Jack waited outside the small house Ianto and his mother occupied. To be fair it was more of a multi-family home, split by one shared wall. But it was a home, and Jack had always found it cozy and inviting.

The door opened and a smiling Ianto Jones greeted him. "Hi Jack."

"Hey Ianto."

"I haven't really had a chance to clean up properly," the boy told him, wincing. "Be careful when you come through."

Jack nodded, stepping into the house. The usually immaculate hallway was stacked high along the walls with newspapers. He puzzled over that but didn't say a word. When they got to the lounge Ianto led him through a maze of boxes. They hadn't been there the last time Jack had visited, and he wondered just when the clutter had started. If it was anything like the shows he'd seen on the telly it probably started when Rhiannon left with Johnny. It was traumatic, and fit the bill perfectly.

"Sorry," Ianto said, waving his arm around. "I don't…It's Mam, she…"

"It's okay, Ianto," Jack interrupted, holding up his hand. "You don't have to explain anything to me."

Ianto sighed, and his expression was sad. He looked tired. "I've just barely gotten home. Had a chance to shower and change clothes, but nothing else." He indicated the couch, where enough space had been cleared for two people. "Go on and have a seat. I'll get us something to drink."

Jack did just that, setting his book bag by his feet. He looked around the room and his heart broke for Ianto. He already had to work full time – at a chip shop where he wasn't making much money – and watch after his mother because of her manic depression, paranoid delusions, and schizophrenic tendencies, but now it appeared she'd added hoarding to her list of ailments. It was too much for one teenager to handle. Ianto would definitely be in need of his help.

Ianto returned with two glasses of ice water and Jack took his with a thanks. His friend took a seat beside him, the space so small that their thighs were touching. Jack swallowed his water more quickly than he intended, choking on it. He set the glass on the table.

"Jack, are you alright?" Ianto asked, placing his glass beside Jack's.

He coughed, trying to dislodge the water from his windpipe. "Yes." He coughed again. "I'll be...fine…thanks." His coughing fit went on for a bit longer, and Ianto patted his back.

"Can you breathe?" His friend looked extremely worried.

"I'm good. Thank you, Ianto." He smiled, trying to reassure the other boy. He coughed once more and then wiped his eyes. "Wrong tube."

"I assumed," Ianto said, smiling. "So…what work did you bring with you?"

Jack followed Ianto's gaze to the bag on the floor. "Oh, just some Chemistry and Trigonometry."

"Just?"

"They're my hardest courses," Jack admitted, shrugging. "With exams coming up soon I can't afford not to understand the material, but…I don't have a lot of time with cheer practice."

"That'll teach you to become a cheerleader, Jack."

"Yeah, yeah. Look, I get to hang out with the prettiest girls in school and besides, I'm good at it!"

"Like Gwen?" Ianto asked.

Jack raised an eyebrow. "You mean do I consider her one of the prettiest girls in school? Sure. She's gorgeous." Ianto nodded, looking down at his hands. Jack frowned, not sure what to make of that. "I'm not the rugby type, Ianto."

"I know. Pity, that." Ianto smiled again.

"So you think you can help me?"

"To like rugby? I suppose."

Jack started to correct him but caught Ianto's joke a second later. "Very funny."

"Yes, I can help you, Jack."

"Great!" he exclaimed, reaching for his bag. "There's this one problem in chapter…"

He was interrupted by a cry from the back of the house. "IANTO! Ianto? Oh my heavens, Ianto!"

The boy jumped up off the couch, calling, "I'll be right there, Mam!" He glanced back at Jack. "I'll only be a minute."

"Go, Ianto. Don't worry about me."

Ianto hurried off, leaving Jack sitting on the couch. He pursed his lips, wondering if they'd get anything done that evening. No, that wasn't fair, he thought to himself. He'd suggested coming over. He knew what Ianto had to go through. He berated himself for being selfish.

When Ianto returned he looked worried, but he sat down beside Jack anyway and pointed to the bag. "Alright, let's work on revising."

"Ianto, are you okay?"

"Yes," he answered quickly, nearly before Jack had finished his question. "Yes, I'm fine."

It had been a good fifteen minutes and Jack had heard the muffled conversation, though he hadn't been able to make out the words. He wanted to ask what it was his mother needed, but felt he'd be invading Ianto's privacy. He'd tell him if he wanted to.

Grabbing his trigonometry book he opened it to the chapter he had marked. Ianto leaned closer, and Jack found he could feel the boy's warmth near his cheek. He had to close his eyes for a second to regain his composure.

An hour later and Jack thought he might be even more confused about his coursework than he'd been before. He rubbed his forehead, groaning.

"It's not that bad, Jack."

"I'm never going to understand this," he replied, closing the book. "Why do I even bother? I'm not cut out for University anyway."

"You still need to pass your courses, regardless. That is, if you don't want to repeat them."

"And be in school forever? Ugh."

"Then more revising, less moaning."

Jack rubbed his face, tilting his head to look at his friend. "You're a slave-driver, Ianto Jones."

"Maybe, but I'd give anything to be where you are now."

