Warnings: Definite AU and maybe OOC? Oh and ANGST
Disclaimer: I don't own TW. If I did...I wouldn't have to go to uni. Also, don't own Beyonce's Me, Myself and I
A/N: This is sort of a song fic. It's heavily based on the song and music video so I suppose not my original idea. Umm, I plan on doing a few more fics based on song lyrics to get out of my writer's block.
Unbeta'd: FORGIVE ME!
A/N2: I'm not happy with the syntax (as I never am) and I don't think I'm good with angst, so be kind! But I'm never going to get the guts to post it if I don't post it now so here you go!
A painful sob was fighting its way out of Ianto's throat but he tried to focus it into any form of anger. He walked into the kitchen where Jack was sat at the table. A huge grin appeared on his face when he noticed Ianto. It faltered slightly at Ianto's sombre expression. When Ianto lifted up the thong hidden behind his back, he fixed Jack with an accusing glare. The beginnings of a smirk started to form on Jack's face but was quickly replaced with a blank stare.
Ianto's glare turned into a frown as his heart broke for the one hundred and thirty-fifth time. This would be the last time Jack played around with him.
"Oh he's cute. His friend is too." Tosh told Ianto one night at a bar. She must of been on her third daiquiri and it was starting to show. The straw was still in her mouth when she told Ianto to look at two men near the bar. One had a long RAF coat and the other had a 18th century French military coat. Normally their attire would be out of place but it was Halloween so they were entitled to dressing up.
"I thought you wanted to find someone for me." Ianto stated, though truthfully he didn't care that Tosh had forgotten. He had just got out of three year relationship. It hurt like hell and he missed Lisa like mad but Tosh had told him tonight he needed to stop wallowing long enough to find a nice girl.
"You didn't like any of the ones I pointed out so it's my turn." She said, still ogling the two men. The one in the red coat noticed Tosh and winked before nudging his friend. Tosh quickly turned back to Ianto. Her cheeks were already red from the alcohol but now the rest of her face was turning the same hue. Another quick glance towards the bar showed Ianto that the two men were heading their way.
Great...
"Hey there little lady." The man in the red coat said to Tosh. He didn't wait for her mumbled response before sliding into the booth next to her. An arm found its way around her waist. Ianto's hand tightened around his pint, upset the stranger wasted no time in taking advantage of Tosh's missing inhibitions.
"I'm Captain Jack Harkness. Note the strips." The man in the blue coat said with a large smile as he pointed to his costume medals. Ianto noted that he looked like a toothpaste ad as the man sat next to him.
"Whatever, I'm Captain John Hart, note the sarcasm?" Mocked his friend while rolling his eyes.
"You're no fun." Jack pouted but quickly went back to his grin. He placed a hand on Ianto's knee much to the young man's displeasure.
"I don't think you'll be saying that later tonight huh?" John smirked at Tosh and she giggled.
"I'm Ianto Jones, and that's Toshiko Sato." Ianto announced, ripping his knee away from Jack's hand.
For the rest of the night, Ianto ignored all of Jack's advances and Tosh fell for all of John's tricks. Ianto went home alone and Tosh went home with John. Jack stayed at the bar.
"What the hell is this Jack?" Ianto asked, dangling the frilly thong. His boyfriend raised his eyebrows and shrugged.
"A tea cosy?"
The next day at work, Tosh had a spitting headache but wore a huge smile.
"So how was your night with Prince Charming?" Ianto asked Tosh when she sat down next to him with a loud plop.
"Amazing." She sighed while taking a sip of his coffee.
"So his big talk was actually sincere?"
"Yes and then some."
Ianto nodded slightly and watched Tosh continue to down his coffee. She needed it more than him. They lapsed into a small silence until Tosh's mobile rang. After a few minutes of lazy digging through her purse, the mobile was found and observed. Ianto looked over and saw she had a text message.
"Had fun last night. Let's do it again. Really." Tosh read out and she started to blush. "I thought I'd never see him again. He seemed like the type who only does one night stands." She explained to Ianto who nodded again, unsure of his feelings concerning John Hart. Soon his mobile alerted him of a text. It was from a number he didn't recognise.
"Hey wanna meet up? Jack H." Ianto read and frowned. "Was that the other bloke from last night? How did he get my number?"
Tosh had started to sink into her seat and Ianto raised an eyebrow.
"I...I might had given your number to John last night. Sorry...drunk? I guess he gave it to Jack." She admitted pitifully while handing him back his coffee. Ianto growled and deleted the message.
"I told him, quite bluntly, that I'm not interested in him or any other man."
"Well I guess you can't blame him for trying."
