Attempt 4 - Revisiting a Classic

Jack was having a miserable night. Truth be told, he had felt nothing but despair since walking away from Ianto. He still firmly believed he had done the right thing but that didn't make the situation any easier to bear. The Fates had had a jolly good laugh at his expense, proving to him three times over that pursuing anything with Ianto was a recipe for catastrophe. Nonetheless, it hurt.

Even his plan of spending the night brooding atop a tall building had been a bust. He'd hoped to purge himself of the despondency. To finally, and irrevocably, let go of the dream that was not meant to be. To free himself of the intense longing he felt for the young man. Unfortunately, the building he had thought he'd chosen at random turned out not to be so random. He'd stood there, braced against the cold wind, staring intently at a single point, only to realize after an hour that the object that had him so captivated was the very building that housed Ianto's flat.

So it was that he found himself dejectedly shuffling down the corridor towards the cog wheel door. I have to let it go ... have to let him go. But how?

As the cog was rolling open, Jack heard the distinct, and unexpected, soft sound of clanging metal. Even more unexpectedly, was the not at all soft sounds of cursing. Cursing being uttered by a Welsh male voice. It took no time to locate the still swearing Welshman inside the cavernous Hub. Near the ratty sofa, he stood, a reel with a trail of film dangling down in one hand and the other shaking a fist at an antique film projector.

"Ianto?"

The irritation melted from the young man's face when he spotted Jack. "You're back sooner than I expected. I'd hoped to have everything set up before you returned." He paused to give the projector a contemptuous glare. "Give me a hand, will you? I may be brilliant at a great many thing but, apparently, I'm rubbish with this contraption."

So taken aback by Ianto's easygoing manner, Jack was moving towards the projector before he even realized what he was doing. He took the reel and began loading it onto the front mount. "Sure. But why exactly am I doing this?"

"For our date," Ianto replied matter-of-factly.

Fear and trepidation so intensely ran down Jack's spine that he wanted to scramble to the armory in reaction. Given the calamities of the previous attempts, the big guns just might be necessary. "Ianto, I can't. I just can't. You know what happened the last times I tried to take you on a date. I can't tempt fate again."

Refusing to be deterred, Ianto entered Jack's personal space, until they were nearly nose to nose. "Well, it's not you asking this time. I'm doing the asking and the Fates, any and all deities, the universe, and karma can just kiss my arse." When there was no reply, Ianto sucker-punched him with the one question he couldn't, wouldn't evade. "Answer just one question, Jack. Am I worth the risk?"

Jack stared at the steel-gray eyes riveted to his own. He just couldn't bring himself to lie to himself, to Ianto any longer. "Yes," was the whispered response. "Even if it means causing a rip in the space time continuum, destroying the entire universe in the process, you are worth it."

With a succinct nod, Ianto stepped back and headed towards the kitchenette. "Good. I'm glad we've got this nonsense settled finally. Now, you finish setting up the movie while I take care of dinner."

Jack grinned as he finished threading the film through the projector. With a slightly raised voice so Ianto could hear him in the kitchen, he asked, "So, dinner and a movie. That the best you could come up with?"

"Nothing wrong with revisiting a classic." He appeared at the top of the steps leading to the kitchenette, a bottle lifted in one hand. "I'm having a beer. Would you prefer coffee or a glass of water?"

Jack thought for a moment, a slight cock to his head. "You know, if I'm risking the destruction of the entire universe, I might as well go all the way. Grab a beer for me too." He continued fiddling with the projector. "So what's the movie?"

"No idea," Ianto said, as he place a food laden tray on the coffee table. "Found a bin full of film canisters in the archives. This one was labeled Silent Films Compilation. Seemed a better choice than The Life Drama of the Fly."

Jack gave a snort. "Yeah, I don't think either of us would enjoy the world's first public health film." He looked down at the spread of food. "And it seems dinner is to be every edible leftover in the fridge."

"Better than letting it go to waste," he replied a bit defensively. "Start the damned movie and join me over here."

Jack did as he was ordered, snagging the last kebob before Ianto could. "Oh! Charlie Chaplin. I love Charlie Chaplin." He got caught up watching The Kid, a film he hadn't seen in nearly a century.

There was no more chatter as one silent short turned into another. Jack sat, ramrod straight, afraid to even accidently brush against Ianto, lest calamity occur. When he felt the warm caress of Ianto's lips on his neck, he sharply inhaled. Only to release the breath an instant later in a soft moan as teeth began to nibble. "Ianto ..."

Pulling back slightly, Ianto reached up, turning Jack's face towards him. "Shut up, Jack." He gave Jack no opportunity to argue by occupying his lips with an almost carnal kiss. Film forgotten, they kissed and caressed, mildly groping from time to time. Eventually they were stretched across the sofa. Everything was progressing nicely until Jack started to undo the buttons on Ianto's shirt.

"Hold it right there," Ianto panted as he sat up. "There's a 21st century custom that you're going to say is quaint and silly but it's one that I adhere to."

"And what custom is that?"

As he redid all the buttons, he said, "Never put out until the third date."

Jack's libido chilled as if he'd plunged into Arctic waters. "You can't be serious! It's taken us four attempts to get an uneventful date. The next date might well end with Daleks showing up, demanding auditions for the next West End production." He took offense at Ianto's snicker. "It could happen. Actually, given everything we've already gone through, the probability is fairly high it will happen."

Devilish amusement sparkled in Ianto's eyes. "I really should let you stew a bit longer, Jack. Let the lesson sink in that you shouldn't make decisions that affect us both on your own but that would be punishing me as well." At Jack's puzzled expression, he explained, "You said it yourself. This is our fourth date. Which means ..."

"Which means," Jack interrupted as he eased Ianto down across the sofa, "we have a missed opportunity to make up for."

And they proceeded to do just that.