Another Life by a_silver_story | Part 19
Title: Another Life
Chapter: 19 | ??
Characters: Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones
Author: a_silver_story
Genre Alternate Universe, Romance
Rating: NC-17 just to be safe.
Warnings: A bit of angst, and some tentacles and d/c in the future.
Disclaimer: If I owned anything in this, I'd be a rich rich rich bitch. However, I am not a rich rich rich bitch so you may all, therefore, assume I own nothing. Which I don't. It all belongs RTD and the BBC, in case any of you didn't know.
Summary: Ianto finds himself heartbroken and alone, but eventually learns that no matter what point in Captain Jack Harkness' life he finds himself, they will always fall in love.
Torchwood Index/Masterlist
First Part
Another Life
Another Life XIX
“I want balloons that float! Please can I have balloons that float? And a cake with a hole in the middle! And … streamers. Last year I had a buffet, but this year I want burgers. Can we have burgers?”
Giacomo didn't seem to notice that Jack was staring into the middle distance and hadn't been listening for at least five minutes. Ianto had stopped pretending to take notes for at least two.
“Giacomo? Why don't you write down a list of things you want for your party, and your Dad and I will have a look through and see, okay?”
“Can I do it now?”
“The sooner, the better!”
“Can I use the computer in Dad's office?”
“No. Remember what happened last time?”
“The orange juice spilled itself!” Giacomo insisted. “It did! It really did!”
“You can use my electronic clipboard if you want, but no computers.”
Giacomo went to fetch the sheet of plastic and the stylo to go with it, happily sitting in the corner and scrawling a list to his best ability.
Ianto touched Jack's arm. “Captain?”
Jack seemed to come back to earth with a thud, and blinked. He masked it as best he could behind a grin. “Decided on everything, have we?”
“He's writing a list,” Ianto sighed. “Are you all right?”
“Mm? Me?”
“Yeah. You.”
“I'm fine,” Jack smiled. “Why wouldn't I be?”
“Well … aside from dealing with the life you have, the life we're losing, regaining your forcibly removed ability to feel and … what we talked about last week? No reason.”
Jack sighed. “I'm fine, Ianto. I prefer to deal with it on my own.”
Ianto squeezed his hand. “Well … if you ever just want to … well, not talk. Just someone to understand, and to be with you … We're married now, remember? Come to me?”
“I learned the hard way not to talk to the Missus about the exes,” Jack replied cagily.
“I said 'not talk'. I know what you're like, Jack. Don't be afraid to hold me just because you're grieving for someone else.”
The Captain took a deep breath, then smiled a genuine, if not slightly watery smile. “Thank you.”
“Done!” Giacomo called from the corner, scrambling to his feet to return the clipboard. “Look - I couldn't spell, so I drawed.”
Jack took the clipboard to see. “It's 'drew', Giacomo.”
“I couldn't spell, so I drewed.”
“Just 'drew'.”
“I know. You're funny when you're trying to be clever like Daddy,” Giacomo grinned.
“Hey!” Jack pouted. “I am clever like Daddy! Daddy, aren't I clever like you?”
Ianto pretended to think about it. He gave a sly grin. “Stop teasing your Dad, Giacomo. He doesn't quite get it.”
Giacomo giggled, then pointed at an orange splodge of pixels on the electronic clipboard. “Those are balloons, and I want lots and lots! I want some of them on the floor, and some of them to float on ribbons. That's a burger, because I want burgers, not pizza - or salad! Rhys made me have salad last year. But this time I want beefburgers and chicken burgers.”
Jack nodded along with him, then patted his head. “Fetch me a pen - we'll write this up properly. And then we can decide who to invite, okay?”
The three of them worked their way through Giacomo's drawings, until the Captain had a neatly written-up list of things he was allowed to have for his birthday party. He saved it and printed it from the electronic clipboard before beginning the list of guests.
“Okay - so we definitely want Rhys?” he began, jotting down his name as Giacomo nodded.
“And Till! We have to have Till! And Captain John.”
Jack raised an eyebrow. “What do we want him there for?”
“He's fun,” shrugged Giacomo.
Ianto cleared his throat. “Maybe he could pop by in the evening, when it won't be so crowded?” he suggested.
“The Doctor!” continued Little Jack. “And Annabel - but not baby Ian.”
“Why not baby Ian?” Jack asked, frowning.
“Because it's my party, and people always fuss over babies!”
Ianto cleared his throat again. “Maybe he could pop by in the evening, too? When his mam comes to pick up Annabel? I doubt he'd be too happy at a noisy children's party anyway.”
“Mmm,” Jack conceded. “Okay … who else?”
Giacomo bit his lip in thought.
Ianto leaned forward. “What about your friends from school?”
“How many can I have?”
“You can have five, I told you before.”
“Jezbie, Ophelia, Lori, Yukiko and …” he trailed off, debating in his head and giving Jack time to scribble down the names. “and … Malcolm?”
“Okay … when are we going to buy all this stuff in?” Jack asked.
Ianto gave a small snort. “I think you mean 'when is Ianto going to be buying all this stuff in?'”
“Well, if you're so eager to volunteer ….” grinned Jack, and handed him the printed out list of things they'd need. Ianto rolled his eyes and took it, deciding not to mention that he would never have trusted Jack with it anyway.
“I'll nip down to see Rhys when I take Giacomo later - we can decide what he'll be doing and what we'll be doing,” he said. “I could also do with some decent company,” he added, sticking his tongue out when Jack looked indignant.
“I have work to do, anyway,” Jack sighed, setting the clipboard aside and dragging himself to his feet, scooping up Giacomo and settling him on his hip to kiss his cheek.
“That's my line,” smiled Ianto. “and you've hardly stopped working these past few days. I'm worried you might be ill - especially since it's now Sunday.”
Jack smiled, passing Giacomo to him before leaning forward to kiss both their foreheads. “I'll see you both later,” he sighed, and returned to his office grudgingly.
“Fetch your coat,” Ianto told Giacomo, setting him down. “We'll go for walk, find you a birthday present - and then it's Rhys' turn to have you.”
“Yay!” chirruped Little Jack, and hurried off to get his jacket on. He returned, messing with his stuck zip before eventually having to wait for Ianto to sort it out and zip it up properly. Ianto pulled on his own coat, adjusted his tie and took Giacomo's hand. They made their way up through Jack's office, said goodbye and carried on out into the corridor and down all the stairs.
They used the back entrance to get out, wandering through the Oriental gardens, along the stream and then sat down under a large tree.
Giacomo ran around chasing birds for a bit while Ianto laughed and watched, thinking it was a pity there wasn't a play park. He wondered if there would be one near their new home, or if he could persuade Jack to get a swing and slide for the back garden.
Wearing out, Giacomo plopped down next to him and started picking at the buttercups and daisies growing around them. He yawned and stretched his feet out in front of him, then leant forward to touch his toes. “Can you do this?” he asked Ianto.
Ianto sniggered. “I highly, highly doubt it,” he laughed.
“I can do it! You have to try!” Giacomo insisted.
Ianto rolled his eyes, shifted his weight and stretched his legs out. He extended his arms and stopped nearly a foot away from his toes. “Nope!” he gasped. “Not happening!”
Giacomo was still sat comfortably holding his toes, grinning. Ianto gave him a gentle shove, and he tumbled dramatically onto his side, giggling. “Race you to the other side of the bridge!” he challenged, getting up to his feet.
Ianto groaned, struggling upright and jogging along beside him, knowing he could easily win. He feigned a stumble, and Giacomo cheered his victory as Ianto melodramatically grumbled, calling a foul and pouting a pout worthy of Giacomo himself.
“Right! Town,” he decided, and held his hand out for Giacomo to hold again. They walked briskly back to the building, Giacomo trotting along happily before eventually letting go of Ianto's hand to take running jumps into the footprints Scribble had left behind.
“C'mon, Jack,” Ianto beckoned, trying to hurry him along as the wind began to pick up.
“Daddy?” panted Giacomo, returning to Ianto's side. “Why did they fill in the tunnels?”
Ianto tensed. “Because they had to,” he replied stiffly.
“Why couldn't they have left them for the children to play in? They could have been dens.”
“They weren't safe - what if they'd caved in?”
“Hmm. Yeah,” Giacomo agreed. “What am I allowed for my birthday?” he asked, changing the subject.
“We'll see,” Ianto sighed. “What do you want?”
“A puppy!”
“Hmm. I don't think so.”
“Can I at least look at puppies?”
“Maybe. If you're good.”
“I am good! I say 'please' and 'thank you', and I scrubbed the kitchen floor until it was so shiny Dad slipped on it!”
“You weren't supposed to scrub it with furniture polish,” Ianto reminded him, but the corner of his mouth pulled. It had been a little bit funny.
They made their way towards the market village, pointing at things along the way. Giacomo quickly rejected pretty much everything Ianto suggested, saying it was too noisy, or too boring, or too 'un-present-y'. He'd tried persuading Ianto to buy him a cyber-puppy that needed minimal care and could be switched off, but Ianto was reluctant to dish out since it seemed likely they'd be getting a real one now that Big Jack was angling for it.
At least it wasn't a pteranodon, he thought to himself as he steered them towards the tailors' section, bored of Giacomo's antics now.
“I don't want clothes!” Giacomo realised, wide-eyed. “Please!”
“I need to run an errand,” Ianto placated him. “I ordered a present for your Dad and need to pick it up.”
They approached Mr. Turnbull's shop, and they were greeted with a cheery smile as they entered.
“Can't stop long,” Ianto said. “Someone needs a birthday present,” he explained, nodding in Giacomo's direction. “Is it finished?”
“Of course!” beamed Mr. Turnbull, disappearing then returning with a large, white box. He pulled up the lid, and Ianto peered inside. Giacomo stood on his tiptoes to try and see, too.
Carefully, Ianto lifted the long coat out of the box to examine it, beaming. “It's perfect!” he grinned, drinking in the heavy, black wool and the silver detail of the double-breast fastenings. The shoulders were squared and perfectly shaped, and Ianto could already tell the faux-military cut would allow for the most dramatic of dramatic swishes, for entrances and exits. He examined the silver metal of the buttons carefully, the monogram of 'J&I' ornately embossed onto each one.
“It's perfect ….” he whispered. “Better than I imagined. And … love the buttons.”
“I figured they would be appropriate for a wedding gift,” smiled Mr. Turnbull.
“Let me see!” Giacomo squeaked, standing on tiptoes. Ianto removed the coat from the box entirely while Mr. Turnbull deftly lifted Giacomo to sit on the counter. He reached out and squeezed the black wool between his hands, and traced a finger over a button. “Can I have one? For my birthday? Please?”
“I thought you didn't want clothes?”
“If you'd rather me nag for the rest of the day about puppies ….” Giacomo offered, and Ianto rolled his eyes.
“You're getting spoilt,” he sighed. “Do you think he could have a mini-version of this?” he asked, carefully starting to put it back in its box.
“Oh! Certainly!” beamed Mr. Turnbull. “You and your lot don't half keep me in business,” he added with a grin.
Ianto rolled his eyes good-heartedly. He paid for Giacomo's coat, leaving his usual generous tip and, since his hands were occupied with Jack's box, making Giacomo hold onto the edge of his pocket so that he didn't get lost as they made their way back towards home.
“Can I still look at puppies?” Giacomo asked, and Ianto figured they may as well. They found the only pet shop in the entire building, and while they didn't sell puppies, they did have a variety of small household pets.
Ianto examined the electric blue hamsters waddling around their cages, before moving further down the row to the green, yellow, orange and red ones. One of them bit the other, it squeaked and a bubble erupted from its mouth. Ianto blinked.
“Daddy! Look!” Giacomo exclaimed, pulling on his sleeve. Ianto peered into the cage he was pointing at, and his eyebrows shot up.
Sat, quite docile and happily staring straight back at them, was the smallest black Labrador Ianto had ever seen. She was three inches tall sat up, at the very least, and as they watched her, she stood and leaned her two front paws on the bar, rearing up on her hind legs and wagging her tail.
“What is that?” Ianto asked out loud.
“An hamster-sized dog,” a voice behind him said, making him jump. “Perfect for apartment living, loves kids and doesn't necessarily have to be kept in the cage. We have several different breeds,” continued the gentleman in the green apron. “but that's our last Lab.”
Could be taken out of the cage - and more importantly, kept in one?
“Are they noisy?”
“They shuffle around a bit, and yap if they're hungry. But all in all, very quiet. And don't shred your furniture.”
Ianto could see why this type of pet would be popular ….
“Is she fully grown?”
“No - this is just a baby. Fully grown … about six inches stood?”
Ianto nodded, considering it.
“Would you be interested in holding her?” the shopkeeper was asking.
“Erm … no,” Ianto told him regretfully.
