It wasn't exactly the first time Ianto found himself in the hub late at night, hours after he should have been home. He had learned a few tricks about stay unnoticed while everyone else was getting out. He was good at being unnoticed.

It was a thing that just started happening a few months before. Being home alone made him feel lonely and empty. He couldn't sleep and ended up pacing around the room or staring at the walls, so he preferred to stay at the office long hours, immersing himself in his pretty unimportant job as a "tea boy", like Owen liked to call him. He liked to think of himself more like an...organizer. Anyway, work kept his mind away from the pain and loneliness.

Often Jack would wake up from one of his frequent nightmares and he would find Ianto there, busy doing some cleaning or reorganizing around the office. Ianto would make tea or coffee for the both of them and they would just talk. A lot. They mostly talked about their job, but not exclusively. They shared stories about the wonderful things they had seen, and Ianto could listen to Jack's incredible adventures for hours, even if he was never sure if they were all true. They ended up becoming very good friends.

Jack discovered that the first impression he had had of Ianto was actually pretty accurate. He was smart and funny and he could be adorably shy at times. And he was also deeply hurt, just like him. Soon Jack found himself looking forward to these little night chats.

On that particular night Jack was sitting on his office's floor, back pressed against his desk, eyes fixed on the wall, when Ianto walked in and sat next to him, in the same position.

"Are you alright, sir? This is a very peculiar place to sit."

Jack turned his head toward him. He was really good looking, with those big eyes that seems to have an infinite amount of shades that made them look so alive...and those red lips, obviously. Then again, not sleeping with someone who worked for him was a rule Jack was trying pretty hard to impose to himself. Experience told him it was not a good idea to mix these two things up.

"I'm fine. Sometimes sitting on the floor helps me clear my head. Also, it does miracles for my lower back muscles. I need to take care of them, you know?"

"Well, I wouldn't. I am not exactly the exercising type, sir."

Ianto smiled and noticed that since leaving Torchwood One, since what had happened to Lisa, the only time he did that was when Jack was near.

"Well, looking at you, one really couldn't say. You have a fine body".

Jack's eyes scanned him from head to toe, instantly realizing that his self made rule was gonna be broken pretty soon. He just couldn't resist any longer. There was something about Ianto that just kind of pulled him in, that made him want to just touch him.

Ianto changed the subject pretty fast. He had no idea how to respond to that.

"Do you want some coffee?"

"You really shouldn't be here so late."

Jack said this to Ianto every single time, but it was obvious he didn't mean it. He was thankful Ianto was there with him. He couldn't bear being alone on nights like these.

Ianto wanted to be there just as much. He started staying late at night more often than usual, out of hope of sharing some time alone with Jack. He ended up looking forward to these moments for the whole day, getting impatient about how slowly time was actually going. I mean, he loved to hang out with the team. He was starting to know them all a bit better and they were actually really nice, funny people. He liked them. Well...maybe not Owen. Still, he definitely preferred being alone with Jack.

He wasn't really sure how to explain this feeling to himself. He was scared to admit he was falling for him. He said to himself that him and Jack were just friends. That it made sense for them to spend time together, especially since they were both so lonely. But that didn't exactly explain his anxiety, or the many times Ianto had thought about kissing him, or that one time he almost had, way back when they had basically just met. Honestly, since the first time he saw him something just...happened to him. He knew he was never gonna forget that night, and not only cause he almost got killed by a Weevil.

"So, why are you still here so late again?" Ianto was taken back from his memories by the actual real Jack being very close to him.

"Well, I had to file the records for today's rift activity. If you guys always leave the documents laying around like that you are gonna end up losing something important and cause a real mess. You are protecting the earth. You should really be more carefull."

"Well, thank you for preventing us from putting the world in danger with our bad habits. Also, you can say 'we'. You are a part of this team too, you know?"

Ianto wasn't that sure: "I am just the butler."

"No, you are not. You are much more than that."

They were looking at each other, and they were both smiling and keeping eye contact for a slightly longer time than friends usually do.

