Nia Jones: Hello new reader! Glad you like it! Here's the next update and there's 13 and 14
XxTypoMasterxX: Well they've known him a very, very long time. Owen was there for Jack when his family kicked him out; Jack and Owen have known each other since they were kids. Gwen joined their little group when they were in University.
Cherry-Anne Sponge: Yes, yes she is! Rhiannon is very sneaky heeeheeheee!
deemama66: Jack gives it up for Ianto and don't worry there will be good use of the Harley... in several creative ways ;]
hotflower901: That's a shame because I think Gwen is a bit more reasonable in this. To each's own and all that!
Jessie Blackwood: Glad you like it, not really a tangled web, just slightly twisted. I'm laying things down for future events... I'll be making good use out of leather and Ianto's bike!
DANFLAN: That's kinda wishful thinking. I'm mean like that and it all comes apart on 'date night' :/
jantochryed: Glad it made you happy! Hope you like these new parts!
katwinchester: Yeah, Rhiannon's gonna be cool and not an airhead in this. Tosh will come around eventually, she's a bit sulky with Ianto at the moment.
TeamBarrowman: He's not gonna hook up with Tosh. You're right, wouldn't be good for anyone!
Authors/Note: Hello all! I suppose that should be evening! I've been writing like mad... got a bit of a block for Earthboys but have sped through this! There are going to be two chapters, this one and chapter 14. Originally it was one big long chapter but I cut it in half and because I spent a long time writing their 'first time' I decided to post that as well once that was sectioned off in a chapter of it's own. There's nothing naughty in this chapter; thirteen covers the date which reminds me. I can't speak Italian... this was put through language translator so I apologise if I've gotten it wrong! Also I know very little about Italian food and the best wines that go with them, I googled recipes. Chapter fourteen is for ADULTS only. It contains scenes of a sexually explicit nature and isn't suitable for minors. There be SLASH/YAOI/MALE ON MALE ahead. As always read and review and I hope you enjoy two chapters for the price of one! :]
Jack orders this: . with polenta and merlot.
Ianto orders this: . and . with Chianti
And this is what Jack says in Italian: I would like the Cassoeula D'Anatra with Merlot and my boyfriend will have the Lombo di Maiale Ripieno with Chianti. We haven't decided on desert yet.
Chapter Thirteen
Jack was waiting for him when he got there, just standing on the top step like some old fashioned housewife. He was rather surprised to see Ianto pulling up on a motorbike; he didn't even know the Welshman owned one.
Ianto cut the engine the climbed up the steps unfastening his leather jacket and tugging off his helmet with his spare hand, he handed Jack the small suitcase he'd found under the bed and pulled him close hugging him tightly
"How is he?"
"I've had to hide all the cutlery, he tried to hurt himself with a bread knife" Jack explained before nodding at the bike "When did you get the hog?"
"Years ago, put it back together with my tad when I was a kid" he explained with a grin as he followed Jack into the house.
"Hm" grunted Jack "It's nice, just don't think you're getting me on the back of it"
"I'd rather get you in bed first, but now that you've said that I'll consider it a challenge" Ianto replied cheekily. Jack was grateful for the playful reprieve, it had been tough taking care of Owen while Gwen was rushing home to change and feed Gethin. There had been a few times he'd caught the Londoner doing something stupid; he'd had to clean out the medicine cabinet and lock away anything sharp or could be used to harm.
"I'm glad you're here, Ianto, it's been hard seeing him like this"
"Hm, I know what that's like. You haven't left any shoelaces or anything that could be used as a noose with him have you?" Ianto asked knowing from personal experience how easy it could be for someone to kill themsleves. Jack glanced upwards before dropping his small suitcase and racing to the stairs with Ianto hot on his heels.
Owen wasn't on the bed anymore, he was sitting with his back to them looking through a photo album smiling to himself despite tears running down his face.