“YES!” Giacomo was saying.
“No,” Ianto repeated, and even the hamster-dog seemed subdued. She was cute, Ianto decided. She stared up at him with her puppy eyes. “... maybe a couple of minutes, then,” he conceded. “But you're not having her, so don't form an emotional attach-”
“I'm going to call her 'Shirley'.”
“-ment. Buggeration.”
Giacomo beamed as Shirley crawled into his hand eagerly, and he giggled as she didn't stop crawling until she was stood on his shoulder, tiny pink tongue licking his cheek. “She's kissing me!” he exclaimed.
“She's not kissing you,” Ianto grimaced. “She's tasting your face. I think it's time to put Shirley away now.”
Giacomo pouted and groaned, but did as he was told. He worked his way along the line of hamster-dogs, casting glances back towards Shirley's cage where she was stood pressed against the bars in the direction he'd wandered off.
Ianto bit his lip. He turned to the shopkeeper, keeping his voice low. “How much for the black Labrador?”
He managed to barter the price down a little, and paid while Giacomo hopefully wasn't looking. He agreed to come back for her later, and with great difficulty ushered Giacomo from the shop.
“I need to take you up to Rhys, now,” he sighed, hitching the box with Jack's coat in a little further up. “We need to talk to him about your party, too. Giacomo?” Not getting a response, he looked down to find Giacomo with his hands in his pockets and dragging his feet. “What's up with you?”
“I really love Shirley!” he wailed.
“You can have a pet when we move,” Ianto reiterated, trying not to smile. He managed to use his 'brink no argument' tone, and Giacomo left it.
They laboured up the stairs, Giacomo complaining that Jack carried him while Ianto didn't. Ianto threatened him with never getting a puppy if he wouldn't be quiet, and they arrived outside Rhys' door agitated and breathless.
Ianto pushed open the door. “Anybody home?” he called, and Rhys exited the kitchen, greeting them with a wide grin.
“Just about. Should I put the kettle on?”
“Oh God, yes please ….” Ianto sagged gratefully, going through to put the box on the dining room table and take a seat as he removed his own jacket. Giacomo had run to his room to hang his up and probably sulk. Ianto sipped his mug of tea and savoured it before reaching into his pocket and pulling out the list of Giacomo's party wants. “We need to decide who's doing what,” he indicated the list, and Rhys took it.
“Doesn't ask for much, does he? He's getting spoiled.”
“That's what I keep saying … but I've found I just can't help it - and Lord knows I have much better self-control than the Captain.”
“I was thinking we could have the actual party here - otherwise everyone will be traipsing through the Captain's office all day,” suggested Rhys.
Ianto nodded, “Good idea,” and took out his notebook to jot everything down. They drank tea and worked their way down the list, splitting it as fairly as they could.
“So … what you got him then?” Rhys asked once they'd finished.
“Ah. I think Jack and I have spoiled him rotten,” he sighed. “I bought this as a wedding gift for Jack ….” He showed Rhys the coat to an appreciative whistle. “Little Jack decided he wanted a Little Jack Coat.”
“You do realise he'll just get it messy?”
“At least I have experience keeping this type of coat clean, as well as how to repair them,” Ianto sighed. “But the coat isn't all. He begged to look at puppies on the way back ….”
“Oh dear.”
“... and they had these adorable hamster-dog things. And there was this beautiful black Labrador puppy hamster-dog thing … he doesn't know he has her yet. It's going to be a surprise. I just hope I can keep her secret long enough ….”
“You could just leave him here for the next five days ….” Rhys suggested.
“I probably could,” Ianto sighed. “I doubt the Captain would allow it, but I could probably convince him he agreed and forgot.”
Rhys gave a small laugh. “Seriously?”
“Mm. I think he needs some time to slow down and just … have a think. It's hard for him, when he has to draw himself out of the reverie every couple of days. So if Giacomo stays here it works out for everyone. The Captain gets time to think, Giacomo gets to be with you, you get to be with Giacomo and I can keep Shirley a secret.”
“... you named the puppy 'Shirley'?”
“God, no! Shirley is my secret lover!”
Rhys blinked. “What the crap?”
“Of course it's the puppy, spoon,” Ianto rolled his eyes. “Giacomo named her in the shop.”
Rhys laughed. “I think he's still upset the Captain disembowelled his dinosaur.”
“Mmm,” agreed Ianto. “Though the Captain's been having nightmares about that.”
Rhys nodded sympathetically, and Ianto touched his ear as his comm buzzed.
“Ianto!”
“Captain?”
“Was Operation Birthday Gift a success?”
“Definitely. I just need to run and fetch something, and I'll be right up.”
“Don't leave me waiting too long!” the Captain replied jovially, but Ianto could instantly hear through the façade. The Captain was upset about something.
They bade goodbye and cut the link. “I need to go,” sighed Ianto. “Giacomo!” he called. “I'm going now!”
Giacomo trotted through and gave him a kiss and a hug goodbye. He also presented him with a drawing.
“That's Dad, and that's you, and that's Scribble, and that's me holding Scribble's hand. And then in the corner is Rhys, but I couldn't fit him all on so had to make him really small. That's Till, and she's small, too. And that's the Doctor's box, and that's Captain John.”
Ianto kissed his head and took the drawing, folding it carefully and slipping it in his pocket. He checked his watch. “Ooh! I really need to go!” he realised, and hurried to make his way back to the little pet shop and pick up Shirley and buy her some accessories and food, all the while balancing the Jack's boxed coat in his arms.
Like a normal dog, Shirley ate meat, but the tiniest little chunks. The shopkeeper advised him that she would be perfectly happy with normal meat, as long as it was cut up small enough and cooked thoroughly.
Just for fun, he bought her a miniature dog bed with a little solar-battery powered heater in it to keep her warm instead of baking in front of the fire, as well as miniature Frisbees, a tiny ball, bone and a little knotted tugging rope. He also bought a collar with an extra long lead so that Giacomo could walk her.
Boxed, bagged and port-caged, he began the ridiculously long climb back to his and the Captain's quarters.
“Y'know … all I wanted was lifts,” he lamented to an attentive Shirley as they neared the top of the stairs. “Was it really … that much … to ask?” he panted, hoping her little cage wouldn't slide off the precariously balanced boxed coat.
He made it to the top, and was pushing his way through the office door before realising he'd gone all the way up the stairs, past the landing and into Jack's office all on his own without thinking about getting stabbed once.
Progress, he decided.
He raised his eyebrow when he found Jack still poring over his work. “Are you ill, then?” he asked, and Jack returned the raised eyebrow.
“Are you?” he countered. “Is that … a hamster?”
“A hamster-dog. A tiny black Labrador called Shirley. She's a surprise for Giacomo. Say 'hello'.”
He set the cage down, and Shirley reared up on her hind legs to lean on the bars and wag her tail at the Captain. He instantly forgot his paperwork and opened the cage door to take her out.
“Hello, beautiful!” he cooed, and Shirley seemed to shy coyly and preen under his gaze.
Ianto rolled his eyes. Even dogs were susceptible.
“We need to keep her secret until Giacomo's birthday. He doesn't know he's got her, and was heartbroken to leave her.”
“I'd bet,” grinned Jack, holding her up to the light and tickling behind her ears. He set her on his desk and started rummaging through the paper bag of toys, picking out the tugging rope and playing a little game with her. She growled a high pitched rumble as she played, and Ianto watched, amused.
“Shall I put some coffee on?” he asked, already on his way to the machine. He could yet again see evidence of Jack attempting to make his own, and smiled fondly at the mess.
“Ianto?” Jack called.
“Mmm?”
“What's this?”
“A hamster-dog called Shirley,” Ianto joked, and turned back into the office. His face fell. “Oh … you weren't supposed to find that yet.”
Jack had gotten curious, and opened the box that Ianto had forgotten on his desk. He was holding up the coat, while Shirley gazed up at it wonderingly before getting distracted again by her rope.
“You gonna try it on?” Ianto asked.
“... it's for me?”
“It's your wedding gift. Look at the buttons!”
Jack inspected them, and laughed. “Possessive, much?”
“It's a wedding gift. It's supposed to remind you of us,” Ianto sniffed. “Besides, they weren't my idea.”
Jack slung the heavy wool around his shoulders, letting it fall and fit snugly. He buttoned up the double-breasted fastenings, and put his hands in his pockets to pose for Ianto's amusement. “I love it,” he declared, and pulled Ianto into a tight hug. He rested his chin on his shoulder, relaxing into the embrace. “It's sort of like my old one,” he observed fondly.
Ianto stiffened in his arms. “I … what?”
“The Doctor showed me some memories,” he reminded him. “Of you, and of … not entirely sure. Gwen, and the crop-circles?”
Ianto pushed him away, alarmed. “I … you … I … I need to ….”
He turned and ran down the stairs, shut himself in the bathroom and bolted the door. He sank down onto the cool tiles with his head in his hands, not entirely sure what had just come over him or why he had started crying.
He remembered the day Jack had been talking about. He and his Past Jack had been late for work, having overslept and decided to make love one more time before facing the world. Gwen had been waiting for them, and using one of Ianto's elaborately placed plans they'd gotten off. That was also the first time anyone had referred to them as a couple, and Ianto had spent the rest of the day in the Archives tackling Harmless Misc. and avoiding both Gwen and Jack.
Being reminded of it had somehow been a blow, rather than the happy, nostalgic fuzzy feeling that he usually got when thinking of the twenty-first century - however tinged with sadness it might be. He let it all out, sniffed and reached for tissues, blowing his nose, wiping his eyes and pulling himself back together.
“Ianto?” Jack called softly through the bathroom door. “You've been in there half an hour now, and I wouldn't disturb you, only Shirley's getting hungry and I don't know what to feed her.”
“Give me a minute!” he called back, his voice slightly hoarse. He figured it didn't matter that Jack would see he'd been crying, since he probably knew anyway. He opened the door with his eyes still blood shot, and he face was probably a bit puffy. He found Jack on the other side, Shirley snuggled in his hand. He was still wearing his coat, which made Ianto smile.
“Feeling better?” Jack asked.
“Yeah … I … don't know what came over me ….”
“Sometimes it just hits you,” Jack nodded. “I'm sorry.”
“It's not your fault. Not at all,” he said firmly. “Now - teeny puppy needs something to eat ….”
There was some left over chicken from the night before, so Ianto chopped it up as small as he could and put it on a saucer for her to eat. She gobbled it hungrily, then lapped at the water Ianto put next to her. Jack had thought to bring her things down, so Ianto set up the electric-heated dog bed and put it on the bedside cabinet.
Yawning, she settled once she'd been placed on it, chasing her tail slowly before lying down and closing her eyes.
“Who needs a dog when you can have a teeny, tiny hamster-dog?” he pondered, and Jack laughed. He stood and pulled his coat around him, practising swishing it while Ianto sat on the bed, leaning back against the headboard and stretching out.
“Hey,” Jack grinned. “Do you think we'd be able to have sex without waking the doggy?”
“No, I don't,” sighed Ianto.
“Hmm … maybe we could put the doggy in the living room?” he suggested, and without waiting for confirmation carefully picked up the hamster-dog and her bed and disappeared for a moment or two. He swept back in, put his hands on his hips and posed with his coat. “Dramatic entrance enough?” he asked.
Ianto covered his forehead with his hand as he laughed. “Maybe a little more practice,” he suggested, moving to kneel up at the foot of the bed and pull Jack closer to him. He started unbuttoning the coat, and the Captain kissed the top of his head as he worked lower, pushing it from his shoulders. Jack took it and hung it on the wardrobe door before throwing himself down on the bed. He held his arms out, and Ianto lay beside him, letting him snuggle up.
“You know what's a really good sign?” Jack asked as he pressed his lips into Ianto's neck.
“Mmm?” Ianto asked distractedly, what with him being a little bit distracted - especially now Jack's hand had decided to slip below his waistband.
“I'm not bored of you yet ….”
Ianto stiffened, frowned and pushed him back. “Excuse me?”
“Hey - it was a compliment! You know how short my attention span is!”
Ianto considered it, then rolled his eyes. “Carry on,” he sighed, and Jack did so with delight, pulling out the knot in his tie and tossing it aside to pull down his zip and unfasten his trousers. Ianto's breath hitched as Jack pushed himself down the bed until he was low enough to take Ianto into his mouth. Ianto's legs wrapped around his torso as he worked, hands tangling in his hair and a low moan escaping from both of them.
Flushed and panting, Ianto could feel himself getting closer and closer, and Jack was being relentless. All Ianto knew was that this felt good. More than good. Blissful. Since Giacomo had started staying over, they hadn't been having enough sex ….
The phone rang.
Ianto was pretty much prepared to kill Jack for stopping to answer it.
“Leave it!” he panted and begged, but Jack just laughed at him and reached for the phone.
