Slashthedrabble Challenge 605 - Sleepless in Cardiff

[m_findlow]

Title: Sleepless in Cardiff
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Ianto, Jack
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 500 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for Challenge 605 - Insomnia at slashthedrabble
Summary: Jack is having trouble getting to sleep, much to Ianto's annoyance.


Jack squirmed in the bed, waking Ianto for what must have been his third or fourth attempt at almost getting to sleep. It was getting to the point where it was almost worth sleeping on the sofa just for a bit of peace. He had a very nice sofa, it should be said, but the problem with moving from bed to sofa was that Jack often followed him. It was like there was an invisible rope tethering them together. Only when they were having a row did that invisible rope break, leaving them comfortably, if not happily, sleeping apart.

'Would you please stop fidgeting?' Ianto implored, rolling over on his side and trying to put a few extra inches between himself and Jack so that his motions would be less disruptive. Any further over however and he was likely to be on the floor.

'I can't sleep,' Jack replied, sounding vexed by the situation.

'You're trying too hard, then,' Ianto said. Usually Jack could be asleep within seconds of his head hitting the pillow. Even a cup of Ianto's best coffee late at night well after hours wasn't enough to stop him from descending into blissful repose. Jack's trouble was staying asleep the whole night. Getting up at three am wasn't unusual, taking up residence in Ianto's study, or parked over the kitchen counter with his laptop, keeping that restless mind ticking over with work.

'I'm not,' Jack insisted. 'I couldn't be any more relaxed.' He shuffled in the bed again, snuggling up behind Ianto and wrapping arms around him, like he was a safety blanket that might help Jack get to sleep faster. Ianto sighed and let him. Anything was worth a try if it helped. Ianto went still and hoped that Jack might finally beat him to sleep.

Jack jerked again a few minutes later, just as Ianto was almost asleep. 'I've got it.'

'Got what?' Ianto mumbled unhappily.

'Why I can't sleep. Remember how I came and visited you down in the archives today?'
'Mmm hmm.' Annoyed and distracted was the more correct description of Jack's visit. Anything to avoid paperwork.

'One of those items I saw you were re-cataloguing was a Somnorem Wave Generator.'

'Which does what exactly?'

'Alters your brain wave patterns to reprogram your natural circadian rhythm. Great if you want to avoid the kind of serious jet lag you get from deep space travel. Must've still been emitting a low level wave field.'

Ianto sighed. 'I'm not feeling anything but sleepy.'

'It wouldn't work on you. Your neural physiology is far too primitive. Mine however…' Jack groaned and sat up. 'I should go back to the hub and reprogram it. Otherwise I'm likely to be stuck on Delta Nine daylight savings time for the next three weeks. One day there is equivalent to about six here.'

Ianto pulled the covers up. 'Fine. Just don't wake me when you get home. Your caveman boyfriend still operates on Cardiff GMT and needs his beauty sleep.'