"You know, you should smile more often, Ianto. You have a beautiful smile."

Ianto felt like a wave of heat burning up his whole face and he immediately looked away.

"Well...thanks...thank you, sir."

Jack noticed that he was all flushed and cute. So very cute.

They remained silent, Ianto looking at his hands, Jack trying to find something to say to him. For someone who had hundreds of lovers, Jack could still be awkward at this all first move thing.

"I didn't mean to embarrass you. I'm sorry."

"No, it's ok...I'm just...I'm not sure what..." Ianto felt like a 15 years old all over again. Sweaty palms, fast beating heart, nervous stuttering...for God's sake, he was a grown man! He knew Jack liked to flirt with literally everybody, and he had flirted with him too at times, but he could see that something was different this time. Jack was looking at him with a strange look that was making is stomach twist. He did not look like someone joking around. He looked like he had something pretty serious in mind.

Jack sensed Ianto's embarrassment and confusion and figured he might as well just be direct. Ianto wasn't the sharpest when it came to romance, apparently.

"Ianto, you don't need to look so confused. I am just trying to flirt with you, and you are not making that easy for me." Jack let go of a pretty nervous laugh, then looked Ianto straight in the eyes. "You know as well as me that there is something here. Between us. You have known it since the night we met. So I am kinda tired of pretending. I want you, Ianto Jones."

These last words completely paralyzed Ianto. He wasn't able to speak. He felt like his brain was melting down. All he could do was stare at this incredibly hot man who was basically eating him with his eyes.

"What...I mean...I am just..."

Jack put an hand on Ianto's face, and that simple gesture immediately stopped that nonsensical rambling. He moved closer to him and whispered only an inch from his lips:

"Let me make this more clear."

And then he just softly kissed him, gently, tenderly, almost afraid to scare him off.

Ianto was so surprised he didn't even managed to close his eyes. It was like electricity was going through his whole body. It was so different from everything he had experienced before. It was good. It was exciting. And it was over way too soon.

Jack pulled back, still keeping his hand on Ianto's cheek, smiling. He tried to look casual and sure of himself, but he was actually pretty nervous too. He really wanted Ianto. And he wanted him as soon as possible.

"So...interested?"

And that was the moment when Ianto finally just let go. He abandoned his fears, he pulled down his walls, he completely surrendered to Jack. This time there was no awkwardness, no hiding, no pretending. He wanted Jack. It was as simple as that. It had always been. So he just pushed his lips against Jack's lips, almost aggressively, hungrily.

This kiss was different from the first one. It was passionate, rushed, messy, perfect. Before Ianto could even register what was happening, clothes were being threw around the office in a hurry and they were just starting to discover each other's bodies for the first time.

A while later, they were just lying on their backs, on the floor, silent, just catching their breathes, skin against skin. Ianto had his head on Jack's shoulder, while Jack's arm surrounded him. He pulled his head up a little to look at Jack. He was so beautiful. The eyes, the jaw line, the hair...he looked absolutely perfect. He was suddenly filled with a feeling he had forgotten: peace. He felt perfectly at peace in Jack arms. He felt good for the first time in a really really long time.

"What?" Jack asked, noticing Ianto was staring at him.

"Just...thank you." It was the only way Ianto knew how to express all the feeling he was experiencing.

Jack didn't really get the deeper meaning of Ianto's words and he just chuckled and kissed him on the head.

"Oh, you are quite welcome. Actually, you did a pretty good job. I was...impressed. I am thinking about employing your services more often in the future."

Ianto blushed a little but smiled back at him. He was done being embarrassed. "I am glad I was up to the test, sir."

"You most definitely were."

"It was a pleasure. Quite literally."

Jack laughed and Ianto felt it all over his own body. It was such a beautiful feeling. He placed himself on top of Jack, in the exact same way as the night he got the job. This time, he just kissed him.

This kiss was yet again a different one, a new one. It was more patient, more comfortable, deeper. It tasted like beginnings.