Strangers in the Night
Jack shrugged out of his great coat and gave it to the coat check girl, accepting his claim chit in return. Leaving her with a dazzling smile, he walked towards the main room of the Dancing Cricket night club, named for the five-foot-tall bronze cricket that sat in the entry way. Before becoming one of the premiere gay night clubs in Cardiff, it had been the Lucky Cricket and when the 80-year-old chef/owner of the successful Chinese restaurant had decided to retire after nearly forty-five years in business, the new owners of the building had decided to keep the cricket, hoping its good luck would remain within the walls. There were several places on the cricket that were very well worn from the countless hands that had rubbed it for luck over many years.
"Jack Harkness," he stopped at the podium and smiled brightly at the maître d who blushed slightly as he checked the guest list.
"Right this way, Mr Harkness." The young man led Jack to a small bistro table in the front row. "Enjoy your evening, sir."
"Thanks, I will, trust me!"
Moments after the maître d left the waitress walked over and asked in a deep gravelly voice very reminiscent of Harvey Fierstein, "What can I get you to drink tonight?"
Jack looked at her, at her French maid's outfit and her long legs stretching out below the frilly white panties and he grinned. "Frankie, is that you? Wow! You look amazing!"
"Yeah?" The man smiled with pleasure and did a slow turn for Jack's consideration. "Stuart says I have great legs and I should show 'em off, ya know? So he bought me this outfit, said it was perfect."
"He's certainly right about that, your husband has very good taste." Jack nodded approvingly. "I could never get away with that… I just don't have the waist for it."
"Honey, I've told you before…" Frankie pointed his finger at Jack sternly. "Just like RuPaul says, you have to cinch! You have no idea how sexy you feel in a pretty lacy corset."
"You'll just have to teach…" Jack was interrupted by the sight of a young man who caught his eye as he was led past by the table by the maître d and he watched as they stopped at a table by the wall.
Frankie saw where Jack's attention had wandered and he sighed loudly. "Yoo-hoo, honey? Gonna order or what? I got other customers here, ya know?"
"Huh?" Jack blinked and turned back to Frankie. "Scotch neat and a glass of water, please." As soon as the waitress left Jack turned to look at the young man seated about twenty feet from him. He'd already noticed the well-tailored three-piece suit – especially the way the jacket was cut to emphasis the man's tapered waist so perfectly. Now he paid attention to the man himself, seeing dark, slightly wavy hair, a pert little nose and Cupid's pout lips but then the man turned his head and met Jack's gaze.
The piercing blue eyes that looked into his took Jack's breath away. Then he saw the man smirk gently and Jack realised his mouth must be hanging open. He was saved from further embarrassing himself when Frankie arrived with his drinks and then made her way over to the young man's table, blocking Jack's view.
"Heya, Jackie-Boy!" A blonde-haired man with high cheekbones and a permanent smirk stopped by Jack's table.
Annoyed that his attention was being taken away from the young man, Jack frowned as he turned to greet the newcomer. "John." He made the man's name sound like a curse word. "What are you doing here? I thought you were in California."
"Yeah, I was, Hollywood in fact." John struck a pose, his thumbs hooked in the front pockets of his skin-tight leather trousers, his fingers pointing down to frame his groin and deliberately call attention to his questionably over-sized bulge. "It was bloody brilliant, mate! Nightclubs everywhere you look and every one of them just filled with so many sweet young things with empty minds just looking to fill the boredom and spend daddy's money."
"So, in other words, you shagged your way through half the male population."
John grinned lasciviously. "And then some!"
Jack barely managed to stop from rolling his eyes. "And you're back in Cardiff why?"
"You can't get good fish-and-chips over there or a proper Sunday roast and Yorkshire pudds…" John groaned piteously. "You ask for spotted dick and they laugh in your face… well, some of them do, others slap your face! What's worse, they don't fry shit over there!" He was the picture of absolute outrage.
"Everybody eats tofu and kale and these sprout things that don't have a thing to do with Brussels and they drink these bloody nasty smoothie things that don't have a single drop of alcohol in them. And don't even get me started on the horse piss they call beer and dear God, please tell me why is it always served ice cold! What is up with that bullshit? It's disgusting!" John whinged. "I had to come home. I swear I was gonna either dry out or starve to death!" He stomped his foot dramatically. "I had to come home or die!"
Jack couldn't help but laugh at the look of pure indignation on John's face. "I will admit life's been pretty quiet without you around."
