Author's Notes: Not much story development here I'm afraid, just a bit of a light interlude. Hopefully it's still an enjoyable read. Thanks as always to Prothrombintime for some greatly appreciated feedback and encouragement.
Chapter Twenty-Two
October 13th, 2004
Ianto entered the Hub, smiling as Myfanwy greeted him with an enthusiastic squawk from where she was perched on the distant walkway above the glass-walled armoury. Giving her a little wave, he deposited his keys, wallet and phone on his desk, and made his way over to the kitchen area.
Putting the bag of donuts he'd picked up on the way to work off to one side, he retrieved their two coffee mugs and turned his concentration to the familiar routine. His resolve to put Jack on a diet had lasted all of two days, having not anticipated his inability to withstand the pouting, grumbling and moodiness that had been the result of a sugar-deprived Captain. When he'd discovered the older man lurking in the boardroom and looking like a guilty schoolboy, a suspicious smear of strawberry jam on the corner of his mouth, Ianto had simply shook his head in exasperation and admitted defeat. He'd promptly resumed Jack's supply of glucose-laden treats the following day.
Turning on the coffee machine and realising their supply of coffee beans was dangerously low, he made a mental note to replenish their stocks the next time he was above ground. While they were both unapologetic caffeine addicts, the amount of beans they went through in a given week was nonetheless alarming. The machine gurgled and spluttered as he idly contemplated whether he should attempt to wean them back from the excesses of their addiction. He quickly dismissed the notion as a lost cause.
A moment later, soft, almost furtive footsteps approached, and he was unsurprised when a pair of strong arms slid beneath his suit jacket and wrapped firmly around his waist.
"Good morning, Mr. Jones," Jack said, his chin resting comfortably on Ianto's shoulder.
Ianto smiled and leaned back, pressing himself against the familiar body. "Morning, Jack. Everything all right last night?"
"Yeah. Just a couple of Weevils and some space junk." Jack's warm breath ghosted over the side of Ianto's face, causing his heart to beat just a little bit faster. "Nothing I couldn't easily handle."
"That's good then," Ianto acknowledged as he valiantly focused on filling their coffee mugs.
He felt Jack's nose nuzzle against the sensitive skin just behind his ear, then heard him draw in a deep breath. "You smell different today," Jack murmured.
"Do I?" Ianto asked curiously, amused that Jack always seemed to notice anything different about him, no matter how slight or insubstantial. "Better or worse than usual?"
"Oh, you always smell amazing." Jack sniffed and inhaled deeply again. "But something's definitely different."
Ianto frowned as he mentally ran through his morning grooming regimen, trying to figure out if he'd forgotten something or done anything differently. "Oh," he said as realisation finally struck. "I used a different shampoo today. Last time I went to buy some they didn't have my usual one."
"Mmm, I like it," Jack purred against Ianto's ear, the sound sending a shiver of arousal coursing over his body. "Vanilla and a hint of sandalwood if I'm not mistaken."
Ianto felt his eyebrows lift upwards in surprise as his mind recalled the supposed herbal benefits of the new shampoo. "Yup, that's right. Well done."
"Fifty-first century sense of smell," Jack stated, still nuzzling and sounding decidedly smug.
"Show off," Ianto teased.
Jack's hold on him tightened, his right hand drifting downwards and reaching perilously close to Ianto's crotch. "Jack, we're working," he admonished, turning in the other man's arms and fixing him with narrowed eyes. "No shenanigans during work hours. That's the rule, remember?"
"Come on, Ianto," Jack murmured with a hint of pleading desperation. His hands moved slowly up Ianto's torso, stroking sensually across his chest. Suddenly Jack paused and looked inquisitive, his thumb rubbing teasingly over the fabric of Ianto's shirt, just below the collar. "Is this a new shirt too? I've never seen you wear pink before."
"Bought it the other day," Ianto replied, recognising Jack's attempt to distract him and struggling to stifle a contented moan as the warmth of the other man's hands reached his flesh.
He wondered not for the first time about his uncharacteristically bold choice of shirt. He'd gone shopping with the intention of buying a couple of new shirts in his usual preferred colours of blue, purple and red when the pink shirt had caught his eye. As far as pinks went it was fairly subtle and not overly lurid or vibrant, but it was still definitely and undeniably pink. "Is it okay? Not too, um..." he trailed off awkwardly, not sure how to finish the sentence.
"Oh, yeah. A lot more than okay," Jack replied, a hungry glint appearing in his eyes. His hand caressed along the length of Ianto's blue silk tie and continued downwards again. "It's a stunning colour on you."
