Chapter Twenty

Jack whistled tunelessly as he moved around Ianto's neat kitchen with familiar ease. He dumped the cooked rotini into the saucepan containing the chicken and other ingredients he'd prepared, stirred it through and added a dash more cream, tasted it, then added a pinch of salt and pepper. Satisfied with the result, he put the lid on the saucepan and turned the heat down to let it simmer. His own version of Tuscan-style chicken and pasta was easy to make and a personal favourite. It was also a relatively safe bet, given Ianto's somewhat mercurial tastes and general dislike of vegetables.

Leaning back against the worktop, he took a sip of the white wine he'd bought to accompany their meal and smiled as Ianto entered the room, freshly bathed and dressed in socks, dark t-shirt and comfortable jeans. He poured a second glass and handed it to the Welshman. "Dinner's almost ready. How are the feet?"

Ianto grimaced. "Better, but still a bit sore." He took a sip of wine before picking up the bottle and peering at the label.

Jack made appropriately sympathetic noises, even though Ianto's decision to wear a new pair of dress shoes to work without wearing them in first or having a backup pair on hand was entirely his own fault. He'd tried to convince Ianto to find more comfortable shoes for the long days on his feet at the bakery, but the Welshman was stubborn and fastidious about his appearance, footwear included.

He gave Ianto's shoulder an affectionate squeeze. "Go and sit down. I'll bring dinner in."

Ianto glanced around. "Sure you don't need a hand?"

Jack shook his head. "Nope. Everything's under control." Putting down his wine glass, he ushered Ianto towards the doorway. "Go on... go and rest those sore feet."

Ianto looked like he wanted to protest, but he gave Jack a wry smile and padded obediently from the room.

It was all strangely domestic, and Jack couldn't help thinking that little more than a few months ago he would have balked at anything so mundane and conventional, even going so far as to deride those who settled for the banality of couplehood. He'd always prided himself on his individuality and refusal to accept social norms, thinking of himself as modern and enlightened, and wearing his nonconformity almost like a badge of honour. Not so long ago, he'd considered the notions of marriage and monogamy as quaint and outdated – traditions to which the majority of the population succumbed because they were ingrained with the rules and expectations set out by society and didn't know any better. Looking back, he supposed that he'd been rather naïve, or at least not as open-minded as he'd thought. But then, he'd never imagined falling head over heels in love either.

Four weeks had passed since their first date, and for the most part things seemed to be going pretty well. They continued to enjoy their movie nights together, and they'd been on a number of dates and excursions as time permitted and the mood struck, including a trip to Flat Holm Island, ten-pin bowling, go-karting, and dinner and a movie at the Red Dragon Centre IMAX. He'd even convinced Ianto to accompany him on a trip to the beaches at Porthcawl the previous weekend, the Welshman's dislike of sand notwithstanding. He liked finding ways to get Ianto out of his routine and inject a little fun and spontaneity into his life. Ianto worked hard with the long hours at the bakery and demands of running a small business, and as much as Jack admired his dedication, he wanted Ianto to enjoy life too. That said, he didn't mind what they did together, and he liked these quiet evenings at home. He simply enjoyed spending time with Ianto, no matter what they were doing.

Owen was still dumbfounded by his transformation, but given the doctor's own similar metamorphosis, Jack didn't think it was that much of a stretch. Besides, he'd always liked to think of himself as an adaptable kind of guy. Marriage was still his ultimate goal, but he'd taken Estelle's advice to heart and was enjoying the here and now.

He'd also embarked on a new project which he was excited about. Their date on Penarth's beach front had inspired him to begin work on a photographic series on the coasts of Southern Wales. In addition to the usual gallery exhibition, he planned to publish a coffee table style book to showcase his work and had spoken to a couple of interested publishers. He was creating the design and layout himself, and Ianto had been helping him with the selection of locations and photographs.

