That next Tuesday, Ianto closed shop at 4:30 so he had time to prepare the perfect meal for Jack. His heart thumped whenever he thought about the ex-soldier, and he chided himself for acting like a schoolkid with a crush. Jack had said he would be at Ianto's flat at 6:30, and Ianto had given him directions. At a quarter past six, Ianto wondered if he should have gotten flowers or something for the table but, panicking slightly, realized that he didn't have time.

He had just finished setting the table out at 6:25 when there was a knock at the door. Ianto took a deep, shaky breath and went to open the door.

"Sorry I'm a bit early, my clock's slow," was the first thing Jack said, but Ianto was distracted by the bouquet of pink and orange roses that he was holding.

"You brought flowers!" he exclaimed.

Jack looked down at them. "Was I not supposed to?" he asked anxiously.

"No, no, it's fine!" Ianto hastened to reassure him. "Thank you! They're beautiful." He ushered Jack inside. "It's a bit messy, sorry," he felt the need to apologize.

Jack looked around at the nearly immaculate front room that opened into a spotless kitchen. There were a couple of stacks of books lying around, which was what Ianto had been apologizing for. "It's fine. It's really nice, actually."

"Well, dinner's ready, please, come sit down. Would you like to put your coat over this chair, or…" They continued exchanging niceties as they walked into the kitchen. As the evening progressed, they became more and more comfortable around each other, laughing and flirting. Jack was very fond of innuendo, Ianto noticed. Normally, that might make him a bit hesitant, but it honestly just made Jack more appealing. "It's only eight," Ianto said after they had finished eating. "Do you want to stay and watch a movie?"

"Sure," Jack agreed readily.

"I'll just go wash up the dishes, I'll be right out. You can pick something, all my films are in those drawers over there, and they're alphabetized, if you're looking for anything in particular."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "You alphabetize your films?"

Ianto tilted his head. "Don't you?" he asked. Jack was about to laugh, but then he realized that Ianto was being serious.

While Ianto was clearing up, Jack was rummaging through his collection of films. Suddenly, Ianto became worried that Jack wouldn't find anything to watch. All he had were older films, classics, and Jack might not like any of them. But his fears were unfounded. "With the possibility of sounding a bit silly," Jack called over to him in the kitchen, "what do you say to The Sound of Music?"

"That's just about my favorite musical of all time," Ianto told him, thrilled. "You like it, too?"

"Absolutely. I love seeing what the rest of the world was up to during World War Two. I've learned so much about the war itself, it's nice to know that there were good people just living their lives still," Jack gushed. "Plus, I mean, Julie Andrews."

Ianto laughed, drying his hands. He walked back into the living room. "She is something, isn't she?" he agreed. "And what a voice!"

"I sing," Jack said casually.

"I do, too, a bit," Ianto said. "But I mean, I'm Welsh. We all sing."

Jack laughed. "Well, we can sing along, then?"

"Absolutely." Ianto felt happier than he had in a while at the prospect as he put the disc in and waited for it to start, settling down on the old, worn out couch next to Jack.

"The hills are alive with the Sound of Music…" sang Maria.

"With songs they have sung, for a thousand years!" Jack sang quietly. Ianto looked at him in astonishment. From that one line, he could tell that Jack wasn't lying when he said he could sing, and Ianto forgot about joining in as he just listened. As the final note trailed away and the bell rang for Maria to run back to the convent, Jack looked at Ianto disappointedly. "You didn't join in," he said.

"You're amazing," Ianto told him. Was that a bit of color rising to Jack's cheeks? "Besides, my song is 'My Favorite Things'," he added. Jack smiled.

"I like that one, too." Neither of them tried to sing "How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria"-it certainly wasn't a song for a tenor and a baritone to attempt to harmonize. When "I Have Confidence" came along, with all of its enthusiasm and energy and Maria's bouncing along with her bag and her guitar, Jack impulsively grabbed Ianto by the hands and pulled him to his feet. Startled, Ianto went along with it and they danced around the room spinning and singing along. Both felt a bit foolish when it ended and they flopped back onto the couch, but Jack's voice had suited the large, belty number just fine. "You're not so bad yourself," Jack complimented.

"I do not have a voice like you do." Jack was about to argue, but Ianto shushed him. "They're about to meet!"

They didn't try to dance again, but they did attempt a duet of "Sixteen, Going on Seventeen", which was hilarious and ended up in them falling over each other with laughter. Jack let Ianto take over "My Favorite Things" and clapped when he had finished. Without realizing it, the distance between them when they had started watching had disappeared and they were now sitting with their arms around each other. "Do-Re-Mi" and "Climb Every Mountain" went over fairly uneventfully, but Ianto knew that "Something Good" was coming up soon. As soon as the scene began, he pulled his arm away from Jack's shoulders. Jack was about to give him a hurt look when Ianto wrapped his arms around Jack's waist and pulled him closer. Jack sighed softly and put his head down on Ianto's shoulder.

"But somewhere in my youth or childhood," they sang quietly together, Jack and Ianto and Maria and the Captain. "I must have done something good." As the characters on the screen began to kiss, Jack raised his head to press his lips against Ianto's. Ianto closed his eyes and leaned into the kiss. They broke apart after a few moments, but stayed with their noses touching lightly.

"That was nice," Ianto breathed.

"Wanna do it again?"

"Hmm." Ianto considered, but the movie was still going. "After?"

"Sure." But then they leaned into each other again, continuing to kiss as the wedding and the honeymoon and the concert continued to play in the background. Jack finally stopped kissing him to sing. "Eidelweiss, eidelweiss, every morning you greet me." He went lower than he had before, and Ianto literally shivered at the beauty and power in his voice.

"Bless my homeland forever," he joined in at the last line. They sighed simultaneously as the song finished, and watched the rest in silence, Ianto's head resting on Jack's chest. Eventually the movie ended, the Von Trapp family safely away over the hills to Switzerland, and Ianto turned the television off with the remote, not wanting to get up. Jack was warm and smelled nice, and was holding Ianto close. Both were very comfortable where they were. I think I'm in love, Ianto thought to himself suddenly. He didn't know it, but Jack was thinking the very same thing. "I've got a Christmas party to go to next month," Ianto said. "My sister's throwing one and she invited me. Want to be my plus one?"

Jack ran his fingers through Ianto's hair. The young man sighed with pleasure. "I'd love to be your plus one, Jones, Ianto Jones."

I know this was a short chapter, but you'll get Rhi's party before next Sunday because I'm gonna be pretty useless next week and won't have the concentration to post another one after that for several days (wisdom teeth...:\). Anyway, thanks for reading! Shoot me a review if you're able and willing. Many thanks and much love! ~Clare