Jack

[whispersoflove]

Coby had things to do, and after borrowing his phone to leave Sunny a message, Anael had let him go, after assuring him that he would be fine. No, really. He meant it. The mark on the top of his sternum still itched when he thought about it, or perhaps Anael itched around it. It felt like his entire being was trying, unsuccessfully, to push it off.

Once he was alone, he spent a long moment praying, then stopped when his stomach rumbled. Needing food, being hungry. These were new sensations for the angel. He had no idea how to cook anything, however, and turned away from Coby's cupboards and fridge, grabbing his boots to go outside.

He was on the lookout as he walked through the streets, every angelic sense focused on his surroundings. If they were going to try anything else, he was going to be ready for them. He was not sure how long he walked before he began to relax, trusting that he was not being followed. He found a street vendor and fished a note out of the pocket of his jeans to pay for a toastie. He ate as he walked, and only realised where his feet had taken him when he saw a familiar someone in just as familiar a coat walk out of a high tower a little way ahead of him.

Anael's feet slowed to a halt as he watched Jack, uncharacteristically unsure whether he wanted to see him or not.

Comments

[im_torchwood]

Jack was scowling as he emerged from Torchwood One. He'd do just about anything to not have to deal with the bureaucracy upstairs. He'd loved the freedom he'd had in Cardiff to run the shop the way he saw fit. Now he had to account for things like putting Val on the payroll.

He spotted Hani and his dark mood faded. He smiled as his feet turned toward him and he sauntered over, coat billowing.

"Just what I needed on a day like today. How are you?" he asked warmly.

[whispersoflove]

Despite regularly lying - occulting the truth - about his name and who he was to a great many men, Anael was actually terrible at it. Telling the truth was all he was good at, and he'd only grown better at those lies because he'd practiced them so much. So when Jack asked that question, the truth was obvious on his face before he even put words to it.

"I've been better," he settled on. A full answer would have taken much too long, and Jack did not even know what he was. Still called him Hani. "Has your day been particularly harrowing?"

[im_torchwood]

"Ugh, red tape and HR. I've had better. And somehow I think my bad does doesn't compare to yours. You look like shit," he said matter-of-factly.

[whispersoflove]

Anael laughed at the pronouncement, but it did not sound like his usual laughter. "Trust me, I feel worse."

[im_torchwood]

"You want to get out of the cold and tell me about it?" he asked. "My rig's over there. We can go get coffee."

[whispersoflove]

Anael only remembered then that it was cold; being bound in this form had done nothing to make him more vulnerable to the cold. "I'm not sure I want to tell you all about it, to be honest," he stated, surprised to hear a strain in his voice again. He ought to stop being so emotional about it, but being emotional was what he did, as a rule. "But coffee would be nice."

He did not really care about coffee; Jack's company would be nice.

[im_torchwood]

"Good. Well, not good, but good," Jack replied. "It's just over here."

He lead him to the SUV and hit the fob to disarm it. They got in and Jack brought it to life and the heater roared to life at full blast. The radio was on, too, but the noise of the blowing air drowned it out, mostly.

"How about we just hit Starbucks and stay in the rig where it's warm?" he asked as he backed out of the space.

[whispersoflove]

"I'll go get the coffee if you like," Anael told him, looking over at Jack as he drove. If he stayed here for very long, would he have to learn? "I don't mind the cold." Rather obviously, given what he was wearing.

[im_torchwood]

"You're a braver soul than me, then. The cold gets to me," Jack replied. He cast a sidelong glance at Hani, trying to get a read on him.

[whispersoflove]

Belatedly, Anael realised that he ought to buckle up, and did so with a half-smile. "It's not bravery if there's nothing to conquer." He was clearly not like himself, but he was also trying.

[im_torchwood]

"Easy for you to say," Jack grinned. He left the behemoth of a building behind and headed for the coffee place that he knew was closest.

"If you're not going to talk about yourself you should talk about something else," he remarked.

[whispersoflove]

"Well, you can tell me what kind of coffee you'd like, first," Anael replied, smiling softly at Jack. Trying. "Given the length of some of the orders I hear, I might need the whole drive to learn it by heart."

[im_torchwood]

"I just take it black," he said. "I like simple. And easy. I'm a big fan of easy."

[whispersoflove]

"All right, I might be able to remember that," Anael admitted. He frowned, and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Jack, I don't know that I'm going to be very easy company today." Or any time in the near future.

[im_torchwood]

"Must be a hell of a weight you're carrying," he said sympathetically.

[whispersoflove]

Anael huffed out a breath, as if he had tried for laughter but fallen short. A weight. That was certainly what the brand on his skin felt like. Like he had been weighed down to Earth, and now he could not go back home. Where he belonged, where his duty lay.

But he set those thoughts aside, and gave Jack a sad smile. "What I meant was, you might not enjoy my company today."

He did not mind if Jack rescinded his offer of coffee. The thought of having to make small talk made Anael want to curl up and close his eyes against the world. Admittedly, curling up against someone he loved would be much better, but he had already asked it of Coby; he would not ask it of Jack, too, despite all the feelings they had shared.

[im_torchwood]

"Eh, everyone has their off days," Jack said. "I'm not going to kick you out in the cold like this. Trust me, I'll like your company just fine."

[whispersoflove]

"I don't mind the cold," Anael reminded him with a small smile. "But I do like your warmth much better."

It was not actually a come-on; Anael was thinking more of the emotional warmth of Jack's heart. He could feel it even now, and it helped, to some degree.

[im_torchwood]

"Why, thank you," he grinned. Jack had to stop for a light. He took the opportunity to reach over and lay his hand gently on Anael's leg.

"Whatever it is, it's going to be alright," he assured him gently.

[whispersoflove]

Anael smiled at the gesture, his hand coming to cover Jack, as long as the light would allow. He turned his eyes on the man, hope, love and fear mingled in them. "Of course."

[im_torchwood]

Jack gave him a squeeze before putting his hand on the wheel again.

"How bad can it be?" he asked, sounding rather rhetorical, though it did give Anael and opening.

[whispersoflove]

That was actually a very good point to make. This would not upset the world as a whole; only Anael's world. Even if he could never go back, his trouble was still entirely self-centered, as long as he did not let his mysterious enemies get a hold of him. An angel's power could be used for so much - evil as well as good, and he did not trust their motives.

"You're right," he told Jack with a truer smile than he had worn until now. "It's truly not that bad."

[im_torchwood]

"Yeah? Maybe not. Maybe not in the grand scheme of things, but it's got you down today."

He took a right turn and parked against the curb, the monstrosity of an SUV blocking a clear view for others trying to turn.

"Do you want to go in alone or should we both go in and sit for a bit?"

[whispersoflove]

"No, I'll be back," Anael told him with a soft smile. "Black coffee. I remember." He unbuckled his belt and leaned over to press a grateful kiss to Jack's cheek, then hopped out of the SUV to walk into the Starbucks.

It took a little time, but ten minutes later, he had made good use of some more miraculous cash, and bought Jack a coffee and himself a tea, along with a piece of chocolate brownie. It had seemed like the thing to do. The drinks and cake were on one of those cardboard drink holders, so he could open the car door with one hand and hoist himself back in.

"Chocolate felt like a safe bet," he stated.

[im_torchwood]

"Chocolate is always a safe bet," he grinned. He'd kept the rig running and now it was toasty warm inside. "Thank you, Hani. I appreciate it."