Triple-Latté
Title: Triple-Latté
Author: JerBearThompson
Rating: PG
Genre: Hideously AU and terribly romantic
Characters: Jack/Ianto, Lisa
Summary: Jack laughed, because he was expected to, because it was so obviously a joke. He wondered if Ianto could tell it was fake.
Disclaimer: Honestly, do you really think I own them? RTD, BBC, the usual.
Notes: So I blame this entirely on Ostin, who was telling me how his boyfriend and his boyfriend’s female roommate act like more of a couple than they do. He also requested Australian nicknames and Elle prompted: Cafe, photos, shoes. But… I kind of forgot about the last one. I’ve been watching far too many sappy movies lately. And why oh why do I always have to write Jack pining over Ianto? I keep coming back and adding notes here, I should stop. Another one: I live in Australia, so I made up all the names of shops. Research is too hard. Last note: Another one of those stories that don't run so smoothly but my mind is rather shot right now. That's all, I promise.
She ordered a double-latté, but he made it triple because he liked her. Triple-latté with extra foam - on the house. Maybe she would realise, maybe she wouldn’t, but if he couldn’t gather up the courage to talk to her he thought he should at least do something. Something to show her he liked her, because he really, really did. He liked her.
‘You’re thinking,’ a voice said in his ear and he barely stopped himself from jumping in fright. ‘Or rather, you’re dreaming. I’ll bet it’s about a girl.’
‘It’s none of your business,’ Ianto said sourly, although his eyes belied any annoyance his voice held. ‘Now go away, I’m working.’
‘Then hop smart and make me a coffee,’ Jack grinned smugly, holding his hand up when Ianto tried to talk again. ‘I don’t know what I want, just make me anything. Something good, as long as it’s coffee.’
Ianto sighed and shook his head with a tiny smile playing on his lips. A double-latté, he’d make Jack, and maybe charge him extra for the trouble.
‘Don’t you dare!’ Jack’s voice cut into his thoughts. ‘I’ve got a menu, I know the prices of everything. Besides, if you charge me extra, I won’t tell you her name.’
‘Whose name?’ Ianto looked up sharply from the coffee machine.
‘Hers,’ Jack grinned. ‘That girl you’re always staring at and stuttering over when she comes in here. The dark skinned one. Lisa.’
‘Lisa,’ Ianto repeatedly idly, subconsciously rubbing his hands against the dark green apron adorning his waist. ‘I like that, it’s pretty.’
‘And my name?’
Ianto carefully finished off the latté, loading it with extra chocolate on top and sliding it along the bench to Jack, grabbing the man’s - if he could be called a man rather than a boy at only twenty-five - face in his hands and grinning at close range. ‘Beautiful name, Jack. It’s gorgeous.’
Jack laughed and shook Ianto’s hands off his face, blowing on his coffee sitting on the counter. ‘She works at the RSPCA.’
‘How do you know this?’ Ianto couldn’t wipe the smile from his face as he leant against the countertop. ‘Never mind, it doesn’t matter. You gorgeous man, you.’
‘I know,’ Jack mock sighed. ‘I’m lovely. Alright,’ he checked his watch, ‘I’ve got a uni lecture in fifteen minutes, it’ll be finished by five. When do you get off?’
‘Five-thirty.’
‘I’ll pick you up then,’ Jack got up from his seat and was about to leave when he caught sight of something new, stretching out to touch it. ‘A tie? Since when has your uniform included a tie?’
‘Since yesterday,’ Ianto swatted his hand away. ‘And what about this coffee I just made for you?’
Jack shrugged. ‘You have it. You’re paying for it, anyway. Bye Dingo!’ He quickly wound his way through the café’s tables, exiting before Ianto could protest.
‘See you, Roo,’ Ianto muttered under his breath while taking a sip of the abandoned latté. ‘Lisa,’ he said softly to himself, smiling. ‘Lisa.’
--
‘Honestly, I didn’t want to know but it’s killing me now,’ Ianto said as he unlocked the door to their apartment, holding it open for Jack to carry the groceries through. ‘How did you know what her name was? Where she worked?’
‘Dingo,’ Jack put the bags down on the kitchen bench with a relieved groan before turning to quirk an eyebrow at his flat-mate. ‘As your wingman, it is my duty to supply you with information on any potential girl of your dreams without further explanation.’
Ianto scoffed at the “girl of your dreams” part but otherwise remained silent.
‘I have my sources,’ was all Jack was willing to add on the matter.
‘Well what about you?’ Ianto rummaged through their newly bought groceries, seeking out a grape and popping it into his mouth. ‘Got your eye on anyone?’
‘Only you, Ianto Jones,’ Jack replied with a devious smirk, and kissing the man’s cheek soundly.
Ianto chuckled and made a big show of wiping his cheek before setting about packing groceries away. Jack left him to it, wandering over to the couch and collapsing into its cushions, flicking through television channels with no interest whatsoever. ‘What’s for dinner?’ he called absently.
‘Mac and cheese,’ came the reply, followed by, ‘Ah, the student’s diet. Gotta love it.’
And just like that, the previous subject was forgotten, Ianto brushing it aside as a joke, and Jack wondering why he had said what he did.
--
‘I’ve got practise for most of today,’ Jack said conversationally as he pulled his jacket on, watching Ianto slurp up his cereal, blue eyes never leaving the TV screen.
‘We’ve got the choir coming in for rehearsals.’ Jack grabbed Ianto’s forearms, yanking him up from the table and promptly dancing with him, singing, ‘The world and I, we are still waiting, still hesitating. Any dream will do. They might even have my coat ready by today!’
‘Best to go find out then, Joseph,’ Ianto chuckled, giving Jack a tight squeeze before releasing him and turning back to his cereal.
‘Are you working today?’
‘No,’ Ianto said around his spoon. ‘Got two lectures and then I might go see Lisa.’
‘Okay, so I’ll see you home, then?’
‘Yep, see you, Roo.’
‘Bye Ianto,’ Jack murmured as he tugged his boots on and locked the door behind him.
--
‘Hi Lisa,’ Ianto stammered at the counter of the RSPCA, dogs barking in the background.
The beautiful dark-skinned girl smiled sweetly. ‘Hello… I believe I may have misplaced your name, sorry.’
‘Ianto. Ianto Jones, I work at Charlie’s Café.’
‘Oh!’ her eyes lit up in recognition.’ Ianto! You’re Jack’s… friend, aren’t you?’
‘Yeah!’ Ianto latched on to any form of acknowledgment he could get. ‘I am. How do you know Jack?’
‘Friend of a friend of a friend,’ she shrugged casually. ‘So you’re the coffee boy? The one who keeps giving me triple-lattés?’
Ianto’s cheeks coloured. ‘Yeah, um, sorry about that.’
‘No, no, thank you!’ Lisa smiled, a truly beautiful smile. ‘So is there anything I can help you with today?’
'Well, oh, I... I can't really have pets in the apartment but...'
Lisa laughed. 'You came in here for no reason?'
'Um...' Ianto made a hesitant noise in the back of his throat before saying sadly, 'Sort of.'
'Can I offer you anything else, then? A drink, perhaps. Later on tonight?'
‘Yes!’ Ianto cleared his throat self-consciously and toned down his reaction slightly. ‘Yeah, that’d be cool.’
‘Jack won’t mind? He can come, if you want.’
‘No,’ Ianto shook his head. ‘It’s fine. Six, then?’
