Christmas Eve, December 24, 1000 hours
At Torchwood, Christmas always passed without much pomp or circumstance and with no days off for the employees. It was never an issue; typically those that worked for Torchwood had no family to spend holidays with, anyway. This year though, Jack announced the morning of Christmas Eve that he was giving everyone three days of paid vacation.
Tosh was openly excited for some time off, and Gwen seemed to be somewhat reluctantly happy though she shot both Jack and Owen pained and confused looks before leaving to be with Rhys for the holiday. Owen, still harboring bitter feelings for the way Diane left him, simply growled with apparent distaste, cursed at Jack, than left in a rage. That left Ianto. Jack avoided the younger man's inquisitive stare, retreating to his office, closing the door behind him, and leaving Ianto to sit alone in the Hub.
Alan had taken his own life late into the night of December 23rd and his suicide was affecting Jack more profoundly than he'd ever admit to anyone. The abject desperation and utter loneliness Alan had expressed to Jack in his last hours on this earth had left Jack reflecting somberly on his own life; his own trials and tribulations of being out of his time, stuck alone and in unfamiliar surroundings.
After years of self-destructive behavior brought on by feelings eerily echoed in Alan's pain and loss, Jack had been able to adjust to his situation. The difference though, was that even when Jack had wanted out – to die - it hadn't mattered because Jack couldn't stay dead.
That fact, which Jack tested over and over and over his first decade living in the 19th century, left him with a choice. He could either accept the situation he found himself in and to live life to the fullest or he could remain bitter and angry and choose to wallow in his confusion, misery, and loneliness, spending his eternity on earth miserable.
It didn't happen overnight, but eventually he chose the former. It wasn't long before he discovered there was a lot to live for, a lot to enjoy. Jack took full advantage of experiencing anything and everything he was able to. If only he'd been able to convince Alan that he too could live happily again...
Alan's struggles, and death, had brought back all the old feelings of despair in Jack and he was having a hard time finding a way out. He couldn't stop thinking about all the things he'd done, or all the people he'd loved and lost, or all the lives he'd ruined and bettered (there were a few, he thought) since that long ago time (yet a time still so far in the future it was unfathomable) when he'd first met the Doctor and his life had been altered forever.
Christmas Eve, December 24, 1700 hours
"Jack?"
Light rapping and the subsequent creaking of door hinges startled Jack.
"Ianto? What are you still doing here? Have you been here all day?" Jack remained seated at his desk, raising his eyebrows questioningly at the young Welshman standing in his doorway.
"Yeah, well I had some work to finish," Ianto shuffled in the doorway.
"Go home. You must have family to spend the holiday with," Jack grabbed a stack of papers from the corner of his desk and tapped them against the scarred and blemished surface, squaring the corners to form a neat pile. He had no idea what the pages were and he tried not to think that the report for Alan's death was probably in there somewhere, waiting for Jack to sign.
"No," Ianto swallowed back laughter and looked at Jack pointedly, "no plans."
His sister had invited him for Christmas dinner but Ianto wasn't in the mood. He couldn't bear to sit and listen to his brother-in-law blather on about his latest conspiracy theory, or to deal with his niece and nephew who seemed to only like him for the money he gave them when he visited, and he really wasn't in the mood to listen as his sister tried to convince him to go on a blind date with another of her rather uninteresting, and rather unattractive, friends.
Jack just nodded and offered a sad smile. He could tell by the way Ianto was looking at him that he didn't want to go home alone, but Jack couldn't go with him either.
"Well I'm afraid I'm not good company," Jack added, probably more forcefully than necessary. He tried to ignore the momentary look of disappointment that crossed Ianto's features.
"Oh," Ianto replied, feeling completely deflated. All he needed, all he wanted, was to spend the night with Jack. Yet he couldn't bring himself to say it; to ask for it. Unable to make his legs move to leave he just stood in place, feeling his neck and cheeks blush as the familiar feel of creeping heat rose up from his collar.
"What is it?" Jack, his tone gentler, asked as he stood from behind the desk. He'd already shed his braces from his shoulders, and untucked and unbuttoned his shirt. The sleeves were rolled up to his elbows.
"You're staying here for Christmas, then?" Ianto blurted his clear, blue eyes unnaturally wide and his face pale, having drained the recent blush. Jack would have laughed at his expression if he hadn't recognized the underlying fearful tone in his voice.
"Well it is where I live. And I really have nowhere to go," Jack said slowly and carefully. He'd spent the last nearly two hundred Christmases alone and he was fine with it. He had no attachment to the holiday, Christmas and the 21st century meaning behind it both were thousands of years gone by the time Jack was even born. He'd tried to indulge in Christmas-cheer when he first found himself stuck in the late 1800's, but he didn't subscribe to any 21st century (or any century) religion and the whole idea of Santa Clause was just creepy.
In the end, though, he just knew too much about what was out there to really be able to enjoy all the cookies and cakes and presents and good-cheer.
Ianto remained silent. He'd been rehearsing this moment in his head all day and things were not going according to the script he'd written in his head. Taking a deep breath, he offered a tight-lipped smile while he tried to figure out what to do next.
Moving from behind his desk, Jack crossed his office in three long strides, coming to a stop nearly nose to nose with Ianto. Jack's thumb pressed gently into the tiny dimple of Ianto's chin as he held the other man's face up so they were eye to eye.
"Ianto?"
"Youcancomehomewithme," Ianto said, his words blending together into one long stream. He took a deep, jagged breath before speaking again.
