Another Life by a_silver_story | Part 20
Title: Another Life
Chapter: 20 | ??
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 XX
Jack was suddenly so very unsure. He had been watching Ianto sleeping again when it occurred to him that at any moment, Ianto could just … stop. There were hundreds of things that could make a young man just drop dead - aneurysm, stomach ulcer … Jack had once heard a teenage boy whose heart had simply stopped.
Ianto could trip and fall down the stairs; or hit his head in that particular place; get sick; get injured - get killed - and there would be nothing Jack could do.
And it was the same for Jacqueline, Jacob, Giacomo and Ian.
I was 3 AM, and mind buzzing Jack slipped out of bed, pulled on his boxers, pressed a quick kiss to Ianto's temple and made his way up to his office.
... and we're not married any more … what if he leaves me? What if he takes Giacomo? He could easily log in and alter the records, change around the lists ….
The Captain shook his head as if to chastise himself, knowing Ianto wouldn't do that. He also knew that Ianto loved him.
Taking a deep breath, Jack decided he needed a distraction from his destructive thoughts. He switched on his computer, took the electric clipboard of unsorted names from his drawer, sat down behind his desk and got down to work.
~*~*~*~
Ianto sat bolt upright.
He wasn't supposed to wake up alone any more.
After a moment he cleared his head, scratched the healing, red, itchy lines on his chest and the back of his shoulder and dragged himself out of bed. He could only be bothered to pull on boxers before wandering into the living room to feed Shirley, who had decided to claim the coffee table as her own.
“There you go, sweetheart,” he murmured softly, stroking the back of her head with a finger as she set to work on the cold pork. He left her to it, heading upstairs to the coffee machine and setting to work on two mugs. Hot, dark and rich, he carried them into Jack's office, finding his Captain sat behind his desk and absorbed in his work. He was a sight for sore eyes, wearing only his underwear and concentrating with an intensity that for no apparent reason Ianto found borderline erotic.
Quietly, he set Jack's mug down on the desk and waited to be acknowledged.
“Morning ….” Jack smiled distractedly. “Y'know, I think I've nearly finished these lists - even the difficult ones I was going to leave for you to do. I think I might start on allocating accommodation next. Whaddya think?”
“I think you're ill.”
Jack shrugged. “I've found working takes my mind off things.”
“Such as?”
“One day, everything will die except me, and some day I won't even remember you again.”
Ianto knew he had paled, his mouth pressing together tightly. “I … you know I accept that? I'm okay with it - remembering me now is what's important. I'm okay with the fact you'll forget me.”
“But I'm not,” Jack snapped. “How many do you think I've forgotten? How many people out there right now are the descendants of Captain Jack Harkness - descendants of him and however many people he doesn't even remember? How many of my own children have I forgotten?”
Ianto moved to stand behind him and massage his shoulders. “It can't be helped, Jack,” he murmured, feeling the tense muscles under his fingers relax slightly to his touch. “It's not your fault. It's not your failure.”
They were quiet for a while as Ianto massaged away, but eventually Ianto thought of something he'd been meaning to ask. “Who was The Face of Boe?”
Jack barked out a laugh. “How did you hear about him?”
“When I was at the hospital recovering from the Rift, they ran a search on every name I'd ever heard you use. One of them was 'Boe' - I'd heard John call you it once, and for a while I thought it was your real name -”
“'Real' name?” Jack cut him off.
Ianto's fingers stiffened and stilled on Jack's shoulders. “You … 'Captain Jack Harkness' isn't your real name. You took it when you went back to the twentieth century to run a con, and I'm guessing it may have stuck.”
“What is my real name?” he asked, tugging Ianto's arm and pulling him down onto his lap to look at him.
“I … I don't know. You wouldn't tell me.”
Jack's eyes were wide and shining, and Ianto felt awful for having brought up 'Boe' and 'Captain Jack Harkness'.
“Why wouldn't I tell you?” Jack asked.
Ianto shrugged. “I don't know. You always just said that it didn't matter - that you weren't that man any more, and you didn't need his name.”
“Does John know?”
“I … don't know.”
Jack's eyes glazed over for a second, then he buried his face in Ianto's neck. Ianto closed his eyes, feeling teeth nip as tongue licked and mouth sucked, marking him gently. Once Jack had finished, they sat quietly for a while, holding each other. Eventually, though, Jack's legs began to go numb under Ianto's weight.
“You're gonna have to get off,” he told Ianto regretfully.
“Cutting off your circulation?” Ianto grinned cheekily, dragging himself from Jack's knee and up onto his feet.
“Nah. Just my nervous system,” replied Jack, resisting the urge to stick his tongue out.
“You callin' me fat?” gasped Ianto.
“I'm calling you lean and muscular,” Jack winked, stretching his legs out with a satisfied moan.
Ianto checked his watch, then pursed his lips in thought. “It's … still early … how about you come downstairs and we'll help each other get ready for work?”
“Oh! I meant to tell you! As of Monday, all of your duties will have been transferred. You can just kick back and relax.”
“... oh. I like my duties.”
“You're still … recovering ….”
“I'm fine,” sighed Ianto. “All that's left are two thin lines of scabs.”
“... and the mental scars?”
“I'm fine. I don't even think about it any more.”
“Of course you don't,” smiled Jack, getting up from his chair. “Hmm … I might have to take you up on that offer of assisted dressing ….”
“I'm not so sure the offer still stands!” Ianto replied curtly.
Jack pouted. “But we're not married any more! We're supposed to have sex now!”
Ianto rolled his eyes, and turned back towards the stairs and made his way down to the living room. He paused to pet Shirley, and Jack walked straight into his back.
“Oof!” scowled Ianto. “Do you have to walk so close?”
“Mmm I think so,” Jack murmured, snaking arms around his middle from behind and nuzzling his nose into his hair.
“I'm annoyed at you?” Ianto reminded him.
“I'm horny … at you ….”
“That doesn't make sense.”
“Nothing about you and me does.”