‘Six-thirty,’ Lisa graced him with another smile. 'Fox and the Hound pub.'
'Right, see you there.' As Ianto walked out of the store, he felt like he was walking on air.
--
‘I’m telling you, this kid could not sing to save his life! And here I am, trying to stay on pitch when all I can hear is this - where are you going?’
‘Jack,’ Ianto grinned, coming to sit astride Jack’s hips from where the other man was lying on the couch. ‘I did it, I talked to her.’
‘Lisa?’
‘Yes! And would you believe it? She asked me out! Her, asking me out!’
Jack smiled weakly. ‘That’s great, Yan.’
‘Toe,’ Ianto finished for him with a glare. ‘Yan-toe.’
‘You call me Roo!’ Jack objected.
‘Kangaroo is not your real name, stupid. It doesn’t count.’ Ianto grinned again, fingers tapping idly on Jack’s chest. ‘Okay,’ he said, snapping out of his thoughts. ‘I’d better get ready. I don’t know when I’ll be back.’
‘Good luck,’ Jack told him sincerely as the weight was relieved from his lap. ‘Show her the boy I fell in love with.’
‘Darling,’ Ianto called from somewhere in another room. ‘You know you’re the only one for me.’
Jack laughed, because he was expected to, because it was so obviously a joke. He wondered if Ianto could tell it was fake.
--
‘So you and Jack, you… live together?’
‘Yeah,’ Ianto nodded over his beer. ‘We were barely apart, anyway, and going to the same uni we thought we might as well rent an apartment together. It’s cheaper that way.’
‘I’m sure,’ Lisa smiled shyly over her own drink.
‘Do you live with anyone?’ Ianto asked, surprised to find he actually was interested.
‘Just my younger brother and... well, parents,’ she said softly. ‘I still live at home. But like you said, it’s cheaper.’
‘Well I can understand that,’ Ianto said casually, hyper aware of her embarrassment. ‘I wish I still lived with my mam. Freshly laundered clothes and home-cooked meals, those were the days.’
Ianto grinned when that provoked a small laugh out of Lisa.
‘Yeah, I suppose that part’s good. So how long have you and Jack known each other?’
‘You certainly want to know a lot about Jack,’ Ianto said in mock accusation, missing the slightly darker shade her cheeks suddenly became.
‘Just… curious, is all. Never met anyone like you and Jack before.’
Ianto brushed off his slight confusion and laughed instead. ‘You’ll never meet another man like Jack. No, he’s something special.’
Lisa’s eyes twinkled.
‘Well he moved to Wales when he was five, never lost the accent of course, and he was the new American guy in preschool. I was the nerdy dinosaur kid so naturally we were drawn together by our lack of acceptance. Terrible, I know, but we’ve been friends ever since. All through primary school, those painfully confusing teenage years and even now at uni. We’re the cliché best friend story.’
‘Not that cliché,’ Lisa murmured before lightly taking Ianto’s hand. ‘You’re a nice guy, Ianto. Jack’s really lucky to have you. Do you think maybe we could… I mean, one day when you’re not busy, do this again?’
‘Definitely, I really like talking to you.’ Ianto mentally kicked himself at how childish that sounded. ‘You’re not leaving yet, are you?’
‘I… well,’ Lisa faltered, looking at her watch. ‘It’s been three hours, I have to get home.’
‘Do you absolutely have to?’
‘Ianto -’
‘I just want to show you something. It’ll take fifteen minutes, tops. Please?’
A whole argument was silently battled out over Lisa’s features before she settled on a light smile. ‘Fifteen minutes,’ she agreed softly.
Ianto’s grin nearly split his face in two.
--
‘How’d it go, Romeo?’ Jack murmured sleepily as there was a depression on his bed and a warm body crawled underneath the covers with his.
‘It’s freezing out there,’ a Welsh lilt muttered. ‘Why are you in bed so early?’
‘Ianto, it’s ten!’ Jack buried his face in his pillow, shivering as Ianto’s cold hands found the warm skin of his arm. ‘I’ve got uni tomorrow. I need sleep.’
‘Yeah, well, not yet. I have to tell you about my night.’
‘Shoot,’ Jack grumbled into the pillow half-heartedly as Ianto got comfortable next to him, face sharing the unused half of Jack’s pillow.
‘She’s amazing. She’s so nice and funny and god, Jack, I think I’m smitten!’
Jack hummed his congratulations.
‘We talked for hours, and then I took her out to the bay to see all the fairy lights on the boats. You know, near that massive water tower by the Millennium Centre?’
‘Hold her hand?’ Jack turned his face slightly so he could see the faint outline of his friend’s face in the dark.
‘I did, it was cold, after all.’
Jack stifled a yawn and gave a mumbled apology. ‘Did you kiss her?’
‘No…’ the tone of Ianto’s voice obviously meant the other man was frowning. ‘I tried to but she just laughed and pushed me away. I think she thought I fell over or something.’
Jack chuckled. ‘My clumsy Welshman.’
‘Yours indeed,’ Ianto murmured. ‘She talked about you a lot, too. Anyone would think you owned me, the way she went on.’
‘I do own you,’ Jack said with his eyes closed, hands automatically seeking out Ianto’s waist and pulling him close. ‘Warm,’ he breathed by way of explanation.
‘Yeah, well, I can see you’re obviously not interested. I had a good time, though.’
‘I’m glad,’ Jack said amid a sigh. ‘Sleep now.’
‘Here, Jack?’
‘Right here,’ Jack affirmed.
‘And get my clothes all crumpled?’
‘Mm, crumpled clothes. My favourite.’
Ianto laughed and Jack felt the brief touch of warm lips against his forehead.
‘Goodnight Jack,’ was all the warning he got before the warmth disappeared from his bed and Ianto left with a small “click” of the door behind him.
‘Never stays,’ Jack grumbled to himself, wriggling around to get more comfortable.
--
When Jack finally met Lisa in person, it was three weeks after her and Ianto’s first “date” and if he had have known it was her the young man was talking to in the shopping centre he would never had sidled up behind Ianto, hugging him tightly around his torso and complaining that they didn’t have the cereal he liked.
As it was, Lisa merely put her hand over her mouth to smother a giggle while Ianto plucked Jack’s hands off his chest but remained holding them behind his back.
‘Jack, this is Lisa,’ he said happily.
‘Oh,’ Jack extracted one of his hands from Ianto’s and held it out to Lisa. ‘Pleasure to finally meet the girl I’ve heard so much about. Stealing Ianto away from me, are you?’
‘No, never,’ she looked torn between laughing and making a solemn promise. Jack noticed the wary look in her eyes and immediately dropped Ianto’s hand.
‘Okay, well you two keep talking. I’ll get the rest of the stuff on the list. Ianto, did you remember to write down pencils? Do they sell pencils here?’
‘Yes, Roo. Here, take this,’ Ianto pressed the small list into Jack’s hands before guiding them to the trolley’s handle. ‘You’ll find them, off you go.’
‘Yes sir,’ Jack grinned, giving a dramatic bow to both him and Lisa before heading off down the aisle.
‘He’s nice,’ Lisa managed to get out amid giggles. ‘I like him.’
‘’Don’t. Don’t like him. He’s just a nuisance.’ But there was no sincerity in Ianto’s tone.
‘Do you always go shopping together?’
‘Most of the time,’ Ianto shrugged. ‘Eases the pain.’
‘Tedious chore this is,’ Lisa agreed and Ianto felt his heart soar at how easily they seemed to get along.