"I'm not going to my sister's. It's a hassle and...well, I'll be by myself, and if you don't want to sit here alone…I mean… you can come over. It won't be anything special, really…but, you know, you won't be alone and we can eat and watch a movie or…?"
Ianto shrugged, letting his voice trail off as he fought mortified embarrassment. What he'd just spewed nonsensically had sounded nothing like the well-rehearsed, mature, polite invitation he'd been working on all day and he cringed at the pathetic, needy tone he'd had.
Apparently he needn't have worried. Jack grinned and gave his answer with a kiss that left both men a little weak in the knees.
Christmas Eve, December 24, 1900 hours
Ianto prepared a simple meal and for the first time since they'd started – well, whatever it was they'd started - the two men had a real sit-down dinner together.
Jack asked a few questions about Ianto's sister; he hadn't even known there was a sister. Ianto was indulgent of his questions but Jack could tell he didn't really want to talk about his family. Jack could empathize.
Changing topics, they talked about Emma, both expressing hopefulness of her finding happiness and success in London. They also talked a bit about Diane and Owen, Ianto feeling a bit empathetic for Owen's loss while Jack was mysteriously more unsympathetic. Ianto tried to ask about Alan but Jack became quiet and withdrawn when his name was mentioned. Changing the subject, Ianto could only hope one day Jack would feel comfortable enough to open up to him and let him in just a little bit.
After dinner, they ended up on the sofa, the television tuned to a holiday-themed variety show featuring dancing dogs, a choir of children dressed as elves, and cats that walked on high-wires, but they weren't paying it any attention. They were paying attention to each other.
Jack was stripped down to his white undershirt and trousers and had Ianto's shirt wide open, his mouth kissing and nibbling on the younger man's chest. Hands threaded in Jack's hair, Ianto held him close while he writhed beneath him. His trousers were growing uncomfortably tight, and he could feel Jack's hardness pressing against his thigh.
Releasing Jack, Ianto pulled back and roughly shed his shirt, throwing it unceremoniously to the floor. He caught a glimpse of Jack doing the same thing across from him. Without a word, Ianto stood from the sofa and with eyes glued to Jack, he quickly dropped his trousers and boxers, taking a moment to pull off his socks as well. He stood before Jack, naked and exposed, the light breeze from the overhead fan tingling all the nerve endings in his swollen cock.
Jack held his gaze the whole time, forcing his eyes to remain on Ianto's face even as the younger man stripped all his clothes off in front of him. In his peripheral vision he could see Ianto in all his glory, his gorgeous cock standing stiff at attention, begging to be touched and caressed. Jack felt a desperate stirring in his groin, his own cock seeming to vibrate with anticipation.
The men kept their eyes locked while Jack slowly stood and moved so close that the tip of Ianto's penis pressed against the hardened length of Jack's cock, still restrained by his trousers. The younger man let out a low, breathy moan and his eyes nearly rolled back into his head from the sharp bolts of pleasure that shot through his body.
Jack leaned forward and put his mouth on Ianto's, his tongue slipping into the other man's mouth as he dropped his own trousers and boxers, letting his erection fly free. He elicited a slight moan when it rubbed against Ianto. Pants off and haphazardly thrown on the floor Jack moved even closer, positioning his left leg between Ianto's legs and grinding his cock against the other man's hip. Ianto released his hold on Jack's head and neck and moved his hands down to Jack's ass, grabbing and pulling him tighter to him as he pressed his groin into Jack's hip.
Pulling his mouth back and panting for breath, Jack moved his hands down to grasp Ianto's ass as they both pressed against each other, panting and kissing, hands gripping tight, massaging. Jack let his hands wander inwards and he gently spread Ianto's butt cheeks, his fingers tenderly probing around the sensitive skin of his opening.
Ianto gasped and laid his head in the crook of Jack's neck, nibbling as he cautiously mimicked the touch, carefully moving his hands into position, listening to Jack's whispered encouragement in his ear, letting his fingers explore, feeling the tight flesh of Jack's ass.
"Yes," Jack groaned loudly, his hands gripping tighter to Ianto as he growled into his ear. "I love your hands on me."
"Jack," Ianto whispered, his heart pounding from with nervous anticipation. He ached so badly, not just in his groin but in his whole body. All the fear and trepidation he'd been feeling before suddenly was gone, replaced with the simple yearning to be with this other man. It was more than a want, or a desire. It had become a need, something immediately necessary to Ianto's survival, and that thought was a little bit scary.
"Bedroom," Ianto breathed in Jack's ear, sending waves of pleasure through his body.
Pulling back slightly so he could look the other man in the face, Jack searched his expression trying to read into what that one word meant.
"Bedroom," Ianto repeated, a bit more controlled this time. His eyes were clear and wide, and not with fear or apprehension, that much was clear to Jack. It was something else, something more primal, the basic need for intimacy.
"You sure?" Jack questioned, even as his fingers kneaded the dense muscles of Ianto's cute little ass. He felt the Welshman falter on his feet as he pressed his mouth against Jack's.
"Oh yeah," Ianto panted, his lips on Jack's and his breath hot and wet.
Pulling away, Ianto smiled teasingly before grabbing Jack's hand in his. Jack flashed a grin and started to follow when a loud beep caused Jack to pause.
"Shit."
"What?" Ianto's asked. Jack looked pissed.
Jack sighed heavily as he punched his fist angrily into the air.
