Torchwood Fan Fic (Ianto's first day)
It was Ianto's first day at Torchwood, Cardiff. Sure he had worked for Torchwood before, Torchwood London in fact, but he never had these nerves before, he felt sick to the stomach and hell bent on making a good impression, hence the suit he was wearing, it was the same suit that he wore when he was pestering Jack for a job and Jack liked the suit. So he thought if Jack liked it, then the rest of his team must. The one thing he did dread was meeting Jack again, he had been the most arrogant and persistent he had ever been in his life to get this job, but he needed it, he needed it for Lisa. Jack must hate him for what he put him through to get the job, but then again, they had that moment and that's what Ianto was afraid of the most, afraid that it would happen again. He didn't quite understand what happened, he felt something but quickly pulled himself from the situation, he couldn't feel anything for his boss, could he?. He wasn't gay. He had never fancied, let alone touched a man in that way in his life, and really didn't want to start, he had Lisa. He needed to take care of Lisa. But there was something about Jack.
When Ianto adjusted his tie for what seemed the millionth time, he took a deep breath and walked towards the water tower where Jack had told him to meet him bright and early on Monday morning. And there was Ianto wearing his heart on his sleeve, swallowing his nerves and putting himself out there. No sooner than he had stepped there, than the one and only Jack Harkness standing so perfect at least a meter away from him, he appeared from nowhere, and was gaining speed walking towards Ianto. His coat caught it the wind, that million pound smile, Ianto felt weak at the knees and fondly remembered their last altercation, well that's what he wanted to call it, he revolted at the term 'moment', he pushed it from his mind. He couldn't think like that. He was doing this for Lisa.
"Hey!" Jack said now in front of Ianto holding out a hand for him to shake. Ianto held out his hand and met the captains, his boss' and gave a strong handshake, hinting that Jack made the right choice in giving him the job. "Hello" Said Ianto a little embarrassed, he was sweating, why was he sweating?. "Right this way then Jones!" Jack said very imperatively but gently, putting the message across that he was the boss, and Ianto shouldn't argue with that, first impressions and all that. Ianto followed behind the captain and said quite firmly "Its Ianto..sir", Jack looked back, taking note that Ianto was acting differently from when they last met, was he nervous?. Jack couldn't have that. They walked up closer to the water tower and Jack spun around letting his coat tails take flight in the air, quite playfully he explained "This is the entrance for tourists such as yourself". "But it's a water tower?" questioned Ianto. "Didn't they teach you anything at Torchwood London, things are not always what they seem, remember that" Jack explained jokingly. He didn't want Ianto to think that he was a really harsh boos, but he still needed to put the message across that he shouldn't be messed with, that he was the boss and what he says goes.
"Right take my hand" Jack said holding out his hand for Ianto to grab hold of. Ianto didn't know what to do, was his boss suggesting something, he lifted his hand up and put it down again, not sure of what to do. "Its okay, I don't bite!" Jack said pushing his hand further towards Ianto. Ianto grabbed hold of it, but loosely, he didn't like touching people, let alone the one he had the hots for. Jack pulled him towards the stone tile and said, "Just stand on this step, that's it, right there." "What for?" Ianto asked impatient, "Just wait and you'll see" Jack said, and almost immediately the step started to move, unlatching itself from the floor and going down, lowering. Jack could see Ianto's cautious face, mixed with surprise, he didn't feel safe so he gripped Jack's hand tighter and shuffled closer. Jack was going to reach up and put his arm around Ianto to make him feel safe but thought twice, he could clearly see that Ianto didn't like to be touched, and he left in a rush lasting, he didn't want to scare him away, he was growing to like him. But then he saw that Ianto bent his knees and was a little unsteady and he thought he would just put his arms lightly around him, but not too much to crowd him.
Jack put his arm around Ianto and said "It takes some time to get used to it", Ianto just smiled and flinched at the touch of Jack, he knew what Jack was doing and he couldn't get away from it. He was beginning to like it. And that was the first time Ianto felt safe in Jack's arms.
