Author's Note: Wow, I had such a great response to this, I am so happy, thanks so much to all of my reviewers and silent stalkers, love you guys so much! This chapter is about twice as long as the first, I got a bit carried away. ^_^ You also get to learn who exactly it is in the coffin this time. Once again, I advice tissue warning, and fluff warning, cause the flashback in this chapter is 110% of it. Enjoy!

I'm on twitter and LJ as kausingkayn!

Just One Date

"Attraction is not a choice" ~David DeAngelo

After the viewing was over the funeral party moved to the room next door where a pedestal and lots of chairs were the only decorations. There was no priest for the last rites – neither the deceased nor his husband were much for religion. The people filtered into the room, sitting randomly among the offered chairs. No one really cared who they sat by, as long as there was a body near them to grieve with. Most of the people in the room had prepared eulogies – there were so many memories that needed to be sharing. It would be a long day, sitting in that room, listening to good times being dredged up from the soul – it would be a good cleansing session, almost. A time to forget about the past months and think back to a time where there was none of the death that was silently hanging over their heads.

Toshiko Sato was the first to speak.

She was one of Ianto's friends – most of Jack's relatives that were at the funeral had never met her before, only heard of her. She was small and shy, gripping the pedestal with a vice-like hold. She had to clear her throat several times and stuttered over her first few words before getting on track. Her face was pale and there were tearstains running down her cheeks. She glanced around the room, looking at everything – nothing. She stopped, coughed a few times and wiped away her tears. Then, she started from the beginning.

She had written down exactly what she was going to say, but by the time the first word slipped from between her lips, she abandoned her carefully thought out words and spoke from the heart. "Jack Harkness-Jones was one of the most amazing men I have ever met."

She paused, closing her eyes, fighting off another wave of tears. "H-he was everything that one could ask for in a friend, and more. I didn't know him personally all that long – mostly from Ianto's constant texts and phone calls. I didn't actually meet him until…but I feel like I knew him a lot longer before then."

She gave a small smile as a particularly good memory entered her mind, and she grabbed onto that. She had planned on talking about the first time she had actually met the man, but this was much better – and a lot happier. "I remember the first time Ianto had ever called me about him, I was in London, working with a small think tank at the time. I was in the middle of programming a nasty computer software program when my phone rang…"

"Tosh!" Ianto said in a whisper, his hands fumbling with the phone after the woman's voice answered instead of her voicemail. It had been a while since they had actually talked – she had been bogged down with work and odd hours, Ianto always seeming to miss the windows of opportunity. But this situation couldn't wait for an email or text reply.

"Ianto, are you ok? What is it?" He normally didn't call unannounced like this unless it was an emergency. The man was very big on schedules, and they would email back and forth several times before determining the best time that both of them would be available for talking.

"Jack just asked me out." Ianto said, his words all stringing together as he forgot to breathe. His hands were shaking, and his clothes suddenly felt way too tight. He stuck his finger down his collar and pulled, mentally cursing the dress code for his workplace.

"Jack – you mean movie-star-good-looks Jack? From your work?" Toshiko asked, excitement leaking into her voice.

Ianto just groaned and nodded, forgetting for a moment that Tosh couldn't see him. He closed his eyes and leaned his head against the wall of the coffee-store's back room. "No, the other Jack that I've been telling you about."

"Well, you said yes, right?" She asked, and Ianto heard her take in a large breath, then hold it, awaiting his response.

"I…yeah, kinda." She squealed into the phone, jumping in happiness, ignoring the strange looks she was getting from her co-workers. Ianto had been texting her about this fellow almost every day and they had been emailing about him for weeks.

Ianto cursed the man and his own bloody nerves. Why did he have to pick this coffee shop to get his daily caffeine, of all places? He showed up, every day at sporadic times – yet always managing to arrive during one of Ianto's shifts. He ordered the same bloody thing, gave him that same grin and wink, and joked with him about his nametag before taking his coffee. Some days he would leave after receiving his drink, others he would migrate to the corner of the room and pull a laptop out of his bag. Those days drove Ianto crazy, and he had found himself taking more frequent smoking breaks in order to keep his nerves in line.

And then, it happened. Randomly, out of the blue, like a piece of the sky falling and hitting Chicken Little on the head.

