[Jack glances up briefly when the door opens to see who's checking in on him this time, but doesn't pause his soft singing until Ianto actually comes over. Both because he's really trying not to worry about his partner, or at least not show that worry, and because he's pleased with how little he's stumbled over the words.
But at Ianto's inquiry, he lifts his head all the way with a soft smile]
Not surprising. Unless you're a really big musical buff or interested in particular points in Austrian history, it's pretty obscure outside of Germany. And Japan, for reasons I haven't quite figured out.
[he shrugs, turning his gaze to the phone where Franz Joseph is just putting that expensive, heavy necklace on Sisi's neck] Really long story short, it's about the life of the second-to-last Empress of Austria and Hungary and her relationship with either the actual, physical embodiment of Death or a manifestation of her pretty tragic life that just happens to wear a lot of glitter and tight pants in a lot of productions.
[He moves closer, as if to try and catch a peek of Death and what he might be packing--but instead just bends to kiss the curve of Jack's neck before settling to lean against the back of his chair, watching the performance for a quiet moment.]
Tempted to research--see if maybe those Resurrection Gauntlets ever made their way out of the country. After all, we've seen the bugger and there was a definite lack of glitter or tight pants.
[He leans in a little, squinting at the subtitles. He can read them just fine, they're simply, slightly hard to focus on.
His vision is red again.
He starts running through the plan in his head to try and get the color cast to fade, hands sliding over Jack's shoulders to otherwise distract himself.]
I need to work on my German--there a full version of this thing with subtitles? We could watch it on the big telly some night John's up here with us. He'd enjoy it, I think.
[Jack snorts softly] We'd probably need to set it up to skip a couple numbers. Despite the fantastical elements, they actually did stick to most of the facts of her reign and some of those can be…unpleasant even when you know about them going in. Woman in the mid-19th century who wasn't real keen on adhering to court etiquette, even if the rest of her life had been all roses she would've been pretty unhappy.
[and of course he's not mentioning two of the biggest things that made her unhappy. He's glad he still remembered the beats well enough to know when that first visit to Hungary was coming so he could jump past it.
He'd been able to handle that one song with Rudolf as a boy, but he's pretty sure it'd hit some hard nerves for John and Ianto that don't need the abuse right now. And while he can't quite say why, he feels a lot more sure of that assessment as Ianto's palms smooth over his shoulders in a way that doesn't feel quite like casual affection.]
It's all worth it for seeing a real hot physical manifestation of death groping the Crown Prince of Austria. [he says with a grin, hoping to break through or past whatever's bothering Ianto.] Who had a pretty questionable mustache that takes away from his looks a tad, but unfortunately it was pretty tame compared to the facial some other men in that time were sporting, like his father. Or me, and I'm only admitting to that since I know you've seen all the photos I couldn't stop them putting in my files.
You’re the only man in existence that can make mutton chops look sexy.
[Leaning over to kiss Jack’s neck, Ianto finally manages to blink away the crimson haze over his vision and lingers there, kissing his jaw, his temple, leaving his nose pressed to Jack’s hair for a moment.
Jack, warm and alive. Smiling and teasing. Singing. Their child safe inside him, probably kicking him in the large intestines.
He needs the reminder, because he knows most of the history of Elisabeth—and those of her unfortunate children.]
Watching some homoerotic numbers with Death and an adult child should be fine, but…if the early lives of her children are accurately portrayed, we’ll have to skip more than a few numbers if we don’t want our boyfriend to throw his knife into the telly.
[Jack snorts softly] Not to discourage your flattery, but even I admit that was a terrible look. It just looked less terrible on me than pretty much anyone else. [He can't help tripping into Ianto's touch, even if he can still feel that edge of tension of unknown origin running under the surface. Any other time, he might feel safe in asking what's going on, but now…
Now, he's happy to let Ianto do what he's done so often and talk around the elephant, until it actually becomes a danger to others]
Why am I not surprised you actually knew something about her? [he grins, clearly pleased. He always forgets how much knowledge Ianto's gathered, not just about Torchwood but so many other things, in such a relatively short amount of time.]
It is…mostly accurate, if highly dramatized. They just show the reactions to what happened to her eldest, and Rudolf has a heartbreaking little solo when he's a boy about her being away so much, and what happened at Mayerling is shown in a lot more detail. Nothing graphic, more like ballet, but it's still--not something I've been comfortable seeing for a couple years now.
[Ianto might not have seen what happened taht New Years Eve like John, but Jack still knows he doesn't have to explain--especially since he had to write the damn report.
He's pleased to find his throat doesn't tighten with too much grief at even a sideways mention of Alex, and his soft smile is actually genuine] Mostly I've been listening to it to see if my German's still half-decent, and music helps to keep someone from kicking my ribs so much if I sit still for more than an hour.
[Ianto meets his smile with one of his own, wondering if he will ever get used to that: the dazzling sense of triumph that comes from impressing Jack Harkness. It made the work bearable when Lisa was still in his care, worth returning to when she was gone, and his world when he started sleeping with Jack.
Him, a delinquent and a nobody from Cardiff’s fringes, holding the regard of a powerful, charismatic, bloody gorgeous man—a hero. He’s not sure he will ever get over it much less get used to it—and that’s without the whole second gorgeous boyfriend and a baby on the way.
Ianto stoops properly to hug Jack around the shoulders from behind. This time, when his vision turns red, it doesn’t upset him as much—not when Jack is in his arms and he knows he’s ready for what’s coming.]