“Captain Harkness. Yeah? Hang on, he's just here,” he said, holding out the receiver to Ianto. “For you,” he grinned.
“Hello?”
“Daddy!”
“Oh … hi, Giacomo ….”
Giacomo nagged him for at least fifteen minutes about his party, dropped copious hints about puppies and hamster-dogs and then moaned about Rhys making him go to bed. With great effort Ianto managed to persuade him it was time to go, and leaned over Jack to hang up the receiver.
“Well, that killed the mood,” Ianto grumbled, and not garnering a response turned to find the Captain sleeping peacefully beside him. “Not bored of me yet, eh?” he asked the unconscious form, and kissed his forehead fondly. Getting up, he made his way into the living room to find Shirley still dozing on her bed on the coffee table.
He cleared his throat.
Sitting on the sofa, he cleared his throat again, louder.
Giving up, he poked her.
Her little eyes blearily opened, and she yawned and whined.
“You'll keep me company, won't you Shirley?” he asked, and she dragged herself to her feet to wag her tail while he scratched the top of her head. She seemed delighted to see him, yapping softly and nuzzling his hand. He left her a moment and found her little Frisbee, spinning it a little way across the coffee table as she scrambled after it.
She soon picked up the idea of 'Fetch', and they moved onto playing with the little ball, then the tugging rope.
“Y'know,” breathed Ianto. “You're not so bad. Just don't shit on my clothes and we'll get along fine,” he said, stroking her head as she started yawning again. “I wonder if Giacomo will get bored of you. He probably will. Children are like that. Children and Jack. And no matter how much we adore them, they'll get bored of us eventually.
“I wonder how long you'll live? Do you have the life-span of a dog or a hamster?”
Shirley gazed up at him confused, as if she didn't quite understand what he was saying, but was listening anyway to humour him. She sat down, licking her nose, then bounded up again as Ianto made to stand. Trotting around in a circle, she picked up her ball again and offered it to him. She dropped the slimy orb into his hand, and he grimaced as he bounced it along the table for her to retrieve.
“Having fun?” Jack asked from the doorway, making Ianto jump.
Ianto grinned. “Yeah. I think I might keep her a secret from Giacomo forever so that I can have her to myself.”
Jack smiled, and stood behind him to snake arms around his middle. “Sorry for falling asleep on you.”
“It's okay - you've been busy.”
“I've been doing paperwork.”
“Stressful, life-changing paperwork using a level of concentration of which your brain is previously unfamiliar.”
“Mmm,” he agreed, giving a sharp bite to Ianto's earlobe. “Gonna put your doggy away and come play?”
Ianto tipped his head back and groaned. “I'm tired now ….”
“No problem,” shrugged Jack. “Just lie on your back and let me take care of you ….” he muttered into Ianto's neck, pressing kisses where he could.
“Okay,” Ianto conceded, and lifted Shirley back onto her bed. He gently pushed her down until she took the hint, and she closed her eyes dutifully. “If only putting Giacomo to bed was that easy,” he sighed, following Jack into the bedroom and allowing himself to be pushed down onto his back with a laugh.
“Clothes off!” Jack grinned, taking off his shirt and unzipping his trousers.
“You're not going to undress me?” Ianto pouted.
“I can't promise not to rip anything,” the Captain threatened, stepping closer and already down to just one sock.
“Spoilsport,” scowled Ianto, and started taking his own clothes off and making a point of folding them and hanging them properly as Jack started preparing himself on the bed. “Expecting a ride?”
“Told you you wouldn't be doing anything,” replied Jack, reaching over and pulling him down onto the bed. He started giving him a blow job without preamble, making him gasp and writhe until he was fully hard and ready.
Finally, Jack was lowering himself onto him, and they both struggled to regulate their breathing and keep control. Ianto squeezed his eyes shut, allowing his hands to be pinned above his head and lips to kiss and tease at the soft skin of his neck as Jack rolled his hips and clenched down.
His back arched and Jack moaned above him, wriggling and revolving his hips to make Ianto moan louder.
“Yesssssss ….”
Jack laughed. “Enjoying yourself?” he asked, leaning down and pressing his tongue into his mouth.
“Mmmf?” Ianto managed. “Tha' wuz you.”
“... no … that was you ….”
They paused, and Jack lifted his head to frown down at him. He frowned right back. Slowly, they turned their heads to the doorway.
“JOHN!” Ianto yelped, and Jack laughed.
John Hart was stood in the doorway, leaning casually and unabashedly watching them lustfully. Mindful of Ianto's reserved nature, Jack held up the duvet before climbing off him. Ianto was flushing a deep, deep crimson, and had no idea where to look.
“You two are boring,” John grinned. “Seriously - where's the experimentation? Then again … you're married now. Everyone knows that the only thing a wedding ring symbolises is the fact no one's getting any sex any more.”
Jack rolled his eyes and cut him off. “What do you want, John?”
John stiffened. “If I had a dollar for every time I heard that ….” he grumbled, then his face turned hard. “The Doctor's leaving. You need to come say goodbye.”
Ianto frowned. “I thought he was staying until Little Jack's birthday?”
“Well, apparently he has other plans,” John replied curtly. “Come on, he's in a rush - it's not like he's got a time machine or anything.”
Jack had no problems getting out of bed and starting to get dressed. “I'm guessing he … didn't offer you a ride?”
John's expression was stony. “No. He didn't.”
Before Jack could say anything further, John turned on his heel and stalked out, slamming what doors he could behind him.
“Is he okay, d'ya think?” Ianto asked, climbing out of bed to get dressed, too.
“He will be,” shrugged Jack. “His timing, as usual, is horrendous ….”
“John?”
“No. The Doctor.”
“He said he was staying until Giacomo's birthday,” sighed Ianto. “Giacomo's expecting him to be there.”
“Maybe he will be,” Jack assured him, smirking as he watched him trying to tuck his erection into his boxers. “Want help with that?”
“You've done enough dama-” Ianto began, but stopped abruptly as Jack pushed him onto the bed and straddled him, dipping his head down and swirling his tongue around Ianto's cock. Closing his eyes, he relaxed and smiled, biting his lip as he enjoyed the attention, finally coming down Jack's throat.
“Come on!” urged Jack, grinning. “We're gonna be late!”
“Mmnafubra,” Ianto mumbled, still a little zoned out.
“Don't make me fetch the cold water,” Jack threatened, pulling him up to his feet as he regained his bearings.
In less than five minutes they were on their way up to the office, Jack pulling on his new coat and finding John there waiting for them. “About time,” he huffed. “Honestly - not only are you boring, you're slow. And old,” he added, narrowing his eyes at Jack before turning on his heel to leave.
Jack gave Ianto a wide-eyed 'Okay? What did we do?' look. Ianto shrugged slightly and started off walking a few steps behind John, Jack falling into step beside him and trying to surreptitiously make his coat swish. Ianto noticed and smirked to himself, but Jack heard his muffled snigger.
“What?” he sniffed. “Practice makes perfect!”
To demonstrate, he spun around as he walked, the coat fanning out a little and swishing as he returned to walking normally.
Ianto sniggered again. “Smooth,” he nodded. “Maybe next time you could do it with jazz hands?”
“Jazz Hands?”
“... I am not demonstrating Jazz Hands. Not here anyway. The CCTV can see.”
“I can't have a quickie?”
“Hell no.”
“You're no fun.”
“Will you two stop it?” John snapped. “Honestly; it's like listening to an old married couple. You make me sick.”
Jack and Ianto walked in silence the rest of the way outside and to the TARDIS. Jack kept swishing his coat around every turn, nearly taking out a stray child at one corner with a particularly dramatic swoop. Ianto chortled all the rest of the way, then shivered as they reached the outside and wished he'd brought his own coat.
The Doctor was waiting for them, and he grinned as they approached.
Ianto scowled. “You're supposed to be staying for Giacomo's birthday,” he reminded him.
“I'll be back by then! I hope - if the Old Girl gets it right.”
“Will she?” Ianto asked, an edge to his tone.
“She'll do her best,” the Doctor replied shiftily.
Jack raised an eyebrow.
“I need to get going,” the Doctor urged. “The TARDIS doesn't like being so far from her time for so long. She needs a bit of recuperation. So - I shall be off.”
He hugged them each in turn, giving an indignant John an extra squeeze, and turned, grinning brightly, to step into his TARDIS.
“That's it?” Ianto asked after the door had shut. “And now he just expects us to watch him fade away?”
“At least we got a goodbye,” shrugged Jack. “He comes and goes as he pleases, usually.”
“Erm … you guys?” John cut in. “You wouldn't happen to know of a bed going spare? I sorta … stayed with him.”
Ianto nodded. “Rhys' flat has a room going spare. Just watch out for Giacomo on a morning - he likes to take running jumps.”
“I'll lock the door then,” John shrugged. “... not that I wouldn't have done anyway ….” he added.
Ianto glared. “John?”
“Mmm?”
“I owe you something ….”
John turned, and Ianto caught him with a fierce right hook, splitting his lip and making him stagger backwards and trip.
“What the fuck, Eye Candy?”
Jack grabbed Ianto by the shoulders to hold him back, and Ianto shook him off. “I was going to tell him in my own fucking time!” he snapped.
“Tell him what?”
“You know what!”
“Oh … that ….” he murmured as he got to his feet, narrowly missing another punch thanks to Jack grabbing hold of Ianto again, if a fraction of a second too slow. John scowled at them. “Excuse me for taking out an insurance policy! It was for you own good!”
“I'll decide what's for 'my own good', Captain.”
“Oh, please!” laughed John. “If you knew what was for your own good, that little bastard would be-”
He was cut off as another punch was thrown his way, though this time he managed to duck.
Jack remained silent, arms folded protectively over his chest and staring into the middle distance. Ianto shivered, and the Captain put an arm around him to warm him up. John put his hands in his pockets and turned sullenly to go back inside, and Jack and Ianto followed after him, Ianto still seething and Jack remaining quiet.
“Honestly ….” murmured John. “Only tryna help.”
Jack sighed. “Well, you didn't.”
~*~*~*~
After leaving John at Rhys', Ianto and Jack made their way upstairs and collapsed onto their bed. They rolled onto their sides, facing each other, and Jack rested his hand on Ianto's upper arm and squeezed affectionately.
"That's one helluva right hook," he smiled. "Remind me not to get on your bad side."
Ianto smiled back, sleepily. “Mmm.”
The Captain leaned forward and kissed him gently. “I love you.”
Ianto's grip on his waist tightened in reassurance, but too tired to speak his eyes fell shut and he drifted off with a contented smile on his face. Half an hour later, Jack slipped out of bed quietly and got undressed and changed into his pyjama bottoms. He nipped upstairs to the kitchenette and got himself a glass of water, checking on sleeping Shirley along the way.
Despite himself, he was worried about John. Three things were bothering him:
With a heavy sigh, Jack threw himself down onto the sofa to think.
~*~*~*~
Ianto woke up and groaned. He'd fallen asleep in his clothes.
He was also alone.
Blearily dragging himself out of bed, he figured Jack would probably be already in his office and made his way up. He paused in the living room, chopping up some more chicken for Shirley as she yapped and wagged her tail. He took her and her little plate up with him.
“Thought I might find you here,” he smiled, settling himself into the visitor's chair and putting Shirley and her meal on the desk.
Jack stretched back in his chair. “Didn't sleep well,” he explained. “I'm worried about John.”
“I'm sure he'll be fine.”
“Mm. I'm just worried that if he flips out in a bid for attention, it'll be you he's aiming for. He's jealous, y'know.”
Ianto turned the plate so that Shirley could access more food, and patted her head. “He just needs to find someone new and to stop him pining over you.”
“Yeah,” Jack nodded. “Hey … whaddya think? … John and Rhys?”
Ianto nearly choked on his own tongue, and they both laughed until their sides were getting sore. Shirley sat still between them, looking from one to the other, not getting the joke.
“Oh dear God …!” gasped Ianto. “I don't even want to imagine that!”
“Hahaha! I wonder what Rhys' face will be like when John tries it on with him. Because he will.”
Ianto smirked. “I almost have the urge to go down to the flat and … wait for them to wake up … and wait for John to come on to him … and see the face first hand ….”
“Yeah!” Jack agreed, though he didn't seem to take the hint that that was what Ianto wanted to do. “You know ….” Jack pondered. “... we haven't had sex on my desk ye-”
There was a brisk knock on the door.
Ianto managed not to break anything as he went to pull it open. Outside, a man in a suit was checking his watch and waiting. “Can I help you?” Ianto asked, wondering why on earth anything could be so urgent as to go knocking on a door at six AM. He was also very aware of the fact he'd slept in the suit he was wearing.
“I need to see Captain Jack Harkness,” replied the gentleman, giving him a disdainful look.
