Fffc Bingo Card - Tough love

[m_findlow]

Title: Tough love
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Ianto, Jack
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 1,000 words
Content notes: none 
Author notes: Written for Bingo Card Prompt 83 - Sick at fffc
Summary: Jack is having to employ some thought love to get Ianto to take things easy. 

Jack scowled as he saw Ianto walking gingerly towards his desk with what Jack hoped was only a cup of hot water - tea at a pinch. He would read Ianto the riot act if it was coffee in that mug. He towered over Ianto as he sat slumped in the chair, hugging the mug of weak tea in his hands and looking a right sorry state. 

'What did I tell you?' Jack said, setting his hands on his hips to show his annoyance at his lover. 

'I am taking it easy,' Ianto replied, though his voice lacked any strong sense of conviction or argument. It was like he was too tired to argue and Jack was hardly surprised by that. 

'You should be in bed,' Jack insisted, finding it hard to be sympathetic and commanding all at the same time. He wanted to be hard on Ianto but the other part of him wanted to wrap the man up in as much cotton wool as he could and never let him leave their house ever again.

'I'm fine, Jack. Really.' He brought the mug of tea up to his lips, took one sniff of it and reconsidered, setting it back down on the desk. 

'See?' Jack said. 'That just proves my point. You can't even stomach that pathetically weak cup of tea without thinking you're not going to be able to keep it down.' 

'It felt like it was probably still too hot and I didn't want to burn my tongue.' 

'Liar,' Jack said, calling him out. 

'I really am fine. And just look at all this work on my desk that needs doing.' He picked up one of the files. 'This was meant to be done yesterday, and these,' he said, tugging out the three files stacked underneath it, 'were from Tuesday.' 

Jack took all of them out of his hands. 'And all of them will still be here tomorrow, not going anywhere.' 

'You've rather missed the point.' 

'Have I?' Jack turned so that he could sit on the edge of the desk and look his lover in the eye. 'Two hours ago, you were on the floor trying to keep your empty stomach in check.'

It was becoming something of standard operating procedure at their home lately. Jack wasn't sure where the phrase morning sickness had come from because Ianto didn't seem to care what hour of the day it was when his insides would suddenly decide that they much preferred being outside. There was going to be no hiding a pregnancy with the amount of suffering Ianto had been subjected to. The nausea had become a daily part of life, but unlike stories he'd heard, the waves of nausea and vomiting sometimes went on for hours or even all day. Jack had lost track of how many days he'd spent watching his lover looking all pale and waxen, unable to eat a thing and able to keep it down even less. Ianto had made their bathroom his second home, intimately acquainted with the toilet bowl and sink. In between bouts of throwing up he'd decided not to migrate back to their bedroom where a cosy bed awaited him, but rather just to lie there on the cold bathroom floor tiles. He claimed it was because they felt nice against his hot, flushed skin, but Jack figured he just couldn't bring himself to move. Nobody claimed that sleeping on a tiled floor was the best thing they'd ever done, and that was where Ianto had spent most of last night, unable to settle for more than half an hour without the nausea returning. It was all Jack could do to mark the days off the calendar. The first trimester must be over sometime soon and hopefully that would also mean an end to all of this. A baby should have been wonderful news and a happy experience but so far it wasn't delivering on its promise. 

'You don't have to be a martyr about this, you know. It's not a badge of honour.' 

'I'm not being a martyr. I'm trying to keep my head above water even if my body doesn't want to play fair. I can't just give up the job.' 

Jack reached forward and cupped his hand around Ianto's neck. He began a slow massage that he felt Ianto ease into. There was no mistaking that he was bottling up a sense of exhaustion at the lack of sleep.' Is that good?' 

'Mmm,' Ianto hummed. 'I think I dozed off at an awkward angle sometime early this morning.' 

Jack continued the massage. 'Every angle on a bathroom floor is awkward. You should at least take a pillow and a blanket with you if you think you're going to spend the whole night being sick.' 

Ianto gave him a weak smile. 'A pillow and a blanket? Next you'll be wanting to move the whole bed in there for convenience. And you as well.' 

'Not convenience. Comfort. How do you expect to get any sleep at all in there?' Jack could scarcely coax a rolled up towel under his head. 

'I'm not going there for a nap.' He let his eyes close and his head fall back as Jack's fingers worked their magic, easing out the knots and tension. 

'You're about ready for one now,' Jack said. Even Ianto's executive leather chair was more comfortable than a hard floor. 'Let all these reports go unanswered for a few more hours. You're no good attempting them tired and on an empty stomach.' 

Jack could tell Ianto wanted to argue the point but Jack's neck massage was draining the fight out of him. His eyes were already shut and Jack's fingers eased their ministrations so that he could drift off to sleep without effort. It didn't take long either. He'd had so little lately that he craved it even if he didn't realise it. 

Things would get better, Jack knew. He just had to look after Ianto until they did.