Sexual Relations

"You're looking happy," Owen said as Ianto placed Jack's lunch tray on the kitchen counter.

"We've been practising," Ianto told him as Owen ate his lunch at the kitchen table.

"And what have you been practising?" Tosh asked; she was curious as Ianto looked coy.

"Kissing," he told her as he started to clear away the tray.

"Jack's too tired to really practice so I sort of helped practice for him," he added a few moments later. "I do miss our game and mornings and night times, but Jack says too many visitors. We used to do loads more practice, and I like practicing and I need a lot of practice, but Jack's too tired, so we only practice sometimes," he said as he washed up Jack's plate and mug.

"So kissing," Owen nudged, curious and not sure what Ianto was referring to.

"Yes and other things."

"Like?" Tosh nudged as Owen looked at her.

"We give each other orgasms. We get all sticky. It's the best thing we have ever done, and I need loads and loads of practice," Ianto emphasized as Owen looked disapprovingly. Tosh placed a hand over her mouth to stifle the laugh that erupted over his declaration.

"How long?" Owen asked trying to keep the disapproval out of his voice.

"Since I started having the nice dreams."

"And when did they start?" Owen said his tone causing Tosh to stare at him, shaking her head.

"After my party. Jack said I 'm not supposed to talk about because it's private."

"Emm," Owen stifled his next question and bristled at Jack's insistence Ianto not tell anyone.

"So you're going to Mac's this afternoon," Tosh said changing the subject.

Ianto looked at the clock to check the time. "Yes, I'm making a list of all the parts we need, and then I am going to see if I can find any on the internet or e-bay," he told them.

"Okay you go and get ready and I'll walk you in. I've got some bread and some leftover cake we can give Marigold," Tosh told him as she now finished drying the dishes.

"Oh yes bread and the cakes are yummy so I am sure she will love bread and cakes, she is so greedy she once ate all the nasty foods from our cupboards," Ianto said. Turning he headed to where they kept their coats and outdoor shoes.

"Never saw you as a prude?" Tosh said as soon as Ianto left the room.

"I'm not, but this is not right...Ianto has a mental age of around nine, and as far as I am aware sex with nine year olds…" He left his statement unfinished.

"It doesn't sound like that to me," Tosh pointed out.

"You heard; Jack told Ianto not to say anything about it so what does that suggest?" he said raising his eyebrows.

Ianto now joined them wearing his coat and flat cap.

"I always wear this to cap to Mac's because it's just like his," he announced. "I always wear my cap outside; it keeps my head warm," he added and handed her, her coat.

"And very handsome you look too," Tosh told him.

"I don't know that word," Ianto told her.

"It means you are very good looking." She saw the look of confusion on his face. "Have you looked at someone and thought, 'wow they are good looking'?" Tosh asked him.

He shook his head. "Does the flat cap make you look handsome? Because Mac wears one and he's all old and wrinkly," he said trying to figure out the meaning.

"Oh god," Owen groaned under his breath as he realised they had stepped into a mine field.

"It's more to do with how the person looks like rather than what they are wearing. For women there's beautiful, like Tosh," he tried to explain.

"So handsome is like beautiful, only for a man," Ianto reasoned and saw both Tosh and Owen nod.

"I might think corrrrr, she's beautiful and I might like to get to know her better and ask her out on a date."

"What happens on a date?" Ianto asked.

"It's where you go and meet or take someone you really like and think is beautiful or handsome and get to know them better."

"Where would you take someone on a date?"

"Depends, sometimes you might go out for a meal or a nice walk somewhere, meet in a pub for a drink."

"Like the café you can have meal there. We've had meals there. Last time I had sausage eggs and chips, Jack had fish and chips, and the fish is really fresh because it comes from the boats in the harbour. I've seen the boats; they work really hard catching fish." Ianto then laughed out loud in recollection. "I stole some of Jack's fish and he stole some of my sausage and dipped it in my egg. I had a chocolate milkshake and Jack had coffee. Then we both had ice cream and it was yum. Maureen didn't have maple syrup so I had chocolate sauce with nuts and cream. Jack said it was a called a chocolate Sunday but I don't know why it's named after a day in the week but it was delicious. Maureen said she would get some maple syrup in just for me. So what happens on a date?" he finished with a question.