Ianto raised an eyebrow at his tone. “I think you forgot a little magic word?”
The man rolled his eyes. “Please?”
“I wouldn't mind an honorific, either.”
“Sir.”
“... and in a sentence?”
“I need to see Captain Jack Harkness, please sir.”
Ianto gave him a regretful look. “I'm afraid he's busy. It's also ridiculously early.”
“Just let me see your boss,” he growled.
Ianto's eyebrow raised again. “Who are you, exactly?”
“My name is Grant Poole. I'm a lawyer, here to represent the Commonwealth in an unfortunate case that has arisen, involving your boss and his legally significant other.”
“Right … could you wait fifteen minutes? I need to clear my 'boss'' schedule.”
Ianto shut the door without waiting for a reply, and turned to Jack, folding his arms. “What the hell?”
Jack looked confused. “Who was it?”
“A lawyer? Representing the Commonwealth? An unfortunate case arising involving my 'boss' and his legally significant other?”
Jack's eyebrow raised. “Boss?” he repeated, then grinned. “Oh! He thought you were my PA!”
“What the hell does he want?”
“How am I supposed to know?”
“Why am I involved?”
“How am I supposed to know?”
Ianto sighed. “Right … I'm gonna go and have the universe's fastest shower and change. Keep your eye on Shirley - maybe get her some water to drink. And don't talk to the lawyer without me!”
He didn't wait for a reply before hurrying down the stairs, throwing himself into the shower and pulling on his snazziest, most expensive black pinstripe suit, complete with deep red shirt and matching tie. He marched back to the office, dragged one of the visitors' chairs around to the back of the desk beside Jack and sat down, stroking the top of Shirley's head with a finger as he sent the Captain to go and open the door.
He did so, with only a slightly raised eyebrow, and pulled it back to reveal the lawyer still patiently waiting to be admitted. “Come in?” Jack offered, and he stepped smoothly inside. He spotted Ianto sat behind the desk in his freshly pressed clothes, petting his little hamster-dog. Ianto saw the quick realisation of the mistake he'd made, and how fast it was hidden behind a stoic mask.
“Grant Poole,” he introduced himself, and offered his hand to Jack and Ianto in turn, who accepted and shook politely. Mr. Poole took the remaining visitor's chair, unbuttoning his suit jacket as he sat and set down his shiny, black briefcase. “Captain Harkness?” Jack nodded. “Ianto Jones?” Ianto nodded. “Good. I'm a state lawyer, representing the Senate and the Commonwealth in the case of the Commonwealth versus Harkness and Jones.”
Ianto sat back in his chair as Shirley settled down to sit and listen. “And what can Harkness and Jones do for you, Mr. Poole?”
Jack sat down, folding his arms and waiting for the answer.
“An awkward situation has arisen,” explained Mr. Poole. “It would seem that less than two weeks after discovering this institution was to close its doors, Captain Harkness rushed through a legal partnership with an immigrant to the planet - a partnership that was not authorised by the Immigration Department officials as genuine.”
Ianto raised an eyebrow, and Jack leaned forward. “An immigrant? I believe the term you're searching for is 'refugee'. He has no choice but to be here.”
“He was not born here. He does not have citizenship - at least, he didn't until your unauthorised officiation.”
“What are you saying? Our partnership isn't legal?”
Mr. Poole sighed heavily. “The legal status of your partnership is under question. You must submit to investigation. Should your relationship be proved beyond all reasonable doubt genuine, the legality of your partnership will be restored.”
Ianto cleared his throat. “Restored? So … it's not currently legal? We're technically not … married?”
“I'm afraid that is the case.”
Ianto let out a big breath of air. “... we're not married ….”
Jack shrugged. “I guess this means we can have sex again ...”
Ianto ignored him. “So what does this investigation entail?”
“Questioning and observation, mainly. People you know and work with will also be interviewed,” Mr. Poole explained. “Should this stage be completed to satisfactory requirements, observation shall begin.”
“And what does observation entail?” pressed Ianto. This was an invasion to him.
“A month under observation. We shall pick the month, and you won't know it will be happening. Could be this time next year, could be two months from now. Should this stage be completed to satisfactory requirements, you will be given notification as to the status of your partnership.”
Jack sighed. “And if we don't meet 'satisfactory requirements'? You can hardly deport him.”
“Attempted fraud is a punishable offence, Captain.”
“Attempted frau- is this a joke?”
“I'm afraid not, sir. Now, I have a busy day ahead of me - if I might be seen out?”
“We'll happily sit here and see you leave,” Jack retorted.
“Quite,” Mr. Poole replied tightly, and without further hesitation turned and left.
Shirley started yapping after him, and Ianto patted her head with a finger to make her quiet. “So I'm an immigrant?” he sighed. “Nice of them to let me know.”
“You're not an immigrant. You had no choice but to leave your home - you're a refugee, and have refugee status. The Senate is playing bullshit because they don't like me.”
“They offered you a job,” Ianto reminded him.
“So they can keep an eye on me,” grumbled Jack. “I accepted it because that was what was best for us. For me and you; for Giacomo and Ian.”
“What would happen if you didn't take it?”
“You fancy living in a two-bedroom tower block flat with nothing to look forward to but your next morning on the production line?”
Ianto pressed his lips together. “Is that what's waiting for Rhys?”
Jack stared at Shirley frolicking around his desk, leaping over his scattered pens like hurdles. “Oh, for God's sake, Ianto!” he groaned. “Your dog has shit all over my post!”
“Oh - so when she's messy, she's my dog, right?” Ianto sighed.
“You bought her!”
“You and Little Jack wanted the damn thing! I knew this would happen! C'mon, Shirley.” He scooped her up, threw Jack's soiled (but empty) envelope into the bin and marched downstairs. Part of him was thankful Jack had changed the subject from Rhys' future, but part of him felt truly awful. He held Shirley up before him, and she blinked at him dolefully.
“What should I do?” he asked. “Rhys would forgive me, wouldn't he? He'd understand.” Ianto sighed heavily, and cuddled Shirley to his chest. “Could I forgive myself, though?” he wondered aloud. Tipping his head back and closing his eyes, he steadied his breathing until it was calm and even, relaxing him enough to think. Shirley fell asleep against him, warm and soft in his hands.
Eventually Jack wandered downstairs, a sheaf of papers in his hands. “You're good with numbers, right Ianto?”
Ianto's eyes opened and he sat up. “Hm? Yeah.”
“Here are our projected finances, and if you use the internet you can figure out our weekly and monthly budgets. Maybe we could free up some money to send to Rhys and help support him?”
Ianto sat up a little too fast, dislodging Shirley from her comfortable place and rousing her unintentionally. He carefully set her on her bed on the coffee table and took the proffered paperwork. “I'll see what I can do ….” he nodded, and pulled his electronic clipboard towards him.
~*~*~*~
“Tough day?” Rhys asked as Ianto threw himself down on the opposite end of the couch.
“Pfft. Mine and Jack's partnership is under investigation. The Senate think I'm marrying him for citizenship.”
“You'll do fine,” Rhys assured him without hesitation.
“I hope so,” sighed Ianto. “Stick Shaun of the Dead on?”
“I would, but John's still hanging around like a miserable drip. I bet you anything he's the type who'll come and sit with us and just snark at the film the whole way through and ruin it.”
“... we snark at films the whole way through ….” Ianto reminded him.
“But we do it out of love and gratitude to the film makers. He'll do it to be a prick.”
“Maybe if we ply him with alcohol? Have a lads' night in?”
Rhys raised his eyebrows at the idea. “I dunno if I'd be comfortable having a lads' night in with that fella. He's a bit … amorous. Maybe you and Jack could invite him to yours instead? Beer, pizza, action film - might be just what you three need to perk up.”
“He ain't getting amorous with me and the Captain,” Ianto grimaced. “Though maybe a lads' night in will be good for him. Take his mind off the Doctor for a bit.”
“Yeah. I really think you should suggest it to Jack.”
“Mmm. I shall.”
John wandered into the living room from Ianto's old room, music playing loudly from his earphones and his lip sporting a stitch.
“You're a prick, Hart,” Ianto said, smiling at him, knowing he couldn't hear.
Realising he was being spoken to, John pulled out his earphones. “Hm?”
“I said 'I hope you're feeling better'.”
Rhys sniggered, and regained his composure. “Ahem … Ianto was saying about you, him and Jack having a lads' night in,” he pressed.
“Uh … yeah ….” agreed Ianto.
“Really?” asked John, looking surprised.
“Yeah,” Ianto repeated.
“Oh … thank you … for … yeah … that'd be great ….”
He seemed shocked to have been invited, like a nerd being asked to hang out by a gang of cool kids.
“What should I wear?”
“Erm … whatever?” Ianto frowned. “Anyways … I should go and … tell Jack, then?”
He said goodbye and left, cracking his neck as he walked and preparing himself for the Bastard Stairs. John's reaction to be asked to spend time with them was surprising to Ianto, and then he considered the fact that John didn't know anyone here and the person he'd spend the majority of his free time with previously had faded away in a blue box. Maybe company would do him good, despite the fact Ianto wasn't really too pleased with him at the moment.
He supposed that in a way, John had done him a favour. He didn't have to see Jack's reaction, or try and dissuade him from doing anything drastic. In fact, it had taken a lot of pressure off him, to know the secret was out - in a limited circle - and also know that Jack was dealing with it, however deeply, internally and closed off it might currently be being dealt with.
Ianto stopped just before Jack's office to catch his breath for appearance's sake. At least the stairs kept me fit, he thought bitterly, entering the office and surprisingly found it empty. He went downstairs, and found Jack sat on the sofa with Shirley on the coffee table playing fetch, hesitating and rolling onto her back so that he could scratch her belly.
“Is she your dog now?” Ianto asked, smiling.
Jack glanced up and grinned. “Maybe. How was Rhys'?”
“Giacomo was already in bed, and John was hanging around like a miser so not quite so much fun had it just been Rhys and me,” he sighed, taking off his jacket and slumping onto the sofa, settling under Jack's arm. “Rhys suggested that you, me and John should have a lads' night in. I think it would be a good idea.”
“Maybe, yeah,” Jack agreed, though he sounded doubtful.
“What?” Ianto asked, leaning up and kissing his jawline.
“Didn't really see you as the 'Lads' Night In' type,” shrugged Jack.
“Really?”
“Nope,” Jack shrugged, and leaned down to kiss his mouth, ignoring Shirley whining for his attention. “Maybe we could do it the day after tomorrow ….”
“Why the day after tomorrow? Why not tomorrow night?”
“'Cause Giacomo stays over tomorrow night.”
“Ah … yeah … we're keeping Shirley a secret, remember? You suggested Giacomo should stay at Rhys' until Friday.”
“I did?”
“Yeah. And now that you've persuaded me 'round to the idea, don't go changing your mind!”
“I won't! I just forgot for a moment.”
Ianto smirked to himself, but managed to hide it by kissing Jack's lips again. “You know … we're not married any more. Will they split us up?”
“I'm in charge of pairing people up now.”
“So we needn't have married in the first place?”
Jack stiffened. “No. And … perhaps if we'd waiting like you said, we wouldn't be facing an investigation.”
Shirley was fed up of not getting attention, so curled up on her bed in a huff, closing her eyes and falling asleep. Ianto watched her a moment. “Are you freaking out, Jack?” he asked. “About the investigation?”
“Not really. They can't split us up.”
“But what if they do?”
“They can't.”
“But -”
“If they try, I can hire us an awesome lawyer and straighten everything out in front of a jury. In fact … I bet we could take our case to court, y'know. Contest the official investigation by allowing a jury to ask the questions and decide.”
“I don't know if that's such a good idea. You didn't even know I'm a 'Lads' Night In' type of guy,” Ianto yawned and stretched.
“You really, really don't seem the type,” shrugged Jack. “But if that's what you wanna do, that's fine by me. I love a lads' night in.”
“Good. Now - I'm going to bed. Since we're not married any more … fancy going all the way?”
Jack grinned. “Why Mr. Jones - are you suggesting we actually have sex this week?”
To make his point, Ianto got up and took the phone off the hook.
“Now get in the bedroom,” he said, folding his arms across his chest. “... and let's see how well you can tie yourself up ….”
Count them! That's 10, 155 words!
I also spent way too much of my life drawing Giacomo:
To say I haven't drawn since I quit Fine Art and only have a touchpad mouse, he came out exactly how I imagined him! Go me!
Forgot to save the massive version though. GRAWR.
Oh ... and magicmalcolm: I accepted your challenge, and succeeded. HA. m
Me: 1. M/M: NIL.
... thought when I put it like that, it looks like I might be trying to get one over on slash fiction as a whole ....
Next Part | Previous Part | Torchwood Index | Request a Convo/Prose Fic
Chapter: 19 | ??