“How do you work that out?” Ianto asked, taking a step forward and finding Jack refusing to let go and walking in synchronisation attached to his back.
“I can't. That's the point,” Jack rebuked playfully, and nipped Ianto's shoulder, gripping tighter as they approached the bedroom like some strange four-legged being. “You know, I should probably take today off to relax and sleep so that I'm nice and awake for the Lads' Night In tonight ….”
“Mmmm … I suppose you deserve an unscheduled day off … what with you working so hard recently. You planning on letting me go soon?”
“I'm planning on tripping you so that you land on your front on the mattress … then I can pound you into it until you scream ….”
Ianto rolled his eyes, trying to steer them away from the bed and towards the wardrobe but failing as the stronger Captain pretty much dragged him towards it. Laughing, Ianto fought him, losing badly and landing awkwardly on his side, Jack still a limpet on his back and pressing his hips forward into the top of Ianto's thighs.
“Oh, put it away!” he sighed fondly, and Jack finally let go so that he could climb on top of him, straddling his waist and leaning down to kiss Ianto's bare chest.
“You know what?” Jack asked between light kisses to the soft skin of Ianto's tummy.
“Mmm … what?” mumbled Ianto, his eyes closed as Jack's lips ghosted over his sensitive stomach.
“This is my favourite bit of you.”
Ianto lifted his head and frowned down at him. “Whut?”
“Mhmmm ….” Jack hummed into his skin, lips pressed into the soft flesh.
“Does my wobbly belly make a nice pillow?”
“Your belly isn't that wobbly any more - you can probably thank those stairs.”
“More likely the stress of being a parent mixed with the stress of keeping you in check.”
Jack grinned up at him, resting his cheek on his stomach and blowing a little to tickle. Ianto sighed softly, resting one hand on Jack's shoulder and lacing the fingers of the other through his hair. “Have you found out about our new home yet? Where are they putting us?”
“From what I can tell, we're getting a two-bedroom house in the suburbs. Where, exactly, I'm not sure. But it won't be big enough.”
“Two bedrooms will do us fine. Do you have the other specifications?”
“We're lying on the bed wearing practically nothing with my head just above your crotch and you want to talk about real estate?”
“I'm not exactly horny, Jack.”
Jack lifted the waistband of Ianto's boxers and had a proper look. He huffed and let it go with a snap that made Ianto flinch and grunt.
“You ruin all my fun,” pouted Jack, slipping a hand between Ianto's legs to pull one nearer and press his erection against it. Ianto grinned, allowing his head to fall back onto the bed as he stroked Jack's hair.
“What's your new job going to be?”
“Mmmmmm … office job. I'll be a team supervisor of some of the lawyers handling the state lawsuits.”
“How so?” frowned Ianto. “You're not a lawyer ….”
“I'll have you know, I've had a lot of training in law over the years!”
“Do you remember any of it?”
“I'm sure it's just common sense … I'm not actually going to court anyway. I just have to keep the actual lawyers in check and on top of things.”
Ianto sighed. “It's a lot more than common sense, Jack - ow! Nibble, don't bite!”
Jack grinned up at him. “Do you doubt me, Mr. Jones?”
“I doubt your ability to organise yourself, never mind state attorneys.”
“I just need to bring them in my office once a week and shout at them,” he shrugged. “I'm sure I'll have some cute office boys to do all the grunt work. Maybe even a PA in a pencil skirt ….”
“Will he complain if you put him in a pencil skirt?” joked Ianto.
“HA! If he does, I'll fire him,” winked Jack.
“... and then he'll file harassment charges.”
“Only if I show him where the filing cabinets are.”
Ianto laughed. “So what do you know about our new home?”
“It'll be temporary until we find somewhere bigger.”
“We won't need bigger! Two bedrooms is enough!”
“We'll have to wait until we get the address and check the specifications. What if there isn't a study? What if there's only one living room?”
“'Only' one?”
“One for us, one for the child and his noisy games and TV programmes.”
“A play room?”
“No - that'll be upstairs.”
“A kid only needs one room, Jack!”
“Where you come from, maybe!”
“He's coping fine with one room at the moment.”
“But are you coping fine with him just having one room?”
Ianto sniggered. “I don't mind his company.”
“Mmm,” agreed Jack, non-committal. “wait until he's a teenager. You'll be desperate for him to retreat to one of his rooms.”
“Depends if we can afford it,” Ianto sighed.
“I plan to move on up the chain of command. This week, Team Leader … next week … President of New Earth. I might even change my title to 'King'. Whaddya think?”
“Oh dear. I think that would be disastrous!”
Jack pouted. “You never support me in anything I want to do,” he whined.
“I fully support you getting dressed and going to work - just not in world domination.”
“But I like world domination!”
Laughing, Ianto tried to push him off so that he could get up. “C'mon, Jack ….” he sighed. “I want to get dressed.”
“I want you to get undressed!” Jack countered, pulling him back down and resting his whole weight on top of him.
Ianto sighed in exasperation. “Fine … okay … but only a quickie.”
“In and out,” Jack promised solemnly. “You'll never even know I was there.”
“I'd much rather feel every inch of y-”
No sooner were the words half way out of his mouth, than it was being devoured by a worked-up Jack with a large sexual appetite. Jack was moving fast, impatient and controlling. He knelt up and used Ianto's shoulder as leverage to push him onto his stomach and started pulling down his boxers before he'd made it all the way.
Ianto was about to complain when Jack's head buried itself in his neck, licking and sucking at the already tender bruising from the lovebite earlier. He covered Ianto's body, trapping him down, trying to be as close to him as possible.
Ianto's breathing was laboured as his bare erection pressed into the bedclothes, and Jack rolled his hips pressing him down more and making him groan quietly. He hissed when cold gel and a hot finger pressed against his hole, testing the resistance but not pressing hard enough to slip inside. Ianto's fingers curled into the sheets as he clutched them tightly, anticipation singing through his veins. He lifted his hips, the tip of Jack's finger slipped inside him and he yelled out when in reaction to his eagerness the Captain forced his finger inside at a none-too-slow pace.
