Alluring Realisations.
Jack climbed up the ladder, through the hatch that led to his living quarters. He ran his hand through his hair, making him look even more dishevelled. The hub was quiet, only the trickling of the water tower and the occasional contented noise from Myfanwy breaking the silence. It was too early for Tosh, Gwen and Owen to be in, but, he thought, checking his watch, it was round about now that Ianto normally came in. He glanced around the hub, checking for signs of life. There was no-one in his direct line of sight, however, he noted, the coffee machine was bubbling away predictably. Ah, he thought to himself, I'm not alone after all! He sat down at Owen's desk and switched on all the CCTV monitors. And sure enough, there was Ianto in the Tourist Information office they used as a cover.
"Ianto, come here for a minute," Jack said into his Bluetooth headset,
"Yes sir," came the reply, just a little crackly due to the temperamental signal.
Jack sat back in the chair, casually stretching his arms. He idly checked the screens, so far so good. No signs of any boiler-suit-wearing, flesh-chomping aliens today. He gave a little smile of relief.
"Coffee sir?" Ianto asked as he entered the room silently, handing Jack a fresh mug. Jack looked up at him, and flashed him a sleepy grin.
"Thanks, Yan," he said, taking a sip of the steaming hot, black liquid. Mmm, industrial strength, just the way he liked it.
"Was there something you wanted?" the younger man asked, cocking his head, inquisitively. Jack caught himself before he chuckled; Ianto looked way too cute when he did that.
"Uh, yeah… Coffee," he grinned holding up his mug, "you already took care of that."
"Very good, sir. If there's nothing else…"
"Well, uh, you could help me get all these turned on," Jack gestured at the computers.
He just didn't really want to be alone. Despite how quiet the morning looked to be, he had this disturbing feeling he didn't really understand. He had been so exhausted last night, he actually found himself sleeping for a few hours. Now Jack was never one to dream, and when he did it was always a sign of something bad to come. This time, he'd dreamt of blood. Great fountains of blood.
"Sir?" Jack snapped back to the room,
"What's that?" he asked, a little dazed,
"I said I had a few spare minutes, it's no bother giving you a hand getting turned on before the others come in," Ianto said, his professional tone masking the obvious innuendo. Jack quirked an eyebrow.
"Keep saying things like that and we won't even need to get the computers involved," he replied,
"Careful sir, harassment and all that," Ianto reminded him,
"I don't think it can be called harassment if you started it," Jack pointed out. He went over to Tosh's desk and started to switch on the machines.
"Sir?" Ianto asked,
"I promise I wasn't checking out your ass," Jack said, holding up his hands,
"No, sir. I think I've got something," he told Jack. The Captain turned round to see what Ianto was on about. He was bent over Gwen's desk, staring into her monitor.
"The police are looking into a suspicious death. Exsanguination," the Welshman told him, his voice going dead,
"Bled to death?" Jack asked, puzzled.
He knew where Ianto's mind had just gone, the Brecon Beacons. He thought of the report Ianto had laid on his desk two weeks after that. Those sick fuckers had tried to bleed Ianto. Just like veal, they had said.
"They're in jail, Yan," he reminded him gently, laying a comforting hand on the younger man's shoulder,
"I know," he sighed, relaxing a little into Jack's touch, "Besides, it says here that there was no blood found at the scene. No wounds on the body. Nothing."
"And that would be where we come in," Jack said.
He could immediately think of ten species that might be responsible. He would need to see the body to know for sure what had been the murderer. They would wait for the rest of the team, and then he would take Gwen or Owen and go to the morgue.
As if on cue, the door rolled open and Toshiko walked in with Gwen hot on her heels.
"And then he blamed the toilet seat being left up on my mum!" Gwen exclaimed, throwing her hands up in exasperation. Tosh giggled, trying to juggle her laptop, a Starbucks cup and a stack of folders.
"Morning Jack," Gwen said, giving him a quick wave, "Morning Ianto," she reached out to help Tosh with her folders.
"Good morning guys," Jack replied, "Any idea why Owen's so late?"
"Hungover, as usual I expect," Tosh told him, she sounded as if she completely disapproved of the notion.
"I'll give him five more minutes, then his hangover will be receiving the pleasure of my phone call," Jack grinned at her.
"So, Jack, any good aliens this morning?" Gwen asked conversationally,
"Maybe, there's been a murder in the city centre, bled out. Only thing is, there's not a trace of blood anywhere. So I'm thinking, we go down, take a look at the body. I pronounce it death by one of ten different aliens. We confiscate the body before the press get a look in, and we're all back by dinner time," Jack replied.
However, he still felt uncertain. This was coming a little too close to deja-vu for his liking. If only he could put his finger on it. He turned his head in the direction of the morgue, without even realising what he was doing, and stared as if looking for the answers there. Ianto cleared his throat, attracting Jack's attention, and gave him a puzzled look.