John's date suddenly appeared and put an arm around his waist, pulling John's body tightly against his before huffing loudly and giving Jack a warning glare before he grabbed John's arm and dragged him off to their own table. Jack glanced at them briefly as they sat down, hoping they weren't seated too close and he nodded when he saw them on the other side of the room and to the rear. Then he looked over at his mysterious man only to find him looking back.
When their eyes met, the man raised his glass – Jack saw that he was also a whisky drinker – and smiled at Jack. Jack went to return the gesture only to have the connection cut by a large party passing between them and when the coast was clear, the man was busy looking at his mobile. Without appearing to stare, Jack kept one eye on the man, catching glimpses of him as guests and waitresses passed between them but the man never looked at him again.
Finally the house lights went down and an expectant hush filled the space. A single spot light about the size of a pound coin lit the curtains, slowly growing in size, getting bigger and bigger and just when it encompassed the entire curtain, it vanished to the sound of a loud crash of drums. Even Jack jumped in his chair and then laughed self-consciously along with the rest who'd been caught off guard.
A moment later the spot appeared again, grew slowly and this time when it vanished several more notes were played and Jack recognised the opening bars of Richard Strauss' 1896 symphony, 'Also sprach Zerathustra'. He grinned, remembering being dressed to the nines – full tuxedo, with top hat, white gloves, and gold-topped cane to boot – and sitting in a box seat at the theatre in Frankfurt, Germany when it was played for the very first time. He also knew that most of the current guests in the club were way too young to have ever heard it if they had never seen the legendary film '2001: A Space Odyssey'.
"Open the pod-bay doors, Hal," Jack whispered to himself, recalling an evening in 1968 spent sitting in the very back row of the Uptown Theatre in Washington DC on premiere night. "I'm sorry, Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that..." He smiled happily, the remembered smell of illicit pot drifting back towards him but even more intoxicating was the memory of the delicious young man sitting next to him. Despite the man's serious demeanour and buttoned-up appearance, he had his hand inside Jack's trousers doing amazing things to him while Jack did the same for him.
The spotlight appeared for the third time, staying very small and low, and when the curtains were pulled back dramatically, the stage was lit from behind, showing the musicians at the back in silhouette while the performer in the front remained in darkness as the spotlight swept ever-so-slowly from the floor upward towards their face. As the light moved, a deep voice announced,
"Ladies and Gentlemen and those of you who have yet to make up your minds…"
There was a twitter of laughter as a few recognised the line spoken by Lola the Drag Queen in the film 'Kinky Boots'.
"…the Dancing Cricket is beyond proud to present…"
There was a collective intake of breath and the room froze in anticipation.
"…the one and only Miss Velvet Grace!"
Resounding applause broke out along with loud cheers, spreading through the room like wildfire as it was revealed that the secret performer for the night was none other than one of Cardiff's most talented, respected and beloved drag queens. The Dancing Cricket had closed for the night and the evening's ticket-only performance was a fundraiser for the newest group home for displaced LGBTQ teens who'd been thrown out and disowned by their families. It was a charity near and dear to Jack's heart and he knew he would have still paid £5,000 for the front row table even if a dancing cat had been performing.
Without warning, the musicians began playing and Velvet Grace started singing, opening the evening with the wonderful old standard, 'Cry Me A River'. It brought back fond memories for Jack; he'd been in the studio when Julie London first recorded it in 1955. When the applause died down, she sang the Patsy Cline classic 'Crazy' followed by 'Someone to Watch Over Me', written in 1926 by George and Ira Gershwin. She stayed with the Gershwin brothers, singing 'The Man I Love' from the musical 'Lady Be Good!' which Jack had seen on the West End when Fred Astaire and his older sister Adele danced the principle roles.
The back of his neck began to prickle and Jack could feel someone watching him so he sipped his whiskey and casually glanced around, his gaze stopping at the mysterious man's table. The moment their eyes met in the dim light from the stage, the man raised his glass in salute and smiled, then pursed his lips in a kiss before looking up at the stage again.
When Velvet was finished with that song, she began to sing 'I Put a Spell on You' and Jack's memory of being in that muddy field in Bethel, New York in August of 1969 and watching Credence Clearwater Revival's midnight performance as they belted out one of Jack's favourite songs blossomed in full psychedelic colour in his mind. Tonight though, in direct opposition to that strong rock-and-roll rendition, Velvet Grace turned it into a torch song, her voice smooth and sultry, mesmerising her audience like a siren, putting a spell on each and every one of them. She continued with several other songs, and by the time intermission arrived she had the audience eating out of the palm of her hand like devoted panting puppies.