Jack twisted his hand, eliciting a low moan from Ianto's throat, and he curled his finger and straightened it again to make him bite his lip and inhale sharply. “Is that enough?” Jack asked tentatively.
Ianto raised his head and looked at him over his shoulder, his eyes heavy-lidded and dark. He nodded. “Just go easy,” he asked, his voice barely above a growled whisper. Jack rested his hands on Ianto's buttocks, then ran them up his sides, over his back and under his chest. Leaning down, he wrapped one arm around Ianto and used his free hand to guide himself into Ianto's body.
He panted as he slowly inched inside, Ianto so tight and hot around him. Ianto gasped and hissed as it burned, opening his legs wider where he lay on his front and gripping the hand holding his chest tightly. “Ow,” he whimpered, and Jack paused.
“Do you want me to stop?” he asked gently, his head by Ianto's ear. He kissed the lobe close his lips and rubbed his cheek against his hair.
Ianto nodded, his eyes squeezed shut. “Sorry.”
Carefully, Jack pulled out, and lightly pushed Ianto to lie on his back. Ianto spread his legs in invitation to carry on.
“You don't wanna wait a moment?” Jack asked.
“Do I look like I want to wait?” Ianto countered, pulling Jack's arm until he was lying on top of him. Jack reached for more lubricant, kneeling between Ianto's thighs. “Hold your legs up ….”
Ianto complied, holding his legs behind his knees as Jack's fingers stretched him open gradually, the burn less and the pleasure heightened. He kept hold of his knees as Jack grasped his ankles, holding them in the air as he knelt up and pushed himself inside again.
When his balls were pressed right against Ianto's skin, he grinned down at him. “Better?”
“Much.”
Any form of conversation ended there as Jack thrust inside again, and Ianto's back arched off the mattress. Letting go of Ianto's ankles, Jack leaned down, wrapped his arms around the back of Ianto's head to hold him in place as he kissed him deep and began to thrust slowly and deliberately in and out.
Ianto clung to the back of his shoulders, wrapping his legs around his waist and locking his ankles and urging Jack deeper. He clenched down, and Jack juddered with the extra tightness and accidentally bit down on Ianto's lower lip, making them both laugh quietly before resuming a gentler, less demanding and less intrusive kiss.
Ianto writhed as Jack moved lower to kiss his neck, and opened his eyes. He frowned, staring up at the ceiling.
Oh no, he thought. Gonna have to find out what's causing that damp ….
He had a moment of alarm when he realised he was turning into a housewife, and rolled them over so that he was on top. Bracing his hands on Jack's shoulders and looking him straight in the eye, he began to lift himself up and down.
Jack panted and writhed until he became restless, sitting up and tipping Ianto backwards, kneeling up and lifting Ianto's hips into the air. Ianto crossed his ankles behind Jack's head, groaning when the Captain gripped his cock and squeezed and stroked him until he came over himself, his tilted position making the white liquid run from his chest to his neck and over his shoulder, freckling the sheets with spots of come.
Running his hands over Ianto's thighs, Jack watched him orgasm with relish, feeling it through the repeated tightness around his erection. Ianto was still a little dazed when Jack pulled him up to sit across his knees, and he clung on as if he couldn't hold up his own weight. An instinct seemed to kick in, and realising Jack still needed to come Ianto clumsily lifted himself up and lowered back down again. He pressed his chest against Jack's, his come slick between them, and leaned down to kiss his nose. Jack exhaled sharply, his body jerked and Ianto felt him shoot up inside his body.
They collapsed down on the bed, panting, eyes closed. Jack reached out and pulled Ianto bodily towards him, and Ianto rested his head on Jack's chest, slinging an arm and a leg over him and getting comfortable.
“Oh dear,” Jack sighed. “We're gonna have to see what's causing that damp,” he pointed.
“Later,” mumbled Ianto. “Sleep now.”
Jack squeezed him. “Mmm. Love you.”
Ianto tutted. “Girl.”
~*~*~*~
The phone was ringing.
Groggily, Jack reached over to the bedside table for the receiver. “Ahoy hoy?” he croaked, and listened for a moment. “Yah,” he sighed. “He's here, love. Giacomo for you,” he told Ianto, poking him awake.
“Hewwow?” Ianto mumbled, his voice thick with sleep.
“The doggy is gone!” wailed Giacomo.
Ianto sat up straight. “What? The dog … gone where?”
“Someone else bought her! I took Rhys down to the shop to show him and … and … a-and she's gone!”
“Oh ….” Ianto replied, his heart-rate slowing as he remembered that Giacomo didn't know about Shirley, never mind whether or not she was 'gone'. “Well … I'm sure she went to a good home, Giacomo.”
“But I love her! I love her more than anyone!”
Ianto sighed. “Giacomo ….”
“Can you find who has her? Can I go 'round to play with her?”
“Giacomo ….”
“I promise to be good! I'll do the kitchen floor every day for a week - and I'll do it with furniture polish to make Dad slip and you laugh again!”
Ianto sniggered quietly, and Jack let out a soft snore. “Giacomo, you can't. You're going to have to let Shirley go. I'll get you another dog, Jack. Maybe a full-sized one?”
“I need Shirley. She's my friend!”
“You only saw her for two minutes!”
“But I just knew,” Giacomo wailed.
“I'm sorry, Jack. There's nothing I can do.”
Little Jack sniffed. “Okay,” he mumbled. “Can I come 'round to play later? I miss you and Dad. And I want to talk about my party tomorrow!”
“Yeah, okay,” agreed Ianto, reaching out to smooth the Captain's hair away from his face as he dozed. “I'll come and pick you up later on.”
“All right. I'll see you later then, Daddy.”
“See you later. Bye bye.”
“Bye!”
Ianto hung up the receiver, and flopped back down heavily. Jack grunted and curled around him, Ianto letting him spoon into his back. “Giacomo's coming 'round to play later. We need to do something with Shirley.”
