On A Day Like Today

Jack wasn't quite sure where Ianto was. He said that he had a few errands to run, but that was over three hours ago. Jack was beginning to worry. He dialled Ianto's mobile number.

Ianto was at his flat, asleep on the couch. All errands forgotten. Torchwood doesn't really do 9 to 5, and Ianto was exhausted after working for the last 34 hours straight.. His phone woke him up. "Hello?"

"Ianto? Where are you? I was worried sick!" Jack closed his eyes and sighed. "I need you back here."

"I'm at my flat, sorry. I'll be there as soon as I can." Ianto put his jacket back on and fixed his hair. Then he headed out to his car and the Bay.

Owen walked into Jack's office. "Where was Tea Boy, then?""His flat," Jack said, frowning."What's he doing there?"Jack shrugged."Okay, the autopsy is finished. Ianto can take it to the vault when he's ready.""Thanks, I'll tell him."A few minutes later, Ianto walked through the cog door and into the main Hub area.

Ianto nodded to Owen as he walked to the stairs leading to Jack's office. Knocking on the door, he entered. "Sorry, I was really tired. I just wanted to sleep for an hour, but time got away from me."

Jack smiled. "I know. We've all been working a lot of extra hours. Owen would like you to take the body down to the vault, I'll talk to you when you get back." Jack went back to doing his paperwork.

"Yeah, it been busy." Ianto smiled weakly. "I'll get right on to it, sir." Ianto took the body down to the vault and write out the report. Twenty minutes later, he got back up to Jack's office. "All done, sir."

Jack put his pen down but didn't look up at the younger man. "Sit down, Ianto."Ianto sat opposite the older sighed, lacing his fingers behind his head. "How are you, Ianto? I know I haven't taken the time to ask you before...not since...you know. But, I was wondering how you're settling in now." He waited for a reply.

Ianto had noticed that ever since he'd joined Torchwood, he wasn't part of the team. Just there to help in general. No one ever asked him how he was. "I'm okay, sir," he said nervously.

Jack tried to stare him down. "Are you sure? I noticed you've been spending more and more time here. You're the first one here in the morning, and the last one here at night. You have no life, Ianto." Jack stood up. "I think you need a break. How about a weekend off?"

"Sir, I really don't want that. I like working and the work I do is necessary."

Jack moved to stand in front of Ianto. "I know that. It's just...you work so hard. I just thought, a few days off to unwind. Think about it, okay?"

"I said no, sir. I don't want time off." Ianto stormed out of the office, going down to his desk in the archives. Sitting on the floor in the corner, Ianto drew his knees up and put his head in my hands. "Why won't you listen to me?" he said between sobs. "I want to be near you."

Jack could only watch as Ianto stormed out of the office and down to the archives. His haven. Sighing, Jack knew that the young Welshman could spend the rest of the day down there, if left to his own devises. He had to intervene...soon.

Ianto stayed sitting on the floor for another hour, before he got a bottle of whisky out of the filing cabinet and had a glass full. He hated himself for drinking. Knew what it did to him, but he didn't care.

Jack left it for just over an hour and a half before going down to speak with Ianto. He wasn't prepared for what he saw. Moving to Ianto's side, he took the bottle and glass away from him. "Ianto, this isn't going to help."

Ianto looks up and Jack, his cheeks tear stained.

"This won't help," said Jack, pouring the whisky into the small sink. "Talk to me. Ianto, please." He closed his eyes and sighed aloud. "I can't help you if I don't know what's wrong."

Ianto shook his head, looking up at Jack. "Why does everyone care about me all of a sudden?"

"I have always cared about you. If I didn't, I'd have shot you along with Lisa." Jack knelt beside Ianto, putting his arm around his shoulder. "Come upstairs with me. We can talk about what's troubling you."

Ianto shook his head again. "Nothing is troubling me, sir." He lean in and kissed Jack.

Jack was caught off guard, but didn't pull back. Those lips were so soft on his and so sweet. Then he pulled back. "Whoa! What's goin' on here. Ianto?"

"Sorry I thought... I feel you kiss back." Ianto run out of the archives, through the Hub and out through the tourist office. .Jack found him sitting on the bench looking out over the Bay.

"I'm sorry. You're right, I did kiss you back. I have...these feelings for you, and I don't know if you feel the same about me. I hoped you did." Jack sat beside the younger man. "Ever since that first night, I have loved you, but I had to keep it hidden. You were straight, I knew that. After Lisa...I thought, well, I might have a chance. But you've been distant." Jack turned to face Ianto. "I want us to be together, but I need to know what's on your mind. Do you love me at all?"