"You talk and hold hands and hopefully end up kissing." Tosh replied quickly.

"So you're saying I'm good looking and someone might ask me out on a date like to the café or the pub or a nice walk. We will talk, hold hands and there might be kissing," he said.

Tosh nodded. Owen groaned, not sure how they had walked into this one as they saw a look of understanding grow on Ianto's face and his eyes lit up.

"Jack is very handsome. We kiss. So I need to ask him out on a date. I could take him to the cafe. If I'm handsome then he will come, and we will hold hands and kiss." He thought deeply for a moment. "Tosh, what happens if someone asks me out on a date and I don't think they're handsome? How do I say no because I wouldn't want to hurt their feelings?" he said as he worked through the concept in his mind.

"But you might like to go on a date with them," she pointed out.

He shook his head. "No, I have Jack and he has me, he is handsome and we kiss and practice and I've never seen anyone more handsome so I don't want to go on a date with anyone else," he told her bluntly.

"It's okay to say no, that's what I do," she told him as they now headed out the door.

"So people have asked you out on a date then, so you must be beautiful…" Owen heard Ianto say as they headed down the lane.

Owen waited until Ianto was out of sight before he pulled out the mobile to tell the Doctor Ianto had left. He snapped his mobile shut, and he heard the TARDIS land in the garden. He went over and over Ianto's revelation. What the hell was Jack thinking? Greeting Geoff he pulled him aside.

"Before you go up can I have a word?" Owen asked as Geoff turned face him. "It's about Ianto."

Geoff looked concerned.

"Look I'm not sure how to say this so I am going to come right out and say it. I think Jack is having a sexual relationship with Ianto."

"How did you know?"

"Ianto told us outright. He calls it practicing."

"So what's the problem?" Geoff asked.

Owen showed surprise at his reaction. "Ianto has a mental age of what nine. Jack is taking advantage of him."

"I think you are confusing Ianto's age. Ianto is not a child. This is not paedophilia," Geoff stated.

"But does Ianto understand the implications? Sex is an act between adults. He does have diminished responsibility. I'm pretty sure Ianto will not be able to fully understand. What I am saying is it's not consensual," he argued.

Geoff looked at Owen and took a breath and crossed his arms. "Let me make one thing clear: Ianto is an adult. He has a right to have any sexual relationship he wants. Just because he comes across as naïve I assure you he is not. I would say Ianto knows exactly what he is doing and is willing and able. So to be blunt I don't see the problem."

"But is encouraging this in his best interest? I mean Jack knows it's wrong. He even told Ianto to keep quiet and that implies guilt," Owen pointed out.

"Firstly, I don't agree. As you've discovered Ianto doesn't always sense why people are asking him questions so he tells you the answer without considering... what I trying to say is he doesn't have the same internal sensors we do. In light of this it's more likely Jack told him that sex is a subject grown-ups don't talk about. I mean do you discuss your sex life openly with other people?" Owen shook his head.

"Secondly everything that Jack has done, has been in Ianto's best interests. They are at the forefront of his mind at all times. I can't think of any instance where Jack has placed his needs before Ianto's."

"I'm going to be blunt. I think it's inappropriate for Jack to encourage Ianto in this," Owen told him point-blank.

"Why is it inappropriate?"

"Because Ianto doesn't understand the concept of sex between adults. How can he deal with all the emotions and issues that are inherent in any sexual relationship?" Owen argued.

"That's one tall order Doctor Harper. I don't think many adults do either. But I think you're mistaking naiveté for innocence. Ianto is not innocent. If you hadn't noticed he's a very strong-willed individual with a mind of his own. I'm betting it was Ianto leading and Jack following protesting all the way with a smile on his face," he said laughing out loud.