“Put her in her cage and hide her in your office?”
“Mmm,” yawned Ianto. “C'mon … we really have to get up now.”
Jack cracked an eye open. “I'm already up,” he said with a cheeky smile.
Ianto glanced a little further down the bed. “Jack! For God's sake - put it away!”
~*~*~*~
Okay ….
Beer: check.
Action film: check
Pizza: check.
Everything needed for a lads' night in, smiled Ianto. After he'd picked up Giacomo, he'd feigned a call and taken Shirley down to Rhys' out of paranoia. They'd started chatting, and Ianto had stayed nearly an hour and a half before they remembered he was supposed to be spending quality time with Little Jack.
He hurried back to find the living room in disarray; Big Jack hiding behind an overturned sofa and Little Jack crawling on his elbows to shelter under the moved coffee table at the other side of the room as pens and pencils rained down in his direction. They were both wearing blank pieces of paper taped to the front and backs of their shirts, and Ianto realised they were playing an improvised version of 'Laser Quest'.
After the living room had been set back to rights and all of Ianto's pens were returned to their places (and in the right order) and Giacomo's crayons put away, Ianto agreed to adjudicate and count the number of 'hits' on each child's (big or little) body. Much to the Captain's chagrin, Ianto decreed Giacomo the winner, since Jack had a much bigger barricade ('Because I am much bigger!”) and therefore making it unfair.
Big Jack had sulked until he had to take Giacomo back to Rhys' and Ianto had promised to give him a blow job (“It's always about cock with you, isn't it?”)(“Don't be unfair, Ianto! Sometimes it's about food!”).
Finally, it was time for Lads' Night In, and despite John Hart being there Ianto was determined to enjoy himself. He'd never heard of this film, never tasted this beer and had only had a home-cooked pizza once, but he was going to enjoy himself.
Box of beers in one hand, film chip in the other and pizza in the oven, Ianto made his way down into the living room to find it empty. “Hello?” he called.
“Bedroom!” Jack replied.
Ianto scowled. What were they doing in there?
He wandered through, and nearly dropped his beer. Nearly.
“What the hell is going on?”
Jack, John and Little Jack were all sat on the bed, staring up at him in confusion, wondering what they'd done wrong. Sat on the bed … wearing dressing gowns … heads wrapped in towels … and … and … face packs ….
“... and what are you doing here?” Ianto asked of Giacomo.
“Lads' Night In! Dad said I could,” he insisted.
“What … your … faces … and is that wine?”
“Don't worry, Eye-Candy. The kid's on blackcurrant.”
“It's a Lads' Night In!”
“... yes ….” nodded Jack.
“No! It's … you … What is that on your faces?”
“Cucumber, coconut and lovely, lovely spinach. Excellent for the complexion. We saved you some, since you wandered off ….”
“To … to get beer! And an action film! For the Lads' night in!”
Little Jack giggled, then grimaced as some of his face pack found its way into his mouth. “Beer and an action film? He wants a Girls' Night In!”
“YOU'RE HAVING A GIRLS' NIGHT IN!” Ianto practically yelled, disequilibrium possessing him.
Jack shrugged. “Well - you're here now! We ran you a bath for yourself with the bubbly stuff and there's candles - and you have a matching dressing gown and towel, too! Then we'll start the film.”
Ianto stared from one face to the other. “You all bathed together?”
“Ewww no. Me and Little Jack bathed together. John just wrapped a towel around his head for effect.”
Ianto covered his eyes and sighed. “What film is it?” he asked.
“Moons of Voyage,” they all chorused.
“What's that about? Is it suitable for Giacomo?”
“It's a romantic comedy,” explained Jack.
“Like 'Sleepless in Seattle' romantic comedy?”
“Not seen that,” frowned Jack. “I have seen 'Sleepless in New New New New New New New Seattle' though. But that was about a monster invading peoples dreams and killing them.”
“Like 'Nightmare on Elm Street'?”
Jack sighed. “Are you going to have your bath or not? The sooner we get this pack on your face, the better!”
“Woah, woah …. you are not putting that crap on my face!”
John scowled. “I made that crap - and it will brighten up your stress-dulled complexion in ten minutes flat.”
“My complexion is fine!”
“... it's not ….”
Ianto folded his arms as best he could with the box of beers in his grip. “I'm going to Rhys' and having a real Lads' Night In!”
His statement was met with silence, and he noticed the sidelong looks Jack and John were sharing a fraction too late. “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” he yelled, iron grips preventing him from running away. With an oof he landed on his back on the bed, and a heavy weight landed on his chest.
“Hold still, Daddy!” grinned Giacomo, a strange brush in his hand covered in … in …
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
~*~*~*~
Rhys opened the door, pretty certain he knew who it was.
Ianto stood outside, looking like he was about to murder someone, box of beers in his hand and his top half soaking wet.
“You bastard!” he spat, and Rhys burst out laughing. “You suggested the 'Lads' Night In' - you bastard!”
Rhys stood aside to let him in, clutching his stomach as he laughed and laughed and laughed. “I-I-I-I'm SORRY!” he managed, though Ianto knew he didn't mean it.
“You knew! You sent me in there … AND YOU FUCKING KNEW!”
Tears rolling down his face, Rhys tried to calm down. “Fancy a beer?” he gasped, eyeing the box in Ianto's hand.
“No!” snapped Ianto, marching over to his old room. “This is mine, and I'm going to drink all of it, watch this shitty action film and eat cold pizza on my own!” The door slammed dramatically shut.
Rhys was still giggling to himself in the morning. At least now they were even for the Rhys Getting Arrested Incident, though … he did have a creeping feeling that before they moved out, Ianto would probably get him back.
Ianto sat on his old mattress and sipped his beer. Get him back? he thought. Get him back …
… and then some ….
This fic won the Children of Time Awards Round 5 for Best Future Fic!
