Title: Can't Take My Eyes Off of You
Summary: Ianto likes to sing and every chance he gets he competes in a little country town pub karaoke night.Who would he meet there?
Rating: T
A/N: Thanks for the positive response obviously I upset a lot of people with my last fic. Oh and I made a big booboo (thanks Ieon/Guest, actually he/she described it as a small detail but I'm kicking myself as I consider it huge) when Ianto is handed over the cheque for a hundred dollars, that should be hundred POUNDS duh! And Boeshane Babe who pointed out that bar staff aren't tipped…awww not even for great service or cute bar staff….that's so sad for the bar staff.
Chapter Two –A usual day at Torchwood…eh?
Weevil alert number three of the day turned out to be crazy chase through lanes of Tremorfa, this weevil appeared to be enjoying the chase as at times it would stop and poke his head out of end of the lane to check that the Jack and Ianto were still chasing him.
Panting Jack said "I'm getting tired of this, I'm just gonna shoot it the next time I get a clear shot"
Shocked, and panting just as hard Ianto said in disbelief, "What? Oh you never would"
"Oh you know me too well Ianto Jones"
'Mmm not as much as I would want you to' Ianto mused silently, "Well sir I totally understand the bag and tag may not work with this one so I'm with you on this one" goading Jack with a smile.
"Oh challenge on, now I definitely want to bag and tag this one" Jack winking at Ianto as they jogged alongside each other into the next lane anticipating the weevil's next move.
Fifteen more minutes of evasive running they finally cornered the weevil resulting with Jack sporting a gash down his cheek and trailing down his neck.
Back at the Hub they dumped the sedated weevil in the holding cell ready for the next morning when Owen would be in for him to run a few tests, the usual blood and saliva tests that he was running, trying to determine the blood lines of weevils and whether they were originating from the same clan. It was his little pet project as he had a theory that some of the weevils being thrown through the rift were more evolved than others.
"Sir, I have some first aid training, would you like me to clean up your wound?" Ianto asked liking the idea of getting that close to Jack but for valid reasons, "or do you want me to call Owen?"
"No I'm sure your first aid skills will be adequate" Jack said looking closely as Ianto nervously asked permission to clean his wound.
Ianto motioned Jack to the autopsy room where all the medical tools and equipment was. Jack joyfully bounded down the stairs like a little puppy but when Ianto looked at him sternly he slowed down and pouted holding his head as if he was in pain.
"Okay sir if you could just sit on the table I'll get started" Ianto said trying to stifle a smile.
Jack heaved himself up on the cold metal table while Ianto grabbed a kidney bowl with antiseptic solution and a small sterile cloth. Soaking the cloth in the solution Ianto brought the cloth up to Jack's cheek his eyes on the gaping wound while Jack watched Ianto's every move loving the fluid motions of Ianto as he immersed the cloth in the solution, squeezed it and dabbed it at his cheek. Jack stared at the intensity of concentration in Ianto's eyes as he tried to be as gentle as he could as he cleaned the wound. Getting another cloth and soaking it again Ianto's fingers brushed Jack's neck as he continued to cleanse the wound. The flutter of adrenalin sparked between them did not go unnoticed by either of them, Ianto quickly retracted his hand back as the spark shot through his arm and giving him a warm feeling throughout his body that literally took his breath away. Jack on the other hand was so shocked by the flutter of adrenalin that he was felt between them, it had been such a long time of feeling this way for other human being, his heart actually skipped a beat almost causing him to be a little light headed.
Jack raised his eyes to look into Ianto's blue orbs as the younger man stepped back biting his lower lip staring back at Jack. The moment seemed to last a millennium and yet it ended too soon.
Gulping down several breaths of air Ianto blurted out, "It looks fine now sir. I'll be off now"
"You sure? Wouldn't want Owen teasing you over an incomplete job" Jack said, pain now replacing the warmth he felt just moments before, when he realised that Ianto was going home. Jack pondered that Ianto probably thinks that he is only about the sex and getting people into his bed. But that was the furthest from his mind, well maybe not the furthest from his mind, but he just wanted to spend time in the company of one Ianto Jones, he loved the way that he looked, he loved the way that he spoke, he loved the way that he moved, he just loved everything about the Welshman, but how to tell him, how do you tell someone that they are more special in the myriad of lovers that Jack has had. Jack never had to tell someone that he loved them, never had to work so hard to get someone to notice him, never had this feeling deep within his heart. How does he tell him that he can't get enough of him, can't stop looking at him, can't stop listening to his voice, he wanted so much to tell him these things so that he believed him. But Ianto knew Jack's history of multiply lovers so Jack had to be clear that this feeling for him was so much more. He needed to tell him, convince him that he was more than a fuck, another body to bed. He should just say it, 'say it now!' he thought to himself.
