RP for mrsharker

[quitehomoerotic]

It's early evening and in the half light the Bay has a comfortable quiet. Jack sent the team off to have a little social time. They've all worked so hard lately and they could do with it. He went for a walk, somewhere with a high roof and a vantage point for him to look over the city.

He's back on his way home now, taking a slow stroll down Lloyd George Avenue and back towards Butetown and the Bay. Outside the Millennium centre are couples and people milling around, all preparing for an evening of entertainment. It makes Jack smile as he seems them all, all safe in this city he loves so much.

On his way across the Plass he takes a slight de-tour to one of the poster boards, to take a look at just what these people are waiting to see. The sight before him though is not one he expects, and one he's far from prepared for.

The face is familiar, oh so familiar, and his breath gets caught in his chest, taking him a moment or two to realise he isn't breathing at all.

"It can't be," he whispers, but there's nobody there to listen.

Jack's eyes are swimming and he's glued to the spot. This can't be right, he's sure this can't be right. Just an odd co-incidence. Someone who happens to look similar. It has to be. It can't be her.

But it doesn't hurt to make sure. So instead of back to the Hub, Jack heads into the Millennium center and with the aid of the word 'Torchwood', he goes backstage.

Comments

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

His eyes close at the touch of her hand. Delving himself into the feeling it gives.

"That's a pain I could live without. I've seen enough people I love die. Seen enough of them ebb away while I just sit and watch. It never gets easier. It never will."

[mrsharker.livejournal.com]

"No," she agrees shortly. "It doesn't. And it shouldn't: it means we're not dead inside when it hurts like that."

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

Jack feels a swell in his chest. Unusual, perhaps, to have someone -anyone- who can understand. And not just anyone, Mina. His Mina.

His eyes seem to pierce her as he stares at her. Burning inside to feel her, to kiss her, to share things once again with her. Such a kindred spirit, more than he could have ever imagined.

"So what happens now?"

[mrsharker.livejournal.com]

He's looking at her so strangely, she thinks, but she doesn't mind at all. It's a pleasantly-intense sort of a look and it's stirring something deep within.

"Now?" Mina echoes, misunderstanding him a little, perhaps. "We do what we can with what we have. We let love and pain ebb and flow in our lives like the ocean, bringing us people who will make us richer in their presence and wiser but sadder when they're no longer with us. We keep fighting, because it's very grounding to have something bigger than ourselves to focus on..."

She trails off for a moment, taking his hand and kissing the back of it tenderly. "And we keep in touch, because it's dizzying to have someone who understands."

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

Each word is astonishing. Her outlook seemingly so very similar to his own. To how he got himself through the last century. To how he continues to protect the world, how he spent so long looking for one man, and how he finally found him and with that found purpose. It's a little intoxicating.

His mind is still stuck in the moment though, and eager to make her understand, a hand reaches to her cheek and holds it firmly. "No." His word is firm. "What happens now. Here."

[mrsharker.livejournal.com]

"What would you like to happen, husband?" A faint smile pulls at her lips -- a human sort of a smile, fangs receding -- and she meets his eyes for an instant before dropping her gaze coyly to lowered lashes.

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

He smiles at her and his heart swells. So full of love. Long buried and hidden away love. He doesn't answer with words, instead just lifting her chin, forcing her face back up towards his own.

And then he kisses her.

He kisses her as he's been wanting to all night. It's not the sort of kiss Jack usually gives, not these days at least. It's chaste even with its heat. It harkens back to a man he used to be. A man he was with her.

[mrsharker.livejournal.com]

It's exactly the sort of kiss she remembers sharing with him, a loving and tender sort of a kiss. The kiss that she'd measured all kisses since against, before she learned just how demanding and dangerous kisses could be. It's staggering and to call it a home-coming would be the sort of gross understatement that would do no credit to either party.

She keeps her eyes open which she never used to do because she doesn't want to miss a thing. And it's a very good kiss.

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

As the kiss continues Jack makes a conscious effort to keep as much 'Jonathan' in it that he can, and rein in 'Jack', to control himself.

His heart beats faster still. It seems it's had quite the workout tonight. "I love you," he whispers against her lips, when the kiss comes to a natural end. It's electrifying to say words he's usually to scared to allow.

[mrsharker.livejournal.com]

"I love you, too," Mina tells him, taking him by the hands and sliding her small hands down to his wrists, which she then captures in a surprisingly strong grip.

She peppers little kisses along his jaw until reaching his ear, nips briefly at the lobe and demands softly, "What are you holding back? I can feel you're hiding something from me, Jack."

