Title: Second Best
Author: datadoesntlie
Characters/Pairings: Jack, Ianto, Gwen, Eleven / Jack/Ianto, one-sided 11/Jack
Word count: 1157
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Uh, suggested sex at the beginning? No explicit spoilers, but takes places between season 2 and Children of Earth for Torchwood, and after series 5 for Doctor Who – but honestly that's just fluff at the end, doesn't matter much =P
Summary: Ianto knows that as soon as the Doctor wants him by his side, Jack will leave him in a heartbeat. So he prays that that day will never come.
Jack had Ianto pressed up naked against his desk when the familiar TARDIS sound went off in the lower area of the hub. They both froze at the same time, though for completely different reasons. Ianto waited with bated breath, wondering what Jack would do. Jack hesitated for a moment, but as soon as he heard the police box doors open and a voice yelling out "Hello?", he kissed Ianto, whispering "later", and immediately ran out of the room, barely even bothering to button up his shirt.
Ianto watched him go, disappointed, the moment completely lost. It's not like he didn't expect it though. The Doctor showing up was a rare event and usually meant some sort of crisis, in which case Jack wanted to help as fast as he could. Or something like that. He sighed, pulling back on his clothes, readying himself to go down and face the one person he never wanted to see.
When the Doctor was around, Ianto was the epitome of politeness. He brewed his best tea, cleaned the Hub so it would be spotless, went to the store and bought the Doctor's favorite snacks. While Jack and Gwen talked, Ianto played the perfect host, knowing exactly when he was needed and slipping away when he wasn't. Jack and the Doctor were so involved in the conversation that Gwen was the only one who noticed.
"I'm going to call Rhys and tell him I'm not going home, it's getting late." She announced, and when Jack waved her off, she went to find Ianto. He was in the kitchen, cleaning a surface that was already spotless, and she suspected he was just making work for himself to keep busy.
"Why don't you sit down and join us?"
Ianto shook his head. "They don't need me."
"You know the Doctor. I'm sure he'd love to talk to you."
"You know he really only wants Jack. You can sit there because you're good at intruding on other people's conversations. I'm not."
"It's not like he's going to steal Jack away from you." Ianto raised an eyebrow, and Gwen amended her statement. "Well, he could, but I don't think the Doctor's interested in Jack like that. And he has you."
"Only because he can't have him."
Gwen sighed impatiently. "Come on, just sit with us. Won't hurt. I don't think he's staying that long anyway." She pushed Ianto towards the door.
Ianto watched as Jack laughed at another of the Doctor's stories, sounding happier than he had ever been. Even Gwen contributed sometimes, but Ianto sat quietly, out of their way. Until the Doctor mentioned something about Weeping Angels, and uttered those horrible words he never wanted to hear: "Fancy a trip?"
Jack broke into a huge grin. "Yeah! I'm good with Weeping Angels. They can send me back in time all they want, I just come right back at them when I reach the present. Catches them off guard...I think. Hard to tell their reactions when they're frozen in stone though. When do we leave?"
"But we need you here at Torchwood." Ianto broke in. He looked back and forth between the Doctor and Jack. Gwen almost said something, but held back seeing Ianto's pained expression. Jack didn't seem to notice.
"The rift's been inactive for ages, we haven't really been doing much of anything you need me for."
"I need you here, Jack." His voice almost broke.
"Time travel, Ianto. We can travel for a year and it'll only be five minutes here." Jack smirked at the TARDIS.
"That's not the point!" Ianto cried. "Are you so willing to drop everything here for a year with him? Do you even miss us when you go?"
"Hey, hey, of course I miss you!" Jack knelt down and gripped Ianto's shoulders. "Last time when I was on the Valiant, there wasn't a day that went by where I didn't think of you, and Gwen and Tosh and Owen, praying that you all were safe and the Master hadn't done anything. I wanted so badly to go back and see you. What brought this on?"
"Oh, don't be stupid." Gwen rolled her eyes. "You're jumping at the chance to leave Torchwood with another man. Obviously he's feeling insecure."
"But it's the Doctor." Jack raised an eyebrow as if this explained everything.
"Yeah, and with the way you idolize him and go on and on about how wonderful and amazing he is, I'd feel second best too!" Gwen threw up her hands, exasperated.
"Please stay, Jack." Ianto said softly. Jack considered this a moment, looking back and forth from Ianto to the Doctor.
"Come with us?" He suggested suddenly.
"What?"
"Come on, Ianto. Come with me. See the world, see other worlds, other times. It's amazing, and I want to show it to you." He grinned wildly, looking back at the Doctor. "It's okay, right?"
"Well..." The Doctor pretended to think, scratching his head. "I suppose if he can make himself useful, it's fine."
"Hey, at the very least, he can make you some real coffee, not that bullshit the TARDIS makes. As sexy as she is, that instant machine? Bleh." Jack made a face.
"I like that coffee! It's just...different." The Doctor looked offended for a moment, and then they both broke into laughter. Ianto didn't follow, still fixated on what Jack had said.
"But...what about Gwen? And Torchwood?" He looked over to Gwen, who shook her head and motioned at them.
"You boys go ahead, I can take care of myself. And anyway, you said you can be back in five minutes. I'm holding you to that." She grinned.
"Alright, what are we waiting for?" The Doctor cheered. "New adventures! Planets, aliens, explosions, running, where do we start? Actually, I suppose I should go back and pick up Amelia and Rory first..."
"Rory? You're keeping guys now too?" Jack elbowed the Doctor playfully.
"It's not like he's the first, I had you around." The Doctor rolled his eyes.
"Is he hot?"
"He's Amy's husband." The last word was emphasized.
"That doesn't answer my question."
It was the Doctor's turn to elbow Jack. "You'll meet them in a bit, I always forget who you've met and who you haven't..."
As the three men entered the TARDIS, Ianto watched the two of them joking around like old friends. Maybe this was a bad idea. If he had let them go, Jack could be back in five minutes, pretending nothing had ever happened like usual. This way he had to experience the whole thing, watching Jack flirt, watching the way he adored the Time Lord, wishing he could be in his place. But when Jack sidled over, pointing towards the Doctor's wardrobe room saying "I bet you'd look gorgeous in some of those suits", kissed him, and then murmured "thanks" quietly against his lips, Ianto thought that second best might not be so bad after all.