"Same as always, sir?" Ianto had asked, not quiet meeting Jack's eyes. The man leaned on the small space next to the cash register and stared at the Welshman, his eyes clouded in thought. Ianto felt his cheeks warming up and was about to rephrase the question when Jack spoke.

"Are you free Friday night, Jones?" He asked, pushing off of the counter and sticking his hands in the pockets of his jeans.

The question caught Ianto off guard, and he swallowed, stuttering. "S-sorry?"

Jack shrugged. "You. Me. Friday?"

Ianto froze, his brain trying desperately to tell the rest of him that he had just been asked on a date by the most gorgeous man to ever live. He tried to breathe, telling himself that he wouldn't be any good if he passed out from oxygen deprivation. His lungs started to work again. "I-I got to work."

Jack raised his eyebrow then followed Ianto along the other side of the counter as the man attempted to make coffee. His hands had other ideas, and he resorted to re-organizing the cups – again.

"Next week, then?" Jack asked. Ianto risked a glimpse of the man's face and instantly regretted it. His eyes were enchanting.

"I don't know….." Ianto said lamely, mentally kicking himself. 'Just say yes already!' his mind was screaming. However, his mouth seemed to want to work against him, and his tongue kept getting stuck on the roof of his mouth. He tried to escape, making a move for the 'employee only' door.

"Wait." Jack said, and Ianto found himself rooted to the spot, unable to move. "Just one date."

Ianto turned then, getting lost in the man's eyes. "Just one?" He found himself asking.

Jack nodded. "Just one. Then I'll never ask again."

Ianto wanted to say something. He wanted to laugh and ask why on earth he would never want to see him again. He wanted to jump up and down and giggle like a little school girl. He wanted to come up with some kind of witty retort that would cause Jack to show those pearly whites and the laugh lines that Ianto realized the man had. He wanted to stop acting like such a jittery fool. But all he did was give a close-mouthed smile. "Friday." Then he barged through the door and collapsed against the wall, shaking as his fingers scrambled for his phone.

--xXx--

For Ianto Jones, Friday couldn't have come any sooner.

He had the late shift on Friday, and was going to be whisked away by Jack as soon as he had taken his apron off – words from the man himself.

He had spent that morning on a video chat with Tosh, going through his well-organized closet and pulling out outfit after outfit, desperate to find something that would impress the man, yet not make him look too desperate.

He had finally settled on a white dress shirt – the top three buttons undone – tucked into his jeans. Tosh had convinced him to put on a loosely-tied tie and a black waistcoat to match – unbuttoned as well, of course. He hadn't wanted to, thinking it made him look too old, but the reaction he got from Tosh when he re-entered the room was enough to make him leave it on. Even some of his co-workers made comments when he entered the coffee shop that afternoon.

The clock seemed to be ticking slower than usual, and Ianto was unable to stop himself from glancing at it every couple seconds. That, and the addition of it being a very slow morning, caused Ianto to want to pull out his hair by the time seven rolled around.

True to his word, Jack showed up about fifteen minutes before, ordering his usual then settling down in his corner to wait.

Finally, the clock struck seven, and Ianto was out of his apron as fast as his shaking hands would let him. He was extremely nervous, and sent Tosh a quick 'here it goes' text before stepping out of the safety of the employee room and into the hazardous world that was Jack.

A low whistle came from the corner of the café, and Ianto was unable to hide the blush that had spread on his cheeks. He sent up a silent thanks to Tosh.

"Someone cleans up good." Jack remarked, standing up from his chair and placing his hands on his hips, not hiding his movements as his eyes raked Ianto's body.

The Welshman just let out a soft cough, then gestured toward the door. "Let's go."

Jack raised an eyebrow then nodded, turning his back as he made his way to the door. Ianto followed behind, pulling on his coat as he stepped into the cold outside world. He was tempted to bring out his cigarettes, but quickly pushed that thought to the back of his mind – he was on a bloody date, he didn't need to smoke. He tried to calm himself down – deep, easy breaths. He felt a vibration in his pocket, and pulled out his phone without thinking. It was from Tosh, telling him 'good luck' and wanting to hear about it later.

Ianto gave a warm smile at her words, and jumped as he felt a hot breath on his neck.

"Cheating on me already?" Jack asked, the man leaning over, trying to catch a glimpse of Ianto's text. He blushed even more furiously and fumbled as he tried to close the phone. Jack laughed and leaned back, giving Ianto his personal space back. "I'm kidding."

