RP for rude_not_ginger The morning after...

[quitehomoerotic]

Follows on from this

When Jack woke it took him a while to realise where he was, a while to catch up with the night before.

But it soon came rushing back.

The sleep, what little he'd had, had still been more than he'd had in weeks. Though it still wasn't enough to relieve the ache he felt inside. An ache that only seemed to grow when he thought about the night before.

He felt like a fool. A fool for attempting to push aside pain. Guilty for it too. Guilty for trying. Guilty too for making a fool out of himself in front of the one person who might understand.

One thing he knew though, almost immediately; he should leave. The TARDIS wasn't the place for him. Not any more. It was once, when he was a man who could die, a man who could sleep a dreamless sleep. But he wasn't that man now. And besides, the Doctor had hardly asked him to stay, had he? If he left it would remove the need for the inevitable conversation that would only leave them both feeling awkward. And besides, Jack didn't want to have to hear the Doctor asking him to leave.

So he washed and dressed (and he had to admit he was thankful for the shower), and he made his way back to the console room. His feet padding as quietly as they could along the endless corridors.

He took one last look around the room, touching a light hand against the walls as he took his coat and put it back on. He smiled at it, at the memories this place and the man who owns it hold.

And he walked to the doors to leave.

Comments

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

"Hey!" Jack barked good naturedly. "Less of the old. I'll have you know I don't look a day over 30." He was of course nearer 35 when he stopped ageing, but even immortality wasn't enough to stop him from wanting to shave a few years off.

"Oh and you're never rude," he nodded, deadpan, a gentle smile tugging the corner of his lip.

"And please. I don't even want to think about it." There was a silent 'I hope I don't last that long' that he didn't need to voice. Even though he knew he had forever (or expected as much) it was a scary prospect.

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

"I know what you mean." Time Lords never lived that long. Even if they reached the multi-thousand, they tended to just let themselves disintigrate or give in to their last regeneration early. But Facts? Facts were sorta stuck.

The Doctor's attention momentarily broke from his companion and he glanced over the forest edge to a stream of blue-white smoke coming from the center of the forest.

"That doesn't look good," he said.

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

Jack's head ducked for a moment. It scared him to think about it. About what he'd become as the years went on.

His attention was pulled away though and he looked up, following the line of the Doctor's gaze.

"So I guess that's the direction we're headed in then?" He smirked.

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

"Shall we take it at a quick jog? Good for the hearts?" Without waiting for a reply, the Doctor grinned widely and took off towards the smoke.

Jack would follow. He didn't even need to look back to know that.

In the center of the forest, there was the village he'd expected, but devastated and destroyed with fires burning the crystalline trees and houses. And void of life.

"The Eye of Orion is peaceful," the Doctor insisted, slowing to a startled halt. "The very nature of it keeps violence from people's minds!"

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

And he did, of course. Barely a step behind Jack followed. He kept the same pace. Kept in line.

He stalled though when they reached the clearing. A clearing that Jack could tell was once tranquil. But not now.

"Yeah? Well it looks like something or someone put it back there." He took a few steps forward and looked down at a pile of cinders still hot and burning.

He turned his head, looked back over his shoulder at the Doctor. "Whatever happened here, looks like it was recent."

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

"But what could've? This part of the galaxy is cut off, no one comes here unless they're looking for the Eye of Orion, in which case why do this?" The Doctor took a few steps ahead, pushing aside a smoking piece of wood with his shoe.

He couldn't tell who was here or why they'd done this, but the Doctor and Jack were here now. That meant they'd stop it.

After all, it was what they were good at.

"No one here, which means they ran off. Which way, though?"

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

Jack squatted down and touched the edge of the burning pile, it came apart in his hands. Nothing left of it.

He pulled a face as he looked back up at him, standing again as he wiped his hands together to knock off the dirt.

"The Eye of Orion..." he asked, "is is something that could be stolen? Maybe, whoever or whatever did this was trying to get people out of the way?"

He looked around, his face screwed up a little and he paused when he noticed a tell tale marking on the floor.

Footsteps.

"Well... those might be a start?" He motioned an arm out, pointing the Doctor towards them.

