Fic - Truth Is Seen Through Keyholes
Title: TRUTH IS SEEN THROUGH KEYHOLES
Characters: Jack, Ianto, Tosh
Pairing: Jack/Ianto, Ianto and Tosh, Tosh/Ianto
Rating: Mild PG for inference of a M/M relationship
Spoilers: General, for series
Disclaimer: Not mine; they belong to the BBC.
Prompt: Missed opportunity for the jantolution challenge : AU
Summary: Knowing about alternate universes is one thing but meeting one of your opposite selves is quite another.
Intellectually, of course, he knows that it’s possible. Science fiction and fact both acknowledge the possibility and Jack’s spoken of alternate universes as a proven fact. It’s one thing to accept the theory but it’s a whole different ball game when you’re standing in front of your double from one such universe.
Ianto can’t help but stare and is a little spooked to see a similar expression on his doppelganger’s face. His other self is dressed down in jeans and a black t-shirt with a unbuttoned deep red shirt worn over it. He’s sporting a Van Dyke beard which leaves Ianto torn between disapproval and wondering how Jack would react if he grew one. Which leads him to wonder if there’s a Jack in this Ianto’s life. Which leads him, in turn, to notice the wedding ring on the other Ianto’s finger and a stab of some unidentifiable emotion tears through him. He isn’t sure if it’s jealousy, surprise, dismay or joy. All he knows is that it’s strong and is gone as quickly as it swamps him. He points towards the ring and can’t keep himself from asking.
“Lisa?”
The other Ianto tilts his head slightly and lifts his hand to gaze at the ring. He shakes his head and sorrow touches his face. “Sorry, I don’t know the name. I married a woman called Toshiko Sato.”
The mixture of surprise and relief that this Ianto never knew Lisa is immediately swamped by the news that in some other universe he married Tosh. His Tosh is a dear sister and he can honestly say that he has never thought of her in any other way. He can see how it might have happened, though, and he’s glad that his other self and she have made a life together. He says as much and is dismayed at the grief that touches his alternate’s face.
“She died,” he says, and for a moment Ianto sees an echo of the anguish he knew when he lost Lisa and thought he had lost Jack. “We were married for a little over a year.”
“I’m sorry.” Ianto curses the inadequacy of language but his other self nods.
“She’s been gone for nearly two years, now, and it’s better, I can look at our daughter without wanting to cry.”
Ianto’s eyes widen. “Your daughter?” He has a daughter? They have a daughter? He shakes his head and gives up on the semantics.
His other self smiles and this time there are no shadows and no wariness to it. “Midori Ceridwen Sato-Jones. Would you like to see a photo?”
Ianto laughs at the universality of some things and nods. His other self digs out something that could be a mobile phone or some otherworldly device of extraordinary sophistications and swiftly pulls up a series of photos to show Ianto. Midori Ceridwen Sato-Jones is, indeed, a beautiful child, with her mother’s jet black hair and her father’s blue-grey eyes. Ianto knows a pang as he sees the way this Ianto holds his daughter but then he tenses as he sees the next photo in the sequence. In this one Ianto isn’t alone as he plays with his daughter while bathing her.
“Jack,” he sighs.
The other Ianto gives him a sharp look before a small smile tugs at his lips. “You too?”
Ianto nods. “Oh, yes.”
His twin huffs a gentle laugh. “He kept me sane when Toshiko died. If it hadn’t been for him… I don’t know what I might have done.”
Ianto remembers the dark time after Lisa and nods sombrely. “Yes,” he says softly. He looks again at the photo, where Ianto is holding Midori and Jack is leaning against him and looking down at her with a wide smile of his face. “Are you two…” His voice trails away as he tries to think of a word to adequately describe any relationship that includes Jack.
“Yes,” the other Ianto says. His gaze is clear when he looks up. “We are. I will never forget Toshiko but Jack is….” His voice trails away, obviously as lost for the right words as Ianto is. They share a look that conveys more than words could manage.
“Can I get back?” the other Ianto asks, anxiety clouding his eyes.