The moment the curtain came down Jack was out of his chair and standing by the handsome man's table. "Hi, Jack Harkness… it must be kismet that brought us together tonight."
One elegant eyebrow rose. "Really?"
Jack gave the man his most enticing smile. "Well, I could have used something even cornier like… Are your legs tired? Cos you've been running through my mind all night."
"Now that one I like." The man raised his nearly empty glass in salute.
"Thanks." Jack pulled out the spare chair and sat down. "Can I get you a refill?"
The man cocked his head. "I'm sure you can, the question is will I let you."
For a second Jack was confused but then he realised what the man was saying. "Ahhh… may I get you a refill?"
The man's smile was delightful and Jack basked in it. "Yes, you may."
Jack glanced around quickly and as if on cue, Frankie appeared. "Frankie, you lovely angel, would you mind bringing this luscious creature another whiskey on me?"
"My pleasure," Frankie growled, "you want one too?"
"Please." Jack grinned at the waitress and then winked at the handsome stranger, nodding at Frankie's backside as she turned and walked away. "His husband's right, she's got some really great legs."
While they waited on their drinks, Jack caught the eye of a petite young queen wandering by carrying a tray of red roses. He gave her a fifty-pound note – it was all for charity, after all – and presented his blue-eyed stranger with the bloom.
The young man accepted the flower and brought it to his nose, closing his eyes as he savoured the delicate raspberry scent before opening his eyes again. He smiled and winked as he reached out his arm and offered Jack the opportunity to take an appreciative sniff.
"That's lovely, just…" He was interrupted by Frankie who set their drinks down on the table. "Thanks, gorgeous." His smile for her was blinding and she walked away with a bounce in her step, off to deliver the other drinks on her tray.
"Thank you," the young man nodded as he sipped his whiskey.
"My pleasure," Jack smiled sweetly. "So, when did you first hear Velvet Grace?"
"She is a treasure, isn't she?" The young man nodded. "Turns out one of the guys I work with is a big fan and he was playing her CD one day when we carpooled. I was hooked immediately." He sipped his drink. "You?"
"Funny story…" Jack was interrupted when the house lights dimmed twice in quick succession. "Oops… gotta go… she's about to come on again." He stood up then paused. "Would you like to join me?"
The young man shook his head. "Thank you but no. I'm fine here, but I appreciate the offer."
"Well, if you change your mind…" Jack's smile contained a promise as he took his drink and went back to his table.
The curtain went up and Miss Velvet Grace stood there, having changed from a gown of ruby red velvet to one of sparkling sapphire. When the welcoming applause died down she began singing an old Eartha Kitt classic, 'I Want to be Evil'. "I wanna be evil, I wanna spit tacks, I wanna be evil and cheat at jacks…" With this she looked directly at Jack and gave him a naughty wink and a knowing smile.
Jack grinned broadly and raised his glass in salute. As the queen started singing 'Blue Velvet', Jack glanced over at the young man who was looking at him with a raised eyebrow. Jack waggled his eyebrows suggestively, which won him an eyeroll and a smirk.
The rest of the concert passed quickly, Velvet crooning her way through 'The Man That Got Away', Lena Horne's 'Stormy Weather', and the Platters' standard 'Smoke Gets in Your Eyes'.
When he heard the opening bars of 'Fever', Jack looked over at the young man, catching his attention and locking eyes with him as Velvet Grace took her audience on an erotic musical journey. The applause that began as the last note faded away was barely noticed by the two men.
"We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when…" Hearing these lyrics brought Jack abruptly out of his staring contest with the young man and into a crowded hangar on an airfield in the English countryside. The powers that be had gotten hold of a copy of the 1943 musical film 'We'll Meet Again' staring Vera Lynn in the lead role; she'd made the song famous a few years before. Every single man and woman who could possibly attend the viewing was packed into that building. When the song was sung during the film everyone joined in whether they had to carry a note in a bucket or sang like a canary.
Finally it came time for Velvet's final number and she finished her concert with 'I'll Be Seeing You'. The moment the music began to play Jack's eyes filled with tears and an invisible hand clenched his heart in a tight fist. It had been a long time since he'd heard the promises of that song and long ago memories of hastily said good-byes, of faces he'd never see again, of voices he could still hear in his head came crashing back. Jack wasn't aware that his tears had overflowed and were now sliding down his cheeks.
