bearing ceiling or floor, or anything. I checked."

"Ianto," he heard Jack's voice echo from below. "Get your ass down here."

"Oh," Ianto said. He looked down into the dark. The lights had been on the last time he'd done this.

"Jack, could you... do you mind turning on the light?"

"No," Jack said blandly. "I think I'll wait for you. Wouldn't want me to see this masterpiece you've created without you, would you?"

Ianto gulped. Then, because there was clearly nothing else to be done, he gripped the top rung of the ladder, and swung himself down into the hole.

As he gingerly felt for the next rung with his feet, he heard Jack say conversationally, "You know, I could be wrong, but for someone who's scared of heights, this doesn't seem like the most brilliant idea."

Ianto didn't answer, certain anything he said would just make things worse.

It was strange, because he’d known it would be like this, Jack furious and him terrified, but he was still hating it, still holding his breath for the moment it would be worse before the moment it would be better.

As he reached the bottom of the ladder he wished that he would feel Jack's arm snaking around his waist in the dark, but knew that was the last thing he should expect, at least right now. It would come in time though, at least, so he assumed. Jack had, after all, forgiven him for a lot worse.

As his feet finally hit the ground, Jack turned on the light.



It was hard to know whether to be furious or touched, or even what question Ianto should be asked first. There was a lot to be said for a ceiling that was more than a mere foot above his head and the meticulousness -- expected, of course -- with which Ianto had moved his possessions. Even the camp bed was disassembled and folded neatly in the corner. And there were thankfully no embellishments to speak of. Well, except for the bed, which wasn't anything flash, but was clearly intended for two people. Silly really when he didn't sleep, although he knew that wasn't the point. The gesture was so many things, frail and fragile and young among them. Just, apparently, involving explosions.

"Awfully presumptuous, don't you think?" Jack asked, folding his arms across his chest.

Ianto straightened himself up, set his gaze in the way that Jack knew was never really for anyone's benefit but the man's own and said, "Yes."

It was hard work then for Jack not to smile.



After the ‘yes,’ somehow it all felt better, though he was still terrified, and it was hard not to babble, and so babble he did while Jack stood there with his arms crossed looking grim. Ianto explained both reasoning and logistics, assured Jack that he tried to make everything as simple and utilitarian as possible and made it clear that the rest of the team had only helped by keeping silent once he'd been entirely unable to keep the secret despite his best efforts. It was a lie, of course, and Jack would know it with or without the CCTV footage, but Ianto thought it was all right, that Jack would see the honour in it.

"So I guess I should expect you to be moving some things down here," Jack said, his voice still hard.

"No, sir. I meant what I said. I like my flat and the locker room's fine for my extra clothes. But we can squeeze another hour or so out of the day this way, and you have somewhere to retreat to again, and maybe I could live in my flat from time to time instead of just fucking there," he blurted, thinking that he missed eating a late breakfast, alone, in the Sunday sun of his sitting room.



"Is this because I said you should move?" Jack asked incredulously.

It had been a nearly off-hand comment on his part, although it had hovered in the back of his mind ever since he had said it. There'd been a look on Ianto's face, one that necessarily had to be disappointed, and just because they'd both known it, hadn't made Jack feel better about any of it.

"No. I knew it still bothered you to come down here. Which made it bother me to sleep here. Leftovers," he said.

"I should have told you a long time ago to get the hell out of here and get yourself a nice girl, Ianto Jones."

"Yes, sir. But I'd already done that. More than once. So I'm glad you didn't."

"I'll regret it one day, you know," Jack said.

"I know. But I won't."



Jack's rage seemed to be gone, much to Ianto's relief. There was a sort of sorrow there instead, but he knew how to do sorrow. Knew how to do it with Jack, just as he had known how to do it with Lisa, just as he knew how to do it with himself and he couldn't help but smile just a little.

"I see that I've let things get out of hand," Jack said, and Ianto frowned, beginning to expect some cruel retraction of sentiment. "Gave you too much power all at once. You have had fun these last couple of weeks, haven't you?" he asked, his smile becoming predatory.

"Um, yes sir?" Ianto said, not entirely sure where this was going or how to navigate it.

