VII.
The short ride to Ianto's flat was quiet, both of them wrapped up in their own thoughts, for good or ill. As they pulled up to the building, Jack's mobile rang. Ianto stopped, one leg out of the car, and couldn't help but listen; it could be Torchwood after all, and he might be heading back to the Hub.
"I'm still looking into those readings in Radyr," Jack said. "Keep monitoring from the Hub, let me know if anything changes." He paused. "Yes, tell Gwen to keep on the research. I'll check in later."
He put his phone away and glanced up to find Ianto watching him. "Duty calls?" Ianto asked.
Jack shook his head. "Nope, just a few bumps in the Rift. Tosh said it's nothing major, and nothing's come through."
"Shouldn't we head back to the Hub in case something does?" Ianto asked.
"She's watching it," Jack replied. "She said it's barely a blip. We'd be sitting around twiddling our thumbs."
Jack turned off the SUV and stepped around the car. Ianto waited for him on the pavement.
"And let me guess—there's much better things we could be doing?"
"Naturally," said Jack. "You did invite me over, after all."
Ianto smiled and nodded. "Best come up, then. Something to drink?"
"I'll always say yes to coffee," Jack suggested, following him upstairs. Ianto let them into his dark flat, leading the way toward the kitchen and trying not to think about Jack's comments regarding his coffee and his suits. Halfway there, Jack's phone rang again. He glanced at it and sighed. "Tosh again."
"I'll start the coffee," Ianto replied. He was beginning to feel like he was still at work.
As he went through the routine, Ianto let his thoughts wander once more. Yet he found they didn't wander far. Yes, he'd propositioned Jack for sex, and yes, Jack was there, but he had a feeling that things might not turn out like he'd thought after another call from the Hub.
"Everything all right?" he asked when he heard Jack behind him. "Or do we need a thermos?"
Jack walked over and leaned against the counter with a sigh. "Tosh said the Weevils are starting to act up. I told her to call Owen so he and Gwen can run them down."
Ianto put away the mugs and reached for a thermos. "Jack, we should be there. We can't leave them on their own while we…" He waved his hand around and trailed off with an embarrassed shrug. "We should go in," he finished lamely.
Jack took the thermos from Ianto and set it down. He placed his hands on Ianto's hips, thumbs massaging circles into tense muscles. "We're working on a case," Jack said.
"The case is over," Ianto pointed out. "All we need to do is clear out the cellar in the morning." And he would track down Mandy to make sure she had taken him seriously and left Cardiff.
"I think we've still got a few things to wrap up here," Jack replied. He grinned—not a blinding smile meant to charm, but a flirtatious one that was more genuine. And because he was there, alone with Jack, Ianto couldn't help but smile back. They moved toward one another and met tentatively at first, the kiss deepening quickly as long pent-up feelings—attraction, desire, the need to release the tension between them—came to the surface.
Jack's hands began to work on loosening Ianto's tie, and he in turn pulled Jack's shirts from his trousers to run his hands along bare flesh, grinning against Jack's lips as he felt the other man shudder beneath his touch and hold back a groan.
And then Jack's mobile started to ring. He ignored it, sucking hard on Ianto's lower lip as he pulled the blue striped tie from Ianto's collar and started undoing his buttons. It rang again and again, until they both groaned in frustration and stepped apart.
Knowing the likely end, Ianto began buttoning his shirt. He left the tie off as Jack answered his phone and began tucking in his shirts.
"All right, I'm coming in," Jack said. "Send Gwen and Owen out after the Rift alert and I'll take the Weevil calls." He paused and glanced up at Ianto. "Yes, he's with me, how did you know? Okay, one, stop spying on me, and two, I'll bring him with me. We'll be there in twenty minutes."
Jack glanced up with a sheepish grin. "Now duty calls," he said.
"I heard," Ianto replied, handing him a thermos. "Busy night."
Jack nodded, still straightening out his clothes. "The Rift is definitely acting up, and now the natives are acting up with it. How would you feel about running down some Weevils?"
"I'd be delighted, sir."
"Right." Jack looked at him curiously. "I'm sorry we were interrupted."
"I am too," Ianto replied. "But that's Torchwood, isn't it?"
"That's Torchwood," Jack murmured with a sigh. "Well, speak of the devil, let's get back to the Hub and gear up. Could be a long night."
Ianto had been looking forward to a different sort of night with Jack, but found that the idea of hunting Weevils with Jack didn't bother him as much as it might otherwise. At least they'd be running off their frustration, taking it out on Cardiff's resident pests. Perhaps there would be a chance afterward to pick up from where they left off, if they were so inclined. Then again, the circumstances at the Ferret were unique, and Ianto wasn't sure if he'd ever have the courage to bring it up again.
And then Suzie came back, and died again, and it was much easier than he thought.