Ianto smiles, glad to be able to pass on good news, and nods. “The device that brought you here is recharging. It will be ready to take you back in a few hours.”
His twin sighs with relief and relaxes. “So what do I do while I’m waiting?”
Ianto laughs. “Knowing my Jack, the phrase ‘three in a bed’ is probably dancing through his head,” he says with fond exasperation. His eyebrows shoot up when he sees the speculative look in the other Ianto’s eyes. “Stop that,” he says severely, even as he feels the soft claw of the same temptation.
His twin grins. “Got you going, though,” he smirks. “I’m not going to meet the others?” he asks. “I’ll admit I’m curious as to how this Torchwood differs from mine.”
It’s on the tip of Ianto’s tongue to demur, thinking that the last thing this Ianto needs to see is Toshiko alive and well and forever out of his reach, but then there’s a click in his ear and Jack’s quiet voice comes over the comlink.
“Let him make the choice.”
Ianto hesitates a beat longer, then acknowledges that if their positions were reversed and he had the chance to meet a Lisa who had survived, he would want to grab that opportunity with both hands. “I can offer you the deluxe tour,” he says quietly, “but there’s someone you might not want to meet.” He sees the way the other man’s eyes widen as he puts two and two together and after a long moment he nods and Ianto smiles. “Come on, then.”
It’s fascinating to hear about the differences and similarities between their universes as Ianto starts to show him around. They don’t have Weevils but they do seem to be on the migratory route of an insectoid species with a narcotic sting. Myfanwy comes as a delightful surprise and the other Ianto tells him about the alien dragon they have nesting in the high tower of Plas Torchwood and which the local children call Tânycoed. Their Torchwood is above ground but he loves the look of the Millennium Centre and the Plass since their base is still surrounded by docklands. Their Torchwood is the official arm of a Britain that is still a monarchy and has an empire and he’s a little bemused over the idea of being so totally secret.
Then they meet the others.
He knows that Jack has prepared Toshiko, just as he has told his other self that the counterpart of the woman he loved and lost is just on the other side of a door. He thinks this is several hundred degrees beyond awkward and both he and the other Ianto draw in a deep breath as they walk through. The others are waiting for them, Tosh standing beside Jack, and Ianto hears his twin draw in a shaky breath that catches deep in his throat. Then he’s moving past Ianto, drawn towards Tosh like a moth to a flame. He slows to a halt just in front of her and after a moment of hesitation extends a hand. Tosh’s mouth trembles and then she is embracing him and the other Ianto is half-laughing, half-crying as he pulls her close.
Two hours later and Ianto brings coffee to where Tosh and Jack are sitting with the other Ianto, going through the photos and chatting animatedly. Ianto hesitates, wondering why he feels a stab of loneliness, but then Jack looks up and sees him and smiles in a way Ianto has never seen before.
“Hey, come here,” Jack says gently. “We’ve been looking at baby pictures and getting broody.”
The other Ianto groans. “Don’t you start! Mine is bad enough. He hired two extra people so I could have more time with Midori but I’m starting to suspect that he has another agenda, especially when he keeps mentioning that he can get pregnant and how Midori shouldn’t be an only child.”
Ianto watches with a smile as Tosh’s eyes go round with astonishment before she gives Jack a decidedly skittish look. Jack, unbelievably, blushes and slides a distinctly furtive look in Ianto’s direction. Not really knowing how to deal with that look, Ianto settles down beside Jack and smiles at the other Ianto
“Not long to go, now,” he says softly.
His twin nods. “I’ll be relieved to get back,” he said, “but I’m not sorry I’ve had this experience. Knowing about alternative dimensions is one thing but actually being in one is quite another.”
Ianto hesitates. There is so much he wants to ask this other version of himself and so much he wants to tell him, but he can’t even begin to decide how to start and so much of what he would say is impossible to speak about in front of the others. He sees Jack and Tosh exchange glances and then they get up, oh-so-casually, and decide they have to go and check on the alien device. Ianto exchanges a wry smile with his twin as the other two walk away.
“Could they be any more transparent?” he asks.