"Owen?" whispered Jack slowly walking towards his oldest friend
"We were gonna adopt or foster. Katie was trying IVF... that's why I was working so hard. We only get one shot on the NHS so after that didn't work we went private. She said she'd try three times and after that we'd look into adopting... then she did. It was like a miracle... I took so many pictures of her as her bump grew. We were gonna have a family! But... it wasn't a baby, it was her body poisoning her. Jack..."
"Yeah?"
"I still want to adopt. I don't want to be alone"
"You can't replace Katie" whispered Jack carefully. Ianto wasn't sure if he should be hearing this conversation or quietly leave his boyfriend and friend to it
"No, that's not it. I could never replace Katie like that, no one would be able to fill the hole she left... I want to adopt or foster because it's what she wanted. She wanted a daughter and I-I don't want to be alone Jack"
"Then we'll sort it. We'll help you do whatever you need to, so you can fulfil what Katie wanted... I know she wouldn't have wanted you to be alone"
"Thank you" he smiled then turned back to the photo album. Jack decided that Owen was okay enough to be left alone and he ushered Ianto from the room and down the hall towards a guest bedroom.
Jack put his suitcase underneath the window then sat down on the bed, spreading his palms out on the black and white quilt before patting the space next to him
"So, you have a Harley?" smirked Jack, rhetorically starting the conversation with his boyfriend
"Yeah" nodded Ianto as he sat down next to Jack
"I'm sorry I dragged you away from work or training... I don't even know what you were doing! Anyway I'm sorry, I should have asked Gwen or-or Rhys! I just didn't really think, you were the first person who came to mind"
Ianto turned sweeping Jack into his arms to brush their mouths together softly, he'd internally been chuckling at Jack rambling off on a tangent
"I was having lunch with Toshiko, you didn't interrupt anything important. I'd finished for the day when you called and I don't mind. I like it that I was the first person you thought of"
"Thank you, Ianto. You don't know how much this means, Owen is the closest thing I have to a... no, that's not right... Owen is a brother to me. I know this is a bad thing to say but he means more to me than Gray does. I love Gray, he's blood and that's expected but Owen's family. Always has been and Katie is... was the perfect sister in law. No one made him happier than her and I loved her for it. God I can't believe she's gone!"
"How did you meet? You already knew Owen but how did you meet her?" Ianto asked. Jack flopped back on the bed, resting his hands on his stomach
"It was half way through our final year at Uni, we were both drunk as hell and we were trying to play pool. Owen potted the white ball off the table and it rolled under her table" explained Jack before he laughing remembering it clearly as if it had been yesterday "She slapped him so hard because she thought he was trying to look up her skirt! She yelled what did he think he was doing and he told her he was trying to grab his ball. She slapped him again for that until he held up the white ball. I remember watching them both and laughing my ass off, as soon as she realised what was going on she looked over him properly and, heh, it was one of those moments you have in life. I just knew it when she saw him for the first time. It was mutual and I knew that my best friend was gonna marry her"
Ianto looked down at Jack for a moment before laying down next to him, staring up at the ceiling with wonder. He'd never had that when he was Uni, yeah he'd made friends but they were just acquaintences not at all like the deep bonds Jack had forged.
All the people he'd known in high school, all the people he'd been friends with never kept in touch with him... hell, he'd never been close with any of them. For most of his teenage years he was bullied because of his little height, it was only when he was seventeen did he shoot up with a growth spurt. I wish I had the kind of friendships Jack did, thought Ianto as he lay there "What are you thinking about?"
"My friends" Ianto replied "I don't have friends like you do. I wouldn't trust any of the people I call my friends like you do with Owen and Gwen"
"Ianto?" murmured Jack in surprise, he didn't realise that Ianto was so lonely "What about the people on the team? Aren't you friends with them?"
"I see them from time to time. Andy's probably my best friend but I hardly spend any time with him..."
"Why?"
