Disclaim: Nope. Not me.
A/N: Just a little fun bit in between Keeping up With the Joneses and the next edition. I do love the idea of Ianto at a bar, I do.
"Let's go Gwen love!" Rhys called from the living room, looking at his watch.
"I'm coming!" She appeared out of the bedroom in those boots Rhys liked. "Worth the wait?"
"And then some. Come on. I want to go show you off."
"So, we'll pick up Ianto and Tosh first, and then Jack."
"What about Owen?"
"He said he was going to meet up there." Gwen grabbed her jacket and grinned. "Oi! Keep your hands where I can see them!" Gwen scolded as Rhys's hand helped her forwards against her bum.
"Or what? You'll get out the cuffs copper?" Gwen gave him a coy look as she led the way out of the flat.
"Ianto, do you have a comb I can borrow?" Tosh called down the hallway at Ianto's flat.
"Um, yeah, it's in the bath. Medicine cabinet." Tosh grabbed her drink and wandered down the hallway. She and Ianto had gone to dinner, well, Indian takeout, and back to his for drinks before the night out.
The comb was there, and she ran it quickly through her bangs.
"You look lovely Tosh." Tosh turned quickly.
"Ianto! Thank you, you look…fit as hell, actually." Ianto smiled shyly.
"Yeah, well."
"Can you actually move in that shirt?" Tosh teased.
"I can do more than that." He grinned at her and passed by towards the kitchen. "Finish your drink Tosh. Gwen and Rhys should be here in a moment."
Ianto took another tall can from the fridge and flipped open the tab. He leaned back and swallowed down the whole of the can quickly.
Jack paced across the small space underneath his office. Torchwood night out sounded like a good idea. A pub sounded like a good idea. Dinner, a bar, someone's place. But a dance club. Whole different situation.
"Hello? Ianto? Are you in?" Gwen called.
"We'll be down in a moment!" Tosh answered, leaning for a moment over the banister above them.
"Tosh! I love the top."
"Thanks!"
"Would you stop yelling! My neighbours are going to file a complaint." Ianto's grinning face appeared over the banister as well. "Hello Rhys."
"Don't mind him. Ianto's got a head start on the festivities." Tosh passed him his coat and pulled on her own.
"I'll have you know I'm in perfect control of my faculties." Ianto offered his arm to her, and did manage to make his way down the stairs quite successfully.
"Alright then. Torchwood, and then the bar." Gwen clapped her hands together. "Ready?"
As they pulled up in front of Torchwood, Gwen leaned out the front window of the sedan and whistled loudly.
"Hey there soldier." Rhys pulled the car to a stop and Tosh opened the door. Jack climbed in.
"Hey, everyone ready for this?" He sent out his charming smile to them all as he settled himself, but his eyes lingered on the man on Tosh's other side.
"Some more that others." Tosh jostled Ianto's side.
"Oi, I didn't have that much. You were pouring yourself doubles if I remember correctly!"
"Cheeky bugger!" Toshed leaned her shoulder against him and Ianto's arm wrapped around her. He tickled her side and she squirmed, her voice lifting up an octave.
"Ianto! Gwen! Make him stop."
Jack smiled, but it hesitated fully forming on his face.
Through the rearview Gwen saw the look in Jack's face as he watched Ianto's attention on Tosh. It was good for him. He was far too confident about his control over the man sometimes.
They paid at the door, despite Jack's half-joking suggestion they could get in free and faster if they flashed their Torchwood accreditations. But Gwen had insisted that this night, unless extenuating circumstances prevented it, they were just colleagues out for a night.
Rhys had has arms around Gwen's waist, and she was laughing softly as he whispered into her ear in the line for the coat check.
"What took you lot so long." Tosh's face lit up.
"Owen! Hello!" She hugged him quite enthusiastically. Owen's face showed surprise, but he hugged her tightly back, lifting her feet up off the ground.
"Steady now Sato. Let's get your coat checked before we start throwing ourselves at each other."
"If you say so." Tosh smiled at Owen in a way that was altogether unlike her usual timidity.
"Someone's pissed." Ianto hummed out under his breath. Tosh looked shocked, but it quickly dissolved away as Owen helped her out of her coat.
"Well it's not like you're one to talk. Now get your coat off, we're next."
Tosh was right, but Jack was also watching them with amusement. She knew that there had been playful flirting between the two. And she wanted to see Jack's reaction to Ianto tonight.
Ianto pulled off the long coat he's had on and Tosh watched Jack's eyebrows jump up. Owen followed her sightline.