‘You should, um,’ Ianto steeled himself, pushing his nerves aside momentarily. ‘You should come over for dinner sometime. Jack’s not that versatile at cooking but he’s good at what he can do.’
‘Oh… yeah! Are you sure?’ Lisa asked. ‘I won’t be intruding or anything?’
‘Jack’s not the boss of me,’ Ianto said casually as he leaned in closer. ‘And besides, he’d love it.’
--
‘I don’t know, she seemed sort of… cautious.’
‘She was just nervous!’ Ianto defended. ‘You make a big first impression.’
‘And don’t you know it,’ Jack grinned, wiggling his eyebrows. ‘I’m not saying it’s a bad thing, just saying is all.’
Ianto seemed unsure whether to glare or not.
‘But I like her,’ Jack amended quickly. ‘She’s definitely a keeper.’
‘Well good. Because I intend to keep her,’ Ianto said in a voice that gave no qualms of finality. ‘Now what movie do you want to watch?’
‘A nice “oh woe is me” chick flick, I’m in the mood for some couch snuggling,’ Jack grinned as a DVD case was predictably thrown at his head. It was, however, a romantic movie case and upon opening it Jack found it was empty.
‘No snuggling,’ Ianto told him as he pushed the older man’s feet away to make room for himself. ‘But I’ll not object to some warmth.’
‘Say no more,’ Jack grinned, sitting up and pulling Ianto into his side.
‘By the way, Jack,’ Ianto said in a small voice half-way through the movie. ‘She’s coming over for dinner on Thursday. Cook something nice.’
‘Yes sir,’ Jack whispered.
--
‘Hi Lisa!’ Jack greeted her at the door, pressing a gentleman’s kiss to her cheek. ‘Welcome to our humble home!’
‘Hi Jack, it’s lovely. Very cosy.’
Jack suspected she was just making small talk but he didn’t mind, he at least thought it was lovely, despite its small size.
‘Ianto will be out in a second,’ he said, leading Lisa into the kitchen and pouring her a glass of wine at her nod of approval. ‘He’s wearing these tight jeans tonight. Gorgeous, but try not to ogle.’
Lisa was saved from having to make an embarrassed reply by a calm voice drifting over from the doorway. ‘Please, feel free to ogle all you like. It’d be a nice change from only Jack staring.’
‘Oh, but I’m sure you don’t mind Jack staring,’ Lisa said softly with a cheeky smile.
Ianto laughed and crossed to where they were sitting at the kitchen table, pausing to kiss Lisa’s cheek hello before leaning down to hug Jack’s shoulders. ‘Not my Kangaroo, his attention’s always welcome.’
Jack laughed and Lisa laughed too, showing no signs of any awkwardness of which Ianto was relieved to note.
‘Come on, Jack,’ he said, patting the older man’s hair. ‘Get cooking and make room for me to talk to Lisa.’
‘So bossy,’ Jack commented in a stage whisper to Lisa, grinning nonetheless as he pottered about, pulling out pans and various ingredients.
‘So what do you think?’ Ianto took Jack's vacated chair and leaned forward on his elbows.
‘You have a lovely home,’ Lisa said politely.
‘No,’ Ianto shook his head. ‘About my jeans?’
Lisa barely managed to swallow her wine without choking, covering her hand with her mouth as Ianto reached out to steady her. ‘Beautiful,’ she nodded when she had calmed down. ‘Very ogle-worthy.’
‘Thank you,’ Ianto smiled earnestly. ‘You look stunning tonight.’
‘Flattery will get you nowhere, Mr Jones!’ Lisa scolded, and Ianto chuckled, but his stomach fell as he realised she might actually be serious. What they had, if anything at all, was almost like a brother/sister relationship. Every attempt Ianto made at a kiss was either not noticed or skilfully dodged, and Ianto was running out of reasons why. She seemed to like him, she acted like she liked him a lot. He just didn’t understand.
‘I can try, though,’ he smiled wanly. And try he would.
--
Dinner had gone smoothly and afterward the three had retreated to the couch in favour of more wine and some good conversation. After a lot of laughter and reminiscing, Lisa suggested she should be on her way and Ianto insisted she stay for a movie.
They had made it a third of the way through Pride and Prejudice, the 2005 movie version, Ianto’s arm slung comfortably over her shoulders before her phone starting ringing. She muttered an apology and answered, giving a few customary yes’ and no’s before hanging up with a defeated sigh.
‘The pains of living at home,’ she said sadly. ‘I’m afraid now really is my curtain call. But I had a lovely night, thank you, boys.’
‘No problem,’ Ianto rose to his feet for a hug and another kiss to the cheek - pretty much all her could get in these days. ‘Will I see you tomorrow?’
‘Are you working?’ she asked.
Ianto nodded. ‘Finish at five-thirty.’
‘I’ll see you there, then,’ she smiled before turning onto Jack and giving him a hug of his own.
‘Come around any time,’ he murmured into her ear. ‘Our home is your home.’
‘Thank you,’ she replied before hurriedly finding her bag and jacket and exiting the apartment. Ianto collapsed onto the couch with a sigh, arm flung across his eyes in defeat.
‘I think it went well,’ Jack coaxed Ianto into a sitting position, slipping onto the couch behind him to serve as a human pillow. ‘She seemed to have a good time.’
‘Jack,’ Ianto said, exasperated, as Jack’s arms came around to circle his chest. ‘I’ve gotten further with you than I have with her! What am I doing wrong?’
‘Nothing,’ he assured the young man. ‘You’ve just got to take this slow. You can’t rush something special.’
Ianto scoffed. ‘Because we really took our time becoming friends, didn’t we? Months of consideration deciding to live together.’
Jack brushed aside the sarcasm in the Welsh voice. ‘I’m nothing special, though,’ he said light-heartedly.
Ianto immediately turned to look him in the eye. ‘Don’t be an angsty idiot, Jack. You’re nothing short of a miracle.’
Jack tightened his grip fractionally. He would sleep well, that night, and Ianto would be none the wiser.
--
Five weeks. Five weeks of dropping hints and getting nothing. There was nothing left to do now but flat out ask.
‘Are we going out, Lisa?’
‘Sorry?’ Lisa looked up abruptly from her coffee.
‘Us, this,’ Ianto gestured between them and around. ‘I thought… I don’t know, I sort of thought we were dating. But I don’t think you think that. I want to kiss you so badly sometimes but I get the feeling it wouldn’t be reciprocated, let alone appreciated.’
‘I… Ianto, what about Jack?’
‘What about Jack? What does he have to do with anything about us?’
‘I thought… aren’t you…’ Flickers of doubt began to run across Lisa’s face. ‘You mean you’re not… together?’
‘What?’
‘I’m so sorry, Ianto,’ Lisa whispered. ‘I thought you two were together.’
‘You thought…’ Ianto slumped back in his chair. ‘You thought I was gay?’
‘Well, sort of. Just the way you guys act… I’m sorry.’
‘No, it’s fine, I… Jack is just my friend. A really close friend, but nothing more.’
Why? Well there was an unexpected thought. He and Jack weren’t together, and all Ianto’s mind could respond to that with was why?
‘Ianto,’ Lisa was holding his hand now, and he wasn’t quite sure when she had picked it up. ‘You’re a lovely man, and I really do enjoy your company, but we’re just friends. I honestly don’t see us as ever being anything more, I’m sorry.’