"I don't know. I get so uncomfortable around people..." he trailed off as his mother's OCD appeared in his mind once more. He was terrified that he was going down the same way; how long would it be before he started refusing to leave his house, before he started shying away from people touching him, before he lost it completely? Ianto sat up quickly rubbing his hands over his face "I can't. I can't do this! It's too much! Too fucking much"
"Ianto" Jack began, he couldn't help but sound fearful of what Ianto was telling him. He sat up, tentatively putting his hand on Ianto's shoulder "Please don't leave me"
"Leave you? What? Jack, no! I would never" Ianto turned quickly cupping Jack's face in his shaking hands "I'm scared that I'm loosing it. My mam isn't well and I'm scared that I'm going the same way. I hardly have any friends and... and..."
"Hey, shush!" Jack pulled Ianto into his arms "It's okay"
"I'm sorry" apologised Ianto between sobs "This is probably the last thing you need right now"
"Not true. Not true at all Ianto Jones, I'm here for you regardless"
"But you have bigger things to worry about... Owen..."
"Owen doesn't need me right this minute, you do. That's something I learned about having friends so close. I know when they need me and when they don't... we're close but they have their lives and problems that I don't know about. I don't know everything about Gwen or Owen, no one could! I think you should spend more time with Andy. You're not loosing it Ianto, there's so many things that make you different from your mam"
"Like what?" he whispered
"M-Me" stated Jack which made the Welshman smile. Ianto sighed before lifting himself up off the bed, glancing at his watch
"You're such a hopeless romantic"
"At least I'm not a hopeless romantic. You have to go don't you?"
"Yeah. I need to call my sister and my mam, see how they are and I think I should call Tosh"
"Your ex? Why?" Jack felt a swell of jealousy course through him at the mention of his boyfriend's ex-girlfriend
"Well I was at lunch with her when you called and when I said it was you on the phone she got all weird and I... well... I shouted at her because she was being homophobic about you"
"Defending my honour?" asked Jack as he rose to his feet, pulling Ianto closer by his hips
"Something like that, baby" Ianto smiled before he kissed Jack once, twice before deepening it passionately. A few minutes later he broke for air, sighing once more "I really should get going. Are you and Owen going to be okay?"
"We'll be fine. I need to see where Gwen's gotten to and we're still on for Friday right? Our date?"
"Yes. I'm looking forward to it" nodded Ianto then Jack led him downstairs to the front door. Ianto grabbed his leather jacket, pulling it on before he picked up his helmet
"I'll see you friday, baby, and you be careful on that bike"
"Jack, I've been riding since I was a teenager. I'm always careful with it, you don't have to worry about me or Maggie?"
"Maggie?"
"Oh, um, that's what my tad named her. I just fell into the habit of referring to my bike as Maggie..." he trailed off
"You miss your tad, don't you? Will you tell me about him one day" Jack asked feeling sorry that Ianto was still upset about loosing his father.
"Yeah, I will. Maybe I could stay over at yours on friday?" Ianto inquired trying to sound innocent like what he was suggesting wasn't all that big.
"Maybe, yeah" nodded Jack "I'll see you friday"
Ianto kissed Jack goodbye before pulling his helmet on, popping his visor down against the unusually sunny weather and climbed on Maggie. He waved before revving the engine and took off down the street heading home.
Friday had been long awaited, it had been a long and strange week for Ianto Jones. He'd tried calling Toshiko throughout the week but she was avoiding him. He'd heard from Jack that she'd phoned Gwen so she wasn't that upset, Ianto decided to just give her time to sort herself out.
He almost wished that his sister was doing the same thing that Toshiko was doing, Rhiannon had wrung every night wanting to talk. She'd talk about the most inane things like the weather, where he was going to go on holiday... almost as if she just wanted to hear his voice. Several times during her unsual calling he could have sworn she was near to tears; it all got a bit too much when she asked if he was happy. Ianto told her that he was happy and he hoped she was happy too... he'd let slip that he and his 'girlfriend' were going on a date on Friday and again it sounded like she was almost crying. It never occurred to him that she might know that he was lying about his girlfriend being a girl.
Yes, it had been strange but Friday had finally come for Ianto Jones and he couldn't wait to meet up with Jack! Jack was already seated and waiting for him when he arrived at the restaurant, Ianto watched him looking over the menu and couldn't help but become aroused at the older man's confidence.
