m_findlow

Title: Fighting for attention
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Jack, Ianto
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 849 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for Juliet316's prompt "Any, any, fwap: (v) to smack someone across the top of the head" at fic_promptly
Summary: Sometimes it takes fear to realise what's important

Fwap!

The sound actually rung out as Jack smacked Ianto across the top of the head.

'Ow! What the hell did you do that for?'

'I don't care if you're incredibly sexy, and make the best damn coffee in the universe. Don't you ever do that again!'

Tosh and Owen heard it too, and wished that they could sink into the floor and disappear at this particular moment. Jack had already had one stand off with Gwen about retconning Rhys, and it looked like he wasn't finished with the team yet.

No sooner had he slumped angrily into his chair, watching the CCTV feed outside the plass, watching Gwen and Rhys amble away to enjoy their afternoon in happy coupledom, than he'd been back on his feet and marching over to Ianto's desk. The scotch he'd poured himself earlier had been abandoned after one mouthful, sitting idly on the desk whilst he delved into a pile of paperwork, happy to put the memories of the day's events behind him. That was at least until Jack decided to have a say in the matter.

Ianto grimaced at him. He really didn't want to have this conversation, especially not with Jack in the mood he was in. They only ever fought about two things; Jack's inability to keep clean and tidy up to Ianto's exacting standards, and Ianto's willingness to put himself in danger. The third thing they never fought about was Gwen.

'What the hell were you thinking taking on two guys with guns?'

'Oh, right, next time I'll just let them shoot Gwen, shall I? Though I thought you'd be more upset if they'd killed her instead of me.'

Jack fell back, as if he'd been slapped in the face. 'How can you say that?'

'All day, all you've been worried about is winning some stupid pissing contest with Rhys. Never mind that there was an alien that needed our help. Never mind that it nearly crushed Tosh to death. Never mind that Rhys took a bullet for your precious Gwen.'

'Rhys should never have gotten involved!'

'That's right. Because there's only one hero around here, isn't there Jack?'

Jack was fuming now. He was mad at Ianto for taking stupid risks. Risks that had nearly gotten him killed. And here he was, pissed off at Jack because he thought Jack was just trying to point score with Gwen.

Maybe he had been, he admitted. He couldn't set aside his feelings for Gwen, but watching Rhys only made them seem sillier. If Gwen really wanted him, that was her decision to make, and even then, there were no guarantees. Right up until the moment before Dale had stood there, poised over Ianto with his gun, he wasn't sure what he'd do if she made a move on him. Now he knew. He didn't want to stand between her and Rhys. He wanted Ianto, and only Ianto. His heart had stopped completely at the sound of the click on the empty chamber. The whole universe had snapped sharply in a different direction, and he knew he'd been given a second chance to not mess things up.

Ianto pushed past him, picking up his jacket, annoyed that Jack hadn't even bothered to defend the accusation. 'I'm going home. Let me know when you've decided which one of us you actually want.'

No, Jack's mind screamed. He couldn't let Ianto leave. Yes, he'd been mad that he would throw his life away so cheaply; that was what he was trying to tell him. He wasn't a boss telling off an employee. He was a lover, begging his sun and stars to not put him through such agony.

He bolted across the hub, putting himself between Ianto and the door.

Ianto raised two incredulous eyebrows at him. 'You're going to stop me and tell me how it's going to be? Or did you want me to go and retcon Rhys, so Gwen can be mad at me, and you'll still be her hero?'

Jack didn't want to parry words with Ianto anymore. He also knew that Ianto would win any argument between them, able to inflict more damage because Jack had left himself open for it by his own actions. He'd wanted to hit something, anything, and had decided that Ianto's head was a good enough target for his frustrations. Instead he gripped Ianto and pulled him to him tightly, squeezing him hard, trying to say everything that was important to him in that one embrace. He was angry because he was scared, and scared because he let himself love, letting it creep up on him slowly until he was engulfed in it with no way out.

'I need you,' he whispered, praying Ianto would understand what he meant, and what Ianto meant to him. He didn't let go, and wouldn't until Ianto hugged him back. He was shaking from the thought of losing him before he finally felt Ianto's arms wrap around him, holding him tight.

'I know I can't stop you,' Jack began, 'but please be careful. For me.'

'I will.'