"The first time I set eyes on you, I started to doubt myself. It's not men, its just you. Lisa, yeah I loved her, but we couldn't have lived a normal life. Neither can we really," Ianto laughed. "But yes, I do love you. I never knew you felt this way towards me. You flirt with anyone."

Jack laughed. "Yeah, but that's just me. I'm a flirting kinda guy. But I do love you, make no mistake about that. I want us to try...to be together." Jack stood, bringing Ianto with him. "What do you say?"

Ianto smiled, stretching out his hand to touch Jack's face. "That's what I want, too."

Jack smiled, taking Ianto's hand in both of his. "Good. Maybe we could go out tonight. Dinner, a few drinks. What do you say? Like a date. Yeah, a first date. We can get to know each other better. I'd like that."

"I'd like that….Jack. I haven't been on a date since….Lisa."

Jack looked away for a moment and then back at Ianto. "I'm sorry." He smiled. "We can go into town, there's a nice French restaurant near the monument. It opened last week. Or, you can choose somewhere."

"No. That sounds great, Jack." Ianto leaned forward and their lips met. "Thank you."

Jack ran a finger along Ianto's jaw line. "You are so beautiful, and you don't see it." He kissed the young man back. "I have wanted this for so long, I can't quite believe it's really happening."

"I….felt something that first night, but I wasn't sure what it meant. I wanted to kiss you." Ianto looked away for a second and then back at Jack. "I guess I fell in love with you that night, but I felt like I was betraying Lisa. I loved her, and I wanted to heal her. Torchwood Three was my last hope. But I failed. I betrayed you. Betrayed Torchwood."

"You loved Lisa, and did everything you could to heal her. What you did was out of love. You didn't really betray me. I wanted to kiss you that night. I felt something...I know you did too. That's partly why I hired you, but I couldn't follow through on it. Not then."

"Jack, I'm sorry I hit you and called you a monster. I was messed up that day and then there was the Brecon incident. I really freaked me out." He looked deep into Jack's eyes. "I love you and I guess I always have. I just never knew it, until now."

We have a lifetime ahead of us. I want to spend it with you, Yan. I want to know everything about you. Not just what's in your file, but what makes you tick. What you like. What you dislike. Everything."

"Well that goes for you, too. I need you to open up to me, Jack. I don't want to be left in the dark about you. Just what your comfortable about telling me."

"There is a lot I can't tell you, but I'm sure, over a few drinks and a few dinners, I can tell you a bit about myself." He smiled. "It's good to see you smile. It's been too long." Jack looked away. "Maybe we ought to go up to my office. It's getting kinda cold down here." Jack held out his hand.

Ianto accepted the hand that Jack now held out to him and stood up. "Yeah, it is."

Jack lead Ianto back up into the main Hub. Owen looked up as he saw them approaching, a smile spread across his face. "Ain't been sleeping down there again, have you, Tea Boy?"Ianto didn't say anything and Jack just glared.

"Owen, what are you on about?" asked Ianto, innocently.

Gwen walked in and saw Ianto and Jack holding hands.

"Oh, shit! What are you two up to now then?" she smiled."Shaggin' I'll wager," said let go of Ianto's hand and stepped in front of him protectively. "Watch your mouth, Owen."

"Yeah, right," answered Owen.

Jack ignored him going straight up to his office with Ianto. "Don't take any notice of Owen. He likes to run his mouth."

"He's always making jokes at my expense, Jack. Why should he stop now?"

Jack sighed. "I'll talk to him. And Gwen. I don't know what else to do, Yan. If you want us to be together, we'll have to ride it out."

"I know that, Jack, but…." Ianto closed his eyes and sighed. "It makes it so much harder to deal with."

Jack moved closer, putting his arms around the younger mans waist, drawing him close. "Forget about them for now. We need to talk about us." Jack kissed Ianto's forehead. "I want you to stay here with me tonight."

Ianto puts him arms round Jack's neck. "I….eh….isn't it a bit too soon?" Ianto shrugged. "I don't know, Jack."

Jack chuckled to himself. "You'll be quite safe, I promise. I just want to hold you." They kissed.

Ianto looked at the hole in Jack's office floor that led down to his bunker.

"Let's just wait and see, shall we? It's early yet. Tell you what, I'll buy you lunch. How's that?"

"I'd like that," came the whispered reply.

"Okay, you go finish up typing those report that are in the tourist office and I'll organise lunch."