The other Ianto smiles and shakes his head. “It’s good to know that you have good people around you, just like me.” He hesitates for a moment before obviously coming to a decision. “They told me a little, about the battle in London and Lisa. I… I never had to go through anything on that scale, although I’ve had some…” He pauses and catches himself. “Enough of that. What I wanted to say, to ask, was… do you love him?”
Ianto is lost for words for a moment, but almost immediately he realises that if he can’t be honest with himself, who can he be honest with? And he wants to tell someone. To be brutally honest he wants to shout it out from the highest rooftop, transmit it to the stars and drop post-its into the Rift, but fear of having other people laugh at him always stops him. “Yes,” he says, and there isn’t an iota of doubt in his mind. “Yes, I love him with all my heart.” Lisa is a gentle ghost now, and while he will never forget what they had and mourn what they lost, he has room in his heart for more than one person and Jack burns bright and alive at the centre of his universe.
His twin nods in apparent satisfaction. “If you have any doubts about how he feels, I can tell you that this Jack loves you.” He smiles at the look Ianto gives him. “I’m a little further along the relationship than you are, and my Jack didn’t take off after the Doctor like yours did. What we have grew slowly and surely but I had my share of doubts before I could accept that Jack really did want me, out of all the people he could have. When this Jack talks about you, he has the same look in his eyes that my Jack has.”
Ianto lets out a breath he didn’t realise he has been holding and smiles tremulously at his twin. Logic tells him that the fact that the Jack in one universe acts in a certain way does not necessarily mean that his Jack will do the same, but something deeper than logic makes him relax and believe in what the other man is saying. Jack has changed since he came back and while he might still flirt and make smart-aleck remarks and sometimes do things that makes Ianto want to hit him, Jack has made it abundantly obvious that he wants more than just a casual arrangement with Ianto. It’s Ianto’s own demons that are holding them back.
“I just wish…” He makes himself stop. This Ianto has something special and he can hold on to that knowledge and hopefully it will give him the courage to say something,
The other Ianto gives him a speculative look and glances around before holding out his hand. “Give me your phone,” he orders. “Quick, while Jack’s somewhere else.”
Bemused, Ianto does as he is told and watches as his twin takes out his own device and fiddles a little before placing them together. After a couple of seconds, he separates them again and hands Ianto his phone back. Confused, Ianto looks down at his phone, wondering what has just happened.
“Look in the photos.”
Ianto does as he is told and goes to the latest photo. He frowns as he sees the strange symbol displayed on the screen and gives his twin a questioning look. It looks like a fusion between Arabic and Celtic design but it’s unfamiliar to him and he wonders what the significance is.
“It’s two symbols really,” his twin explains. “It comes from Jack’s homeworld.” He sees that he has Ianto’s undivided attention now and smiles. He points to one side of the image. “That part of the design means ‘you give me the freedom to be myself’ and this other part means ‘with you I feel complete’. The two symbols fused together with this bit here is a declaration of love.” He gives Ianto a mischievous smile and after another look around, he separates his t-shirt and jeans to reveal the symbol tattooed over his hip.
“I managed to find out about the symbols and did it as a surprise,” the other Ianto says as he tucks his t-shirt back in. “The look on Jack’s face when he undressed me…. God, the sex we had that night…”
Ianto feels himself blush as he recalls nights when Jack has felt inspired for some reason and both he and his twin laugh as they realise where their thoughts are going. Ianto closes down his phone and smiles thoughtfully. There’s a risk that the symbol might not mean the same but it’s a beautiful design and he rather thinks he’ll do it. They both look up as Jack comes back.
“It’s time,” he says quietly.
The other Ianto nods. “Can I see Tosh one last time?”
Jack smiles. “She’s waiting for you at the machine. She wanted to make sure that you got home safely.” He moves closer and embraces the other Ianto when he got to his feet and kisses him gently on the cheek. “Thank you,” he says with a smile.
The other Ianto smiles back and lifts a hand to rest it against Jack’s cheek. “You are so much like my Jack. Take care of yourself and my other self, okay? And try talking to me!” He turns to face Ianto and the smile broadens. “It’s been a pleasure. It’s good to know I have more courage than I knew I had. Good luck with the art project.” He winks and turns to leave.