‘Stop apologising,’ Ianto smiled softly. ‘It’s okay, it’s my fault. I’m sorry, I have to go.’
‘Ianto!’ Lisa called as he shook her hand off and rose to his feet. ‘We’re still friends, right?’
‘Yeah,’ Ianto let out a shaky breath and contemplated bending down to kiss her cheek before deciding against it. ‘Of course we are. I’ll see you soon, yeah?’
Lisa nodded feebly as Ianto tugged his coat on, feeling nauseous with the sudden thoughts and feelings running through his mind and stomach - to name only two places.
He had to take a walk. And then he had to find Jack.
--
‘Hey,’ Jack said softly as he shut the door behind him, slinging his bag off his shoulder and dumping it on the floor. ‘I thought you were working this afternoon. What’s wrong, are you okay?’
‘No,’ came the hoarse reply from the direction of the couch.
‘Oh, Dingo…’ Jack breathed as he crawled onto the couch, pulling Ianto into a tight hug. ‘Dingo, Dingo, Dingo. Did you talk to Lisa today?’
Ianto nodded against his shoulder.
‘Bad?’ Jack probed.
‘Oh woe is me,’ Ianto mumbled back.
Jack smiled at the feeble attempt at a joke and started scratching his fingers along Ianto’s back, something he had found out early on the younger man loved. He didn’t ask what Ianto had said, or what Lisa had replied with. The man would talk in his own time.
After several minutes spent with Jack holding Ianto tightly while the Welshman absently played with the buttons on Jack’s shirt, an explanation came. Ianto did not look up, nor do anything to suggest he was even aware he had spoken. But he had, all the same.
‘She thought I was gay.’
‘Oh?’ Jack said softly, sounding utterly unbiased.
‘She thought we were together.’
‘Oh,’ Jack repeated. ‘But we’re not.’
‘That’s the thing,’ Ianto finally looked up, eyes slightly frantic as they searched Jack’s. ‘I thought I would be disappointed that she thought that, but I’m not. I’m disappointed because we’re not. And why, Jack? Why aren’t we together?’
‘Because you never asked,’ Jack murmured, so softly it was barely heard.
And then, at almost the exact same level of volume, ‘What if I asked now? What would happe-’
Ianto was cut off when a pair of lips quickly descended upon his.
‘We should have been,’ Jack told him firmly. ‘We would have been, if you had ever expressed even the slightest sign of genuine interest, but we should have been.’
‘Well what are we now?’
‘I don’t know,’ Jack said breathlessly. ‘You tell me.’
Ianto searched the other man’s eyes for all of two seconds before pulling him in by the neck for a proper kiss, one with feeling and tasting and exploring.
‘Together,’ Ianto affirmed when he pulled back. ‘I don’t know. Do you-’
‘I do,’ Jack agreed, lips pressed against Ianto’s but not kissing. ‘Together,’ he repeated.
Ianto nodded and began kissing again, Jack reciprocating eagerly.
‘This is nice. I like this, it’s nice.’
‘Well I’m glad,’ Ianto grinned against the older man’s mouth.
‘So much nicer than in my dreams.’
‘You dreamed about this?’
‘Every night for six years.’
‘And you didn’t say anything?’
‘You never noticed.'
‘Why did you help, then?’ Ianto shifted his mouth so it was against Jack’s jaw. ‘Why did you help with Lisa if you wanted me?’
‘Because,’ Jack shrugged, the motion lifting Ianto’s whole weight as the Welshman’s arms pressed down against his shoulders. ‘That’s what friends do. And I never knew I was nothing short of a miracle,’ he quoted.
‘Angsty idiot, Jack Harkness,’ Ianto grinned, running his hands through Jack’s hair.
‘Stay with me tonight?’ Jack asked quickly. ‘I just want to hold you. I’ve never been able to enjoy that properly before. Just let me hold you?’
‘Stay,’ Ianto repeated, although Jack was unsure whether it was a question or not.
Either way, when he woke up the next morning it was with Ianto tucked neatly against his side, legs tangled and with the faint trace of drool against his shoulder.
--
Within a year, Ianto and Jack both completed their university courses and moved to a nice small house on the outskirts of Cardiff City. They stayed true to their word and invited Lisa over for dinner again, to which she was only too happy to accept. They were a lot more comfortable this time, none of that unresolved tension tainting the air, and when Ianto answered the door to allow her inside it was with Jack hanging off his waist.
The first thing she noticed was how big their smiles were compared to the ones they held at this time last year. The second thing she noticed was that while their apartment had definitely been a student’s apartment, this house actually looked like theirs. It wasn’t just a house, it was an actual home. Their home.
Several pairs of shoes were laid out neatly by the door and photos littered the walls and countertops. The closest photo she could see made her instantly hold back a giggle. It was a typical Jack and Ianto picture, Jack smiling with his eyes closed as he piggy-backed Ianto, the younger man’s arms blurred as he struggled to hold onto Jack’s head. It was not the most professional photo, but it spoke volumes about their relationship. One a bit further on actually portrayed herself, Ianto smiling and holding onto her hand with Jack’s arms slung around his shoulders from behind.
‘Had my tight jeans on in that picture,’ a voice murmured in her ear as she stared. On her other side, someone growled playfully and she laughed.
‘Honestly, you two were like a couple when you weren’t. Now you’re just ridiculous.’
‘Got to make up for years of lost affection,’ is all Ianto said as he caught Jack’s hand in his and pulled the other man close. Lisa pretended to put her hands over her eyes but it wasn’t hard to miss the crack between her fingers.
‘Could have had this for yourself, Lisa,’ Jack tutted as he patted Ianto’s chest. ‘You missed out on something great.’
‘Shame,’ Lisa sighed.
‘Amazing in the sack, too.’
‘Down, boy,’ Ianto said dryly and Jacked laughed.
‘Okay, my cue to leave.’
‘Yes, go cook. Go on, off with you now.’ Ianto lightly pushed Jack in the direction of the kitchen.
‘You’re happy, aren’t you?’ Lisa asked after a moment of comfortable silence, not with doubt but with contentment.
‘Insanely,’ he replied.
‘It’s amazing the way that life works,’ Lisa commented idly. ‘We spend our whole lives looking for “the one” and sometimes it turns out they’ve been right in front of your eyes all along.’
‘Sometimes you just need that little push to be able to see them,’ Ianto smiled as he slid his arm across her shoulders, strolling slowly down the hallway, stopping to look at every photograph on the wall along the way. ‘Just wish I had the courage to see it earlier.'
‘He’s made you sappy,’ Lisa said fondly, and Ianto squeezed her shoulders.
‘That he has.’
--
He ordered a double-latté, but Ianto made it triple because he liked him. Triple-latté with extra foam - on the house. It was just a little thing, something to show him he loved him, because he really, really did. He loved him.
‘You’re thinking,’ Jack said as he accepted the cup from Ianto’s fingers. ‘I’ll bet it’s about me.’
‘It’s none of your business,’ Ianto said, leaning forward for a quick kiss while no one was watching. ‘Now go away, I’m working.’
‘Cheeky,’ Jack grinned. ‘Okay, I’ve got to go but here, take this,’ he pressed a small square of paper into Ianto’s hand, lingering just a little longer than was strictly necessary before turning to leave.
‘Jack,’ Ianto called before the other man got too far away. ‘Love you,’ he said.
Jack smiled, nodded his head and kept walking. When he was out of sight, Ianto opened the note in his hand and laughed.
I love you too.
P.S Thanks for the triple-latté with extra foam.