"You okay Jack?" Gwen asked, "You look like you've seen a ghost,"
"Yeah, fine," he replied. Not ghost per say, but he was getting those same chills. His team exchanged concerned looks. If Jack was worried about something, they should be shitting their pants.
Owen chose that exact moment to stumble through the door, rubbing his head and glaring at the rest of them, as if it were their fault he had to work.
"Tell me we don't have any emergencies, I have a splitting headache and would like to spend the remainder of the day autopsying that skinny silver thing,"
"Argent," Jack corrected him,
"Alright, I would like to spend the rest of today quietly autopsying that skinny silver Argent," Owen pouted,
"Well, we've got a bloodsucking alien wandering around Cardiff. Does that count as an emergency?" Gwen asked sweetly, her voice just loud enough to pound the head of someone with a hangover.
Owen grumbled something that sounded like "Should have known," before flinging his coat back on, half-heartedly.
"Jack, you drive," he said,
"Thanks, I was intending to seeing as I'm the boss!" Jack answered, frowning in confusion.
When they arrived at the morgue Jack noticed, much to his distaste, that the police were already there. Damn incompetents, he thought, before he had to correct himself. Okay so Gwen used to be a cop. That meant they were incompetents minus their only competent member. He filed that away in his mind, under "thoughts he should not reveal to Gwen, even under torture."
"Ah, wondered when you lot would get your grubby mitts on this one," said the officer who seemed to hold the highest rank,
"It's a wonder you lot could see past your parking tickets long enough to attend this one," Jack retorted.
He couldn't be bothered dealing with the cops today, he just wanted this case over and done with. Then he could go back to the hub and the uneasy feeling in his stomach would be settled once and for all.
"Right, we'll take it from here, thanks officer," Jack said, using his best "headmaster" voice to convey his obvious authority,
"You can go back to the station, Gary," Gwen told the cop, trying to use her past connection to diffuse the situation. Thankfully, the policeman stood aside, letting them past.
The corpse was something else entirely. The white skin was near translucent, blue veins snaking around its limbs. The extremities of the fingers and toes were already beginning to decay. Other than that, however, there was no indication that this wasn't a normal death. There were no wounds, no signs of broken bones or bruises. The face was peaceful, almost as if this guy were sleeping. But Jack knew otherwise, he had died enough times to recognize the feel of death. He could never explain it, the finality of it, the never-ending darkness.
"Well, I've never seen anything like that before!" Owen whistled through his teeth, "How bout you Captain?"
"That's the scary thing, Owen, I haven't either." Jack replied.
Nothing he saw before him matched up to any one of those ten aliens he had suspected. That was worrying. He didn't presume he knew everything about every alien species, he was old enough and wise enough to understand he could never know everything there was to know. But Jack had always fancied himself as a bit of an expert on this kind of alien, and he was sure there wasn't another species out there that could do that to someone.
"Jack? What's happening here?" Gwen asked, her eyes wide, he had seen that expression on her face before, whenever she began to doubt her view on the world.
"I'm not honestly sure," he replied, "But I intend to find out."
"I'll tell you what's going on," replied a strange voice from the doorway.
It came from a man in some sort of action-hero costume. Black combats and an extremely tight t-shirt, revealing rippling muscles. He had one of those utility belts, holding holstered guns and a sheathed knife. His hands were strapped in black leather fingerless gloves. The man looked over each one of them, before coming to the conclusion that Jack was the one he should be talking to.
"Ever heard of vampires?" the man asked, stepping out of the shadows.
Jack was instantly struck by two things; One, this stranger was hot, with his dark hair and blue eyes (Jack's favourite combination). Two, this stranger was obviously a raving lunatic.
"Captain Jack Harkness," he said, holding out his hand to the strange man,
"Mica Hallie," he replied, taking Jack's hand, "I'm from Watchtower,"
"What's that then? Salvation Army?" Jack asked,
"Special Ops," Mica told him, flashing a little ID badge, like a police badge except it showed a small golden sun rather than the usual shield.
"That's impossible. Torchwood's the only Special Ops that's been called to this scene," Jack blurted out in shock, distrust immediately spreading across his features.
"Torchwood? What's that?" Mica asked, scrutinizing Jack with a steely gaze worthy of the captain himself.
"Special Ops," Jack replied, echoing the other man's previous answer.
Who was this, and how the Hell did he get on the scene? Jack was more than a little uncomfortable. Normally he would have just flashed his best Harkness grin and upped his charm a notch or three. But the fact that this man claimed to be from an organization Jack had never heard of, and that he was touting some bull about vampires, coupled with the uneasiness Jack had been having since his dream, well, it knocked him right out of his comfort zone. And he was a man who could put up with a lot!
