All Right
They literally stumbled down Park Road toward the quieter neighborhood where Ianto lived, laughing and bumping into one another as they walked. When Ianto threw out his arm to point toward his street, he almost flung it into the Jack's face, which initiated another round of unmanly giggles that had Jack clutching Ianto's arm to remain standing. He'd never seen Ianto so relaxed, carefree, and…well, drunk. It was both gorgeous and hilarious, particularly as he was exceptionally inebriated himself, something he rarely indulged in these days.
It had been an unusual night. What had started out as a standard run out to Radyr to check out a large Rift spike had ended up as a long night of drinking with two Allurians from the 26th century, vacationing in the UK on some sort of eclectic culinary tour. They'd come to Wales to visit castles and breweries before heading to Scotland to visit scotch distilleries and Loch Ness. After ascertaining that the pair were harmless, Jack had sent the team home. Ianto, however, had already sat down with the Allurians and was going over the draught list of the Holy Monk in detail.
After several pints at the pub, the Allurians invited them back to their ship—cloaked in the park like something out of an eighties sci-fi film. Though Jack was worried it might prove to be a bad idea, he also believed their new friends were trustworthy, and knew Ianto would love it; Allurian ale was some of the best in the galaxy. Jack enjoyed several glasses himself, taking the opportunity to talk with someone from off-planet, as well as relishing the chance to spend time with Ianto.
It hadn't been easy since Jack had returned. Although he'd asked Ianto on a date, it had been a bit of a disaster: awkward and uncomfortable, with none of the easy camaraderie from before Jack had run off. Ianto said he'd forgiven Jack, but at the same time, the hurt and anger that had festered during the months Jack had been gone—complicated by everything that had happened in 1941, with Owen, and the Rift—had been difficult to move past, at least to the point of resuming their personal relationship. Work was fine, but Jack wanted more.
He didn't push it though, letting things progress naturally, though at times he felt like they were hardly progressing at all. Trust was slowly regained, and they were even starting to flirt more. The unexpected opportunity to spend some quality time with Ianto only reminded him of how much he'd missed being with the Welshman.
Now, however, he was thinking about how he was going to get back to the Hub in one piece. At least he wouldn't have a hangover in the morning, although that was down to the nature of Allurian ale and its effect on humans more than his unique healing ability. When Ianto started worrying about the next morning as well, Jack threw an arm around his shoulder to reassure him he would be all right. He was relieved when Ianto didn't pull away.
It was a crack in the pavement that sent Ianto stumbling, Jack grabbing wildly for him and failing. Equilibrium already turned upside down by the ale, they both tumbled to the front lawn of the building next to Ianto's. Ianto fell with a groan that quickly turned into uncontrollable laughing when Jack landed awkwardly on top of Ianto—and didn't that bring back memories of a rainy night and a dark warehouse. He was unable to resist joining in when he felt quick the rise and fall of the other man's belly as he laughed so freely.
And then through the laughter Jack started to become aware of what was actually happening: he was lying on top of Ianto on the grass, their bodies pressed together on a warm summer evening, and though Jack knew exactly what it was doing to his body, he was slightly surprised to find Ianto in a similar state. He took a deep breath and tried to still his racing heart. It was nothing, not anymore, just two coworkers who'd had a good time, tripping over one another after a night of drinking ale with aliens.
When Jack chanced a glance down into Ianto's face, he was surprised to find the other man looking at him with wide eyes, his face a study in so many emotions that for a moment Jack wondered where the real Ianto Jones was and who was actually trapped beneath him, mask-less and revealed. He was certain he saw desire in Ianto's eyes, but also fear and confusion, and perhaps even sadness. Jack imagined many of those same feelings were probably mirrored in his own face. They both seemed suddenly much more sober.
A hand came up and started stroking his back, fingers trailing up and down his spine, leaving sparks of heat in their wake. It was all he could do to not groan out loud; he certainly couldn't control the twitch in his groin, and was fairly certain Ianto felt it because the barest hint of a smile graced his lips as he glanced at Jack's mouth. Jack couldn't help but run his tongue over his dry lips, wetting them in anticipation and hope. Ianto's eyes narrowed before he glanced up to meet Jack's direct gaze.