Jack and Ianto remain where they are, watching him head off towards where Tosh is waiting. Ianto feels a little awkward and strangely energised at the same time. He wants to reach out and grab Jack and kiss him senseless but they doesn’t do that kind of thing. Then he snorts. He doesn’t do that kind of thing. Maybe he should. Maybe he will.
No, no ‘maybe’.
He reaches out to grab Jack and pull him into an embrace, kissing him fiercely. Jack responds with alacrity - which he always does - but there’s something different in the way he kisses Ianto back. It’s intense and lingering and Ianto never wants it to end. It does, however, but when he pulls back Jack smiles at him and makes no attempt to move away or make some witty remark. They lean against one another and smile.
“I’m glad I met him,” Ianto says quietly.
“So am I,” Jack agrees. He looks down and reaches for one of Ianto’s hands. “I liked what I saw of their life. I liked the… possibilities.”
Seeing the expression in Jack’s eyes, Ianto comes to his decision.
Three weeks later, after making Jack keep his hands to himself for a few days while Ianto waits for the soreness to subside (and the tantrums that had caused!), Ianto stands passive while Jack gleefully strips him. He’s trying to tell himself that he isn’t as nervous as he knows he is, but he still takes a deep breath when the last layers are stripped away. He knows the exact moment that Jack sees it and he’s afraid to look up and see the expression on the other man’s face.
“Ianto…”
He’s never heard that note in Jack’s voice before and he looks up to meet a look so intense that the breath is stolen right out of his chest. “I hope it means the same here as it does on his side,” he manages to stutter but before he can continue he has been tipped over onto his back on the bed and Jack is kissing him almost frenziedly. In between the kisses Jack keeps up a litany of ‘yes, yes, yes’ that reassures Ianto more than any amount of clever words.
It’s a long time before he and Jack finally get to sleep and Ianto’s last drowsy thought as he lies entangled with Jack, his lover’s hand resting possessively on the tattoo, is that alternative universes are very educational.
OOOO
Characters: Jack, Ianto, Tosh
Pairing: Jack/Ianto, Ianto and Tosh, Tosh/Ianto
Rating: Mild PG for inference of a M/M relationship
Spoilers: General, for series
Disclaimer: Not mine; they belong to the BBC.
Prompt: Missed opportunity for the jantolution challenge : AU
Summary: Knowing about alternate universes is one thing but meeting one of your opposite selves is quite another.
Intellectually, of course, he knows that it’s possible. Science fiction and fact both acknowledge the possibility and Jack’s spoken of alternate universes as a proven fact. It’s one thing to accept the theory but it’s a whole different ball game when you’re standing in front of your double from one such universe.
Ianto can’t help but stare and is a little spooked to see a similar expression on his doppelganger’s face. His other self is dressed down in jeans and a black t-shirt with a unbuttoned deep red shirt worn over it. He’s sporting a Van Dyke beard which leaves Ianto torn between disapproval and wondering how Jack would react if he grew one. Which leads him to wonder if there’s a Jack in this Ianto’s life. Which leads him, in turn, to notice the wedding ring on the other Ianto’s finger and a stab of some unidentifiable emotion tears through him. He isn’t sure if it’s jealousy, surprise, dismay or joy. All he knows is that it’s strong and is gone as quickly as it swamps him. He points towards the ring and can’t keep himself from asking.
“Lisa?”
The other Ianto tilts his head slightly and lifts his hand to gaze at the ring. He shakes his head and sorrow touches his face. “Sorry, I don’t know the name. I married a woman called Toshiko Sato.”
The mixture of surprise and relief that this Ianto never knew Lisa is immediately swamped by the news that in some other universe he married Tosh. His Tosh is a dear sister and he can honestly say that he has never thought of her in any other way. He can see how it might have happened, though, and he’s glad that his other self and she have made a life together. He says as much and is dismayed at the grief that touches his alternate’s face.