To break the silence on the way down Jack started blubbering on about the lift that he called it 'The Invisable Lift' and that they don't really know much about it only that it is linked to the rift that goes through the hub and has a perception filter that makes then just something in the corner of people's eyes and they are mostly invisible. Ianto tried to take it all in nodding and he threw in a couple of 'huh's to make it seem like he understood but Jack saw through it. "You probably didn't understand all that, but you will in time, its fine, half of my team are still baffled" Ianto gave another smile and Jack caught himself looking at him at every opportunity, he stared back at the floor. He wanted to amaze Ianto with the scientific side of it, but something told him that Ianto would think he would be too intelligent for his own good.
When he got inside and saw loads of people, strangers, whom he would soon have to socialize with, hard at work. He quickly realised that he was still squeezing Jack's hand and pulled away a little too quickly causing Jack to laugh at him, "I was wondering when I was gunna get my hand back". Ianto smiled at him, he was doing a lot of that since he met Jack and wasn't doing an awful lot of talking which Jack thought was not like him. From what he saw was a confident young, cute, guy who was persistent and had a great sense of humour, and that smile, that wicked smile. But now it was like he was someone different, maybe he clammed up when he was nervous, but Jack was intent on getting the Ianto he met back.
When they stepped off of the lift, no one came and greeted him, they were too busy, and he like that they were, at least then there would be no more awkward situations. But then Jack called them over and Ianto's heart stopped and he went as white as a sheep. Jack looked at him a little cautiously and quietly asked "Are you ok?" Ianto looked at him worried that his fear was showing "I'm fine" he lied with a reassuring smile. Jack wasn't buying it and said "They are a great bunch, really" before he introduced Ianto. First he started with Suzie, she looked Caucasian, curly black hair, dark eyes, Ianto felt intimidated by her without even talking to her. "Suzie, this Ianto Jones, Ianto Jones this is Suzie Costello, she second in command, so don't mess with her" Jack called out, "Its nice to meet you" Ianto said a little too quietly, "Likewise" Suzie said with a smile but then she got back to work. "Now who's next, ah, Tosh, Tosh this is Ianto, Ianto this is Toshiko Sato, computer genius". Toshiko looked up and Ianto could see that she was Japanese with big glistening eyes covered, more like hidden beneath by red framed glasses and straight short black hair, her smile was sweeter, more welcoming. "Hi", she said taking her glasses off, "Pleased to meet you", she shook his hand and he quickly flinched again, which Jack noticed but she didn't seem too. "If you need anything you can always ask me" she said with a smile, Ianto thanked her and returned the smile, he was going to get on with Tosh. He said her name over and over so that he didn't forget. As Ianto turned Tosh mouthed 'nice' to Jack which was met by Jack mouthing 'Hands off, he's mine' . She held her hands up to surrender, but had a feeling that Ianto wasn't gay or interested in Jack.
"This is Owen, Owen this is Ianto Jones" Jack said proudly. "More like your plaything" Owen said under his breath, "What was that Owen?" Jack asked knowing full well what he said and Ianto heard every word of it. "I said Hi, and sorry but I didn't think we needed a butler, we are overstaffed as it is" Owen said in a harsh tone. "We can never be overstaffed Owen…beware of this one" Jack whispered the last part to Ianto as a word of warning. "What did you just say?" Owen asked Jack. Jack didn't reply but Ianto cut in, "Excuse me, empty pizza boxes, empty bottles, equipment all over the place, and not to mention your work station is a tip". This is the Ianto Jack had met a couple of days ago, he just needed a push to be himself. "Alright I admit we do need a bit of a tidy up, but we was getting around to it" Owen explained. "Yeah next year" Jack muttered to Ianto and caused him to laugh. He had a very distinctive laugh, and Jack could see that they were going to have fun in the years to come.