"Jack..." Ianto warned again, attempting to remain implacable despite his body's treacherous response to the other man's proximity and teasing fingers.
Jack sighed and rested his hands on Ianto's hips. "You can't seriously expect to me not to want to ravish you senseless when you look and smell this good." He looked imploringly at Ianto. "All right, just a kiss then?" he asked, apparently conceding defeat.
Although he was trying to remain stern, Ianto couldn't blame Jack for feeling frustrated. They'd had no personal time together to speak of for the past several days, and he was feeling the loss keenly. They'd begun to settle into a routine of sorts, with Jack staying over on Saturday nights and sometimes on the odd night during the week, and Ianto spending an evening or two each week at the Hub. However, the previous Saturday's plans had been circumvented by Ianto's sister's birthday celebrations, which Jack had insisted Ianto attend, reminding him not to let his outside life drift.
He'd had been forced to put on a brave face, enduring Rhiannon's fussing and endless questions, along with her unsubtle lamenting on what she thought was his non-existent love life. Much to Ianto's horror, she'd even gone so far as to suggest various single women she knew who would be 'perfect' for him. Thankfully, Johnny, Ianto's uncouth and often crass brother-in-law, had taken pity on him and admonished his wife, telling her that Ianto was more than capable of finding himself a new girlfriend when he was ready.
The more petty side of Ianto's nature had wanted to tell Rhiannon about Jack, assuring her that his love life was in actual fact quite spectacular. He'd gleefully imagined her reaction to being confronted with Jack in all his ridiculously handsome glory, dimples and flirtatious charm cranked up to maximum effect. He suspected that for the first time in her life, Rhiannon Davies might have been rendered speechless. Then he'd thought about the field day Johnny would have with the revelation, cringing inwardly as he'd imagined some of the colourful comments the fellow Welshman would undoubtedly provide.
He and his sister had never been close. A part of him still resented her for abandoning him at the earliest opportunity, leaving him on his own at age fifteen to cope with an emotionally distant, non-communicative, alcoholic father. Gerwyn Jones had died of a heart-attack just after Ianto's eighteenth birthday, a little over five years after their mother had passed away following an arduous battle with pancreatic cancer. Essentially alone in the world, Ianto had finally achieved the escape from the poor working-class estate in Newport he'd so desperately craved, and he'd never looked back.
While he didn't particularly care what Rhiannon and Johnny thought about him, he did quite enjoy occasionally seeing his niece, Mica, and his nephew, David. They were little terrors but he loved them nonetheless, even though he'd never known how to interact with them and preferred them in very small doses, much like his sister. There just seemed to be no point in broadcasting news that would only cause unnecessary drama. Besides, his involvement with Jack still felt new and fragile, plus there was the whole other issue of keeping it hidden from the outside world.
Torchwood was hardly a nine-to-five job, but he felt strongly that they needed to maintain boundaries between their professional and private relationships, despite both being inescapably intertwined. From the minute he entered the Hub each morning until at least six o'clock in the evening, he did his best to uphold their employer-employee relationship, even though the employer in question sometimes had rather different ideas.
"Fine, one kiss," he finally agreed, attempting to meet Jack's eyes with an uncompromising gaze. "But that's all you get, Jack. No ravishing until tonight."
"You're a cruel man, Ianto Jones," Jack muttered, then grasped Ianto's face in both hands, claiming his mouth in a hungry, toe-curling kiss, and cutting off any retort Ianto might have otherwise made.
With Ianto's back pressed up against the edge of the bench-top, Jack's hand slid down to his crotch again and rubbed firmly as he deepened the kiss, causing Ianto to groan involuntarily from the dual onslaught. Just as his resolve threatened to crumble, his underwear and trousers having become unbearably tight, Jack pulled away completely. A breathless whimper escaped Ianto's lips from the sudden loss of contact, and a self-satisfied grin spread across Jack's face, his eyes shifting down to the prominent bulge in Ianto's pin-striped trousers.
"Of course, I'd be more than happy to take care of that for you," Jack said teasingly, meeting Ianto's eyes again. "After all, as your employer, it's my job to ensure you're satisfied at all times... but I'd hate to be accused of harassment in the workplace."
Ianto rolled his eyes as he shifted his hips, trying to get some relief. "Since when has that ever stopped you," he muttered.
Jack shrugged, his grin still firmly in place. "Perhaps I'm trying to reform my misguided ways."