Thank you to everyone! I am one happy bunny! XD
Next Part | Previous Part | Torchwood Index | Request a Convo/Prose Fic
Chapter: 20 | ??
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 XX
Jack was suddenly so very unsure. He had been watching Ianto sleeping again when it occurred to him that at any moment, Ianto could just … stop. There were hundreds of things that could make a young man just drop dead - aneurysm, stomach ulcer … Jack had once heard a teenage boy whose heart had simply stopped.
Ianto could trip and fall down the stairs; or hit his head in that particular place; get sick; get injured - get killed - and there would be nothing Jack could do.
And it was the same for Jacqueline, Jacob, Giacomo and Ian.
I was 3 AM, and mind buzzing Jack slipped out of bed, pulled on his boxers, pressed a quick kiss to Ianto's temple and made his way up to his office.
... and we're not married any more … what if he leaves me? What if he takes Giacomo? He could easily log in and alter the records, change around the lists ….
The Captain shook his head as if to chastise himself, knowing Ianto wouldn't do that. He also knew that Ianto loved him.
Taking a deep breath, Jack decided he needed a distraction from his destructive thoughts. He switched on his computer, took the electric clipboard of unsorted names from his drawer, sat down behind his desk and got down to work.
~*~*~*~
Ianto sat bolt upright.
He wasn't supposed to wake up alone any more.
After a moment he cleared his head, scratched the healing, red, itchy lines on his chest and the back of his shoulder and dragged himself out of bed. He could only be bothered to pull on boxers before wandering into the living room to feed Shirley, who had decided to claim the coffee table as her own.
“There you go, sweetheart,” he murmured softly, stroking the back of her head with a finger as she set to work on the cold pork. He left her to it, heading upstairs to the coffee machine and setting to work on two mugs. Hot, dark and rich, he carried them into Jack's office, finding his Captain sat behind his desk and absorbed in his work. He was a sight for sore eyes, wearing only his underwear and concentrating with an intensity that for no apparent reason Ianto found borderline erotic.
Quietly, he set Jack's mug down on the desk and waited to be acknowledged.
“Morning ….” Jack smiled distractedly. “Y'know, I think I've nearly finished these lists - even the difficult ones I was going to leave for you to do. I think I might start on allocating accommodation next. Whaddya think?”
“I think you're ill.”
Jack shrugged. “I've found working takes my mind off things.”
“Such as?”
“One day, everything will die except me, and some day I won't even remember you again.”
Ianto knew he had paled, his mouth pressing together tightly. “I … you know I accept that? I'm okay with it - remembering me now is what's important. I'm okay with the fact you'll forget me.”
“But I'm not,” Jack snapped. “How many do you think I've forgotten? How many people out there right now are the descendants of Captain Jack Harkness - descendants of him and however many people he doesn't even remember? How many of my own children have I forgotten?”
Ianto moved to stand behind him and massage his shoulders. “It can't be helped, Jack,” he murmured, feeling the tense muscles under his fingers relax slightly to his touch. “It's not your fault. It's not your failure.”
They were quiet for a while as Ianto massaged away, but eventually Ianto thought of something he'd been meaning to ask. “Who was The Face of Boe?”
Jack barked out a laugh. “How did you hear about him?”
“When I was at the hospital recovering from the Rift, they ran a search on every name I'd ever heard you use. One of them was 'Boe' - I'd heard John call you it once, and for a while I thought it was your real name -”
“'Real' name?” Jack cut him off.
Ianto's fingers stiffened and stilled on Jack's shoulders. “You … 'Captain Jack Harkness' isn't your real name. You took it when you went back to the twentieth century to run a con, and I'm guessing it may have stuck.”
“What is my real name?” he asked, tugging Ianto's arm and pulling him down onto his lap to look at him.
“I … I don't know. You wouldn't tell me.”
Jack's eyes were wide and shining, and Ianto felt awful for having brought up 'Boe' and 'Captain Jack Harkness'.
“Why wouldn't I tell you?” Jack asked.
Ianto shrugged. “I don't know. You always just said that it didn't matter - that you weren't that man any more, and you didn't need his name.”
“Does John know?”
“I … don't know.”
Jack's eyes glazed over for a second, then he buried his face in Ianto's neck. Ianto closed his eyes, feeling teeth nip as tongue licked and mouth sucked, marking him gently. Once Jack had finished, they sat quietly for a while, holding each other. Eventually, though, Jack's legs began to go numb under Ianto's weight.
“You're gonna have to get off,” he told Ianto regretfully.
“Cutting off your circulation?” Ianto grinned cheekily, dragging himself from Jack's knee and up onto his feet.
“Nah. Just my nervous system,” replied Jack, resisting the urge to stick his tongue out.
“You callin' me fat?” gasped Ianto.
“I'm calling you lean and muscular,” Jack winked, stretching his legs out with a satisfied moan.
Ianto checked his watch, then pursed his lips in thought. “It's … still early … how about you come downstairs and we'll help each other get ready for work?”
“Oh! I meant to tell you! As of Monday, all of your duties will have been transferred. You can just kick back and relax.”
“... oh. I like my duties.”
“You're still … recovering ….”
“I'm fine,” sighed Ianto. “All that's left are two thin lines of scabs.”
“... and the mental scars?”
“I'm fine. I don't even think about it any more.”
“Of course you don't,” smiled Jack, getting up from his chair. “Hmm … I might have to take you up on that offer of assisted dressing ….”
“I'm not so sure the offer still stands!” Ianto replied curtly.
Jack pouted. “But we're not married any more! We're supposed to have sex now!”
Ianto rolled his eyes, and turned back towards the stairs and made his way down to the living room. He paused to pet Shirley, and Jack walked straight into his back.
“Oof!” scowled Ianto. “Do you have to walk so close?”
“Mmm I think so,” Jack murmured, snaking arms around his middle from behind and nuzzling his nose into his hair.
“I'm annoyed at you?” Ianto reminded him.
“I'm horny … at you ….”
“That doesn't make sense.”
“Nothing about you and me does.”
