[That quip makes Jack properly laugh, shaking his head even as he rests one hand over Ianto, not quite lacing their fingers together.]
I was born with the good looks that made it easier for people to put up with me fumbling around as I learned to be charming. And I got a lot more time to practice after I got back that first time.
[He sighs, leaning back against Ianto a little more though he keeps his eyes open. It doesn't keep the past from coming for him, but it makes it easier to keep it from overriding the present.]
I honestly forgot most the fine details before I even got home, but as cliché as it sounds it's pretty true that in most ways, war doesn't change much even after a couple thousand years. Even if the other side's got tentacles and eight eyes or whatever and uses acid spit instead of guns, end results are always the same. Some people on both sides come home, others don't. My friend didn't.
[He can't quite bring himself to tell Ianto what he'd told the real Captain Jack, even if that's a huge part of why all this is getting unboxed. Because he really doesn't want to be back in that place.
Instead he takes a deep breath and lets it out before starting again.]
But because of a couple reckless things I did that wound up getting some important intel, I was suddenly being called a hero when I got back. Was pretty mad about it at first. Well, whole time, really, but I was also sixteen and didn't exactly mind the attention it got me from everyone, but especially all the other folks my age who suddenly thought I was a lot more attractive than I'd been before and were a lot more willing to swallow my bad lines.
[he knows that usually he'd say 'and other things', but right now that personality doesn't really want to hang around. Not yet, anyway. He'll probably come out of hiding when this is done and it's just him and Ianto again instead of all his stupid baggage.]
There's lots of reasons no civilization should let any of their people sign up to get themselves killed before their brain's finished cooking. [he says, voice a little softer now] But one of many is, if they actually get back, even if they didn't see anything that bad, lots of 'em are still going to be a whole lot more careless about…things they shouldn't be. More than teenagers already are. 'Specially if they're, say, an orphan so were already going without a whole lot of adult supervision, and then came back and was suddenly being treated like an adult just because they fired a blaster a couple times. Take all that, throw in being the only person around to really grieve the guy you…
[got killed jams in his throat, because he knows Ianto would argue it, and his guilt really isn't the point. Not right now, at least.
He clears this throat, waiting a moment until he can be sure his voice will come out steady and almost-casual] The biggest shock is probably that it took me a whole six months or so after I got back to wind up pregnant.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2023-11-26 09:45 pm (UTC)I was born with the good looks that made it easier for people to put up with me fumbling around as I learned to be charming. And I got a lot more time to practice after I got back that first time.
[He sighs, leaning back against Ianto a little more though he keeps his eyes open. It doesn't keep the past from coming for him, but it makes it easier to keep it from overriding the present.]
I honestly forgot most the fine details before I even got home, but as cliché as it sounds it's pretty true that in most ways, war doesn't change much even after a couple thousand years. Even if the other side's got tentacles and eight eyes or whatever and uses acid spit instead of guns, end results are always the same. Some people on both sides come home, others don't. My friend didn't.
[He can't quite bring himself to tell Ianto what he'd told the real Captain Jack, even if that's a huge part of why all this is getting unboxed. Because he really doesn't want to be back in that place.
Instead he takes a deep breath and lets it out before starting again.]
But because of a couple reckless things I did that wound up getting some important intel, I was suddenly being called a hero when I got back. Was pretty mad about it at first. Well, whole time, really, but I was also sixteen and didn't exactly mind the attention it got me from everyone, but especially all the other folks my age who suddenly thought I was a lot more attractive than I'd been before and were a lot more willing to swallow my bad lines.
[he knows that usually he'd say 'and other things', but right now that personality doesn't really want to hang around. Not yet, anyway. He'll probably come out of hiding when this is done and it's just him and Ianto again instead of all his stupid baggage.]
There's lots of reasons no civilization should let any of their people sign up to get themselves killed before their brain's finished cooking. [he says, voice a little softer now] But one of many is, if they actually get back, even if they didn't see anything that bad, lots of 'em are still going to be a whole lot more careless about…things they shouldn't be. More than teenagers already are. 'Specially if they're, say, an orphan so were already going without a whole lot of adult supervision, and then came back and was suddenly being treated like an adult just because they fired a blaster a couple times. Take all that, throw in being the only person around to really grieve the guy you…
[got killed jams in his throat, because he knows Ianto would argue it, and his guilt really isn't the point. Not right now, at least.
He clears this throat, waiting a moment until he can be sure his voice will come out steady and almost-casual] The biggest shock is probably that it took me a whole six months or so after I got back to wind up pregnant.