TWTWTW
Ianto and Owen arrived at work together but split to their own workstations without another word. Ianto greeted the girls who were already at work.
'I'm picking up some rift readings outside the city' announced Toshiko.
'Where?' asked Gwen .
The team congregated around Toshiko's computer as she bought up a map of the city and suburbs to show her teammates.
'Do we need to investigate Tosh?' asked Gwen.
'I don't think so...there is nothing concrete yet...just little blips...I'll programme the SUV's Sat Nav with the location in case we need to get there quickly later...but at the moment the blips are too fast and small to be a problem' said Toshiko.
'Ok...keep monitoring Tosh and let us know if anything changes' said Gwen.
'Right...if we're not going out immediately I'm going to finish the investigations on that alien that came through last week...only a couple more tests and I'll have the results for your comparison programme Tosh' announced Owen.
'Great Owen...I'll get ready to collate all the latest results' answered Tosh.
'I'm going out to meet Andy...got to keep up local contacts' said Gwen.
'Does he know Jack is missing?' asked Ianto.
'No...I thought we should keep that information to ourselves as long as possible' answered Gwen with a frown.
The others all nodded in silent agreement and returned to their individual tasks.
Ianto made coffee for himself Toshiko and Owen. Placing Toshiko's cup at her workstation he smiled at the Japanese woman.
'Are you ok Ianto?' she asked concern obvious in her voice 'you seem a bit more rested lately but I know you must still be unhappy'
Ianto smiled at his friend.
'I am sleeping a bit better Tosh..thank you...and I know I can't mope forever' he looked down and swallowed 'but it's still hard'
Toshiko gave him a hug and kissed his cheek. The two looked at each other and enjoyed a moment of closeness that did not require words.
Ianto took Owen's coffee down to the med lab and came and stood next to the medic to look over some of the latest findings. They stood shoulder to shoulder just barely touching each other.
'You've almost completed this' observed Ianto.
'Yes' agreed Owen.
'Would you like me to fetch the file containing the previous results for comparison?' asked Ianto.
'Yeah...I think Tosh will need to see it too...all the results will be on her programme but locations and dates and times of retrieval might not be and might prove useful to compare'
Ianto nodded and made to move away, Owen reached out quickly and grabbed the other man's hand.
'Ianto...thank you' he said looking deep into Ianto's eyes.
Ianto was pretty sure Owen was not referring to the file he had offered to collect. Neither man was sure how to react to what had happened this morning. It was a direction neither had seen their relationship taking but comfort was in short supply in Torchwood and was never turned away lightly, no matter the source.
Ianto had enjoyed the feel of another warm body next to his and Owen had been surprised at how attractive he had found Ianto. He suspected it was as much to do with how comfortable he felt in the other man's company as it was to do with wanting him physically. Owen had not been close to someone for a long time. He did impersonal one night shags and Ianto had penetrated the barrier he had erected about himself. In trying to help the young Welshman, Owen had found a need in himself being answered also.
The moment was broken when Ianto looked away but he squeezed Owen's hand almost imperceptibly before letting go and walking away.
TWTWTW
Ianto retrieved the file Owen needed and left it with Toshiko. He didn't want to see the medic again just yet. He wasn't sure how he felt about what he thought was happening between himself and Owen. They had become close in the last couple of weeks but what had occurred this morning had been different. Ianto had not thought he was physically attracted to Owen but as they had become closer he had begun to see him differently and this morning his body had definitely reacted positively to the other man's proximity.
'Thanks Ianto' said Toshiko as he gave her the file.
Owen had come up from the med lab as Ianto spoke with Toshiko and the two men looked at each other for a moment. Toshiko looked from one to the other and wondered what was going on between them. Ianto turned and fled back to his archives.
'What's up between you and Ianto?' Toshiko asked Owen.
Owen watched Ianto leave with a wistful look on his face.
'Nothing' he said.
Toshiko rolled her eyes but accepted Owen's dismissal of her concern and the two began to coordinate results for her programme. Twenty minutes later and the rift alert monitor signalled a change in the activity Toshiko had noticed earlier.
'Looks as if we have to go and investigate after all' she said to Owen as they both looked at the screen.
