Checking himself in the mirror, Jack let out a long breath. He turned around slowly, trying to see his entire outfit. He made sure his light blue dress shirt was tucked properly into his dark blue jeans, and that his tan belt and braces were buckled and positioned just so, respectively.

"You trying to impress a girl, Jack?" Gray asked from his position, cross-legged on Jack's bed.

Jack turned, grinning. "What do you know about trying to impress someone, little man?"

"I've seen it on telly!" Gray replied, nodding and smiling.

"You have? What kinds of things have you been watching?"

"Movies, Jack," Gray told him, shaking his head. "Don't you know anything?"

Jack pounced, tickling his little brother until the boy was in a fit of laughter and pleading for him to stop. Ruffling the child's hair Jack chuckled, stepping away and over to his wardrobe.

"Since you know so much," he teased the boy, "Tan boots or black boots?"

"Tan boots. You want to match, don't you?" Now the boy was being smug. "And who is she? I didn't know you had a girlfriend, Jack!"

"That's because I don't," Jack told the precocious seven year old. "I'm not taking a girl to the dance."

Gray looked puzzled. "So who are you impressing, then?"

Jack beamed. "My best friend. You remember Ianto, right Gray?"

"Ianto! The one with the button nose!"

Jack tried not to laugh. "Yes, that'd be him."

"He gave me coffee, Jack, remember? With lots of milk."

"Actually, he gave you milk, with a tiny bit of coffee," Jack corrected. "Because coffee isn't really good for a growing boy."

"You're a growing boy. You drink it!" Gray was pouting.

"And when you're my age you can drink it too."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Jack winked at him, pulling out his tan boots and taking a seat next to his brother on the bed so he could put them on. Their mother knocked lightly on the doorframe and Jack looked up, smiling.

"Gray, you're not bothering your brother, are you?"

"Nuh uh!"

"He's really not. He's being very helpful."

"Alright then," she conceded, stepping into the room and kissing them both on the top of their heads. "You look very handsome, Jack."

Jack grinned. "Think Ianto will agree?"

"He'd be a fool not to. What time will you be home?"

"Well, I'll be dropping off Ianto by midnight, so not long after that."

"Okay. Have a good time, honey."

"Will do. Thanks!"

She left them alone then, heading back downstairs. Jack stood up, checking his image one more time and running his fingers through his hair. Did he need a haircut? It seemed kind of long.

"Is Ianto your boyfriend, Jack?"

Jack sighed. "No. No, he's not, Gray."

"But you want him to be, huh?"

A small smiled crossed Jack's features. "Yeah, kinda do."

"A girl at my school has a girlfriend!"

"Really?"

"Yeah. Molly. She's really nice, and her girlfriend is too. They're in grade six." He was silent for a moment and Jack took a seat next to him again. "Sometimes the other kids are mean to them."

"That's not very nice," Jack said, frowning. "Is it only because they're girls?"

"Yeah." Gray's eyes looked sad. "Cerys says that love is love no matter what. Is that true?"

Jack's smile returned. "Yes it is, Gray. Love is love. It shouldn't matter who you love."

Gray nodded. "I think so too. And I think you love Ianto."

Jack found himself blushing, a very rare occurrence. "Why do you think that?"

"'Cause of the way you talk about him all the time. And you smile a lot when he's around."

"I like him a lot, yes," Jack admitted, shrugging. "But I don't know about love, yet. I guess we'll see."

"I bet he loves you too."

Jack chuckled, pulling his baby brother into a hug. "You know an awful lot about an awful lot, little man."

"I'm smart!"

"Yes, you are."

tw tw tw tw tw

Stepping up to Ianto's door, Jack found he was suddenly extremely nervous. He had butterflies in his stomach and couldn't stop touching his hair. If he kept it up he'd mess it all up, and that wouldn't do at all.

Knocking softly Jack waited. A few moments later Ianto opened the door and Jack grinned, seeing Ianto dressed in his new favorite red shirt. The boy had chosen to wear blue jeans instead of the black, but his belt and boots were the same.

"Hi Jack," greeted Ianto, smiling.

"Wow, Ianto," Jack replied, eyes wide. "You look…wow."

Ianto blushed crimson. "Thanks, Jack. You look great too."

Jack coughed. "You, uh, ready to go? Did the lady from the care center get here?"

"Yeah, she's with Mam now, actually. Thank you again, Jack. You really didn't have to."

Jack shrugged. "Don't mention in," he said, winking at Ianto. "Just glad I could help."

Ianto grabbed his keys, mobile and wallet, slipping everything but his keys into his pockets. He stepped outside, closing and locking the door behind them. "Okay, ready," he said.

"Then let's get going," Jack replied, turning and heading toward his car.

The drive to the school was relatively quiet, Jack concentrating on getting them there in one piece, but he did let Ianto choose the music and was happy just to sing along. When they arrived, Jack led them to the gymnasium, handing their tickets to the girl at the door.

They found their friends at the far end, huddled in the corner, and made their way over. Jack could see Ianto was a bit apprehensive, and he placed his hand on his lower back to show his support.

"Hey, Tea Boy!" Owen called to them as they approached.

"Ianto!" Tosh cried out, rushing up to hug him. "How have you been?"

"Hi guys," Ianto greeted them, smiling. "I've been well, Tosh, thank you. Just working."

Introductions were made for the new people in their group, Rhys, Lisa and Katie. Adam and Lisa had come together, as did Gwen and Rhys, Owen and Katie. Toshiko was there with her boyfriend Tommy.

"You look amazing, Jack," Gwen said, smiling.

"Thank you, Gwen. You look lovely yourself." Jack felt Ianto stiffen beside him and rubbed circles on his back. "Toshiko, that dress is stunning."