"Never heard of you," Mica replied, stepping a little closer to Jack.
He was far enough away to still appear professional, but Jack could feel his breath ghosting over his lower lip. It was a trick he had used on Ianto a fair few times. Get your potential lover hot under the collar without them really understanding why. Jack was tempted to just give in, but he held out.
"This is my crime scene," Jack told the man in front of him, refusing to budge an inch,
"Actually, the victim appears to have been drained of all blood, so it's my jurisdiction," Mica replied, his voice sounded more gentle and coaxing than authoritarian.
"It might not be vampire," Jack breathed,
"What else would do this?
"Could be alien,"
"Ever seen an alien do this?"
"No,"
"Then why not admit I could be right?"
"Because it's my job to know what this is," Jack replied.
Somewhere in between standing as an impenetrable fortress between this man and the corpse, and losing his resolve, Jack realised the stranger had drawn closer to him. He could taste the man's lips without even trying. His chest heaved, desperate for the air which seemed to be eluding him. His mouth was suddenly dry. It had been a long time since someone had put him under such a spell. Normally it was he who was the seducer.
"Jack, if you'd mind not getting a hard-on, could you please tell us what exactly we're supposed to do?" Owen asked, suddenly, distracting Jack's attention from this Mica Hallie.
"Well, we continue our investigation. Mr Hallie, of you like, your team can assist us," Jack said, irritated at himself when he heard the deep, breathy tone of his voice.
How exactly did the man do that to him? He would have to find out; it could come in useful later.
"There's no team, it's just me. But yes, I would be grateful for any help you can give me," said Mica.
He quirked one corner of his mouth, as if laughing at some joke inside his head.
"Jack…" Gwen warned.
She looked from Mica to Jack, then back again. Then she glanced at Owen in exasperation, almost as if he could help.
"Gwen?" Jack peered at her expectantly.
He was fond of the woman, but he didn't like his team questioning his judgement. He had done enough of that himself after what happened with that little girl, Jasmine. But eventually, after he and Ianto had sat in his office for what seemed like hours, talking and drinking, the younger man made Jack realise he only did what had to be done.
"Nothing," she replied, "Only, aren't there procedures for bringing civilians into the hub?"
"Not that I know of," Jack replied, "Not if they're relevant to an investigation." Mica raised one eyebrow at Jack, as if questioning something he had left unsaid.
"If I'm intruding on something…" he trailed off to allow Jack to answer the question,
"No, not at all. Come with us."
Ianto met them at the Tourist desk, playing the role of shop clerk perfectly. He looked Mica up and down, trying to decide upon the right language, obviously.
"Guten tag, vilkommen a Cardiff," he settled on, finally. Jack chuckled, glancing at Mica.
"So, Torchwood is a Tourist shop?" he asked, more confused than anything,
"T-Torchwood!" Ianto nearly choked, he glared at Jack, always one for following procedures, at least now he was.
"It's okay, Yan, he's here to help us with that bloodsucking thing," Jack told him, reassuringly.
Ianto gave him a wary glance before looking the stranger up and down and heaving a resigned sigh.
"Alright," he said, pressing a few buttons to open the door for them to enter the hub. As they passed, Jack missed the confused and slightly jealous look on his young receptionist's face.
Mica glanced around the base, whistling in amazement when he noticed Myfanwy, the pterodactyl.
"Okay, I was wrong. It's a nice place you've got here, pretty interesting stuff… although, back at the coroner's it sounded like you guys dealt with aliens. May I ask how a dinosaur fits into all that?" the vampirologist asked,
"Basically, there's a rift in space and time, running through the city. Every now and then it drops something right into our laps, dinosaurs, Roman soldiers…"
"People from the nineteen fifties," Owen finished, looking a little sad.
"Ah, so Torchwood are alien hunters and time watchers," Mica announced, as if he finally understood the gist of everything.
"Yeah, pretty much," Jack replied, shrugging.
He was busy watching the way the vampire expert's pectoral muscles moved under the taught black fabric of his t-shirt. He gulped loudly, nearly dying of mortification when Gwen gave him an odd look.
"So, you're from Watchtower?" Tosh asked, "What is it you guys do, exactly?"
"Well, we're vampire hunters and ghost watchers," the man replied, running one leather-clad hand through his short black hair; pitch black, Jack realised.
"That certainly sounds different. I wonder why we've never heard of your organisation," the young Japanese woman mused, looking thoughtfully at Mica.
"Probably the same reason we've never heard of yours," he replied, "We've never had reason to meet before. I mean, although we are sort of both science fiction-ish, aliens and vampires, kind of different, don't you think?" he directed that last question at Jack, raising one jet eyebrow at the man.
Jack was suddenly all too aware of his tongue, feeling that it was a clumsy thing in his mouth, unable to move properly in any way that may form words.
"Yes," he gasped.