She called to Ianto over the internal Comms and he came to view the readings for himself.
'Let's go' said Owen when the three had seen and discussed the readings 'we'll pick Gwen up on the way'
'I'll contact her and let her know....I'll stay and relay coordinates from here' said Toshiko.
'Ok...see you later' said Ianto as he and Owen left.
Owen and Ianto sat in the SUV and looked across at each other. Owen started the engine.
'Ready for this?' he asked.
Ianto wasn't sure if he was asking about the mission or something closer to home.
'If you are' he answered quietly.
Owen turned to face out of the windscreen, nodded once and began to move the vehicle.
TWTWTW
They arrived at the scene of the activity and Toshiko warned them that local police had been called to the scene due to a probably unrelated disturbance of the peace. The team quickly established the incident was very much related to the rift activity as two youths were arguing ownership of something definitely of alien origin.
Gwen marched up to the officers dealing with the incident.
'Torchwood' she shouted.
'Well that's all we bloody well need' growled the officer in charge.
Owen and Ianto joined the throng around the object. Neither had any idea what the artefact was but it was obviously alien in origin and the team needed to retrieve it.
'No point fighting over it lads...it's coming with us' announced Owen to the squabbling youths.
'Who the fuck are you?' asked one of the youths with a snarl.
'We are the people taking away your toy' sneered Owen.
Tempers were still flaring and the youngster did not appreciate Owen's dismissive tone. Out of nowhere he produced a knife and lunged at Owen. The blade bit into Owen's shoulder before Ianto bought the offender down with a swift kick to the back of his knees. He fell to the ground next to the youth, grabbed the hand still holding the knife and twisted viscously. The police officer was already with Ianto and shouting at him.
'That's enough....you'll break his wrist...let go now' he commanded.
'Ianto!' shouted Gwen attempting to get her teammate to allow the officers to arrest the offender so that they could clear the scene and take the retrieved object back to base.
Ianto however was not listening to either of them and was still twisting the youth's wrist. By now the youngster was screaming pitifully in pain but all Ianto could see was the blood that had spilled out of Owen's shoulder as the knife had caught him.
'Ianto?' it was spoken quietly and Ianto looked around.
'Ianto...let him go...it's only a scratch...and he's just a kid' said Owen.
Ianto focussed on his teammate holding onto his wound and gradually he lightened his grip on the youth.
'He hurt you Owen' he gasped.
'Yeah' said Owen 'so let's get back to the hub and get this cleaned up...don't want you bitching about getting blood stains out of the SUV' smiled Owen, taking hold of Ianto's hand gently and urging him to his feet.
Ianto helped Owen back to the SUV and pressed a dressing to his wound. Gwen finished speaking to the police and joined them carrying the alien artefact.
'What the hell was that Ianto?' she demanded as she climbed in beside him as he started the engine to drive home.
Ianto looked at her.
'I'm sorry Gwen...sometimes get frustrated with the prats we come across' he apologised.
Gwen looked at him. Ianto did not usually lose control.
'Are you ok Ianto?' she asked concerned.
'Yeah...I am sorry Gwen...it won't happen again' he said sincerely.
Gwen nodded at him.
'Yeah well...he was a prat' she admitted and they both laughed breaking the tension.
Ianto looked at Owen in the rear view mirror, he had an indiscernible look on his face and Ianto sighed. He could not explain his response to Owen's injury and he didn't know how Owen was going to react to what he had done.
This was the first time since Jack had been away that one of the team had been injured and it unsettled Ianto. The despair that Jack had left in his wake had been calmed to some extent by his friends and seeing one of them threatened had reawakened all of Ianto's insecurity. He tried to tell himself it was not worse because it had been Owen under threat.
Back at the hub the girls took charge of the artefact, Gwen began a report and Toshiko started tests to determine its function. Ianto took Owen to the med lab to deal with his injury. Neither man had spoken since the incident and they were avoiding looking at each other.
'Take off your shirt Owen' said Ianto preparing to clean the wound.
Owen removed his shirt and tried his best to look at his injury.
'Fuck...this is going to need sutures...five or six I would guess...I'll need to go to A and E' he stated.