"Ianto why don't you wow the team with the prize-winning coffee you make!" Jack said turning to Ianto, "Yes sir" Ianto agreed before turning, then turning back "erm, where is the coffee machine?" "Right this way" Jack ushering Ianto towards the coffee Machine with a spring in his step. The rest of the team saw this and Suzie said "He knows how to pick them" "yup" Owen agreed, and they watched as Jack continued to flirt with Ianto.
When Ianto saw the coffee machine he nearly died, it was old and rust and looked like it had never been used apart from a couple of attempts and then left. Jack noticed and then said "sorry we normally use instant" Ianto replied "Its ok, I'll have it cleaned up in no time". Jack smiled and then started to talk whilst Ianto was cleaning the coffee machine starting from the filter. "So what do you think of them?" Jack asked Ianto, "They're.. nice" Ianto said not wanting to tell Jack what he really felt, "Nice?". Ianto felt like he had just offended Jack, "sorry, I meant, Tosh she seems really nice, and Suzie seems friendly, and Owen hes alright I guess", "Aha!, its okay you don't need to apologise, and yes Tosh is very nice and so is Suzie, Owens alright when he wants to be, it'll just take a bit of time for him to get used to you is all..what about me?". "You..erm..your really nice" Ianto said clearing his throat and feeling that the situation was awkward, "Really nice, huh?" Jack said leaning towards Ianto, Ianto could see what Jack was trying to do and quickly tried to run away once again. "I..just have to get some cloth..to um, clean this" Ianto said stuttering a little and walked around trying to find where they kept the cloths without being too intrusive.
Jack walked back to the team and they laughed, they had been watching him with Ianto and saw that Ianto had gotten away from him the first chance he had, "Real smooth Jack" Suzie said, "I don't even think he's gay jack?" Owen said noting that Ianto didn't like being that close to him. "I think its sweet" Tosh said. "He's not gay, but I'm willing to bet hell be bi-curious by the time I've finished with him" Jack said with a smile. "Bi-curous?, did you just make that up?, that's honestly hilarious!" Owen laughed, but Tosh didn't think it was funny, "Leave the poor bloke alone, he's only been here five minutes and your already hitting on him". "What can I say, hes eye-candy, 'sides, he seem s to have taken a shine to you Tosh, I'm thinking you two are going to be best buddies" Jack told her, "Or computer nerds" Suzie added with a scowl from Tosh that never quite met Suzie's gaze.
Overt time Ianto began to fit in, but not like a team member but more of a part of the furniture, he became invisible, but that is what he wanted to happen because truthfully he couldn't live with the guilt of harbouring a cyber-woman in their basement. Jack still flirted with him now and then, but gave up when Ianto told him that he wasn't gay and never was going to be on the first couple of days of him being there. Owen grew to like him a little more than he did at the start, but not much more, for some reason they always had a grudge against each other but no one knew why, and Tosh was still friendly too him, but they never got along like they used to. He was basically being ignored, he got the odd thank you from Jack and Tosh when he made them coffee but nothing more, they were always deep in work so he never got as much as eye contact. He didn't get to go anywhere with the team, he always had to stay behind and clear up, and nothing more, yet they all depended on him even though they didn't know he was there.
After the whole cyber-ex-girlfriend thing happened and the whole team were made to notice him for a change, and made to see that their neglect lead to him being able to have a cyber-woman in the building, right under their noses and they didn't even notice a thing. When all the things Ianto wanted to say were said, and found that Lisa wasn't the Lisa who he knew for all those years, that it wasn't Lisa anymore, it was just a thing, prying off his emotional attachment until it got what it wanted, a new host. Jack made him see what he had been hiding from, what he tried not to see, the thing that was staring in front of him wasn't human, and it wasn't his Lisa. When that had passed Jack began to notice Ianto, which was added pressure, but he liked being noticed, he liked being a member of the team opposed to a piece of furniture, things were back to normal. Well as normal as they could be, giving Owen more fuel for his grudge. But then Gwen came along and it was like she was the newbie and he wasn't anymore, he was accepted as one of them, after a while.
