Title: When The Morning Comes
Author: bookwrm89
Rating: PG-13'ish
Characters/Pairings: Jack/Ianto
Spoilers: set post-From Out of the Rain, spoilers mainly for that episode
Summary: Jack finds Ianto sleeping.
A/N: written for butterflycell as a bribe for another chapter of Sky Blue and Black. If you're not reading this wonderful fic, you should - it's lovely. Hope this was what you wanted, Hon!

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Jack let himself into Ianto's flat, quietly taking his shoes off and hanging up his coat.  He knew the case with the Night Travellers had hit his young lover hard and Jack had sent him home to relax.  Finishing up a few things at Hub had taken longer than he'd expected and it was late.  Ianto had left a lamp on next to the sofa, and Jack switched it off as he passed. 

He walked into the bedroom and paused, drinking in the sight that met him.  Ianto was sprawled across the bed, covers bunched at his waist.  Light from the moon outside slanted across his face, illuminating the slight pout to his lips and the shadows around his eyes.  One arm rested lightly across his stomach, the other reached out towards the side of the bed where Jack normally slept.

Jack's heart ached for the man that had dealt with so much anguish and loss in his young life.  Ianto should be working someplace normal, going out with his mates in the evenings, playing rugby on the weekend and flirting with any pretty young thing that caught his eye.

Instead, he'd chosen to spend his life in a dank, underground base, risking his life on a daily basis in a thankless job.  Dating a man who flirted with anything that moved and left him for months at a time with no explanation, not even a note saying goodbye. 

There were times that Jack wanted to give Ianto the life he deserved.  The normal job, the house with a white picket fence, the loving partner to grow old with.  But he knew Ianto wouldn't accept it even if Jack offered.  They were both too deep in Torchwood to ever leave.

Jack removed his clothes and walked to the other side of the bed.  He smiled at the soft little snores coming from his lover's mouth.  Slipping under the covers, he enjoyed the way Ianto turned toward him, snuggling close against his side.  Ianto snuffled slightly in his sleep, rubbing his cheek against Jack's shoulder before settling back down with his head nestled into the crook where shoulder met neck.

Wrapping his arms around Ianto's warm body, Jack knew that when the morning came Torchwood would pull them back to reality.  But, right now, for tonight, he could pretend that they had a normal life.  That he was going to grow old with the gorgeous, bright, funny man he held in his arms.  A contented smile graced his face as Jack drifted to sleep, thinking of the life he and Ianto could share...in their dreams.

fin

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