Suddenly Toshiko's soft voice broke through his silent grief and in his head he heard her saying just as a matter of passing one day that when the amazing and intrepid Opportunity rover reached the end of an unbelievable fifteen years of exploration on Mars, the final transmission NASA sent to its wonderful little 'Oppy' was Billie Holiday's 1944 recording of 'I'll Be Seeing You'. "A fitting and poignant good-bye, don't you think, Jack?" she'd asked.
Jack surreptitiously wiped the tears from his face and took a quick drink of his whiskey, then drew in and released a deep breath. He chanced a look over at the young man's table to find him looking back with a quizzical, worried expression in his eye. Jack gave him a small crooked smile and raised his glass, saying with a nod that he was all right. The young man nodded back and gave Jack a warm smile in return.
Thunderous applause and heart-felt cheers brought on three encores but at last, Miss Velvet Grace had sung her final note of the evening, disappearing behind the curtain as it came down. There was a flurry of movement as staff and guests alike shifted the tables and chairs to alongside the walls, freeing the dance floor for those inclined to enjoy the band's live music. The sounds of the musicians moving equipment around behind the curtain could be heard, especially with the sound of the drummer's cymbal stand crashing to the floor.
After setting his table down, Jack turned to see the young man standing there holding two chairs, and Jack took one before stepping out of the way so the man could put his down. Jack quickly followed suit and then sat down. "BYOC, huh?" He gestured at the empty seat and the young man sat down, looking at Jack with narrowed eyes.
"BYOC?" he asked.
"Bring…" Jack started to explain but the man caught on immediately.
"Your own chair… very clever," he grinned at Jack. "Come up with that one all on your own, did you? Couldn't resist just putting it out there?"
"What can I say…" Jack smirked, "I'm good with my mouth" and then he sat back wide-eyed with genuine surprise when the man burst into laughter, deep and heartfelt.
"I cannot believe you just said that!"The young man caught his breath and waved at a passing waitress, asking for a round of whiskies. "Ledaig 10-year single malt, please."
She returned in a few minutes and while she wiped off the tabletop and set the drinks down, Jack had a chance to look at his many tattoos, his favourite being 'No Regrets' written along his forearm before she sashayed away to wait on someone else.
A round of applause rolled through the room as the curtains opened and the band began to play 'Unchained Melody'. Several couples got up and began to dance.
The young man sniffed and then sipped his whiskey, sighing with appreciation. "This is perfection."
Jack followed suit and agreed. "Very smooth."
The man held his glass in both hands, taking care not to warm the contents. "It comes from one of the oldest commercial distilleries in Scotland. I like its intense smoky flavour."
Jack held his glass under his nose and again took a sniff, then exhaled and took a second sniff through his mouth before enjoying a sip, holding it on his tongue for a moment before swallowing. "Mmmm… first time I've tried this one. I've had its sister, it's a lighter unpeated whiskey, lovely and fruity."
"My mam-gu, God rest her soul, followed Alexander Fleming's belief that whiskey could cure the common cold. Swore by it. 'Ifan,' she would say, 'always take a good gulp of hot Scotch Whisky at bedtime. As the man said, it's not very scientific, but it helps!' That was probably her favourite quote, although she had hundreds."
"Who's Alexander Fleming?" Jack asked. "The name rings a bell but I can't quite put my finger on it."
"Scotsman… invented penicillin."
"Oh that's right. Now I remember… it replaced the sulfa drugs that were used in the first World War when World War II came along. Saved hundreds and thousands of lives in frontline hospitals and battlefield first aid stations. Brilliant discovery."
The young man opened his mouth to reply but before he could utter a peep Jack jumped to his feet, dragging the man along with him. "Let's dance! I love this song!" They quickly found a place on the dance floor, Jack pulling the other man in close to him, one arm around his waist, the other holding their hands against his chest.
"Something in your eyes was so inviting
Something in your smile was so exciting
Something in my heart told me I must have you…"
Other couples joined them on the dance floor… someone even managed to entice Frankie into setting down her tray and taking a quick spin around. Jack and his young man didn't notice any of this; they were lost looking into one another's eyes, in the rising and falling of one another's chests, in the quickening of their breath, the scent of arousal beginning to stir. Jack continued to weave a cloak of magic about them.