"It's the fucking rift," he grumbled as he pulled away and turned to the pile of his clothes where he dug into the pocket of his trousers and pulled out his PDA. A tiny blue light was flashing on the screen keeping time to the beeps.
"Fuck," he groused, louder and with more ferocity.
"What is it?"
"I've got to go take care of this," Jack said, keeping his back to Ianto as he crouched down and gathered his clothes, pulling on his boxers and pants before sitting on the sofa to pull on his socks.
Ianto stood before Jack unashamedly naked and still aroused, his face screwed up with confusion. His body was splotched, harsh red streaks running across his chest where Jack had been kissing him, and biting him, and touching him.
"Do you need my help, sir?" Ianto's asked, the juxtaposition of his suddenly professional tone and demeanor with his still very obvious arousal was ridiculous and Jack suppressed a smile.
"No," Jack stood and slipped his white tee over his head, then pulled on his blue button-down, not bothering to close the buttons or tuck it in.
"It's probably just weevils. I'll call you if it's something more serious," Jack shrugged on his coat and stared for a long moment at Ianto, trying to mask his frustration. With one last sigh, Jack nodded and left, the tails of his great coat flowing behind him as he disappeared out the door.
Alone, Ianto sighed and looked down at his erection wearily. He really wasn't in the mood now and he hoped it would fall on its own before he was forced to jack-off to release the now painfully uncomfortable pressure.
Christmas Day, December 25, 0500 hours
Ianto shuffled the bag of pastries and the two coffees in one hand as he unlocked the door to the tourism office. Slamming it shut behind him, Ianto eyed the room. There was a fine layer of dust on everything. It'd been months, yet no one had seemed to notice or care that the office had closed one day never to reopen. Ianto set the coffees down on the counter, getting a better grip on the white paper sack that was full pastries, and sending loose particles of dust flying in the stale air. When he was certain he wasn't going to drop anything, Ianto descended into the Hub.
The main area of the Hub was dark, save a wide rectangle of light coming from the autopsy bay. Ianto set the coffees and pastries on Tosh's station and tossed his wool overcoat in a heap on the tattered couch before moving to stand at the rail overlooking the bay. Below, on the gurney, was a weevil; it was barely recognizable, a bloody mass bruised and swollen and ripped open, entrails oozing various colored fluids onto the floor.
"Jack?" Ianto called as he turned from the rail overcome with a sudden, unexpected panic.
That was when he saw the button-down shirt in a crumpled pile on the floor. It was soaked in so much blood that if Ianto hadn't seen it on Jack the night before he wouldn't have known it was originally blue in color.
"Jack!" Ianto called, trying to control the pit of dread that was growing inside his gut. He knelt down and poked at the shirt, taking note of the long tears indicative of the razor sharp teeth of the weevils.
The worry he felt was unsettling, but also weirdly comforting. He didn't allow himself to question why he was so concerned for Jack. It was normal, he thought. Jack was a friend and co-worker, of course he'd be concerned. Jack was important to Torchwood…but Ianto knew it was a hell of a lot more than that. He wouldn't feel so concerned if it were Owen or Gwen he was searching for.
Ianto's heart-rate quickened as he started scouring the Hub for Jack's bleeding, unconscious body, all the while his brain was trying to place a label on the feelings he was developing for the older man. Nowhere in the immediately vicinity of the autopsy bay, Ianto moved quickly to Jack's office and descended the ladder to the living quarters below.
Dropping from the ladder Ianto took in the scene. More blood was splattered on the concrete floor leaving a trail from the base of the ladder across the room to the remainder of Jack's clothes and boots, which were in another extremely bloody pile near the door to the bathroom.
That was when Ianto finally registered the sound of running water from the bathroom; the shower.
"Jack," Ianto exhaled with relief and crossed to the small bathroom. With one swift motion he swept aside the shower curtain.
"What the?" Jack jumped, startled, before greeting Ianto with his trademark grin.
"Ianto! What are you doing here so early? Want to join me?" Without waiting for an answer, Jack reached out and grabbed Ianto's suit jacket lapels, pulling him under the steaming, stream of water.
"No," Ianto sighed with exasperation as the hot water descended on him, drenching him in seconds, and filling up his shoes.
"These were brand new shoes," Ianto grumbled.
"I'll buy you new ones," Jack grinned as he removed Ianto's tie and worked the buttons on his shirt, pulling it and his suit jacket off and tossing them in a wet, splattering heap just outside the shower.
Hands moving down to tug and loosen Ianto's belt, Jack placed his lips into the crook of Ianto's neck, grazing his teeth against Ianto's freshly shaven skin.
"Mmmm, you smell good," Jack groaned releasing Ianto's soaked trousers and boxers. They slid off his hips and fell with a heavy thud to the floor of the shower.
Ianto felt his resistance waning with the sensations of Jack lips and hands on his body. Stepping back, he used one still-socked foot to kick his pants out of the shower. That was when his eyes registered Jack's condition.
His entire torso was a weaving mess of raised, red, angry looking welts. If Ianto didn't know any better he'd say someone had whipped him across the chest. But he did know better, and it looked like Jack had been healed of weevil wounds. Wordlessly, Ianto grabbed Jack's shoulders and forced him around, looking at his back where more angry, red welts crisscrossed his skin.
"Oh, hey," Jack laughed, "I didn't realize you liked to play so rough."
"Cut it out Jack," Ianto breathed, feeling like yelling but unable to raise his voice over a whisper.
"What the fuck happened to you?" Ianto roughly manhandled Jack back around, so they were face to face once more.