Life was good, except for one rather important area: sex. Specifically, the lack thereof. He and Ianto had spent a lot of time kissing, and their make-out sessions definitely weren't lacking in passion or enthusiasm. He loved kissing Ianto, and Ianto was a fantastic kisser, easily one of the best he'd ever known. However, things hadn't progressed further, and he wasn't sure what to do about it. He could feel Ianto's arousal when they were making out, so there wasn't a problem on the physical side of things. He could also sense that Ianto wanted more. The attraction was there, as was the chemistry, so the only logical conclusion was that the problem was a mental one. Ianto, apparently, couldn't get his head around being sexually intimate with a same-sex partner.

They hadn't talked about it, and Jack didn't want to push, knowing that Ianto was still getting used to the idea of dating a man. Fearful of scaring him away, he'd shown uncharacteristic restraint, figuring that things would progress when Ianto was ready. Plus, he'd promised to be patient and was determined to honour that promise. He liked that their relationship was based on friendship and common interests rather than sex – and that they hadn't rushed into sleeping together, as might have happened under different circumstances. It was just that he wanted a sexual relationship with Ianto in addition to everything else. He was, after all, a man in his prime, with needs and a healthy libido, and it had been well over three months since he'd last enjoyed sex of the non-solo variety. He'd wondered if he should just strip off his clothes one evening to kick things along – put himself out on a platter and hope that Ianto would be unable to resist what was on offer. It was probably as good a plan as any at this point, and continuing to ignore the problem wouldn't make it go away. It was a big step, and it made sense that they were both anxious about it, albeit for different reasons, but clearly it was going to be up to him to make the first move.

He served their dinner into a pair of pasta bowls, carried them through to the living room, and returned to the kitchen for the wine bottle and his glass. They'd finished watching all of the Bond movies two weeks ago, so they'd made a list of some of their other favourites and were working their way through them, taking turns to choose which one they watched next. Tonight was 'Return of the Jedi', one of Jack's all-time favourites along with its two predecessors. He'd always had a soft spot for the Ewoks, and even after watching the movie countless times, he still found the speeder bike chase and the attack on the second Death Star thrilling to watch. He'd also had a major crush on both Han Solo and Princess Leia in his formative years.

They ate while they watched, and Jack was surprised but delighted when Ianto had seconds, the meal receiving the Welshman's critical seal of approval. After finishing off the bottle of wine and taking a break to tidy up and make coffee, they settled in to watch the rest of the movie.

Jack punched the air and whooped with victory as the Death Star blew up, swallowed against the lump in his throat as Luke watched his father's body consumed by the flames of the funeral pyre, laughed at the Ewok's antics, and felt a little shiver down his spine as the galaxy celebrated Emperor Palpatine's demise. He loved the roller coaster ride of emotions that the Star Wars movies evoked.

As the closing fanfare began and the credits rolled up the screen, he reached for the remote, thumbed off the TV, and sunk back into the sofa, sighing happily. "Wow. That was great. I never get tired of watching Star Wars."

"You did seem quite excitable towards the end." Ianto's lips twitched with a wry grin. "But, yeah, they're brilliant films. Classics." He stretched out his legs and grimaced as he wiggled his feet.

Jack patted his lap in invitation. "Come on, put your feet up here. I'll give you a foot rub."

Ianto shook his head. "No, you don't need to do that, Jack."

"I want to. Come on, you'll enjoy it." Jack patted his lap again, not taking no for an answer.

Ianto gave him a sceptical look, but then he rearranged himself and lifted his feet up and onto Jack's lap. His eyes narrowed. "All right. But no tickling."

Jack wasn't sure if he could make that promise, so he chose to remain silent. He didn't have a foot fetish as such, but he would have been lying if he'd said that the idea of getting his hands on Ianto's naked feet didn't give him a thrill. He supposed that was what sexual frustration did to a guy.

Carefully, he rolled off Ianto's socks and took his first close-up look at the Welshman's unadorned feet. While not a connoisseur of feet, he thought they were very appealing all the same: lean, well-proportioned and masculine, with short, neatly-clipped nails.

He looked up at Ianto and grinned. "They're bigger than they look. Plus, you've got hairy toes." He gave the left big toe a little wiggle. "They're adorable."

Ianto scowled. "They bloody well are not."

