10
They all watched in silence as dark figures moved around the house, confirming Ianto's fears that someone WAS in the house with him. Andy was openly scared of the figures, peering around like they might appear in the doorways at any moment. A fine specimen of law enforcement eh?
"OK. This is going too far now" Jack muttered as he leaned in "What the hell are they wearing?"
"Looks like some sort of Halloween costume… a stag? A helmet with deer horns on it and a big deer pelt… trying to scare Ianto off?" Owen asked, Toshiko's husband and local doctor.
"But why?" Ianto asked now calmer as he saw that he was not only believed, they all looked like they wanted to help here. "Herne the Hunter is a god that protects the innocent… why pretend he is trying to get me?"
Jack looked at Him with raised eyebrows.
"Pagan. Its… its ancient lore" Ianto shrugged.
"Scare you off? Out? Why indeed. So they know you to know your religious beliefs, right? Just clearly not well enough" Jack muttered leaning forward again "something to do with that basement isn't it. They seem to … come on. Let's do this."
They all stormed from the living room to the kitchen and Jack walked to the basement door, turning it and finding it locked as per usual. He kicked it in with one swift boot to the door near the lock and Ianto felt a slight thrill in the way the man handled himself, finding his eyes moving to the man's gorgeous arse. Gods. Stop it.
They all wandered down, finding the light switch and invading the dark space with light and sod. Owen started to yank open cupboards as everyone looked around and shrugged. Finally Owen spoke "nothing. No hidden door or bogey man under the stairs. What a letdown."
With soft laughter, they all headed back upstairs as Jack lingered a moment longer, sniffing the air with interest as something seemed to linger there that was vaguely familiar… he just couldn't put his finger on it. Something was definitely not right here.
"Right. We have two choices here. You move into the house with me and Alice and we cut our losses or we set ourselves up for a little surprise evening" Jack surmised to Ianto as they sat in the living room once more.
"Part of me wants to run but that is what they want. Nice as the thought is to have a Christmas with a family. Another part of me, a large bloody part of me wants to fight back. I am done being a doormat" Ianto shrugged "What do you suggest?"
"Toshiko and Owen here stay at my…sorry… your house to watch over Alice and I hide here while you openly show yourself to still be here. We wait for them to do their thing and I catch one of them. Then we find out what the hell this is all about" Jack said with his arms folded confidently.
"Let's do it!" Ianto said with a nod of his head, not wanting to run anymore.
.
.
.
"OK, do you think you really don't need me there?" Andy asked as he fiddled with something on his desk, the phone tucked into his shoulder.
"No.. just be on call because if I catch one, you will know about it" Jack answered.
"You know… Ianto is really a nice guy. A good guy. Also… life here was not so good for him as a kid. The first openly gay guy in the school." Andy said like it was a throw away comment and he waited for a response but just got air so he added "Bisexuality is still something people do not particularly like. The fact he got a black girlfriend when he left did not exactly make it better. Now she is out of the picture he is a free agent."
Still nothing.
"And ya know, when we were checking out that basement… he was checking out your arse."
"He was?"
Ah. Finally a response. Andy grinned "Yep. He looked quite... interested in it."
"Huh"
.
.
.
Ianto was pleased to find Jack slinking around the side of the house and in the side door, a bag in his hands and dark clothing that hugged him in such a way that Ianto's eyes could not help but check out that arse again. Gods, that is a nice arse.
"I had a thought, want to have a nose around if that's alright" Jack said as he placed the bag in the living room where he intended to wait after dark.
"Sure, go for it" Ianto shrugged "hungry? I made enough pizza for both of us… well three of us actually."
"Great. I was too nervous to eat with Alice and I know Toshiko and Owen are fussing on her like godparents or something. You know... they are a nice couple. Their little guy is sooo cute." Jack called back from the hallway then started to stomp.
Ianto heard him and came from the kitchen to watch with interest as Jack stomped the length of the hallway and muttering to himself "Thought so."
"What's that?"
"A hunch" Jack replied, "You keep going."
"OK" Ianto said slowly, leaving him to the stomping and muttering things with Myfanwy slowly following him, the pizza more interesting as Ianto added a side salad and some iced tea.
They ate in companionable silence and then started to talk about themselves, the hours ticking away as the sun went down and the two men found themselves animatedly talking and laughing as they connected. Both loved books. Hiking, mountain climbing and skiing. Both hated clutter and rude people. They seemed… suited.
Jack saw potential.