Author: JerBearThompson
Rating: PG
Genre: Hideously AU and terribly romantic
Characters: Jack/Ianto, Lisa
Summary: Jack laughed, because he was expected to, because it was so obviously a joke. He wondered if Ianto could tell it was fake.
Disclaimer: Honestly, do you really think I own them? RTD, BBC, the usual.
Notes: So I blame this entirely on Ostin, who was telling me how his boyfriend and his boyfriend’s female roommate act like more of a couple than they do. He also requested Australian nicknames and Elle prompted: Cafe, photos, shoes. But… I kind of forgot about the last one. I’ve been watching far too many sappy movies lately. And why oh why do I always have to write Jack pining over Ianto? I keep coming back and adding notes here, I should stop. Another one: I live in Australia, so I made up all the names of shops. Research is too hard. Last note: Another one of those stories that don't run so smoothly but my mind is rather shot right now. That's all, I promise.
She ordered a double-latté, but he made it triple because he liked her. Triple-latté with extra foam - on the house. Maybe she would realise, maybe she wouldn’t, but if he couldn’t gather up the courage to talk to her he thought he should at least do something. Something to show her he liked her, because he really, really did. He liked her.
‘You’re thinking,’ a voice said in his ear and he barely stopped himself from jumping in fright. ‘Or rather, you’re dreaming. I’ll bet it’s about a girl.’
‘It’s none of your business,’ Ianto said sourly, although his eyes belied any annoyance his voice held. ‘Now go away, I’m working.’
‘Then hop smart and make me a coffee,’ Jack grinned smugly, holding his hand up when Ianto tried to talk again. ‘I don’t know what I want, just make me anything. Something good, as long as it’s coffee.’
Ianto sighed and shook his head with a tiny smile playing on his lips. A double-latté, he’d make Jack, and maybe charge him extra for the trouble.
‘Don’t you dare!’ Jack’s voice cut into his thoughts. ‘I’ve got a menu, I know the prices of everything. Besides, if you charge me extra, I won’t tell you her name.’
‘Whose name?’ Ianto looked up sharply from the coffee machine.
‘Hers,’ Jack grinned. ‘That girl you’re always staring at and stuttering over when she comes in here. The dark skinned one. Lisa.’
‘Lisa,’ Ianto repeatedly idly, subconsciously rubbing his hands against the dark green apron adorning his waist. ‘I like that, it’s pretty.’
‘And my name?’
Ianto carefully finished off the latté, loading it with extra chocolate on top and sliding it along the bench to Jack, grabbing the man’s - if he could be called a man rather than a boy at only twenty-five - face in his hands and grinning at close range. ‘Beautiful name, Jack. It’s gorgeous.’
Jack laughed and shook Ianto’s hands off his face, blowing on his coffee sitting on the counter. ‘She works at the RSPCA.’
‘How do you know this?’ Ianto couldn’t wipe the smile from his face as he leant against the countertop. ‘Never mind, it doesn’t matter. You gorgeous man, you.’
‘I know,’ Jack mock sighed. ‘I’m lovely. Alright,’ he checked his watch, ‘I’ve got a uni lecture in fifteen minutes, it’ll be finished by five. When do you get off?’
‘Five-thirty.’
‘I’ll pick you up then,’ Jack got up from his seat and was about to leave when he caught sight of something new, stretching out to touch it. ‘A tie? Since when has your uniform included a tie?’
‘Since yesterday,’ Ianto swatted his hand away. ‘And what about this coffee I just made for you?’
Jack shrugged. ‘You have it. You’re paying for it, anyway. Bye Dingo!’ He quickly wound his way through the café’s tables, exiting before Ianto could protest.
‘See you, Roo,’ Ianto muttered under his breath while taking a sip of the abandoned latté. ‘Lisa,’ he said softly to himself, smiling. ‘Lisa.’
--
‘Honestly, I didn’t want to know but it’s killing me now,’ Ianto said as he unlocked the door to their apartment, holding it open for Jack to carry the groceries through. ‘How did you know what her name was? Where she worked?’
‘Dingo,’ Jack put the bags down on the kitchen bench with a relieved groan before turning to quirk an eyebrow at his flat-mate. ‘As your wingman, it is my duty to supply you with information on any potential girl of your dreams without further explanation.’
Ianto scoffed at the “girl of your dreams” part but otherwise remained silent.
‘I have my sources,’ was all Jack was willing to add on the matter.
‘Well what about you?’ Ianto rummaged through their newly bought groceries, seeking out a grape and popping it into his mouth. ‘Got your eye on anyone?’
‘Only you, Ianto Jones,’ Jack replied with a devious smirk, and kissing the man’s cheek soundly.
Ianto chuckled and made a big show of wiping his cheek before setting about packing groceries away. Jack left him to it, wandering over to the couch and collapsing into its cushions, flicking through television channels with no interest whatsoever. ‘What’s for dinner?’ he called absently.
‘Mac and cheese,’ came the reply, followed by, ‘Ah, the student’s diet. Gotta love it.’
And just like that, the previous subject was forgotten, Ianto brushing it aside as a joke, and Jack wondering why he had said what he did.
--
‘I’ve got practise for most of today,’ Jack said conversationally as he pulled his jacket on, watching Ianto slurp up his cereal, blue eyes never leaving the TV screen.
‘We’ve got the choir coming in for rehearsals.’ Jack grabbed Ianto’s forearms, yanking him up from the table and promptly dancing with him, singing, ‘The world and I, we are still waiting, still hesitating. Any dream will do. They might even have my coat ready by today!’
‘Best to go find out then, Joseph,’ Ianto chuckled, giving Jack a tight squeeze before releasing him and turning back to his cereal.
‘Are you working today?’
‘No,’ Ianto said around his spoon. ‘Got two lectures and then I might go see Lisa.’
‘Okay, so I’ll see you home, then?’
‘Yep, see you, Roo.’
‘Bye Ianto,’ Jack murmured as he tugged his boots on and locked the door behind him.
--
‘Hi Lisa,’ Ianto stammered at the counter of the RSPCA, dogs barking in the background.
The beautiful dark-skinned girl smiled sweetly. ‘Hello… I believe I may have misplaced your name, sorry.’
‘Ianto. Ianto Jones, I work at Charlie’s Café.’
‘Oh!’ her eyes lit up in recognition.’ Ianto! You’re Jack’s… friend, aren’t you?’
‘Yeah!’ Ianto latched on to any form of acknowledgment he could get. ‘I am. How do you know Jack?’
‘Friend of a friend of a friend,’ she shrugged casually. ‘So you’re the coffee boy? The one who keeps giving me triple-lattés?’
Ianto’s cheeks coloured. ‘Yeah, um, sorry about that.’
‘No, no, thank you!’ Lisa smiled, a truly beautiful smile. ‘So is there anything I can help you with today?’
'Well, oh, I... I can't really have pets in the apartment but...'
Lisa laughed. 'You came in here for no reason?'
'Um...' Ianto made a hesitant noise in the back of his throat before saying sadly, 'Sort of.'
'Can I offer you anything else, then? A drink, perhaps. Later on tonight?'
‘Yes!’ Ianto cleared his throat self-consciously and toned down his reaction slightly. ‘Yeah, that’d be cool.’
‘Jack won’t mind? He can come, if you want.’
‘No,’ Ianto shook his head. ‘It’s fine. Six, then?’
‘Six-thirty,’ Lisa graced him with another smile. 'Fox and the Hound pub.'