He saw Owen raise an eyebrow.

"So what I 'm saying is, this is none your business or mine for that matter. This is between them and them alone. And to be honest I am relieved considering the fears both Jack and I held that Ianto might never be able to reclaim full sexual function. It is wonderful that this has been resolved."

"You have given me a lot to think about."

"Good because you need to get with the programme, Owen. Their private lives are just that: private. I don't want you expressing anything to Ianto that would suggest that what they are doing is in any way wrong. As a survivor of sexual abuse, we have to tread very carefully that he does not associate the enjoyment and discovery he is possibly experiencing with that past. Have I made myself clear?" he said as he saw Owen nod. "Excellent," he said turning on his heel and heading upstairs.

Owen checked Jack's vitals as he sat up in bed enjoying the view from the bedroom window.

"You should know Ianto told us about your practice session today," Owen told him as he heard Jack groan.

"I tried to tell him grownups don't talk about sex, but he's so open," Jack admitted. "Sorry if he embarrassed you."

"Sort of took me by surprise," Owen said.

Jack interpreted the look on his face. "You should know I was not the instigator. Ianto put up a damn good argument that was hard to refuse." He saw Owen raise an eyebrow as he checked Jack's pulse.

"What is so strange was, it was a repeat of what happened at the Hub," Jack confessed as Owen looked confused. "Ianto seduced me," he added quickly.

"Never," Owen burst out.

"Yeah well he's a man who once he knows what he wants goes for it," he added as he remembered how Ianto had astounded him with his passion and vigour.

"I have to tell you Jack when I found out I was uncomfortable but Geoff put me straight and told me to mind my own business. So while minding my own business, don't let Ianto talk you into too much practice."

"He's so hard to refuse," Jack admitted.

"Well I was thinking last night you told me you had this tipping point and I got to thinking…"

"Yes," Jack admitted. "Ianto is very enthusiastic."

Owen laughed. "You know the Ianto we knew would never have blurted out something as personal as this," Owen added after several moments.

"He would have blushed," Jack became sad.

"Penny for your thoughts," Owen offered.

"I wish I could turn back to the clock and go back to prevent all his suffering..."

"Press the re-set button," Owen completed his thought. "You have got a mate with a time machine," Owen pointed out

"Don't you think I haven't considered it? Why do you think it took me so long to get back? The time distortion was so bad the first clear time was months later."

There was a knock on the door and they saw it was Ianto.

"Myfanwy's getting lonely, she hasn't had a cuddle for a while," he said.

Jack held out his arms. "And I bet you could do with one as well," Jack said as Ianto came and laid down next to him and Jack folded his arms around him.

"Tosh tells me I have to take you on a date because I think you're handsome," he said.

Jack looked curious. "That's a new word," Jack commented.

"Tosh said I was handsome, which means I'm good looking and people might ask me out on a date."

"Well you are very handsome," Jack said.

Ianto hugged him. "Because I think you are most handsome so I have to take you out on a date and we can hold hands and I can kiss you," he said.

Jack leaned down and gave him a kiss. "What else did Tosh say?" Jack asked.

"That Owen is an idiot and won't take her out on a date," he said. Owen choked out a cough.

"I told her maybe Owen doesn't realise she wants more. If she thinks he is handsome she should just ask him on a date and give him a really a big kiss just like I did when I asked you for more practice and don't take no for an answer. Give him a real big kiss and say she wants to practice kissing."

"On that note," Owen interrupted "I think I'll leave you to it and remember what I said," Owen reminded him as he closed the door and headed downstairs. Ianto had seduced Jack and he had been sure it was the other way around. Now he understood all those times at the Hub when Ianto had thrown lustful looks at Jack and why Jack had look so knackered. Thinking about it, it was after the second Suzie incident. He couldn't wait to share this with Tosh. Maybe Ianto was right; maybe he should just give her a big kiss.