He looked around at Ianto.
'Unless you do it' he said quietly.
Ianto looked at the wound and then back up at Owen's face.
'Ok' he said, he knew Owen had a deep and largely irrational hatred of hospitals.
'Really?' questioned Owen 'you think you can do this...I don't want permanent scarring' he said doubtfully, but he really didn't want to go to hospital.
'Son of a master tailor Owen...do you really think I can't sew?' smiled Ianto feeling a little calmer now that they were back at the hub and talking again.
'It's not the same as stitching cotton Ianto' said Owen, slightly alarmed.
Ianto chuckled slightly.
'I'm sure you can talk me through it Owen...now what do I do first...where are the needles' he asked gleefully.
If it weren't for his almost manic hatred of hospitals Owen would be taking himself off to one right now. As it was he gritted his teeth and tried not to react to Ianto's apparent joy at the thought of getting to hurt him. He began to give the Welshman instructions.
Just as Ianto had finished injecting Owen with a local anaesthetic, the rift alarm sounded again. Gwen hung over the railings of the lab and shouted down to them.
'Something has come through in a local field...Tosh and I are going to retrieve' she said.
'Shouldn't you wait for one of us to go with you?' asked Ianto briefly stopping his ministrations.
'Monitor shows whatever came through is about fifteen centimetres long and inanimate...we might be girls but I think we can probably manage that' laughed Toshiko.
'Ok...but be careful' said Owen.
'Happy stitching' laughed Gwen as the girls left.
Ianto concentrated and listened to Owen's detailed instructions as he placed careful and neat sutures in the wound. Gently closing the edges together and trying not to shake as he did so. He looked at his completed work and smiled happily at the neatness.
'There' he said happily 'do I need to do anything else Owen?' he asked.
'That's pretty good teaboy' said Owen impressed 'there's just one more thing...you could kiss it better' he grinned.
He looked up at Ianto wondering how the other man would respond. They could both laugh it off as a joke, or use what Owen had said to open up a dialogue over what was happening between them.
Owen wasn't sure which reaction he expected from Ianto, or which he wanted, but he was sure he hadn't expected Ianto to do exactly as he had asked him. His eyes opened wide in shock as Ianto bent down and kissed just to the side of his wound. The kiss was soft but the touch of Ianto's lips burnt Owen's skin.
Ianto looked up at the medic. He had surprised himself as well as Owen when he did as he was asked, but it felt right. He placed another kiss higher on Owen's shoulder and as Owen did not move away he pressed another into the nape of his neck.
Both men looked at each other. They were close enough to feel each other's breath on their faces. Ianto tentatively leaned in and placed a chaste kiss on Owen's lips then quickly backed away to check the other man's reaction. What he saw made him lean in again and kiss him properly but still gently. He tugged softly on Owen's bottom lip with his teeth and when he heard the other man gasp he pushed his lips more firmly against Owen's. It was a quick but passionate kiss and they broke apart to lean their foreheads together, breathing hard.
'What are we doing?' Ianto asked.
'Don't know...but it feels good' breathed Owen.
Just as Ianto leant in for another touch of lips the door alarm sounded and the girls came tumbling back in.
'Bloody hell what a time for them to be fast at their job' muttered Owen.
'How's it going boys?' asked Gwen happily as she leant over the railings of the lab.
'All done Gwen' said Ianto moving away from his teammate and going to join the girls in the main hub, looking back at Owen briefly as he reached the top of the stairs.
Neither man mentioned what had happened again that day, but they continually snuck little glances at each other with worried looks on their faces.
TWTWTW
The team packed away at the end of the day and Ianto gravitated towards Owen in the lab. He watched the medic carefully organising his area and cataloguing results. He saw him wince as his sutures pulled and Ianto felt again the momentary shock and fear he had experienced when Owen had been injured.
'Bye all' yelled Gwen as she left.
Owen looked up to answer his teammate and found Ianto staring down at him. He stood still for a moment contemplating the younger man, then grabbed his jacket and headed up the stairs towards him.