'Right, see you there.' As Ianto walked out of the store, he felt like he was walking on air.
--
‘I’m telling you, this kid could not sing to save his life! And here I am, trying to stay on pitch when all I can hear is this - where are you going?’
‘Jack,’ Ianto grinned, coming to sit astride Jack’s hips from where the other man was lying on the couch. ‘I did it, I talked to her.’
‘Lisa?’
‘Yes! And would you believe it? She asked me out! Her, asking me out!’
Jack smiled weakly. ‘That’s great, Yan.’
‘Toe,’ Ianto finished for him with a glare. ‘Yan-toe.’
‘You call me Roo!’ Jack objected.
‘Kangaroo is not your real name, stupid. It doesn’t count.’ Ianto grinned again, fingers tapping idly on Jack’s chest. ‘Okay,’ he said, snapping out of his thoughts. ‘I’d better get ready. I don’t know when I’ll be back.’
‘Good luck,’ Jack told him sincerely as the weight was relieved from his lap. ‘Show her the boy I fell in love with.’
‘Darling,’ Ianto called from somewhere in another room. ‘You know you’re the only one for me.’
Jack laughed, because he was expected to, because it was so obviously a joke. He wondered if Ianto could tell it was fake.
--
‘So you and Jack, you… live together?’
‘Yeah,’ Ianto nodded over his beer. ‘We were barely apart, anyway, and going to the same uni we thought we might as well rent an apartment together. It’s cheaper that way.’
‘I’m sure,’ Lisa smiled shyly over her own drink.
‘Do you live with anyone?’ Ianto asked, surprised to find he actually was interested.
‘Just my younger brother and... well, parents,’ she said softly. ‘I still live at home. But like you said, it’s cheaper.’
‘Well I can understand that,’ Ianto said casually, hyper aware of her embarrassment. ‘I wish I still lived with my mam. Freshly laundered clothes and home-cooked meals, those were the days.’
Ianto grinned when that provoked a small laugh out of Lisa.
‘Yeah, I suppose that part’s good. So how long have you and Jack known each other?’
‘You certainly want to know a lot about Jack,’ Ianto said in mock accusation, missing the slightly darker shade her cheeks suddenly became.
‘Just… curious, is all. Never met anyone like you and Jack before.’
Ianto brushed off his slight confusion and laughed instead. ‘You’ll never meet another man like Jack. No, he’s something special.’
Lisa’s eyes twinkled.
‘Well he moved to Wales when he was five, never lost the accent of course, and he was the new American guy in preschool. I was the nerdy dinosaur kid so naturally we were drawn together by our lack of acceptance. Terrible, I know, but we’ve been friends ever since. All through primary school, those painfully confusing teenage years and even now at uni. We’re the cliché best friend story.’
‘Not that cliché,’ Lisa murmured before lightly taking Ianto’s hand. ‘You’re a nice guy, Ianto. Jack’s really lucky to have you. Do you think maybe we could… I mean, one day when you’re not busy, do this again?’
‘Definitely, I really like talking to you.’ Ianto mentally kicked himself at how childish that sounded. ‘You’re not leaving yet, are you?’
‘I… well,’ Lisa faltered, looking at her watch. ‘It’s been three hours, I have to get home.’
‘Do you absolutely have to?’
‘Ianto -’
‘I just want to show you something. It’ll take fifteen minutes, tops. Please?’
A whole argument was silently battled out over Lisa’s features before she settled on a light smile. ‘Fifteen minutes,’ she agreed softly.
Ianto’s grin nearly split his face in two.
--
‘How’d it go, Romeo?’ Jack murmured sleepily as there was a depression on his bed and a warm body crawled underneath the covers with his.
‘It’s freezing out there,’ a Welsh lilt muttered. ‘Why are you in bed so early?’
‘Ianto, it’s ten!’ Jack buried his face in his pillow, shivering as Ianto’s cold hands found the warm skin of his arm. ‘I’ve got uni tomorrow. I need sleep.’
‘Yeah, well, not yet. I have to tell you about my night.’
‘Shoot,’ Jack grumbled into the pillow half-heartedly as Ianto got comfortable next to him, face sharing the unused half of Jack’s pillow.
‘She’s amazing. She’s so nice and funny and god, Jack, I think I’m smitten!’
Jack hummed his congratulations.
‘We talked for hours, and then I took her out to the bay to see all the fairy lights on the boats. You know, near that massive water tower by the Millennium Centre?’
‘Hold her hand?’ Jack turned his face slightly so he could see the faint outline of his friend’s face in the dark.
‘I did, it was cold, after all.’
Jack stifled a yawn and gave a mumbled apology. ‘Did you kiss her?’
‘No…’ the tone of Ianto’s voice obviously meant the other man was frowning. ‘I tried to but she just laughed and pushed me away. I think she thought I fell over or something.’
Jack chuckled. ‘My clumsy Welshman.’
‘Yours indeed,’ Ianto murmured. ‘She talked about you a lot, too. Anyone would think you owned me, the way she went on.’
‘I do own you,’ Jack said with his eyes closed, hands automatically seeking out Ianto’s waist and pulling him close. ‘Warm,’ he breathed by way of explanation.
‘Yeah, well, I can see you’re obviously not interested. I had a good time, though.’
‘I’m glad,’ Jack said amid a sigh. ‘Sleep now.’
‘Here, Jack?’
‘Right here,’ Jack affirmed.
‘And get my clothes all crumpled?’
‘Mm, crumpled clothes. My favourite.’
Ianto laughed and Jack felt the brief touch of warm lips against his forehead.
‘Goodnight Jack,’ was all the warning he got before the warmth disappeared from his bed and Ianto left with a small “click” of the door behind him.
‘Never stays,’ Jack grumbled to himself, wriggling around to get more comfortable.
--
When Jack finally met Lisa in person, it was three weeks after her and Ianto’s first “date” and if he had have known it was her the young man was talking to in the shopping centre he would never had sidled up behind Ianto, hugging him tightly around his torso and complaining that they didn’t have the cereal he liked.
As it was, Lisa merely put her hand over her mouth to smother a giggle while Ianto plucked Jack’s hands off his chest but remained holding them behind his back.
‘Jack, this is Lisa,’ he said happily.
‘Oh,’ Jack extracted one of his hands from Ianto’s and held it out to Lisa. ‘Pleasure to finally meet the girl I’ve heard so much about. Stealing Ianto away from me, are you?’
‘No, never,’ she looked torn between laughing and making a solemn promise. Jack noticed the wary look in her eyes and immediately dropped Ianto’s hand.
‘Okay, well you two keep talking. I’ll get the rest of the stuff on the list. Ianto, did you remember to write down pencils? Do they sell pencils here?’
‘Yes, Roo. Here, take this,’ Ianto pressed the small list into Jack’s hands before guiding them to the trolley’s handle. ‘You’ll find them, off you go.’
‘Yes sir,’ Jack grinned, giving a dramatic bow to both him and Lisa before heading off down the aisle.
‘He’s nice,’ Lisa managed to get out amid giggles. ‘I like him.’
‘’Don’t. Don’t like him. He’s just a nuisance.’ But there was no sincerity in Ianto’s tone.
‘Do you always go shopping together?’
‘Most of the time,’ Ianto shrugged. ‘Eases the pain.’
‘Tedious chore this is,’ Lisa agreed and Ianto felt his heart soar at how easily they seemed to get along.