“She died,” he says, and for a moment Ianto sees an echo of the anguish he knew when he lost Lisa and thought he had lost Jack. “We were married for a little over a year.”
“I’m sorry.” Ianto curses the inadequacy of language but his other self nods.
“She’s been gone for nearly two years, now, and it’s better, I can look at our daughter without wanting to cry.”
Ianto’s eyes widen. “Your daughter?” He has a daughter? They have a daughter? He shakes his head and gives up on the semantics.
His other self smiles and this time there are no shadows and no wariness to it. “Midori Ceridwen Sato-Jones. Would you like to see a photo?”
Ianto laughs at the universality of some things and nods. His other self digs out something that could be a mobile phone or some otherworldly device of extraordinary sophistications and swiftly pulls up a series of photos to show Ianto. Midori Ceridwen Sato-Jones is, indeed, a beautiful child, with her mother’s jet black hair and her father’s blue-grey eyes. Ianto knows a pang as he sees the way this Ianto holds his daughter but then he tenses as he sees the next photo in the sequence. In this one Ianto isn’t alone as he plays with his daughter while bathing her.
“Jack,” he sighs.
The other Ianto gives him a sharp look before a small smile tugs at his lips. “You too?”
Ianto nods. “Oh, yes.”
His twin huffs a gentle laugh. “He kept me sane when Toshiko died. If it hadn’t been for him… I don’t know what I might have done.”
Ianto remembers the dark time after Lisa and nods sombrely. “Yes,” he says softly. He looks again at the photo, where Ianto is holding Midori and Jack is leaning against him and looking down at her with a wide smile of his face. “Are you two…” His voice trails away as he tries to think of a word to adequately describe any relationship that includes Jack.
“Yes,” the other Ianto says. His gaze is clear when he looks up. “We are. I will never forget Toshiko but Jack is….” His voice trails away, obviously as lost for the right words as Ianto is. They share a look that conveys more than words could manage.
“Can I get back?” the other Ianto asks, anxiety clouding his eyes.
Ianto smiles, glad to be able to pass on good news, and nods. “The device that brought you here is recharging. It will be ready to take you back in a few hours.”
His twin sighs with relief and relaxes. “So what do I do while I’m waiting?”
Ianto laughs. “Knowing my Jack, the phrase ‘three in a bed’ is probably dancing through his head,” he says with fond exasperation. His eyebrows shoot up when he sees the speculative look in the other Ianto’s eyes. “Stop that,” he says severely, even as he feels the soft claw of the same temptation.
His twin grins. “Got you going, though,” he smirks. “I’m not going to meet the others?” he asks. “I’ll admit I’m curious as to how this Torchwood differs from mine.”
It’s on the tip of Ianto’s tongue to demur, thinking that the last thing this Ianto needs to see is Toshiko alive and well and forever out of his reach, but then there’s a click in his ear and Jack’s quiet voice comes over the comlink.
“Let him make the choice.”
Ianto hesitates a beat longer, then acknowledges that if their positions were reversed and he had the chance to meet a Lisa who had survived, he would want to grab that opportunity with both hands. “I can offer you the deluxe tour,” he says quietly, “but there’s someone you might not want to meet.” He sees the way the other man’s eyes widen as he puts two and two together and after a long moment he nods and Ianto smiles. “Come on, then.”
It’s fascinating to hear about the differences and similarities between their universes as Ianto starts to show him around. They don’t have Weevils but they do seem to be on the migratory route of an insectoid species with a narcotic sting. Myfanwy comes as a delightful surprise and the other Ianto tells him about the alien dragon they have nesting in the high tower of Plas Torchwood and which the local children call Tânycoed. Their Torchwood is above ground but he loves the look of the Millennium Centre and the Plass since their base is still surrounded by docklands. Their Torchwood is the official arm of a Britain that is still a monarchy and has an empire and he’s a little bemused over the idea of being so totally secret.
Then they meet the others.
