FIC Torchwood (drabble) - Sleeper

[fajrdrako]

Title: Sleeper
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Jack/Ianto
Challenge: tw100, challenge: reverse fandom buffy
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine, no claims, all property of the BBC.
Notes: Spoilers for Torchwood series 1. Cross-posted to my LJ and to tw100.


Sleeper

Unlike Ianto, I don't sleep. Some nights I stay with him, listening to his breath, feeling the comforting warmth of his naked body against me. Sometimes I lean over to sniff his skin or hair, letting him fill all my senses.

Sometimes this wakes him, and we make love.

Sometimes dreams disturb him, and I hold him to soothe him. He dreams of Lisa, and weeps. Sometimes the nightmares are of cannibals and aliens, or - whatever any man might fear, in our line of work.

Asleep or awake, I have my own nightmares.

Such is life in Torchwood.

Comments

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

In 100 words you've got the essence of their relationship: two extremely lonely people, seeking comfort, love, a moment's peace. Bless them.

Thank you.

[louiex.livejournal.com]

Short, sweet, but lovely~ In so few words you've built up a beautiful dynamic between the two of them.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

What a nice comment - thank you.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

It's the way I see them - both loving and troubled.

Thanks for the comment!

(Cute icon you have there.)

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

You've somehow managed to show Jack being tender and careful of Ianto without slipping into woobie-ism. That's a rarity; a gem.

This is how I see them.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

This is how I see them.

Yes - we agree, and I appreciate your comments.

I hope Jack will never slip into woobie-ism in my stories.

[elebridith]

Oh, that was moving! I like that you have put Lisa in it - Ianto would not forget her, methinks. And maybe this whole thing helps Jack with the faery nightmare thing - that's something Ianto would soothe him.
Lovely!

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

I don't think you'd let that happen. :-)

I do wonder what it might be like, if Jack were open enough to let Ianto comfort him for a change. I wonder if he could ever let himself go that far; his reserve is massive and forbidding. He seems to like being Strong.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I don't think you'd let that happen. :-)

I think not. If I ever do, kick my ankles and tell me to stop, okay?

I do wonder what it might be like, if Jack were open enough to let Ianto comfort him for a change.

That would be nice to see. I think there are several steps there - levels of trust in Ianto's emotional strength and trustworthiness, for example. (If I were Jack, Ianto's betrayal in "End of Days" would still make me very, very cautious with him.) And his own need for strength and courage and the shields he needs to keep around himself for fear of damaging the present (with knowledge of the future), disgusting/losing his friends because of the darker and less admirable aspects of his past, and so on - all conspire to make Jack believe that he can't confide in anyone. And yet a theme of the whole story is "who can we confide in?" and "a person needs someone to talk to about the difficult stuff".

The only person I can think of that Jack has been able to talk with in total honest and candour is the Ninth Doctor, who is gone. He might be ready for that with Ten, but Ten isn't around. Martha, maybe?

Or Gwen, or Ianto, if that level of trust can be reached. I don't think Jack is anything like ready for that yet.

It would be interesting to explore what would happen if he reached the point where the need for comfort was greater than the need for self-protection. I see it as a sort of - self-combusting explosion that might be good for both of them and might be disastrous. Interesting either way!

There's a lot about forgiveness in this show too, and though Jack has forgiven the others for all sorts of thing, I don't think he has learned to forgive himself.

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

trust in Ianto's emotional strength

I'm afraid he might wait a while for emotional strength from Ianto. He's too young and damaged at the moment. Perhaps with Jack as a support he'll learn to flourish. It does seem like Ianto has no one else (parents? friends? no?), and the last few years have been rough on him. But plant him in the sun of Jack's love... who knows.

The trust issues cuts both ways with these two. They've both shown themselves as traitors to the other. I can only explain Ianto's hanging on to Torchwood as needing Jack; needing a place to fall.

But love works in mysterious ways, damn the thing... and it's clear that there's love.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

He's too young and damaged at the moment

So it seems. So Jack can't turn to Ianto for strength, though there is a certain level of support there. I love their conversation in "Sleeper" about Jack's intimidation technique. ("You don't look terrified." "It passed.")

It does seem like Ianto has no one else (parents? friends? no?)

Not insofar as we've ever seen, and that tempts me to think that he doesn't have family at all - Lisa was the only one he was close to. Is this indication of further trauma in his past - he was orphaned? Or estranged from his family somehow?

But plant him in the sun of Jack's love... who knows.

He's clever and brave, or tries to be. I'm rooting for him.

I can only explain Ianto's hanging on to Torchwood as needing Jack; needing a place to fall.

It seems to be the only home he has. And his only ties. On the one hand, I think it's difficult for him that he knows so little about Jack - knows that there's a lot Jack won't share with him. But he also has the sense to appreciate what he does get from Jack, which includes a lot of positive things. He doesn't seem to resent Jack's lack of commitment - he only fears that Jack might go away again. Not quite the same thing.

But love works in mysterious ways, damn the thing... and it's clear that there's love.

There certainly is, on both sides. So. Isn't it great to see?

And with love... with the right kind of love... trust comes automatically and easily. We shall see.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for saying such nice things about this. No, of course Ianto will not forget Lisa - not ever - remembering both his love for her and the horror of what happened to her.

And Jack: yes, the faery nightmare - Jack takes his responsiblities to others very seriously and has difficulty in getting over when those he feels responsible for are hurt or killed. He's very protective.

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

I wonder if Ianto's extreme youth isn't part of his attraction for Jack. (Well, that and his cat eyes. No wait-- that's me.) Was it you who thought that Jack was also attracted to Ianto's all-too-clearly demonstrated capacity for giant no-limits love?