‘You should, um,’ Ianto steeled himself, pushing his nerves aside momentarily. ‘You should come over for dinner sometime. Jack’s not that versatile at cooking but he’s good at what he can do.’
‘Oh… yeah! Are you sure?’ Lisa asked. ‘I won’t be intruding or anything?’
‘Jack’s not the boss of me,’ Ianto said casually as he leaned in closer. ‘And besides, he’d love it.’
--
‘I don’t know, she seemed sort of… cautious.’
‘She was just nervous!’ Ianto defended. ‘You make a big first impression.’
‘And don’t you know it,’ Jack grinned, wiggling his eyebrows. ‘I’m not saying it’s a bad thing, just saying is all.’
Ianto seemed unsure whether to glare or not.
‘But I like her,’ Jack amended quickly. ‘She’s definitely a keeper.’
‘Well good. Because I intend to keep her,’ Ianto said in a voice that gave no qualms of finality. ‘Now what movie do you want to watch?’
‘A nice “oh woe is me” chick flick, I’m in the mood for some couch snuggling,’ Jack grinned as a DVD case was predictably thrown at his head. It was, however, a romantic movie case and upon opening it Jack found it was empty.
‘No snuggling,’ Ianto told him as he pushed the older man’s feet away to make room for himself. ‘But I’ll not object to some warmth.’
‘Say no more,’ Jack grinned, sitting up and pulling Ianto into his side.
‘By the way, Jack,’ Ianto said in a small voice half-way through the movie. ‘She’s coming over for dinner on Thursday. Cook something nice.’
‘Yes sir,’ Jack whispered.
--
‘Hi Lisa!’ Jack greeted her at the door, pressing a gentleman’s kiss to her cheek. ‘Welcome to our humble home!’
‘Hi Jack, it’s lovely. Very cosy.’
Jack suspected she was just making small talk but he didn’t mind, he at least thought it was lovely, despite its small size.
‘Ianto will be out in a second,’ he said, leading Lisa into the kitchen and pouring her a glass of wine at her nod of approval. ‘He’s wearing these tight jeans tonight. Gorgeous, but try not to ogle.’
Lisa was saved from having to make an embarrassed reply by a calm voice drifting over from the doorway. ‘Please, feel free to ogle all you like. It’d be a nice change from only Jack staring.’
‘Oh, but I’m sure you don’t mind Jack staring,’ Lisa said softly with a cheeky smile.
Ianto laughed and crossed to where they were sitting at the kitchen table, pausing to kiss Lisa’s cheek hello before leaning down to hug Jack’s shoulders. ‘Not my Kangaroo, his attention’s always welcome.’
Jack laughed and Lisa laughed too, showing no signs of any awkwardness of which Ianto was relieved to note.
‘Come on, Jack,’ he said, patting the older man’s hair. ‘Get cooking and make room for me to talk to Lisa.’
‘So bossy,’ Jack commented in a stage whisper to Lisa, grinning nonetheless as he pottered about, pulling out pans and various ingredients.
‘So what do you think?’ Ianto took Jack's vacated chair and leaned forward on his elbows.
‘You have a lovely home,’ Lisa said politely.
‘No,’ Ianto shook his head. ‘About my jeans?’
Lisa barely managed to swallow her wine without choking, covering her hand with her mouth as Ianto reached out to steady her. ‘Beautiful,’ she nodded when she had calmed down. ‘Very ogle-worthy.’
‘Thank you,’ Ianto smiled earnestly. ‘You look stunning tonight.’
‘Flattery will get you nowhere, Mr Jones!’ Lisa scolded, and Ianto chuckled, but his stomach fell as he realised she might actually be serious. What they had, if anything at all, was almost like a brother/sister relationship. Every attempt Ianto made at a kiss was either not noticed or skilfully dodged, and Ianto was running out of reasons why. She seemed to like him, she acted like she liked him a lot. He just didn’t understand.
‘I can try, though,’ he smiled wanly. And try he would.
--
Dinner had gone smoothly and afterward the three had retreated to the couch in favour of more wine and some good conversation. After a lot of laughter and reminiscing, Lisa suggested she should be on her way and Ianto insisted she stay for a movie.
They had made it a third of the way through Pride and Prejudice, the 2005 movie version, Ianto’s arm slung comfortably over her shoulders before her phone starting ringing. She muttered an apology and answered, giving a few customary yes’ and no’s before hanging up with a defeated sigh.
‘The pains of living at home,’ she said sadly. ‘I’m afraid now really is my curtain call. But I had a lovely night, thank you, boys.’
‘No problem,’ Ianto rose to his feet for a hug and another kiss to the cheek - pretty much all her could get in these days. ‘Will I see you tomorrow?’
‘Are you working?’ she asked.
Ianto nodded. ‘Finish at five-thirty.’
‘I’ll see you there, then,’ she smiled before turning onto Jack and giving him a hug of his own.
‘Come around any time,’ he murmured into her ear. ‘Our home is your home.’
‘Thank you,’ she replied before hurriedly finding her bag and jacket and exiting the apartment. Ianto collapsed onto the couch with a sigh, arm flung across his eyes in defeat.
‘I think it went well,’ Jack coaxed Ianto into a sitting position, slipping onto the couch behind him to serve as a human pillow. ‘She seemed to have a good time.’
‘Jack,’ Ianto said, exasperated, as Jack’s arms came around to circle his chest. ‘I’ve gotten further with you than I have with her! What am I doing wrong?’
‘Nothing,’ he assured the young man. ‘You’ve just got to take this slow. You can’t rush something special.’
Ianto scoffed. ‘Because we really took our time becoming friends, didn’t we? Months of consideration deciding to live together.’
Jack brushed aside the sarcasm in the Welsh voice. ‘I’m nothing special, though,’ he said light-heartedly.
Ianto immediately turned to look him in the eye. ‘Don’t be an angsty idiot, Jack. You’re nothing short of a miracle.’
Jack tightened his grip fractionally. He would sleep well, that night, and Ianto would be none the wiser.
--
Five weeks. Five weeks of dropping hints and getting nothing. There was nothing left to do now but flat out ask.
‘Are we going out, Lisa?’
‘Sorry?’ Lisa looked up abruptly from her coffee.
‘Us, this,’ Ianto gestured between them and around. ‘I thought… I don’t know, I sort of thought we were dating. But I don’t think you think that. I want to kiss you so badly sometimes but I get the feeling it wouldn’t be reciprocated, let alone appreciated.’
‘I… Ianto, what about Jack?’
‘What about Jack? What does he have to do with anything about us?’
‘I thought… aren’t you…’ Flickers of doubt began to run across Lisa’s face. ‘You mean you’re not… together?’
‘What?’
‘I’m so sorry, Ianto,’ Lisa whispered. ‘I thought you two were together.’
‘You thought…’ Ianto slumped back in his chair. ‘You thought I was gay?’
‘Well, sort of. Just the way you guys act… I’m sorry.’
‘No, it’s fine, I… Jack is just my friend. A really close friend, but nothing more.’
Why? Well there was an unexpected thought. He and Jack weren’t together, and all Ianto’s mind could respond to that with was why?
‘Ianto,’ Lisa was holding his hand now, and he wasn’t quite sure when she had picked it up. ‘You’re a lovely man, and I really do enjoy your company, but we’re just friends. I honestly don’t see us as ever being anything more, I’m sorry.’
‘Stop apologising,’ Ianto smiled softly. ‘It’s okay, it’s my fault. I’m sorry, I have to go.’