Jack bit his lip. "Yeah, sorry. I wasn't thinking."

Another cry came from Ianto's mother and they both frowned. Ianto sighed. "I'll be back."

"Do you need my help, Ianto?"

"No. No, I can handle it."

He headed to the back of the house again and Jack reopened his book, eyebrows furrowing as he tried to understand what Ianto had showed him.

A couple hours later found Jack and Ianto finishing up some chemistry revision. Jack felt he was much stronger with chemistry than with trig. Maths was never his best subject. Science was a little more doable.

"And right there you just use this formula," Ianto explained, pointing. "Once you have that completed the problem is done."

"Why do these problems need to involve several formulas?" Jack asked, half meaning it to be rhetorical.

"Why ask why?" Ianto answered, eyes twinkling.

"Don't start speaking in riddles, Ianto, or I'll completely lose my mind."

"Well, you wouldn't be the first person I know."

"Damn, Ianto, I didn't mean to be insensitive."

"You weren't," Ianto assured him, shaking his head. "I was just making an off-color joke. At Mam's expense, unfortunately."

"It's really difficult, isn't it?" he asked, closing his chemistry book and slipping it into his book bag.

"It is, yes. Some days are good, and she doesn't have an episode. But most days…" He trailed off, not finishing his sentence. "When Rhi left it was like she became ten times worse. And then the hoarding started."

"I can help you clean it up," Jack offered.

"Oh no. If you mean take anything out of here, that's out of the question."

"Ah. Because of her attachment, right?"

"Yup. I tried to get rid of the newspapers," he said, rolling his eyes. "She nearly tore my head off. She needs professional help with that, and, well, with my income there's no way. We can barely afford her care during the hours I'm at work, and the woman's a glorified nanny. She can't help with Mam's conditions."

"But her medicine is paid for, right?"

"Yes, and her visits to the doctor. It's just a specialist I'd have to pay for, and there's no budget for that. My tad wasn't working, last thing I knew, so there's no money there. Not that he'd send it if he were."

Jack's mind was reeling. If Ianto had to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table by working, and his mother wasn't going to get better, he'd end up taking care of her for the rest of her life. Jack was well aware that Ianto's father was a deadbeat, sending them nothing to help even his son. The last he'd heard the man couldn't be located. For all they knew he could have ended up dead in the streets from drinking too much.

"If I were working I'd help," Jack said softly.

"I wouldn't take your money, Jack," Ianto argued. "You know that."

"But it would still be nice to know I could."

Ianto nudged Jack's shoulder with his own. "Thank you, Jack. For the sentiment."

"Of course, Ianto."

They sat in silence for a while, each lost in thought, until Jack's stomach growled. "Hey," he said suddenly, slapping his knees. "You hungry?"

"A bit, yes. I could try to find something here to make?"

"Nah, I was thinking Chinese."

"Um, Jack, I can't. No money. I only get takeaway when I'm working, as it's on discount."

"No, I'll pay for it, Ianto."

"Jack…"

"I won't take no for an answer."

"You don't work, and you shouldn't be spending your allowance on me."

Jack glared. "Seriously? Ianto, you're my best friend." Ianto still looked unconvinced. "Who else am I going to buy food for?"

"You're girlfriend?"

"My girl…what?"

"Gwen Cooper, remember her?"

"Ianto, she is not my girlfriend. Just my friend."

"Does she know that?"

"You think I'd ask you to the dance if I had a girlfriend?"

"Well…" Ianto huffed, shrugging. "I figured you were inviting me along."

"I was inviting you with me, Ianto. Only me."

"Like…a date?"

Jack chuckled, turning his hands palm up in surrender. "Yeah. Kinda. Sure. Why not?"

Ianto sputtered. "Jack, I'm not gay."

"Neither am I, Ianto."

"So then…why?"

"You remember when we were ten, and we played spin the bottle at my birthday party?"

Ianto blushed. "Yup."

"Remember when I kissed you?"

"Jack…yes…yes, I remember."

"And remember when Owen and Gwen complained because Gwen wanted the kiss and Owen was adamant he didn't?"

"Is there an end to this stroll down memory lane?"

Jack growled. "I'm getting there. The reason everyone was there playing was because I really didn't care if they were male or female. To me there's no difference between guys and girls." Ianto's eyebrow shot up his forehead. "Okay, yes…there's that difference. But I mean I'm not attracted to people based on what sex they are."

"So you're…bisexual."

"I guess, yeah. If you want to put a label on it." He shrugged again, folding his hands. "I thought you knew that, Ianto."

"I suppose I never really thought about it."

For some reason that stung Jack a bit. "Well, it's moot, really, since you don't think you can go."

"Yeah."

"Anyway, Chinese?" he asked, hopefully.

Frowning, Ianto nodded. "Alright."

"Great!" Jack pulled out his mobile, ringing his local favorite. They were cheap and they delivered. Which meant he didn't have to leave Ianto.

He decided he didn't want to delve too deeply into that thought. Ianto clearly wasn't interested in him as more than a friend. Maybe he'd ask Gwen to the dance after all.

~tbc~