Deep in thought Ianto was sitting at his tourist desk directly above Torchwood hub, he was staring into space, guilt ridden and confused, he didn't know how he could just carry on after what he had done to them. He didn't feel like he earned the right to sit with them in the hub, he didn't feel like he could take a break because he owed it to them to work. He didn't know how they could have the guts to face him without 'smashing his face in' as Owen had put it, but he knew they were better than him and they knew that it was partly their fault so they accepted it and moved on. Ianto looked up at the clock hanging on the wall near the Cardiff tourist map stand. It was time that he ordered their takeaway and it was Friday, Chinese night, he knew what they wanted off by heart and thought he'd order ahead, he didn't have the guts to go down and ask what they wanted, he knew they'd order the same things anyway.
He picked up the phone and dialled the number which he also knew off by heart, god he'd rung it often enough. "Yeah.. hello..delivery please..yeah it's for Ianto Jones..yeah can I have one large pot of vegetable chow mein, 10 pieces of sweet and sour chicken, medium pot of chicken noodles and a medium pot of chop suey…yes thank you bye". He dropped the phone and sighed, leaning back in his chair and staring back into space. "Nothing for yourself then?" Jack said observing Ianto's phone call and making him jump out of his skin. "Im not really hungry, sir" Ianto replied, startled by Jack just turning up like that. Jack walked over and sat on Ianto's desk, immediately Ianto felt the guilt wash over him, how could Jack be so civil with him after what he had done?, he even punched Jack in the face, and still Jack was sitting here talking to him like nothing happened. Well something was different, Jack actually notice that Ianto was there.
"Not hungry?, you know Ianto I've never seen you eat..or come to think of it , I've never seen you take a break" Jack observed, a little worried about Ianto, maybe his problem was he worked too hard, just like Jack. "I've never had reason too, sir" Ianto explained, lying a little, he was really punishing himself for what he did to them. "You know you can drop the sir now Ianto, none of the others use it so you don't need to, your one of the team" Jack reassured him, smiling a little, and to see that Ianto relaxed a little too. "You need to eat Ianto, you need fresh air…you know I've never had to say this to someone before but, you work too hard" Jack said breaking the silence, Ianto was about to argue but then Jack jumped in again. "Go out, take a break, get something to eat from time to time, take as long as you like, don't feel obligated to the job, sometimes it helps if you get some time to yourself is all I'm saying". Ianto smiled and said "Yes sir", "What I said about the sir still stands, your one of the team" Jack said getting up from Ianto's desk, brushing past the back of his chair and gently touching his shoulder for reassurance, and that time Ianto didn't flinch, so Jack went back into the hub, leaving Ianto feeling guiltier with every second that past.
When the takeaway arrived Ianto paid the money and left a tip, smiling and then turned away. As soon as he realised he would have to face them his expression dropped. He made his way through the door down into the hub and past the cogged door. It was quiet but then he heard Jack's laugh coming from the boardroom so he took a deep breath and walked up the stairs and through the door. It wasn't as bad as he imagined they were all talking and laughing, Tosh greeted him as he came in the door and so did Jack, the others were too busy in their conversations. Ianto had already taken the food out of the white plastic bag and was handing out the food to everyone with a smile, which they hardly noticed. He passed out the cutlery and the drink and then he gave Jack his chop stick, he was fussy, just like Ianto, and like to eat oriental food with chopsticks.
Ianto turned to walk out when Jack said "So you didn't get yourself anything in the end then?". Ianto stood still for a minute, jack couldn't possibly be talking to him?, could he?. The room went silent when they realised Jack was talking to Ianto, but not about work, it was personal. "No, I didn't really want anything, sir" Ianto still used the sir with force of habit and also the fact that he felt that he owed Jack his respect after everything. "Then why don't you come sit with us?" Jack asked trying to make Ianto feel included, "Its fine really, I've got work to do" Ianto said trying to get out of it, he wasn't ready to face them yet. "Work can wait till later, join us" Jack said, but saw that Ianto was about to decline so he grabbed Ianto's arm and pulled him onto his lap. Ianto was shocked and so were the rest of the team, Owen nearly had his mouth open, the colour in Ianto's face started to go pink with embarrassment. He stood up, cleared his throat and sat in the chair next to Jack's, bowing his head, and he heard Owen's voice say quietly "It's about time someone removed the stick from his arse" but ignored it.