"Yes, absolutely," Jack clarified for him. "All right, play time's over."

"Sir?"

"Take off your clothes. I think we'll have a chat in language I know you can understand."

Ianto swallowed, feeling his knees go weak. And then as Jack stood there, waiting for him to obey, he began to undo his tie and unbutton his shirt.

After the past few weeks, this felt strange, nerve-racking even, undressing under Jack's eyes, Jack who had slipped back effortlessly into the easy confidence and decadent swagger that he'd not put aside, exactly -- Jack, Ianto knew, couldn't turn it on, because he couldn't turn it off -- but had sort of managed to ignore. Now it was on full display, and it seemed as if all of a sudden, Jack was too large for the room -- even with its newly high ceiling.

The force of his attention was like a spotlight, shining uncompromisingly on Ianto, and he wondered how he could ever have forgotten, even for a second, what this felt like. His skin crawled, and his belly knotted, and underneath it all, he felt the heat begin to rise.

Soon he was naked, and remembering how much more naked he felt when Jack was staring at him, still fully clothed and apparently unmoved. It was cold down here, and Ianto felt goosebumps on his skin.

Jack crooked his finger and beckoned; as if mesmerized, Ianto came forward to stand directly in front of him. Jack just looked him up and down for a few moments, and then with a jerk of his head, he indicated that Ianto should go over to the bed.

Ianto swallowed hard, feeling blood pounding in his wrists and temples, and literally felt unable to move. Jack shook his head and then seized his hair. Leading him along by it, he shoved Ianto roughly onto the bed.

"Turn over," he ordered, and Ianto did as he was told.

"You know," Jack said conversationally. "I've given you a pretty long leash, wouldn't you say?"

"Yes, sir," Ianto got out, his words muffled into the mattress, but not wanting to turn to look at Jack until he knew it was okay to do so.

"And we see the result of that," he went on.

"Yes, sir," Ianto agreed, and then yelped with surprise, as Jack laid a sharp blow on his arse.

"Well, it's gonna be a short one for a while now," Jack remarked, before spanking him again, harder this time. "But you knew that, didn't you?"

"Yes, sir," Ianto gasped.

Before, when asked, he had said that he suspected he'd find this sort of thing unappealing and he and Jack had had a peculiar conversation about their childhood sins. But now he was doing it anyway and it hurt. Yet something about Jack's voice and manner caused the stinging pain to settle in his mind as hot sparks of arousal, and Ianto bit the pillow in a desperate bid to silence himself as Jack hit him again.

He felt the bed creak as Jack sat down on it and manhandled him so that he was draped over his lap. Ianto felt himself blush; the position was so ignominious. Jack had a hand on the back of his neck, forcing it down and then he laid on a series of hard, punishing spanks, and Ianto writhed under them, feeling tears well up in his eyes, but at the same time, his cock jerk and swell with each blow.

He was pushed off Jack's lap, and there was the sound of a zipper unfastening, the sound of the opening and shutting of a drawer, and then something cold and slick and wet -- Jack's fingers, greasing him. Then Jack's cock, shoving inside him, and Ianto gave a short, desperate, imploring cry, unable to imagine how he'd gone so long -- infinities, it felt like -- without this utterly essential feeling.

He knew his groans must be echoing throughout the room as Jack fucked him, the roughness of Jack's trousers against his welted arse making him shudder -- he hadn't even bothered to undress, Ianto thought, shivering with the shame of it. And yet, he wanted time to stop right here, so he could stay just like this, poised on the cusp of orgasm, with Jack, always Jack, above him, inside him, using him, writing and rewriting him with each stroke.

From somewhere distant, he found himself thinking that this was funny because nothing had changed. This thing between them, whatever face it wore, was always the same; whatever it might look like to other people, it was always Jack who made things happen, Jack who defined him and who had sculpted him 'til he was his alone, made him a creature solely of Jack's creation, completely at his mercy. And as Ianto cried out into the pillow in mingled pain and pleasure and also with a strange sense of mourning, he had never felt so completely grateful in his entire life.

Because it meant that in addition to thanking Jack for everything, he could blame him for everything too.