He tried to extricate his feet, but Jack held them in a firm grip. "Hey, don't do that. I'm just telling you that you've got nice feet. It's a compliment."

Ianto's response was a silent, narrow-eyed glare, but he stopped struggling all the same.

Unperturbed, Jack returned his attention to the task at hand, and with considerable effort to resist playing 'This Little Piggy', he set to work massaging the soles. Ianto remained tense for a minute or so, but it wasn't long before he let out a borderline erotic groan, and Jack knew that his hands had begun to work their magic. He moved his attention to the other foot, digging in his fingers and eliciting another deep groan.

Wondering if the foot rub might be the opening he'd been looking for, he ran his eyes over the length of Ianto's body. His gaze settled on Ianto's crotch, which was visibly more pronounced than it had been a few moments earlier. "How big are you?"

Ianto's eyes had begun to drift closed, but they sprung open again. He lifted his head from where it had been resting on one of the cushions and frowned. "Sorry?"

Fighting the urge to grin, Jack looked pointedly at Ianto's crotch. "How many inches?"

Ianto's eyes widened. Making a spluttering sound, he raised himself up on his elbows and visibly swallowed. "Er... don't know. Just normal size, I suppose."

"You've never measured yourself?" Jack stopped massaging and stared at him in disbelief. "Seriously? You've never been curious?"

Ianto shook his head. "No, not really."

Jack considered what Ianto might define as normal, taking into account the substantial hardness he'd felt during their make-out sessions. "Hmm. So you're what? Six inches when erect? Six-and-a-half?"

Ianto gave a little shrug. "Something like that."

"I'm eight inches." Jack made the statement with complete confidence and grinned proudly.

Ianto responded with a sound of disbelief, almost bordering on a snort. "You're not. You can't be more than seven. Maybe seven-and-a-half. And for the record, I can't believe we're talking about this."

Jack couldn't help laughing, despite his indignation at having his assets undervalued. "You've been looking at photos of me again, haven't you? All right, I'm seven-and-three-quarters. But everyone rounds up. If you've got a tape measure, I'll prove it if you like. Measuring tapes never lie." He wriggled his eyebrows suggestively and received an eye roll in response.

Deciding to take a chance, he moved out from under Ianto's legs and crawled on top of him until he was staring down into the Welshman's startled eyes, their lips almost touching. Already half hard, he slid his arms around Ianto and pressed his crotch against Ianto's. He then rolled his hips and was rewarded with a sharp intake of breath accompanied by a slight tremble of Ianto's body.

He kissed Ianto, keeping it slow and undemanding, taking his time to reacquaint himself with those soft, warm, delicious lips. Through mutual effort, the kiss eventually deepened, Ianto's arms wrapping around him and holding him close, and he groaned as he felt Ianto's erection move against his own. Pausing to catch his breath, he moved his hand to caress Ianto's cheek, tracing the lightly stubbled jawline and smiling down at him before reclaiming his mouth.

Sliding his hand down between their bodies, he palmed Ianto's denim-clad crotch and gave a gentle squeeze, relishing the heat and hardness that was so clearly in need of attention. Ianto moaned softly, rocking his hips as Jack gave a firmer squeeze before working his hand in a gentle massaging motion. He grinned against Ianto's lips. "I'll show you mine if you show me yours."

Ianto froze, his body becoming tense. "Oh... um..."

Jack pulled back far enough to see the uncertainty in Ianto's eyes and experienced a stab of uncertainty himself. "I'm not trying to pressure you, but..." He moved his hand away from Ianto's crotch. "I'm not wrong in thinking you want more, am I?"

"No, of course not. It's just that..." Ianto broke off awkwardly, seeming at a loss for words. "I'm a bit out of my depth here, Jack."

"I know, and that's understandable. But you have nothing to worry about, I promise." Jack gave him a reassuring smile, hoping to allay his concerns. "How about you just relax and let me take care of you? And if you want me to stop, tell me and I will."

Ianto stared into his eyes for a long moment before finally managing a small smile. "Okay."