The next week, Ianto had numerous texts and voice messages from Jack. A few were even poorly constructed poems. On a rainy Friday night, Ianto left the office late and was trying to hail a cab when a large SUV pulled up.
"Hey sexy." A familiar voice called out and Ianto sighed in frustration.
"I told you, I'm not interested." Ianto shouted at Jack and tried to hail another cab.
"You're soaking wet. Although you look sexy wet, don't you want to hop in so I can give you a ride?"
"No."
"Come on, it's free. I won't expect sex after but it would be a nice perk."
"Why are you here anyway?"
"Well I knew you worked here so I hung around until I saw you come out."
"Are you stalking me now?" Ianto asked before cursing. Another full cab.
"Stalk is such an ugly word. Let's just say I have my sources. Now hop in."
After another failed attempt at hailing a cab, Ianto sighed and climbed into the passenger's seat.
"Good, now where do you live?"
"Jack what the fuck is this doing here? In our flat?" Insisted Ianto.
"Thought you'd be interested in a little drag." Jack joked but he stopped smiling when he realised Ianto's angry glare had yet to waver. He wasn't going to get out of this one easily.
For once in his life, Ianto was standing up to someone. Lisa would have been proud. She always complained he was a push over.
"So how was your weekend?" Tosh asked innocently as Ianto handed her a cup of coffee. It took quite a bit of effort to not look like a deer in headlights. It had been a month and a half since Jack had driven him home in the rain. Nothing had happened but Jack had continued to harass Ianto for a date. Ianto finally gave up and agreed. The two men had ended up spending the weekend in bed.
It was confusing to Ianto. He wasn't gay. At least he never thought he was. He'd never thought about or wondered what it was like to be with another man but Jack had bulldozed into his life and in a weekend, made Ianto fall head over heels for him. How the hell did that happen?
Clearing his throat, Ianto stated nothing new and asked her the same question. She shrugged and mentioned something about watching a movie with John. They had am odd relationship. It had bordered fuck buddies but then it all stopped. Now they just hung out a few times a week.
Sitting down and turning on his computer brought Ianto back to his own issues. The weekend with Jack had been a lot of fun. Thinking about Jack now made butterflies swarm his stomach. He loved the way Jack smelled and the way Jack felt. There was irony in the fact he ignored Jack for over a month before falling for him in two days. Though in a way it made sense because Jack knew exactly what to say and do to make Ianto feel loved and relaxed. He hadn't felt like that in such a long time now and it was what he needed.
Ianto dropped the thong with a frown. Jack's eyes followed it down until it hit the table.
It was a little daunting. They had been together only for 5 months and Jack had driven him down to Southampton to meet his mother. She was getting on in her years and Ianto was touched at how much Jack loved her. His American national father had died when Jack was in his teens and once Jack finished college, she decided to move back to England. It was still a shock to Ianto that Jack wanted him to meet her.
"Mom, this is Ianto Jones, the light of my life!" Jack had said with affection and kissed Ianto on the temple. Thirty minutes into settling down, Mrs. Harkness complained about running out of biscuits and Jack offered to run down to the store. Two minutes after he left, Ianto was greeted by Mrs. Harkness and a plate of biscuits. He raised his brow in surprise.
"Now that Jack's gone, why don't we have a nice cup of tea and some biscuits?" She suggested.
It started to get strange when in between the 'you're such a sweet little boy' and 'you're so naive' Mrs. Harkness would give him pitying looks. They continued when Jack had come back with a bag full of various biscuits. Every time Jack engaged in any type of physical affection, Ianto noticed a sad look from Mrs. Harkness. He wrote it off as Mrs. Harkness wishing Ianto was a woman.
"Whose is it?"
They were supposed to be celebrating their one year anniversary. Ianto cursed his stupidity as the waiter gave him a sympathetic glance because he obviously had just been stood up.
Stupid, so stupid. Jack was always coming home at late hours because of work and would often forget plans they had made. Jack smelt like other people so often that Ianto would sometimes forget what he smelt like in the first place. Jack obviously didn't care about Ianto. Though why would he when Ianto was obviously the butler who took care of the house and made sure there was always a warm meal or body whenever Jack wanted one.
Except Jack was so good at making Ianto think he was truly sorry. A well placed kiss and grope later, Ianto would forget why he was angry at Jack.
Ianto needed to talk to Jack but he couldn't bring himself to do it.
Suddenly, two men sat down in front of him. One had dragged a chair from another table and they both smiled at Ianto.
"Hey there eye candy." John grinned before gulping all of Jack's untouched wine. Owen Harper nodded in acknowledgement and picked at a piece of bread. He was a good friend of Jack and John. John had introduced Owen to Tosh and the two had been happily together for three months now.