In a way, Jack was grateful that Ianto had given him something to be so angry about, above and beyond the investigatory mess of the last 24 hours, because it relieved Jack of any and all misgivings about fucking him like he was merely a body to use.

Except he wasn't, not really. Because he was still Ianto who had done this entirely ridiculous thing for him; Ianto who had made a completely psychotic judgment call which, he had to admit, did actually make sense in a certain light; Ianto who had more force in him than most people Jack had ever known and yet still always needed Jack to be stronger than him in the end, at least for now; and Ianto who had been made, it seemed, for Jack to be mesmerized by -- the rest of it, the emotions, that had just been random bad luck and human nature, the cruelty of circumstances. But the fascination? That part had always been some sort of unavoidable fact. Much like himself, he mused, wryly, as he slammed into the man, determined to come fast and hard.

Once he had, the temptation to just leave Ianto aching for his own release was more than a little seductive. So much so that he knew it was just a matter of time before he did tie the man to a bed and let him whimper and writhe while Jack contented himself with a book or caught up on his endless stack of paperwork. But this wasn't the moment for that. Rather he wanted Ianto to feel that leash shortening, tightening and dragging him to exactly where he wanted to be, regardless of how ready to admit it or not he was.

Jack pulled out of him and rolled him over and he leaned down in his face as he jerked him off.

"You're lucky I like you," he murmured. "And you're lucky I don't have time right now to torture you the way you deserve."

"Yes, sir," Ianto gasped, his voice strained.

"None of that," Jack said, not wanting things to get even more muddled between them than they'd always been. "That's not for this."

"Mean it anyway," Ianto said.

"I suppose you do," Jack said fondly and then twisted and squeezed and grinned as Ianto came all over his hand.

He watched Ianto quietly as the man gulped for air and seemed to relax towards sleep almost instantly. Jack chuckled. He supposed Ianto, and probably the rest of the team, had been up all night in perpetration of this particular horror.

It was strange to be loved in so many ways, he thought. And strange too, not to feel like he didn't deserve it. It just was, and he was lucky. And if they could do good work and he could keep them even halfway happy, the exchange might somehow manage to border on fair.

"Go to sleep," he said, wiping his hand on the simple, yes, but obviously expensive sheets Ianto had bought. He shook his head and ruffled Ianto's hair. "I'll wake you for dinner."

Ianto made a noise that never turned into words.

"And thank you," Jack said, as he killed the light and began to climb the ladder.

He never saw Ianto smile against the pillow in the dark.

***

When Jack came out of his office, he found the rest of the team as he'd expected -- making a pretence of work -- as much as you could with ears peeled for any noises from below.

He cocked an eyebrow at them, but didn't speak.

The silence drew out until Gwen obviously couldn't bear it anymore. "Where's Ianto?" she asked.

Jack smirked at her.

"He's not... dead, is he?" she asked, the joking tone masking real worry.

"Literally or metaphorically?" Jack inquired. When they stared, he laughed. "He's fine. He's asleep. And you all should be too, by the looks of things."

"You're not angry?" Martha asked.

"Oh, we'll have a little chat tomorrow," Jack said, with as much cheerful menace as he could muster. "With all of you. Ianto too. About mutiny. And lying. And explosive devices. And about how sneaking things into the Hub when I'm not paying attention isn't good for my trust issues, as you should know, Gwen, from the last time that happened."

They all winced, and Jack smiled.

"Think about that while you're falling asleep tonight," he advised, and, as they all just sat there, he added, "that means you're done for the day. Go on. Take the night off."

"But Jack--" Gwen began to protest.

"It wasn't a suggestion," Jack said cheerfully. "Get the hell out. I'll see you all bright and early, when we can continue this fascinating discussion and explore the consequences of your little foray into architectural planning."

He watched, arms folded, as they collected their things, and made their way sheepishly past him towards the lift. They exchanged some nervous glances, and Jack grinned.

"Don't worry about the Rift," he said, having seen them all look back towards their workstations -- probably thinking of all the work they still had to do. "I'll be here to take care of things."

As the lift carried them upward, Jack looked down towards where he knew Ianto was sleeping the sleep of the truly worn out and then back at the rest of his team, who were still steadily rising out of the Hub. He blew them a kiss.