"We were strangers in the night
Up to the moment when we said our first hello
Little did we know
Love was just a glance away
A warm embracing dance away…"
The rest of the room disappeared, the other couples on the dance floor gone, as the words of the song wove a web of pure romance enveloped them, carrying them away on a waltz and a promise.
And ever since that night we've been together
Lovers at first sight, in love forever
It turned out so right for strangers in the night
The music slowly faded away but the men were so lost in one another that they didn't notice, they continued swaying to music only they could hear until Frankie cleared his throat rather loudly as she passed by. Jack was the first to notice the song was over and the band had stepped off-stage for a break. Taking a step apart, Jack cleared his throat, seeing the faint blush on his partner's face.
"Let's sit for minute, catch our breath." He took the other man's elbow and steered him back to their table, waiting til he'd been seated before sitting himself. Once they'd both had a chance to catch their breath and take a drink, Jack took his hand and gently stroked the back with his thumb. "That was wonderful."
"Yeah, I really enjoyed it." The young man smiled at Jack. "I haven't danced for a while now."
"It's one of my favourite things to do," Jack confided. "I actually took ballroom dancing lessons."
"Really? When I was a kid my mam and I used to watch those competitions on TV. She loved the gowns the women wore." The other man smiled as he reminisced. "She would tell me what her gown would look like, the colour, the design, the matching shoes…" he laughed softly. "Each week it would be something different."
Jack watched the young man's face. He really was a handsome man, dark hair which had small curls along the back of his collar, his blue-grey eyes reminded Jack of the colour of the ocean on a stormy day. He had a cute button nose but it was his lips that captured Jack's attention and he wanted to sweep the young man into his arms and kiss him until they were nearly unconscious from the lack of oxygen.
The band took to the stage again and began playing Irving Berlin's 'Cheek to Cheek'.
Grabbing the young man's hand, Jack dragged him back to the dance floor once again and began to sing softly as they moved slowly to the music.
"Heaven, I'm in heaven
And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak
And I seem to find the happiness I seek
When we're out together dancing cheek to cheek"
Once again, the two men became lost in one another, remaining in each other's arms through that song and several that followed, losing all track of time.
Eyes closed, holding one another tightly, the two men swayed to the music, Jack whispering in the young man's ear,
"Chances are cause I wear a silly grin
The moment you come into view
Chances are you think that I'm in love with you"
As Jack's warm breath ghosted across his ear, the young man felt a shiver of anticipation run down his spine and settle in his belly. There was something about this bigger-than-life man that was so alluring, his hand splayed across his back, warm and guiding, as his voice continued to spread warm honeyed tones straight into his loins.
"In the magic of moonlight when I sigh, 'Hold me close, dear'
Chances are you believe the stars that fill the skies are in my eyes"
Emboldened by the fire now warming his veins, the young man pressed his lips to Jack's ear and whispered in return,
"Guess you feel you'll always be the one and only one for me
And if you think you could
Well, chances are your chances are awfully good"
Jack's eye widened almost comically and he pulled back far enough that he could see the look in the young man's eyes and it made him smile from ear to ear and then it settled in to live in his heart forever.
Eventually the room began to thin out as the evening grew to a close and finally, Jack knew it was time to go, although he was so reluctant to let the evening end. The band packed up their instruments while club staff began circulating the room, collecting glasses and putting furniture back in place.
"I think they're kicking us out," the young man joked.
"I think you're right," Jack smiled back. "I'm not ready for the night to end though. How about you?"
"I could be persuaded." The young man cocked his head. "What did you have in mind?"
"We could continue the party at another club…"
"No…"
Jack considered for a moment. "You hungry? Wanna grab a bite somewhere?"
"Now, that's an idea… nothing too heavy, it's kinda late to sleep on a full stomach."
"Let's head down along the Bay and see what tickles our taste buds, shall we?"
Jack accepted the younger man's claim stub and turned them both in, getting their coats in return, handing the young man his, and in unison they slipped their arms through the sleeves and shrugged up the shoulders. Facing each other, they adjusted one another's collars before heading for the door. On a whim, Jack paused at the Dancing Cricket and rubbed his wing for luck, smiling with delight when the young man did the same, although with a shy blush. With a smile of thanks for the doorman, they stepped out into the brisk Cardiff night, the briny scent of the Bay riding on the wind.
"Walk you to your car?" Jack asked.
The man shook his head. "I walked. It wasn't that far and it's a nice night out, even if it has gotten windy."