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

The Doctor slipped on his glasses and knelt down, checking the footprint. "Not recent enough," he said. "These look...old. Very old. Too old, considering this rubble is brand-new."

He picked up a few particles of dirt from the ground and put them on the tip of his tongue. He made a face.

"Quasitronic subactualized particles."

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

Jack frowned slightly, "You really have to lick that?"

He shook his head and looked around. When Jack was with the Doctor he had to admit that he was out of his depth. It was part of what he always enjoyed about time with him. In Torchwood he was the one looked at for answers, the one expected to know everything and to solve the problems. Here he looked to the Doctor.

Still frowning, he went on, curious, "Which are?"

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

"Chemeoreception is higher with taste," the Doctor remarked. He clicked his tongue against his teeth and grinned. "Can't mistake that flavor like you can with a machine. I've got a very talented tongue." He said the last bit very matter-factly, though the hint of a smirk hit the edge of his lips at his own words.

He brushed his hands off and got back to his feet. "The Quasitronic system is a time-sensitive area of the Void, you don't see beings from that area, well, ever. Not since the Quasi War, and the War missed the Eye of Orion completely. Sort of like Earth in that. Disaster moved right by."

He grinned, then gestured to Jack to follow him. "Come on, better find out where this being's run off to, though."

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

Jack opened his mouth to speak and pointed a hand out in the Doctor's direction, only to find that nothing came out. His mind running through a hundred different things to say (as well as getting a little distracted in thought). He breathed out and shook his head, "I'm not even gonna touch that one." He smirked a little in return and placed his hands on his hips.

He took in the Doctor's words, a little taken aback that there could be something here from the Void. That could never be good, could it?

Nodding in response he followed behind him, "Thought you'd never ask."

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

The Doctor half turned, continuing to walk backwards even as he grinned at Jack.

"Not even a little bit? Jack Harkness, I'm just a little disappointed in you," he teased. He spun back around, half-hopping in excitement. Really, the Eye of Orion was brilliant, but an adventure? Well, that was even better.

And Void creatures. The thought was terrifying. Void creatures hadn't been around in, well, since the Time War. Any race at all just stayed where they came from, afraid of what was and would be.

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

Jack's mouth tugged into a somewhat reluctant grin and he shoved his hands in his pockets. "Doctor," his voice was a little sing-song. "Anyone would think you're trying to get me to flirt with you again. Something you want to tell me?" He laughed slightly, teasing the other man. He was forgetting again. Somehow just being around the Doctor helped him forget. Helped make things easier.

"So we know what we're looking for is bad. Like, real bad." Jack deduced, half in question. "And -just so I've got this straight- we have no idea where we'll find them or what they want?"

He couldn't hide the fact that he too was a little excited at the prospect. He'd forgotten how exciting this could be.

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

"I didn't think I'd have to try," the Doctor retorted with his own teasing grin.

He followed the footsteps, which seemed to sit perfectly on every rock and every branch, even ones that otherwise appeared completely undisturbed. Void-walkers were odd enough on an ordinary planet, but an untouched one like the Eye of Orion, well...

"Possibly," the Doctor replied with a nod. "'Course, we don't know if they're---or possibly just he, she, or it---did this. These tracks are old, but they're the only new things in this forest beyond the rubble. Well, except you and I."

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

"Well I'd hate to be a disappointment," Jack's grin turned into a smirk and he winked at the Doctor before letting out a gentle laugh.

He watched him as he turned back to the path. Curious. The Doctor was an interesting man and Jack knew he'd never truly understand him. Perhaps that's what made him just so appealing.

"You're a big old tease, you know that?" He added, voicing the thought before he has chance to stop himself.

Nodding he looked at the footsteps as they followed. "Thought so." He took in a deep breath, "Well, they've got to end somewhere. And we know we didn't do it."

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

"Yep," the Doctor replied cheerily. "That's me."

Not that he was really teasing Jack, of course. Well, not teasing teasing. The teasing they did was purely out of humor. The Doctor knew there was a line he couldn't cross with Jack and, well, he did. Very briefly. Before. Not now, though. No, now, he was fully on the correct side of the do-not-cross line.

"One would assume," he agreed. "But these are Void tracks, they could go on into eternity. Still, best possible lead we've got so far."