The water from the shower ran heavy down both of them, plastering their hair to their scalps. Ianto reached behind Jack and turned it off.
"I'm fine," Jack said coolly, his mood shifting dramatically. His protective wall up, the mask Ianto knew so well was set firmly in place.
"Last night you didn't have these. Was all the blood upstairs from you?" Ianto dropped his hands to his sides as he pressed himself against the back wall of the shower, the shower tiles leeching all the warmth from his skin.
Jack simply offered a tight-lipped smile before shrugging noncommittally.
"As you can see, I'm fine," he added with his arms stretched out at his sides. Stepping out of the shower, Jack walked to his bunk, sans towel. His skin glistened with water droplets that fell to the concrete floor where they mixed with the partially dry blood turning the dark, velvety red a lighter shade of near pink.
Ianto stood alone in the shower for a moment before following Jack out, pausing at the door of the bathroom to peel off his soaking wet socks.
"Jack," he started.
"Ianto," Jack countered with irritation, turning. They stared at each other across the small space.
"I have some ointment that heals wounds," Jack shrugged again before turning to his portable closet and pulling out some clean clothes.
"In less than 12-hours?" Ianto stared at Jack with incredulity, "Seriously?"
Jack shrugged again, avoiding Ianto's piercing stare.
"And after you chewed everyone out the ass for borrowing from Torchwood, you use alien tech to heal yourself?" Ianto shook his head, feeling like he suddenly didn't know the man before him at all.
Jack didn't offer any explanation, or try to defend himself as he pulled on a clean pair of boxer shorts. He couldn't tell Ianto that it wasn't anything alien that had healed him, but rather his own body rapidly repairing the fatal wounds the pack of weevils had inflicted so he let the Welshman think what he wanted; one weevil, and magic, alien ointment.
"What happened last night?"
Ianto sat on the edge of the bunk, still naked, but Jack couldn't even enjoy the sight. He was no longer in the mood.
"Weevil got away from me," Jack sat on the bunk next to Ianto, so close the hair on his arm caught and tugged at the hair on Ianto's arm, yet it felt as if they were worlds apart.
"Should've let me come with you," Ianto replied, a hint of chastising in his tone.
Jack nodded but didn't respond. There was nothing he could say that wouldn't be another lie, and that made him feel disgusting inside. The fact was that Jack wanted to tell Ianto the truth, someday. Not today.
"I brought breakfast," Ianto said finally, when it was clear Jack wasn't going to tell him anything more about what happened. Even though he was still buck-naked, he moved to climb the ladder, "it's up in the Hub."
"Ianto," Jack rose quickly, grasping Ianto's forearm as he reached for a rung. His mouth opened to speak, but no words came out. He didn't know what to say to make things okay.
The two men stared, the blue eyes of each searching the face of the other. Jack, looking for some measure of understanding and Ianto, for some recognition of the man he thought Jack was.
"Here, at least put these on," Jack moved to his closet and pulled out another pair of boxers. Ianto took them with a nod.
"Breakfast?" Ianto asked, his tone cautious and guarded. Jack sighed inwardly before nodding and following him up the ladder.
Christmas Day, December 25, 0700 hours
"I should clean that up," Ianto broke the awkward silence that had descended, his eyes fixed on the bloody mess of Jack's shirt, still in a heap on the floor.
They'd eaten pastries and drank coffee in silence while seated side by side on the tattered sofa outside the autopsy bay, neither man wearing anything but boxer shorts. Ianto spent that time stewing over what he'd walked in on, struggling to figure out why Jack's evasiveness bothered him. It was more than simply him seemingly not practicing what he preached with regards to using Torchwood technology...there was something more secretive hiding behind Jack's glossy façade. The more time Ianto spent with Jack the more he recognized when he was purposefully lying, and not knowing what it was he was hiding made Ianto uneasy. He wanted Jack to trust him enough to talk to him, he just didn't know what he had to do to gain his complete confidence.
"Leave it," Jack shifted, turning sideways and reaching an arm across the back of the couch and around Ianto's shoulders, tentatively laying his hand on the other man's far shoulder and lightly tracing his fingers in slow circles.
"It'll be harder to clean if it dries," Ianto's eyes remained fixated on the shirt. He couldn't stop thinking about Jack, out hunting weevils alone. What if he hadn't been able to get back to the Hub in time to apply his magic ointment; what if he bled to death out there, alone?
Jack reached his other hand out and gently gripped Ianto's chin, turning his face until the two were eye to eye.
"Leave it," Jack whispered as he leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on Ianto's lips.
"Please don't die," Ianto whispered, his mouth pressed against Jack's, his words piercing through Jack.
Shifting on the couch, Ianto reached around the older man's muscular body, pulling him closer and opening his mouth against the pressure of Jack's tongue.
His hands moved over Jack's shoulders to his back where he felt the slightly raised skin of the healing welts. His fingers gently followed the lines of the welts, his mind half curious about the ointment Jack used and half distracted by the wandering hands of said man, which were now grabbing at his ass as he tried to pull Ianto onto his lap.
"Jack, wait," Ianto reluctantly pulled away.
Jack sighed, one hand resting on Ianto's knee while the other raked through his still damp hair as he threw his head back in frustration.
"I was kind of hoping…," Jack trailed off as he raised his eyebrows suggestively, "you know, to pick up where we left off last night?"
"Yeah, but Jack-," Ianto squirmed, suddenly uncomfortable.