“How do you work that out?” Ianto asked, taking a step forward and finding Jack refusing to let go and walking in synchronisation attached to his back.
“I can't. That's the point,” Jack rebuked playfully, and nipped Ianto's shoulder, gripping tighter as they approached the bedroom like some strange four-legged being. “You know, I should probably take today off to relax and sleep so that I'm nice and awake for the Lads' Night In tonight ….”
“Mmmm … I suppose you deserve an unscheduled day off … what with you working so hard recently. You planning on letting me go soon?”
“I'm planning on tripping you so that you land on your front on the mattress … then I can pound you into it until you scream ….”
Ianto rolled his eyes, trying to steer them away from the bed and towards the wardrobe but failing as the stronger Captain pretty much dragged him towards it. Laughing, Ianto fought him, losing badly and landing awkwardly on his side, Jack still a limpet on his back and pressing his hips forward into the top of Ianto's thighs.
“Oh, put it away!” he sighed fondly, and Jack finally let go so that he could climb on top of him, straddling his waist and leaning down to kiss Ianto's bare chest.
“You know what?” Jack asked between light kisses to the soft skin of Ianto's tummy.
“Mmm … what?” mumbled Ianto, his eyes closed as Jack's lips ghosted over his sensitive stomach.
“This is my favourite bit of you.”
Ianto lifted his head and frowned down at him. “Whut?”
“Mhmmm ….” Jack hummed into his skin, lips pressed into the soft flesh.
“Does my wobbly belly make a nice pillow?”
“Your belly isn't that wobbly any more - you can probably thank those stairs.”
“More likely the stress of being a parent mixed with the stress of keeping you in check.”
Jack grinned up at him, resting his cheek on his stomach and blowing a little to tickle. Ianto sighed softly, resting one hand on Jack's shoulder and lacing the fingers of the other through his hair. “Have you found out about our new home yet? Where are they putting us?”
“From what I can tell, we're getting a two-bedroom house in the suburbs. Where, exactly, I'm not sure. But it won't be big enough.”
“Two bedrooms will do us fine. Do you have the other specifications?”
“We're lying on the bed wearing practically nothing with my head just above your crotch and you want to talk about real estate?”
“I'm not exactly horny, Jack.”
Jack lifted the waistband of Ianto's boxers and had a proper look. He huffed and let it go with a snap that made Ianto flinch and grunt.
“You ruin all my fun,” pouted Jack, slipping a hand between Ianto's legs to pull one nearer and press his erection against it. Ianto grinned, allowing his head to fall back onto the bed as he stroked Jack's hair.
“What's your new job going to be?”
“Mmmmmm … office job. I'll be a team supervisor of some of the lawyers handling the state lawsuits.”
“How so?” frowned Ianto. “You're not a lawyer ….”
“I'll have you know, I've had a lot of training in law over the years!”
“Do you remember any of it?”
“I'm sure it's just common sense … I'm not actually going to court anyway. I just have to keep the actual lawyers in check and on top of things.”
Ianto sighed. “It's a lot more than common sense, Jack - ow! Nibble, don't bite!”
Jack grinned up at him. “Do you doubt me, Mr. Jones?”
“I doubt your ability to organise yourself, never mind state attorneys.”
“I just need to bring them in my office once a week and shout at them,” he shrugged. “I'm sure I'll have some cute office boys to do all the grunt work. Maybe even a PA in a pencil skirt ….”
“Will he complain if you put him in a pencil skirt?” joked Ianto.
“HA! If he does, I'll fire him,” winked Jack.
“... and then he'll file harassment charges.”
“Only if I show him where the filing cabinets are.”
Ianto laughed. “So what do you know about our new home?”
“It'll be temporary until we find somewhere bigger.”
“We won't need bigger! Two bedrooms is enough!”
“We'll have to wait until we get the address and check the specifications. What if there isn't a study? What if there's only one living room?”
“'Only' one?”
“One for us, one for the child and his noisy games and TV programmes.”
“A play room?”
“No - that'll be upstairs.”
“A kid only needs one room, Jack!”
“Where you come from, maybe!”
“He's coping fine with one room at the moment.”
“But are you coping fine with him just having one room?”
Ianto sniggered. “I don't mind his company.”
“Mmm,” agreed Jack, non-committal. “wait until he's a teenager. You'll be desperate for him to retreat to one of his rooms.”
“Depends if we can afford it,” Ianto sighed.
“I plan to move on up the chain of command. This week, Team Leader … next week … President of New Earth. I might even change my title to 'King'. Whaddya think?”
“Oh dear. I think that would be disastrous!”
Jack pouted. “You never support me in anything I want to do,” he whined.
“I fully support you getting dressed and going to work - just not in world domination.”
“But I like world domination!”
Laughing, Ianto tried to push him off so that he could get up. “C'mon, Jack ….” he sighed. “I want to get dressed.”
“I want you to get undressed!” Jack countered, pulling him back down and resting his whole weight on top of him.
Ianto sighed in exasperation. “Fine … okay … but only a quickie.”
“In and out,” Jack promised solemnly. “You'll never even know I was there.”
“I'd much rather feel every inch of y-”
No sooner were the words half way out of his mouth, than it was being devoured by a worked-up Jack with a large sexual appetite. Jack was moving fast, impatient and controlling. He knelt up and used Ianto's shoulder as leverage to push him onto his stomach and started pulling down his boxers before he'd made it all the way.
Ianto was about to complain when Jack's head buried itself in his neck, licking and sucking at the already tender bruising from the lovebite earlier. He covered Ianto's body, trapping him down, trying to be as close to him as possible.
Ianto's breathing was laboured as his bare erection pressed into the bedclothes, and Jack rolled his hips pressing him down more and making him groan quietly. He hissed when cold gel and a hot finger pressed against his hole, testing the resistance but not pressing hard enough to slip inside. Ianto's fingers curled into the sheets as he clutched them tightly, anticipation singing through his veins. He lifted his hips, the tip of Jack's finger slipped inside him and he yelled out when in reaction to his eagerness the Captain forced his finger inside at a none-too-slow pace.