What the Hell was going on? He was acting like a teenager for Christ's sakes! Yeah, sure, the vampirologist was hot, but it wasn't like Jack hadn't seen a hot guy before… as a matter of fact he'd even seen a hot cloud! He blushed, suddenly becoming very interested in studying his wrist-strap.
"Right," said Gwen, suddenly taking charge, "Mica, we need to know everything you know about what we're up against. What does it do, where does it go?"
"How do we kill it?" Owen reeled off the final question that had been sitting on all their minds,
"Oh, I don't want to kill it," Mica replied, "I want to capture it, see if I can help it,"
"So how do you help a vampire?" Gwen asked, she had moved over to her desk and was taking notes.
"Well, we've got a rehabilitation program. Sometimes we can get a vampire living a completely normal life, in amongst the rest of humankind. Others, the best we can do is get them off the kill, so they don't keep murdering people," Mica replied,
"Vampire rehab!" Ianto snorted,
"Yep, that's what I do," the vampirologist told him. "So, basically, what we're up against right now is a vampire. A vampire is a human, lacking in a chemical compound in the blood. Because of this, they go out, seeking the compound in the blood of other creatures. They tend to start on humans, because the blood matches exactly. What they don't realise is that pig blood works just as well. Their eyes are photosensitive, almost like those of an albino, and they're normally pale in colour. Their teeth have evolved over time for drinking blood, they are fanglike and, be warned, they're very sharp. The vampire has pale skin, tends to only come out at night, or in shaded areas. If they do hang out in the sun they will be wearing sunglasses and plenty of clothes," Mica reeled off the facts, counting them down on his fingers.
"So we're looking for an albino in a muumuu, wearing shades?" Jack asked, half jokingly.
"With enlarged canines," Tosh chipped in, tapping her palm pilot,
"Basically, yes," Mica replied.
Jack couldn't recall when the man had drawn closer to him, but there he was standing right beside him. His elbow brushing the Captain's. Jack never knew elbows could be so erotic.
"What's our next move then? Call on every dentist and optician in the city?" Gwen asked.
"Well, I would start with the scene of the last murder. Vamps generally stick to one territory, so when it hunts again, I can guarantee it'll be in the same area. In fact, it's more than likely that the next kill will happen next door to this one," Mica said. He was eyeing up a map, just over Jack's left shoulder.
"Can we pinpoint where the last murder happened?" he asked.
"Yeah, then we can stake out all the houses within the immediate vicinity," Jack said, pulling away from the intoxicating quality of the man's scent to draw a tiny X on the map.
"Okay, umm, I need some names here," Mica asked, glancing at each of the team in turn.
They each introduced themselves, looking a little uncertainly at Jack. Normally he did all the introductions for the team; it was out of character for him to ignore them like this.
"Right, Gwen, Owen, you guys take the left, Toshiko, Ianto, take the right. The Captain and I will take the front. If you find anything, remember, a vampire is just like a normal human, cuffs will work. Just, stay away from the mouth," Mica told them.
"Excuse me, my team," Jack reminded him,
"Oh, of course, what's your plan then?" he conceded, he folded his arms across his chest, raising his eyebrow at the captain.
"Right then, what he said," Jack grinned, addressing his team.
With a collective sigh, Gwen, Owen and Tosh picked up their coats and guns and got to work. But, standing rooted to the same spot he had occupied earlier, was Ianto, wearing an adorably bewildered expression. Jack wanted to kiss that little frown off his lips, he really did.
"Yan?" Jack asked, his expression softening,
"Sir… I wondered if… Actually never mind," the young man replied,
"What is it?" the captain asked, gently,
"Just… do you want me to take that device we used on the sex gas? You know, the one that caught it when it came out of Carys?" he replied, obviously masking what he was really trying to say,
"That's a great idea, Yan. And thanks for asking me first, you know it bugs me when the others take alien technology out without my permission," Jack smiled at him.
"That's good, sir. Well, we'd best get back to work," he said, almost sadly.
He lingered for a further moment, then dragged himself off, after Tosh, who was waiting for him, looking a little irritated, but not at Ianto. Instead, she glared at Jack. He quirked an eyebrow.
"Bye, Yan," Jack said quietly, watching as the man ran out of the hub.
He touched his fingers to his lips, remembering briefly how it had felt to kiss the man. Admittedly, Ianto had been unconscious, and it had originally just been to save him, but Jack had felt so much more in that kiss than he would ever imagine. He could even feel Ianto's lips on his own right now, even after all that time.
Ianto's lips…
Jack's breath almost left him as he realised there was indeed a set of lips fastened to his own. Rougher than Ianto's, and the taste was slightly different. This mouth tasted of crisp citrus fruit and toothpaste. The tongue was more demanding as it delved into the depths of his mouth, stroking his palette and twining round his own tongue, fighting for dominance.