"Yeah," Ianto mumbled back, giving a strained smile.

Jack watched him for a second then let out a sigh. "Am I making you uncomfortable?"

'Hell yes!' Ianto's brain screamed. Of course he was uncomfortable – this was the first date he had been on in a while, and he was already screwing it up by being such a bundle of nerves. "No –" Ianto started, then contradicted himself as he looked at Jack. The man looked genuinely worried, and he even saw a small bit of nerves in there. That made something in Ianto click – Jack was nervous. Maybe not as nervous as he was, but even a little was enough. "– well, a little."

Jack chuckled at this, then dug into his satchel, bringing out a set of car keys. "No reason to be – I don't bite…at least, not uninvited." He gave a smirk, and Ianto choked a little bit. Another laugh, and then Jack pressed on the unlock button on his keys. The black SUV that was parked a few feet away blinked at them, its doors now invitingly unlocked.

Jack started to walk towards it, then turned and looked back, noticing that Ianto was still standing in the spot that he left him. "Not bailing on me now, are you, Jones?"

There was a light humour in his words, and Ianto gave a smile – genuine this time. "Coming."

Jack's car was comfortable and roomy on the inside. Ianto could stretch out his legs without feeling cramped, and if he were to scoot his seat all the way up, the back could be large enough to sleep in. Ianto blushed at the thought and Jack noticed this, chuckling when he realized what Ianto was thinking about.

Ianto loved that chuckle. He had only heard it a couple times, and already his heart leapt at the sound. He marveled at the fact that is was him that was causing that sound to come from Jack's lips, and in a moment of bravery, he wondered what other sounds he could possibly elicit in the future.

"So," Jack said, bringing Ianto out from his dangerous thoughts. "I guess we should get to know each other, right? You're from around here, obviously – those beautiful welsh vowels aren't something you can learn."

"Wales." Ianto found himself saying. "Moved to Cardiff a few years back for Uni."

Jack made an understanding noise. "What are you majoring in?"

Ianto shrugged. "Didn't. Dropped out a few months ago. Nothing I was interested in."

Jack turned to stare at him, his jaw gaping slightly. "Nothing? Come on, everyone is passionate about something."

Ianto just shrugged and shifted uncomfortably in the seat. "What about you?"

Jack noticed the subtle shift from Ianto to himself, but didn't do anything about it. "Journalism – creative writing mostly, and art. But I graduated a couple years ago."

Ianto nodded politely, and then the silence returned to the SUV. Ianto couldn't tell whether it was uncomfortable or not. Then, he realized something. "I don't know your last name."

"Hmm?" Jack said, missing the question.

Ianto swallowed, and then tried again. "Last name."

"Ah, yes." Jack said, grinning. "Harkness, if you must know."

Jack Harkness. There was a nice ring to it. Ianto tried it out, mouthing the two words, loving the way they rolled right off the tongue. Jack noticed this, and that chuckle that Ianto loved once again filled his ears.

"So, Mr. Jones, what do you like on your pizza?" Jack asked, keeping one hand on the steering wheel while the other was thrust into his satchel sitting on the divider, searching for his cell phone.

Pizza? "Um, doesn't matter. Whatever you're having." Ianto managed to get out. His first date with Jack involved ordering pizza? Ianto really hadn't been sure what to expect from the man, but pizza definitely wasn't at the top of his mind. Ianto ate the stuff all too often, seeing that he lived by himself and was on the salary of a coffee boy. He couldn't afford eating out, and was such a horrible cook that anything other than coffee made by his hands wasn't even worthy of the trash can. But he stuck the thought into the back of his mind – he wouldn't allow himself to get hung up on pizza while there was a man like Jack sitting next to him.

"Well, I hope you aren't scared of a little meat." Jack said with a wink as his hand from his phone up to his ear. "Yes, I'd like to order a large meat lovers…yeah…can I get some of those good cinnamon thingys too?...Harkness…. great, thanks."

He disconnected the call, and glanced back over to Ianto, who had zoned out through the window, eyes blurry as he watched all the scenery melt together. He had seen everything a thousand times before, yet was nervous about turning around to look at Jack. The man seemed to stare right into him…

"Ianto? I'm not that boring, am I?" Jack asked, reaching over with one hand to nudge him on the shoulder. Ianto started and glanced over, giving a small smile before sitting back up in his seat. "No – you're anything but boring – it's just…"

Then Jack's face screwed up and his eyes grew wide. "Oh god…you're straight, aren't you? Wouldn't be the first time that happened."