Jack twisted his hand, eliciting a low moan from Ianto's throat, and he curled his finger and straightened it again to make him bite his lip and inhale sharply. “Is that enough?” Jack asked tentatively.
Ianto raised his head and looked at him over his shoulder, his eyes heavy-lidded and dark. He nodded. “Just go easy,” he asked, his voice barely above a growled whisper. Jack rested his hands on Ianto's buttocks, then ran them up his sides, over his back and under his chest. Leaning down, he wrapped one arm around Ianto and used his free hand to guide himself into Ianto's body.
He panted as he slowly inched inside, Ianto so tight and hot around him. Ianto gasped and hissed as it burned, opening his legs wider where he lay on his front and gripping the hand holding his chest tightly. “Ow,” he whimpered, and Jack paused.
“Do you want me to stop?” he asked gently, his head by Ianto's ear. He kissed the lobe close his lips and rubbed his cheek against his hair.
Ianto nodded, his eyes squeezed shut. “Sorry.”
Carefully, Jack pulled out, and lightly pushed Ianto to lie on his back. Ianto spread his legs in invitation to carry on.
“You don't wanna wait a moment?” Jack asked.
“Do I look like I want to wait?” Ianto countered, pulling Jack's arm until he was lying on top of him. Jack reached for more lubricant, kneeling between Ianto's thighs. “Hold your legs up ….”
Ianto complied, holding his legs behind his knees as Jack's fingers stretched him open gradually, the burn less and the pleasure heightened. He kept hold of his knees as Jack grasped his ankles, holding them in the air as he knelt up and pushed himself inside again.
When his balls were pressed right against Ianto's skin, he grinned down at him. “Better?”
“Much.”
Any form of conversation ended there as Jack thrust inside again, and Ianto's back arched off the mattress. Letting go of Ianto's ankles, Jack leaned down, wrapped his arms around the back of Ianto's head to hold him in place as he kissed him deep and began to thrust slowly and deliberately in and out.
Ianto clung to the back of his shoulders, wrapping his legs around his waist and locking his ankles and urging Jack deeper. He clenched down, and Jack juddered with the extra tightness and accidentally bit down on Ianto's lower lip, making them both laugh quietly before resuming a gentler, less demanding and less intrusive kiss.
Ianto writhed as Jack moved lower to kiss his neck, and opened his eyes. He frowned, staring up at the ceiling.
Oh no, he thought. Gonna have to find out what's causing that damp ….
He had a moment of alarm when he realised he was turning into a housewife, and rolled them over so that he was on top. Bracing his hands on Jack's shoulders and looking him straight in the eye, he began to lift himself up and down.
Jack panted and writhed until he became restless, sitting up and tipping Ianto backwards, kneeling up and lifting Ianto's hips into the air. Ianto crossed his ankles behind Jack's head, groaning when the Captain gripped his cock and squeezed and stroked him until he came over himself, his tilted position making the white liquid run from his chest to his neck and over his shoulder, freckling the sheets with spots of come.
Running his hands over Ianto's thighs, Jack watched him orgasm with relish, feeling it through the repeated tightness around his erection. Ianto was still a little dazed when Jack pulled him up to sit across his knees, and he clung on as if he couldn't hold up his own weight. An instinct seemed to kick in, and realising Jack still needed to come Ianto clumsily lifted himself up and lowered back down again. He pressed his chest against Jack's, his come slick between them, and leaned down to kiss his nose. Jack exhaled sharply, his body jerked and Ianto felt him shoot up inside his body.
They collapsed down on the bed, panting, eyes closed. Jack reached out and pulled Ianto bodily towards him, and Ianto rested his head on Jack's chest, slinging an arm and a leg over him and getting comfortable.
“Oh dear,” Jack sighed. “We're gonna have to see what's causing that damp,” he pointed.
“Later,” mumbled Ianto. “Sleep now.”
Jack squeezed him. “Mmm. Love you.”
Ianto tutted. “Girl.”
~*~*~*~
The phone was ringing.
Groggily, Jack reached over to the bedside table for the receiver. “Ahoy hoy?” he croaked, and listened for a moment. “Yah,” he sighed. “He's here, love. Giacomo for you,” he told Ianto, poking him awake.
“Hewwow?” Ianto mumbled, his voice thick with sleep.
“The doggy is gone!” wailed Giacomo.
Ianto sat up straight. “What? The dog … gone where?”
“Someone else bought her! I took Rhys down to the shop to show him and … and … a-and she's gone!”
“Oh ….” Ianto replied, his heart-rate slowing as he remembered that Giacomo didn't know about Shirley, never mind whether or not she was 'gone'. “Well … I'm sure she went to a good home, Giacomo.”
“But I love her! I love her more than anyone!”
Ianto sighed. “Giacomo ….”
“Can you find who has her? Can I go 'round to play with her?”
“Giacomo ….”
“I promise to be good! I'll do the kitchen floor every day for a week - and I'll do it with furniture polish to make Dad slip and you laugh again!”
Ianto sniggered quietly, and Jack let out a soft snore. “Giacomo, you can't. You're going to have to let Shirley go. I'll get you another dog, Jack. Maybe a full-sized one?”
“I need Shirley. She's my friend!”
“You only saw her for two minutes!”
“But I just knew,” Giacomo wailed.
“I'm sorry, Jack. There's nothing I can do.”
Little Jack sniffed. “Okay,” he mumbled. “Can I come 'round to play later? I miss you and Dad. And I want to talk about my party tomorrow!”
“Yeah, okay,” agreed Ianto, reaching out to smooth the Captain's hair away from his face as he dozed. “I'll come and pick you up later on.”
“All right. I'll see you later then, Daddy.”
“See you later. Bye bye.”
“Bye!”
Ianto hung up the receiver, and flopped back down heavily. Jack grunted and curled around him, Ianto letting him spoon into his back. “Giacomo's coming 'round to play later. We need to do something with Shirley.”
