Chapter 15
"Jack's not just my boss," Ianto said shuffling slightly on the spot
"I can see that. One question. When did this start?" Taffy asked a thoughtful look on her face as she looked at the two nervous men in her kitchen
"Umm… A few days after your engagement party," Ianto replied confused at where his sister was going with this.
"I see… well Jack will you be joining us for lunch?" Taffy asked a friendly smile spreading across her face.
"I…er," Jack replied looking to Ianto for an answer not sure whether he was welcome
"That's a yes then, I'll set another place at the table," Taffy grinned leaving the room
Venn glanced at the two confused men before heading out of the room after her to find out what the hell was going on.
"Did I miss something?" Jack asked completely confused
"No she's like that, sometimes her brain just works faster than everyone else's," Ianto replied just as confused as Jack and Venn by his twins behaviour.
"You two are very similar then," Jack smiled before turning serious to Ianto stepping forward so they he was in front of Ianto, one hand reaching out to cup his face, "is this ok? Me staying?"
"Yes, I want you to be here, I was going to ask you but…" Ianto smiled with a small shrug, leaning in to kiss Jack gently before taking his hand and leading him out of the kitchen.
"Umm… You're not surprised he's gay? What about Lisa?" Venn asked once they were out of earshot though Taffy still 'Ssshd'ed him at Lisa's name.
"He's not gay he's bisexual and I've known since he figured it out when we were 17," Taffy replied setting Jack a place at the table next to Ianto. "Does it bother you?" she asked worried
"No, not at all. Does the rest of the family know" Venn replied reassuring her with a smile as he passed her a napkin to set on the side plate.
"No he hasn't told them," Taffy replied falling silent as she heard the other two coming from the kitchen. She looked up and smiled as the pair walked in holding hands.
They really did make a handsome couple, and I haven't seen Ianto smile like that for such a long time, Taffy thought.
"Jack can I get you something. Beer, wine, eggnog, scotch?" Venn said relaxing back into him normal friendly demeanour.
"Oh, Jack doesn't…" Ianto began to answer but fell quite as jack squeezed his hand,
"I'll have a beer, thanks," Jack replied and Ianto looked at him in confusion
"Ianto?" Venn asked catching his attention
"Yes please, another Beer." Ianto replied before turning back to Jack "You don't drink unless your're miserable…"
"And on special occasions," Jack replied giving him a peck before following Venn into the kitchen to get his drink, leaving the twins alone to talk.
"Do you really mind if Jack stays?" Ianto asked walking round to where his sister stood
"I asked him didn't I?" Taffy snorted
"Taffy," Ianto pushed,
"Ianto," She mocked,
Ianto sighed taking her hand "I'm sorry, I didn't tell you,"
"You hinted at the engagement, I didn't pursue the topic and we haven't had a chance to really talk since then," Taffy shrugged
"At the engagement?" he asked
"While we were dancing, I asked if there was a special lady yet. You went bright red and said there was no way we were having this conversation in the middle of the dance floor. I asked if there was someone then and you told me there was a maybe with a really sweet smile on your face," Taffy replied before pulling him into a hug, tucking herself into his arms and under his chin.
"I remember that. I was quite surprised you didn't hunt me down later for answers." Ianto replied and she could feel him chuckle through their hug.
"It doesn't matter now, but I figure anyone that can make you blush and smile like that before you're even dating is fine by me,"
"All good?" Venn asked as he and Jack walked back into the room with the drinks and the siblings pulled apart.
"Of course," Taffy replied winking at Ianto.
After lunch they made themselves comfortable in the lounge.
Ianto and Taffy on the coach, Venn in the armchair and Jack standing near the fireplace looking through the photos displayed on the top.
"Damn you've got a gorgeous family… I picked the right one though, such a cute kid. So what do you Jones' normally do now?" Jack asked turning around leaning his elbows on the mantle behind him. He's lost his coat and gun belt hours ago and was now wearing his normal pants and boots, with a pale blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up and black vest, complete with pocket watch.
Ianto had to admit he looked gorgeous standing there and he couldn't help but admire the view.
"Presents, but we can so them later," Taffy replied and Ianto could hear the amusement in her voice, he'd been caught then.
"Oh no need to hold back on my account, beside I have just the thing," Jack said winking at Taffy as he breezed out the door.
Much to Ianto's amusement that he managed the effect even without the coat.
