Jack was standing in his hall, dripping wet and carrying a suitcase. Iantos initial thought was of the puddle gathering on his carpet. His next one told him to be hospitable and take the suitcase. The third thought was very much "What the fuck..."
"Jack..." began Ianto, "What do... Why is... What are you doing here? And why have you got that?" Ianto beckoned at the case, now dumped soggily on the crème shag pile. Jack was watching Iantos face, and suddenly looked rather ashamed.
"I needed help," he said in a small voice, "and you were the first person I thought of." There was a pause, in which both men felt horribly uncomfortable. Finally Ianto spoke;
"How did you know where I lived?" he asked, his voice defensive.
Jack looked even more ashamed, and hung his head, mumbling something ineligible.
"What?" said Ianto, "I cant here you."
Jack looked up sheepishly. "Well, erm, the day after, yanno, when we first met I... I followed you back here, yanno just a formality I was curious...." His voice rang off, "I feel horrible, Yan. There's no excuse."
The young welshman didn't know whether to be horrified or flattered. Was this guy some sort of stalker? Did he do this to a lot of men? Again, Iantos mind was buzzing with a thousand questions. "You said you needed help..." Ianto stated, not sure whether he was asking a question or stating a fact.
"Yea." Replied the now-shivering older man, "I was being followed, being watched, there's people out there who want me for... not so decent purposes." Ianto barked out a laugh, and then seeing Jack was serious, his face grew solemn. Jack continued, "I was on foot, just come out of my apartment block, when I saw these three guys. One of them spotted me, and flipped out his phone, so I run, run like hell, back up to my room and packed my case. They know were I live now its not safe there anymore. So, anyway, I climb down the fire-escape and jumped into a taxi. I reckon, if anyone had tried to follow me I'd'a lost them, I made the taxi driver go in in all sorts of circles, reckon he thought I was mad, but yea, so here I am. Is that ok?"
Iantos face was frozen in neutral. For a long minute, he stared at Jack.
"You look like you need a shower."
Relief flooded over Jack, and he dared to smile a tiny smile.
* * *
Ianto lay on his bed, his thoughts dangerously distracted. It seemed impossible for him to ignore the fact that Jack was naked in the next room, he could hear him whistling through the thin drywall wall. Images of steam, naked skin and the florescent lighting seemed permanently engraved into Iantos minds eye, and he was completely distracted. He grunted, and attempted to study the book in his hands. It was 'Othello'. Miss Spock, the English teacher had asked him to read it, so as to aid the GCSE year with their studies. This particular book was old and horribly battered, with the 't' in the title tippexed out so it read 'O hello', and someone's old gum stuck to the back cover. Ianto had smothered it in Dettol before even touching it, and gingerly turned each page using tweezers. Half the pages were stuck back into the book with yellowing sellotape, and the other half being disfigured by previous owners. Judging by the return-by date on the inside cover, who-ever the last person was to take this book out had seventeen years worth of library fees to pay.
Ianto heard the shower shut off, , and the shower door creak open. He could imagine jack wince as he met the rush of freezing air slamming against his body as he stepped onto the lino. He could just see how Jack would fumble around in the steam for the towel, and rub it roughly through his hair, before wrapping it round his waist and securing it. The bathroom lock swung back, and Jack stepped out into the main area of the bed-sit, to find Ianto staring mindlessly at him, evidently lost in some daydream. After a moment or two, Iantos eyes raised up Jacks soaking body, and met his gaze. Reality seemed to click, and Ianto went crimson.