Without speaking Ianto helped Owen into his jacket, Owen almost protested but as his wound was bothering him he allowed the assistance. The two men left the hub together still not having exchanged a word. They rode the lift to the tourist office in silence and once outside on the quay the quiet was broken by one word.
'Chips?' asked Owen.
Ianto nodded and they headed in the direction of the chip shop. Once their meals were bought and they were eating from the wrapping as they sat and watched the water of the quay, they both realised they had to talk.
'What is this?' asked Ianto.
Owen considered making a smart reply but rejected the thought and answered.
'Not sure'
Ianto took a deep breath, now was the time for honesty, he turned to look at the other man.
'Owen...I'm lonely and I'm horny...I think you could help me with both those problems'
Owen grinned at him and he continued.
'I'm not like you...don't really go in for one night shags...I like to be with someone I know and trust...if it was you it would also be someone who had no expectations...no demands...someone who would know without being told that anything more than sex was out of the question'
Ianto began to flounder now, wondering what Owen's reaction was going to be. Owen saw him begin to stutter and realised he needed to join the conversation.
'Ianto I'm lonely and horny too...we could help each other' he put his head on one side and grinned apologetically.
'I do like one night shags...but I'm getting fed up of having to make small talk with people whose name I can't remember in the morning...or wondering how long I have to wait before asking them to leave won't seem too harsh...if it was you...well you're more interesting to talk to than I realised...and if I forget your name I can always call you teaboy' he smiled.
The two men breathed sighs of relief when they realised they both wanted the same thing, company, sex and friendship.
'The other night...when I woke up with you' began Owen.
Ianto looked up at him encouraging him to continue with a smile.
'I liked that...liked being with a friend...liked having a warm body next to me that I wasn't anxious to get rid of...I'd like to do that again' admitted Owen.
'Ok' said Ianto making the final decision for them both, 'let's go'
The two men headed in the direction of Owen's flat without further discussion.
TWTWTW
Ianto had only been here once before and he again admired the minimalism of Owen's living space. They sat on Owen's sofa with a whiskey each, neither wanting to take the lead now that they had arrived. Eventually Ianto wound his hand into Owen's and they turned to look at each other.
'Bed?' questioned Owen and Ianto nodded.
Owen made to get up off the sofa but was prevented by Ianto's hand in his when the other man did not move.
'Ianto?' he questioned.
Ianto sat looking at his lap. Owen sighed.
'You can change your mind Ianto...if there has only been Jack then I realise this might be a bigger deal for you than it is for me...I'm not totally insensitive' he said.
'Don't want to change my mind...just need ground rules' murmured Ianto.
Owen settled himself back on the sofa.
'Ok...good idea' he agreed 'you start'
'I don't want to fuck' announced Ianto.
'Ok..we can do other stuff' agreed Owen 'as the doctor I know we're both clean...but if you want to use condoms for this other stuff then I have some in the bedroom'
Ianto considered this. He trusted Owen as a medic completely and knew he would never do anything to risk their health.
'No condoms...this is not exclusive but if you have sex with anyone else before your next tests we use protection' said Ianto.
'Agreed...same for you' said Owen 'is there anything else you don't want?' he asked quietly.
Ianto shook his head.
'No'
'I have a feeling there is a but in there' smiled Owen 'is there something you do want' he asked with sudden inspiration.
Ianto hung his head a little lower.
'I like kissing' he whispered.
Owen laughed out loud.
'Not exactly something to be ashamed of Ianto...God I thought you were going to have some weird kink for a minute there' he smiled.
Ianto smiled back at him.
'Didn't think it would be your thing' he admitted.
Owen sighed.
'Ianto...if we're going to do this...I think we better let go of all the things we thought we knew about each other and just go with the flow...for the record I love kissing...and if that in the hub earlier was an example of your style I think it safe to say I will not be objecting any time soon' he said.'
He stood up and pulled Ianto with him.
'Let's go to bed' he said.
TWTWTW
In the bedroom Owen and Ianto undressed to underwear and got under the covers. They both lay on their backs gazing at the ceiling. Was this really going to be such a good idea?
'Owen...is this going to be weird?' asked Ianto nervously.
'Probably...but we both admitted we're horny...so we could just get over ourselves and do it...I think I prefer weird to irrepressible sexual frustration' said Owen.
