A/N: Good evening folks! I'm sorry to disappoint those of you who are viewing this in hope of a new story… but this is in fact the first chapter (Old Enough) of the 'Jack the model and Ianto the librarian' AU that I have been using in 'Girl Put Your Records On'. A couple of people have been getting confused by how GPYRO works (and that is understandable) so I have decided to scrap it and re-upload these AU chapters as a story in its own rights and either scrap the others or upload them as one shots. Sorry if I have caused any confusion, but this is this AUs new and permanent home from now on. Oh and for those of you lovely people who are completely new readers welcome! This is a Janto fic set in against a completely AU background without Torchwood or aliens etc. in which Ianto is a librarian and Jack a retired (or is he?) model who meet through their mutual friend Tosh. Hope you like it! Hannah xxx
PS: Because I'm really cheeky... if you fancy repeating your reviews from my old story... then feel free ;)
NB: I am only going to say this once (it's too much effort to keep writing it!) as predicted I own nothing sadly, all characters etc are properties of the BBC and Russell and the gang!
Ianto Jones flinched angrily as he heard the harsh sound of curtains being stripped open in his bedroom, and felt the burn of sunlight pouring in to every corner of the room, slipping beneath his eyelids and invading tired eyes. He cursed internally, not daring to speak out loud just yet, or even to move another muscle just on the off chance that his waker hadn't noticed his reaction yet and still thought him to be sound asleep.
"Ianto I know you're awake, you're not fooling anyone." Toshiko said with a motherly, condescending tone.
Ianto prised his eyes open, regretting it immediately as he greeted the harsh light, and so screwed them back up again and began rubbing at them manically with his palms, blinking rapidly, trying to clear his vision. Unwillingly he pushed his pillows up behind him and sat up straight, giving the best attempt at a death stare to Tosh that he could manage this soon after being woken up.
"What time is it?" He asked, groggy and irritated.
"11.30" She replied.
"Uuurgh" Ianto groaned and sunk back underneath the duvet cover, pulling pillows down over his head, trying to block out the world once more. He'd hoped that if Tosh had considered it late enough to come in here and wake him up so violently then it had to be at least in the early hours of the afternoon.
The young Welshman was not one for lazy mornings or lie-ins, he usually woke up at the crack of dawn to greet the sun. But not today, he wanted today to be as short as possible, there for it was his plan to sleep in late and go to bed early, pretending almost as if today had been non-existent. Because it was one year to the day that Lisa, his beloved best friend and childhood sweetheart, had rejected his proposal of marriage. And, funnily enough, he didn't really feel like making much of a go of 'today'. Clearly Tosh, his University room-mate who he had now once again found himself living with this past year, had other ideas.
Toshiko ripped back the covers that her friend was clinging tightly to, and despite her small size, had the strength to prise them from him, leaving Ianto sprawled out on the bed in underwear and a Beatles t-shirt, eyes determinately shut.
"Fine, fine" She said. "If you won't wake up for me… perhaps you'll wake up for Myfanwy" She finished shrugging, and lifting the fluffy black cat from her bed and placing her on Ianto's face.
"Wha-oh-go-urr Tosh!" Ianto spluttered, lifting a rather agitated Myfanwy off his face and onto his chest instead.
"I'm sorry Ianto, but there's no use in wasting the day in bed."
He rolled his eyes and went to speak, but Toshiko interrupted.
"I know that today's going to be difficult for you –"
It was his turn to cut her off as he sighed "Tosh I know you're only trying to help but, can we not?" He asked, absent mindedly stroking Myfanwy.
"Look, Ianto, you need to know that nothing will be helped by failing to face up to what's happened and moved on. You've been doing so well these past 8 months or so, even had a few dates with a couple of nice pretty girls, you wouldn't want a stupid date on a calendar to ruin any of that would you? I mean. I know it was a shock, we were all shocked, you two had been together since before I even met you and I genuinely though you were perfect for each other. But, these things happen. You are a wonderful, intelligent funny, gorgeous man and there are plenty of people out there looking for exactly that; all of the a hell of a lot nicer than that bitch"
Ianto's throat caught at that word, it wasn't often that Tosh swore, but in a strange sort of way he appreciated the use of it then.