He knows that Jack has prepared Toshiko, just as he has told his other self that the counterpart of the woman he loved and lost is just on the other side of a door. He thinks this is several hundred degrees beyond awkward and both he and the other Ianto draw in a deep breath as they walk through. The others are waiting for them, Tosh standing beside Jack, and Ianto hears his twin draw in a shaky breath that catches deep in his throat. Then he’s moving past Ianto, drawn towards Tosh like a moth to a flame. He slows to a halt just in front of her and after a moment of hesitation extends a hand. Tosh’s mouth trembles and then she is embracing him and the other Ianto is half-laughing, half-crying as he pulls her close.
Two hours later and Ianto brings coffee to where Tosh and Jack are sitting with the other Ianto, going through the photos and chatting animatedly. Ianto hesitates, wondering why he feels a stab of loneliness, but then Jack looks up and sees him and smiles in a way Ianto has never seen before.
“Hey, come here,” Jack says gently. “We’ve been looking at baby pictures and getting broody.”
The other Ianto groans. “Don’t you start! Mine is bad enough. He hired two extra people so I could have more time with Midori but I’m starting to suspect that he has another agenda, especially when he keeps mentioning that he can get pregnant and how Midori shouldn’t be an only child.”
Ianto watches with a smile as Tosh’s eyes go round with astonishment before she gives Jack a decidedly skittish look. Jack, unbelievably, blushes and slides a distinctly furtive look in Ianto’s direction. Not really knowing how to deal with that look, Ianto settles down beside Jack and smiles at the other Ianto
“Not long to go, now,” he says softly.
His twin nods. “I’ll be relieved to get back,” he said, “but I’m not sorry I’ve had this experience. Knowing about alternative dimensions is one thing but actually being in one is quite another.”
Ianto hesitates. There is so much he wants to ask this other version of himself and so much he wants to tell him, but he can’t even begin to decide how to start and so much of what he would say is impossible to speak about in front of the others. He sees Jack and Tosh exchange glances and then they get up, oh-so-casually, and decide they have to go and check on the alien device. Ianto exchanges a wry smile with his twin as the other two walk away.
“Could they be any more transparent?” he asks.
The other Ianto smiles and shakes his head. “It’s good to know that you have good people around you, just like me.” He hesitates for a moment before obviously coming to a decision. “They told me a little, about the battle in London and Lisa. I… I never had to go through anything on that scale, although I’ve had some…” He pauses and catches himself. “Enough of that. What I wanted to say, to ask, was… do you love him?”
Ianto is lost for words for a moment, but almost immediately he realises that if he can’t be honest with himself, who can he be honest with? And he wants to tell someone. To be brutally honest he wants to shout it out from the highest rooftop, transmit it to the stars and drop post-its into the Rift, but fear of having other people laugh at him always stops him. “Yes,” he says, and there isn’t an iota of doubt in his mind. “Yes, I love him with all my heart.” Lisa is a gentle ghost now, and while he will never forget what they had and mourn what they lost, he has room in his heart for more than one person and Jack burns bright and alive at the centre of his universe.
His twin nods in apparent satisfaction. “If you have any doubts about how he feels, I can tell you that this Jack loves you.” He smiles at the look Ianto gives him. “I’m a little further along the relationship than you are, and my Jack didn’t take off after the Doctor like yours did. What we have grew slowly and surely but I had my share of doubts before I could accept that Jack really did want me, out of all the people he could have. When this Jack talks about you, he has the same look in his eyes that my Jack has.”
Ianto lets out a breath he didn’t realise he has been holding and smiles tremulously at his twin. Logic tells him that the fact that the Jack in one universe acts in a certain way does not necessarily mean that his Jack will do the same, but something deeper than logic makes him relax and believe in what the other man is saying. Jack has changed since he came back and while he might still flirt and make smart-aleck remarks and sometimes do things that makes Ianto want to hit him, Jack has made it abundantly obvious that he wants more than just a casual arrangement with Ianto. It’s Ianto’s own demons that are holding them back.
“I just wish…” He makes himself stop. This Ianto has something special and he can hold on to that knowledge and hopefully it will give him the courage to say something,
The other Ianto gives him a speculative look and glances around before holding out his hand. “Give me your phone,” he orders. “Quick, while Jack’s somewhere else.”