"He's a bit of a charmer isn't he," Taffy smirked at her brother who rolled his eyes in reply.
"Tell me about it,"
Jack returned a few minutes later with three bags of presents in his arms.
"Ari grabbed these from your apartment when she picked up her bags this morning. Thought they might come in handy," Jack explained to Ianto
"What ones?" Ianto asked
"I think she just grabbed you to me and her to you presents from under your tree, plus I have my presents for you here," Jack replied placing the bags next to the tree and other presents.
"Well that's settled then," Taffy said jumping up out of her seat like an excited child.
Grabbing Jack's arm she pushed him down into her spot on the coach next to Ianto before heading for the tree to give out everyone's presents.
"Little excited are we?" Ianto teased
"Hello! Presents!!" she retorted making the men chuckle
"And here I thought you were mature," Ianto muttered but Taffy ignored him and continued what she was doing.
She passed out various presents as she came upon them each person opening them as they went.
Ianto opened the one from Arabella to find the suit he'd refused to buy with a maroon shirt rather than the on he'd tried on that day which seemed to suit it even better.
Jack let out a low whistle as he looked at the suit. "When do I get to see you in that?"
"Don't know you'll have to wait for some sort of special occasion though, it's not a suit I'd ever wear to work." Ianto replid placing it carefully back in its box.
"Damn, you'd look so hot in that," Jack muttered in his ear making Ianto shiver.
"What did she get you?" Ianto asked reaching across to take the small device Jack had recently unwrapped from where it sat on the coach.
It was circular with two flat sides as in someone had cut the top and bottom off an egg. It was a little larger than the palm of his hand with engravings around the middle and a finger shaped indentation on each of the flat ends.
"It's nothing just an old trinket of ours from years ago," Jack replied taking it out of Ianto's hands and replacing it with another present this one from Dexter.
Ianto paused looking at Jack oddly for a moment trying to figure out why he was so jumpy about an old trinket, his thoughts interrupted as Taffy ran over and hugged him tightly,
"Thankyou for the massage kit, I'm sure I can convince Venn to give me a massage at some point."
"Thankyou for my ties and DVDs," Ianto replied smirked at Venn who was rolling his eyes,
She kissed his cheek before going back over to Venn so they could unwrap some more presents together.
Turning his attention back to Jack he found the older man had already ripped into his next present, one from Dexter and was admiring the old books he'd been given.
Smiling at the rarity of seeing Jack so relaxed and open he unwrapped his own present from Dexter to reveal a sleek black thermos with his name engraved in large flowing script down it's side.
"Nice... he's really good at giving you what you need. If we tell the team it's peach tea or something they'll never touch it might be handy if you can't get down stairs for a drink for some reason." Jack said admiring the thermos, "Here this ones from me," He said hading Ianto a small box.
He opened it to reveal matching silver cufflinks and tie pin,
"Thankyou Jack, they're fabulous," He said smiling brightly at his lover all to aware of his sister and Venn's watchful eyes.
He reached down beside him and pulled up a present wrapped in simple blue paper, "This ones from me," he said passing to Jack who instantly began ripping the paper off to reveal his gift inside.
Upon seeing the 'Teach Yourself Welsh' book he chuckled, "Is that a tint Yan?"
"You've been in this country how long? It's about time you learnt the language, the other I figured might be handy. I know you love your vinyls but you can't exactly play them in the car," Ianto said gesturing to the Glen Millar CD he'd managed to hunt down as the other part of Jack's present.
"Thankyou," Jack replied reaching around behind Ianto neck's drawing him into a gentle kiss unfazed by the fact that they had an audience.
Taffy moving once again to the Christmas tree caught their attention and they drew apart,
"She stood from the tree holding the last present a small smirk on her face.
"What?" Venn asked getting up to look at the present in his fiancée's hands.
"What are you two smirking at?" Ianto sighed realising he wasn't going to get an answer unless he asked.
"Your first joint present," Taffy said holding the present out to the two men
"What?" Jack asked surprised as Ianto reached out and took the present,
"For Jack and Ianto, Love A and D," Ianto read from the tag shifting on the coach so he was leaning against Jack's chest as he began to unwrap the present making sure not to rip the paper.
Jack chuckled watching him, reaching round he grabbed hold of the paper, ripping half of it off with one quick tug.
Ianto sighed elbowing Jack gently in the chest as he pulled off the rest of the paper revealing a black cardboard box.
