Torchwood: Fanfic: Early riser

[m_findlow]

Title: Early riser
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Jack, Ianto
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 1,120 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for mtxref_fic's prompt "Torchwood, Jack/Ianto, because, if I can't sit outside naked and eat my watermelon every morning then I really don't see the point in moving in with you" at fic_promptly
Summary: Ianto didn't fully think through the consequences of asking Jack to move in with him

Ianto stretched out in the bed as he slowly woke up. He reached his arm across the bed, finding nothing but an empty space where Jack had been there last night. He slumped back down into his pillow, regretting the cold patch of sheets where he'd hoped Jack might be. He had obviously left earlier whilst Ianto was still asleep.

Ianto groaned and rubbed his face. This was all because he'd had to go and open his big mouth last night, suggesting that Jack move in with him. He'd been in two minds all day about bringing up the subject. It wasn't as if Jack didn't already spend an inordinate amount of time at Ianto's house. The hub might have been convenient, but they'd reached a point in their relationship whereby unless they were absolutely exhausted, they preferred the space and comfort that Ianto's bed offered. Jack's tiny cot had served them well, but there was only so much you could take of being squashed between your lover and a concrete wall, or worse, tumbled out of it onto the floor in the middle of the night because there simply wasn't enough room once one of them decided to roll over.

Half his wardrobe had also been cleared away to make space for Jack's clothes, so that they didn't have to think twice about whether Jack would have something clean to put on in the event that the rift decided to interrupt their normal routine, if it could even be described as normal. And of course, Ianto made sure he had all the requisite accouterments: toothbrush, razor, fresh towels and other toiletries.

It had seemed such an innocent thing to say last night, extending what they currently already did into something formal. 'We sleep here, we eat here, and you have most of your clothes here. Why don't you just move in properly and be done with it?' He'd hoped the statement had come across as casual and nonchalant. He didn't want to sound desperate or needy. Truth was he really did want Jack to move in with him. He loved having Jack here. When he wasn't, it felt like the place was too big, and he was just rattling around in it on his own, waiting for something to happen. Most nights that he spent alone, he was glad of the rift alerts that sent him rushing back to the hub.

He rolled over in the bed and pulled the duvet cover up around his ears, snuggling into it and trying to replicate the feeling of Jack's arms wrapped around him. He didn't feel like getting up just yet, even though it meant he could get to the hub a bit earlier than usual. He wasn't sure he could face Jack who'd done a runner on him in the middle of the night. Coming in early might be seen as yet another sign that he'd become a little too clingy for Jack's tastes.

As he settled back into his pillow, he caught sight of the chair in the corner of the room. Jack's coat was still draped over the back of it. How could he have forgotten his faithful coat, Ianto wondered. As Ianto continued to stare at it he noticed the shirt lying underneath it, and then the pair of boots and accompanying socks crumpled into a ball underneath the chair. He surely hadn't left without half his clothes. Socks Ianto could imagine he might leave behind and trade for fresh ones, leaving the dirty ones for Ianto launder, but he wasn't going to get far without his boots. It made him wonder if Jack had really left at all. Forcing himself out of bed, he padded down the hall, looking for his lover.

The study was empty, and the computer turned off. The living room was similarly empty, as was the kitchen, except for a knife that was lying on the kitchen counter, which Ianto was sure hadn't been there last night.

'Jack?' he called out. There was no response. No, Ianto thought, he couldn't have left without his boots, he was certain. He just had to be somewhere. Sighing and setting aside the mystery for a moment as he came to stand in the front hall, he tugged open the door to go and retrieve the newspaper from the front lawn. If nothing else, he'd be able to see if the SUV was still parked outside on the street.

He didn't get past the first step before he heard his name called out.

'Ianto! Morning!'

Ianto turned to find Jack sitting on his front porch on the rusty old swinging seat that he'd never bothered to take down when he'd bought the house. 'Jack?' He blinked twice, making sure he was seeing what he thought he was. 'You're naked. And you're eating watermelon.'

Jack shrugged. 'I was hungry,' he replied. 'I didn't want to wake you up for breakfast so early, so I just raided the fridge. I saw the watermelon and couldn't resist.'

'You're naked,' Ianto repeated. Yes, it was early, but there was Jack was sitting there for anyone to see who might just happen by the house, taking a bit of a look up from the low front yard fence and towards the porch.

'It's a beautiful morning,' Jack replied. 'Just look at that blue sky and sunshine. How often do you get a morning in Cardiff as spectacular as this?'

'But you're naked!'

Jack gave a heavy sigh and a slight look of annoyance in Ianto's direction. 'If I can't sit outside naked and eat my watermelon every morning then I really don't see the point in moving in with you.'

Ianto sputtered for a moment. 'You're moving in?'

'Isn't that what you said last night?'

'Well, yes, but...' But he hadn't expected Jack to make himself quite so "at home" so quickly.

'Come sit and have some watermelon,' Jack said, patting the seat next to him. 'It's not as rickety as it looks, though I may have dribbled a bit of juice on it. This watermelon is very juicy.'

Ianto tentatively sat down, before Jack pulled him into a more comfortable position, leaning back against him. If anything at least it blocked some of Jack's more intimate parts from their neighbours.

'Try some, it's really good,' Jack said, handing over another slice of watermelon.

'You're going to get the neighbours talking about us,' Ianto murmured, before biting into the juicy fruit.

'Who says they aren't already?' Jack replied. 'Your newspaper delivery guy was very friendly when he came by earlier.'

Ianto paused mid bite, before sighing. Yes, the neighbourhood was about get a whole lot more interesting with Jack in it.

Comments

[bk_forever]

Oh Jack... He couldn't have sat out in the back garden where he was less likely to be seen, of course not...