"Hey" he greeted him, Jack looked up startled for a moment before his eyes brightened and his mouth split into such a warm, happy grin
"Hello" smiled Jack, he stood up for a moment then sat down when Ianto did "Sorry I was earlier... had to get out of the house. Owen was going a bit mad with this fostering thing... he's been focused on it ever since the funeral"
"It's alright, does he understand why I couldn't make it?" Ianto wanted to reach out to put his hand over Jack's but they were in public, albeit a secluded booth near the back, but public nonetheless so he didn't
"Yeah. Would have liked you there, it was rather stressful" Jack stated, not caring about public opinion and promptly slid his hand across the table to intertwine their fingers together. Ianto couldn't help but look around nervously
"I'm sorry" he apologised once more before changing the subject "So, what are you going to order?"
"I think I'll have the Cassoeula D'Anatra with polenta and a glass of Merlot" Jack said after letting his eyes roam the menu. Again, Ianto couldn't help but watch his boyfriend impressed with his language skills; then he remembered Jack's profession. Jack was a fully fledged linguist so Italian would be no problem for him "What about you?"
"Huh?" mumbled Ianto, being brought out of his reverie of Jack encouraging him in Italian to take him now on the table.
"Oh, um Lombo di Maiale Ripieno with Chianti" Ianto replied; blushing slightly as he stuttered over the words, he cursed himself for not knowing how to pronounce them properly. Ianto looked up when he heard Jack laughing softly and his face got even hotter
"You're so cute" Jack closed his menu before he let his hand reach across the table once more to grasp Ianto's "I should teach you Italian. I'd love to hear those Welsh vowels articulating that beautiful language"
Ianto was about to blurt out some witty reply but the waiter appearing stopped him, he let his jaw close with a snap then he turned to order but Jack beat him to it "Yes, gradirei il Cassoeula D' Anatra con il Merlot ed il mio ragazzo avrà il Lombo di Maiale Ripieno con Chianti. Noi haven' t decisiva sul deserto ancora" the waiter wrote it down before he nodded and left them alone. Ianto licked his lips hungrily; he'd always had a thing for language, he'd got Tosh to talk dirty in Japanese when they were together but nothing could have prepared him for Jack speaking Italian. Jack seemed slightly surprised by Ianto's staring "What? Oh, should have I not ordered for you?"
"That was so hot" Ianto growled out between clenched teeth
"You think? Should I start talking to you like that from now on?" he asked cheekily, Ianto fiercely shook his head "No? Why not?"
"Because I'd never be able to stand up again" Ianto stated quietly under his breathe. Jack couldn't help but roar with laughter, once he calmed down he had to apologise to the other patrons in the quiet restaurant.
"Okay, okay! I'll go easier on you. No speaking Italian unless we're in the bedroom and I can do something about it" said Jack reaching a compromise "You do the same to me when you speak Welsh, y'know"
"I do?"
"Yeah" Jack nodded, giving Ianto some semblance of power over their language skills. Ianto was a native speaker of the language while all the languages Jack had learned weren't his first; he suddenly realised that Ianto had an up on him on that level. Their meals arrived and they both dug in, turning to small talk and saving the flirting for later.
Neither of them realised that they were being watched by a woman sat at a table across the room, she had a phone pressed to her ear
"What are they doing?" asked the voice on the other end of the phone
"Their food just arrived, they're eating but they were flirting and holding hands" she answered speaking clearly to her friend on the other end. When she'd been approached she'd been unsure about spying on Ianto Jones but she couldn't turn her nose up at a paid meal in a posh Italian restaurant
"Really? How does Ianto look?" the woman on the other end sounded almost worried that it would be bad
"He... he looks happy. Can't really remember him ever being that happy" she told the woman "There'll be no women getting their feet around that table, that's for sure"
"Thanks, Susan. You'll call me if anything goes wrong"
"I will, promise" said Susan finally before hanging up. Susan stared at the couple for a moment before going back to her meal, checking on them every so often. So, Ianto Jones had found his soulmate? Shame it was a man, thought Susan thinking back to when she was younger and the crush she'd had on him.
TBC...