Ianto walked up to the tourist office with a huge grin on his face and began to type up reports.

I walk up to the tourist office with a huge grin on my face and type up reports

Ianto stayed in the tourist office. It was quiet in there and away from the other Torchwood members. He wasn't ready for questions about his private life….not yet.

Tosh followed Jack up to his office. "He's just worried for Ianto. He doesn't mean anything." She smiled."I know." Jack sat down. "I've had feeling for him from day one. I just...I don't know...""He loves you, too." Then Tosh left the office.

Ianto finished tying up the reports, switched off his computer and went back down into the Hub. Going to the kitchen first, he made a fresh pot of coffee, taking one up to Jack's office along with the reports for him to read through and sign.

Ianto waited for Jack to invite him in before setting foot inside the office. He smiled at the older man, placing the coffee in front of him and the reports to the left hand side. He then went to stand in front of the desk, waiting.

Jack first picked up the coffee cup and smelt it. "Mmm, delicious," then he read through the reports and signed them. He handed the first two back to Ianto. "These need to be filed in the archives," he pointed to the three still in his hand. "These need to be sent to UNIT." Picking up the coffee cut again, Jack lent back in his chair. "You can walk straight in you know. You don't need permission."

Ianto smiled and bowed his head. "I do try my best with the coffee, sir." He half turned. "I'll take these reports and them in the archives."

Jack nodded. He watched Ianto as he moved towards the door. "We on for dinner tonight? No strings attached."

Ianto turned and beamed at Jack. "But of course. Are….you paying?"

"I asked you. Of course I'm paying," said Jack, laughing. "I'll pick you up at 7pm."

"You're picking me up from my flat?"

The older man nodded. "You wanna go home first and change, don't you? Maybe freshen up. Unless you wanna go straight from here." Jack frowned.

"I'll go home first. Will it be formal or casual."

Jack thought for a moment. "Smart casual."

Ianto smiled, looking at his watch. It was almost 5pm. "Is it okay if I leave now then, Jack?"

"Yeah, you get off. I'll see you at 7pm." Jack watched as the younger man left and went through the cog was watching their every move. "First date, is it?"Jack nodded. "Of many, I hope."

Outside the tourist office, Ianto walked with a slight spring in his step to his car and drove to his flat. He showered, did his hair and chose his clothes carefully. He picked dark jeans with a red shirt slightly open at the top. To finish it off, he splashed on some cologne.

Jack knocked on Ianto's door dead on the dot of 7pm. Ianto was ready and waiting but he still invited Jack. "You look good," said Jack, looking Ianto over from top to toe.

"Did you want something to drink before we leave." Ianto looked Jack over.

"Do you like what you see, Ianto?" Jack smiled at the young Welshman.

Jack almost blushed. Almost. "No, I think we'll head right out, if that's okay with you."

"Okay. I'll just grab my coat."

Jack waited while Ianto went into the bedroom. He dropped his bag on the couch and wandered into the kitchen.

Ianto saw that Jack wasn't in the lounge and went into the kitchen. "Jack?"

"Never really been in here before, have I? Maybe I'll cook you up something one night."

"Great, sounds good to me. Why don't you take a look around."

Jack strolled around the kitchen and looked in the upper cupboards and the fridge. "You know how to eat."

"I try to eat well, I'll give you that," said Ianto, smiling.

Jack wondered out of the kitchen and into the bedroom. Ianto became nervous and tried to get Jack back into the lounge area. "Don't panic. You're safe with me." Jack smiled.

"I know I'm okay. I don't mind you looking around my flat." Ianto moved aside.

Jack stifled a laugh. "I'd rather look around you, but I expect it's too soon, huh?"

Ianto was a bit nervous and just smiled. "I don't know Jack."

"Hey, I was kidding, okay? Don't take everything I say so seriously."

"Sorry," Ianto laughed nervously. He couldn't hide the fact that he was getting aroused by Jack.

Jack noticed Ianto's predicament, but didn't say anything. He didn't want to embarrass him.

"I….think we should go out now," said Ianto, picking up his coat. "I'm getting hungry."

"Yeah," said Jack. "I noticed."

Ianto blushed. "Sorry."

"Don't be, it's natural." Jack kissed him on the forehead. "Let's go eat."

Ianto smiled.

After their meal, Jack took Ianto home and stayed for coffee. He didn't want to push Ianto into doing anything he might regret later. He wanted their relationship to be on Ianto's terms, so it would move slowly, or not at all.

But it was a day that Ianto Jones would not forget. Not for a long time.