Thank you for all the alerts! They make me really happy! I just hope you all like what's coming.

During the next weeks, the process repeated itself. Jack flirted, got distracted, annoyed Ianto to no end, and Ianto just did his best to remain professional. Jack was still completely oblivious to how Ianto felt, and in fact seemed to get bolder and bolder as the weeks went by. Apparently Ianto's 'acquiescence' seemed to show Jack that it was okay to keep behaving like that, and Ianto felt like there was nothing he could do. It's not like he could be too stern or anything with the man, he was so scared Jack might not want him as a tutor any more if he couldn't have his fun. It did make Ianto feel a little cheap, but his money problems really didn't give him much option. It was his weekly torture session that he just had to endure. Apparently, to Jack, it was the exact opposite.

xXxXx

Ianto woke up to the sound of the alarm on his phone. It took him a while to get his bearings, but once he did, he immediately groaned. It was Saturday. Again. And he was not looking forward to spending two hours with Jack Harkness. He was already in a very bad mood because he hadn't slept well (apparently his neighbours thought it completely appropriate to have a party with loud music until four in the morning). He took a very, very deep breath, and got up, to get ready for what would probably be a very miserable morning. At least he had lunch with Tosh to look forward to. She never failed to make him feel better, no matter how much Jack had pissed him off before. He sighed again. Already three months had gone by, and their tutor-student relationship hadn't got any better. If anything, it was a lot worse. Ianto's patience was starting to wear thin, and he wondered when he would finally snap, regardless of how important this job was to him. That's when his phone rang, pulling him out of his thoughts.

"Oh, hey, Tosh, how's it going?" He smiled into the phone.

"Oh, hi, Ianto. Everything's fine. Well, sort of."

"Why, what's up?"

"I'm afraid I have to cancel our lunch today. Something came up at work and I'll have to go in to the office. I'm really sorry."

"No, it's completely fine, don't worry about it." He tried to suppress the groan that wanted to leave his throat. She obviously didn't need him being mad at her.

"Are you sure? Well, I'll make it up to you, I promise." She sounded really worried.

"No, Tosh, don't worry, it's really okay. Just do what you have to do and don't worry about me." He tried to smile, tried to sound reassuring. He really didn't want her to know how much his heart had sunk at the prospect of losing the one good thing about that day.

"Okay, if you're sure. Well, I have to go. Take care of yourself today. And good luck with Jack."

"Thanks, Tosh, I'll probably need it. I hope you have a nice day, considering."

"Thanks, Ianto. Talk to you soon. Bye."

"Bye, Tosh." He hung up, and sighed, really, really deeply. If his mood had been bad, now it had plummeted. He wished he could just go back to bed and sleep the whole day. But he really couldn't. He took another deep breath and went into the bathroom to shower, praying to whoever was listening that the morning would be over soon.

xXxXx

He got to Jack's house and tried really hard to put his usual mask into place. Today this task was particularly hard, but he knew that no matter how he felt about Jack, he still had to be professional.

Jack was being his usual self. Arrogant, flirtatious, obnoxious, childish, and plain annoying. Ianto was doing all he could to keep calm and professional, but he knew that he wouldn't last much longer. The third time Jack tried to assault him with his million-watt grin and reached to touch his arm (as he usually did. It's amazing how tactile – and inappropriate – this man could be), Ianto couldn't help but close his eyes with a sigh and recoil. When he opened his eyes again, he saw that Jack had moved back, and was staring at him, with a quizzical look on his face, flirtatious grin completely gone. Shit. So much for being professional.

Jack was slightly shocked. It had never occurred to him that Ianto might be bothered by his advances. He'd always assumed that the cold exterior was something to be broken, not respected. He assumed this was who Ianto was, someone who needed some help being persuaded to show his emotions. It had never occurred to Jack that it was actually protection. Against him, no less. He felt terrible now. Sure, he was an inveterate flirt, but he'd always prided himself in his ability to read people, and know when his efforts were unwelcome. He enjoyed flirting as much as he enjoyed breathing, but it was only fun if the other person was into it, too. He would never force himself on anyone, and he felt terrible now that he might be doing that to Ianto. He wondered why it had taken him so long to notice this. He realised that his own (very intense) interest in the young man had made him blind.

"Ianto, do I... Do I make you uncomfortable?" He asked, really scared of the answer.

Ianto just closed his eyes again, not knowing what to say. He couldn't possibly say that to Jack, that he did, but he couldn't lie either.

"Ianto?..."

He looked up into Jack's eyes, still unable to say anything.

"Never mind, you've already answered." Jack let out a deep sigh. "I don't even know what to say. I'm really sorry." Jack looked incredibly guilty. "It was terrible of me to put you in this position, but... if it bothered you so much, why didn't you say something? Or why didn't you leave?"

Ianto was deeply embarrassed, and he wanted nothing more than a hole to open up on the ground and swallow him whole. "I... I... really need this job. I was afraid that if I were honest with you, I'd put you off, and you'd want to stop having these lessons. It's not as if they've been particularly easy for you." Ianto was looking down, unable to look Jack in the eyes.

Jack felt even guiltier, if that was possible. He realised all of a sudden what this man had been going through all these months, and he felt horrible. What he'd been doing had been nothing short of harassment. He'd never thought he, of all people, would ever be on the giving end of such abuse.

"Ianto, I'm so embarrassed. I can't apologise to you enough. I should have realised sooner. I'm so sorry I put you in this position."

Now it was Ianto's turn to feel guilty. He was completely stunned to see how Jack was behaving at the moment. He'd never expected him to actually care about how he felt. He felt ridiculous for not saying anything sooner, or even for being so bothered in the first place. He felt like an over dramatic child. And he started to wonder if maybe he had been reading the man wrong.

Ianto was silent for a really long time, and Jack took it to mean that he was still uncomfortable. He needed to do something about it.

"How about I try and make it up to you? How about you stay here for lunch today, I'll cook something for you and show you that I'm entirely capable of behaving like a respectful human being. Like you deserve."

"No, Jack, really, that's not necessary."

"Well, I obviously don't want to force you into anything. Again," he looked incredibly guilty again. "But it would make me feel a lot better if I were able to show you that you can be comfortable around me. I don't want this job to be a nightmare to you."

Ianto thought for a while. He was still very unsure about spending time with Jack, but he seemed to be trying so hard to redeem himself, that it seemed only fair to give him a chance. And Tosh had cancelled their plans anyway, it's not like he had something better to do.

"Sure, Jack. I'll stay." He tried to smile, hoping that it didn't look too much like a grimace. He cleared his throat. "We should get back to the lesson now."

"You know what, never mind the rest of the lesson. Today is on me. Just relax, while I get you something to drink."

"Jack, you really don't have to do this."

"Ianto, I insist. It's the least I can do. Now, would you like some beer?"

Ianto sighed. There was no point arguing with the man. He just hoped he wasn't making a big mistake. "Yeah, that would be nice." He replied, still a bit wary, but smiling anyway.

"Great, I'll get one for you. Make yourself at home." And with that he was gone, leaving behind only the vestiges of a dazzling smile. Although, Ianto could tell, there was something different about that smile now. There was no leer, just an honest to God kind smile.