"Oh Christ. Just keep it in your trousers Harkness."
Jack blushed in an unusual show of embarrassment.
"Yes, well-"
"Gather your thoughts. We're going to get drinks. Tosh. Coming?" Tosh grabbed Owen's arm and followed him, Gwen and Rhys to the bar. Jack pulled off his own coat and stood up next to Ianto. He was leaning forwards against the coat check counter, looking for the attendant to return. In a green t-shirt that showed everything from the waist up. In amazing detail.
"Up for a change from the usual tonight?" Ianto asked, glancing over.
"In what way?"
"Your coat. It's not your usual one." Ianto pointed to the black jacket draped next to his.
"No, decided it wouldn't really do with the atmosphere."
"I dunno." Ianto looked at him, with a smile. "I think you could pull it off."
"Really. We'll have to test that out sometime. Come back-" Ianto's attention snapped away from him as the girl returned to the check counter.
"Heya, how many?"
"Two." Ianto passed her the fiver and bunched the coats together. "Thanks." Ianto winked at her and dropped two pound into the tip cup. She passed them two tickets and Ianto slid them into the pockets of his jeans.
"Come on. Let's get a drink. Catch up with the rest of them." Jack followed, feeling faintly unsettled.
Jack didn't drink. Not much. It took far too much to get him drunk and it tasted too foul to bother with it otherwise. But as the others grabbed one of the tequila shots that Owen had ordered, he caught Ianto's eye. Their eyes locked, and Ianto brought up his hand, licking a patch along the back of it and shaking salt onto it. When he held the shaker out to Jack, he could only copy his movements and pick up one of the shot glasses himself.
Tosh took the glass Gwen passed to her.
"Now, Tosh, you lick the back of your hand, that first, then-"
"I know how to do a shot of tequila Owen." She waved him off, licking the inside of her wrist, sprinkling salt over it, and placing the wedge of lemon over half of the shot, holding it in place with her index finger.
"Alright then." Owen looked faintly surprised at Tosh, who was waiting at the ready.
"Toast first." Gwen interrupted.
Owen rolled his eyes.
"Fine. To Torchwood. Lets all get sloshed til we forget our ways home." The glasses clinked together and were slung back.
Owen watched with interest as Tosh licked the salt from her wrist, emptied the glass and bit into the lemon in a smooth movement of her right hand. Maybe there were things about her he didn't know.
"Hey." Tosh turned around in surprise at the tap on her shoulder. There was a tall dark haired bloke in a button-down standing to the side.
"Um, hello." Tosh looked stunned, but quickly recovered, sending him a slight smile. "Are we in your way?"
"No. You were in line just behind me at the coat check. I saw that you were here with your friends, but, I wondered if you would want to have a dance?" Gwen gave her a little push forward. Tosh had to put her hand up against his shoulder.
"Oh. Sorry, I…" She looked up at him. "I'd love to." He took the hand that was on his shoulder and led her out onto the dancefloor.
Ianto had downed his shot and ordered another drink. Jack leaned up on the bar.
"You look….pretty damn hot tonight." Jack commented, taking in the disordered curls and flushed face Ianto was sporting. "Anything special. Anyone?"
Ianto took a sip and leaned back.
"Nope. No one yet."
"I see."
Gwen couldn't help grinning.
"What are you giggling about?" Rhys asked.
"Ianto's winding Jack up. I think that it's good for him."
"Which one?"
"Hm. Them both I suppose."
"So they are…"
"Dabbling, I think Ianto refers to it as."
"Dabbling?"
"Well, that's what they say…"
"But?"
"But I think Ianto's going to see how Jack really feels if he keep this up."
"It seems like Jack's the one in charge."
Gwen gave him a look.
"We'll see how that looks by the end of the night.
"Come on Jack." Ianto said suddenly. He let his hand trail behind, but didn't slow to let Jack catch up. Jack's hand reached out at the last moment and he allowed himself to be pulled out into the crowd.
"Oi, who's in charge there?" Gwen commented. Rhys grinned, watching out into the dance floor when Ianto's hands went possessively around Jack's hips.
Ianto laced his thumbs into the back loops of Jack's jeans. They moved in time to the drum beat in the music. Jack's hands lifted up from Ianto's arms, moving to pull him towards his own body.
"Now now Mr. Harkness. Let's not get grabby." Ianto reproved him, shifting so that Jack's hands moved from his neck to his shoulders.