Ianto turned onto his side and looked at his teammate with a small smile on his face. He wanted to do this because he was incredibly horny. Jack had been gone for a long time and whilst he was still mourning the loss of that relationship he was after all a man and physical release was becoming something of an imperative.
He leaned towards the other man tentatively, half expecting Owen to back away, or worse laugh in his face. But Owen merely waited expectantly and his breath hitched slightly as Ianto came closer. Ianto brushed his lips over Owen's and the other man's arms came up to hold him and his hands gripped his biceps tightly.
Ianto pushed his tongue out to touch Owen's lips and the other man immediately opened his mouth to let the questing tongue inside. Owen moaned slightly, Ianto was very good at this. Ianto stopped kissing him.
'You ok Owen?' he asked.
'You just made me rock hard from a kiss...that's not happened to me since I was a teenager' Owen gasped.
Both men were beginning to relax now. Maybe it would feel strange tomorrow at work but for now it felt great and they were enjoying themselves. They lay on their sides facing each other and began to trace fingers over each other's flesh, still kissing mouths and necks. They pushed together and their hard cocks rocked against each other briefly.
'Can we get naked Owen...please?' asked Ianto.
Owen didn't bother to answer merely shrugged his own underwear off and helped Ianto out of his. At the same time they reached for each other's cocks and enclosed them in warm fists. Both closed their eyes and rocked gently into the others warmth and tightness enjoying the sensations.
They took their time experimenting with grip and strokes, listening to the other one's breathing to notice what sensations were most appreciated. They quickly discovered how tight to hold each other, whether to rub over the head of cocks, whether to twist wrists. The room soon resounded with the moans and gasps of two males experiencing sexual pleasure. But quickly they found themselves thrusting into fists held tightly in place.
'Owen...it's been a long time...I'm sorry...I can't' stuttered Ianto.
'Me too' gasped Owen.
'Arrrh...fuck' screamed Ianto and he spilled over Owen's fist.
Ianto's pleasure was all the extra stimulation it took for Owen to reach his peak also and placing his own hand over the one Ianto had wrapped around his cock he gave three more stuttering thrusts and came with a soft grunt.
They lay side by side for a while gathering their thoughts and trying to control their breathing patterns. Eventually Ianto turned his head and smiled at his partner.
'That was pathetic' he announced.
'Yep' laughed Owen.
'In our defence we were both horny...and tired' said Ianto.
'Yeah' replied Owen laughing again 'maybe we'll try for something more adventurous and longer lasting next time' he smiled.
'Yeah...next time' agreed Ianto.
TWTWTW
Ianto awoke to find himself entangled with someone else's limbs. For a moment he froze but then relaxed as he remembered the night before and that he was at Owen's place. He started to wonder whether this morning was going to be awkward and whether he was sorry they had started this.
'My God you think loudly' moaned Owen.
Ianto laughed and turned over to face his friend.
'Wondering if this is going to be weird?' asked Owen.
'Yup' admitted Ianto.
'It's not...so stop worrying' demanded Owen.
'Oh...made an executive decision have you?' smiled Ianto.
'Yes...as the senior ranking Torchwood officer it is my duty to inform you that sexual activity between us will be nothing short of bloody fantastic and no one is allowed to be weird about it' announced Owen sternly, hoping Ianto would see the joke.
Ianto appraised him for a moment and then replied.
'You're quite sexy when you are being authoritative'
Owen gaped at him open mouthed and then laughed pulling Ianto into his arms.
'Does that mean you'll let me give you orders?...cos I could use power like that to great advantage' he smirked.
'I'll give that request serious consideration and get back to you' Ianto smiled leaning in and kissing the other man.
Owen's phone bleeped with a rift alert and the two men reluctantly separated. Owen checked the information and they dressed quickly to go and deal with what looked to be a weevil sighting.
Two hours later they arrived back at the hub considerably dirtier and wearier and with three weevils in tow. By tacit agreement the girls were not appraised of the change in the nature of the relationship between the two men and so at work there were no touches, no innuendo and life continued seemingly the same as ever.
That night they both went home to their own flats.
TBC