He reached into the bag of donuts and plucked one out, taking a huge bite as he reached around Ianto for his coffee mug. "Thanks for the coffee and donut, Ianto," he added casually before turning away.
Ianto slumped back against the bench, futilely wriggling his hips again. He glared at Jack's retreating form, noting the immodest swagger. "Bastard," he muttered under his breath.
###
Once Ianto had managed to get himself under control, he continued his morning routine, and after several hours working in the archives, he returned upstairs and settled at his desk with a fresh cup of coffee. The Hub was peaceful with Myfanwy in her nest and Jack having gone out earlier to follow up on an investigation.
He tapped on his keyboard and opened the Rift data he'd been attempting to analyse. He'd recently come up with the theory that it might be possible to predict the activity of the Rift, and after some initial analysis, he'd been pursuing the train of thought in his spare time. He'd compiled data on the Rift itself along with other factors including atmospheric conditions, solar flares, seismic readings, background radiation, and lunar cycles. The more he studied the various data he'd collected, the more convinced he was that there was a pattern to be found.
He'd talked to Jack about it a couple of times, and while the older man had listened patiently and had not actually disagreed with his findings, even praising Ianto for his insight and initiative, he'd said he believed it to be a futile endeavour. Jack had cited that some exceptionally clever minds had attempted to better understand the Rift over the one-hundred and twenty years since its discovery, yet it continued to remain largely a mystery.
The most significant advance in all that time had been the construction of the Rift manipulator located in the centre of the Hub. Ianto had studied the reports about the substantial device which had been built between 1913 and 1914 with the aid of an alien scientist who had been coerced into working for Torchwood. However, the effects of the device had proven to be too unpredictable, and Jack had explained that one of its critical components had been mysteriously lost over the years, while another was secured in his safe. Meanwhile, the Rift remained an enigma even to Jack, despite his advanced knowledge of physics, teleportation, and time travel. But Jack had readily admitted that his knowledge was limited, and that science and mathematics weren't his strengths.
Although Ianto didn't agree that the research was futile, he also didn't have the necessary scientific or mathematical knowledge to derive a workable formula for predicting where and when the Rift would open. The sheer number of variables alone was daunting. He would have liked to consult with some of Torchwood One's scientists, but he knew Jack would never condone that course of action. Anyway, he doubted Yvonne Hartman would allow her resources to be diverted to what she would undoubtedly consider a worthless undertaking.
After drinking his coffee and staring at the data for a few more minutes, he sighed with resignation and closed the files again.
A distracted glance at his desk calendar reminded him of the significance of the day. Exactly one year ago, he'd arrived at Torchwood Three, and his life had since changed beyond all recognition. He smiled to himself as he remembered meeting the intimidating Captain for the first time. If he'd known then what that encounter would ultimately lead to, he knew he might have been tempted to turn tail and head straight back to London. He shuddered at the thought of how much he would have missed out on.
His mind drifted back to the day he and Jack had spent together scarcely three weeks earlier. They'd had fun, Jack had been charming and attentive, and they'd just enjoyed being together. Jack had cooked a delicious meal for them that evening, and his uncharacteristic nervousness had been both surprising and endearing. The Captain had seemed determined to prove himself, and Ianto suspected it was as much for Jack's sake as for his own. He'd reassured Jack that the romantic meal he'd gone to so much trouble to prepare was perfect, and he fondly remembered the shy smile that had seemed so out of place on Jack's expressive features.
As he'd expected, Jack's little games had become a part of their time together. While he still drew the line at naked hide and seek, he was otherwise happy to indulge the other man, especially since their games inevitably allowed him to feast his eyes on a naked Jack. Not that he was particularly shy around Jack any more either, and since their first time together, Jack had never had much trouble getting Ianto out of his clothes.
No matter what the game, Jack was a shameless cheat, but Ianto was a fast learner and he had some tricks of his own. He'd also learned to take full advantage of how easily Jack could be distracted, and for the most part they were evenly matched in their deviousness. He also had to admit that naked Twister was actually a lot of fun.
And when a taunting voice whispered from the darkest recesses of his mind, telling him that this wouldn't last... that he could never be exciting or special enough to keep someone like Jack interested... that he didn't deserve true happiness... that since Lisa had ultimately found him unworthy, Jack would eventually reject him too... he resolutely pushed those malignant thoughts far away.
###
"Wow, one year already, huh," Jack stated before shovelling another forkful of fried rice into his mouth.