Characters: Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones
Author: a_silver_story
Genre Alternate Universe, Romance
Rating: NC-17 just to be safe.
Warnings: A bit of angst, and some tentacles and d/c in the future.
Disclaimer: If I owned anything in this, I'd be a rich rich rich bitch. However, I am not a rich rich rich bitch so you may all, therefore, assume I own nothing. Which I don't. It all belongs RTD and the BBC, in case any of you didn't know.
Summary: Ianto finds himself heartbroken and alone, but eventually learns that no matter what point in Captain Jack Harkness' life he finds himself, they will always fall in love.
Torchwood Index/Masterlist
First Part
Another Life
Another Life XIX
“I want balloons that float! Please can I have balloons that float? And a cake with a hole in the middle! And … streamers. Last year I had a buffet, but this year I want burgers. Can we have burgers?”
Giacomo didn't seem to notice that Jack was staring into the middle distance and hadn't been listening for at least five minutes. Ianto had stopped pretending to take notes for at least two.
“Giacomo? Why don't you write down a list of things you want for your party, and your Dad and I will have a look through and see, okay?”
“Can I do it now?”
“The sooner, the better!”
“Can I use the computer in Dad's office?”
“No. Remember what happened last time?”
“The orange juice spilled itself!” Giacomo insisted. “It did! It really did!”
“You can use my electronic clipboard if you want, but no computers.”
Giacomo went to fetch the sheet of plastic and the stylo to go with it, happily sitting in the corner and scrawling a list to his best ability.
Ianto touched Jack's arm. “Captain?”
Jack seemed to come back to earth with a thud, and blinked. He masked it as best he could behind a grin. “Decided on everything, have we?”
“He's writing a list,” Ianto sighed. “Are you all right?”
“Mm? Me?”
“Yeah. You.”
“I'm fine,” Jack smiled. “Why wouldn't I be?”
“Well … aside from dealing with the life you have, the life we're losing, regaining your forcibly removed ability to feel and … what we talked about last week? No reason.”
Jack sighed. “I'm fine, Ianto. I prefer to deal with it on my own.”
Ianto squeezed his hand. “Well … if you ever just want to … well, not talk. Just someone to understand, and to be with you … We're married now, remember? Come to me?”
“I learned the hard way not to talk to the Missus about the exes,” Jack replied cagily.
“I said 'not talk'. I know what you're like, Jack. Don't be afraid to hold me just because you're grieving for someone else.”
The Captain took a deep breath, then smiled a genuine, if not slightly watery smile. “Thank you.”
“Done!” Giacomo called from the corner, scrambling to his feet to return the clipboard. “Look - I couldn't spell, so I drawed.”
Jack took the clipboard to see. “It's 'drew', Giacomo.”
“I couldn't spell, so I drewed.”
“Just 'drew'.”
“I know. You're funny when you're trying to be clever like Daddy,” Giacomo grinned.
“Hey!” Jack pouted. “I am clever like Daddy! Daddy, aren't I clever like you?”
Ianto pretended to think about it. He gave a sly grin. “Stop teasing your Dad, Giacomo. He doesn't quite get it.”
Giacomo giggled, then pointed at an orange splodge of pixels on the electronic clipboard. “Those are balloons, and I want lots and lots! I want some of them on the floor, and some of them to float on ribbons. That's a burger, because I want burgers, not pizza - or salad! Rhys made me have salad last year. But this time I want beefburgers and chicken burgers.”
Jack nodded along with him, then patted his head. “Fetch me a pen - we'll write this up properly. And then we can decide who to invite, okay?”
The three of them worked their way through Giacomo's drawings, until the Captain had a neatly written-up list of things he was allowed to have for his birthday party. He saved it and printed it from the electronic clipboard before beginning the list of guests.
“Okay - so we definitely want Rhys?” he began, jotting down his name as Giacomo nodded.
“And Till! We have to have Till! And Captain John.”
Jack raised an eyebrow. “What do we want him there for?”
“He's fun,” shrugged Giacomo.
Ianto cleared his throat. “Maybe he could pop by in the evening, when it won't be so crowded?” he suggested.
“The Doctor!” continued Little Jack. “And Annabel - but not baby Ian.”
“Why not baby Ian?” Jack asked, frowning.
“Because it's my party, and people always fuss over babies!”
Ianto cleared his throat again. “Maybe he could pop by in the evening, too? When his mam comes to pick up Annabel? I doubt he'd be too happy at a noisy children's party anyway.”
“Mmm,” Jack conceded. “Okay … who else?”
Giacomo bit his lip in thought.
Ianto leaned forward. “What about your friends from school?”
“How many can I have?”
“You can have five, I told you before.”
“Jezbie, Ophelia, Lori, Yukiko and …” he trailed off, debating in his head and giving Jack time to scribble down the names. “and … Malcolm?”
“Okay … when are we going to buy all this stuff in?” Jack asked.
Ianto gave a small snort. “I think you mean 'when is Ianto going to be buying all this stuff in?'”
“Well, if you're so eager to volunteer ….” grinned Jack, and handed him the printed out list of things they'd need. Ianto rolled his eyes and took it, deciding not to mention that he would never have trusted Jack with it anyway.
“I'll nip down to see Rhys when I take Giacomo later - we can decide what he'll be doing and what we'll be doing,” he said. “I could also do with some decent company,” he added, sticking his tongue out when Jack looked indignant.
“I have work to do, anyway,” Jack sighed, setting the clipboard aside and dragging himself to his feet, scooping up Giacomo and settling him on his hip to kiss his cheek.
“That's my line,” smiled Ianto. “and you've hardly stopped working these past few days. I'm worried you might be ill - especially since it's now Sunday.”
Jack smiled, passing Giacomo to him before leaning forward to kiss both their foreheads. “I'll see you both later,” he sighed, and returned to his office grudgingly.
“Fetch your coat,” Ianto told Giacomo, setting him down. “We'll go for walk, find you a birthday present - and then it's Rhys' turn to have you.”
“Yay!” chirruped Little Jack, and hurried off to get his jacket on. He returned, messing with his stuck zip before eventually having to wait for Ianto to sort it out and zip it up properly. Ianto pulled on his own coat, adjusted his tie and took Giacomo's hand. They made their way up through Jack's office, said goodbye and carried on out into the corridor and down all the stairs.
They used the back entrance to get out, wandering through the Oriental gardens, along the stream and then sat down under a large tree.
Giacomo ran around chasing birds for a bit while Ianto laughed and watched, thinking it was a pity there wasn't a play park. He wondered if there would be one near their new home, or if he could persuade Jack to get a swing and slide for the back garden.
Wearing out, Giacomo plopped down next to him and started picking at the buttercups and daisies growing around them. He yawned and stretched his feet out in front of him, then leant forward to touch his toes. “Can you do this?” he asked Ianto.
Ianto sniggered. “I highly, highly doubt it,” he laughed.
“I can do it! You have to try!” Giacomo insisted.
Ianto rolled his eyes, shifted his weight and stretched his legs out. He extended his arms and stopped nearly a foot away from his toes. “Nope!” he gasped. “Not happening!”
Giacomo was still sat comfortably holding his toes, grinning. Ianto gave him a gentle shove, and he tumbled dramatically onto his side, giggling. “Race you to the other side of the bridge!” he challenged, getting up to his feet.
Ianto groaned, struggling upright and jogging along beside him, knowing he could easily win. He feigned a stumble, and Giacomo cheered his victory as Ianto melodramatically grumbled, calling a foul and pouting a pout worthy of Giacomo himself.
“Right! Town,” he decided, and held his hand out for Giacomo to hold again. They walked briskly back to the building, Giacomo trotting along happily before eventually letting go of Ianto's hand to take running jumps into the footprints Scribble had left behind.
“C'mon, Jack,” Ianto beckoned, trying to hurry him along as the wind began to pick up.
“Daddy?” panted Giacomo, returning to Ianto's side. “Why did they fill in the tunnels?”
Ianto tensed. “Because they had to,” he replied stiffly.
“Why couldn't they have left them for the children to play in? They could have been dens.”
“They weren't safe - what if they'd caved in?”
“Hmm. Yeah,” Giacomo agreed. “What am I allowed for my birthday?” he asked, changing the subject.
“We'll see,” Ianto sighed. “What do you want?”
“A puppy!”
“Hmm. I don't think so.”
“Can I at least look at puppies?”
“Maybe. If you're good.”
“I am good! I say 'please' and 'thank you', and I scrubbed the kitchen floor until it was so shiny Dad slipped on it!”
“You weren't supposed to scrub it with furniture polish,” Ianto reminded him, but the corner of his mouth pulled. It had been a little bit funny.
They made their way towards the market village, pointing at things along the way. Giacomo quickly rejected pretty much everything Ianto suggested, saying it was too noisy, or too boring, or too 'un-present-y'. He'd tried persuading Ianto to buy him a cyber-puppy that needed minimal care and could be switched off, but Ianto was reluctant to dish out since it seemed likely they'd be getting a real one now that Big Jack was angling for it.
At least it wasn't a pteranodon, he thought to himself as he steered them towards the tailors' section, bored of Giacomo's antics now.
“I don't want clothes!” Giacomo realised, wide-eyed. “Please!”
“I need to run an errand,” Ianto placated him. “I ordered a present for your Dad and need to pick it up.”
They approached Mr. Turnbull's shop, and they were greeted with a cheery smile as they entered.
“Can't stop long,” Ianto said. “Someone needs a birthday present,” he explained, nodding in Giacomo's direction. “Is it finished?”
“Of course!” beamed Mr. Turnbull, disappearing then returning with a large, white box. He pulled up the lid, and Ianto peered inside. Giacomo stood on his tiptoes to try and see, too.
Carefully, Ianto lifted the long coat out of the box to examine it, beaming. “It's perfect!” he grinned, drinking in the heavy, black wool and the silver detail of the double-breast fastenings. The shoulders were squared and perfectly shaped, and Ianto could already tell the faux-military cut would allow for the most dramatic of dramatic swishes, for entrances and exits. He examined the silver metal of the buttons carefully, the monogram of 'J&I' ornately embossed onto each one.
“It's perfect ….” he whispered. “Better than I imagined. And … love the buttons.”
“I figured they would be appropriate for a wedding gift,” smiled Mr. Turnbull.
“Let me see!” Giacomo squeaked, standing on tiptoes. Ianto removed the coat from the box entirely while Mr. Turnbull deftly lifted Giacomo to sit on the counter. He reached out and squeezed the black wool between his hands, and traced a finger over a button. “Can I have one? For my birthday? Please?”
“I thought you didn't want clothes?”
“If you'd rather me nag for the rest of the day about puppies ….” Giacomo offered, and Ianto rolled his eyes.
“You're getting spoilt,” he sighed. “Do you think he could have a mini-version of this?” he asked, carefully starting to put it back in its box.
“Oh! Certainly!” beamed Mr. Turnbull. “You and your lot don't half keep me in business,” he added with a grin.
Ianto rolled his eyes good-heartedly. He paid for Giacomo's coat, leaving his usual generous tip and, since his hands were occupied with Jack's box, making Giacomo hold onto the edge of his pocket so that he didn't get lost as they made their way back towards home.
“Can I still look at puppies?” Giacomo asked, and Ianto figured they may as well. They found the only pet shop in the entire building, and while they didn't sell puppies, they did have a variety of small household pets.
Ianto examined the electric blue hamsters waddling around their cages, before moving further down the row to the green, yellow, orange and red ones. One of them bit the other, it squeaked and a bubble erupted from its mouth. Ianto blinked.
“Daddy! Look!” Giacomo exclaimed, pulling on his sleeve. Ianto peered into the cage he was pointing at, and his eyebrows shot up.
Sat, quite docile and happily staring straight back at them, was the smallest black Labrador Ianto had ever seen. She was three inches tall sat up, at the very least, and as they watched her, she stood and leaned her two front paws on the bar, rearing up on her hind legs and wagging her tail.
“What is that?” Ianto asked out loud.
“An hamster-sized dog,” a voice behind him said, making him jump. “Perfect for apartment living, loves kids and doesn't necessarily have to be kept in the cage. We have several different breeds,” continued the gentleman in the green apron. “but that's our last Lab.”
Could be taken out of the cage - and more importantly, kept in one?
“Are they noisy?”
“They shuffle around a bit, and yap if they're hungry. But all in all, very quiet. And don't shred your furniture.”
Ianto could see why this type of pet would be popular ….
“Is she fully grown?”
“No - this is just a baby. Fully grown … about six inches stood?”
Ianto nodded, considering it.
“Would you be interested in holding her?” the shopkeeper was asking.
“Erm … no,” Ianto told him regretfully.
“YES!” Giacomo was saying.