"Thanks" He replied softly "May be wasting the day away isn't the best thing to do, and you're right I need to put it behind me for good." He managed a small smile.
Toshiko sighed inwardly, she'd been hoping to be able to get the young man to open up to her a little more and for him to talk about everything, how he was feeling. But that was typical Ianto, never giving too much away, always a little distant even from his closest friends, it was just his way. He kept himself to himself, never over displayed his emotions, held a perfect and unbreakable stoic mask in place all day every day, and no one knew who he truly was; and that was exactly the way he liked it.
Toshiko pushed the thought back and smiled instead, at least content that he wasn't suicidal or revenge ridden on this particular anniversary. "Good, now can I get you a cup of coffee?" She asked kindly.
The Welshman sat up now moving the fairly irritated Myfanwy, she'd become rather cosy curled up on his chest, but she settled down as soon as she realised that the stroking would continue.
"What do you want" He asked once he was settled, one eyebrow raised and the suggestion of a smirk puckering at the corners of his mouth.
"I don't know what you mean" She said, a little flustered and flushing a little pink.
"Oh come on Tosh, you never offer to make coffee unless you want something" He said jovially.
"Well…"
"Ah" Ianto said, letting out a small sigh of contentment that he was correct.
"You see there's this party that my friend Jack is having this evening… and I was just going to go alone, I mean I would have asked you earlier of course but I though you wouldn't be up to it because of what today is… and well I'm only asking now because well…." She trailed off.
"Tosh, you're rambling. There's a party this evening and you'd like me to go with you?" He suggested.
She nodded. "Yes, yes. But honestly only if you feel like you can handle it, as I say I wasn't planning to ask you, if you'd rather just sit at home and watch bad movies and eat pizza and ice cream then I could just stay at home…"
"Don't be silly" He said smiling. "It might do me good to get out of the house, keep my mind off things you know." Ianto wasn't so sure it would be possible to keep his mind of things but he was never going to express how he felt and he supposed that pretending like he was keeping his mind off things in the company of a group of strangers was better than wallowing in self-hatred and pity with a cat. "Why exactly are you so averse to the idea of attending this party unaccompanied?" Raising one eyebrow again.
"Well it's just; oh gosh it's just me being sill really…"
"Is Owen going?" He guessed.
"Maybe…" She answered, cheeks growing a little flushed for the second time this morning.
"Tosh, not being funny or anything but if you're trying to make Owen jealous or something then maybe I'm the wrong person to take…" He winked.
"Silly boy!" She lunged forward to playfully whack his forearm "I've already complimented you enough this morning, but I think you'd do the trick nicely if that's what I was intending on doing…"
"Which of course it isn't…"
"Well, I just thought, maybe if he sees me with another man then he might… Oh I don't know, I guess I thought he might notice me more or something…"
"I just think he's crazy for not noticing you in the first place, but if you think it will help then I will gladly assist" He replied, putting on his most convincing smile.
"Thank you!" She half squealed, giving him a rather Myfanwy-crushing hug as she exited his room.
"Oh and that would be a no by the way." He called out.
"Huh?"
"A no. For the coffee, you might be a genius Miss Sato but you make a terrible brew!"
Five hours later and Ianto Jones was stood back in his room now, clad only in his underwear, running his hands through his hair with desperation, wardrobe door flung wide open and almost the entire contents spilling out onto the floor. Toshiko Sato, what am I going to do with you… he thought to himself. She had neglected to tell him until just a few minutes ago that this party tonight was a costume party, and now he only had a few hours left to pool together an acceptable outfit from his supply of clothing as there was no way that he'd be able to hire anything this last minute. He'd tried on checked shirts and denim jackets for a cowboy outfit, but was missing a hat. He'd sneakily borrowed some of Tosh's eye liner and put on an old leather jacket, but he knew that with his dimples he would never make a very convincing drummer. He'd even considered going dressed in a pair of footie pyjamas which Tosh had bought for him as a bit of a joke last year… but he wasn't that desperate he decided.
