Title: Naked Truth
Author: remuslives23
Word Count: 992
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Ianto gets naked in more ways than one.
Author's Note: Written for jack_ianto_las for the prompt: And then suddenly I was naked again'. Unbeta'd.
Warnings: Nekkidness!

Ianto shivered and wrapped his arms tightly around himself, the remains of his and Jack's clothes in ragged tatters on the floor around him. 'You know, Jack, when you came back, I told myself that I wouldn't be taking my clothes off around you until you'd followed through on that date. And then, suddenly, I'm naked. Again. With you.'

His head fell back against the hull of the space ship they were trapped inside, hearing a dull clunk as it hit the frigid metal. 'I've never been able to keep to my resolutions around you,' he muttered, drawing his knees up to his blood-streaked chest.

He glared at Jack's body, arranged as neatly as Ianto could manage under the circumstances. 'I must admit, though, when I thought about this moment, you were a little less... mortally challenged.' He grimaced in disgust and awe at the grisly sight of Jack's leg - almost entirely ripped from his body by a pissed off alien with razor-like claws - slowly repairing itself. 'You also had all your limbs attached.'

Ianto glanced around the cargo hold they'd been unceremoniously tossed into, searching desperately for an accessible way out that he might have overlooked while distracted by large aliens that spat acid, Jack's bone-chilling screams, and so much blood. But the only exit appeared to be in the too-high-to-reach ceiling and, as a fresh round of tremors shook him, Ianto closed his eyes and prayed to a God he'd long stopped believing in for help.

Because they were on their own.

'We should never have gone out without contacting one of the others,' Ianto mumbled, keeping his eyes on Jack's face - well away from his bloody leg. 'It could be hours before Tosh gets to the Hub and checks the overnight rift spikes and, with our comms and phones disabled by the Kjarkians, she won't be able to track us.'

He snorted and shook his head. 'It's your first week back and I've already been in more life threatening situations than I was the entire two months you were gone.'

He coughed - the feeling like razor blades tearing at his throat - then licked at his dry lips. He tasted copper then gagged when he realised the blood on his tongue wasn't his. He spat saliva and bile onto the floor then swiped a shaking hand across his mouth. 'Although, if the temperature gets much lower, chances are I'll be long dead before anyone finds us.' He shrugged and rubbed his arms roughly in a futile attempt to warm up. 'At least I'll miss out on the clean up.'

There was still no response from the corpse at his feet, and Ianto sighed. His eyes traveled over Jack's face, tracing the features he knew so well, that he'd explored night after night with lips and fingers. 'I missed you,' he whispered, letting slip the words he knew he'd never say while Jack was conscious. 'I missed you so much, and I'm so angry with you for leaving.'

His lips quivered with cold and emotion as his gaze trailed down Jack's naked form. 'But I'm more angry with myself because I forgave you the moment I saw you.' His eyes lingered on Jack's leg, watching in wonder as the last of the gaping wound knitted together. 'God, I don't think I'll ever get used to that.'

Ianto shuddered and shook his head in despair. 'I don't know if I'm strong enough to do this, Jack. To be with you and watch you die over and over, to watch you leave me again and again.' He laughed mirthlessly. 'But I don't know if I'm strong enough to do it without you, to not be there when you come back.'

His face soured as he remembered the joyous expression on Jack's face as he ran away from Torchwood, from Ianto, eight weeks ago. 'If you come back next time.'

There was a gasp then Jack was flailing frantically. Ianto reached out, grabbing his waving arms and holding them tight. 'Easy,' he rasped, hissing when his naked thigh met the chilly floor. 'I'm here.'

Jack's anxiety seemed to ease at the sound of Ianto's voice. For several long seconds, he stared up at Ianto as if he couldn't believe his eyes then he smiled and tangled their fingers together.

'How long was I out for?'

'About half an hour,' Ianto said, voice shaky with relief. 'I wasn't sure how long it would take or if this... quirk of yours has an expiry date...'

'It doesn't.' Shadows darkened Jack's face. 'I'll always come back.'

Ianto bit his lip and edged away, but Jack seized his wrist. 'Always,' he said firmly, his meaning clear, and Ianto felt a weight he hadn't realised he'd been shouldering lift. He nodded, and a slow, sweet smile spread across Jack's face.

Another powerful wave of shivers wracked Ianto and Jack frowned. 'Let's get out of here. As much as I like this naturalist look on you, blue is definitely not your colour.'

Ianto rolled his eyes and staggered to his feet, reaching out a hand to help Jack rise. 'I couldn't find any exits except...' He waved his hand to the hatch set in the high ceiling.

Jack tapped the apparently indestructible leather band on his wrist. 'I have a few tricks left up my sleeve, Mr Jones.'

'You don't have a sleeve anymore, Captain,' Ianto pointed out.

Jack grinned confidently and winked at him, and Ianto couldn't help but smile. Ten minutes later, they were crawling out a camouflaged escape hatch into the frigid Cardiff night.

'Hey,' said Jack as they hurried towards the SUV, Ianto's hands at his groin, preserving his remaining dignity while Jack walked tall and proud. 'Any chance you'll be getting naked again soon? Perhaps when I'm in a better position to enjoy it?'

Ianto looked over his shoulder, catching Jack gaping at his arse, and smirked. 'Anything's possible, sir.'

fin.