Jack watched Ianto at the table, keeping himself to himself and the conversations started up again as normal. "Have you got an extra dish Ianto?" Jack asked, and without questioning Ianto go up and came back with a empty dish and set it beside Jack. Jack began to spoon half of his chow mein in the extra dish and passed it to Ianto. "Here, eat this" Jack said sticking a fork in the noodles. "I couldn't, really its fine" Ianto said trying not to make a big thing out of this grand gesture Jack had made towards him. "It fine Ianto eat it, I won't be able to manage all of this anyway, I ate a sneaky sandwich earlier" Jack said truthfully, knowing Ianto would have words about the sandwich later. Ianto gave Jack an appreciative look and said "Thank you" before going off to fetch some chopstick of his own. Jack wondered where he went for a second but then saw chopsticks in hand that he was fine.
Ianto started to eat the noodles strategically, making sure he didn't get any down his suit, and he placed a tissue under his chin to act as a bib, just encase. Jack watched Ianto for a long moment, pondering. He had never seen Ianto eat before and it was almost fascinating, he soon realised he was staring and moved his eyes back to his own food. Tosh was fine with the fact that Ianto was there she was shooting smiles across the table at him when she had a chance, but Owen just glared at him, Gwen however smiled once and then turned back to Owen.
The team knew that from the start Jack liked Ianto, and failed to get anywhere with him, but this way a major breakthrough, and they could see it in the looks Jack gave Ianto, the effortless staring, and smiling. They started to make conversation, but one that wouldn't offend Ianto like last time, making sure that they involved him to Jack's appreciative glance. They began talking about the weird man that brought the takeaways, always so happy and those weird eyes, "he could be a pervert, if it weren't for his sanity" Ianto added and the room filled up with laughter. Ianto fitted in so well, why did it take them this long to notice it. Then after a while Ianto clammed up again, remembering what he had done to them, he could have got them killed, he bowed his head in shame when Jack placed his hand on Ianto's knee under the table and squeezed it mouthing 'you ok?'. Ianto nodded and smiled, he still didn't filch at Jack's touch, he was beginning to like it. "I better go" Ianto said finally, and walked out of the room back down into the hub and sat on the couch.
When all the food had been eaten and it was getting too late, Jack dismissed them and they all grabbed their belongings and said goodbye to one another, and to Ianto's surprise he got a good bye as well. Even though the team had gone home, Ianto was still sitting on the couch, still thinking, placing his elbows on his legs and holding his hands up to his face. Jack walked over to him and sat beside him. It took Ianto a while to notice that the dip in the couch beside him was Jack. He jumped a little when he saw he was there and apologised profusely, Jack waved it off, he could see something was troubling Ianto. "You know Ianto you can talk to me about anything, you know that right?, even the slightest thing..i know you're probably thinking cos I'm your boss you don't want me knowing what's going on inside your head, but if I can help I will. I want you to know that." Ianto said nothing but looked at Jack to show he was listening. "You mean a lot to me Ianto, and I depend on you a little too much, so I am here to return the favour" Jack told Ianto, making him feel like he was significant, because he was, he just didn't know it, or refused to believe it.
