Ianto was curled up on Jenny's sofa, the young woman curled into his side as the mindless gameshow they'd been watching came to an end. It had thankfully been a quiet few days since she had found out the truth about Torchwood, and they were in some kind of honeymoon period where they were avoiding talking about it. Ianto knew that couldn't last forever, that sooner or later something would come up that would mean they had to have deeper conversations, that decisions would have to be made. But for now simplicity was bliss.

"Carrie is thinking of getting out there again, its been long enough since she dumped that absolute twat" Jenny said casually,

"Right…" Ianto looked at her in confusion, "And?"

"Well I was thinking, you work with some nice men" Jenny grinned "fit too"

"Brilliant thanks for that" Ianto deadpanned as the woman poked her tongue out playfully at him,

"You know what I mean"

"Owen's great, a bit sarcastic at times but still"

"Yeah I don't know, he went through a tough time not that long ago, lost someone he loved, I'm not sure he's ready to meet anyone new just yet"

"Fair enough" Jenny nodded, and Ianto looked down as he realised where this would be going,

"What about Jack then? I mean he's drop dead gorgeous"

"Again, thanks"

"Shush you know he is" Jenny rolled her eyes, "what's his deal, is he straight?"

"He doesn't like labels" Ianto muttered without thinking,

"Ooh ok that sounds promising"

"No, Jen"

"It could be nice…."

"I said no" Ianto said, more sharply than he'd intended and he closed his eyes briefly before continuing,

"Jack is… he's complicated. He's a little… out of his time, I suppose. He doesn't do relationships, they're too mundane, for the kind of life he lives. He draws people to him naturally with his face and voice and charisma and he loves that, he thrives on human contact. He has this way of making you feel like the most important person on the planet, he lights up any room he walks into without even trying. But he keeps a distance, he draws people in and then chucks a wall up if they get too close. I think…" he stopped for a moment as the realisation hit him, "he's lost so many people that he's afraid to feel again"

"wow" Jenny gasped, "sounds like you know him very well"

"I guess" Ianto murmured, "maybe more than I realised"

"Anyway it was just an idea" Jenny asked, "fancy some dinner?"

"Yep, sure" Ianto nodded, pulling himself out of his thoughts,

As Jenny headed into the kitchen, he watched her go. before he pulled himself off the sofa and picked up the guitar from the corner of the room. On his first visit to Jenny's flat, he'd commented on it, she'd asked him for a song and at the end of it declared he had infinite privileges to play it whenever the mood struck him, which she hoped was often. Music was Ianto's solace, his way of sorting through his feelings, which were often hugely complex. He settled back on the sofa, running his fingertips over the strings to check its tune before beginning a song.

Tell me what you're feeling

I can take the pain

Tell me that you mean it

That you won't leave again

Tell me what your heart wants

Such a simple thing

My heart is like paper

Yours is like a flame

I can't make you see

If you don't by now

I'll get through these changes

Somehow

Somehow

Take it if you want it

I'm so tired, I just don't care

Can't you see how much you hurt me?

It's like I wasn't there

Tell me what your heart wants

Such a simple thing

My heart is like paper

Yours is like a flame

My heart, it's like paper

Yours is like a flame

I can't make you see

If you don't by now

I'll get through these changes

Somehow

Somehow

Tell me what your heart wants

Such a simple thing

My heart is like paper

Yours is like a flame

My heart is like paper

Yours is like a flame

Jenny watched him from the doorway, unable to tear her eyes away as he strummed gently on the guitar. She was still getting to know this man, and with all she had found out recently she realised there was infinitely more to still explore. But listening to him now, combined with what he had said earlier about Jack, she had to wonder whether Ianto was entirely hers.


song is Ray LaMontagne - Such a simple thing. I own nothing.