And then, as if by unspoken agreement, they moved as one: Ianto raised himself up to meet Jack as he lowered his head, and their lips crashed together with whispered groans set against the background of teeth clacking together, tongues exploring with abandon, soft breaths and softer moans.
It was Ianto who sucked in a deep breath and pulled away first, letting his head fall to the grass. Jack followed him, trailing kisses along Ianto's neck that had the man writhing beneath him.
"Christ, Jack," Ianto groaned, hands resting loosely on Jack's hips. Jack found himself leaning on his hands over Ianto, panting as he desperately tried to get back to what he was doing.
"We're on the street," Ianto murmured, but his protest was arbitrary, because when Jack ground his hips down, Ianto wrapped his hands around Jack's arse and held him there, fingers massaging strong muscles as his hips moved against Jack.
"No, we're on the grass," Jack whispered, leaning down to nuzzle at Ianto's neck, right at the patch of skin above his shirt. He licked and sucked and even nipped lightly at Ianto's throat and collarbone, too far gone to care whether they were on the street or the grass or the middle of the Plass. Not so sober, then.
"There's a stick in my—" Ianto started, and Jack reached down to palm Ianto's erection, reveling in the short gasp of surprise he elicited as he pressed his own hardness against Ianto's thigh.
"That's me," he whispered, and Ianto groaned, his hands now running up Jack's back to tangle in the hair at the back of his neck.
"Prove it," he murmured, letting his eyes drift closed and pulling Jack down toward him. Jack groaned as Ianto plundered his mouth, his tongue moving ruthlessly along Jack's teeth, exploring, tasting, devouring. It was better than he remembered, and he spoke without thinking.
"I missed this," he murmured.
"There are other lips out there," Ianto returned. Jack stopped and shook his head, smiling through his drunken haze, moved to honesty as much by the Allurian ale as his desire to have this back.
"I missed yours," he said. "I missed you."
Ianto snorted inelegantly, though whether it was from alcohol or skepticism, Jack wasn't quite sure. So he kissed him again, and again, and tried to prove what he'd said in the way he knew best. "I do live nearby, you know," Ianto managed to gasp.
"Right next door, if I remember correctly," Jack returned, then understood the implication: there was no reason to rut on the neighbor's lawn if a ready bed was mere steps away. And if they didn't make it to the bed, there was always the sofa. Or the floor, or the table, or the shower…assuming Ianto was inviting him over. Inside. To bed.
Sitting back on his heels, Jack ducked his head, ran a hand through his hair, and grinned, trying to hide a rare case of nerves. He stood, offering his hand to Ianto, who took it and hauled himself up, but didn't let go of Jack's hand. Squeezing tight, Ianto pulled them quickly across the lawn toward his building.
They fell into the entryway, slamming the door shut behind them before turning toward one another, lips meeting once more in a frenzied kiss. Standing was much better than lying in the damp grass, and Jack let his hands roam up and down Ianto's body, from his face and across his chest, down his back and between strong legs. Ianto's fingers trailed heat as they traced patterns over Jack with equal abandon, until he came to the bottom of Jack's shirt, yanked it from his trousers, and let his hands roam upwards along bare skin. They both groaned this time.
"Upstairs?" Ianto breathed into Jack's mouth. Jack could hardly think straight, let alone form words. He answered quickly and succinctly.
"God yes. Second floor, right?" Leaning back in, he sucked Ianto's lip into his mouth and tongued his top teeth. He was fairly certain he felt Ianto's knees actually shake, before he pulled off with a pop, grabbed Jack's hand again, and sprinted up the stairs. Jack suddenly felt like a teenager and not a centuries-old time-traveling immortal. He felt more excited, more content, and more alive than he had for years. This was what he wanted, what he had come back for, what he had been waiting so many long weeks for.