“Put her in her cage and hide her in your office?”
“Mmm,” yawned Ianto. “C'mon … we really have to get up now.”
Jack cracked an eye open. “I'm already up,” he said with a cheeky smile.
Ianto glanced a little further down the bed. “Jack! For God's sake - put it away!”
~*~*~*~
Okay ….
Beer: check.
Action film: check
Pizza: check.
Everything needed for a lads' night in, smiled Ianto. After he'd picked up Giacomo, he'd feigned a call and taken Shirley down to Rhys' out of paranoia. They'd started chatting, and Ianto had stayed nearly an hour and a half before they remembered he was supposed to be spending quality time with Little Jack.
He hurried back to find the living room in disarray; Big Jack hiding behind an overturned sofa and Little Jack crawling on his elbows to shelter under the moved coffee table at the other side of the room as pens and pencils rained down in his direction. They were both wearing blank pieces of paper taped to the front and backs of their shirts, and Ianto realised they were playing an improvised version of 'Laser Quest'.
After the living room had been set back to rights and all of Ianto's pens were returned to their places (and in the right order) and Giacomo's crayons put away, Ianto agreed to adjudicate and count the number of 'hits' on each child's (big or little) body. Much to the Captain's chagrin, Ianto decreed Giacomo the winner, since Jack had a much bigger barricade ('Because I am much bigger!”) and therefore making it unfair.
Big Jack had sulked until he had to take Giacomo back to Rhys' and Ianto had promised to give him a blow job (“It's always about cock with you, isn't it?”)(“Don't be unfair, Ianto! Sometimes it's about food!”).
Finally, it was time for Lads' Night In, and despite John Hart being there Ianto was determined to enjoy himself. He'd never heard of this film, never tasted this beer and had only had a home-cooked pizza once, but he was going to enjoy himself.
Box of beers in one hand, film chip in the other and pizza in the oven, Ianto made his way down into the living room to find it empty. “Hello?” he called.
“Bedroom!” Jack replied.
Ianto scowled. What were they doing in there?
He wandered through, and nearly dropped his beer. Nearly.
“What the hell is going on?”
Jack, John and Little Jack were all sat on the bed, staring up at him in confusion, wondering what they'd done wrong. Sat on the bed … wearing dressing gowns … heads wrapped in towels … and … and … face packs ….
“... and what are you doing here?” Ianto asked of Giacomo.
“Lads' Night In! Dad said I could,” he insisted.
“What … your … faces … and is that wine?”
“Don't worry, Eye-Candy. The kid's on blackcurrant.”
“It's a Lads' Night In!”
“... yes ….” nodded Jack.
“No! It's … you … What is that on your faces?”
“Cucumber, coconut and lovely, lovely spinach. Excellent for the complexion. We saved you some, since you wandered off ….”
“To … to get beer! And an action film! For the Lads' night in!”
Little Jack giggled, then grimaced as some of his face pack found its way into his mouth. “Beer and an action film? He wants a Girls' Night In!”
“YOU'RE HAVING A GIRLS' NIGHT IN!” Ianto practically yelled, disequilibrium possessing him.
Jack shrugged. “Well - you're here now! We ran you a bath for yourself with the bubbly stuff and there's candles - and you have a matching dressing gown and towel, too! Then we'll start the film.”
Ianto stared from one face to the other. “You all bathed together?”
“Ewww no. Me and Little Jack bathed together. John just wrapped a towel around his head for effect.”
Ianto covered his eyes and sighed. “What film is it?” he asked.
“Moons of Voyage,” they all chorused.
“What's that about? Is it suitable for Giacomo?”
“It's a romantic comedy,” explained Jack.
“Like 'Sleepless in Seattle' romantic comedy?”
“Not seen that,” frowned Jack. “I have seen 'Sleepless in New New New New New New New Seattle' though. But that was about a monster invading peoples dreams and killing them.”
“Like 'Nightmare on Elm Street'?”
Jack sighed. “Are you going to have your bath or not? The sooner we get this pack on your face, the better!”
“Woah, woah …. you are not putting that crap on my face!”
John scowled. “I made that crap - and it will brighten up your stress-dulled complexion in ten minutes flat.”
“My complexion is fine!”
“... it's not ….”
Ianto folded his arms as best he could with the box of beers in his grip. “I'm going to Rhys' and having a real Lads' Night In!”
His statement was met with silence, and he noticed the sidelong looks Jack and John were sharing a fraction too late. “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” he yelled, iron grips preventing him from running away. With an oof he landed on his back on the bed, and a heavy weight landed on his chest.
“Hold still, Daddy!” grinned Giacomo, a strange brush in his hand covered in … in …
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
~*~*~*~
Rhys opened the door, pretty certain he knew who it was.
Ianto stood outside, looking like he was about to murder someone, box of beers in his hand and his top half soaking wet.
“You bastard!” he spat, and Rhys burst out laughing. “You suggested the 'Lads' Night In' - you bastard!”
Rhys stood aside to let him in, clutching his stomach as he laughed and laughed and laughed. “I-I-I-I'm SORRY!” he managed, though Ianto knew he didn't mean it.
“You knew! You sent me in there … AND YOU FUCKING KNEW!”
Tears rolling down his face, Rhys tried to calm down. “Fancy a beer?” he gasped, eyeing the box in Ianto's hand.
“No!” snapped Ianto, marching over to his old room. “This is mine, and I'm going to drink all of it, watch this shitty action film and eat cold pizza on my own!” The door slammed dramatically shut.
Rhys was still giggling to himself in the morning. At least now they were even for the Rhys Getting Arrested Incident, though … he did have a creeping feeling that before they moved out, Ianto would probably get him back.
Ianto sat on his old mattress and sipped his beer. Get him back? he thought. Get him back …
… and then some ….
This fic won the Children of Time Awards Round 5 for Best Future Fic!
Thank you to everyone! I am one happy bunny! XD
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