"Yep," Ianto replied, popping a piece of Kung Pao chicken into his mouth and then disdainfully pushing aside several pieces of carrot with his chopsticks.
"Ianto." Jack's voice held a note of warning, and Ianto glanced up to see the other man looking pointedly at the collection of untouched vegetables on the side of his plate.
Ianto scrunched up his face and groaned dramatically. "Oh, fine," he muttered, viciously spearing a piece of carrot with a chopstick and sticking it into his mouth.
"Good boy," Jack said with a grin and resumed eating. "Well, neither of us have tried to kill each other yet, so I think that's a pretty good sign," he continued a few moments later.
Ianto chuckled. "There's been a few close calls."
"True," Jack said with a laugh. "And you've got that brutal right-hook. Remind me never to get on your bad side."
Ianto smiled softly as he remembered those few times when Jack had very nearly driven him to distraction. Their training sessions had proven to be a useful method of stress relief.
He'd been surprised when Jack had arrived back at the Hub with Chinese takeaway for their lunch, and even more so when the older man had announced they were celebrating Ianto's one-year anniversary at Torchwood Cardiff. He was deeply touched by the thoughtful and unexpected gesture.
"You surprised me," Jack said in a reflective tone after they'd continued eating for a minute or so. "That first day you arrived here. I thought I'd have you scurrying back to London in no time, but you stood up to me right from the start. I didn't make it easy on you, but you never backed down." He paused and smiled at Ianto affectionately. "A year later and you still continue to surprise and impress me, and for someone who's lived as long as I have, that doesn't happen very often."
"Thanks, Jack," Ianto murmured self-consciously, feeling a rush of warmth flood over him. "I was so nervous that day I met you. Terrified, actually."
"Really?" Jack asked, sounding almost pleased.
"Absolutely," Ianto assured him, trying to keep a straight-face. "Shivers down my spine."
Jack looked at him sceptically. "You didn't look scared."
"Oh, it... passed." Ianto broke into a wide grin.
Jack growled deep in his throat before bursting into laughter and giving Ianto's shoulder a playful nudge with his own. "Cheeky bastard."
Ianto continued to grin, enjoying the sound of Jack's laughter. He loved to make Jack laugh, and it was a sound he'd grown accustomed to hearing more often in recent times. "Of course, once I'd unleashed my secret weapon, you didn't stand a chance."
"Ah, so that's what you call it," Jack said slyly, glancing down leeringly at Ianto's crotch. "I just call mine Big Jack."
Ianto rolled his eyes and gave him an outraged glare. "Jack! I'm talking about my coffee."
Jack laughed, looking entirely unrepentant. "I know, I just couldn't resist. You've been seducing me from day one haven't you?"
"Pretty much." Ianto shrugged, smiling shyly. "Just took me six months to realise it."
"I'm glad you did," Jack said, suddenly serious and gazing at Ianto intently. "I like being seduced by you."
Ianto held Jack's gaze, momentarily captivated by the blue depths of the other man's eyes. He leaned in and pressed a soft, lingering kiss against Jack's lips, earning himself a warm smile as he pulled away. Smiling in return, he turned his attention back to his plate.
"So, do I get a twelve month review?" he asked after he'd reluctantly eaten a couple more pieces of vegetables.
"Hmm." Jack's concentration had also returned to his food. "What did you have in mind?"
"Well, I think you need to review my training." Ianto paused and waited for Jack's eyes to meet his again. Then he lowered his voice suggestively. "Actually, I think an extensive review is called for."
Jack gulped down his mouthful of food and raised a challenging eyebrow. "Oh, do you now?"
"Yes. A comprehensive and thorough review," Ianto insisted, his mind conjuring up some intriguing possibilities. "We could begin in the shooting range at eighteen-hundred hours?"
Jack's eyes widened and seemed to glaze over for a moment. "It's a date," he agreed, nodding eagerly. "But don't expect me to go easy on you."
"Of course not, sir," Ianto said with mock seriousness. "Wouldn't want it any other way."
Jack laughed again and they continued reminiscing as they ate, sitting side-by-side on the Hub's sofa, just like they had so many months earlier. It occurred to Ianto how much happier Jack was now, and that he'd played a part in bringing about the remarkable transformation.
"Thanks for lunch," he said with a smile when they'd eventually finished eating. "It was delicious."
"Any time." Jack rested his hand on Ianto's knee and gave it a gentle squeeze. "So, no regrets?" he asked quietly.
"None," Ianto assured him sincerely, settling his own hand over Jack's. "None at all."