X.
As soon as Jack restarted the car, Tosh called, and he turned the car toward the Hub before she'd even finished. In a way, he was glad, because he suspected that he'd agreed to something with Ianto that they'd both probably regret once they thought it through. A Rift alert, while extremely unwanted after having just gone through the Rift himself, was possibly the only way to back out without causing any hurt feelings.
Or maybe Ianto was glad of the call as well. He didn't blink an eye as Jack drove them back to the Hub, didn't mention anything about kissing Jack or the unexpected invitation to continue with more. More what, Jack wasn't sure. Had Ianto ever kissed a man before? Shagged a man? He'd lost his girlfriend only months before; was he ready to move on? Why Jack?
Jack tried not to think about these things as he parked and hurried inside. They found Gwen asleep at her desk on a pile of folders; she didn't even flinch when the alarms went off and Jack bounded into the Hub, Ianto two steps behind him.
"What've you got?" Jack asked, and Tosh sighed.
"I'm sorry, Jack, but I think it's nothing. There were a few blips out in Radyr, and then a few in Gabalfa, but nothing's come through, and nothing's happened since. I think they were more like… bubbles. Harmless."
Jack breathed a sigh of relief. "It's fine, Tosh. Better good news than bad. Do you think there will be any more of your bubbles?"
She glanced at her computer monitors, typed a few things, then shook her head. "I don't think so, but we all know unpredictable the Rift can be."
"That's for sure," Ianto murmured, and she looked at him in surprise.
"Did you find anything in Radyr?" she asked. "That's where the first few bubbles were."
"It's sorted," Jack told her. "We'll fill everyone in tomorrow." He walked over to Gwen and shook her shoulder, gently at first and then slightly harder. She shot up with a shout, and Jack held back a laugh at the lines the folders had left across her face.
"Time to go," he told her. "We're closing shop."
She seemed confused at first, then nodded and yawned. As if remembering something, she abruptly sat up straighter and began pulling out files. "Jack! I noticed something about the missing persons reports you had me look at. There were an unusual number of people who've disappeared around—"
"Radyr?" Jack suggested. Behind him, he heard Ianto huff a little. He turned and grinned at him. "Ianto noticed the same thing."
"Does it have to do with the Rift readings you were looking into?" Tosh asked. Jack nodded.
"Yes, and like I said, it's all sorted. Go home and get some sleep."
"Don't have to tell me twice," Gwen said, yawned again, and practically stumbled out. Jack was surprised she didn't question him more; perhaps she was too tired to push for the truth. Jack couldn't help but wonder if she'd go home to her boyfriend, or out with Owen. He turned toward Tosh.
"You all right?" he asked, and she nodded.
"I'm doing better," she said. "I'm sorry I couldn't help more with the case."
Jack pulled her into an embrace. "Don't be. You didn't miss much."
Behind them, Ianto snorted out loud, then covered it with a cough. "Sorry," he said. "I'll go…start that report, then." He turned to walk away, but Tosh stopped him.
"Walk me out?" she asked, grabbing her jacket and coat. Ianto looked like a deer caught in the headlights of a car, but nodded anyway.
"Don't try to wheedle anything out of him," Jack called after them. "Everyone gets the story tomorrow!"
He heard them laugh as they walked away. It occurred to him that Ianto might leave as well, but he wasn't sure if he should invite the Welshman to stay or allow them both a graceful exit. In truth, he was interested in what Ianto had suggested. He'd been interested since rolling around a cold warehouse floor with Ianto Jones, but after becoming leader of Torchwood Three, he had avoided romantic entanglements with coworkers. Not that Ianto was looking for anything romantic or remotely resembling a relationship, but Jack worried it might affect their working relationship, and he didn't want to do that, nor did he want to ruin their pseudo-friendship.
A part of him wanted Ianto to stay, to see where things might go regardless of his concerns, but his brain kept telling him it was a bad idea. Maybe he'd leave it up to Ianto, then.