He heard a knock at the door.
"Come in" He said with a hint of frustration in his voice.
"How are you – " She stopped, shocked a little by his lack of clothing, and averted her eyes. "Oh sorry…"
"Don't be silly, we've been to the beach together before, just get in here and help me chose something please!" He said desperately – why do I care so much… he mused, I don't even really want to go, I'm only going for Tosh's sake…
"Alright" She said, sounding a little uncertain. "I am sorry; I didn't not tell you on purpose I just genuinely had forgotten that it was fancy dress until Gwen dropped round the costume I'm borrowing from her after lunch."
"That's alright" Ianto sighed, looking with dismay once again at the innards of his wardrobe, and wondering if maybe he couldn't just somehow get out of it all, and stay at home wallowing in his memories of Lisa. Tosh had kept him busy and occupied all day and so he hadn't had the opportunity to think much about any of it, or to curl up and cry out all of the pent up angst that he was feeling, for fear of his mask from dropping. Besides, he knew deep down that Tosh was right about moving on, once today was over, he was determined to not think of Lisa ever again. After what he hoped was not too long a pause to arouse concern or suspicion in Toshiko, the young man continued "I just haven't the faintest clue what to wear..."
"You could always wear those" Tosh pointed to him, gesturing at his white boxer shorts.
Ianto answered her with a sarcastic eye roll.
"I'm being serious! Well, sort of, I mean if we found you a pair of glasses then we could easily make a Brad Majors out of you" She grinned.
"Oh haha, very funny. I don't suppose the host, this Jack of yours, would appreciate that very much, and besides I don't have a Janet Weiss to accompany me so I might look a little odd." He said in his infamous ironic tone.
"Oh I don't know about that" Tosh replied ominously.
"What you'd do it? But… I thought you were going as Catwoman? Even if I did have a Janet, I still wouldn't want to be walking around in my underwear all evening!"
"No, I meant that I wasn't so sure that Jack wouldn't appreciate you wandering around clad only in boxers!" She replied giggling.
Ianto's eyebrows raised in shock then dropped almost immediately afterwards, he coughed his way back to composure. "Excuse me?" He asked, cheeks turning pink just a little.
"Yeah… I should probably warn you about him… He's a bit… well flirtatious doesn't even begin to cover it… But don't worry he's like it with everyone, and you kind of get used to it" She laughed again.
"Riiiight" He said dragging out the reply. And then he noticed the black dinner suit and bow tie as some of the remaining items left hanging up in the back of his wardrobe and simultaneously smiled and sighed inwardly with relief as he suddenly had a very good idea for a costume indeed and, more importantly, he would be clothed when he had to face this 'Jack Harkness'.
Later that day, Toshiko 'Catwoman' Sato stood chatting and laughing with the host of the party and her good friend Jack Harkness, glancing guiltily over to the out of place looking Ianto Jones who was currently playing the part of the wall flower, staring mysteriously out at no one in particular. He'd told her to go off and talk to people, that he's be fine, but she still felt bad leaving him alone.
"And yeah, so umm the other week after the annual office Christmas party that was a total dive, where my friend Alex was like the only drunk person there and made a complete ass of himself, anyway, Alex came up to me the next day and was like 'Jack what the hell did I get up to last night?' and so I gave him all the gory details, not sparing the part where he called our boss Yvonne a control freak bitch who'll shag anything" Jack paused to laugh. "And he was moaning and asking how she took it and I was all like 'you were totally fired man' then he said 'well fuck her' and then I replied, don't worry I did and you're back Monday!"