Jack wished that Ianto's expression wasn't quite so wary, but he shifted down until he was straddling Ianto's thighs and reached for the top button of Ianto's jeans. Looking up, he met Ianto's eyes and waited. "You're sure?"

Ianto took a deep breath and gave him an almost imperceptible nod.

Despite this being what he'd waited for, Jack hesitated and wondered if Ianto was truly ready. But he realised that if he stopped now, Ianto might interpret it as rejection, and the last thing he wanted was to exacerbate Ianto's doubts and insecurities.

He gave Ianto another reassuring smile. Hands a little unsteady with anticipation, he unfastened the Welshman's jeans and eased down the zipper, revealing black briefs stretched over that tantalising bulge. Lifting the hem of Ianto's t-shirt a couple of inches or so, he paused to admire the pale, flat stomach and its generous dusting of dark hair which tapered off in both directions. Captivated, he traced the indentation of Ianto's navel before sliding his fingers downwards and into the waistband of Ianto's underwear. He smiled up at Ianto again. "Just lift your hips for me a little."

Ianto obliged, and perhaps too hastily, Jack eased the jeans and briefs down to mid-thigh in one go. His mouth went dry as he took in the sight before him. Ianto might not have been the biggest man Jack had ever been with, but he had nothing to be embarrassed about. He appeared to be a solid six to six-and-a-half inches, with a nice girth too, and although he'd wilted a little since they'd stopped kissing, he was still a gorgeous sight. Jack loved that Ianto kept himself natural, the nest of dark, thick hair framing his assets to perfection. He'd never been a fan of the hairless, plucked chicken look on men and believed that the manscaping craze had gotten out of hand. And although he indulged in some judicious trimming himself – a holdover from his modelling days when he'd had to be meticulous about keeping every part of his body impeccably groomed – he preferred men who embraced their natural masculinity rather than rebelled against it.

Ianto cleared his throat, causing Jack to drag his gaze back to the Welshman's face. Ianto was looking at him with a worried frown. "Am I all right?"

The anxious look on Ianto's face gave Jack an immediate pang of guilt. He'd been so distracted with studying and admiring Ianto's body, that he hadn't stopped to think about what might be going on in his head. This was the first time that Ianto had been on display to another man in such an intimate and vulnerable manner, and the poor guy was probably thinking that he'd failed to measure up to some impossibly high standard.

Resting a hand on Ianto's bare hip, he stroked gently in an attempt to offer reassurance. He gave Ianto a warm smile. "You're beautiful, Ianto. Every bit as gorgeous as I'd imagined." He shifted his hand closer. "May I?"

Ianto studied his face, as if trying to ascertain his sincerity. Then he replied with another almost indiscernible nod.

Jack teased his fingers gently along Ianto's length, beginning at the base and working his way slowly upwards. That first contact intensified his excitement, and he explored the warm, silky skin and the hardness beneath with a touch bordering on reverence. Reaching the head, he carefully rolled back the foreskin and traced his thumb over the exposed crown, causing a soft moan from Ianto accompanied by a slight shudder. Encouraged by the response, Jack cradled the delicate sack below in his palm and caressed it tenderly, then curved his hand around Ianto's length and began stroking slowly back and forth.

Smiling, he moved up and onto his side so that they were facing each other again. He wrapped his other arm around Ianto's shoulders, looked into his eyes and kissed him, adding a little variation to the speed and tightness of his strokes. Ianto released another soft moan and kissed him back.

They continued kissing, and it wasn't long before Jack sensed that Ianto was close. He was feeling a little light-headed himself, lost in the surreality of fantasy finally becoming reality. Their kiss faltered as Ianto climaxed, his hips jolting as he throbbed in Jack's hand. Jack had the wherewithal to catch most of the thick, hot spurts with his fingers, figuring that Ianto wouldn't appreciate his clean t-shirt being soiled. He kept stroking until the aftershocks had passed and Ianto had given up every last drop.

Ianto's chest was rising and falling as he caught his breath, and Jack pressed a kiss against the heated skin of his neck. "Good?"

Face flushed and eyes glazed, Ianto managed a shaky nod. "Yeah."