"What?"
"Well," Ianto felt his face warm as he glanced at Jack quickly, "it occurred to me, last night that is, after you left, that we never really talked. I mean, we talked, but we never talked."
"Talked…,"Jack said, confused.
Laying his hand on top of Jack's, Ianto steeled himself. He really didn't want to spell it out, but in this day and age, a person had to be careful, protect themselves…
"Protection," Ianto blurted out.
"Oh," Jack grinned and pulled Ianto's hand to his mouth where he kissed the back of it, eyes on the Welshman the entire time.
Jack, a product of tens of thousands of years of human evolution and medical advancements, was immune to transmitting or harboring any diseases from the 21st century, sexual or otherwise. Part of it likely was to do with his ability to heal and reanimate, but even before he became the mysterious miracle of the man he was now, he'd never spent a single moment worried or even thinking about STD's. In fact, that wasn't even a "thing" in the 51st century. The words and definition had long since lost any meaning to humanity by his time.
But of course, Jack couldn't explain any of this to Ianto…
"I don't know if you're concerned about something specific, but can you trust me when I say it's not an issue? At all."
Ianto looked at Jack, plainly seeing the earnestness in his expression. He may have secrets but at that moment, Ianto completely trusted him.
"Yes," he said softly, nodding.
Trademark grin flashing once more, Jack leaned forward and drew Ianto into another kiss, hands exploring. This time Ianto didn't fight it when Jack leaned against the back of the couch and pulled him onto his lap so he was straddling him.
Ianto could feel Jack, his erection pressing through the soft, think material of his cotton boxers, rock hard against Ianto's swelling cock.
Hands inside the rear of Ianto's borrowed boxer shorts, Jack slid his fingers near Ianto's opening, savoring the breathless panting in his ear.
Beepbeepbeepbeep…Beepbeepbeepbeep…Beepbeepbeepbeep…Beepbeepbeepbeep…
"Fuck now what!" Ianto exclaimed, sitting upright and roaring with frustration as the alarm sounded over and over.
"Damn rift," Jack let his head fall back against the couch as Ianto climbed off him and brought up the rift monitoring system on Tosh's computer.
"This is getting ridiculous," Ianto murmured, jumping slightly as Jack came up close behind him, pressing his erection into the curve of Ianto's ass while his hands disappeared down the front of Ianto's boxers, taking his cock and squeezing it hard.
"Jack," Ianto gasped as his hips involuntarily thrust forward.
"I know, we don't have time," Jack pulled his hands away, leaving Ianto with a pulsing ache in his groin that he was certain he'd have to relieve before he could go anywhere.
"What's happening," Jack, suddenly all business, moved to stand beside Ianto and they both stared at the screen.
"Not sure," Ianto's slender fingers moved across the keyboard and another screen appeared, "seems to be some rift activity near the stadium."
"Alright," Jack clapped his hands, "since you're here, let's go!"
"My clothes are all drenched," Ianto leveled his gaze at Jack.
"You can wear something of mine, then," Jack eyeballed Ianto up and down, then licked his lips and winked.
Boxing Day, December 26, 0600 hours
"Shower, then sleep," Jack guided Ianto by the shoulders through the rolling cog door of the Hub. They'd been out for over 24-hours chasing a humanoid blowfish (something new for Jack) and the damn thing had eluded them, but not before leading them on a chase throughout all of Cardiff. They went over water, land, road, and even through the landfill…it was a good thing that it was a holiday and the streets were mostly empty, the city's population for the most part at home with their families. The last thing Jack wanted to do was keep track of all the civilians he'd have to retcon after a 24-hour plus chase of a walking, talking blowfish through the city.
Jack wrinkled his nose as he poked Ianto in the shoulder, "You should go first. I'm pretty sure you landed in some rotten fish."
While Ianto showered, Jack disposed of all their clothes, plus the blood-soaked things he was wearing the previous day (which were now dried up and stuck to the floor). He also hung Ianto's suit. It had dried out while they had been gone, but was now incredibly wrinkled.
While Jack showered, Ianto cleared their breakfast food and coffee, and put the now desiccated carcass of the dead weevil into cold storage. There was nothing to be gained from it at this point, it had sat out and open too long. Ianto was just glad they hadn't let Mwyfanwy out, she might have eaten it.
Ianto struggled to remain awake as he waited for Jack. Once in bed together, the two men wordlessly curled up under the covers of Jack's narrow bunk, and within minutes were asleep. Naked, arms and legs wrapped around each other. Content.
Boxing Day, December 26, 1600 hours
Ianto stirred awake first, his sexual frustrations had been playing out in his dreams and woke from visions of he and Jack together. The dreams had been quite pleasant in nature, as indicated by his stiff arousal.
Looking at the still sleeping Jack, Ianto smiled softly. After two failed attempts at this, he was determined that they were going to do it this time. He was desperate for it, beyond ready. It was now or never.
Jack was facing him and breathing softly. Raking his fingertips down the length of his body, Ianto buried his face in the crook of the other man's neck while he softly whispered his favorite poem and kissed Jack's skin. His hand came to a rest on Jack's hip and Ianto squeezed before he moved his hand to Jack's dick, tenderly cradling and fingering his balls before ever so gently wrapping his hand around the shaft of his cock and stroking it.
"What?" Jack, his voice thick with sleep, woke and looked up at Ianto. He may have been half asleep still, but his cock was fully awake and responding to Ianto's touch, growing thicker and harder as the blood flow increased.