"No way! You're making this up right?" Tosh asked
"No way, all true! It's brilliant isn't it?" He grinned at Toshiko's bashful giggle.
"Jack, you are absolutely outrageous!"
"I know, but it's why you all love me" He winked.
The American looked over now to where Tosh's eyes had been darting back and forth to for the past few minutes or so now, towards the cryptic Ianto Jones who stood unspeaking, unmoving, unseeing (?) against the back wall of his apartment.
"So, who's your friend?" Jack asked, intrigued by the figure in front of him.
"That's Ianto" She replied, smiling lightly as she said his name.
"How long have you been seeing him then? I thought you liked Owen? I mean it's why I invited him here tonight… but I must admit this Ianto certainly seems… nicer" He said, wiggling his eyebrows towards the end.
"Oh no" Tosh said flustered, "We're just good friends, it's nothing like that"
"I see" Jack said, taking in the young man who stood a good few feet away from him. The dark neatly kept hair, the clear bluer than blue eyes, the perfect porcelain face which beheld an impossible to read expression. He was wearing a perfectly tailored dinner suit, clutching an old fashioned and just casually keeping a distance between himself and the rest of the world. He was the definition of enigmatic. And for some reason Jack found him ridiculously attractive.
"Oh no Jack, just leave him be please."
"What?" He asked, feigning innocence.
"I know that look! And trust me, Ianto's not interested."
"Are you sure?" Jack asked, playfully but with a hint of genuine hope.
"Well, I presume not… I mean I don't know… no one really knows much about Ianto" She sighed. "But in all the time I have known him he's only ever dated women. Besides, I don't think today would be the best for anyone to try anything, male or female…"
"And what do you mean by that…?" He asked, intrigued.
"Oh gosh, I probably shouldn't say anything" Tosh mumbled.
"He so young, yet he looks as though he's got the weight of the world rested upon those shoulders, and half a life time of pent up emotion behind that mask of his" Jack mused.
"You could say that" Tosh sighed once more, turning to face Jack, only to see that he had gone wandering of to greet her friend. Oh god, she groaned inwardly.
"Jack Harkness" the man said as he extended a hand to Ianto, who for a second, was so swept up in his own thoughts, had forgotten that he was at a party at all. He recovered in an instant and shook the American's hand. "But you Bond, James Bond, can call me Captain" The man winked. Upon noticing this surprise gesture, Ianto took a moment to take in the man stood before him that he could quite safely assume to be Tosh's Jack. The bold American was charismatic, with an all American look to match his voice, he was a fair bit older than Ianto himself, perhaps in his late mid to late thirties, but he was still incredibly good looking… especially in that WWII air force Captain's uniform… Ianto surprised himself with that particular thought, but settled himself in just enough time to introduce himself.
"Jones, Ianto Jones" He replied with a smile. Oh god, am I flirting with him? He thought.
The other man seemed to find it amusing "Well Jones, Ianto Jones, can I get you another" He said, gesturing towards his empty glass.
'You'll be fine; just don't let him get you drunk…' He remembered Tosh saying earlier during her 'survival guide' briefing for one of Jack's illustrious parties.
"Yes, thank you" He replied, what am I doing? The young man shook himself internally, he was supposed to be wallowing in his sad memories of Lisa and the love he'd lost and probably wouldn't find again, not flirting with a man of all things! But he is rather handsome… his subconscious mused idly. The thought was snapped away as soon as Jack returned drinks in hands.
"Here you go" He said, handing the glass over to Ianto, fingers brushing past each other just lightly, sending a surprising spark of electricity down Ianto's arm. "So what do you do for a living? Film star… model… 'Hot guy' at a clothing shop…? He grinned.
Ianto blushed slightly, but smiled back despite himself. "No, no nothing that demanding, I'm a librarian for Cardiff Central Library. And how about you, Captain?" He asked back, why was he going along with this? Ianto didn't flirt, he never had, not even with Lisa, he just never felt… confident… enough to pull it off, what on earth was he doing now?