Hands ghosted up his back, running through his hair, gripping his head to tilt it back, deepening the kiss. He reached out and clutched shoulders, his fingers desperately trying to grab onto something solid, to stop him falling. The demanding mouth claimed him, tearing the air from his chest. The fingers threaded through his hair tugged at the tiny shivers running right through his body, driving his heart into overtime. He gathered his strength, just enough to push the warm body off his own. He gazed into half lidded blue eyes.
It was Mica kissing him, of course it was. He reached out to place his palm against the other man's cheek in a gentle caress. Drawing closer, ever closer, he placed tiny kisses on Mica's lips, barely touching him each time. He stroked his kisses over Mica's jaw, his neck, his tongue tracing its way down the man's throat. When he reached the spot in the middle of Mica's clavicle he attached his lips firmly to the skin and sucked, all the while licking and swirling. Mica trailed his hands down Jack's face, caressing his cheek, his neck, his shoulders, continuing their tingling exploration down his sides, coming to rest on his hips. He gasped when Jack upped the ante, delivering a tiny bite to his collarbone. He pulled the captain roughly to him, grinding their growing erections together.
Jack's eyes travelled the length of the vampirologist's body, meeting his eyes with a gaze full of lust, hunger and need. He slammed his mouth against Mica's devouring his lips in desperation.
"God I want you," Mica moaned, his breath burning hot against Jack's flesh.
This was all Jack needed, he ripped at the other man's t-shirt, almost tearing it in his haste to remove it. He ran his hands over Mica's chest, feeling every contour of his body, the gorgeous alabaster muscles on that washboard stomach. His rippling pectorals; loving how his flesh seemed so hard, yet so soft at the same time. He dipped his head, taking one of those nipples into his mouth, relishing in the moans that escaped Mica's throat. The other man grabbed Jack's braces, pushing them off his shoulders, then ripping all the buttons off his shirt. That too was removed, thrown to the side with Mica's, then his undershirt. Mica panted in exasperation,
"You wear way too many clothes!" he growled, as Jack's hands fumbled with the buckle of his utility belt.
The man's crystal blue eyes shot open, holding Jack's gaze firmly in his own. Jack chuckled, lightly grazing his nails down Mica's back. His hands landed just above the vampirologist's ass, fingers wrapping themselves around his waistband.
He sunk to his knees, running his tongue down the length of Mica's body as he went. Somehow, as the adrenaline and building sexual tension coursed through his veins, he began to regain some of his own composure. He could remember how to act like himself, the strong, confident man he was, rather than some nervous teenager, shy in front of a new lover. He pushed Mica's pants aside, tracing the outline of the man's cock with his tongue. The young vampirologist choked in a breath, fingers twisting in Jack's hair. He laved his tongue over Mica's cock, soaking through his underwear. He drew back just a little and blew on the wet fabric, sending chills through Mica's body.
"You like that huh?" Jack purred, "How about when I do this?" he hooked his fingers in the waistband of Mica's underwear, pushing them and his pants down with one swift move.
He backed the younger man against the conference table, effectively trapping him. His legs were tied by his pants, his hands clinging desperately to the table, supporting his weight. Mica looked at Jack, realising his predicament.
"You're mine," Jack whispered, flashing him a predatory grin.
Mica groaned as he felt Jack's lips wrap around his shaft, The captain swirled his tongue around the head of Mica's cock, using just the right amount of pressure as he sucked. His fingernails dug into the flesh of Mica's hips, leaving crescent dents and red marks from his fingers.
"Jack!" Mica panted, "God, yes."
Jack could imagine the man's head tilted back revealing the tantalizing line of his pale throat, his mouth opening and closing as he frantically tried to regain his breath, eyes squeezed shut, fighting for control.
He moaned, drawing the man deeper into his throat. The feel of the muscles constricting against his shaft, massaging him, driving him to new levels of pleasure, it was almost too much for Mica. He grabbed Jack by the back of the neck, almost falling back onto the table, and dragged him up to meet his lips. He wrapped his arms around Mica's naked body, kissing him with a lazy passion.
The vampirologist's hands trailed down Jack's bare chest, leaving goose-bumps in their wake, as he revelled in the odd tasting tongue lapping against his. The captain lifted the other man's hips, sitting him on the table so he could untie his boots. They fell to the ground with a loud thud, followed by his pants and underwear. Jack's mouth watered as his hungry eyes took in every inch of his unwrapped prize. He let his hands wander from Mica's hips, down his thighs, his knees, which Jack parted slightly, just enough to stand between them and capture the man's kiss-swollen lips. Mica nibbled the captain's lower lip, sucking on it thoughtfully, while his exploring fingers found their way to Jack's belt. He undid it with one practised movement, the captain's pants pooling on the floor at his feet. Mica quirked an eyebrow,
"Commando?" he asked, his voice deepened by lust,
"Easier," Jack replied simply.