"Ianto….um Ianto…stay the night" Jack said, immediately berating himself, that's not what he really wanted to say, he wanted to say that he wanted Ianto to spend some time with him, chatting with him, sharing a bottle of wine, eating a meal, anything as long as Jack could gaze at him, listen to him, watch him move. He wanted to be with Ianto but not always in that way, not in a sexual way. 'Damn, why can't I say what I really mean, that I want him in every way, not in the way that I made it sound'
Ianto just looked at him, in disbelief, and thought, 'if only Jack thought of me as something more than a sexual conquest, I'd be just another one in a long line of people to fuck', "Oh um sir, I'm not into random sex" and with that he rushed out leaving behind a shocked looking Jack. Jack mentally kicked himself, thinking how did he stuff that up, he can get anyone, anyone but Ianto, he thought, Ianto is not one to just bed.
TWTWTWTWTW
The next morning Ianto arrived at the same time as he did every morning an hour earlier than the others, as was his way, as an efficient general support person, the pteranadon and weevils were fed, the freezers checked, the last of the files left on the others desk filed and he proceeded to go make the coffee.
Jack emerged out of his office to see Ianto putting on the coffee in the little kitchenette, the sleepless night showing on his face, he walked down determined to fix the misunderstanding that was last night with Ianto.
Stealthily Jack stood watching Ianto as he lithely set up the coffee machine or as Gwen called it the heaven machine. He loved watching Ianto, all his movements were like a dance, so agile and fluid-like. It was like watching a graceful swan gliding over the water, above the water serene and nimble but below the feet working energetically to move it through the water. "Oh Ianto can I have a word"
Startled Ianto jumped back, he hadn't heard Jack, his mind was elsewhere, "Um…um sure. Is there something wrong sir?"
"No, no…it's just…um…last night…..I…I didn't make myself clear" Jack fumbled, damn he thought why is this so difficult, he has never had trouble talking to people, especially people that he wanted to be intimate with, but that was the problem, he wanted more than just being intimate with Ianto, how to tell him that, and have him believe him, "Ianto you do something to me, something deep inside"
"Really Jack, song title and lyrics"
"What?" Jack queried.
Ianto looked at Jack in disbelief and Jack looked back not really understanding what Ianto was saying.
"Jack what you just said, they are song lyrics"
"Oh really? I didn't know…no really I didn't know" Jack emphasised when he saw Ianto shaking his head.
"You? The immortal who has lived through the twenties, don't remember Cole Porter's song 'You Do Something to Me' and then there was the 2006 version by Sinead O'Conner"
"Huh, um no?" Jack was now the person looking in disbelief, "how do you know stuff from the twenties?"
Ianto smirked and tilted his head to the side in such a cute and sexy way, "I know everything sir"
"Then how come you don't know that I want you" Jack blurted out without thinking.
"Oh I know, I'm just not into the one night stands"
"No that's not what I want with you" Jack said frustrated.
"And secrets are not my thing" Ianto didn't want to be Jack's secret behind the scenes
"Oh really?" Jack mentally slapped himself.
"Oh….okay you've got me there, the Lisa thing was so unlike me, I….I never meant to hurt or deceive anyone, especially you, I…I…" Ianto babbled.
"Hey hey… Ianto its okay I know why you did it, you don't need to apologise over and over. I have forgiven you and more importantly I understand" Jack said gently.
Ianto looked up into Jack's eyes and said "Thank you sir" Ianto full of apology then lowered his head so he would not have to see the need in Jack's eyes.
Jack took a step closer to Ianto, his hand reaching out to his face to show him that he wanted to hold that look for longer.
Before Jack could say anything or do anything further the cog door alarm sounded announcing the first arrival of the team. Tosh bounced in with a smile on her face smelling the wonderful aromas of coffee brewing. She noticed that Ianto and Jack were standing at the coffee machine and they appeared to be in close proximity to each other. Oh, she though, I hope I haven't interrupted anything.