"I promise," he added under his breath, knowing they couldn't hear him. "I'll always be here. Go be at home, just for a bit." He looked back again towards his office, thinking of the new space underneath it. "If I can have it, you should too."

end

Continue to the Jack/Nine/Rose prequel, And I Cannot Know How Long She Has Dreamed of All of You

Comments

[mellacita.livejournal.com]

I don't think I blinked the entire four parts. Amazing.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

*offers you eye drops*

[dvanulya.livejournal.com]

Ok, I just want to tell you THANK YOU for writing this amazing fic. I haven't been able to read on LiveJournal for a while (long story, see my journal if even remotely interested), but I remembered the last part of this story I had read, The Most Beautiful Girl in the World, and now I've had to go back and get the chapters in between. So now I'm happy, and if LJ gets blocked, I'll have all this to read. I don't know how you do it... I'm in awe of your creativity and prolificness (is that even a word? don't care).

Thanks.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Thank you and you're welcome.

I don't know how we do it either, truth be told, but we finally seem to have not just a process but a rhythm that works, and we've probably written the equivalent of a novel between that last piece of this you read and the end of this, so it should keep you busy for a while!

[frackattack.livejournal.com]

I absolutely love this series. Thanks for writing it. Lovely as always. :D

[rm.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[celzmccelz.livejournal.com]

This fic is so many different things at once. I'm not sure what to say. But it was lovely.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

I think we like writing Torchwood because it makes our lives look simple -- which takes some doing.

[d8rkmessngr.livejournal.com]

Absolutely breathtaking. I igored doing everything because I couldn't stop reading. lol

[rm.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much!

[marvola.livejournal.com]

'kay, I don't think I have the words to express just how much I utterly loved that piece.

Honestly, nothing I can say will do it justice so consider this comment a standing ovation. Or something.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much. It is very much appreciated. We live in such a vacuum with these as we write them (my partner is not a Torchwood fan, hers hates Ianto), it's always a relief to hear they work for people.

[cruentum.livejournal.com]

Fuckin' amazing. And so right.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

It was very scary, I thought (no idea what part of this made Kali nuts) to confront the domestic issues that were to my mind an unavoidable topic but also entirely impossible to resolve in any normal way.

[kaimu.livejournal.com]

I loved the insights of Jack's thoughts for the Journey's End portions, especially that scene with him and Rose in the TARDIS. It was a scene that was missing in the original episode and it was great to see. Also his thoughts on Donna and WHY he didn't go there, and his explanation to Ianto about it was great.

As for Jack and Ianto, after reading this I couldn’t get rid of the smile on my face. They both came into this broken, but in the end they found what works for them without the other having to compromise what they are, and they are both genuinely happy with it. As always, these stories have been an amazing read.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Thank you! We will be visiting them again soon, but we thought this was a decent place to leave them and folks reading, while we addressed their individual backstories.

[(Anonymous)]

This was marvellous, very bleak in parts, which seems appropriate. I found myself getting very annoyed with all of them at times, and feeling some despair, especially for Ianto. Not that I get over involved or anything.

I can't bear stories which portray the Doctor in sexual situations, it's just a thing I have from my childhood love of the show, and the way I see the character, but you write so well that I didn't let those bits, and the Rose bits, put me off. (Yes I know, issues) I may not manage your next series though, although I can cope with 9/Rose, Eccles did bring a sexuality to the role that no one else ever has.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Thank you, whoever you are!

It won't be a series, just two pieces from that time (and then a piece of Ianto's life before Torchwood 3), and I think if it winds up being something that is squicky for you (although, I note as we're talking it through, I think it's a bit squicky for the Doctor as well), you still shouldn't have any problem picking up with the Jack/Ianto thread of this when we return to that, because while it will feature Ten, it won't be in a sexual context there.

(Kali -- did I give too much away?)

[missthingsplace.livejournal.com]

Fantastic!

[rm.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[valancy-joy.livejournal.com]

Jeepers Creepers kids. Crammed in the first three parts at work (you're contributing to the delinquency of a non-minor. happy? giggles) ... and then had to slaver away on the drive home waiting to get back to this.

