londoncallingrpg

Jack had a very bad habit of letting his guard down. He loved hard and loved well, but in all his long years he was aware that love was brief. Here and there love had lasted for years. Angelo. His wife. Logan. In between there were others, loves great and small. And when love came, even though he knew better, Jack would let his guard down.

Life with Torchwood was all too often painful, bloody, and short. People came and went, but no one retired. No. No one got out so easily.

And the newest, freshest wound was Val. It had all been going so well. Jack's knowledge of tech and Val's understanding of magic had furthered the research into the portal. They were nowhere near being able to pinpoint a time or location, but they'd gotten one to hold steady for a while. It was promising.

Until it all went to hell.

Val went missing right before Jack's eyes. He'd tried desperately to undo what they'd done, but after a while even Jack had to admit he was lost. Gone.

And so Jack threw himself into work. There was no point in drinking- he never got drunk. There was no thirst for companionship- that was just hollow. But work was always there. Work to be done. Aliens to track. Tech to catalogue. A world to keep safe. Jack jumped right back into it and let the satisfaction he found in duty mask the pain of a broken heart.

Tonight he had just confiscated a crate of 'antiquities' and they were loaded in the back of the SUV. He'd let the sellers go since they were just humans who hadn't the first clue about what they were trying to sell. Jack locked the rig up and looked around, trying to decide if he ought to get a bite. He really hadn't been hungry, not since Val vanished, but he knew he needed to eat. He'd died of starvation before and it was a hell of a way to go.

(OTA find him anywhere in London or the outlying towns if you prefer. Jack needs new friends, and old faces will be welcome too!)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

im_torchwood

Jack turned to the sound of his name. A smile curved his lips, warm enough to even reach his eyes.

"Hani!" he replied warmly. "What have you been doing? It's been a while."

From:

whispersoflove

Anael briefly faltered at the ease and cheer of Jack's greeting, but he recovered enough to step in close and put his hand on Jack's arm. Before all of this, he might have moved in straight for a hug, but his enforced stay on Earth had impressed upon him that a comforting touch was not always welcome.

"I'm sorry," he told him gently, with a depth of feeling reflected in his eyes that only beings who had lived as long and lost as many as they had could display.

From:

im_torchwood

Jack covered his hand with his own and his brows drew together.

"What are you sorry for?" he asked softly.

From:

whispersoflove

That was right; for all that Anael had told Jack what he was, he hadn't gone into those details. "Love is my domain," he answered quietly, leaving his hand under Jack's. "Some of my brethren can feel people's souls. I feel their hearts."

From:

im_torchwood

"Oh," Jack said, more softly. He paused for a long moment, resisting the urge to squirm a little. "It's...okay. It's okay, Hani. It's not the first time and it won't be the last."

From:

whispersoflove

"That never makes it hurt any less, though," Anael replied, his eyes soft with understanding as they held Jack's.

From:

im_torchwood

"Well, no. That's true. But every time I seem to bounce back faster and faster," he replied.

From:

whispersoflove

"Do you?" Anael asked quietly, his eyes devoid of judgment.

Le 15 août 2017 11:12 AM, "im_torchwood - DW Comment" < dw_null@dreamwidth.org> a écrit :

From:

im_torchwood

"Sadly, yes. Remarkably fast, anymore," Jack said softly.

From:

whispersoflove

"I am sorry," Anael repeated softly.

From:

im_torchwood

"Don't be, Hani," Jack said gently. "I'll bounce back. It's okay. It really is."

From:

whispersoflove

Anael hesitated for a second, then pulled his hand back with a simple nod. It was Jack's pain, for all that he felt it as well. Jack ought to call the shots about it, and Anael was too lost these days to help properly, not with something as complex as this.

From:

im_torchwood

That let Jack off the hook. He decided to turn it around on the angel.

"How are you doing? Any luck with the..." he asked, gesturing to where the mark was burned in.

From:

whispersoflove

If Anael hadn't already physically withdrawn, he would have at the question. A shadow came over his brow, and he shook his head. "Not yet." He had to keep faith. Not yet. That mattered.

From:

im_torchwood

"I recently got some books. I'm not sure if anything in them might help, but if you'd like to look I'd be happy to share," he offered.

From:

whispersoflove

"What sort of books?" Anael asked with a curious frown. Jack would not have mentioned them if he did not think that they might be relevant.

From:

im_torchwood

"A bunch of occult books. I was working with Val on...a thing. He thought he might have a new insight. I mean, what I know about magic isn't much, but if you'd like to take a look I'd be happy to share," he said.

From:

whispersoflove

"I don't actually know very much about spells and curses," Anael stated with a small frown. He doubted that he would be able to know what was relevant or not. "But if you would let my friends have a look..."

From:

im_torchwood

"Absolutely.. I'll box them up. Text me an address and I'll drop them off," he said. He reached out to squeeze Anael's arm. "The answer might be right there."

From:

whispersoflove

Anael's other hand covered Jack's. "Thank you." For being willing to help, and for offering him a glimmer of hope.

From:

im_torchwood

"Of course, Hani. Anything to help. How are you doing? I mean really? You look tired," he said gently.

From:

whispersoflove

"Being here is exhausting," Anael confirmed, wishing that Jack would stop calling him that, now that he knew. Maybe he'd forgotten the name he preferred; it would make sense, given the magnitude of the other information he had received at the time. "Please, will you call me Anael?"

From:

im_torchwood

"Of course I will," Jack said, touching him gently once again. "I just forget. Anael. I'll remember from now on. Would you like to get a drink? Or a bite to eat? Or...something else?" he asked.

From:

whispersoflove

"A bite would be nice," Anael nodded slightly. Needing food to sustain himself still felt new; he hoped he never had the occasion to get used to it.

From:

im_torchwood

"Let's go get fish and chips," he said, nodding for Anael to follow. "We'll get fish, have some stout, and pretend everything's alright for an hour, okay?"