He slipped his arms round Mica's waist, pulling their bodies flush with each other. Moaning as he felt the electric jolts of flesh on flesh, skin on skin. Their sweat mingling, their joint heat searing through them. Chest to chest, unable to tell which frantic heartbeat was which.
Mica wrapped his legs round Jack's thighs, pulling the man in even closer. He looked up, into Jack's eyes, almost overcome with desire. Jack couldn't stand it much longer, he needed to be inside the man in his arms. He could feel the desperate yearning ripping through him, pounding the air from his lungs. He stepped closer, pushing Mica down on the table before crawling on top of him.
His kiss was hard enough to bruise, his hands clasping the man's face. Mica opened his legs further, to allow Jack entry. His knees brushed Jack's hips as he ran his body up the length of Mica's, rubbing their erections together, creating a delicious friction. He hooked his arms under Mica's shoulders, resting his face in the man's neck. He nipped at the flesh there, until the man beneath him could barely stop himself pleading with Jack to take him.
"I… Jack… Oh Gods, please…" he gasped.
The captain shifted off him for a moment, grabbing for the chair on which he had hung his greatcoat. He rifled in the pockets, grasping blindly for what he knew was there.
"Yes," he breathed triumphantly, as he found what he had been looking for.
A little tube of lubricant.
He moved back in place, on top of Mica, his lips dancing over the flesh of his chest, getting the man to relax into his touch as much as possible. His hands moved lower and lower, fondling Mica's cock, his balls, then slipping lower. Jack searched the young vampirologist's eyes; he nodded silently, teeth clamping down on his lower lip to keep himself from moaning Jack's name. The captain coated his fingers in the lubricant, before moving his digits down to circle Mica's entrance. The man's eyes shot open, his back arching up to push against Jack's body as he slowly pushed one finger in, feeling for that spot.
"Oh fuck, Jack!" Mica cried, as Jack's finger brushed against his prostate, sending shockwaves of pleasure coursing through him.
Jack grinned wolfishly, rubbing mercilessly against that button, until Mica's legs started to quake. He couldn't even recall when the captain slipped his second finger into him, and began to scissor them, slowly stretching the muscles. The younger man's nails cut into his shoulders as he clutched him so tightly to stop himself falling over the edge.
"Ready?" Jack asked him, halting his movements, just long enough to ask the question.
He wasn't entirely sure he could have stopped himself from doing what he was about to do, but he'd be damned if he didn't ask.
"M…more than r…ready," Mica gasped, "I need you inside me, right now!"
It was one of the sexiest things Jack had ever heard. He repositioned himself between Mica's legs, and pushed in slowly. He stopped when he was buried to the hilt in the younger man's body, the tight heat driving him wild. He panted, his head dropping to Mica's shoulder, fastening his teeth to the skin there. He pulled out again, leaving only the head of his cock still sheathed in Mica's ass. He groaned and drove back in, a little harder this time, feeling the man beneath him push his hips up to meet his thrust.
"You're so fucking tight," Jack growled, "so fucking hot."
He gripped Mica's hips and pushed himself in deeper. His entire body felt as if it was on fire as he thrust into the man, grinding his cock into him hard and fast. Mica dug his heels into Jack's ass, trying to gain enough leverage to push back onto his shaft. The captain knew he should try to prolong this, to keep fucking him until they couldn't remember their own names, but he just couldn't hang onto his control. He rammed into Mica, harder and harder, thrusting with frenzy into the pliant body under his own. He barely remembered to grab the other man's cock and stroke it, in time with his own movements. He became frantic, losing the last inch of restraint he had, as he felt the pressure building inside himself. Mica pushed his hips up, fucking himself into Jack's hand.
"Oh, Jesus, Fuck, Captain!" he screamed as he spilled all over Jack's hand and both their stomachs.
The feel of his muscles, clamping and tugging at his cock was too much for Jack to bear, and he too came, slamming his lips over Mica's as the last shudders of his release coursed through his body. His head spun. He didn't just see stars; he saw whole galaxies of planets, dancing in front of his eyes, in the haze. It took him what seemed like hours to regain the use of his legs.
"So, how long have you been clean for?" Jack asked, pulling on the spare shirt he had found under his bed.
"Clean?" Mica replied, startled.
He gazed into Jack's eyes, looking for the accusation or anger. Instead there was only a vague interest.
"Well, isn't that what they call it when someone comes out of rehab?" he said,
"Yeah. So… how did you know?" Mica asked him, looking nearly ashamed,
"I've known since you first came into my hub," Jack replied, "No-one's ever had that effect on me before, well, no human anyway. I figured there had to be something there. And, you left out the whole allure thing when you were briefing us on vampires," Jack combed his fingers through his hair, smoothing it out.