So nice to see a scene I so wanted with the DW finale... Jack returning home.

And fascinating to me too because I'm struggling through my own j/i 'what the hell are we to each other' story chapter and while I know what I believe they are to each other (mostly), I am still sussing out what THEY think they are to each other, and what they're willing to admit that they are (both to themselves and to each other)... and how the hell do you write that w/o fluffy bunnies hopping all over the screen?! Must re-read and learn from current work of genius...

And the Donna thing WAS weird 'cause Jack was totally flirting with Sarah Jane so for him to ignore Donna came off as odd to me... and I like character traits to um, well, be consistent (hellow TW are you listening? :0))

Anyway-- y'all (or as we'd here in pennsyltucky y'uns) rock! thanks for waking up my brain after a muchly sleepless night!

[rm.livejournal.com]

Thank you very, very much. I am relieved we managed to address these issues without any fluffy bunny horror. It's a tricky, tricky thing, and it's not aided by Jack's tendency to be grandiose in his gestures.

And yeah, we totally caught the Sarah Jane fascination too (hence that in the story as well) and were like "What?!? Donna's cool now. And we don't believe in Jack being put off by an aggressive woman at all!" (hence that allusion in the stuff about his past). It wasn't just hard to navigate, but seemed really important to navigate.

[rainshadowsfic.livejournal.com]

um. Amazing. stunning. this is just... wow. the places you went with this, and it all flowed together. I love it. I love this view of Ianto and Jack's relationship. Yesyesyes. Well done.

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! We're thrilled you enjoyed it, and the progression of their relationship. And thanks also for your comments re: flow. We wrote a bunch of this while rm was at dragon*con, and I was starting a new semester, which is always a super busy time, and it was a stylistic shift for us too, with lots of characters, so it is great to hear that the flow worked.

[amandakcampbell.livejournal.com]

Wow! I really enjoyed this installment! There are too many little moments to point out and show love to, so I'm just having a big love-on for the whole thing. Awesome job! :)

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

Thank you! We're so glad you enjoyed it so much =) Yay love-on!

[electro-club.livejournal.com]

Ha! =D A boring, cold, rainy day with nothing to do at work; suddenly my brain is magically lighten up by the idea of quit re-reading sports news and going to your LJ! You go, lightening bubble! And there went my day at work as well, but who cares? Not me, for sure. My paperwork for college? Maybe. Me? No way.

This, by far, has been the 'awwwwwwwwwwwwwww'est of your fic series. Lol At least to me. And I'm not fond of the fluffly-gucci-gucci thing between those two - the excess of it, of course. But when admin. in right portions and well written - and making sense - it's always my favorite. =) It's all perfect. All perfectly adjusted and fitting and making perfect sense, so you [us, readers] can't really think it otherwise. It just has to be that way, and it seems right, rather than OOC, like the majority of fics out there. It's the hardest thing to achieve, I think, because everybody tries and everybody wants it, but very few people can actually make me 'awwwwwwwwwwww' at a fic instead of arching inquisitive and uncomfortable eyebrows. Perfect 'awww' moments it like the Holy Grail for TW fic writers and readers. If you don't have it, you surely got pretty close to it. =)

Jack is still Jack, me having personal issues with him and all, Ianto is still so very Ianto, even Gwen is so, so, annoyingly Gwen. Jack turning Donna and her 'great tits' down was sweet. Lol He would obviously be interested on her, Jack has been interested on aliens with blue-greenish skin, what is Donna compared to that? And she is soooo cool! =3 Trying to behave for Ianto was cool. I don't think Jack has suddenly become monogamous because of Ianto, they don't seem to be that kind of couple. There is, however, and understanding, and I think they have limits as to where they can or cannot go out of respect for one another, above all. Although, in 4x12, this question Ianto makes about Jack's encounter with some soldiers or something does imply that, perhaps, they are being exclusive. But I think this sort of happened, not that they really intended to be like that. If they ever talk about it, I imagine it would be like you have portrayed in this fic. They are being sort of monogamous, but not intentionally. I mean... I don't think Jack has been with anyone else in TW, after Captain Jack, anyway. They have fulfilled each other, simply. That's, at least, the way I see it.

