"I can't sleep," Ianto sighed, flopping over.
"Then I'm not doing my job," Jack said, wrapping his arms around Ianto's waist.
"That's not it. I just get a bit like this sometimes. Haven't in quite a while."
Jack rubbed Ianto's back slowly. "Anything particularly helpful?"
Ianto sighed. "As with most things, I'm probably rather unique in this…. I used to listen to Argentine tango to relax when I couldn't sleep."
Jack's eyes lit up. "Does that mean you dance?"
Ianto shook his head. "I just like the music."
"Then you're gonna learn."
"Is that a fact?"
Jack nodded. "From me," he said, getting out of bed and fiddling with Ianto's iPod.
"What, now?"
"No time like the present. And if your mind is still a little sleepy, so much the better. Tango is very meditative. Don't want to overthink it. Come on," Jack said, naked at Ianto's bedside, holding out his hand as if asking for a dance.
Ianto hesitated momentarily, but gave in. It was useless to resist Jack at the best of times, let alone naked in the middle of night. Ianto reached to at least pull on his underwear but Jack lightly batted his hand away with a shake of his head.
"This requires complete equality."
"Naked tango. And I thought that was just a sexual euphemism."
"Not with me," Jack grinned.
"Might I assume that's how you first learned it?"
"Yep. Come close," Jack said, holding out his arms for the closed embrace of the dance. "Buenos Aires, turn of the century. It was still fairly disreputable then. I can't imagine 'grinding' will ever be elevated to the social sophistication tango achieved." Jack said, putting his hand on the back of Ianto's neck. "You need to feel connected to me through the torso, so you can feel my lead. Just feel my weight, don't think about it. Don't think, just feel."
"Last time you said that was the first time we…."
"This is the same." Jack nudged Ianto's knee with his to indicate a step back. "Close your eyes. There has always been a certain sexual freedom in tango. Two men would often dance together publicly, not necessarily as 'partners' but nobody was especially gullible about it either. That didn't translate quite as well when tango got popular over here."
"Who did you learn from?"
"A man called Roberto. He was a true leader – never pushed, pulled, or forced a move. He made it feel like your dance, even though you were the one following."
Ianto was fairly sure that didn't just refer to vertical dancing. "You loved him?"
Jack smiled nostalgically. "He loved me. I never quite got to the same level." Jack felt Ianto's hold tighten just slightly and he ran his hand down to rest lower on Ianto's bare back as they moved together in the most basic steps and rhythms of the dance.
"You never forget anyone, do you?"
Jack almost said he hadn't had that luxury, but he checked that response. "My memory tends to be quite clear when something reminds me. There aren't many people I think of every day though. And before you ask," Jack said, pulling back just enough to look at Ianto. He nodded, almost to himself. "You always will be."
Ianto pulled Jack close in an embrace that had nothing to do with dancing. After a moment, Jack ran a finger up Ianto's neck and under his barely-stubbled chin, seeking a kiss.
"Think I want to go back to bed now," Ianto whispered.
"Whatever Ianto wants, Ianto gets," Jack smiled.