tampered | (no subject)

When; August 3, around noon
Rating; PG-13
Characters; Kyle Brooks

justashow and Jack Harkness

handsomejack
Summary; The Captain and the Barrister attempt to have lunch.
Log; Kyle waited outside the restaurant, leaning casually against the rough stone wall of the building and trying not to look like his stomach was doing flips. He also resolved not to check his watch again, as he knew he'd arrived far too early and it was pointless to watch the minute hand tick around. Part of him was still expecting a phone call with Jack's apologies and the reluctantly given statement that he just wasn't ready to see Kyle again.

Which was all right. Kyle would accept that, yes, if he'd been sent home to a world that forced him to kill off pretty much every joy he had and then was dumped back into the City after a year of mourning to find these things set in his lap again, he would be hard-pressed to face them too. But from Kyle's perspective, he'd had both his lovers stolen from him and even though they returned to be right in front of him, he couldn't touch them. And that was difficult to deal with too.

Kyle shook himself and rolled his eyes. This was not the pity-party hour. This was lunch. He wouldn't be greeting Jack with sad eyes and shaking hands. He was going to be bright and casual and gently coaxing and not at all clingy or otherwise give the impression of a man who has neither slept nor ate well in almost a month. In fact...

Kyle took his sunglasses off and checked his appearance in the reflective surface. Not that bad. His outfit was perfect, hair too, and concealer and moisturizer hid the shadows under his eyes. He was ready.

And still early.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"It's part of Owen's job to be frightening and he does it quite well," Jack agreed though there was obvious fondness and pride in his tone.

His love for his lost team.

Picking up a sandwich corner, he dipped it into his soup and neatly dispatched it, hoping to entice Kyle to do the same.

"I gave Ianto a little bit of a whatfor when we spoke, I just ... I don't know that he realized how important it is, just having him there to fuss over, especially for Gwen."

Kyle picked up a corner and nibbled at it delicately. He was not the sort of person to dip sandwiches in soup.

"It's...I'm glad, in a way, that he doesn't realize. That he doesn't understand yet because I don't know what will happen when he does."

Kyle couldn't imagine knowing the exact moment of your death, knowing you were on borrowed time. If Ianto became depressed or reckless or tried to push everyone away because of it...

"But it is frustrating to see him push himself when he isn't ready. Like he always pushes himself," Kyle said, shaking his head.

Jack could mind his table manners only so far and then he was dipping sandwiches into soup. However, he discreetly slowed down his own eating to give Kyle more of a choice of the small tidbits, just wanting to make sure his lover ate while they were together.

Instinctive alpha habits, even if he was trying to reject the role.

"He always has," he said fondly, though he sobered a little. "It's probably the only thing that got him through Canary Wharf and the hell that followed. I don't know if we ever spelled it out but figure he was 21, 22 when he snuck Lisa in under my nose and kept her and that equipment secret for almost a year."

On the one hand, Jack had been furious because of the danger Lisa and that conversion machine posed, on the other ... how could he not be proud of Ianto's strength, brilliance and loyalty?

"Did he tell you that he slipped the restraints Owen put him in?" Kyle asked, a little exasperated amusement seeping into his voice.

"And then detached himself from his tubing, hacked the lock on the clinic door, stole a communicator and hid behind an upstairs cabinet before I caught him."

This would be Jack's attempt to look sheepish.

"It's really easy, you flex your muscles when someone goes to put the cuffs on you, then when you relax you have room to wiggle."

Yep, Jack might have taught Ianto that trick, amongst others.

Kyle gave Jack a Look.

"He was supposed to be sedated at the time. And I stubbed my toe running down the stairs to look for him."

Jack gives an innocent Look back?

"Do you want me to kiss it and make it better?"

"That would be something wouldn't it? You kissing my feet?" Kyle said smugly as he popped the last bit of his sandwich corner into his mouth.

"I'll have to note that down for later."

"You'd love every minute of it," Jack teased good naturedly as he tucked into his soup with a proper spoon.

"Yes," Kyle said softly. "I'm sure I would."

He sipped at his water and considered the last sandwich corner.

That didn't sound convincing and Jack was thoughtful for a moment as he sipped the delicious soup.

"What are you thinking about, Barrister?"

"Hm? Oh, nothing."

Kyle gave what he hoped was a reassuring smile. There was no need to burden a man already heavily burdened, after all, and this was about giving Jack something soothing and normal to return to.