“No,” Ianto repeated, and even the hamster-dog seemed subdued. She was cute, Ianto decided. She stared up at him with her puppy eyes. “... maybe a couple of minutes, then,” he conceded. “But you're not having her, so don't form an emotional attach-”
“I'm going to call her 'Shirley'.”
“-ment. Buggeration.”
Giacomo beamed as Shirley crawled into his hand eagerly, and he giggled as she didn't stop crawling until she was stood on his shoulder, tiny pink tongue licking his cheek. “She's kissing me!” he exclaimed.
“She's not kissing you,” Ianto grimaced. “She's tasting your face. I think it's time to put Shirley away now.”
Giacomo pouted and groaned, but did as he was told. He worked his way along the line of hamster-dogs, casting glances back towards Shirley's cage where she was stood pressed against the bars in the direction he'd wandered off.
Ianto bit his lip. He turned to the shopkeeper, keeping his voice low. “How much for the black Labrador?”
He managed to barter the price down a little, and paid while Giacomo hopefully wasn't looking. He agreed to come back for her later, and with great difficulty ushered Giacomo from the shop.
“I need to take you up to Rhys, now,” he sighed, hitching the box with Jack's coat in a little further up. “We need to talk to him about your party, too. Giacomo?” Not getting a response, he looked down to find Giacomo with his hands in his pockets and dragging his feet. “What's up with you?”
“I really love Shirley!” he wailed.
“You can have a pet when we move,” Ianto reiterated, trying not to smile. He managed to use his 'brink no argument' tone, and Giacomo left it.
They laboured up the stairs, Giacomo complaining that Jack carried him while Ianto didn't. Ianto threatened him with never getting a puppy if he wouldn't be quiet, and they arrived outside Rhys' door agitated and breathless.
Ianto pushed open the door. “Anybody home?” he called, and Rhys exited the kitchen, greeting them with a wide grin.
“Just about. Should I put the kettle on?”
“Oh God, yes please ….” Ianto sagged gratefully, going through to put the box on the dining room table and take a seat as he removed his own jacket. Giacomo had run to his room to hang his up and probably sulk. Ianto sipped his mug of tea and savoured it before reaching into his pocket and pulling out the list of Giacomo's party wants. “We need to decide who's doing what,” he indicated the list, and Rhys took it.
“Doesn't ask for much, does he? He's getting spoiled.”
“That's what I keep saying … but I've found I just can't help it - and Lord knows I have much better self-control than the Captain.”
“I was thinking we could have the actual party here - otherwise everyone will be traipsing through the Captain's office all day,” suggested Rhys.
Ianto nodded, “Good idea,” and took out his notebook to jot everything down. They drank tea and worked their way down the list, splitting it as fairly as they could.
“So … what you got him then?” Rhys asked once they'd finished.
“Ah. I think Jack and I have spoiled him rotten,” he sighed. “I bought this as a wedding gift for Jack ….” He showed Rhys the coat to an appreciative whistle. “Little Jack decided he wanted a Little Jack Coat.”
“You do realise he'll just get it messy?”
“At least I have experience keeping this type of coat clean, as well as how to repair them,” Ianto sighed. “But the coat isn't all. He begged to look at puppies on the way back ….”
“Oh dear.”
“... and they had these adorable hamster-dog things. And there was this beautiful black Labrador puppy hamster-dog thing … he doesn't know he has her yet. It's going to be a surprise. I just hope I can keep her secret long enough ….”
“You could just leave him here for the next five days ….” Rhys suggested.
“I probably could,” Ianto sighed. “I doubt the Captain would allow it, but I could probably convince him he agreed and forgot.”
Rhys gave a small laugh. “Seriously?”
“Mm. I think he needs some time to slow down and just … have a think. It's hard for him, when he has to draw himself out of the reverie every couple of days. So if Giacomo stays here it works out for everyone. The Captain gets time to think, Giacomo gets to be with you, you get to be with Giacomo and I can keep Shirley a secret.”
“... you named the puppy 'Shirley'?”
“God, no! Shirley is my secret lover!”
Rhys blinked. “What the crap?”
“Of course it's the puppy, spoon,” Ianto rolled his eyes. “Giacomo named her in the shop.”
Rhys laughed. “I think he's still upset the Captain disembowelled his dinosaur.”
“Mmm,” agreed Ianto. “Though the Captain's been having nightmares about that.”
Rhys nodded sympathetically, and Ianto touched his ear as his comm buzzed.
“Ianto!”
“Captain?”
“Was Operation Birthday Gift a success?”
“Definitely. I just need to run and fetch something, and I'll be right up.”
“Don't leave me waiting too long!” the Captain replied jovially, but Ianto could instantly hear through the façade. The Captain was upset about something.
They bade goodbye and cut the link. “I need to go,” sighed Ianto. “Giacomo!” he called. “I'm going now!”
Giacomo trotted through and gave him a kiss and a hug goodbye. He also presented him with a drawing.
“That's Dad, and that's you, and that's Scribble, and that's me holding Scribble's hand. And then in the corner is Rhys, but I couldn't fit him all on so had to make him really small. That's Till, and she's small, too. And that's the Doctor's box, and that's Captain John.”
Ianto kissed his head and took the drawing, folding it carefully and slipping it in his pocket. He checked his watch. “Ooh! I really need to go!” he realised, and hurried to make his way back to the little pet shop and pick up Shirley and buy her some accessories and food, all the while balancing the Jack's boxed coat in his arms.
Like a normal dog, Shirley ate meat, but the tiniest little chunks. The shopkeeper advised him that she would be perfectly happy with normal meat, as long as it was cut up small enough and cooked thoroughly.
Just for fun, he bought her a miniature dog bed with a little solar-battery powered heater in it to keep her warm instead of baking in front of the fire, as well as miniature Frisbees, a tiny ball, bone and a little knotted tugging rope. He also bought a collar with an extra long lead so that Giacomo could walk her.
Boxed, bagged and port-caged, he began the ridiculously long climb back to his and the Captain's quarters.
“Y'know … all I wanted was lifts,” he lamented to an attentive Shirley as they neared the top of the stairs. “Was it really … that much … to ask?” he panted, hoping her little cage wouldn't slide off the precariously balanced boxed coat.
He made it to the top, and was pushing his way through the office door before realising he'd gone all the way up the stairs, past the landing and into Jack's office all on his own without thinking about getting stabbed once.
Progress, he decided.
He raised his eyebrow when he found Jack still poring over his work. “Are you ill, then?” he asked, and Jack returned the raised eyebrow.
“Are you?” he countered. “Is that … a hamster?”
“A hamster-dog. A tiny black Labrador called Shirley. She's a surprise for Giacomo. Say 'hello'.”
He set the cage down, and Shirley reared up on her hind legs to lean on the bars and wag her tail at the Captain. He instantly forgot his paperwork and opened the cage door to take her out.
“Hello, beautiful!” he cooed, and Shirley seemed to shy coyly and preen under his gaze.
Ianto rolled his eyes. Even dogs were susceptible.
“We need to keep her secret until Giacomo's birthday. He doesn't know he's got her, and was heartbroken to leave her.”
“I'd bet,” grinned Jack, holding her up to the light and tickling behind her ears. He set her on his desk and started rummaging through the paper bag of toys, picking out the tugging rope and playing a little game with her. She growled a high pitched rumble as she played, and Ianto watched, amused.
“Shall I put some coffee on?” he asked, already on his way to the machine. He could yet again see evidence of Jack attempting to make his own, and smiled fondly at the mess.
“Ianto?” Jack called.
“Mmm?”
“What's this?”
“A hamster-dog called Shirley,” Ianto joked, and turned back into the office. His face fell. “Oh … you weren't supposed to find that yet.”
Jack had gotten curious, and opened the box that Ianto had forgotten on his desk. He was holding up the coat, while Shirley gazed up at it wonderingly before getting distracted again by her rope.
“You gonna try it on?” Ianto asked.
“... it's for me?”
“It's your wedding gift. Look at the buttons!”
Jack inspected them, and laughed. “Possessive, much?”
“It's a wedding gift. It's supposed to remind you of us,” Ianto sniffed. “Besides, they weren't my idea.”
Jack slung the heavy wool around his shoulders, letting it fall and fit snugly. He buttoned up the double-breasted fastenings, and put his hands in his pockets to pose for Ianto's amusement. “I love it,” he declared, and pulled Ianto into a tight hug. He rested his chin on his shoulder, relaxing into the embrace. “It's sort of like my old one,” he observed fondly.
Ianto stiffened in his arms. “I … what?”
“The Doctor showed me some memories,” he reminded him. “Of you, and of … not entirely sure. Gwen, and the crop-circles?”
Ianto pushed him away, alarmed. “I … you … I … I need to ….”
He turned and ran down the stairs, shut himself in the bathroom and bolted the door. He sank down onto the cool tiles with his head in his hands, not entirely sure what had just come over him or why he had started crying.
He remembered the day Jack had been talking about. He and his Past Jack had been late for work, having overslept and decided to make love one more time before facing the world. Gwen had been waiting for them, and using one of Ianto's elaborately placed plans they'd gotten off. That was also the first time anyone had referred to them as a couple, and Ianto had spent the rest of the day in the Archives tackling Harmless Misc. and avoiding both Gwen and Jack.
Being reminded of it had somehow been a blow, rather than the happy, nostalgic fuzzy feeling that he usually got when thinking of the twenty-first century - however tinged with sadness it might be. He let it all out, sniffed and reached for tissues, blowing his nose, wiping his eyes and pulling himself back together.
“Ianto?” Jack called softly through the bathroom door. “You've been in there half an hour now, and I wouldn't disturb you, only Shirley's getting hungry and I don't know what to feed her.”
“Give me a minute!” he called back, his voice slightly hoarse. He figured it didn't matter that Jack would see he'd been crying, since he probably knew anyway. He opened the door with his eyes still blood shot, and he face was probably a bit puffy. He found Jack on the other side, Shirley snuggled in his hand. He was still wearing his coat, which made Ianto smile.
“Feeling better?” Jack asked.
“Yeah … I … don't know what came over me ….”
“Sometimes it just hits you,” Jack nodded. “I'm sorry.”
“It's not your fault. Not at all,” he said firmly. “Now - teeny puppy needs something to eat ….”
There was some left over chicken from the night before, so Ianto chopped it up as small as he could and put it on a saucer for her to eat. She gobbled it hungrily, then lapped at the water Ianto put next to her. Jack had thought to bring her things down, so Ianto set up the electric-heated dog bed and put it on the bedside cabinet.
Yawning, she settled once she'd been placed on it, chasing her tail slowly before lying down and closing her eyes.
“Who needs a dog when you can have a teeny, tiny hamster-dog?” he pondered, and Jack laughed. He stood and pulled his coat around him, practising swishing it while Ianto sat on the bed, leaning back against the headboard and stretching out.
“Hey,” Jack grinned. “Do you think we'd be able to have sex without waking the doggy?”
“No, I don't,” sighed Ianto.
“Hmm … maybe we could put the doggy in the living room?” he suggested, and without waiting for confirmation carefully picked up the hamster-dog and her bed and disappeared for a moment or two. He swept back in, put his hands on his hips and posed with his coat. “Dramatic entrance enough?” he asked.
Ianto covered his forehead with his hand as he laughed. “Maybe a little more practice,” he suggested, moving to kneel up at the foot of the bed and pull Jack closer to him. He started unbuttoning the coat, and the Captain kissed the top of his head as he worked lower, pushing it from his shoulders. Jack took it and hung it on the wardrobe door before throwing himself down on the bed. He held his arms out, and Ianto lay beside him, letting him snuggle up.
“You know what's a really good sign?” Jack asked as he pressed his lips into Ianto's neck.
“Mmm?” Ianto asked distractedly, what with him being a little bit distracted - especially now Jack's hand had decided to slip below his waistband.
“I'm not bored of you yet ….”
Ianto stiffened, frowned and pushed him back. “Excuse me?”
“Hey - it was a compliment! You know how short my attention span is!”
Ianto considered it, then rolled his eyes. “Carry on,” he sighed, and Jack did so with delight, pulling out the knot in his tie and tossing it aside to pull down his zip and unfasten his trousers. Ianto's breath hitched as Jack pushed himself down the bed until he was low enough to take Ianto into his mouth. Ianto's legs wrapped around his torso as he worked, hands tangling in his hair and a low moan escaping from both of them.
Flushed and panting, Ianto could feel himself getting closer and closer, and Jack was being relentless. All Ianto knew was that this felt good. More than good. Blissful. Since Giacomo had started staying over, they hadn't been having enough sex ….
The phone rang.
Ianto was pretty much prepared to kill Jack for stopping to answer it.
“Leave it!” he panted and begged, but Jack just laughed at him and reached for the phone.