And yes, so wonderful to see them grow together. I hadn't expected anything of the kind.

Is this indication of further trauma in his past

I wonder if "Memory Thief" will fill us in a bit? Or the origins episode that's coming up second-to-last in the season?

I'm really on tenterhooks for "Memory Thief".

Oh yeah, that "not terrified" moment was priceless. Jack was getting all proud of himself, then *pop*. :-D

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

He's very protective.

I adore that about him. :-) That's one of his best traits.

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

Well, here's this from Gareth:

He's got Jack as parent, guardian, and lover...

Yup.

It also makes me think the orphan thing may well be true.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I wonder if Ianto's extreme youth isn't part of his attraction for Jack.

Good point, and I suspect that is true. At something like 180+ and feeling world-weary - Ianto's youth is probably most appealing as a contrast and a reminder of what he once felt like.

that and his cat eyes. No wait-- that's me.

I think Jack would agree. That, and the very pretty body, the cute smile, the angling eyebrows...

Though of course a point - maybe the main point - of my drabble is that Ianto doesn't have to do anything to comfort Jack except to exist - to be there. Jack gets comfort just from Ianto's physical presence.

yes, so wonderful to see them grow together. I hadn't expected anything of the kind.

I didn't dare hope for it.

I wonder if "Memory Thief" will fill us in a bit?

Yes. I wonder. It's... hard to know exactly what to expect.

Jack was getting all proud of himself, then *pop*. :-D

I loved it that he was worrying whether he was scary enough. Ianto handled it beautifully.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

He's got Jack as parent, guardian, and lover...

Eeee! He said that???

I am thrilled. It's exactly as I see it.

It also makes me think the orphan thing may well be true.

This is my current guess. It also explains why Ianto seems such a lost soul, so completely tied to Torchwood and to Lisa and to Jack - as if he doesn't have another side to his life. As if he has been very lonely.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I agree. It's an aspect of his caring, and I like that so much.

[raissad.livejournal.com]

Excellent!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

Yes! Isn't it so wonderfully perfect? What a potent triad that is, and it underlines what you say about their unequal status.

Hm. His reunion with Jack in "End of Days" actually takes him through all three of those.

He also said that Jack inspires Ianto, and that for Ianto the whole thing is very serious. Ianto is absolutely In Love.

Isn't it thrilling that for once --in the whole history of entertainment-- we're not making all this up! *heart explodes from joy*

as if he doesn't have another side to his life

We haven't even seen his apartment, which makes him seem all the more unrooted. We've seen everybody else in their beds but not Ianto in his.

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

Ianto doesn't have to do anything to comfort Jack except to exist - to be there. Jack gets comfort just from Ianto's physical presence.

:-)

That's all. Just...

:-)


That's the sweetest thing in the world.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

That's the sweetest thing in the world.

Yeah, I think so too.

It's love, that's what it is.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

What a potent triad that is, and it underlines what you say about their unequal status.

Yes. I totally love it, and it's a relationship that is so... extraordinary, and at the same time, very centred and warm. Yes, "End of Days" contains it all.

I think you can tell how much Ianto is in love: the lines don't refer to it, but the acting puts it across perfectly.

Isn't it thrilling that for once --in the whole history of entertainment-- we're not making all this up!

I done died & gone t' heaven.

*heart explodes from joy*

All this and I have my wonderful Jack/Doctor relationship and an omnisexual Jack and great entertainment like the outrageous Captain John and the so very brave and romantic 1941 Captain Jack.

It's so good, it just doesn't seem possible!

We haven't even seen his apartment, which makes him seem all the more unrooted.

I wish we would. I really wish. It would say something about his personality - just as Gwen's, Tosh's, and Owen's places all say something about them. It's part of the cahracterization. And Jack, too - his lack of a home says volumes about him and the role Torchwood takes in his life.

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

Cain't nobody deny it.

I almost can't get my head around how much Jack has changed toward him this season. How tender, how respectful.

At what point in that long year of torture did his thoughts turn to Ianto? What awakened his heart? Oh, how perfectly delicious!

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

I think you can tell how much Ianto is in love: the lines don't refer to it, but the acting puts it across perfectly.

The epic fluster during the Date conversation... that was just delightful. I have absolutely been that person. OMG!OMG! BEING COOL. bright red! OMG!OMG! BEING COOL. bright red! OMG!OMG! BEING COOL.

In fact that makes me wonder if Ianto's very pink shirt was meant to suggest that. :-)


I can't decide what Ianto's apartment looks like. Minimal and clean like his exterior demeanor? Chaotic like his emotional life?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I almost can't get my head around how much Jack has changed toward him this season. How tender, how respectful.

Yes, and how... open to him, in terms of talking to him, sharing ideas with him.

At what point in that long year of torture did his thoughts turn to Ianto? What awakened his heart?

I think he learned to appreciate what he had, when he had lost it.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

The epic fluster during the Date conversation... that was just delightful.

It was wonderful. Ianto alone with Jack - and Jack showing interest, and teasing him - and Ianto being totally discombobulated. "Some fetishes should be kept to yourself.... Wouldn't want you to be too excited." He's so adorable there! (And Jack thought so, too.)

Pink shirt: suggestive on so many levels.

I can't decide what Ianto's apartment looks like. Minimal and clean like his exterior demeanor? Chaotic like his emotional life?

I can picture it as either. Retro, traditional, modernistic, trendy? Minimalist or the den of a collector? Does it reflect or disguise his character? And in what ways? There are so many possibilities.

I do hope we see it soon.

I expect the unexpected, actually, but I've no idea what that might be!