‘Ianto!’ Lisa called as he shook her hand off and rose to his feet. ‘We’re still friends, right?’
‘Yeah,’ Ianto let out a shaky breath and contemplated bending down to kiss her cheek before deciding against it. ‘Of course we are. I’ll see you soon, yeah?’
Lisa nodded feebly as Ianto tugged his coat on, feeling nauseous with the sudden thoughts and feelings running through his mind and stomach - to name only two places.
He had to take a walk. And then he had to find Jack.
--
‘Hey,’ Jack said softly as he shut the door behind him, slinging his bag off his shoulder and dumping it on the floor. ‘I thought you were working this afternoon. What’s wrong, are you okay?’
‘No,’ came the hoarse reply from the direction of the couch.
‘Oh, Dingo…’ Jack breathed as he crawled onto the couch, pulling Ianto into a tight hug. ‘Dingo, Dingo, Dingo. Did you talk to Lisa today?’
Ianto nodded against his shoulder.
‘Bad?’ Jack probed.
‘Oh woe is me,’ Ianto mumbled back.
Jack smiled at the feeble attempt at a joke and started scratching his fingers along Ianto’s back, something he had found out early on the younger man loved. He didn’t ask what Ianto had said, or what Lisa had replied with. The man would talk in his own time.
After several minutes spent with Jack holding Ianto tightly while the Welshman absently played with the buttons on Jack’s shirt, an explanation came. Ianto did not look up, nor do anything to suggest he was even aware he had spoken. But he had, all the same.
‘She thought I was gay.’
‘Oh?’ Jack said softly, sounding utterly unbiased.
‘She thought we were together.’
‘Oh,’ Jack repeated. ‘But we’re not.’
‘That’s the thing,’ Ianto finally looked up, eyes slightly frantic as they searched Jack’s. ‘I thought I would be disappointed that she thought that, but I’m not. I’m disappointed because we’re not. And why, Jack? Why aren’t we together?’
‘Because you never asked,’ Jack murmured, so softly it was barely heard.
And then, at almost the exact same level of volume, ‘What if I asked now? What would happe-’
Ianto was cut off when a pair of lips quickly descended upon his.
‘We should have been,’ Jack told him firmly. ‘We would have been, if you had ever expressed even the slightest sign of genuine interest, but we should have been.’
‘Well what are we now?’
‘I don’t know,’ Jack said breathlessly. ‘You tell me.’
Ianto searched the other man’s eyes for all of two seconds before pulling him in by the neck for a proper kiss, one with feeling and tasting and exploring.
‘Together,’ Ianto affirmed when he pulled back. ‘I don’t know. Do you-’
‘I do,’ Jack agreed, lips pressed against Ianto’s but not kissing. ‘Together,’ he repeated.
Ianto nodded and began kissing again, Jack reciprocating eagerly.
‘This is nice. I like this, it’s nice.’
‘Well I’m glad,’ Ianto grinned against the older man’s mouth.
‘So much nicer than in my dreams.’
‘You dreamed about this?’
‘Every night for six years.’
‘And you didn’t say anything?’
‘You never noticed.'
‘Why did you help, then?’ Ianto shifted his mouth so it was against Jack’s jaw. ‘Why did you help with Lisa if you wanted me?’
‘Because,’ Jack shrugged, the motion lifting Ianto’s whole weight as the Welshman’s arms pressed down against his shoulders. ‘That’s what friends do. And I never knew I was nothing short of a miracle,’ he quoted.
‘Angsty idiot, Jack Harkness,’ Ianto grinned, running his hands through Jack’s hair.
‘Stay with me tonight?’ Jack asked quickly. ‘I just want to hold you. I’ve never been able to enjoy that properly before. Just let me hold you?’
‘Stay,’ Ianto repeated, although Jack was unsure whether it was a question or not.
Either way, when he woke up the next morning it was with Ianto tucked neatly against his side, legs tangled and with the faint trace of drool against his shoulder.
--
Within a year, Ianto and Jack both completed their university courses and moved to a nice small house on the outskirts of Cardiff City. They stayed true to their word and invited Lisa over for dinner again, to which she was only too happy to accept. They were a lot more comfortable this time, none of that unresolved tension tainting the air, and when Ianto answered the door to allow her inside it was with Jack hanging off his waist.
The first thing she noticed was how big their smiles were compared to the ones they held at this time last year. The second thing she noticed was that while their apartment had definitely been a student’s apartment, this house actually looked like theirs. It wasn’t just a house, it was an actual home. Their home.
Several pairs of shoes were laid out neatly by the door and photos littered the walls and countertops. The closest photo she could see made her instantly hold back a giggle. It was a typical Jack and Ianto picture, Jack smiling with his eyes closed as he piggy-backed Ianto, the younger man’s arms blurred as he struggled to hold onto Jack’s head. It was not the most professional photo, but it spoke volumes about their relationship. One a bit further on actually portrayed herself, Ianto smiling and holding onto her hand with Jack’s arms slung around his shoulders from behind.
‘Had my tight jeans on in that picture,’ a voice murmured in her ear as she stared. On her other side, someone growled playfully and she laughed.
‘Honestly, you two were like a couple when you weren’t. Now you’re just ridiculous.’
‘Got to make up for years of lost affection,’ is all Ianto said as he caught Jack’s hand in his and pulled the other man close. Lisa pretended to put her hands over her eyes but it wasn’t hard to miss the crack between her fingers.
‘Could have had this for yourself, Lisa,’ Jack tutted as he patted Ianto’s chest. ‘You missed out on something great.’
‘Shame,’ Lisa sighed.
‘Amazing in the sack, too.’
‘Down, boy,’ Ianto said dryly and Jacked laughed.
‘Okay, my cue to leave.’
‘Yes, go cook. Go on, off with you now.’ Ianto lightly pushed Jack in the direction of the kitchen.
‘You’re happy, aren’t you?’ Lisa asked after a moment of comfortable silence, not with doubt but with contentment.
‘Insanely,’ he replied.
‘It’s amazing the way that life works,’ Lisa commented idly. ‘We spend our whole lives looking for “the one” and sometimes it turns out they’ve been right in front of your eyes all along.’
‘Sometimes you just need that little push to be able to see them,’ Ianto smiled as he slid his arm across her shoulders, strolling slowly down the hallway, stopping to look at every photograph on the wall along the way. ‘Just wish I had the courage to see it earlier.'
‘He’s made you sappy,’ Lisa said fondly, and Ianto squeezed her shoulders.
‘That he has.’
--
He ordered a double-latté, but Ianto made it triple because he liked him. Triple-latté with extra foam - on the house. It was just a little thing, something to show him he loved him, because he really, really did. He loved him.
‘You’re thinking,’ Jack said as he accepted the cup from Ianto’s fingers. ‘I’ll bet it’s about me.’
‘It’s none of your business,’ Ianto said, leaning forward for a quick kiss while no one was watching. ‘Now go away, I’m working.’
‘Cheeky,’ Jack grinned. ‘Okay, I’ve got to go but here, take this,’ he pressed a small square of paper into Ianto’s hand, lingering just a little longer than was strictly necessary before turning to leave.
‘Jack,’ Ianto called before the other man got too far away. ‘Love you,’ he said.
Jack smiled, nodded his head and kept walking. When he was out of sight, Ianto opened the note in his hand and laughed.
I love you too.
P.S Thanks for the triple-latté with extra foam.