28:30

Jack sat in his office, fingers steepled before him as he pondered Ianto's words—though not the words he should have been pondering, the unsettling observation about a second glove. No, instead he was thinking about the man's initial comment during their brief exchange in the morgue over Suzie.

"If you're interested, I've still got that stopwatch...lots of things you can do with a stopwatch."

What the hell did that mean?

He had been getting on well with Ianto recently, all things considered. Yes, it had been difficult moving past Ianto's betrayal with the Cyberman, but since the man's suspension and return to the Hub, their working relationship had slowly but surely started to settle into something resembling what it had been. Ianto was still distant and obviously grieving, and Jack could sense the man's deep sense of guilt, but he also saw a relief in Ianto that hadn't been there before. A release, perhaps, from the terrible burden of keeping his secret for so long.

Gradually Ianto had started returning Jack's quips with a witty banter of his own. Jack thought once in a while Ianto might have even returned his flirting, but he tried not to read anything into it, knowing that was certainly a slippery slope to contemplate, especially with an attractive coworker. Jack flirted innocently with most people; it was simply more fun when they returned it, not something to be concerned about.

The stopwatch, though…well, he wasn't concerned. Surprised, yes. Curious, certainly. Confused…a bit. He'd have to tread carefully, because frankly he did not want to damage the fragile relationship they'd rebuilt over the months since Lisa had been killed. Ianto Jones was a good man, and Jack didn't want to lose him now.

So when Ianto showed up in the office ten minutes later, Jack let him take the lead. Ianto appeared both nervous and confident at the same time, a fascinating combination of strong words but slightly uncertain body language that Jack suddenly found inexplicably charming. This man was full of secrets and surprises, and Jack had not worked with someone like that for a long time. It could be interesting.

"Ten minutes precisely," said Jack, lounging back in his chair with his arms crossed over his chest. "So what exactly did you have in mind for that stopwatch?"

Ianto offered a sly smile and motioned toward the chair in front of the desk. Jack nodded, and Ianto sat down, unbuttoning his jacket and loosening his tie a bit. Jack found it fascinating to watch, as the smallest break appeared in the unflappable exterior that was Ianto Jones. He tried not to stare, so instead jumped up and offered a drink.

"Thank you, sir," Ianto replied as Jack handed him a tumbler of whiskey. He took a slow sip, but did not say anything more.

Jack returned to his seat and studied the young man before him. "So this list…?" he offered, more and more curious. "What's on it?"

"Well, I certainly don't want to be timing dead people coming back to life anymore," Ianto replied, looking Jack in the eye. Jack nodded slowly, uncertain of where Ianto was going with it now.

"Me neither," he agreed. He hoped to hell Ianto was wrong about gloves coming in pairs; he couldn't imagine any reason they would ever need a second one, knowing what the first had done to two of their own people.

"To Suzie," Ianto offered, raising his glass, and Jack raised his as well, thinking not of the dark, twisted woman he had shot on the pier, but instead of the bright, vibrant woman he had recruited to Torchwood years ago.

"Are you all right, sir?" asked Ianto, setting down his glass and leaning forward to get Jack's attention. Jack glanced up, unaware he had been gazing off, and nodded.

"Call me Jack," he said, though he'd been reminding Ianto for weeks to use his first name more often, more casually. The formality of 'sir' created a distance Jack didn't want between them now, not if he was going to make sure he kept a better eye on his people. "This isn't on the clock, you know. And yes, I'm fine. I could use certainly use a distraction, though."

Ianto nodded as he reached into his jacket pocket. "I thought you might." Jack had no idea what he might be pulling out, but he did not expect a pack of playing cards. "Fancy a game of poker, then?"

"Cards?" Jack repeated. "You want to play cards?" Ianto nodded casually in reply as he started to shuffle the deck. "What does that have to do with your stopwatch?"

Ianto shrugged, but there was a deliberate set to his shoulders that was trying to convey innocence and failing. "We'll time how long it takes."

"How long what takes?" asked Jack, narrowing his eyes but grinning as all sorts of ideas began to come to mind.

"How long it takes you to lose." Ianto actually offered a rare grin in return.

Oh, he was bold. They'd just lost a member of their team for the second time and here was Ianto Jones trying to distract him with gambling. Though it seemed slightly wrong, Jack leaned forward with interest. "Lose what?" he asked. "Clothing?"

Ianto ignored the second question and answered the first. "50 quid?" he proposed.

"Deal." Jack was fascinated once more. It was not what he had expected at all, but then, he had tried not to form any expectations from Ianto's strange proposition in the morgue. Well, no, that wasn't true: he had naturally assumed it would involve something a bit more intimate than cards, but then again, he had no reason to assume anything like that, aside from Ianto returning the occasional bit of flirting. Yet cards didn't seem much in character either, until Jack realized just how many things he probably didn't know about Ianto Jones.

Glancing up into Ianto's face, blue eyes steady, lips curling into the faintest smile, it suddenly occurred to Jack that he may have met his match in secrets and games.

Which was why he was not that surprised when Ianto cleaned him out in twenty-eight minutes and thirty seconds.

He was, however, slightly disappointed when Ianto set down his empty glass and stood to leave with his winnings. It had been a short, brutal game, but it had been…well, enjoyable at the same time. A welcome distraction, an unexpected connection over drinks and cards. Jack almost wished it had lasted longer; instead, he decided maybe they should try it again.

"Same time tomorrow?" Jack asked lightly as he walked with Ianto to the door.

Ianto cocked his head to the side as if thinking. He held up his winnings. "I'll spring for eggrolls, sir," he replied. "Good night, Jack."

"Good night, Ianto."

Jack laughed to himself as Ianto left the Hub for the night. He was already looking forward to it, although the next time they would try something from his list.

Author's Note:

My first TW story led up to the stopwatch, but this one starts there. Completely different premise, though—but another look at how it might have started. I am rather fascinated by that single moment and how it could be interpreted. And at the moment, I am enjoying the challenge of those comments not implying anything smutty. Wish me luck with that. ;)