"Me too." Jack grinned happily… 'more time to spend together!'
Linking arms, they started walking towards the Bay, unconsciously drawn by the scent of freshly frying fish-and-chips that had their stomachs growling in unison. They strolled along quietly for a few minutes.
"Velvet Grace is really something," the young man said. "I am so glad I came."
"She is a powerful force in the LGBTQ community, championing a number of causes, tonight's being one of the most important in my books," Jack agreed. "Did you know that all the profits from her CDs goes straight to charities here in Cardiff?"
"Wow!" The other man was suitably impressed. "That I did not know."
"Tonight's event was completely sold out within half an hour of tickets going on sale. I heard they raised nearly £100,000 between sales and additional donations."
"Seriously?" The other man stopped walking. "Are you kidding me? That's wonderful!"
"It'll go a long way towards finishing the last bit of construction on this newest home and then furnishing it as well," Jack nodded. "These group homes are a passion project of Velvet's. She's not afraid to tell the story of being the son of a coalminer whose family literally threw him out of the house."
"Really? That's awful!"
"His father picked him up by the scruff of his neck and threw him out in the front garden, telling him he wouldn't have a fag disgracing the family and that he had one minute to get off his property or he'd be back with his shotgun." Jack sighed deeply. "He was only fourteen years old and all he had were the clothes on his back. There was nowhere for him to go in his village… people were kind of afraid of his father and none of his friends or classmate's families would take him in."
"Oh my God, that's inhumane!" the young man gasped. "What did he do?"
Jack shrugged as they continued walking. "He found his way to Cardiff, lived on the streets, stole what he could to survive, got a few odd jobs, walking dogs, shovelling snow, raking leaves, washing dishes… then one night he was sleeping behind a club and a family of drag queens found him, took him in, taught him everything they could and thanks to them, we have Miss Velvet Grace."
The young man was speechless, trying to imagine what he would have done if his grandmother had disowned him and thrown him out of her home. Thinking about what could have been was making him sick to his stomach and he shook himself physically and mentally, focusing on Jack's voice as he continued to speak.
"That's why she now works so fiercely to help young men and women facing that same nightmare, giving them a roof over their heads and food in their bellies. She makes sure they finish school and get training to help them get a job and eventually strike out on their own. The more than half of her kids go on to University and they in turn give back to their community when they can."
"She is really a shining example for everyone to follow, not just the gay community." The young man stepped in closer to Jack so their sides were pressing together.
"That she is," Jack agreed.
"How old do you think she is?"
Jack paused to think for a moment. "Well, I remember her saying once in an interview that she was five when Margaret Thatcher was elected in 1979, so she was born in '74, so that makes her…" He trailed off, trying to do the maths in his head.
The young man took pity on him. "That would make her about forty-six, Jack."
"Yeah, that just what I came up with," Jack bluffed with a big grin.
"You did not!" The young man protested. "I can smell the smoke coming from those grinding gears up there!"
"Nu-uh!"
"Uh-huh!"
"Wanna bet?" Jack teased him.
"You first!" The other man giggled.
Jack studied him through narrowed eyes. "You look like you can run really fast, so not a foot race."
"Yup." He popped the 'P'.
"You sound really smart, so no trivia contest…"
"Oh yeah!" The young man's eyes twinkled. "Very smart."
Jack took a step back, leaned against the store front and crossed his arms. "Let's see…" He studied his prey. "Turn around for me…"
The other man rolled his eyes and did a graceful pirouette, a rather difficult and therefore impressive feat given he was wearing black leather dress shoes.
"No, slowly… I want to see just what I'm gonna be up against." Jack grinned and quirked an eyebrow.
This time the eyeroll was epic as the young man turned a slow circle, opening his coat wide so Jack could see his front. "Happy?"
It took a moment for Jack to stop staring. "Oh God, yeah!" He looked like all his birthdays and Christmases had come at once. "Do that again!"
With a knowing grin, the young man obliged, turning as slowly as he could and when his back was to Jack, he pulled away his coat and popped his butt out just enough to make Jack gasp with delight. When he was face front again, he struck a pose, his coat flared out, one hand on his hip and a come-hither smile on his face.
Silence reigned supreme for several moments as Jack simply gaped, open-mouthed, mesmerised by the handsome young man.
Finally the young man cleared his throat. "Umm… hello? Earth to Jack? Come in, Jack!"