Reaching out, Jack's hand stroked Ianto's hair as the Welshman left a hot trail of kisses along his jaw line from his ear to his mouth, ending with a gentle kiss on the lips.
Jack rolled to his back and Ianto released his hold on him, climbing on top and hovering over him, straddling his hips. He perched over Jack on his hands and knees, lowering his mouth to his chest and neck. The welts that had stood out angry and red just yesterday were now nothing but faint white lines. Ianto barely noticed them as he kissed, and nibbled, and bit at Jack's nipples.
The Welshman's dick was already rock hard and Jack eyed it longingly as it dangled above his navel, grazing Jack's growing erection. Placing his hands on Ianto's narrow hips, Jack kneaded his flesh as the two men kissed.
"Iant-," Jack started, but Ianto shook his head and pressed his finger to Jack's lips, silencing him. Jack grinned and mimed zipping his mouth closed, aroused by this new, take control side to Ianto. He was beginning to guess Ianto's intentions and Jack was ecstatic, more than happy to get fucked by Ianto's gorgeous cock.
Ianto started moving his mouth down the length of Jack's body, tenderly kissing nearly every centimeter of him. As he neared Jack's swollen dick, Ianto moved his hands to massage the strong muscles in Jack's hips before his hands slid around to grasp his tight ass. Jack's breathing began to quicken as he watched Ianto crouch between Jack's legs, spreading them wide. One hand gripped Jack's cock at the base as his lips kissed their way up Jack's inner thighs, the touch maddening as Ianto's hand gently squeezed. Then Ianto was running his tongue up the underside of Jack's cock, licking it like an ice cream cone before taking it wholly in his mouth. Jack moaned in pleasure and whispered encouragement.
Ianto, one hand still massaging Jack's butt, moved it forward to stroke the sensitive skin of Jack's perineum while Ianto's mouth and tongue worked on his cock.
"Fuck," Jack whispered with a sharp intake of breath and Ianto, still working his mouth on Jack's dick, grinned, his teeth grazing Jack's shaft as he sucked in cool air through his mouth, encouraged by the shallow breaths of the man beneath him.
With fingers stroking and fondling Jack's ball sack and area between his legs, Ianto slowly started to move his hand back towards Jack's opening. Ianto glanced up at his subject and was pleased to see him with his eyes closed, head back, and mouth open as he panted and whispered affirmations.
Lost in the pleasing sensations Jack spread his legs even wider, tilting his hips upwards slightly, giving Ianto full permission to continue.
Gently, Ianto probed his finger into Jack, eliciting another gasp.
"Wait," Jack reached over his head and pulled open the tiny drawer of the small table at the head of the bed. He handed Ianto a small tube of lube, shrugging.
"It's leftover from awhile ago, but certainly still good."
Ianto opened the tube and squirted a good amount onto his first two fingers before moving them back down to Jack's bottom. It was infinitely easier to work first one finger, then another, into Jack with the use of lube and from the sounds Jack was making there was no doubt he was enjoying it. Ianto slowly worked his fingers in and out of Jack while he continued to suck and lick his dick.
"Damn Ianto, just fucking do it," Jack grunted, as he pulled a pillow from under his head and placed it under his hips, elevating them so Ianto had better access.
"You sure?" Ianto slowly moved his fingers in and out of Jack's ass, stretching him.
"Fuck yes," Jack groaned, "don't worry."
Ianto needed no further encouragement. He grabbed his erection, squirting a generous amount of lube onto it and stroking to spread it around. The lubricant was warm, increasing his sensitivity and Ianto nearly came right there in his palm. It was only the thought of being inside him, of fucking Jack, that kept him in check and he hoped he could hold out long enough to enjoy the sex. He didn't want to embarrass himself by coming less than a minute after starting.
Positioning himself between Jack's legs, Ianto raised his head to look at him, suddenly nervous again, even though he wanted this probably more than Jack did.
Winking and smiling encouragingly, Jack ached for Ianto inside him, certain there was no way the young Welshman could want this more than Jack did. Pulling his knees up towards his shoulders, Jack gave Ianto a clear shot.
Lowering his body, Ianto positioned the tip of his dick at Jack's opening and slowly pushed. Jack moaned loudly as Ianto slid easily into his tight space. Both men felt the sensations everywhere in their bodies. Eyes moving between Jack's face and what he was doing, Ianto kept pushing ever so slowly, feeling Jack stretch and envelope him as he disappeared further in.
Ianto fought to focus all his energy not to come before he was even in all the way. Jack's ass was so tight around him, the friction from his slow entry sending lightning bolts of pleasure through his whole body. Breathing deeply in an attempt to maintain control, he pushed further, until he felt his balls press against Jack's ass. He exhaled sharply, while Jack gave a loud pleasing groan.
"Fuck yeah," Jack growled, thrusting his hips upwards while tightening his muscles around Ianto's cock.
"Oh God," Ianto moaned as every muscle in his body spasmed with a searing jolt of pleasure. He felt his cock pulse with the threat of orgasm.
"Slow," he panted, desperate. Clenching fistfuls of sheet on either side of Jack Ianto lowered his head to kiss him, letting his body get accustomed to the new sensations.
Rising back to his knees, Ianto slowly pulled his hips back and with every ounce of self control he possessed, he pressed forward again, a little harder and faster than the first time.
Jack inhaled sharply at the friction of Ianto's cock. Grabbing his throbbing cock, Jack slowly started to pull and squeeze in time to Ianto's slow, deliberate thrusts. Ianto felt so good inside him, his cock was thick and full and taking up every possible space; the sensations were deep and intense.
