Notes:
I'm doing a rewrite of this story because I noticed a lot of mistakes I missed so please bare with me!
The SUV's engine had been making strange noises since the last alien hunt so Ianto took it into a near by shop to get it looked at. It's a local business owned by a man in his late forties named Ethan Thorenson and run by his younger brother James.
Ianto pulled the SUV into an open space in the garage and climbed out expecting to see James but instead of James' short cropped brunet head, a shaggy gold mop of hair popped out of the engine of a banged up Mercedes.
"Can I help you?" the young man asked politely, gray eyes trained on him.
Ianto shook himself and gestured to the SUV, "Yes my engine has been making noises."
The man waved him back into the drivers seat and stood in front, "Start her up, see what we're working with,"
Ianto complied and revved the engine, there was a wet grumbling sound. The man's eyebrows furrowed and he signaled Ianto to cut the engine.
"That is strange," the man nodded, "pop the hood." Ianto did. The blonde swung the hood up, took one look at the engine and his eyebrows shot up, "Well that does explain it," He grabbed a nearby screw driver and scrapped it against something in the engine, when he pulled it back a long string of purple goo connected it to the engine.
"Not really sure how this happened, doesn't really matter, not my business, but it will take awhile to clean up," the man said shaking the screwdriver to break the string.
"About how long?" Ianto asked cautiously.
"Mm, well I have to completely remove the engine and take it apart and clean all the goo off the salvageable parts, replace the ruined bits then put it all back together," the man hissed sympathetically, "So about a week, give or take a couple days, if I put a rush on it. It'll cost a bit more than I'd like to charge you."
"Money is not an issue, time on the other hand..." Ianto trailed off.
The man hummed thoughtfully, "Ok I'll put a hold on my other jobs and get Jamie to do what can't wait, but even then it'll take a good few days."
Ianto nodded his acceptance and turned to remove what he needed from the truck and send a text to Jack letting him know the situation.
"Now I just need your information and for you to sign the release so I can get started," the man handed him a clipboard with paperwork attached.
Ianto took it and filled out all the necessary information while the man poked around the engine.
"Where is Mr. Thorenson if you don't mind my asking," Ianto asked politely.
"Jamie is at a car show and Ethan had a meeting so they left me to pick up their slack," the man supplied, then turned to face Ianto, "That reminds me, I haven't properly introduced myself. I'm Alex, Ethan and James are my uncles."
"Jones, Ianto Jones," Ianto replied shaking his offered hand.
"Nice to meet you Ianto," Alex smiled then rubbed his hands together, "Well I'm gonna get started. I'll call you when it's done."
"Alright," Ianto nodded goodbye and left the garage.
Ianto got the call four days later telling him the SUV was ready, so he headed over. When he arrived James was at the register and motioned him back into the garage. Alex was waiting for him by the SUV with a plastic container full of ruined towels, car parts, and the mysterious goo.
"I wasn't sure how to get rid of this stuff since I don't know, and don't wanna know, what it is. So i figured 'put it in a box and give it back' so here you go," Alex explained gesturing to the container.
"That's good , thanks," Ianto assured , thankful that he hadn't thrown it out. Jack hadn't been happy that he didn't get a sample for analysis.
"Awesome! Then I'll just put it in the trunk," Alex grinned hefting the box into his arms.
Ianto studied the strange man; he had smooth features, everything flowed, his jaw lead your eyes to his mouth, up to his nose, across his cheekbones to his eyes. Eyes that were vibrant grey almost silvery, framed by hair that was varying shades of gold. Eyes that were staring back at him glittering with amusement. Ianto blinked.
"Back with me?" Alex chuckled, Ianto nodded jerkily flustered, "Don't worry I zone out like that sometimes. Anyway! The engine is cleaned up, I only had to replace a couple of parts, everything else was complicated by saveable."
Alex pulled out a rag and ran it over the hood removing the last few smudges then clapped his hands together in accomplishment. "Well that's it, lets get you rung up," he trotted off to the front counter where James was waiting with an amused grin.
Alex hopped up on the counter and started kicking his legs humming while James worked out the check and receipt.
When they were done Alex hopped down, "Thanks for the job. It was a pleasure to work for you, hope to see you again sometime, have a nice day," he babbled cheerily then dodged back into the garage to tinker on the latest car.
Ianto stared after him stunned. A booming laugh startled him out of his stupor and he turned to James
"He's an odd one our Al," James said in his thick Scottish brogue grinning fondly, "but he's a good lad."
Ianto nodded still slightly dazed and left the shop.
It was a month later and an alien chewed through a pipe in the SUV and ended up imploding in the trunk, so Ianto had to take it back to the shop. Alex gave him a quizzical look but then shrugged it off and ignoring the obvious bite marks told him it should be fixed in two days.
He came back two days later and found Alex fiddling with the headlight of a newly repaired 2004 Ford Focus.