"Ianto?" he called. The Welshman turned, and Jack raised an eyebrow, not wanting to ask directly in front of Toshiko. Ianto cocked his head, seemed to be thinking about Jack's unspoken question, and nodded in reply.
"I'll make some coffee as soon as I get back. I want to get a start on that report."
Tosh frowned, said something under her breath, and Ianto smiled at her as they walked out, talking quietly. Jack wondered what she would ask, and what Ianto would tell her, even though he knew most of it wasn't his business. He headed to his office and decided they needed some bourbon more than coffee. Pouring them each a generous measure, he sat down at his desk, put his feet up, and thought about everything that had happened that night.
He'd been surprised to find Ianto at the pub, even more surprised to find that Ianto was one step ahead of him in piecing together the disappearances, the Rift blips, and the Ferret. And he'd been shocked when Ianto had seemed ready and willing to step through the Savior's portal, only to send Jack through instead. He also felt a deep sense of guilt, that he had been unable to help Ianto through his pain and heartbreak. The barmaid's words—"I saved his life…I know what he tried to do…"—stuck with him. Had Ianto tried to harm himself, kill himself?
What had been going through the Welshman's head earlier? He'd been so angry when Jack had showed up at the Ferret, and even though he'd been playing at it, he'd still hit Jack hard when he'd dragged him outside. When Jack had gone back in, it had been like finding a different man, one who was broken beyond repair, ready to give up. And then without warning, all of that anger and hatred had been directed at Jack, and he'd found himself on another planet for the first time in decades.
It wasn't quite how he thought he'd leave Earth. He closed his eyes, trying to block out the sounds and smells of the slaver's world. It wouldn't do to dwell on his brief time in hell, to relive dying on a planet halfway across the galaxy. Ianto had come back for him, had even tried to revive him with some very dubious CPR (favor returned, apparently.) And then Ianto had kissed him.
As usual, nothing about it made much sense.
The alarms went off, and Jack opened his eyes to see Ianto returning. Instead of starting coffee, or coming into Jack's office, he stood for a moment, gazing around the Hub with a look of bleak emptiness in his eyes. Then he crossed to the sofa, sat down, and let his head fall back toward the wall.
Jack watched him for a moment, but when Ianto didn't move, he decided to check on him rather than let the man suffer on his own. He grabbed Ianto's glass and headed into the Hub, joining him on the sofa without a word. The Welshman opened his eyes, bleary with fatigue.
"Should've gone home," he muttered.
"Probably," Jack agreed. "The report can wait until morning." He held out the glass of bourbon. "Here. I don't think either of us needs coffee right now."
Ianto smiled and sat up straighter. "Thank you, sir. I think you're right."
"You don't always have to call me sir, you know," Jack reminded him.
"And sometimes I do," Ianto replied. He took a sip and nodded with appreciation. "It's good."
"It should be," Jack said. "It cost enough."
They were quiet for a moment, the background noises of the Hub filling the empty spaces between them.
"Will you tell them everything?" Ianto asked. "The rest of the team, tomorrow?"
"No," Jack replied immediately. "Absolutely not. Most of what happened tonight is need to know. And they don't need to know about your part, or mine, or even Mandy. Just the basics."
Ianto blew out a long breath. "Thank you," he whispered.
"It wasn't your fault," Jack said. "And…well, it's over. All of it."
"It's over," Ianto repeated dully. "Right." He fell back against the sofa again and finished his drink.
Jack leaned back and joined him, turning his head toward the other man. He couldn't help but admire his profile, and when Ianto turned and met his eyes, he studied the man's face. Ianto looked so young, and yet his eyes were so old. He was clearly exhausted, both physically and emotionally, and yet he was so strong, and attractive, and—
Jack found himself staring at Ianto's lips, then shook himself out of the daze and apologized. "I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't think the night would end like this."