"I'm not sure what I should say," Mica admitted, suddenly feeling scared as he realised he was no longer the one in control here.
"Just tell me it's not you my team are out there looking for," Jack said, his eyes flaring for a split second,
"No, it isn't. I genuinely do try to rehabilitate my people," he replied, giving the captain a small, apologetic smile.
Jack sighed, reaching out, somewhat unconsciously, and pulling the vampire closer to himself. Mica looked up, gazing into Jack's eyes, and pressed a small kiss into his lips.
"And, you were reading my mind the whole time?" Jack asked, sadly,
"Yes, I'm sorry," he replied, "I, uh, I won't mention this to him, I'm only here to find the vampire. Then I'll be going back to Watchtower. This was just an added bonus,"
"It doesn't really matter. He's not interested anyway; I'm just a monster to him. He wouldn't even care if he found out what we'd done, except maybe if we'd made a mess of the table. But anyway, what I really want to know is… how did you find it so easy to read my mind? Toshiko tried once, she couldn't even get in. I could hardly feel you in my thoughts," Jack said, realising how strange it was.
"I don't honestly know. Maybe because my people are natural mind readers and you humans aren't," Mica told him, "But I wouldn't discount your young man yet. There's a lot hidden behind the surface in him. He may still surprise you,"
"Did you read that in his mind?" Jack asked, a small glimmer of hope flaring up in his heart.
"I didn't have to," the vampire admitted, "It's obvious from the way he looks at you. The way he talks to you. Have you ever even asked him about this?"
"He's already made it obvious he hates me. He told me he wanted to watch me suffer and die," Jack replied, he hung his head, sighing raggedly.
Mica just shook his head. He clasped Jack's face in both his pale hands, and kissed him one last time, running his tongue lingeringly over the captain's. When he finally pulled back, he kept their foreheads pressed together. He sighed, breathing in Jack's scent.
"Best get back to work then," he said, picking up his utility belt and fastening it round his waist.
"Yeah, I wonder if the others have made any progress," Jack replied.
He didn't have to wonder for long, as it turned out, as Owen and Gwen burst through the door, grinning triumphantly. Behind them were Tosh and Ianto, both struggling to keep their grip on the wriggling woman who stood between them.
"Fat lot of good you two were!" Owen accused, giving them a mock angry glare, "Caught this thing all on our own!"
"Well done guys," Jack told them, ignoring the fact that Tosh seemed to be giving him "evils" while Ianto just looked forlorn.
He stared at Jack, taking in the fact that one side of his braces was askew, and his fly was down. Both his and Mica's lips were red and swollen from their frenzied kissing. Jack should have known, Ianto could always tell these things. Jack felt instantly ashamed. He found he couldn't take his eyes off his young receptionist as the rest of his team handed the handcuffed vampire over to Mica, making sure he could handle her on his own. Jack sent them home shortly after that, telling them not to bother coming in until at least noon. Relieved, he finally slunk back down to his living quarters to wash away the last traces of his encounter.
He had just finished scrubbing the shampoo from his hair when he heard the familiar ring of footsteps coming down the ladder. He quickly wrapped a towel round his waist and grabbed for his gun. He was glad he was barefoot as he padded silently through the hallway, stopping just behind the door. Taking aim, he sucked in a deep breath and burst through the door.
"Freeze!" he shouted, pointing the gun right at the intruder's face.
"Sir?" Ianto gasped, holding his hands up,
"God, Yan, I nearly shot you!" Jack said, falling instantly into a state of shock.
He sat down on the end of his bed, motioning to Ianto that he should do the same.
"I'm so sorry," he whispered, desperately hoping, yet completely fearing, that the young man would hear him.
"For what, sir?" Ianto asked, doing that incredibly cute little head tilt again.
"For… for almost shooting you," Jack replied, looking at Ianto as if he didn't believe he was really there, he swallowed, hard, taking one of Ianto's hands in his own. "And for hurting you."
"Hurting me, sir?" he asked, his face incredibly forgiving, even though he did pull his hand free of Jack's.
"I'm not sorry we killed the cyber… um, Lisa," he told him, reminding himself to call her by name, so as not to start an argument, "But I am sorry I had to kill someone you loved. I wish it could have been different, Yan, I really do. But I was just doing my duty. I'm sorry I hurt you though."
"I don't blame you, sir," Ianto told him, "Not anymore, too much time has passed."
"You still look at me as though I just kicked your puppy," Jack told him, gently.
He desperately wanted to touch Ianto in some way, just to try and make things right between them.
"Do I, sir? I'm sorry," he replied, shying away from Jack's eyes.
"Yeah, you do. You don't need to be sorry, Yan, but I would like for you to tell me why," he said, his heart breaking a little more with every word that fell from Ianto's lips.