And then Ianto was laughing. He showed the first real emotion other than nervousness since the first time they had met, and Jack inwardly gave a sigh of relief. "No, I'm not straight…not tonight, at least."

And Jack had to chuckle at that – it was unexpected, that little bit of humour from the man, and Ianto was surprised himself. Where had that come from? But it had gotten Jack to laugh, and Ianto started to let go and loosen up a bit, Maybe it would be a fun night after all.

Then Jack started to tell the tale of his adventure with a man named Owen Harper and how he had flirted with him shamelessly for weeks, until he found out that the man was actually straight – in a relationship, even. And Ianto laughed some more.

"So, instead of getting a boyfriend, I found a best friend." Jack finished as he pulled up in the parking lot of the pizza place. "Wait here."

Ianto nodded and settled down into the seat as Jack hopped out. Almost like an afterthought, Jack threw the keys back into the car, Ianto reaching out and instinctively catching them. This caused Jack to raise an eyebrow before waltzing into the store.

Ianto's fingers automatically went to his pocket and took out his phone, his fingers flying over the keys as he quickly assembled a text to Tosh. He clicked the send button and stuffed the device back into his pocket. Easily bored, Ianto started to play with the car keys. He glanced at the radio, then stuck the keys into the car, twisting them only far enough for the radio to turn on.

Jack had last been listening to the CD player, and Glen Miller came bursting out of the stereo. Shocked, Ianto was frozen in the spot for a moment, marveling over the fact that a man like Jack Harkness was listening to music like that. Then he moved to turn it down, his fingers itching to click through the rest of the CD's, wanting to know more about Jack.

He was so intent on the music that he didn't notice how Jack snuck over to the grocery store that was next to the pizza place, or how, when he returned, his satchel was relatively bigger than it had been before leaving the car. Jack gently lowered the bag into the back of the SUV and placed the pizza next to it before bringing the car to life, smiling as he listened to his music wash over the car. Ianto caught this smile, and returned one.

"Ready to go?" Jack asked as he backed the SUV out of the parking lot. Ianto nodded and settled back into the seat, allowing the sound of Glen Miller and the scent of pizza and the presence of Jack calm him.

They pulled up in front of a large building complex several minutes later. It was skinny and reached at least fifteen stories high. Ianto's head was buzzing just from glancing up. He thought they would just drive past it, and was surprised when Jack cut the engine. "Let's go!" He said, his voice full of excitement and mischief.

Ianto – still confused – hopped out of the car and immediately pulled his jacket closer to his body, chilled by the sudden onslaught of wind. He watched as Jack pulled a heavy grey trench coat and slipped into it. Jack also grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulders. Ianto moved to help, grabbing the pizza box before Jack could argue. In truth, it was warm, and brought a little bit of feeling back into Ianto's cold fingers.

They entered the building only to come face to face with the security guard. Instead of getting reprimanded for sneaking onto private property, however, they were greeted with a large smile and a manly hug for Jack. Ianto couldn't help but gawk as they struck up a conversation, and several minutes later the guard handed Jack a security pass.

"Thanks Andy!" Jack called back as they made their way deeper into the building. He turned to Ianto once they were out of earshot and brought his voice down to a whisper. "Nice enough guy, Andy. Wants to be a proper constable."

Ianto raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. The building was a bit warmer than outside, but not by much. And the cold air was bringing back his nerves.

They made their way to the elevator, where Jack slipped in the key card, then punched the button for the top floor. Ianto's stomach fell into his bottom as they rose. They made it in record time, the lift dinging softly before sliding open.

Jack took a deep breath then grinned as they entered the offices. "God, I love the office-y feel. So many secrets – it's erotic."

Ianto choked in surprise and stared at Jack, his jaw gaping a bit in response to the man's statement.

Jack saw this and laughed. "Don't worry; we're going up another floor."

He outstretched his hand, and Ianto realized after a moment that he was supposed to take it. He was hesitant, but finally reached out, his fingers curling around the other man's. Jack's hand was surprisingly warm and soft and Ianto shivered at the touch.

Jack tugged on him, and together they climbed a set of stairs hidden in the back. Jack burst through the final door, giving them entrance to the roof.