Slowly thrusting his hips, Ianto let his climax build. His breathing labored as he kept control, wanting to be sure Jack was getting enough satisfaction as well.
"Damn, Ianto, just do it," Jack gasped, waves of pleasure coursing through him as he pulled harder and faster on his dick.
Ianto needed no further encouragement, his resolve to hold out any longer quickly fading the longer he stayed inside Jack. He started moving faster, his hips working almost independent of his brain as he felt his cock grow larger inside Jack, nearing release. Leaning forward Ianto stretched his legs out behind him, thrusting faster and trying to penetrated deeper as the pleasure continued to build; he could feel his orgasm approaching fast like a freight train.
"Don't you dare pull out," Jack gasped, his hand working on his dick as Ianto sat up and pounded even harder and faster, hands holding tight to Jack's hips.
Ianto groaned with a throaty breath, his hips moving so hard and fast he felt certain the cot would break beneath them. It creaked and moaned loadly with their rough movements.
Ianto rammed harder and faster as his muscles spasmed uncontrollably and waves of pleasure more intense than anything he could recall began to crest through him; his vision momentarily went black, white starbursts flashing in his periphery as he tried to gasp for air.
Thrusting again Ianto cried out and threw his head back as he came so hard his entire body shuddered uncontrollably. He felt himself empty into Jack as he kept thrusting, wishing that he could go even harder and even deeper, so desperate to prolong his orgasm. His breath came in shaking gasps as he continued to move inside Jack, savoring every last sensation it afforded him, riding the wave of his climax to the very end.
"Don't stop," Jack moaned as he stroked his cock harder and faster and then he was coming, groaning, his hips rocking as he climaxed and spent himself all over his chest. Ianto placed his hand around Jack's hand, increasing the pressure and milking Jack until his body stopped trembling.
As Jack finished, Ianto slowly pulled out, giving himself a few strokes and squeezes before sitting back on his knees and looking up the length of Jack's sweaty, muscular, and glistening body. It was a bit surreal, what had just happened, yet Ianto felt a kind of happiness that he had been certain was forever out of reach when he'd lost Lisa.
He pushed aside thoughts that once again tried to define his feelings for Jack and instead let his eyes take in the naked, spent body of the man before him who was catching his breath and watching Ianto with an unreadable expression on his face.
Jack watched Ianto curiously. He would be the first to admit that things had not happened as he'd ever thought they would. He'd been surprised by Ianto, by both his friendship as well as this new factor to their relationship; but mostly he was surprised by the fact that he was actually developing feelings for Ianto, outside of his simple desire for sex.
Shunning thoughts of feelings and emotions, Jack straightened his legs and grinned down at Ianto before climbing off the bunk and retreating to the bathroom. Ianto heard the shower run for just a few minutes than Jack was back, body glistening wet not with sweat but with water droplets. Ianto felt a stirring in his groin as he watched the older man approach the bed, muscles taut, his expression relaxed and smiling.
"You should go rinse off," Jack winked as he dropped back onto the bunk, sitting on his leg. Ianto nodded and rose, feeling the muscles in his legs and his ass tighten and threaten to seize with the movement. Running the hot water, Ianto quickly soaped and rinsed his body, taking a few seconds to massage and loosen the muscles in his thighs and ass before returning to bed naked and wet with water droplets, as Jack had been.
"You," Jack stared up at Ianto, grinning, before pulling him down to the bed and into a kiss. Reclining, they laid side by side; shoulders, hips, and thighs all touching as they both stared up at the ceiling of Jack's quarters. For Ianto, a whole new world of intimacy had been opened up and he was anxious to continue exploring it. For Jack, it was a closeness he'd desperately needed after the recent loss. He felt regenerated.
Groping for Ianto's hand, Jack clasped it tight. They were both silent, lost in their own thoughts.
"Jack?" Ianto's voice was quiet.
"Hmmm," Jack murmured, his thumb absently stroking the back of Ianto's hand.
"Was that," Ianto paused, "I mean, was everything, uh, okay?"
Jack smiled up at the ceiling.
"Oh, yeah," he replied. From the corner of his eye he saw Ianto glance at him.
"You were fucking amazing," Jack added, rolling to his side and draping his leg over Ianto, pressing his groin into the Welshman's hip.
"Bloody brilliant," Jack bit at Ianto's earlobe.
"I could go for round two, if you're game," Jack released Ianto's hand and traced his fingers lightly down his chest, resting them at Ianto's navel, just barely grazing the shaft of his cock.
"I think I may need a few more minutes to recover," Ianto whispered, inhaling sharply as Jack suddenly grabbed him.
"If you say so," he bit again at Ianto's ear, moving down his neck before he released him, trailing his fingers back up to Ianto's chest, where he traced the outline of his pectorals with a single finger, flicking his erect nipples.
Ianto closed his eyes to the sensations and soon was fast asleep. Jack watched him for awhile; his chest moving up and down with each breath, his lips puckered, his face looking so young and innocent; then he too lay back and allowed himself to fall into a dreamless sleep.
Boxing Day, December 26, 2000 hours
"I noticed you and Alan seemed to get pretty close," Ianto said. There was a noticeable pause in Jack's movements, his chopsticks hovering in mid-air over the container of Vegetable Lo Mein he was eating.