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

He didn't expect that question. Or maybe it's just that he'd ignored it so strongly. Either way, he feels an immediate wave of guilt rush over him. Guilt for hiding things from her, guilt for possible betrayal. He loves her, that's true, but he loves other people too, even if he doesn't dare admit that.

So how to proceed? The truth seems the only option. He'd have likely said it anyway in time.

"I'm... I'm sort of seeing someone, Mina. Have been for a while now."

[mrsharker.livejournal.com]

She's not sure what she meant by the question or where it came from, but she doesn't expect the answer. Perhaps she should have.

"I see."

The woman in her wants to pull away. To get up and fold her arms across her chest and demand that he leave. The demon in her wants to finally sink fangs into his throat and leave a visible mark on him, let that 'someone' deal with that. Caught between the two, she simply releases his wrists and clasps her hands in her lap.

"Someone you work with," she surmises. "Which was why you didn't want to show me your office."

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

"Partly," he admits, his head down and eyes on the floor.

"It's complicated." He tries to explain. "They don't know everything about me. There's a lot I hide from them. For their own good. We're not... I'm not in a relationship. It's more just..." he trails off, laughs. "I don't actually know what it is. I don't really get close to people any more, Mina. I've lost too many people. I can't bare to lose you a second time."

[mrsharker.livejournal.com]

"'Them'?" she echoes, "so there are multiple lovers with claims on you." On my husband she adds silently. Her scarlet lips are pursed slightly, her jaw tight and aching.

"My life is in London; I don't plan to relocate here so you needn't worry about me disturbing your... menage."

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

"No! No," he corrects quickly, unable to help being oddly amused by the assumption. "I mean my team. In general, I hide things from them. Some things they're better off not knowing."

Her next words are like a spear through his heart. Infinitely more painful than anything else she could possibly do. "I see." He stiffens a little, hardens as he closes in on himself.

[mrsharker.livejournal.com]

"You have your own life, your own lover. Your reasons to be here." She's being pulled apart: the slighted woman and the angry vampire warring in the shards of her shattered-anew heart.

"I can't leave London to the mercy of the inhumans, and you wouldn't want me to."

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

"I'm not asking you to leave." He implores her. His voice raised, ever so slightly. "Just come and see me sometimes? Let me come and see you too?"

[mrsharker.livejournal.com]

"I don't see a lot, as a rule, Jack. This is atypical for me, remember?"

It's been lifetimes. She doesn't know why she's hurt by the knowledge that there's someone else. It's perfectly reasonable of him to have moved on with his life, even if she's never quite allowed herself the danger of getting close to someone. He doesn't have her condition to worry about. Her reasons to remain cold and alone.

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

Painful, her words. Searing. He didn't mean that, and she should know. But fine.

He nods, curt. "Well I'm sure you're busy there. I'm busy here too. Guess that's not practical. Works better for us both to just stay where we are."

[mrsharker.livejournal.com]

Faster than a blink -- faster than a thought, than her better judgment -- she has one small hand fisted in his hair and his head pulled back to bare his throat. Anger and pain driving her at him.

Mina catches herself a breath away from biting down. Aghast, she releases him, springing to her feet and moving away.

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

The movements are almost too quick for Jack to register. The next thing he knows his heart is in his throat and her hand is tight in his hair. He prepares himself for it. But it doesn't come. Instead she's gone and he's struggling to catch his breath.

"Mina..." he breathes out, slowly.

Carefully he stands and moves to her. He puts his hands on her shoulders, and this time won't move whether he's told to or not.

[mrsharker.livejournal.com]

Her blood running this high, she's stronger than he is. She could have ripped out his throat with her fangs and reveled in the warm life spilling down her chin. Her heart is racing, horrified to have found herself so completely out of control and when he touches her she clenches her fists and glares.

"You don't want to touch me right now, Jack."

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

"Yes I do." He corrects her, his voice firm. He wraps his arms around her and twists her gently to face him, to look down into her eyes.

"Nothing you can do can hurt me. Okay? I don't want you to be scared. If you lash out you lash out. But I'll be fine and I'm right here with you. Right here. I promise."

His hand moves so tenderly once again to her cheek, stroking so lovingly. "I'll look after you."

[mrsharker.livejournal.com]

She knocks his hand away from her face in a rough-careless gesture, bridling at the faintly-paternal tone he's taking with her. No one's taken that tone with her in decades, not since the advent of feminism. It's both pleasantly-nostalgic (some part of her misses the days when men were men) and maddening (because she's an extremely capable lady).

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

Jack's voice raises a little now. Infuriated, though he tries not to be. "Are you trying to get me to leave, Mina? What do you want from me? I'm trying here. Seeing you has turned my world upside down. What do you want me to do?!"