Ianto looked into Jack's eyes; it almost looked like he was pleading. "Come here" Jack said lifting his arm up so that Ianto could hug him, he needed a hug, his life was turning to shit and he felt so guilty that it hurt. He practically fell into Jack's arms and began to sob, Jack held him tighter, it didn't matter about boundaries now, Ianto was upset. "I feel so guilty" Ianto began, Jack rocked him back and forth, "About what?" Jack asked in a soothing tone, "What I brought down on all of you, I could have got you killed, and now your all being so nice to me, it hurts, I should be punished!" Ianto said with tears streaming down his face. "Oh, Ianto" Jack said bringing him closer, "What happened was punishment enough, and it was partly my fault, partly all of our faults because we didn't treat you right, and now we know". "Now" Jack said pulling out of the hug gently, he picked up Ianto's head and held it in his hands, he wiped away the tears from Ianto's face and then he kissed him. It was a shock to both of them, but Ianto could feel Jack's lips touch his, and it felt so good, he couldn't resist but kiss him back. But then stopped, he pulled back, embarrassed, he looked at Jack for a moment, and then away, he got up hastily and back away, he almost scampered and said "I..i have to go… im sorry". Jack quickly shouted, "Ianto, its ok", but Ianto just scurried off, and Jack smirked, feeling good about himself.
When Ianto hurried out, he had all sorts of things going through his mind, a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders, but at the same time he was questioning his actions, Jacks actions towards him. He kissed Jack, he kissed Jack. Jack was a man, he didn't like men, he liked girls, he had always liked girls, he had never even so much as felt anything in terms of love or lust for a man before, let alone kissed one. He felt his lips, he knew he liked kissing Jack, but he wasn't supposed to like Jack. He wasn't gay, he was sure he wasn't. All of the thoughts buzzed around in Ianto's head, and time after time he came back to when he and Jack first met, there was an unmistakable connection there, he was sure there was. Even if he didn't want to admit it. But there was something about Jack that got him every time, it wasn't men, it was just Jack. Ianto dreaded the thought of going into work tomorrow morning.
The next morning came and Ianto really didn't want to face Jack, he couldn't, he wasn't ready, he didn't know what he wanted, and what he was going to do. So he thought he would take the day off. Jack did say that he could take a break for as long as he wanted, but by doing that was he overstepping the mark, was he taking advantage. He just lay there in bed, thinking and before he knew it the time for work had come and gone.
At work Jack was asking around if anyone had seen Ianto but they all replied no, he had only instant coffee because he couldn't work the machine and it was nowhere near as good as Ianto's, he was missing him already. Jack was getting worried he knew that what he did last night might have been too much too soon, but he didn't think, he wanted to comfort Ianto, and that was the only way he thought he could, by getting close to him. But it clearly had made things worse, he had to put it right. He told Tosh to tell Owen and Gwen when they got back that he was just going out. "Is it about Ianto?" She knew better than to question her boss, but Ianto was her friend. "Yeah, ill be back soon" he said with a smile and left.
Jack put on his coat on, remembering that Ianto did that for him, why was he so dependent on the poor bloke. He walked out the door briskly and got into the SUV and drove to Ianto's flat. He didn't know what to expect so he tried to get there as quickly as he could, and put a gun in the back of his trousers, but then stopped and thought. This is Ianto, not an alien, Ianto was practically harmless, so he took the gun back out and left it in the cabinet of the SUV. He parked it a couple of flats down not wanting to alarm Ianto, but more afraid that Ianto would do a runner, and he walked up to Ianto's door.
Ianto was still lying in his bed, thinking, just lying and thinking, he hadn't once looked at the clock, he didn't have to, he needed to sort his head out before thinking about work. He heard something, and lifted his head up to find Jack standing at the foot of his bed. Ianto jumped almost immediately, sitting up and rushing out of his bed, he had pyjamas on, which Jack found kind of amusing, and all he said was sorry. "Jack I'm really sorry, I just didn't look at the time, I just had so much on my mind, I was trying to figure it out.." Ianto said apologetically and rushing around the room into his wardrobe and pulled out a fully pressed suit and tie hanging over the hanger. "Its fine, really, I said that you should take a break, and you deserved one…look I'm sorry to come barging in here like this its just, you didn't turn up for work, and your always at work, even sometimes before I'm up, and I thought something must be wrong" Jack said taking on a serious tone. "its fine, I'm fine" Ianto said, not once making eye contact. Jack put one hand on Ianto's shoulder to stop him for a second, "Ianto, stop for a second", now Ianto was forced to make eye contact. He looked into Jack's eyes longingly and Jack couldn't resist him looking like that.