The two men had slept for a few hours before loud, rumbling stomachs woke them both. Neither wanted to leave the Hub, so Ianto placed an order for Chinese and the two made a picnic of it, eating their food on Jack's bed, still in the buff.
"We related to each other," Jack replied finally, slightly guarded, shoveling the noodles into his mouth and chewing thoughtfully, avoiding Ianto's gaze.
"Yes, but how?" Ianto asked. Jack heard nothing but innocent curiousity in the younger man's voice and he relaxed a little, dumping the last of the fried rice into the Lo Mein container.
"Both of us were stuck in places we didn't quite belong," Jack replied vaguely, hoping it was enough to satiate Ianto's questions, and taking a bite of rice and vegetables.
Ianto was silent as he processed Jack's non-answer. There was some hidden meaning in there that Ianto wasn't privy too. Taking a bite of the Sweet and Sour Chicken he was holding, he allowed his eyes to travel over Jack's body, taking in the smooth skin, the lack of blemishes or scars, his pronounced musculature.
"You're all healed," Ianto nodded at Jack.
Looking down at his bare chest, Jack couldn't see a single trace of the wounds that just 36-hours ago he'd sustained; wounds that would have killed anyone else.
"Magic ointment," Jack grinned, but Ianto could see it wasn't entirely honest. He began to suspect that maybe there was much, much more to Captain Jack Harkness than his dizzying hypersexuality and a penchant for hunting weevils.
He was enigmatic, and there was something about him that wasn't of now. Ianto was determined to figure out what it was that made Jack so different from every other person he'd ever met.
"Jack?" he started again, staring down at his food as he jabbed his chopsticks at the hunks of orange-colored, breaded chicken.
"Yes, Ianto," Jack replied softly, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"Why do you wear that coat?" Ianto asked and Jack gave a little chuckle.
"Why do I wear a World War two era military great coat?" he replied, biting into an eggroll, the Vegetable Lo Mein, and Fried Rice both gone.
"Yeah," Ianto looked at Jack, eating another piece of chicken, "I mean your style is quiet vintage."
Jack laughed again, this time without any trepidation. Setting aside the half-eaten eggroll he leaned across the bed to kiss Ianto, his advances met hungrily.
Ianto dropped his chopsticks and blindly set the container of chicken to the side. Grabbing Jack's face in his hands he devoured his lips, forgetting all about his questions and mentally preparing himself for another go round, feeling nervous excitement inside.
"Oy! Jack!"
Pulling away, Ianto's eyes widened.
"Owen?" he whispered as Jack grinned and shook his head. Standing, he moved to the base of the ladder and called out.
"Owen! What do you want!"
"Where are you?" Owen called, his voice closer; a pause, "Oh."
Ianto hastily stacked the food onto the small end table at the head of Jack's bed before he crawled under the sheet and drew it up to his chin. He could see Owen's feet and lower legs standing at the top of the ladder. He could imagine him, standing there with his hands on his hips looking down at a naked Jack, probably scowling and rolling his eyes.
"You're naked," Owen sighed, his voice was laced with irritation.
"So it would seem. What do you need, Owen?" Jack crossed his arms over his chest and purely for Ianto's benefit, flexed his glutes.
Ianto rolled his eyes and gave a soft laugh.
"I just thought I'd check in. I thought I saw the SUV out last night," Owen's voice traveled down.
Ianto hoped he didn't decide to crouch down to talk to Jack because of he did, he'd see Ianto there in Jack's bed.
"Everything's fine," Jack replied.
Curled up in Jack's bunk, Ianto rolled his eyes again. All that time they were out chasing that damn blowfish, and they never did catch it. Ianto didn't blame Jack for lying, but he wondered if the others should know it was out there and to keep an eye out for it.
"Ianto and I took care of it."
"Ianto?" the sound of surprise and shock as Owen spat out his name was offending and Ianto scoffed with annoyance. He saw Jack tilt his head slightly and look at him from the corner of his eye before turning his attention back to Owen.
"Yes. Ianto," Jack's tone was slightly cold and Ianto felt his chest warm at the unspoken defense from Jack.
"Was there anything else?" Jack propped his hands on his hips and Ianto was momentarily reminded of Superman in the gesture.
"I guess not," Owen's tone sounded testy, nearly angry.
"Oh, Ianto forgot his overcoat. It's on the couch up here."
"I'll take it," Jack raised an arm and a few moments later Ianto's black, wool coat was falling down from the opening.
"Thanks. See you tomorrow, then," Jack called and turning he moved back to the bed, tossing Ianto's coat at the foot of it.
"Right," Owen's voice faltered and a few moments later Ianto saw him walk away, hearing his fading footfalls. Straining his ears for the sound of the cog door rolling open and closed, Ianto threw back the sheet when he heard the familiar sound of the gears.
"I don't know if I should be offended by Owen's remarks, or…," Ianto trailed off, looking at Jack.
"Forget him," Jack climbed onto the bed, falling down on top of Ianto and grinding his groin against him.
"We have quite a few hours before everyone reports back for work," Jack winked, "what can we possibly do to pass the time?"
Ianto gave a wry smile, his hands carding through Jack's hair as he spread his legs and thrust his hips upward, rubbing his cock against Jack's.
"I can think of at least one or two things," Ianto breathed, letting Jack roll onto his back and carry Ianto with him as their mouths met, hands exploring and finding all the right places to pleasure the other.
Shortly thereafter, Jack thrust the tube of lube into Ianto's palm, and not long after that they were thrusting and groaning and coming together again; and again.