Tosh blushed, smiling shyly. "Thank you, Jack. Tommy picked it out."

"Saw it in a new store in Town Centre," Tommy explained. "Great place, but it was bloody freezing."

After talking for several minutes with their friends, Jack wanted to get Ianto alone. He heard one of his favorite songs and took Ianto's hand, pulling him back toward the middle of the gym.

"Dance with me, Ianto," he whispered in his friend's ear.

"Jack, I don't know," Ianto hesitated, looking around.

Jack frowned. He didn't want to push Ianto into anything he wasn't ready for. "Well, then just come talk to me. Away from the rest of the group."

"Okay," Ianto agreed, following behind him.

They found a relatively empty spot on the bleachers and had been talking quietly for at least twenty minutes when Jack looked up at the clearing of a throat. Gwen was standing before them, eyes wide.

"Jack," she started, smiling. "Rhys doesn't want to dance. Will you dance with me?"

Looking back at Ianto Jack found his expression unreadable. "Do you mind, Ianto?"

"Of course not," Ianto replied, smiling softly. "Why would I possibly mind?"

"Good!" Gwen said, grabbing Jack's hand and pulling him out onto the floor. "I love this song."

Jack allowed himself to be tugged onto the floor, Gwen's arms immediately wrapping around his neck. He held her waist, returning her smile as he took the lead and moved them slowly in circles.

Glancing over at his group of friends he saw a frown on Rhys's face. "Gwen, are you sure Rhys is okay with us dancing? He looks kind of…upset."

"Oh, he'll be fine, Jack," she answered, cuddling a bit closer. "He didn't want to dance, so I told him I would ask you. It's not like he's my boyfriend," she added.

Jack sighed. He knew Gwen liked Rhys. She'd talked about him constantly since he'd asked her to go to the dance, and at lunch he and his friend Lisa had taken to sitting with them. Gwen and Rhys would be tangled up, whispering to each other, Gwen making doe eyes at him and Rhys grinning at her. If he wasn't her boyfriend yet it was only a technicality, Jack was sure.

Right now, however, the school's DJ had decided to play several slow songs in a row, and Gwen was still holding tight to him as the third song began. Jack didn't want to be rude, but he really did want to get back to Ianto.

The boy in question, however, was apparently just as eager to get back to Jack. He interrupted their dance, much to Gwen's disappointment, asking to cut in.

"May I?" he asked, smiling at them.

Gwen pulled away from Jack, turning as if to step into Ianto's arms, but Ianto took that moment to step into Jack's. Jack beamed, letting his hands circle Ianto's shoulders as his date wrapped his own arms around Jack's waist.

Gwen stormed off, barely noticed by Jack. Somewhere in the back of his mind he saw her standing with their friends, pouting, but he was entirely too caught up in the fact that there was a Welshman in his arms.

"What made you change your mind?" Jack asked, knowing without a doubt it was Gwen's clinging to him that had made Ianto decide to step in. He just wanted to see if Ianto would admit it.

"Felt like dancing now, is all," Ianto murmured, resting his cheek on Jack's shoulder. "You do still want to dance with me, yeah?"

Jack smiled, holding Ianto closer. "Yes I do, Ianto," he replied.

The song ended entirely too soon for Jack's taste, and he begrudgingly released his friend when the music changed tempo into something more upbeat. Ianto smiled shyly at him, indicating the spot where they'd been sitting previously.

Making their way back over they took a seat, Ianto sighing. "It's not as bad as I thought it might be," he said, causing Jack to raise an eyebrow.

"Dancing with me?" he asked, puzzled.

"No," Ianto chuckled, shaking his head. "Being here at the school. The dancing was…nice."

Jack grinned. "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Well everyone's really happy to see you," Jack told him, glancing over at their friends. "Even Owen."

"Not everyone," Ianto argued. "One in particular would rather I weren't here at all."

"You mean Gwen, Ianto?"

"Yup."

Jack scowled. "Why do you think that?"

"She'd like to be here with you, instead of me."

"Ianto…"

"It's alright, Jack. I see the way she looks at you. Not that you're much better. Your flirting is quite obvious, really."

"It doesn't mean anything," Jack defended. "I flirt with everyone. That's just the way I am, I guess."

"It means something to her," Ianto said, nodding his head in Gwen's direction.

"You think I'm leading her on?" Jack asked, a bit concerned.

"I don't know. Are you?"

"No. I mean, not intentionally." Jack sighed. "Don't get me wrong, Ianto. Gwen's a beautiful girl, and a great friend, but I've never been interested in her like that. Not in the way you're thinking."

"Have you told her that?"

Jack dropped his eyes. "The conversation's never come up, actually."

"Really?" Ianto asked, looking surprised. "We've all known each other since we were kids, but you've never had that discussion with her?"

"I guess I never really thought it was an issue. I thought she understood."

"Understood what, exactly?" Ianto asked.

"That I've always liked you, Ianto, not her."

A pink tinge coloring Ianto's cheeks crept slowly upward until it reached his hair. Jack looked over at their friends, all in their own little world except for Gwen. She met Jack's eyes before she looked away, putting her arm around Rhys and kissing him. Ianto was right. She was very interested in Jack and now was attempting to make him jealous.

"I'm going to step outside for a little air, Jack," Ianto told him, getting to his feet. Jack looked up at him, nodding before looking back at his feet. Ianto's hand extended, indicating Jack should take it. "Care to join me?"

Jack's eyes shot back up to meet Ianto's. His friend was smiling. Jack gave him his hand, accepting the help to his feet, and was surprised when Ianto didn't let go. Ianto led him along the bleachers, past their friends – and a frowning Gwen Cooper – and out a side door onto a patio the school had set up for the dance.

~tbc~