Torchwood: Fanfic: Homecoming

[m_findlow]

Title: Homecoming
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Jack, Ianto
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 1,377 words
Content notes: Spoilers for BigFinish audioplay "Uncanny valley"
Author notes: Written for m_findlow's prompt "Any, any, coming home to find nothing has changed" at fic_promptly
Summary: Jack expected an icy reception on his return to Cardiff.

Believe it or not, but dying and coming back never gets easier. If anything it gets harder. Maybe I'm just getting old, assuming that's a thing, but everything takes just that little bit longer to heal.

The car is a mess. Shame really. It was a nice set of wheels. Rich guys always have really nice cars. At least it served a purpose, if not the one of intended for it. Neil Redmond is dead, or at least the thing that was pretending to be him is. I just wish the real Neil wasn't dead.

Now, you're gonna ask me, aren't you? Did I have sex with that thing because it was all part of the plan, or because I wanted to? It's like he said, some people like to try new things. Doesn't make it right all of the time. Chalk it up to an experience had, rather than one I'd leap at. It's easy to forget yourself in those moments - forget why you're here, and what your life means. I like to think it's just that it's been months since I've slept with anyone. Would you pass up an opportunity like that? I'm not gonna lie, it was pretty hot at the time. A guy's got needs, after all.

Okay, so there's a little bit of guilt. Is it cheating if you do it with a robot? But I'll level with you - the whole time, all I could think about was Ianto. Ever since that day in Turkey, he's all I think about. Being back in Cardiff only makes it all that much harder. That's why as soon as I get back to the car, I'm headed for the hub. This thing with The Committee has become way too big for me to deal with on my own. If they created a robot version on Neil Redmond, how many other robots might they have created? Anyone could be impersonated with that kind of technology. It's a terrifying proposition.

The rain just never stops, all the way back to the car, and the ache in my legs is only just starting to dissipate. Stupid immortality. Why can't anything be simple? As soon as I'm back in the car all I wanna do is sleep. Believe it or not, too much healing in a short space of time really takes it out of a guy. But no, there'll be time for that later. Get to the hub and at least you'll be safe for a time. The Committee haven't gotten to us there yet. At least I don't think they have.

I'm expecting the place to be empty when I get there. A few hours to crash before the rest of them arrive and I can catch them up on everything that's happened. Only it's not empty. Ianto's been sleeping on the sofa, or at least he had until the alarms went off as I walked in through the door. At least they didn't change the codes on me, locking me out. Not exactly the entrance you wanna make when you've been gone for so long, curled up by the door like some homeless tramp, waiting to be let in.

'Hey,' I say. I don't know what else to say after all this time. I couldn't care less if he's mad at me, just seeing him here is the best thing ever.

'What happened to you?' comes the worried question.

Yeah, I probably look like hell. Something the cat dragged in. 'Caught out in the rain,' I say.

'You must be freezing,' he says, hurriedly tugging off my coat. I wish he was tugging it off for other reasons, but maybe later. I can't help but notice he spots the tear in the arm straight away, where Neil's bullet grazed my arm. Another repair job for a guy who has enough to do as it is. Sorry just doesn't really cut it these days.

Once the coat is gone, I feel ten times lighter. It turns out some of that tired, heavy feeling was just the weight of the water soaked into my coat. The rest, however, is on me.

'Shower,' he instructs without another word, pushing me towards the corridor leading down to the locker rooms. I'm guessing he means just me, judging by the stern look. This isn't one of those joint efforts. Pity.

There's no sexy Welshman, but there is hot water and fluffy towels. Two things I've really missed, followed by fresh, dry clothes. Not the usual shirt and pants I expected, just plain old flannel and cotton - the kind of thing you only wear to bed. It implies we're no longer on the clock, or maybe I just look more tired than I thought. It's certainly a lot easier to put on without buttons and zippers. The guy who invented elastic is a genius.

'How are you?' I manage that much whilst sitting there on the bench. Ianto's still fussing with toweling my hair, unsatisfied with the job I did. It's the kind of mothering he does when he's got things on his mind. It's overkill, but I can't be bothered arguing with it. It's nice just to have someone else in the room after months of loneliness and hiding in the shadows. The free head massage is pretty good, too.

'Fine.' There's a tightness in his lips as he says it. There's more to it than that, but I'm not going to find out tonight.

'How's the leg?'

'Better. The odd little twinge every now and then, but otherwise... Thanks for patching me up.'

'Thank the doctors.' All I did was get him to the hospital and then leave. He deserved better, but I couldn't risk that I wasn't being followed. What I did, I did to protect them. 'I missed you.' If we don't say anything else meaningful tonight, at least know that much. Running off on my own seemed like a good idea at the time, and hey, when you're about to be pinged for the brutal murder of a high profile public speaker and author, you don't have a lot of options.

'I know. You did what you had to do.'

'I'm back now. I'm not going anywhere.' This isn't just a pit stop. In truth, maybe I shouldn't have left at all. I thought I could fix this. Turns out I'm not nearly as good as I thought I was.

There's another tight little half smile. 'The others will be glad. There's a lot for you to catch up on. Tomorrow,' he adds.

I reach up and grab his face with my hand. I hate when he goes all professional like this. 'I'm serious, Ianto.'

His expression softens, ever so subtly. 'I know. We all did what we had to do.'

I pull him down and kiss him hard. After everything that's happened tonight, what I really need is just to feel another human being. Not a robot, not a quick shag, just something real. It's better than any hot shower.

A little smile creeps across his face when we part. I haven't quite broken down the wall, but it's starting to show cracks. 'Can I get you something to drink?'

'Double scotch?' I say jokingly. Shouldn't have passed up that earlier offer.

'I was thinking more along the lines of coffee.'

'I know you were,' I say, getting up and following him back to the main area of the hub.

Ianto plants me on the sofa with gentle persuasion. 'I'll go fix that coffee. You want me to text the others and tell them you're back or let it be a surprise?'

'Whatever you think is best.'

He looks at me with another small smile. 'They really will be glad to have you back. I know I am.'

'I'm glad to be back.' Funny how absolutely nothing seems to have changed. Ianto smiles and leaves.

I pick up the scrunched blanket, where Ianto was sleeping not half an hour ago. It's still warm as I pull it to my face and breathe in his scent, curling up under it. I lie down on the sofa and close my eyes. I don't think I can wait for coffee, but Ianto will forgive me. He always does.

Comments

[bk_forever]

I love this. The team's been through a lot while jack's been gone, but they'll catch up with everything later. Right now Jack's just glad to be back where he belongs, and Ianto's glad he's back too.