There was a rustle behind him, somewhere amongst the trees.

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

Jack laughed again and shook his head. The Doctor was incorrigible. He loved that about him. It was comfortable, really, this back and forth. He'd forgotten how much he missed it.

"Well," he breathed out slowly. "Eternity. Good job we've got it then."

Jack heard the noise and he stalled a little. His hand instinctively moved to his gun. He still kept one, just in case. He didn't draw it though, it just felt comfortable to know it was there.

He glanced to the Doctor, catching his gaze; silently speaking, flicking his eyes in one direction and looking for confirmation. The practised soldier looking for orders from his superior.

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

The Doctor caught Jack's gaze and shook his head once. No, keep the gun down. Might be anything in there. The Doctor slowly crept towards the bushes, stepping lightly on his toes to avoid making too much noise.

He raised a hand, keeping Jack back. Jack might not be able to die, but he was still the Doctor's responsiblity. He wouldn't have him get hurt.

Another step. Another. Another, and---

Without warning, a white blur burst out of the bushes and raced through the trees. The Doctor fell backwards with the force of its run, then scrambled back to his feet to chase him.

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

Jack was alert, on his toes and ready to step in at a moments notice. He knew the Doctor would play his role, but he knew too that if things looked dangerous he'd gladly step in. He'd step in for him even if he could die.

His eyes stayed steadfast on the bushes as the Doctor neared, he kept his hand away from the gun, obeying the silent request, though he knew it was there, ready should he need it.

What came though was all in a split second. A flash of light that made him blink for two long. Immediately he was off though, setting out after the Doctor, running a step or two behind. His adrenaline rushed and coursed through his veins. He missed his, he really did.

"Doctor!" He called, "Don't suppose you've any idea what we're chasing?"

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

"Not a clue!" the Doctor called back with a laugh. Really, this was the best part. The running, the pure exhilaration. The unknown they were leaping into. The sudden cliffside.

Wait, what?

The Doctor attempted to skid to a halt as the white image he was chasing vanished and a cliffside appeared. He slid to his knees but found his body continuing forward. His feet lost the grip on the ground and he only just managed to grab onto a rock.

Below him was a sheer rocky cliff that went down to the crystal blue waters of Orion.

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

"Thought so!" Jack grinned, not faltering for a moment in his dash behind the Doctor.

His vision was clouded by the man in front, and he was more focused on the running than where they were running to. But then the landscape changed and like a reflex he sprung forward and reached out to grab hold of the Doctor.

"Woah, careful!" He held out for him, gripped him tight to pull him up. "Getting a bit carried away there, Doctor."

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

The Doctor kicked with his feet, but couldn't find a grip. He reached up and caught Jack's arm. His companion's hand was warm and secure. With an effort, he pulled himself back to the ground.

"That's twice you've caught me now," he said. An acknowledgment as well as a thank-you, in the Doctor's mind. He gave Jack a wide smile.

"Whatever our friend out there was, though, he's gone, now."

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

Jack held on tight until the Doctor was back with his feet securely on solid ground. He nodded at him briefly and smiled.

"Whatever would you do without me?" He asked, teasing ever so lightly.

Turning his head he glanced out over the cliff and peered down over the edge. "And whatever it was, it didn't want to be found. I suppose that means we've got some investigating on our hands?"

[rude-not-ginger.livejournal.com]

The Doctor grinned again. What would he do without Jack? Be lonely, most likely. Mope a bit. Probably get a good deal more on the TARDIS engine systems, too, but those could really wait a few decades before they really started giving him trouble.

"Yes!" He said, half-bouncing once he was back on his feet. "Investigating, the best bit. Well, after the running. And the near-death, I do love the near death. The investigating is fun."

As though he hadn't been dangling from a cliff moments earlier, he started at a jog back towards the destroyed town.

[quitehomoerotic.livejournal.com]

"Yeah well not too much of the near death, okay?" Jack wondered when he started feeling quite so protective over the Doctor. When did he start thinking of him as fragile?

He didn't have too much time to think though as the Doctor was off, and so Jack was too, bounding after him.

"So, tell me you've at least got a short list of who or what this might be?" He asked as he kept pace just behind him.