Bemused, Ianto does as he is told and watches as his twin takes out his own device and fiddles a little before placing them together. After a couple of seconds, he separates them again and hands Ianto his phone back. Confused, Ianto looks down at his phone, wondering what has just happened.
“Look in the photos.”
Ianto does as he is told and goes to the latest photo. He frowns as he sees the strange symbol displayed on the screen and gives his twin a questioning look. It looks like a fusion between Arabic and Celtic design but it’s unfamiliar to him and he wonders what the significance is.
“It’s two symbols really,” his twin explains. “It comes from Jack’s homeworld.” He sees that he has Ianto’s undivided attention now and smiles. He points to one side of the image. “That part of the design means ‘you give me the freedom to be myself’ and this other part means ‘with you I feel complete’. The two symbols fused together with this bit here is a declaration of love.” He gives Ianto a mischievous smile and after another look around, he separates his t-shirt and jeans to reveal the symbol tattooed over his hip.
“I managed to find out about the symbols and did it as a surprise,” the other Ianto says as he tucks his t-shirt back in. “The look on Jack’s face when he undressed me…. God, the sex we had that night…”
Ianto feels himself blush as he recalls nights when Jack has felt inspired for some reason and both he and his twin laugh as they realise where their thoughts are going. Ianto closes down his phone and smiles thoughtfully. There’s a risk that the symbol might not mean the same but it’s a beautiful design and he rather thinks he’ll do it. They both look up as Jack comes back.
“It’s time,” he says quietly.
The other Ianto nods. “Can I see Tosh one last time?”
Jack smiles. “She’s waiting for you at the machine. She wanted to make sure that you got home safely.” He moves closer and embraces the other Ianto when he got to his feet and kisses him gently on the cheek. “Thank you,” he says with a smile.
The other Ianto smiles back and lifts a hand to rest it against Jack’s cheek. “You are so much like my Jack. Take care of yourself and my other self, okay? And try talking to me!” He turns to face Ianto and the smile broadens. “It’s been a pleasure. It’s good to know I have more courage than I knew I had. Good luck with the art project.” He winks and turns to leave.
Jack and Ianto remain where they are, watching him head off towards where Tosh is waiting. Ianto feels a little awkward and strangely energised at the same time. He wants to reach out and grab Jack and kiss him senseless but they doesn’t do that kind of thing. Then he snorts. He doesn’t do that kind of thing. Maybe he should. Maybe he will.
No, no ‘maybe’.
He reaches out to grab Jack and pull him into an embrace, kissing him fiercely. Jack responds with alacrity - which he always does - but there’s something different in the way he kisses Ianto back. It’s intense and lingering and Ianto never wants it to end. It does, however, but when he pulls back Jack smiles at him and makes no attempt to move away or make some witty remark. They lean against one another and smile.
“I’m glad I met him,” Ianto says quietly.
“So am I,” Jack agrees. He looks down and reaches for one of Ianto’s hands. “I liked what I saw of their life. I liked the… possibilities.”
Seeing the expression in Jack’s eyes, Ianto comes to his decision.
Three weeks later, after making Jack keep his hands to himself for a few days while Ianto waits for the soreness to subside (and the tantrums that had caused!), Ianto stands passive while Jack gleefully strips him. He’s trying to tell himself that he isn’t as nervous as he knows he is, but he still takes a deep breath when the last layers are stripped away. He knows the exact moment that Jack sees it and he’s afraid to look up and see the expression on the other man’s face.
“Ianto…”
He’s never heard that note in Jack’s voice before and he looks up to meet a look so intense that the breath is stolen right out of his chest. “I hope it means the same here as it does on his side,” he manages to stutter but before he can continue he has been tipped over onto his back on the bed and Jack is kissing him almost frenziedly. In between the kisses Jack keeps up a litany of ‘yes, yes, yes’ that reassures Ianto more than any amount of clever words.
It’s a long time before he and Jack finally get to sleep and Ianto’s last drowsy thought as he lies entangled with Jack, his lover’s hand resting possessively on the tattoo, is that alternative universes are very educational.
OOOO