I'm just sad this will take a break for a while. =/ I'm really curious to read past adventures of our Batman and Robin there, but I'm so, so, SO, eager for the following chapters of this time line. I do know, however, I'll be as delighted and thrilled by that as I have been so far. Because, well, it's you two. I love Doctor Who. I love Nine. But I hate Rose. Sue me. Can't stand her, can't stand her! I love Martha, I LOVE Donna, but Rose... Rose I wouldn't be satisfied enough if never ever popped up in DW again.

Sorry for the gigantic comment, and the poor English. =(

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much. We live for gigantic comments!

We knew this was going to a domestic "awwww" place as we were writing, and we were trying desperately not to be ooc, or fluffy bunny - so thank you. It's lovely to know it worked for you.

And yeah, we very definitely didn't want the monogamy to be the usual - one true love for all time thing; at the same time, we had to explain Jack's indifference to Donna, the soldier comment in the Stolen Earth etc. And I think Jack understands the idea of gift, even if this isn't how he interprets loyalty.

Batman and Robin! Awesome! I will be stealing that one ;-)

Rose is a polarizing force in fandom, I think. People mostly seem to love her or hate her. I'm fond of her -- I love all the Doctor's companions (from new Who anyway) -- and the relationship between the three of them (Nine & Jack & Rose), but she'll only be making an appearance in one short (we think!) fic.

[sanginmychains.livejournal.com]

'Three nights in the moonlight' broke my heart.

I love this look at the question of power - who has it, and what kind, and how they use it. Specifically Ianto's and Jack's power over each other, and why they each give up power at different times, but it was all over -- Gwen's power to get people to open up (some people) and to plant an idea; Martha's power to observe and go unnoticed, then acting at the right moment; Mickey's power to make a situation work. And all those questions of home, of who finds a place at Torchwood, for how long, and for what reason.

Unrelated note, but I feel compelled to comment -- if my LJ happens to have a fic on it in the next few weeks involving Jack kneeling naked on a bed, blindfolded, I want it stated for the record that I was working on it *before* I read your blindfolded naked scene (which was awesome).

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

Wow! What a fabulous comment, thank you so much.

yesyesyes! power & home & finding those things in Torchwood -- and how they all negotiate it. That is exactly what we were trying to explore in this one - and thank you so much for seeing it in Martha & Mickey & Gwen, as well as the guys who were actually playing with the whips and chains.

I look forward to your blindfolded naked kneeling Jack with great anticipation.

Glad you liked (were touched by?) the nights in the moonlight...
We're sorta vaguely toying with the idea of writing out the moth fable ;-)

[sanginmychains.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah -- and you did a terrific job with the Journey's End bits. Better than the episode, in fact, although given what a travesty of missing-important-stuff that was, that's hardly a compliment. Thanks for having Jack and Rose have, ya know, a conversation that starts "hey you make me immortal!" I mean really -- shouldn't Rose be going, "Hey weren't you dead or something?" Just a *little* surprise at seeing Jack? But that's just the beginning of my complaints about the episode, so I'll stop now and go back to saying, I like what you did here.

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

There's certainly a lot missing from that episode! But I think, technically, Rose does know Jack's not dead - in the Children in Need Special (in between DW S1 & S2, Rose says they have to go back for Jack, and the Doctor tells her that Jack's got enough to do rebuilding the Earth, or something... not of course, telling her that he's running away from Jack like a little bitch.) But yeah, some surprise or acknowledgement of their relationship and his, oh yeah, IMMORTALITY would be awesome.

Thanks again! First time we've really felt like we had to do a gap filler.

[adafrog.livejournal.com]

Wow, very well done. Thanks.

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much!

[cherry-soup888.livejournal.com]

I may have to point you in the direction of all my previous comments - they speak a lot of the perfection of your fic. This is also so utterly perfect I loved every word. I swear to God, get rid of every Torchwood Novel authour and just give you two the job because you're both amazing.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much. Alas, they only hire Brits and aren't too keen on porn. That said, we'd do the job in a heartbeat.

