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Peja's Wonderful World of Makebelieve Import
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Published:
2020-11-05
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320
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Funeral Blues

Summary:

Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Jack/Jack
Summary: Now is all he has to give Captain Jack, and hopefully a proper farewell.
A/N: poem in italics Funeral Blues by WH Auden.

Work Text:

 

Funeral Blues
by Lilithangel
http://www.livejournal.com/users/lilithbint

He concentrated on the now as they danced.  If he thought too much about the future he knew he wouldn't be able to let the man in his arms go.  So he focussed on the feel of Jack's cheek against his, the smell of Jack's cologne, the rasp of wool from Jack's dress jacket.
 
Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone
 
He wanted time to freeze, live all his eternities in this dance, in this man.
 
Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead.

 
It had been his love of the old planes that made him chose Jack's name as his own, that and the fact that pilots were dashing and heroic and everything he had dreamed being a time agent meant.
 
He hadn't meant to steal the sacrifice of a good man, hadn't really thought about it until this night, this dance.
 
Every inch of his body wanted to stay, wanted to save this man and maybe save himself, but he couldn't.
 
The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;

 
* * * * *

He hadn't been back very long and he knew his every move was still being watched by his team.  He knew disappearing even for a few hours would cause them worry but he had to do this himself, for himself and for Jack.
 
The military cemetery was typically military in its record keeping and he found the simple marker quite easily.  It said nothing of Jack's sacrifice, just his name and rank and the date now burned into his memory.
 
One year that only happened for fifty odd people, one hundred and fifty years of his own long life, and over sixty years late he finally returned the salute given to him in farewell.
 
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood;
For nothing now can ever come to any good.
 
END