"You know you're a tease." Jack murmured lowly, watching the lights in the club light up the angles of Ianto's face.
"Try and tell me you don't like it." Ianto pulled Jack to him tightly, so close that their hips ground and their lips touched without forming a kiss.
"Ianto." Jack's voice was breathy, almost needy, but Ianto pulled away. His eyes connected with the man behind him.
"I'll be back for you." Jack felt his back go cold as Ianto's hands slipped from his body.
Jack spun around to see him lean in towards the ear of a fit-looking blond man. He was whispering something and the man started laughing. He lifted the fedora he was wearing and placed it on Ianto's head, pulling it down over one eye.
Jack though he saw the word sexy come from the man's mouth, and Ianto was suddenly dancing with him, against this other man. Jack swallowed thickly. He wasn't standing in this crowd watching Ianto dance with some other man. He was going to the bar.
Gwen and Rhys had found a booth, and had been snogging like teenagers. But she had needed another drink, and a glass of water. She came up to the bar only to find Owen and Jack nursing several fingers of scotch.
"Where are Tosh and Ianto?"
"Out there." They both replied.
Gwen looked out and saw Tosh laughing with the man and a couple of his mates, and Ianto smiling widely as he danced with a blond. This was stupid. She turned to Owen.
"If it's bothering you so much, stop being a miseryguts and go ask her to dance."
Owen scoffed, and Jack laughed at her scolding. "That goes for you too Jack Harkness."
When she had taken her drinks back to Rhys, Owen downed his glass and stepped out onto the floor.
"Well Jack. Unlike you, I haven't got forever. Bloody hell." He ran his hand through his hair. "Give me that." Owen snatched Jack's drink and downed that as well before tugging his shirt straight and making for the table that Tosh was at. Jack looked in bemusement at his empty glass and just placed it back on the bar.
"Hi."
"Owen!" Tosh clapped her hands together. "Travis. This is my friend Owen. We work together."
"Ah. Another computer genius for Cardiff council hm?" Travis held out his hand, which was shook rather quickly.
"Yeah. Computers at the council. Anyways," He scratched the back of his head and looked at Tosh. "I came over to see if I could steal Toshiko from you for a bit. That is…If you'll have a dance?" He looked at her, trying his best to look casual.
"Oh well, Travis just bought me this drink." Tosh glanced down at her full glass.
"Right. Well, I'll leave you to it then." Owen smiled and gave a tight wave to Travis and his mates.
"Owen, wait!" He turned to see her down her drink and jump down off her stool. She shot him a rather daring look. Particularly interesting on the conservative Tosh. "Let's go."
Jack had his hands in his pockets when the man came up to the bar.
"Hi."
Jack glanced at him, giving a slight nod, but mostly trying to ignore him. It was the man Ianto had been dancing with.
"I'm Kyle."
Kyle waited for a response, but it was clearly not coming.
"And you're Jack." Jack cast him a sidelong look. "Ianto just pointed you out before I came over." Nothing.
"Wondering how I know Ianto?"
"Not really." Jack said shortly.
"We met in uni actually. I had a big crush on him. But he was dating Lisa."
"Can I get another scotch." Jack called over his shoulder.
"And I just saw him today, at lunch. Ran into him at a shop. He looks good as ever. Especially tonight." Kyle grinned. "It's a shame I have terrible timing." He stared at Jack, who slid over the money to pay from his drink to the bartender.
"I always seem to find him when he's off the market."
Jack took a sip from his new drink.
"Fine. Play it dumb if you want. But you should know." Kyle looked him straight in the eyes. "You're the only one here he wants to be with tonight. So stop being a pillock." Jack finally returned the man's eye contact. Kyle nodded his head towards one of the pillars in the room. Ianto was leaning up against it, his head down, one foot lifted up on its toe, sole flat against the pillar's side. Kyle shrugged and turned away, finding his way back to his own mates.
Jack pushed cautiously past the edge of the crowd. Ianto was still leaning there, closer now, just a few feet in front of him.
"Hey." Jack called assertively.
Ianto looked up, nonplussed. Jack strode forwards, his hands planting themselves against the pillar on either side of Ianto's head. His eyes flitted across the other man's face before he moved forward, fast and hard, crushing his lips against Ianto's. At the touch of tongues they pulled back, Jack catching his breath.
"No more teasing." Jack said firmly. Ianto gave him a reproving look.
"I thought you'd never catch on."
Ianto twisted Jack by the shoulders and pressed him against the pillar in return.