They tumbled into Ianto's flat, Jack somehow managing to stop and ask Ianto if he was sure, to which Ianto told him to shut the hell up and get inside. They took no time to pull off shirts, then shoes and socks, then trousers. The lights remained dark as Ianto pushed him toward the sofa and began kissing him once more. Jack could have happily kissed him all night, but then he also knew how good it could be otherwise.
Which was when he realized what day it was and flipped them over, so that Ianto was laying down and Jack was hovering over him once more.
"Happy birthday," he whispered as he placed a love bite behind Ianto's ear, then began to move lower.
"It's not my birthday," Ianto replied, somewhat breathless.
"It's after midnight," Jack said. "So it is now."
"Oh," said Ianto. "Birthday sex. Brilliant."
"Is that where this is going?" Jack teased from where he was running his tongue over and around Ianto's nipples. Ianto growled and pulled him into a bruising kiss.
"It had better be going that way!" He began pushing down Jack's pants, fingers moving along his arse and over his thighs. "Although a night off would be nice, too."
Jack grinned against Ianto's lips. "Done. As long as you go out with me."
Ianto's hands stopped and he pulled his head back. Jack pushed on.
"It's your birthday. Let me take you out. Dinner and movie."
Ianto was silent.
"I meant what I said," Jack continued, hoping against hope that Ianto wasn't going to say no, or even worse, throw him out when things had gone so far already. "I missed you. I want you, and not just like this. I want to take you out."
Ianto took a deep breath. There was a long moment of silence where Jack's heart skipped wildly in his chest. Then a nod, a smile, an answer.
"All right," Ianto said.
Jack grinned. "Really?"
"Really," said Ianto, his own smile growing. "I suppose I missed you too."
Jack kissed him, pressing his body against Ianto, feeling as giddy as a young boy going on his first date. Ianto's hips ground against him, and he groaned. "And I definitely missed this," Ianto murmured.
"That's because we're so good at this," Jack replied, and Ianto moaned some sort of agreement. They kissed and touched, the pace less frantic now. Jack couldn't help but start talking again as he moved his lips over every part of Ianto's body that he could.
"I got you a present, too," he said. "I hope you like it."
"Depends on what it is," Ianto replied. "Although the fact that you even remembered is certainly earning you bonus points."
"Ooh, I like the sound of bonus points," Jack laughed. "Well, you'll have to wait until dinner. I'll make reservations at Park House, okay? Say seven o'clock?"
"Rift willing," Ianto replied.
"No, the others can cover for us," said Jack. That stopped Ianto, who raised an eyebrow and stared at him in surprise. "Okay, baring the end of the world, of course. But you deserve the entire night off for your birthday."
"Which means you get the night off too, apparently," Ianto pointed out.
"If I'm the one taking you out, then yes, I do," Jack returned. "We both deserve the night off. Together."
"Together," Ianto echoed. "Huh. That's new."
"New and exciting," Jack said. "I hope."
"I'm looking forward to it," Ianto replied. He pulled Jack in for a languid but passionate kiss. "Although I'm looking forward to something else at the moment, so less chatter, perhaps?"
"All right," Jack replied with a grin and a growl as he resumed his downward journey, returning first to Ianto's nipples and then his stomach and inner thighs. Ianto's hands roamed through his hair, grabbing tight when Jack finally reached his destination and took Ianto fully in his mouth. It had been a long time for Jack, and he fully intended to make up for lost time, starting with amazing birthday sex and finishing with a romantic date.
It occurred to him that it should probably be the other way around—a date, then sex—but then again, he and Ianto had never done things the traditional way. Which was one of many things that Jack treasured about the Welshman, along with his intelligence, his humor, and his loyalty. And his fiercely passionate nature, hidden underneath brilliant suits and behind mouthwatering cups of coffee.
As he brought Ianto to what certainly sounded like an enjoyable climax, Jack decided that he was definitely going to make the most of all the time he had with Ianto. What better way to begin than on Ianto's birthday, celebrating together, and hopefully for many more years to come.
Author's Note:
I wrote this last year and shared it on Tumblr, so if it looks familiar that is why! Someday I may stop writing birthday stories for fictional characters, but today is not that day. Thank you for reading!