Taffy and Venn watched from their seat Taffy sitting on Venn's lap his arms wrapped tightly around her waist.
Ianto held the box so he and Jack could both look into it and pulled off the lid.
Jack chuckled shuffling through the contents of the box which contained fluffy handcuffs, a blindfold, massage oil and several different varieties of lube, among other things.
Ianto went bright red which instantly caught the other couple's attention.
"Oooh What is it?" Taffy asked
"Nothing," Ianto muttered smacking Jack's hand out of the way and putting the lid back on the box glaring at his still laughing lover.
"Damn Ianto, the way you're acting you'd think you just got a box of sex toys," Venn teased and Ianto instantly went an even brighter shade as Jack burst out laughing.
"You didn't … oh god… I was only joking," Venn muttered almost matching Ianto in colour as Taffy joined Jack in laughing at the two flustered men.
Later that evening Jack and Ianto stood at the railings near the tourist office watching the sunset over the bay.
Jack had one arm wrapped around Ianto holding him close as Ianto leaned into his side for extra warmth.
"I got you something else, but I couldn't really give it to you in front of Taffy and Venn," Ianto said flicking his shoulder bag open and pulling out another gift, passing it to Jack,
Jack smiled letting go of Ianto and taking the present with a quick kiss as this other hand delved into his pocket pulling out a small pouch and pushing it into Ianto's hand, "Me too,"
"You didn't have to get me anything else,"
"I know but I wanted to," Jack replied with a shrug looking at the present in his hands.
"Thank you. Open it," Ianto encouraged and that was all it took for Jack to rip away the paper to reveal and old worn leather journal.
"What…?"
"There was a search for it at Torchwood One just before the battle of Canary Warf, but no one ever found it. I managed to track it down for you. At some point the Doctor had to hide out on earth from an enemy. He made himself human and locked away his memories for a while." Ianto explained looking out across the bay knowing he had Jack's full attention.
"As a human he dreamt about his life and wrote them down in this journal," Ianto explained opening the fragile book in Jack's hands to the first page,
"A Journal of Impossible things," Jack read
"I thought it might give you some answers,"
"How?... It doesn't matter, Thankyou," Jack replied pulling Ianto into a warm tight embrace pressing a kiss to his forehead.
"Open yours," Jack whispered and Ianto nodded pulling out of Jack embrace just enough so that he could open the pouch.
Jack stepped around behind him wrapping both arms around the younger man's waist, chin resting on his shoulder so he could watch Ianto.
Ianto slipped the gadget out into his hand and frowned at it in confusion. "Is it a PDA?"
"Sort of... watch," Jack said reaching forwards and taking Ianto other hand pressing his thumb to the view screen which flickered blue before turning on.
The familiar blue waves of the Hub's mainframe drifting across the screen.
"It… Is this…? Part of the Hub?" Ianto eyes glued to the device in his hands.
"It's a futuristic PDA. It's linked to the mainframe, so you can enter data into it from the archives or where ever you happen to be without having to make your way to a station on the main level. Which I thought you'd find useful. It'll also open any 21st century digital lock and block telephone signals within a 30 foot radius if you ever feel the need." Jack explained.
"Wow, thank you Jack. Did it come through the rift at some point?" Ianto asked not remembering seeing it before.
"No it was one of the things I picked up in my travels, I just modified it a bit."
"It's brilliant I love it,"
"It's keyed to your thumbprint and specific DNA, but still try not to let the others see it, it's just for you," Jack replied eyes back out to the bay as the sun finally dripped below the horizon leaving the light from the leftover glow to fade away. "It does one more thing. I've programmed and linked it to my wrist strap. No matter where I am, you'll be able to contact me if you ever need to,"
Ianto just stared up at Jack for a moment before turning in his arms and pulling him into a passionate kiss conveying all of their feelings for each other without words.
A few hours later Ianto was just drifting off to sleep when his phone buzzed on Jack's beside table.
Reaching out he flipped it open to read the message from his sister.
G'night Bro, Merry Xmas, was great seein u today. Hold on tight 2 that studmuffin of urs, he's a keepa. Luv Taf, xxx oooIanto smiled closing his phone and placing it back onto the bedside table.
Feeling arms tighten around his waist he turned, burying himself back into Jack's warm embrace, letting the thump, thump of his lover's heart sooth him to sleep.