Hearts

[czarina_kitty]

Title:  Hearts
Author: czarina_kitty 
Pairing/character:  Jack Harkness/Ianto Jones
Rating:  PG
Summary:  Valentine’s Day at Torchwood
Disclaimer: I do not own, or make any money from the use of, these characters.
Notes: Written for Round 1, Challenge 2 at jack_ianto_las , for the prompt: Valentine’s Day. 

 

 

“Have I ever told you,” Jack said between bites of his sandwich, “about the Crevecoeur on Hydrophaneoyus?  Fascinating species.   When they bond with their soul mate, the give each other their hearts.  Literally.  There’s a ceremony and everything.  They rip each other’s hearts out of their chests and exchange them.  Their physiology is completely different from ours, of course, the heart is more of a vestigial organ...”

“I don’t want to know what a divorce is like,” muttered Owen, not quite under his breath.

Jack, unfortunately, heard the question.  “You’ve heard the expression ‘eat your heart out’?  It’s pretty much like that.”

“I told you I didn’t want to know!”

 “So, Jack,” Gwen said, trying to return some semblance of normality to the team’s lunch meeting.  “What did you get Ianto for Valentine’s Day?”

 “Nothin’.”
“You’re taking him out then?”

 “No plans,” Jack said.  “We didn’t exactly expect to be free tonight.  The Valentine’s invasions might not be quite as common as the Christmas’ ones, but then we also don’t usually have the Doctor around to help, either.  No matter what the rift predictor says, I don’t think tonight will be quiet.” 

 “You still have time,” Gwen said brightly.  “You can go out after lunch and pick out something nice for him. 

 “Ianto and I agreed we weren’t doing anything to celebrate.  That’s one of the perks of dating a man, the romantic stuff just isn’t as important.”

 “Are you sure he wasn’t just saying he didn’t want to do anything because he knew you felt that way?” Gwen pressed.

“And that,” Ianto said, entering the boardroom with a tray of coffees.  “Would be another perk of dating a man—we don’t play those kind of head games.” 

 “Oh, come on Ianto,” Gwen cajoled.  “You’ve a romantic streak, I mean with Lisa…”

 “Yes, I sent Lisa flowers and chocolates, bought her jewelry, and took her out for candlelight dinners and dancing.”

 “And you enjoyed that?”

 “Honestly?  She enjoyed it, but I found it bloody exhausting,” Ianto said, sliding into the chair next to Jack.  “I don’t need all that to be happy.”

 

******

 

“I know we agreed not to exchange gifts,” Ianto said after the others had left for the evening.  “I got you something anyway.”

 “You shouldn’t have,” Jack said, crossing the floor of his office to catch Ianto in a hug.

 “I wanted to,” Ianto said, handing Jack a carefully wrapped package.  Ianto watched nervously as Jack unwrapped a heavy leather bound photo album, then explained, “I wanted to give you something practical and I thought you could use it to preserve the photos you keep in that box in your desk.  I know I’m not supposed to know about those, but…”

 “Ianto,” Jack said softly.  “It’s perfect.  And I got you something, too.  Because I wanted to,” Jack said handing over a small box.

Ianto opened the box to reveal a pair of onyx cufflinks, shaped as twin hearts.  “They’re beautiful, Jack.”

“I thought giving you my actual heart would probably be too messy, but know that it is yours,” Jack said, pulling Ianto in for a long kiss.  “And if you ever need a transplant…”

 “I’ll keep that in mind.  Although I somehow think NHS would have a problem with a donor who was still walking around.”

“That’s why we have Owen, these things don’t bother him,” Jack said, kissing Ianto again and leading him towards the entrance to his bunker.

“Jack?” Ianto said suddenly.  “Could you share your immortality that way?  Give someone your heart and have it keep beating forever.”

“It doesn’t work like that.  But if I could, you’d be the one I’d give it to.”

 

 

 

 

Comments

[jolinarjackson.livejournal.com]

I made notes while reading during the voting stage:

The alien story was very interesting. Owen's reaction was great. I also liked the boys giving each other presents, most of all the photo album. A sweet little story. :)

[czarina-kitty.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

I almost gave up and used a skip in this round, because this just didn't feel like it had come together at all.

[lone-star-woman.livejournal.com]

Aww... this was sweet. I loved that they exchanged presents in private. Jack as an organ donor -- how is this not a trope by now?

[czarina-kitty.livejournal.com]

Not sure why organ donor!Jack isn't a trope yet. I say we establish it as one ASAP.

[lone-star-woman.livejournal.com]

You've inspired a little fic. :-)

[czarina-kitty.livejournal.com]

I cannot tell you how ridiculously happy this makes me.

[chamilet]

This was so sweet in a non-schmoopy way.

[czarina-kitty.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I almost pitched the whole thing because it felt schmoopy by the time I finished it.

[bk_forever]

Awwww! This is just so RIGHT! They don't feel they have to do all the trappings of Valentine's Day, but they give each other a gift anyway, just because they want to.

I love that Jack would give Ianto his actual heart if he ever needed it. Even knowing Jack would grow another, that still means a lot. They're really very romantic, they just don't flaunt it in front of the others,

[czarina-kitty.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I can't see them getting caught up in the hype of the holiday and I really can't see them showing that romantic side to anyone but each other.

[czarina-kitty.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I'm glad it felt like them.

Yes. We need more organ donor!Jack stories.

[remuslives23.livejournal.com]

I remember liking this very much at the LAS. A very sweet fic!

[czarina-kitty.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[jsks.livejournal.com]

i am so happy that you did not ditch this story. ianto/jack were very much in character. agree with owen about the story during lunch- eeeewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.

[czarina-kitty.livejournal.com]

Thank you. And I'm sure that isn't the worst story Jack has told over lunch.

[royalladyemma.livejournal.com]

Now this is just beautiful. I can hear the nonchalant hope in Ianto's voice when he asks Jack about giving his immortality with his heart, just as I can hear the sincere regret and honest love with which Jack responds.