[minsock.livejournal.com]

This was hauntingly beautiful. And so fantastic I neglected chores and friends and work.

This is exactly what Janto should be like, exactly what Torchwood should be like to insiders and outsiders. Thank you!

[rm.livejournal.com]

Thank you. This is a lovely, lovely compliment.

[innibis.livejournal.com]

God you're fabulous.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Hee! Thank you!

[darthhellokitty.livejournal.com]

Eeeeeee! <-- me getting the inevitable fangirl squee out of the way - fangirling, not the show, not the characters, not the actors, but YOU TWO.

God, this was intense.

You certainly solved my problems with Journey's End, by putting us in Jack's head and seeing where he went with it - giving us some more time with Jack and Rose - it didn't really take all that much, but what an improvement.

The exchange between Jack and the other Doctor - whoa, just a little scary, and I *loved* it. Other Doctor is dangerous, and sometimes I wonder what the Doctor was thinking in leaving him with Rose. I'd love it to result in mayhem, but I suspect I'll have to be content with fic for that.

Gwen and Ianto, scared to DEATH in the time bubble - YES. And having those sort of fucked-up conversations. And Ianto being so deeply appalled at Gwen's retconning Rhys! Ha!

Jack's story about working on perfecting Retcon - really good, also chilling.

Jack and Ianto's stories about what they got in trouble for when they were younger - freaked me out big time. Very effective.

The whole tension (at least for Gwen!) between what Jack and Ianto have, and what Gwen THINKS a proper relationship should look like, was pure gold.

Jack needing Ianto to hurt him, and Ianto liking it a good deal more than he would have guessed - YES. Then Jack not necessarily NEEDING Ianto to hurt him, but letting it go on because he loved seeing what Ianto would come up with, was very cool.

The whole thing with who tells who to do what, and what the chain of command is, and just generally how the five in the Hub now get along - FANTASTIC.

I absolutely love Mickey Smith. I always have. Seeing him interact with Ianto, who thinks he's an annoying idiot, is a joy. The whole exchange about "but how can you NOT be attracted to Jack?" was priceless. Especially Mickey's telling Ianto to think of it as something he chose, not just something that HAPPENED.

It coordinated nicely with Jack's choosing not to fuck various people in Journey's End - not something Ianto demanded, and in fact something that surprised the hell out of Ianto! That was very cool. Monogamy is way cooler when it's an option.

How you managed all that relationship stuff without venturing into the shmoopy I don't know. Remarkable. Lovely.


Also - using dynamite to remodel Jack's little place - FUNNY AS ALL HELL. And having that little subplot sort of bubbling under the bigger dramas - LOVED IT. And it really did bring the Hub folks together, didn't it? Albeit, together in tricking Jack.

Loved Jack's being so utterly pissed off about the remodeling, and grabbing the reins back (hello, mixed metaphors) to punish Ianto. Wooooooo.

I'm constantly dying to see whatever you write next.

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

Wow, this is a spectacularly awesome comment. Thank you!

The exchange between Jack and the other Doctor - whoa, just a little scary, and I *loved* it. Other Doctor is dangerous, and sometimes I wonder what the Doctor was thinking in leaving him with Rose. I'd love it to result in mayhem, but I suspect I'll have to be content with fic for that.

I've actually got a fic percolating about alt!Torchwood with Rose & Other Doctor. Mayhem will definitely ensue. And yes, Other!Doctor is not what I'd call... safe. He's very Nine-ish. And that's one dark bloke.

Gwen and Ianto, scared to DEATH in the time bubble - YES. And having those sort of fucked-up conversations.
It's like a really fucked up slumber party. Where the guests CAN NEVER LEAVE.

God, so relieved the five in the Hub worked! It was great having them, but stressful. Much like Gwen & Ianto, we resist change, and we miss Tosh & Owen.

And relieved it didn't get schmoopy, or at least not TOO schmoopy. We were terrified of that while writing.

I don't remember in what cracked out state we came up with explodey!Hub, but it made us laugh. So glad it did for you too!

Seriously, huge silly grin over here. Thank you.

p.s. omg, heart your icon so much!