"So your pipes are fixed but the stain in your back seat ate the new engine parts I just got in for this," Alex said casually, not looking at him, "so I smacked it with a monkey wretch and tossed it in there," he gestured to a wooden crate with little air-holes drilled into it, "It doesn't seem to like wood and it already ruined the parts so I figured it could have them, but your going to have to pay for them and the shipping fee for the new parts."
Ianto watched him in disbelief as he went to the box, picked it up, and then handed it to him smiling politely. Alex's face cracked into a mischievous grin when Ianto continued to stand there staring.
"It's not the weirdest thing I've ever seen, once walked in on Jamie singing and dancing in the kitchen to Britney Spears," he snickered.
Ianto nodded dumbly and Alex went back to the Ford Focus still chuckling. Ianto put the crate into the trunk and paid James, who didn't seem to be aware of the metal eating alien, then headed back to Torchwood. He couldn't help the smile that forced it's way onto his face when the shock finally wore off, he was looking forward to the next tune up.
~*Two Months Later*~
Jack was not happy about Ianto's new mechanic.
Ianto never breaks protocol, but lately with this guy he's broken at least five of the biggest! Including the biggest; if a civilian finds out about aliens you retcon them immediately.
So this time when the SUV needs repairs Jack goes with him to the garage. Ianto pulls into the garage and gets out, Jack following.
"What do you have for me today Yan?" a voice calls from under the hood classic retired police car.
"I need the tires changed and the carpet in the trunk replaced," Ianto replies, lips twitching when a smudged face pops into view.
A rather attractive face.
Alex moved towards them and went to the trunk to inspect the damage.
"You have grease on your face," Ianto pointed out.
Alex just shrugged and tossed him a semi-clean rag conveying 'if it bothers you do something about it' without saying a word or even looking at him. Ianto caught the rag, lips curling at the corners, and used the cleanest bit to swipe at the streak of grime on his cheekbone.
"You get your tires and carpet changed out quiet a bit," Alex hummed thoughtfully, "I suggest you just nix the carpet and get a solid liner and choose a new brand of tire, something heavy duty."
"That sounds like a good idea," Ianto agreed wiping the last of the grease off of his chin and then handing the rag back.
"Thanks," Alex smiled then headed over to the wall where material and tires were stored and on display, "Lining. You have four choices; crappy rubber, crappy metal, semi-useful aluminum, or good quality combination. I think you can guess which I prefer."
Ianto smirked, "Yeah we'll take the good quality combination."
"Good choice," Alex chirped, "Now for tires. Judging from the average wear on them you do a lot of speeding and fast stopping and on occasion you go off road, so I recommend these," he tapped a tire, "these are modified racing tires built for speed and durability."
"That sounds perfect," said with a small smile.
Jack watched the exchange with growing tension, unnerved by the friendly ease and casualness of their conversation, it was something he and Ianto never managed even on the best days. It was something he suddenly realized he wanted.
Alex suddenly looked up at him as though just seeing him.
"Hello, sorry for ignoring you I tend to get caught up in my work," Alex smiled sheepishly, offering his hand, "I'm Alex, it's a pleasure to meet you."
"Captain Jack Harkness," Jack replied taking his hand with a surprisingly genuine smile.
Alex's smile widened then turned back to Ianto, "It's should only take about an hour if you want to stick around."
"Alright," Ianto answered not even thinking to ask Jack, "Did that woman ever come to pick up her car?"
"Yeah after I threatened to charge her a storage fee," Alex snorted, then looked to Jack explaining, "This snooty rich braud brought her car in for a simple battery change that only takes an hour but she couldn't wait, so I call her the next day for pick up but she doesn't answer. I kept calling every day for about a week and a half, she never answered, I finally hear back from her three weeks later just for her to ask me to keep it for two more weeks while she goes off on vacation to Fugi! I told her the only way I'm keeping this car for another day let alone another week is if she pays the fifty dollar storage fee we normally charge and she starts kicking up a fuss saying I'm some kind of con artist! She came huffing down here and took the car still railing away, and I didn't even charge her for the month of storage!" Alex laughed pulling off the first tire.
Their chatter continued as Alex changed out the tires and pulled the carpet out of the trunk. They joked and told Jack stories about other customers Ianto had met, and a few of the crazies that had passed through since Ianto's last visit.
"So Alex," Jack started while they waited for the glue keeping the new lining in to dry, "I hear you had a few interesting experiences with our SUV."
Ianto's face went blank and his shoulders tensed.
Alex raised an eyebrow then grinned wickedly, "Yeah I have to say I have had some firsts. I've never had someone come in with an engine full of jelly before, you must have some crazy exes."
Ianto's lips twitched and he relaxed.
"Yeah," Jack said slowly not sure whether to push it.
The subject dropped and they relaxed into a more comfortable exchange. Within thirty minutes Ianto and Jack were back in the SUV on their way back to Torchwood.
"We won't retcon him," Jack declared breaking the silence.
Ianto's lips curled at the corners, "Yes sir."
~*To Be Continued*~