thoughtformed | (no subject)

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Well, well. It's been a while since anything truly disasterous has happened to our fair town. Might we have gotten a reprieve at last? One can only hope.

Thank you to everyone who sent Ianto well-wishes while he and New Brew were out of commission. It means a lot to the both of us. But things seem to be more or less back to normal around here, so let's enjoy the peace while we've got it.

Private to Aisling
Want to help me with my greenhouse? I could really use your touch. Mostly because there's nothing in it. Would you mind helping me fix that?

Private to Tim
How are we feeling? We should talk.

Private to Gwen
So. Do you have a new boyfriend or what? Come on, I'm dying over here!

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Jack had known Tim's one stipulation since the moment he was hired. And Tim's request is more than reasonable, he figures and he spends a moment in thought.

"Trust... to me, is a lot like friendship. Being there for one another in any way possible. I understand where you come from, Tim, I do. You're used to working in a team, and that's what I ask of you, to treat this like a team. And you have. Except for one thing: I lead this team. I expect orders to be followed, and without question. However.

"Me placing my trust in you, I understand that sometime I get hot-headed when things hit too close to home. The people I love and care about -- there is no greater sensitive spot for me. The chink in my armour if you will." He sighs and drops his head a little, staring at the table between them. "These people; you, Gwen, The Doctor...Ianto. You're all that I have here. And someday I won't. I hate to sound overly dramatic, but it's part of my curse. Someday you'll all wither away and die and leave me alone. I'd rather not hurry along that process. So when I get hot, I may need someone to put me in my place. And that's why I need you."

Tim had been ready to refuse. The more he worked on his own, the more he valued his autonomy... but he couldn't deny any of what Jack said. And now that he'd admitted it out loud, he couldn't deny that the last few months, it has felt as though his Shadow was creeping back into him, in a way, as if his life had been spent divining secrets from a monitor. The break with Torchwood, at least, had gotten him back out to the rooftops again, and that was progress, but even so.

They both needed someone to rein them in. And it really wasn't fair to make Ianto do that for both of them. He missed the Titans. He missed Dick. He wasn't ever going to be Batman -- Tim was best when he was networking, not when he was alone.

Trust was the tricky part.

Most of this conflict flew across his face, visible in a level of detail he would not have been happy with, has he realized it, and robbing his next words of any real surprise.

"I'm not sure," he said, dragging the words out. "I need to think about this." He glanced up again, looking alarmed. "I don't mean... not days. Just give me a moment."

The amount of tension released when Tim said that he could quickly come to a decision was nearly palpable. Jack nodded, spreading his hands in a non-aggressive fashion. "That's fine. Take all of the time that you need." But the truth was that he honestly did want Tim back. He was a damn good resource to have, even when he was being sneaky behind Jack's back. It hurt, yes, but the worth of the young man was worth so much more than the betrayal. And he said that he would cooperate, even. While he waited fo Tim to decide, Jack sank into his seat and took another long, contemplative drink from his coffee.

Tim focused on his coffee for a moment, thinking. After a little under half a cup, he took out a pencil and scribbled a sequence of characters on his napkin, then pushed it across to Jack.

2#3lc4rO.

"That's the surveillance system password. Destroy the napkin as soon as you've got it memorized."

He took a deep breath.

"I'm going to need to ease back into this. Torchwood two or three nights a week, on my own the rest of the time, at least for now. But you can call me whenever you need me. And..."

He smiled, just slightly, with a wry, rare moment of self-awareness.

"We'll keep each other in check."

Jack took the napkin and looked it over, trying to come up with some scheme of remembering it. Strange password, but it didn't take long to memorise, which meant that he promptly tore it apart and dumped the shreds into the remnants of his coffee. He met Tim's little smile with one of his own.

"Well, if you're all right with taking orders from someone, anyway. But yeah, I think I can work with that. But if I catch any flack from Ianto because I'm staying up late, I'll have him go to you instead. He's not exactly pleasant when he's upset with me. He gets very Welsh." Jack extended a hand, pleasantly. "Then I look forward to working with you again, Mr. Drake."

"Likewise, Captain."

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