m_findlow

Title: Out of time
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Jack, Ianto
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 500 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for Challenge 450 - Past Challenges Revisited & Challenge 130 - Time at slashthedrabble
Summary: There's just never enough time for everything.

'Not now,' Ianto said, batting away Jack’s attempts to snuggle against his neck with his lips. Jack however was far more persistent, ignoring Ianto’s efforts to stop him.

'Jack, enough!'

'What? Can’t a guy enjoy his boyfriend for a few minutes?'

'Now’s not the time.'

Jack let go and huffed. There was never a right time these days it seemed. Not that long ago, it had been Ianto complaining that they never spent any time together. There was always something getting in between them: the rift, weevils, the end of the world. You name it, it made any and all attempts to ruin whatever time they might have singled out for just the two of them. Jack had assumed that it didn’t bother Ianto, and that it was all just part of the job, but he’d made his feelings pretty clear one night when he’d been more than a little heavy-handed with a weevil that had gone rogue. It was all Jack could do to pull him away before he did some permanent damage.

Jack couldn’t understand it. Why the complete one-eighty? Rather than let Ianto sit there and stew in his newfound work ethic, Jack called him out on it.

'You don’t wanna spend time together anymore?' he said, folding his arms and looking askance at him.
Ianto slowly put down his pen on the desk and looked up at him.

'How is this supposed to work, Jack? We have a job that is twenty-four seven. Most days we’re lucky if we get time to shower and eat breakfast, sleep is a luxury, and no matter how efficient our systems and processes are, there’s just never a moment to spare. I know I was mad about it earlier, but let’s just face it, there’s no time for normal things like relationships.'

'You’re breaking up with me?' Jack let the words fall from his mouth before he was too shocked to say anything else.

Ianto let out a vexed sigh, reaching out a hand to Jack who flinched away.

'It’s not that. I still love you, I just don’t know how we do this.'

Jack wrapped his arms around Ianto’s neck, letting him lean his head against Jack’s hip.

'I know things have been crazy lately, but they’ll let up eventually. You’re tired and overworked, I get that, but don’t give up on us because of that.'

Ianto wrapped his own arms around Jack’s waist, keeping him close. He thought he might just fall asleep against him right then and there. Jack stroked his hair with his hand, creating soothing patterns.

'I don’t wanna give up on us either,' Ianto replied, the sound muffled against Jack’s shirt. 'I just need another ten hours in each day.'

'I know,' Jack said. 'I was thinking maybe we need to extend the team. A few new faces to lighten the load. What do you think?'

Ianto didn’t reply, having fallen asleep.

'You’re right,' Jack said. 'There’ll be time to talk about that later.'