“Captain Harkness. Yeah? Hang on, he's just here,” he said, holding out the receiver to Ianto. “For you,” he grinned.
“Hello?”
“Daddy!”
“Oh … hi, Giacomo ….”
Giacomo nagged him for at least fifteen minutes about his party, dropped copious hints about puppies and hamster-dogs and then moaned about Rhys making him go to bed. With great effort Ianto managed to persuade him it was time to go, and leaned over Jack to hang up the receiver.
“Well, that killed the mood,” Ianto grumbled, and not garnering a response turned to find the Captain sleeping peacefully beside him. “Not bored of me yet, eh?” he asked the unconscious form, and kissed his forehead fondly. Getting up, he made his way into the living room to find Shirley still dozing on her bed on the coffee table.
He cleared his throat.
Sitting on the sofa, he cleared his throat again, louder.
Giving up, he poked her.
Her little eyes blearily opened, and she yawned and whined.
“You'll keep me company, won't you Shirley?” he asked, and she dragged herself to her feet to wag her tail while he scratched the top of her head. She seemed delighted to see him, yapping softly and nuzzling his hand. He left her a moment and found her little Frisbee, spinning it a little way across the coffee table as she scrambled after it.
She soon picked up the idea of 'Fetch', and they moved onto playing with the little ball, then the tugging rope.
“Y'know,” breathed Ianto. “You're not so bad. Just don't shit on my clothes and we'll get along fine,” he said, stroking her head as she started yawning again. “I wonder if Giacomo will get bored of you. He probably will. Children are like that. Children and Jack. And no matter how much we adore them, they'll get bored of us eventually.
“I wonder how long you'll live? Do you have the life-span of a dog or a hamster?”
Shirley gazed up at him confused, as if she didn't quite understand what he was saying, but was listening anyway to humour him. She sat down, licking her nose, then bounded up again as Ianto made to stand. Trotting around in a circle, she picked up her ball again and offered it to him. She dropped the slimy orb into his hand, and he grimaced as he bounced it along the table for her to retrieve.
“Having fun?” Jack asked from the doorway, making Ianto jump.
Ianto grinned. “Yeah. I think I might keep her a secret from Giacomo forever so that I can have her to myself.”
Jack smiled, and stood behind him to snake arms around his middle. “Sorry for falling asleep on you.”
“It's okay - you've been busy.”
“I've been doing paperwork.”
“Stressful, life-changing paperwork using a level of concentration of which your brain is previously unfamiliar.”
“Mmm,” he agreed, giving a sharp bite to Ianto's earlobe. “Gonna put your doggy away and come play?”
Ianto tipped his head back and groaned. “I'm tired now ….”
“No problem,” shrugged Jack. “Just lie on your back and let me take care of you ….” he muttered into Ianto's neck, pressing kisses where he could.
“Okay,” Ianto conceded, and lifted Shirley back onto her bed. He gently pushed her down until she took the hint, and she closed her eyes dutifully. “If only putting Giacomo to bed was that easy,” he sighed, following Jack into the bedroom and allowing himself to be pushed down onto his back with a laugh.
“Clothes off!” Jack grinned, taking off his shirt and unzipping his trousers.
“You're not going to undress me?” Ianto pouted.
“I can't promise not to rip anything,” the Captain threatened, stepping closer and already down to just one sock.
“Spoilsport,” scowled Ianto, and started taking his own clothes off and making a point of folding them and hanging them properly as Jack started preparing himself on the bed. “Expecting a ride?”
“Told you you wouldn't be doing anything,” replied Jack, reaching over and pulling him down onto the bed. He started giving him a blow job without preamble, making him gasp and writhe until he was fully hard and ready.
Finally, Jack was lowering himself onto him, and they both struggled to regulate their breathing and keep control. Ianto squeezed his eyes shut, allowing his hands to be pinned above his head and lips to kiss and tease at the soft skin of his neck as Jack rolled his hips and clenched down.
His back arched and Jack moaned above him, wriggling and revolving his hips to make Ianto moan louder.
“Yesssssss ….”
Jack laughed. “Enjoying yourself?” he asked, leaning down and pressing his tongue into his mouth.
“Mmmf?” Ianto managed. “Tha' wuz you.”
“... no … that was you ….”
They paused, and Jack lifted his head to frown down at him. He frowned right back. Slowly, they turned their heads to the doorway.
“JOHN!” Ianto yelped, and Jack laughed.
John Hart was stood in the doorway, leaning casually and unabashedly watching them lustfully. Mindful of Ianto's reserved nature, Jack held up the duvet before climbing off him. Ianto was flushing a deep, deep crimson, and had no idea where to look.
“You two are boring,” John grinned. “Seriously - where's the experimentation? Then again … you're married now. Everyone knows that the only thing a wedding ring symbolises is the fact no one's getting any sex any more.”
Jack rolled his eyes and cut him off. “What do you want, John?”
John stiffened. “If I had a dollar for every time I heard that ….” he grumbled, then his face turned hard. “The Doctor's leaving. You need to come say goodbye.”
Ianto frowned. “I thought he was staying until Little Jack's birthday?”
“Well, apparently he has other plans,” John replied curtly. “Come on, he's in a rush - it's not like he's got a time machine or anything.”
Jack had no problems getting out of bed and starting to get dressed. “I'm guessing he … didn't offer you a ride?”
John's expression was stony. “No. He didn't.”
Before Jack could say anything further, John turned on his heel and stalked out, slamming what doors he could behind him.
“Is he okay, d'ya think?” Ianto asked, climbing out of bed to get dressed, too.
“He will be,” shrugged Jack. “His timing, as usual, is horrendous ….”
“John?”
“No. The Doctor.”
“He said he was staying until Giacomo's birthday,” sighed Ianto. “Giacomo's expecting him to be there.”
“Maybe he will be,” Jack assured him, smirking as he watched him trying to tuck his erection into his boxers. “Want help with that?”
“You've done enough dama-” Ianto began, but stopped abruptly as Jack pushed him onto the bed and straddled him, dipping his head down and swirling his tongue around Ianto's cock. Closing his eyes, he relaxed and smiled, biting his lip as he enjoyed the attention, finally coming down Jack's throat.
“Come on!” urged Jack, grinning. “We're gonna be late!”
“Mmnafubra,” Ianto mumbled, still a little zoned out.
“Don't make me fetch the cold water,” Jack threatened, pulling him up to his feet as he regained his bearings.
In less than five minutes they were on their way up to the office, Jack pulling on his new coat and finding John there waiting for them. “About time,” he huffed. “Honestly - not only are you boring, you're slow. And old,” he added, narrowing his eyes at Jack before turning on his heel to leave.
Jack gave Ianto a wide-eyed 'Okay? What did we do?' look. Ianto shrugged slightly and started off walking a few steps behind John, Jack falling into step beside him and trying to surreptitiously make his coat swish. Ianto noticed and smirked to himself, but Jack heard his muffled snigger.
“What?” he sniffed. “Practice makes perfect!”
To demonstrate, he spun around as he walked, the coat fanning out a little and swishing as he returned to walking normally.
Ianto sniggered again. “Smooth,” he nodded. “Maybe next time you could do it with jazz hands?”
“Jazz Hands?”
“... I am not demonstrating Jazz Hands. Not here anyway. The CCTV can see.”
“I can't have a quickie?”
“Hell no.”
“You're no fun.”
“Will you two stop it?” John snapped. “Honestly; it's like listening to an old married couple. You make me sick.”
Jack and Ianto walked in silence the rest of the way outside and to the TARDIS. Jack kept swishing his coat around every turn, nearly taking out a stray child at one corner with a particularly dramatic swoop. Ianto chortled all the rest of the way, then shivered as they reached the outside and wished he'd brought his own coat.
The Doctor was waiting for them, and he grinned as they approached.
Ianto scowled. “You're supposed to be staying for Giacomo's birthday,” he reminded him.
“I'll be back by then! I hope - if the Old Girl gets it right.”
“Will she?” Ianto asked, an edge to his tone.
“She'll do her best,” the Doctor replied shiftily.
Jack raised an eyebrow.
“I need to get going,” the Doctor urged. “The TARDIS doesn't like being so far from her time for so long. She needs a bit of recuperation. So - I shall be off.”
He hugged them each in turn, giving an indignant John an extra squeeze, and turned, grinning brightly, to step into his TARDIS.
“That's it?” Ianto asked after the door had shut. “And now he just expects us to watch him fade away?”
“At least we got a goodbye,” shrugged Jack. “He comes and goes as he pleases, usually.”
“Erm … you guys?” John cut in. “You wouldn't happen to know of a bed going spare? I sorta … stayed with him.”
Ianto nodded. “Rhys' flat has a room going spare. Just watch out for Giacomo on a morning - he likes to take running jumps.”
“I'll lock the door then,” John shrugged. “... not that I wouldn't have done anyway ….” he added.
Ianto glared. “John?”
“Mmm?”
“I owe you something ….”
John turned, and Ianto caught him with a fierce right hook, splitting his lip and making him stagger backwards and trip.
“What the fuck, Eye Candy?”
Jack grabbed Ianto by the shoulders to hold him back, and Ianto shook him off. “I was going to tell him in my own fucking time!” he snapped.
“Tell him what?”
“You know what!”
“Oh … that ….” he murmured as he got to his feet, narrowly missing another punch thanks to Jack grabbing hold of Ianto again, if a fraction of a second too slow. John scowled at them. “Excuse me for taking out an insurance policy! It was for you own good!”
“I'll decide what's for 'my own good', Captain.”
“Oh, please!” laughed John. “If you knew what was for your own good, that little bastard would be-”
He was cut off as another punch was thrown his way, though this time he managed to duck.
Jack remained silent, arms folded protectively over his chest and staring into the middle distance. Ianto shivered, and the Captain put an arm around him to warm him up. John put his hands in his pockets and turned sullenly to go back inside, and Jack and Ianto followed after him, Ianto still seething and Jack remaining quiet.
“Honestly ….” murmured John. “Only tryna help.”
Jack sighed. “Well, you didn't.”
~*~*~*~
After leaving John at Rhys', Ianto and Jack made their way upstairs and collapsed onto their bed. They rolled onto their sides, facing each other, and Jack rested his hand on Ianto's upper arm and squeezed affectionately.
"That's one helluva right hook," he smiled. "Remind me not to get on your bad side."
Ianto smiled back, sleepily. “Mmm.”
The Captain leaned forward and kissed him gently. “I love you.”
Ianto's grip on his waist tightened in reassurance, but too tired to speak his eyes fell shut and he drifted off with a contented smile on his face. Half an hour later, Jack slipped out of bed quietly and got undressed and changed into his pyjama bottoms. He nipped upstairs to the kitchenette and got himself a glass of water, checking on sleeping Shirley along the way.
Despite himself, he was worried about John. Three things were bothering him:
- John had walked in on them having sex and hadn't insisted on joining in.
- He was using the word 'honestly' far too often.
- He was quiet. John was never quiet.
With a heavy sigh, Jack threw himself down onto the sofa to think.
~*~*~*~
Ianto woke up and groaned. He'd fallen asleep in his clothes.
He was also alone.
Blearily dragging himself out of bed, he figured Jack would probably be already in his office and made his way up. He paused in the living room, chopping up some more chicken for Shirley as she yapped and wagged her tail. He took her and her little plate up with him.
“Thought I might find you here,” he smiled, settling himself into the visitor's chair and putting Shirley and her meal on the desk.
Jack stretched back in his chair. “Didn't sleep well,” he explained. “I'm worried about John.”
“I'm sure he'll be fine.”
“Mm. I'm just worried that if he flips out in a bid for attention, it'll be you he's aiming for. He's jealous, y'know.”
Ianto turned the plate so that Shirley could access more food, and patted her head. “He just needs to find someone new and to stop him pining over you.”
“Yeah,” Jack nodded. “Hey … whaddya think? … John and Rhys?”
Ianto nearly choked on his own tongue, and they both laughed until their sides were getting sore. Shirley sat still between them, looking from one to the other, not getting the joke.
“Oh dear God …!” gasped Ianto. “I don't even want to imagine that!”
“Hahaha! I wonder what Rhys' face will be like when John tries it on with him. Because he will.”
Ianto smirked. “I almost have the urge to go down to the flat and … wait for them to wake up … and wait for John to come on to him … and see the face first hand ….”
“Yeah!” Jack agreed, though he didn't seem to take the hint that that was what Ianto wanted to do. “You know ….” Jack pondered. “... we haven't had sex on my desk ye-”
There was a brisk knock on the door.
Ianto managed not to break anything as he went to pull it open. Outside, a man in a suit was checking his watch and waiting. “Can I help you?” Ianto asked, wondering why on earth anything could be so urgent as to go knocking on a door at six AM. He was also very aware of the fact he'd slept in the suit he was wearing.
