VIII. Fairy Lights (Series 2)

"I like them," said Jack, admiring the view of the hub. He punched a few buttons on his wrist strap and all the main lights went out, leaving only the twinkling fairy lights wrapped around various railings. "Ah, that's nice. So where did you get them?"

Ianto leaned against the nearest support, casually sipping a new cup of coffee. "Came across them in the archive, actually."

Jack turned in surprise. "Really? Fairy lights in the archives?" He glanced around the hub with a slight frown. "Are they alien?"

"Yep," said Ianto, holding back a grin as best as he could.

"Seriously?"

Ianto shrugged. "Found them in a box when I was going through an overstuffed closet."

"How do you know they're alien then?" asked Jack.

"There was actually a tag," said Ianto. He took another sip to hide his smile. "Apparently they're like…well, a bit like mood lights." Jack gave him a raised eyebrow. "Some sort of telepathic technology—the color cues to the mood of whomever is broadcasting the strongest psychic signal."

Jack narrowed his eyes as if he wasn't quite sure whether to believe him. Ianto shrugged. "They've been red and white since I put them up, but then, red is my color."

At that moment the alarm went off and Gwen came bounding through, stopping as soon as she saw them standing in the dark admiring the lights. "Oh, Ianto!" she exclaimed. "They're lovely! I'm so glad you decided to use them."

Ianto swallowed his coffee with a slight cough. "Yes, well, I was just telling Jack how I found them in the archives."

He turned away from Jack and gave her a very pointed look; surprisingly, she got it and didn't blather on for once. "Right. What was it you told me yesterday?" she asked, actually catching on quite quick.

"They change color according to mood. Apparently I am festive."

Gwen grinned. "I bet you are. But how does it work with multiple people in the room?"

"I'm not sure," Ianto replied. "The tag said something about how the strongest mood in the room would have the strongest influence over the color of the lights."

"Makes sense. So when Owen arrives they'll all go black?" she teased, and Ianto grinned.

"Something like that."

"And Tosh…I bet Tosh is a silver and gold kind of girl," Gwen continued.

"What about you?" asked Jack, arms folded across his chest as he turned toward Gwen "Why don't you try and change it? Let us see what color you are."

"I don't think I could," Gwen laughed. "I like red and white too much! It's like living inside a candy cane."

Ianto winked at Gwen before turning back to Jack and stepping a little closer. He set his mug down on a nearby table and reached out to brush his fingers across Jack's lower back, resting his hand on Jack's hip for a moment. He felt the other man immediately respond with a twitch and move closer.

"Why don't you try?" Ianto murmured, stepping closer still, so that he was side by side with Jack, legs touching, bodies flush against one another. He unwound his arm from around Jack's waist and let his hand trace patterns down the front of Jack's leg, earning him a surprised look from Jack.

"Ianto," Jack said, his voice low. "We're not alone."

"We're not doing anything, either," said Ianto, his voice equally as low but slightly teasing. He was fairly sure he heard an intake of breath behind them, followed by a giggle and hasty footsteps hurrying away up the stairs.

Ianto glanced over his shoulder and caught Gwen heading into the hot house, eyes wide. He gave her another grin and a wink, and she covered her mouth to avoid laughing. She knew exactly what Ianto was doing, and fortunately, she was letting him do it.

Ianto stepped behind Jack and wrapped his arms around the man's waist, letting them move a bit lower before roaming up and down his chest. He pressed a few soft kisses at the base of Jack's neck and whispered into his ear.

"Change the lights, Jack. What color is this?" He flickered his tongue around Jack's ear and sucked a soft love bite on Jack's neck even as he let his hands move down toward Jack's thighs for a gentle grope. Jack's breath increased, and Ianto somehow knew that Jack had closed his eyes.

"Blue," he murmured, and Ianto let one hand slip away to the remote in his pocket. He flicked the switch and the lights slowly changed to a soft blue and white glow. It was all he could do to contain his own laughter as he glanced up and saw Gwen in the hothouse, doubled over and giggling like a schoolgirl.

"Very good, Jack," said Ianto, stepping away. Jack opened his eyes and gasped, probably as much as from the sudden lack of contact as from the change of color.

"I thought you were taking the piss," Jack murmured, gazing around the blue hub in awe.

Ianto almost wanted to tell Jack he was right, it was a trick, but then Owen walked in, and Ianto thought maybe, just maybe, he could pull it off again.

Without the snuggling of course.

Offering a silent thank you to Gwen and the extra strings of remote control lights she had brought in to decorate the hub with, Ianto turned to Owen with a grin on his face while Jack continued to stare at the lights in wonder


Author's Note:

I really wanted to save this one for later, but it's the last one I have ready to go. The others are in various states, including one that ballooned into far more than a drabble and passed 2K without stopping at go. So this one it is. I'd apologize for the Ianto-centric nature of them all, but I can't. I adore the character too much to fake it. Enjoy!