"I… I just… I don't really want to talk about it, sir?" Ianto replied, obviously fighting with himself, as if a tiny part of him wanted to admit what was wrong.
"Please, Yan, don't lock me out," the captain pleaded, turning Ianto's head to face him, "Let me make it better,"
"You fucked him," Ianto said, so quietly, so brokenly that Jack actually felt his heart tear in two pieces.
"I mean, it's not as though I've got any right to be upset, but I just… I just feel so angry about it, so jealous. And I don't know why. I know I don't hate you; I'm already way past the hating you stage. But I know I shouldn't love you. It would just be so wrong, so very wrong. It wasn't your fault, but you did kill her. How can I love the man who killed her? It would be sacrilegious to her memory. But that doesn't stop me thinking about you every minute of every day," Ianto told him, his voice speeding up as he spilled his feelings in front of the older man, "it doesn't mean I don't linger over your desk when I bring you your folders or coffee, it doesn't mean I don't think about you every time I smell scotch, or leather, or that cologne you love so much but pretend you don't wear. It doesn't mean my heart doesn't beat faster every time you flirt with me, even though I know it could never be real. It just means it kills me a little more each time." The man slumped suddenly, spent.
"Oh God, Yan, I never knew you felt that way," Jack told him, tears sitting in his eyes, "all I can say is… when I flirt with you, it is real."
"Don't lie to me, Jack, you don't have to make me feel better," Ianto said, the cold gravelly voice not seeming to match up with the beautiful mouth the words came from.
Jack would have done anything at that moment, anything at all to take that hurt away from the young man. God, he was barely older than a child, at least by Jack's immortal standards. He shouldn't sound so broken, as if all the warmth and happiness in the world had been ripped from him.
"I'm not lying to you; I really do care about you. Please believe me," Jack said.
He dared to edge a little closer, just enough to lay his hand on Ianto's shoulder. The man almost jumped out of his skin, forcing Jack's hand off him.
"I wish I could, sir, but I've seen you out there. You've done all those things, had so many adventures, you could never settle down with an ordinary bloke, in an ordinary flat in Cardiff. You're just waiting for whatever it is you've been looking for. I don't blame you for that, Jack, it's part of the reason I feel so drawn to you."
"Ianto, I'm sorry. I know it seems like that. And I will explain it all to you. But you're wrong. You're not just an ordinary bloke, you're clever and you're strong. You're loyal, and you're witty. Not to mention the fact that you're gorgeous. I can't promise that we'll spend the rest of your life together, but I can promise that I'll try," Jack replied, his hand shook as he tried again to place it on the young man's shoulder.
"Jack, please, don't say it if you don't mean it," he choked.
Jack could feel Ianto's resolve weakening, and he felt relieved. He knew how hard it was going to be, how much they would have to fight through, but he was suddenly sure of how much he wanted it. If only he could prove that to Ianto.
"I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it, if I didn't want it. God, Yan, I want you. Not just in my bed, but in my life. I really care for you," Jack told him.
He sighed deeply as he realised he meant every word, more than he admitted to. He knew, now, that not only did he care for the young man, but it could oh so easily develop into love. He thought of the fear that engulfed him when he'd seen Ianto tied up on the floor of that slaughterhouse, bruised and battered. He had been so terrified of losing him. He'd never even thought of what that meant, until now.
Ianto looked up at him, staring hard into his eyes. Struggling to find something, anything to keep the barrier between them from breaking. Jack felt the battle going on in the young man's heart, torn between that tiny, endearing shred of hope and the disappointment and pain he had known all his life. The captain wished he could make it all right. A single tear broke loose to roll down Ianto's cheek. Without even really thinking about it, Jack reached out, resting his hand gently on the side of the Welshman's face, and wiped away the tear with his thumb.
This tiny gesture was the last straw. Ianto's face crumpled, his chest heaving with sobs as tears flowed openly from his eyes. Jack gathered him in his arms and held him, trying to show the man that he would never let anything harm him, never again. But how could he do that when it was himself, Ianto thought would hurt him? He tucked the young man's face into his shoulder, feeling the wetness of his tears soaking into his collar.
"Shh, it's okay, Yan," Jack whispered, kissing his hair.
"I believe you," he cried, "I believe you," he tightened his fingers around Jack's arm.
"Really?" Jack asked him, rocking them slowly, back and forth.
"Oh God, please don't hurt me, Jack," the man sobbed, his entire body trembling against Jack's chest.
"I promise, I won't," Jack told him.
He had never been so serious about anything in his entire life. Ianto looked at him, deciding the words were true. His lip quivered, wet with tears. The captain closed the final, tiny gap between them, touching his lips to Ianto's and he kissed him tenderly, tasting the salt water and, underneath it, the overwhelming taste of the man he knew he could love.
Fin.