With a sharp shake of his head, Jack left his fantasies behind and smiled broadly. "Sorry about that…"
"Seen enough?"
"Yup." Jack copied the young man. "I know what I want."
"I'll bet you do, however…"
Jack smiled like the cat who got the cream. "Truth or dare."
"What?!"
"You heard me. Truth or dare… take your pick!"
"Okay fine!" The other man huffed in mock annoyance. "I choose…" He paused for dramatic effect. "Truuuu…"
Jack leaned forward in anticipation.
"Dare!"
"Awwww!" Jack moaned pathetically. "Not fair! I had the perfect question." He stuck his bottom lip out and pouted.
"I just bet you did," the young man smirked. "That's why I chose dare… I'm no twpsyn."
Jack grinned. "I love that word… I love all Welsh words and your accent, my young Welshman, would bring even a monk out of celibacy!"
"Dw i wrth fy modd efo'r gôt," the young man smiled. "Yn methu aros i'w gymryd oddi arnoch a'ch gweld yn gorwedd yn noeth arno."
Jack shifted his feet, widening his stance at bit as the blood left his head and moved south, then he cleared his throat. "I believe you… uh-umm…" His voice was raspy and he cleared his throat again. "Did you say you wanted dare?"
"Yup. Bring it on, Jack," the man grinned invitingly. "What's it going to be?"
Jack knew exactly what he wanted to ask but he drew out the suspense, frowning and stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Well, it has to be interesting, bold, maybe even outside your comfort level or else what's the point, right?"
"Riiiight…" The young man narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "I am not taking off my clothes and running naked down the street!"
"Aww… come on! Please?" Jack begged. "Cos that would be brilliant!"
"NO!"
"Okay fine!" Again Jack echoed the other man. "Then I guess I'll just have to settle for a kiss…
The young man's face brightened.
"And I mean a real kiss, not a grandma peck on the cheek."
"Fine!" He huffed out a huge sigh and stepped up so close to Jack there was only a few inches between them. He studied Jack's lips for a moment, as though trying to decide how best to go about it, then he placed his hands on Jack's cheeks and pulled his head forward.
Jack thought he would burst from anticipation and then the softest of kisses landed on his lips, just barely there but the pressure gradually increased until at last it turned into a full-on back-seat-of-the-car end-of-year prom snog.
When the need for oxygen became too great, the two men drew apart and as the young man stepped back Jack stumbled forward a couple of steps.
"That…" he gulped in air. "That was amazing! Let's do it again!"
"Nope." The young man shook his head decisively. "The dare was for one kiss."
"Well, what can I do to get another one?"
"You have to earn it."
"Okay, how? Tell me how! I'll do anything!" Jack was quivering with excitement.
The young man took Jack's hand in his and they started walking again. "How about…" He paused as a strong gust of salty sea wind came in from the Bay bringing with it the first drops of rain. "Next time."
"What?" Jack buttoned his coat and pulled the collar up around his ears and the other man did the same. The temperature had taken a sudden drop and it was really cold now.
"Next time we get together, I'll tell how exactly what you can do to earn your next kiss."
"Promise?"
"Yup."
"Then it's a deal. Next time." Jack smiled happily and they walked along in silence for a few more minutes.
"You know what, Jack?"
"Hmmm?"
"I had a really fun time tonight. Thank you."
"You're welcome, Ianto. I look forward to doing it again."
"Me too, Jack. Rwy'n dy garu di, Cariad."
End
Dw i wrth fy modd efo'r gôt = I love the coat
Yn methu aros i'w gymryd oddi arnoch a'ch gweld yn gorwedd yn noeth arno = Can't wait to take it off you and see you lying naked on it
Rwy'n dy garu di, Cariad = I love you, sweetheart
Strangers in the Night
Composers: Bert Kaempfert · Charles Singleton · Eddie Snyder
Strangers in the night exchanging glances
Wondering in the night
What were the chances we'd be sharing love
Before the night was through
Something in your eyes was so inviting
Something in your smile was so exciting
Something in my heart told me I must have you
Strangers in the night, two lonely people
We were strangers in the night
Up to the moment when we said our first hello
Little did we know
Love was just a glance away
A warm embracing dance away
And ever since that night we've been together
Lovers at first sight, in love forever
It turned out so right for strangers in the night
Love was just a glance away
A warm embracing dance away
Ever since that night we've been together
Lovers at first sight, in love forever
It turned out so right for strangers in the night