"Morning guys" Tosh said happily, "Coffee's up?" she asked hesitatively, not wanting to stop what was happening, she could see that the two men in question had feelings for each other but as far as she could tell nothing had happened between them or so she thought but their closeness this morning might suggest something more.
Jack stepped back from Ianto and then regretted it when Ianto frowned.
"Sure always a coffee for you Tosh" Ianto recovered, why did Jack feel that he couldn't be near him when the others were around. It only proved his point that Jack just wanted a shag buddy and not someone that he could declare his love to. Declarations of love was something that Ianto was comfortable with, it was something that he and Lisa did weekly, they regularly went to the karaoke nights in London and sang love ballads to each other, no he couldn't see that happening with him and Jack and so that is why Ianto would never let Jack bed him. He wanted something more from Jack, more than Jack could give him.
"Oh Ianto how did we cope before you?" Tosh said full of admiration.
Smiling Ianto said "I'm sure you did fine, but now, you're doing better" he added with a wink.
The cog door alarm sounded again and in walked Gwen talking loudly on her phone, "No Rhys the lasagne is for tonight, no you can't have it for breakfast" she raised her hand in greeting to her fellow colleagues.
At that moment the rift alarm interrupted the tirade that Gwen was giving to her poor neglected boyfriend.
"And we're off, early start to the day, Ianto call Owen, tell him to meet Gwen and I at the sighting"
Jack said in official mode, "Tosh patch through the location to the SUV"
Gwen frowned and hung up, giving a quick good bye to her boyfriend.
"Oh Ianto could we have those coffees to go?" Jack asked Ianto hopefully.
Ianto already anticipating this request, had the coffees in the travel mugs that he purchased just for this reason.
TWTWTWTW
After informing her colleagues of the location of the weevil sighting through the SUV computer, Tosh turned to Ianto who was working on the other computer, "Ianto tell me to butt out if you don't want to talk about it, but are you and Jack…..you know… you and Jack an item?"
Tosh was one of the people that Ianto always felt comfortable with, they shared a similar view about life that they both understood, they saw things differently, not quite like how Owen and Gwen saw life, Owen who lived the high life with quick fucks and no regrets and Gwen who was so absorbed in her own needs and the lives of the Torchwood victims that she didn't see the people in her life that she should give attention to like her boyfriend who she took for granted.
"Tosh, I would never tell you to butt out" Ianto said smiling at her as he could see that she was a bit apprehensive about asking her question, "no Jack and I aren't together. We both want something different"
"Ianto life is so short, especially here as a Torchwood operative, take whatever you can get"
"Yeah I know what you're saying but I want,… no, need something more than a quick fuck or seen as a fuck buddy"
"Oh Ianto I think Jack sees you as something more than that"
"But he doesn't show it, he only shows me any attention when no one is here, when you came in he stepped back, did you notice?"
"No Ianto, what I did notice was Jack wanting to be close to you"
"Tosh this….this is so different….different from what I had with Lisa, with Lisa I knew what to do, we were not embarrassed to show our love, we both liked to sing, we had this thing where we would sing love songs to each other at karaoke, corny I know but I felt that she wasn't ashamed to be with me" Ianto said sadly.
"Ianto! Jack would not be ashamed to be with you!" Tosh said exasperated.
"Well, not ashamed but I don't think he is prepared to be anything more, he's showy but only in a flirtatious way, he's like that with everyone, I don't feel like I'm anyone special, just another knotch on his bed post"
"Yeah I suppose, he does come across like that" Tosh said defeatedly, "Well I'm here if you ever need to talk"
"Thanks Tosh, you're a true friend" he bent down to give her a gentle kiss on her cheek, "hey what are you doing in couple of Saturdays time?"
"Just the usual, pizza and a night in" Tosh said.
"Well if you want, you could come to this little country pub I go to sometimes, there's this karaoke contest, I'm singing, it's just for a bit of fun"
"Hey sounds great, rift permitting I'd love to come"
A/N :yeah I know I've painted Jack and Ianto as a bit insipid, it just evolved this way, sorry. Anyway there should be only one more chapter, this is not going to be a long one, nor a complicated one, I bet you can even figure out where this is heading, there will not be any surprise ending where you hate me like my last story. Hopefully I can find time during my holiday in Canada to write the last chapter and write down, into chapters, some of my ideas for the more lengthy and meatier story that I have planned.
Please leave a review, it always makes me smile "A smile a day is the healthy way" that's my motto.