Ianto's mouth crooked up in a half smile. He set his drink down and turned toward Jack. "I didn't either," he admitted. Jack finished his drink and sat up.
"Well, don't feel like you have to stick around," he told the Welshman. "It's been a long day and the report can wait—"
He was cut off by Ianto's lips, pressed insistently against his own. A burst of heat and excitement and even relief rushed through him as he opened his mouth to Ianto without thought, desperate to feel the other man's lips on his own, tangling their tongues together as they deepened the kiss with small noises of pleasure. Ianto's hands came up and pulled him closer, and Jack let his own hands begin to roam across Ianto's shoulders and back.
They fell onto the sofa, gracelessly rearranging themselves horizontally. Jack was beneath Ianto and glad, because he could push off the other man's coat and pull his shirt from his trousers, running his hands over the bare skin of Ianto's back. The other man shuddered above him, pulling back to meet Jack's eyes for a moment before he leaned down for another fiery kiss.
Jack was suddenly unsure about being so exposed in the Hub. What if one of the others decided to come back in for some reason? He was about to say something when Myfanwy let out a screech from somewhere up above them. Ianto sat upright, eyes wide as he glared up at the pteranodon. His hair was rumpled, his shirt untucked and half unbuttoned, and he looked gorgeous, especially when he started laughing, covering his face in embarrassment. Jack grinned with him as Myfanwy soared close, letting out another squawk. Ianto called out something in Welsh, and she flew back up to her perch.
"What did you say to her?" Jack asked curiously, not aware that their guard dog understood Welsh. Ianto rolled his eyes.
"I told her to give us some privacy," he said. Jack raised an eyebrow.
"Really? And she understood that to mean go back to her nest?"
"I have no idea," Ianto laughed. "But it worked."
Jack smiled in affectionate wonder, pulling the other man down for a long, slow kiss. Ianto was good at it, knowing when to give, when to take, when to suck and lick and nip. In fact, as they continued, Jack found that Ianto was exceptionally good at kissing, as if this weren't their first time and he knew exactly what Jack liked. And Jack hoped, from the sounds Ianto was making, that the other man was enjoying himself as well.
"We could go somewhere else for more privacy," Jack suggested when Ianto moved from his lips to trail kisses along his neck and jaw. He shivered with hope and anticipation. Ianto's breath was hot against his ear as he replied.
"Long drive back to mine," Ianto said. "Might kill the mood."
"I was thinking something closer," Jack said. "Like my room."
Ianto sat back, looking surprised, although Jack wasn't sure why, because Ianto had been down there numerous times. "Oh. Right. Your room."
"It's not much," Jack said. "Although I might be able to scrounge up a candle or two if you—"
Ianto abruptly stood up. "Ah, no. No candles." He held out his hand and Jack took it, standing with him. "I don't think that's what either of is looking for."
"Oh, I don't know," Jack replied, wrapping his hands around Ianto's waist and smiling against his lips. "It could be nice…set the mood…" Ianto raised an eyebrow, looking skeptical.
"We don't a mood," he said. He tugged Jack toward the office. "We need privacy, and preferably a bed, and perhaps—" He stopped, turned toward Jack and smirked. "I assume you have supplies?"
Jack grinned back. "If that's where this goes, then yes. Ready and willing."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Ianto murmured. This time he motioned Jack forward first, probably because it was Jack's office and Jack's bedroom beneath. Jack held his hand, enjoying the feel of it and looking forward to more, and led him down the ladder to the room where he spent nights at the Hub.
It was small, and crowded, and dark, but it was enough for them to spend several hours exploring one another in the shadows. Ianto left afterward, declining Jack's invitation to stay and heading home in the early hours of the morning. He left with one last kiss, however, and a smile, and Jack hoped that things wouldn't be awkward when he came back in to work. It had been amazing, even if it was just one night.
Or perhaps there might be another.
Author's Note:
I really wanted to try to get them back to the Hub somehow. Hope you enjoyed it!