[snglesrvngfrend.livejournal.com]

It's far too late and I have class in the morning! There was absolutely no way I could stop reading until the story was done. The insight you guys give is always nothing short of astounding; you take these episodes that we've seen (some of us over and over!) and make them somehow entirely new.

I wholly applaud your portrayal of Ianto and Gwen's relationship; it's so absolutely real. And Jack and Ianto's personal views of other people are so interesting. I particularly enjoy Jack's take on the new Doctor, the way he sees the differences in him, especially the lust.

Riveting stuff, and I mean that very sincerely. I look forward with much anticipation to another installment, and can only hope you guys have nearly as much fun writing these things as the rest of us do reading them!

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

Sorry we kept you up late (I feel your pain; this chapter in particular meant my students got a very... sketchy first few classes! *laughs* I wonder if any of them read fic), but thank you for this delectable comment! We are so glad our vision of the episodes works for you; it's really interesting trying to actually stay firmly within the bound of canon (sometimes with less success than other times) but at the same time, really illuminate our own idea of what's going on. We try to make sure there's a basis in the original material to justify anything we do, and it's so great to know it works for you! Thank you so so much.

Yay on the ianto/Gwen thing. I have gotten to be a huge fan of their very complicated friendship, while writing this. *g*

And yeah, we're totally addicted.

[kahtyasofia.livejournal.com]

Again, you're the only author going who can bring tears to my eyes! Love the broken boys knowing they're broken and also knowing there's no where else either of them can be. I adore Jack taking back the power. He THINKS Ianto doesn't know he wants that but Ianto knows...at least for now.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

One of the things Jack and Ianto have in common is a profound, childlike curiosity, which is part of why they give each other such long leashes to be peculiar with. The sex is part of that.

[rabecka.livejournal.com]

I don't comment as often as I should, so let me play catch-up here and just say how awesome you two are; for the ideas, and the writing, and the characterizations, and the fact that you write loooong stories and then post them in one shot, and anything else I've forgotten to mention.

And now, for one little section in this story that made me incredibly happy (though the scene was bittersweet..). Please forgive me if I get a bit rant-y.

A year comparative to a typical lifespan here if I got realistic. And I was wrong. We both know that now, right? You're a fucking moth, Ianto. Three days in the moonlight, and I only get one night of it. Seems worth it to me not to get distracted, not to nod off, not to waste time.

Yes, yes, yes! Do you know that this is the only story I can think of that really seems to get Jack's lifespan. I've seen so many that don't seem to understand the difference between a few thousand years and a hundred trillion*. One of the most common mistakes being to equate Jack's lifespan with the Doctor's, when really, the Doctor (at least if you believe in the 13 regenerations) is just a slightly longer lived moth. And I can absolutely buy this as a reason for Jack being monogamous. Not that Ianto is the only one he'll love forever and ever (oh, please...), but that he wants to make the time he has with him as rich as possible. Unlike most of us, time's the one thing he has an almost unlimited quantity of.


*Or a mere 5 billion if you credit a certain segment at the end of LOTTL, which I try really, really hard to ignore, because I find it nauseating. If RTD had to pick something out of greek mythology, the myth of Tithonus is not the one I want to associate with Jack.

[rm.livejournal.com]

We're big fans of the FoB thing (more on this later!) for all sorts of reasons, but that aside, yes yes yes and yes. I hate when people talk about the Doctor like he's immortal just because he can go anywhen (but always slowly strangling himself as he cuts off more and more timelines to himself because of the paradoxes).

Even if Jack only has a huge, devastating love every 100 years (and I'm not even sure we view Ianto that way, but he is absolutely the one for him -right now-) and knowing him and the lifespan of Torchwood employees, it's probably more often than that, that's still going to be thousands upon thousands of people and Ianto and the rest of the 20th and 21st century will be lost to Jack's memory in that long a time at all. It's just the way it is. And it's okay. It doesn't make those feelings less. And I think we really wish we got to see more of that in fic, which is why we're playing with it so much here.

Thank you!

[lefaym.livejournal.com]

My god, your Jack/Ianto is so deliciously fucked up. :)

[rm.livejournal.com]

Heee! Thank you!