"What do you want?"
"Just wanted to give you some friendly advice." Owen said sincerely. That was new. He normally spoke in a mocking or sarcastic tone of voice.
"What about?" Ianto asked a little tired. It had been two hours since the time he had given Jack. He just wanted to pay for his wine and go home.
"Jack." John said, also with a surprising amount of sincerity.
"He's not coming here you know." Stated Owen, a hint of pity in his face. It got Ianto angry.
"He's just got busy and must of-"
"We're sorry Ianto. You're a good guy okay? I know we seem like a couple of bastards but we know you're a good kid. You deserve better." Said John.
"Yeah and what you got to know about Jack is he's also a bastard. If he wanted to, he could have been a fucking good con man. You need to get out before it's too late." Owen frowned.
"Before it's too late?" Asked Ianto, a little unsure of what was happening. He half expected Jack to pop out of nowhere and yell surprise.
"He ruins people's lives. He doesn't mean to all the time but he does. He breaks people's hearts but he's like a drug. You get addicted to him and keep coming back. Get out of this while you still can Ianto. He'll chase after you again but don't give in. A few months later he'll get the hint and leave you. If not we'll get him to." John started to stand up and Owen quickly followed.
"We like you Ianto. You might not think we do. Besides, if Tosh knew I'd let you're life turn to shit, she'd kill me."
"And me." John agreed and the two men left.
Ianto sat and tried to digest what had just happened. Soon the waiter came round with the bill and another pitying frown.
Jack was at home of course. He was on the couch watching TV with a beer.
"Where have you been?" He asked once Ianto walked into the room.
"Celebrating our anniversary. Though it's a little depressing when all the waiters look at you like you're a lost kitten."
"Oh fuck." Cursed Jack and he quickly stood up with open arms. "Baby I'm so sorry. Work just got so hectic and, fuck, I fucked up I know. I'm so sorry."
"You always are." Ianto said angrily. This time he was going to do it. He was going to break up with Jack. His heart had felt like it broke one hundred and twenty-one times now. Every time Jack smelled like someone else or every time Jack forgot important things like Ianto's birthday.
No really, he would have ended this...but then Jack kissed him and he had forgotten for a moment why he felt so upset.
"It's Gwen, isn't it?" Ianto asked. His heart was crushed for the two hundredth and thirty-sixth time. Jack didn't even bother to deny it.
"Yeah, it is."
Today was going to be a good day, Ianto could feel it. He had a great shag this morning courtesy of Jack and he even got a call that said Jack would be coming home early today. It was Saturday and there were so many times that Jack would have to work. They had been together for a year and seven months now. Things were getting better. Jack was paying more attention to Ianto and worked hard to spend more time with him. Ianto even thought Jack was going to ask him for a civil partnership. At least he hoped. There had been a few occasions Jack seemed to be working up to something but got scared. The doorbell rang and brought Ianto out of his thoughts. He opened the door and was greeted by an angry woman and a six year old.
"Tell Jack I'm tired of him avoiding spending time with his own kid. Here, she's yours for the weekend!" The woman shouted angrily, pushed the little kid into the flat and left. Ianto was too stunned to do anything and a tug at his trouser leg brought him out of his surprise.
"I'm hungry." She said innocently once she caught Ianto's attention. With a sigh Ianto started to close the door until he smelled something that seemed so familiar. It punched him in the gut when he realised it was the perfume Jack would sometimes be drenched in.
They fought that night. In whispers because Ianto didn't want to traumatise little Suzie anymore than she already was or would be. There were tears in Ianto's eyes when they had sex with the door locked. Ianto was a spineless idiot. He understood why Lisa broke up with him and for once, didn't blame her.
"You're a fucking bastard. I hate you." Ianto finally spat out. He turned to leave but Jack's chair scrapped against the floor and a hand landed on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I fucked up. Give me another chance. I...I love you."
It was the first time Jack had said that and if he had said it a few months ago on Ianto's birthday instead of standing him up again, Ianto would have believed him. Now it was just pathetic to see how far Jack would lie to keep Ianto.
Jack interpreted Ianto's lack of movement as a good thing. He placed another hand on Ianto and started to whisper lovingly.
"I really do. I know you, you don't hate me. I'm sor-"
Ianto interrupted Jack's futile apologies with a punch to the jaw.
He straightened out his suit as he walked out of their- Jack's flat, leaving the other man sputtering in confusion. With each step, Ianto felt the world on his shoulders crumbling more and more. The young man didn't stop walking until he reached his car. Before opening the door, Ianto took in a large breath. For the first time in a while, Ianto appreciated how clean the air smelt.