“I need to see Captain Jack Harkness,” replied the gentleman, giving him a disdainful look.
Ianto raised an eyebrow at his tone. “I think you forgot a little magic word?”
The man rolled his eyes. “Please?”
“I wouldn't mind an honorific, either.”
“Sir.”
“... and in a sentence?”
“I need to see Captain Jack Harkness, please sir.”
Ianto gave him a regretful look. “I'm afraid he's busy. It's also ridiculously early.”
“Just let me see your boss,” he growled.
Ianto's eyebrow raised again. “Who are you, exactly?”
“My name is Grant Poole. I'm a lawyer, here to represent the Commonwealth in an unfortunate case that has arisen, involving your boss and his legally significant other.”
“Right … could you wait fifteen minutes? I need to clear my 'boss'' schedule.”
Ianto shut the door without waiting for a reply, and turned to Jack, folding his arms. “What the hell?”
Jack looked confused. “Who was it?”
“A lawyer? Representing the Commonwealth? An unfortunate case arising involving my 'boss' and his legally significant other?”
Jack's eyebrow raised. “Boss?” he repeated, then grinned. “Oh! He thought you were my PA!”
“What the hell does he want?”
“How am I supposed to know?”
“Why am I involved?”
“How am I supposed to know?”
Ianto sighed. “Right … I'm gonna go and have the universe's fastest shower and change. Keep your eye on Shirley - maybe get her some water to drink. And don't talk to the lawyer without me!”
He didn't wait for a reply before hurrying down the stairs, throwing himself into the shower and pulling on his snazziest, most expensive black pinstripe suit, complete with deep red shirt and matching tie. He marched back to the office, dragged one of the visitors' chairs around to the back of the desk beside Jack and sat down, stroking the top of Shirley's head with a finger as he sent the Captain to go and open the door.
He did so, with only a slightly raised eyebrow, and pulled it back to reveal the lawyer still patiently waiting to be admitted. “Come in?” Jack offered, and he stepped smoothly inside. He spotted Ianto sat behind the desk in his freshly pressed clothes, petting his little hamster-dog. Ianto saw the quick realisation of the mistake he'd made, and how fast it was hidden behind a stoic mask.
“Grant Poole,” he introduced himself, and offered his hand to Jack and Ianto in turn, who accepted and shook politely. Mr. Poole took the remaining visitor's chair, unbuttoning his suit jacket as he sat and set down his shiny, black briefcase. “Captain Harkness?” Jack nodded. “Ianto Jones?” Ianto nodded. “Good. I'm a state lawyer, representing the Senate and the Commonwealth in the case of the Commonwealth versus Harkness and Jones.”
Ianto sat back in his chair as Shirley settled down to sit and listen. “And what can Harkness and Jones do for you, Mr. Poole?”
Jack sat down, folding his arms and waiting for the answer.
“An awkward situation has arisen,” explained Mr. Poole. “It would seem that less than two weeks after discovering this institution was to close its doors, Captain Harkness rushed through a legal partnership with an immigrant to the planet - a partnership that was not authorised by the Immigration Department officials as genuine.”
Ianto raised an eyebrow, and Jack leaned forward. “An immigrant? I believe the term you're searching for is 'refugee'. He has no choice but to be here.”
“He was not born here. He does not have citizenship - at least, he didn't until your unauthorised officiation.”
“What are you saying? Our partnership isn't legal?”
Mr. Poole sighed heavily. “The legal status of your partnership is under question. You must submit to investigation. Should your relationship be proved beyond all reasonable doubt genuine, the legality of your partnership will be restored.”
Ianto cleared his throat. “Restored? So … it's not currently legal? We're technically not … married?”
“I'm afraid that is the case.”
Ianto let out a big breath of air. “... we're not married ….”
Jack shrugged. “I guess this means we can have sex again ...”
Ianto ignored him. “So what does this investigation entail?”
“Questioning and observation, mainly. People you know and work with will also be interviewed,” Mr. Poole explained. “Should this stage be completed to satisfactory requirements, observation shall begin.”
“And what does observation entail?” pressed Ianto. This was an invasion to him.
“A month under observation. We shall pick the month, and you won't know it will be happening. Could be this time next year, could be two months from now. Should this stage be completed to satisfactory requirements, you will be given notification as to the status of your partnership.”
Jack sighed. “And if we don't meet 'satisfactory requirements'? You can hardly deport him.”
“Attempted fraud is a punishable offence, Captain.”
“Attempted frau- is this a joke?”
“I'm afraid not, sir. Now, I have a busy day ahead of me - if I might be seen out?”
“We'll happily sit here and see you leave,” Jack retorted.
“Quite,” Mr. Poole replied tightly, and without further hesitation turned and left.
Shirley started yapping after him, and Ianto patted her head with a finger to make her quiet. “So I'm an immigrant?” he sighed. “Nice of them to let me know.”
“You're not an immigrant. You had no choice but to leave your home - you're a refugee, and have refugee status. The Senate is playing bullshit because they don't like me.”
“They offered you a job,” Ianto reminded him.
“So they can keep an eye on me,” grumbled Jack. “I accepted it because that was what was best for us. For me and you; for Giacomo and Ian.”
“What would happen if you didn't take it?”
“You fancy living in a two-bedroom tower block flat with nothing to look forward to but your next morning on the production line?”
Ianto pressed his lips together. “Is that what's waiting for Rhys?”
Jack stared at Shirley frolicking around his desk, leaping over his scattered pens like hurdles. “Oh, for God's sake, Ianto!” he groaned. “Your dog has shit all over my post!”
“Oh - so when she's messy, she's my dog, right?” Ianto sighed.
“You bought her!”
“You and Little Jack wanted the damn thing! I knew this would happen! C'mon, Shirley.” He scooped her up, threw Jack's soiled (but empty) envelope into the bin and marched downstairs. Part of him was thankful Jack had changed the subject from Rhys' future, but part of him felt truly awful. He held Shirley up before him, and she blinked at him dolefully.
“What should I do?” he asked. “Rhys would forgive me, wouldn't he? He'd understand.” Ianto sighed heavily, and cuddled Shirley to his chest. “Could I forgive myself, though?” he wondered aloud. Tipping his head back and closing his eyes, he steadied his breathing until it was calm and even, relaxing him enough to think. Shirley fell asleep against him, warm and soft in his hands.
Eventually Jack wandered downstairs, a sheaf of papers in his hands. “You're good with numbers, right Ianto?”
Ianto's eyes opened and he sat up. “Hm? Yeah.”
“Here are our projected finances, and if you use the internet you can figure out our weekly and monthly budgets. Maybe we could free up some money to send to Rhys and help support him?”
Ianto sat up a little too fast, dislodging Shirley from her comfortable place and rousing her unintentionally. He carefully set her on her bed on the coffee table and took the proffered paperwork. “I'll see what I can do ….” he nodded, and pulled his electronic clipboard towards him.
~*~*~*~
“Tough day?” Rhys asked as Ianto threw himself down on the opposite end of the couch.
“Pfft. Mine and Jack's partnership is under investigation. The Senate think I'm marrying him for citizenship.”
“You'll do fine,” Rhys assured him without hesitation.
“I hope so,” sighed Ianto. “Stick Shaun of the Dead on?”
“I would, but John's still hanging around like a miserable drip. I bet you anything he's the type who'll come and sit with us and just snark at the film the whole way through and ruin it.”
“... we snark at films the whole way through ….” Ianto reminded him.
“But we do it out of love and gratitude to the film makers. He'll do it to be a prick.”
“Maybe if we ply him with alcohol? Have a lads' night in?”
Rhys raised his eyebrows at the idea. “I dunno if I'd be comfortable having a lads' night in with that fella. He's a bit … amorous. Maybe you and Jack could invite him to yours instead? Beer, pizza, action film - might be just what you three need to perk up.”
“He ain't getting amorous with me and the Captain,” Ianto grimaced. “Though maybe a lads' night in will be good for him. Take his mind off the Doctor for a bit.”
“Yeah. I really think you should suggest it to Jack.”
“Mmm. I shall.”
John wandered into the living room from Ianto's old room, music playing loudly from his earphones and his lip sporting a stitch.
“You're a prick, Hart,” Ianto said, smiling at him, knowing he couldn't hear.
Realising he was being spoken to, John pulled out his earphones. “Hm?”
“I said 'I hope you're feeling better'.”
Rhys sniggered, and regained his composure. “Ahem … Ianto was saying about you, him and Jack having a lads' night in,” he pressed.
“Uh … yeah ….” agreed Ianto.
“Really?” asked John, looking surprised.
“Yeah,” Ianto repeated.
“Oh … thank you … for … yeah … that'd be great ….”
He seemed shocked to have been invited, like a nerd being asked to hang out by a gang of cool kids.
“What should I wear?”
“Erm … whatever?” Ianto frowned. “Anyways … I should go and … tell Jack, then?”
He said goodbye and left, cracking his neck as he walked and preparing himself for the Bastard Stairs. John's reaction to be asked to spend time with them was surprising to Ianto, and then he considered the fact that John didn't know anyone here and the person he'd spend the majority of his free time with previously had faded away in a blue box. Maybe company would do him good, despite the fact Ianto wasn't really too pleased with him at the moment.
He supposed that in a way, John had done him a favour. He didn't have to see Jack's reaction, or try and dissuade him from doing anything drastic. In fact, it had taken a lot of pressure off him, to know the secret was out - in a limited circle - and also know that Jack was dealing with it, however deeply, internally and closed off it might currently be being dealt with.
Ianto stopped just before Jack's office to catch his breath for appearance's sake. At least the stairs kept me fit, he thought bitterly, entering the office and surprisingly found it empty. He went downstairs, and found Jack sat on the sofa with Shirley on the coffee table playing fetch, hesitating and rolling onto her back so that he could scratch her belly.
“Is she your dog now?” Ianto asked, smiling.
Jack glanced up and grinned. “Maybe. How was Rhys'?”
“Giacomo was already in bed, and John was hanging around like a miser so not quite so much fun had it just been Rhys and me,” he sighed, taking off his jacket and slumping onto the sofa, settling under Jack's arm. “Rhys suggested that you, me and John should have a lads' night in. I think it would be a good idea.”
“Maybe, yeah,” Jack agreed, though he sounded doubtful.
“What?” Ianto asked, leaning up and kissing his jawline.
“Didn't really see you as the 'Lads' Night In' type,” shrugged Jack.
“Really?”
“Nope,” Jack shrugged, and leaned down to kiss his mouth, ignoring Shirley whining for his attention. “Maybe we could do it the day after tomorrow ….”
“Why the day after tomorrow? Why not tomorrow night?”
“'Cause Giacomo stays over tomorrow night.”
“Ah … yeah … we're keeping Shirley a secret, remember? You suggested Giacomo should stay at Rhys' until Friday.”
“I did?”
“Yeah. And now that you've persuaded me 'round to the idea, don't go changing your mind!”
“I won't! I just forgot for a moment.”
Ianto smirked to himself, but managed to hide it by kissing Jack's lips again. “You know … we're not married any more. Will they split us up?”
“I'm in charge of pairing people up now.”
“So we needn't have married in the first place?”
Jack stiffened. “No. And … perhaps if we'd waiting like you said, we wouldn't be facing an investigation.”
Shirley was fed up of not getting attention, so curled up on her bed in a huff, closing her eyes and falling asleep. Ianto watched her a moment. “Are you freaking out, Jack?” he asked. “About the investigation?”
“Not really. They can't split us up.”
“But what if they do?”
“They can't.”
“But -”
“If they try, I can hire us an awesome lawyer and straighten everything out in front of a jury. In fact … I bet we could take our case to court, y'know. Contest the official investigation by allowing a jury to ask the questions and decide.”
“I don't know if that's such a good idea. You didn't even know I'm a 'Lads' Night In' type of guy,” Ianto yawned and stretched.
“You really, really don't seem the type,” shrugged Jack. “But if that's what you wanna do, that's fine by me. I love a lads' night in.”
“Good. Now - I'm going to bed. Since we're not married any more … fancy going all the way?”
Jack grinned. “Why Mr. Jones - are you suggesting we actually have sex this week?”
To make his point, Ianto got up and took the phone off the hook.
“Now get in the bedroom,” he said, folding his arms across his chest. “... and let's see how well you can tie yourself up ….”
Count them! That's 10, 155 words!
I also spent way too much of my life drawing Giacomo:
To say I haven't drawn since I quit Fine Art and only have a touchpad mouse, he came out exactly how I imagined him! Go me!
Forgot to save the massive version though. GRAWR.
Oh ... and magicmalcolm: I accepted your challenge, and succeeded. HA. m
Me: 1. M/M: NIL.
... thought when I put it like that, it looks like I might be trying to get one over on slash fiction as a whole ....
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