I was thinking more about her mother in law and the children—but that as well.
[He pauses to lean over Jack’s shoulder a little, dropping a hand to rest on his stomach.]
And you be nice. I’m the only father you should be assaulting.
[A tiny foot immediately bumps against his palm through skin, making him laugh.]
That’s a good girl. Smack your tad, not your daddy.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2024-04-12 05:11 am (UTC)But at Ianto's inquiry, he lifts his head all the way with a soft smile]
Not surprising. Unless you're a really big musical buff or interested in particular points in Austrian history, it's pretty obscure outside of Germany. And Japan, for reasons I haven't quite figured out.
[he shrugs, turning his gaze to the phone where Franz Joseph is just putting that expensive, heavy necklace on Sisi's neck] Really long story short, it's about the life of the second-to-last Empress of Austria and Hungary and her relationship with either the actual, physical embodiment of Death or a manifestation of her pretty tragic life that just happens to wear a lot of glitter and tight pants in a lot of productions.
no subject
Date: 2024-04-12 04:53 pm (UTC)[He moves closer, as if to try and catch a peek of Death and what he might be packing--but instead just bends to kiss the curve of Jack's neck before settling to lean against the back of his chair, watching the performance for a quiet moment.]
Tempted to research--see if maybe those Resurrection Gauntlets ever made their way out of the country. After all, we've seen the bugger and there was a definite lack of glitter or tight pants.
[He leans in a little, squinting at the subtitles. He can read them just fine, they're simply, slightly hard to focus on.
His vision is red again.
He starts running through the plan in his head to try and get the color cast to fade, hands sliding over Jack's shoulders to otherwise distract himself.]
I need to work on my German--there a full version of this thing with subtitles? We could watch it on the big telly some night John's up here with us. He'd enjoy it, I think.
no subject
Date: 2024-04-12 09:11 pm (UTC)[and of course he's not mentioning two of the biggest things that made her unhappy. He's glad he still remembered the beats well enough to know when that first visit to Hungary was coming so he could jump past it.
He'd been able to handle that one song with Rudolf as a boy, but he's pretty sure it'd hit some hard nerves for John and Ianto that don't need the abuse right now. And while he can't quite say why, he feels a lot more sure of that assessment as Ianto's palms smooth over his shoulders in a way that doesn't feel quite like casual affection.]
It's all worth it for seeing a real hot physical manifestation of death groping the Crown Prince of Austria. [he says with a grin, hoping to break through or past whatever's bothering Ianto.] Who had a pretty questionable mustache that takes away from his looks a tad, but unfortunately it was pretty tame compared to the facial some other men in that time were sporting, like his father. Or me, and I'm only admitting to that since I know you've seen all the photos I couldn't stop them putting in my files.
no subject
Date: 2024-04-12 09:52 pm (UTC)[Leaning over to kiss Jack’s neck, Ianto finally manages to blink away the crimson haze over his vision and lingers there, kissing his jaw, his temple, leaving his nose pressed to Jack’s hair for a moment.
Jack, warm and alive. Smiling and teasing. Singing. Their child safe inside him, probably kicking him in the large intestines.
He needs the reminder, because he knows most of the history of Elisabeth—and those of her unfortunate children.]
Watching some homoerotic numbers with Death and an adult child should be fine, but…if the early lives of her children are accurately portrayed, we’ll have to skip more than a few numbers if we don’t want our boyfriend to throw his knife into the telly.
no subject
Date: 2024-04-12 11:53 pm (UTC)[He can't help tripping into Ianto's touch, even if he can still feel that edge of tension of unknown origin running under the surface. Any other time, he might feel safe in asking what's going on, but now…
Now, he's happy to let Ianto do what he's done so often and talk around the elephant, until it actually becomes a danger to others]
Why am I not surprised you actually knew something about her? [he grins, clearly pleased. He always forgets how much knowledge Ianto's gathered, not just about Torchwood but so many other things, in such a relatively short amount of time.]
It is…mostly accurate, if highly dramatized. They just show the reactions to what happened to her eldest, and Rudolf has a heartbreaking little solo when he's a boy about her being away so much, and what happened at Mayerling is shown in a lot more detail. Nothing graphic, more like ballet, but it's still--not something I've been comfortable seeing for a couple years now.
[Ianto might not have seen what happened taht New Years Eve like John, but Jack still knows he doesn't have to explain--especially since he had to write the damn report.
He's pleased to find his throat doesn't tighten with too much grief at even a sideways mention of Alex, and his soft smile is actually genuine] Mostly I've been listening to it to see if my German's still half-decent, and music helps to keep someone from kicking my ribs so much if I sit still for more than an hour.
no subject
Date: 2024-04-13 12:08 am (UTC)Him, a delinquent and a nobody from Cardiff’s fringes, holding the regard of a powerful, charismatic, bloody gorgeous man—a hero. He’s not sure he will ever get over it much less get used to it—and that’s without the whole second gorgeous boyfriend and a baby on the way.
Ianto stoops properly to hug Jack around the shoulders from behind. This time, when his vision turns red, it doesn’t upset him as much—not when Jack is in his arms and he knows he’s ready for what’s coming.]
I was thinking more about her mother in law and the children—but that as well.
[He pauses to lean over Jack’s shoulder a little, dropping a hand to rest on his stomach.]
And you be nice. I’m the only father you should be assaulting.
[A tiny foot immediately bumps against his palm through skin, making him laugh.]
That’s a good girl. Smack your tad, not your daddy.