It was the most stunning sight that Ianto had ever seen in his life. The whole of Cardiff was outstretched beyond the building, laying there just for him, sparkling in the night sky. The stars twinkled above, giving way to their vast forever ness, stretching as far as eternity. Ianto gasped and stumbled back a few feet, unable to take in the sight. Jack caught him, pulling him closer. Ianto grasped the pizza box as he felt it start to slip through his fingers, his mind gone numb. Jack tugged on the box then sat it on the ground, pulling Ianto in close, plastering the Welshman's back into his chest as he held him tightly.

"Beautiful, isn't it." Jack whispered into Ianto's ear. The younger man's breath quickened as he felt Jack's breath in his ear, and his world started to spin. The smell that hit his nostrils was overwhelming, and he blinked a few times.

"W-what is that?" He asked weakly, finally pulling himself away. Jack smirked, his eyes laughing.

"Cologne, you like?" Jack asked, and Ianto – not trusting himself with words – only nodded in agreement. His mouth had suddenly become very dry.

Jack then got to work – he took off his jacket, despite the cold, and laid it on the ground. He then sat cross-legged on the trench coat and pulled the pizza box toward him. Jack patted the ground next to him, silently asking Ianto to join him. The man hesitated, then complied, sitting in the same style.

They each took a piece, and for a moment did nothing more than chew, both silent with their own thoughts. Then Jack, becoming restless, sat his don in the box and rummaged in his bag. He withdrew the bottle of wine that he had gone and bought in the grocery store, along with two half-smashed plastic cups. He popped them back into shape, then proceeded in pulling the cap off.

Jack poured two cups and then handed one to Ianto. He took it, his hands obviously trembling as he did so, and the wine inside swishing in jerked movements. Jack noticed this.

"Cold?" He asked, concern in his voice.

"L-little bit." Ianto relented, the stuttering only partially due to the temperature. Jack smirked then once again wormed his hands around Ianto's waist, scooting him closer. They sat like that, molded against each other, alternating between sipping on wine and munching on rapidly cooling pizza.

"You up here a lot?" Ianto finally asked, finding himself comfortable in Jack's arms. The man was surprisingly warm, and his body heat was keeping any cold at bay.

Jack laughed, and the feeling vibrated all throughout Ianto's body. "More than most. I come up here when I need some time alone, mostly – first time I've brought anyone up here."

"Why me?" Ianto asked, the words slipping out before he had time to censor them. He covered his humiliation with a large gulp of wine. He didn't want to ask that – why did he ask that? What if Jack thought about it, then realized that there was no particular reason why. He was gorgeous, could have any man or woman that he chose – yet he asked Ianto on a date.

Jack shrugged. "Why not?" He saw the fallen look on Ianto's face, and rushed to complete the sentence. "You're cute – no, handsome, make a hell of a coffee." He paused. "And there is something about you, Ianto Jones. Something that draws me toward you…like an addiction."

The last word was mumbled into his ear, so close that Jack's lips softly caressed Ianto's ear. The Welshman did something then – something so sudden and rash and in-the-moment that after it was over, he couldn't fathom how he had chalked up enough courage to do it.

Ianto Jones kissed him.

All he had to do was turn his head a little and their lips connected. The first one was soft, just a short, chaste kiss – nothing more than a brush. Ianto pulled back, his eyes unfocused, heart scared to beat again. He felt Jack's breath in his face, smelled that bloody cologne.

Then his thoughts were lost once again as Jack leaned forward, connecting their lips once again. This one was longer, deeper. He felt Jack's hands pulling him closer, pushing their bodies together, wrapping them into a heated embrace. Jack's tongue teased his lips, poking a hole in his defenses.

Ianto's mouth was alive with the flavor of Jack – heat, sex, that taste that coats your tongue when you walk into an old section of a library – all that and more, swirling around, overpowering him.

And then Jack pulled back, and they both sat there, gasping for breath. Jack's hand had made it's way to Ianto's chest, and he was playing with one of the buttons, twisting it, pulling on it. Ianto glanced into Jack's eyes and gave a weak smile, still recovering.

Jack laughed and leaned forward – Ianto prepared himself for another gravity-defying kiss. Yet all he got was a chaste one, and then the warmth was gone again. Then Jack fell backwards and stretched out, pulling Ianto down with him and cuddling close. For the rest of the night, no words were spoken – they just gazed at the stars.

^_^

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