Relieved, Jack kissed him again, this time on the corner of his mouth. "Wait here. I'll get something to clean us up."

Retreating to the bathroom, he washed his hands and dampened a hand towel with warm water. He was still hard and in need of release, but he wasn't sure if Ianto would be up for returning the favour. He didn't want to risk overwhelming him.

Back at the sofa, he gently wiped Ianto clean and tucked him back into his underwear and jeans. The Welshman watched him, still looking a little dazed and euphoric, but then his eyes shifted to the obvious bulge of Jack's erection. "I want to watch you, Jack."

Jack felt his eyebrows lift with surprise, and his crotch tightened further. He hadn't expected Ianto to be quite so forthright, but he was more than happy to give him a show. Refraining from making a lewd comment and spoiling the mood, he simply smiled in reply. "Okay."

Moving to recline sideways across from Ianto, he shimmied out of his jeans and briefs, impatiently pushing them down past his knees before kicking them off completely, not wanting his legs confined. Meeting Ianto's eyes, he gave himself several slow and deliberate strokes, groaning with a combination of pleasure and relief.

Ianto watched him with obvious curiosity, his intent, unwavering gaze serving to heighten Jack's arousal. As an afterthought, Jack unbuttoned his shirt, stripped it off and tossed it aside. Ianto had already seen photos of him fully naked, so it wasn't as if he had anything to keep as a surprise. Raising his arms up above his head, he stretched himself out and rolled his hips, then slowly slid his hands down the length of his torso, enjoying the way that Ianto's eyes followed his every movement.

He did his best to make it good for Ianto. Bending one knee and parting his legs to give Ianto an unobstructed view, he fondled and stroked himself while using his other hand to explore the firm contours of his chest and abdomen and play with his nipples, teasing them until they became hard.

Having Ianto watching him like this was a fantasy that even he hadn't imagined, and he was loving every moment. Even so, he wanted more. Pausing, he beckoned Ianto closer. "Come here. Give me your hand."

Ianto hesitated, but then he scooted closer, and Jack pulled him in against his side. It was strange, being naked while his partner was fully clothed, but it was also kind of exciting. Next time, though, he hoped that Ianto would be naked with him.

He took Ianto's hand, smiled at him, and pressed a kiss against his palm. "Just do what you like doing to yourself."

Ianto swallowed, meeting his eyes with a nervous glance. "Er... all right."

That first touch was like a jolt of electricity throughout his body, and Jack groaned as Ianto's hand wrapped around him and gave a few slow, tentative strokes. Clearly encouraged by his response, Ianto's grip became firmer, his movements gaining in confidence.

Reclining his head, Jack closed his eyes. He'd had plenty of men and women touch him like this over the years, and although he always enjoyed it, it wasn't the most adventurous of sexual activities. But he was more than a little shocked by how incredibly good this felt, almost as if it was his first time all over again.

The difference, of course, was with who was touching him. This wasn't just anyone. This was Ianto. This was the man he loved... the man who had captured his heart. This was their first time together, and Ianto's first time touching another man, making it all the more special. And it was hopefully just the beginning of so much more. A journey which they were embarking on together.

Ianto gave a sharper tug, then teased the sensitive spot just below the head with his thumb, causing Jack to jerk his hips and groan louder. As he'd suspected, those beautiful hands were sinfully talented. He opened his eyes and pulled Ianto into a passionate kiss, moaning as their tongues met and tangled with one another.

He climaxed almost embarrassingly quickly, thrusting up into Ianto's hand and shooting over his chest and stomach. Ianto continued to stroke him until he was spent, his breath a gentle, comforting caress against Jack's heated skin.

Taking deep breaths as he recovered, he watched Ianto, who was staring down at his slick torso with an expression of curious fascination. Ianto then looked up and into his eyes. "Was that all right?"

Jack smiled, his chest swelling with a rush of affection. "More than all right. That was amazing."

Taking Ianto's face in his hands, he kissed him firmly before reaching for the towel, intending to quickly clean himself up and get back to more kissing.

They both jumped with a start as the doorbell rang.