The American's eyebrow rose, indicating both his surprise and delight at Ianto's question, "I'm a photographer now, but I used to model" He grinned, striking a pose.
I bet you did… Ianto mused. "So how do you know Tosh" Ianto asked swiftly, trying a safer topic, one that Jack surely couldn't flirt his way through.
"Well, it's a funny story really… but basically it involves a stolen sword, a bottle of tequila and me running naked through the streets of Splott" He grinned, did that man ever stop grinning Ianto wondered.
"I believe estate agents pronounce it Sploe you know" He said, trying to make the older man laugh.
It worked, he choked a little on his drink in response, "Oh really?"
"Indeed" Ianto replied, in an ominous tone. Jack noted how he was growing particularly fond of that accent… those Welsh vowels.
"Do I want to ask for the exact details of that story?" Ianto asked, despite knowing that he probably would regret it.
"Hmm I wouldn't want you to find out all about my terrible reputation when we've only just met… besides, we haven't had nearly enough to drink yet for me to be prepared to tell that story." He winked again. "And on that matter, another refill?" He asked a surprised Ianto, who was confused at exactly how his glass had emptied so quickly again. Just don't let him get you drunk Tosh's words echoed again. But it's fine he told himself, I'm not drunk…. yet.
"Why do you do it?" Jack asked, handing Ianto his fourth (?) drink, fingers lingering together again, with that same spark of electricity between them.
"Do what?" He asked, a little confused.
"Hide yourself away from the rest of the world, keep your emotions hidden, never let anyone know who you truly are?"
Ianto was a little taken aback by this question, stunned by how much the other man seemed to have picked up about him, that he seemed to have looked right into him in a way that he tried so desperately to prevent people from doing usually. "What do you, I mean how…?"
"I may have been speaking with Tosh" Jack admitted with a wry smile, "But I could have noticed it for myself if I had wanted to" He finished in a matter of fact manner, beaming away.
"Oh really?" Ianto replied somewhat seductively, even if he didn't mean it that way, with one eye brow irked upwards.
Jack paused for a minute or more, thinking intently before all of a sudden his eyes took on a wicked gleam before asking: "Have you ever kissed a man, Jones Ianto Jones?"
Ianto spluttered and turned really rather pink just then, "Uh- umm – uh no".
Jack's expression took on an even more devilish quality, and Ianto suddenly noticed that they were moving very close together now. "Do you want to?" Jack asked, his voice filled with hope and lust and excitement.
"That would depend on the man" Ianto replied, almost breathless, knowing that he should have just said no, that he meant no.
Before he had another second to reconsider exactly what that statement had meant, Ianto found his lips gently crushed by those of the man stood before him, and he was kissing them back. He'd reacted almost instantly, instinctively one could say, allowing the other man's wandering tongue access to his curious mouth. They both lost themselves in that moment, losing track of time, of their surroundings, of themselves… until Ianto suddenly remembered that they were in a very public place. He pulled away, and was surprised to find that no one was even looking at them, caring about what had just gone on, it must just be a regular occurrence at Jack's parties he assumed.
Jack pulled back a little further and began chuckling slightly. "Did I tell you that you look hot in that suit" He said, stroking the front part of his jacket, Ianto found himself wondering just exactly where the hands would stop and surprised himself by being disappointed when they ended just above his belly button.
"You didn't" He smiled "Did I tell you that I love that coat?"
"You didn't, but I'm glad you do, I wear it almost every day"
"But I thought this was your costume?" Ianto frowned a little with confusion.
"It is, but it's also a regular in my wardrobe, which means I get to be Captain Jack 24/7" He winked and Ianto rolled his eyes. But found that he was really rather keen on the idea of a 24/7 Captain Harkness… if he was always like this… and such a good kisser…
Oh god! He thought. What had he just gotten himself into?