Chapter Twenty-Seven

With a sense of dread churning in the pit of his stomach, Ianto took a deep breath and rang the doorbell. It was late on Saturday afternoon, and he'd been putting this off for the last several days, telling himself that he was just giving his sister a chance to acclimate to married life before dropping his bombshell. He'd even managed to almost convince himself that it was true.

Rhiannon and Johnny had moved into their modest three-bedroom end-of-terrace house a little over a year ago, not long before Ianto had returned home from his sabbatical in France. It was their first proper home together, the first time owning a home for both of them, and he knew that it meant a lot to them to have a place they could truly call their own. Located on the southern most edge of Rumney, almost on the border of Splott, it wasn't the best of areas, but it also wasn't the worst, and it was a definite step up from the council estate where they'd grown up. The houses were fairly neat and Rhiannon said the neighbours were nice. It wasn't the sort of place where he would choose to settle down himself, but it was a sensible, affordable option for a couple starting out without much in the way of money behind them.

Glancing around at the surroundings, he thought about his own situation. His rental flat was only meant to be a short-term option while he concentrated on getting the bakery established. Longer term, he'd hoped to stop renting and purchase a flat of his own or perhaps a small house. He liked the idea of having a bit of a garden and fancied getting himself a dog, although with his long days at the bakery, a cat would be more self-sufficient and practical. He liked cats too, and he'd grown quite fond of Moses.

His circumstances, however, were different now. Assuming that his relationship with Jack continued, the natural progression was to eventually live together. He wasn't sure how he felt about that, even though it seemed like a long way off. Jack obviously wouldn't want to move out of his spacious and luxurious flat, nor would Ianto want him to, which didn't leave much in the way of options. Sooner or later, he'd likely end up living at Jack's flat. It was an amazing flat and far better than anything he could ever afford on his own, but he would be living in someone else's home and giving up the chance of owning a place of his own. With almost all his financial worth tied up in the bakery, not being encumbered by a mortgage wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but he wasn't sure how comfortable he'd be with that sort of arrangement, irrespective of his feelings for Jack. Also, he wasn't sure if he was ready to give up his independence again, even though it had often been tempered by bouts of loneliness.

The door opened, ending any further thoughts on the subject. Summoning up a smile, Ianto greeted his sister cheerfully and kissed her on the cheek as she ushered him inside. He followed her down the narrow hallway and into the kitchen, avoiding the towering piles of wedding gifts and trying not to look too closely at his surroundings. Rhiannon tried to make an effort, but she didn't share his penchant for order and cleanliness.

She put the kettle on and prattled about some drama with the daughter of one of the neighbours, but he was only half listening as he stood awkwardly by the kitchen's doorway. He was just thankful that Johnny was at his parents' house, helping with the assembly of some new bookshelves.

"Are you all right? You look a bit peaky. Are you eating and getting enough sleep? You look like you might be coming down with something."

Ianto blinked and realised that Rhiannon had stopped making tea and was studying him with a concerned frown. "I'm fine, Rhi." He moved over to the table and sat down, pushing a large pile of junk mail to one side before folding his hands in his lap. "So, um, how's married life?"

She continued to scrutinise him for a moment before returning to the tea making. "Same as before, really. Johnny still drives me mad half the time, so that hasn't changed." Putting the two mugs of tea on the table, she sat down across from him. "Do you want something to eat? I've got some of that nice spinach dip."

Ianto shook his head and gratefully wrapped his hands around the mug in front of him.

Rhiannon continued talking. "No, it's good. It's nice to feel settled. After all the drama with the wedding, it's a relief to get back to normal again. Oh, before I forget, you know my friend Carys? She was asking about you. She was watching you at the wedding, but she's shy and couldn't get up the nerve to talk to you. I thought you could give her a call? She's nice. I'll give you her phone number." Her concerned frown reappeared. "I worry about you, Ianto. You shouldn't be alone."

Swallowing against the sudden tightness in his throat, Ianto took a long, deep breath and steeled himself. "Actually, that's sort of what I wanted to talk to you about."

Rhiannon's eyebrows shot up. "You've met someone? Oh, that's brilliant. Who is she? Where did you meet? What's she like?" Then, staring at him, her face fell. "Oh, god. What is it? What's wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong." Ianto stared down at his tea, panic tightening around his chest. "The thing is... well... yes, I'm seeing someone... but it's a bit complicated..." Closing his eyes and telling himself just to blurt it out and get it over with, he opened them again and forced himself to meet his sister's searching gaze. "Rhi, I'm, um... I'm dating Jack." He took another deep breath. "Jack's my... he's my boyfriend."

Rhiannon stared at him, her expression one of complete incomprehension. She opened her mouth, closed it again, then opened it once more. "Jack?" She blinked several times, then frowned. "But you're not gay. You've had girlfriends. There was Lisa. You loved her. Have you gone bender?"

Ianto cringed. "No. Of course not. I'm not... well, I'm not gay." He sighed with the now familiar sense of frustration. No matter what he said, he was fairly sure that Rhiannon was never going to understand. "I'm not really sure what I am. Maybe I'm a bit bisexual. It's just... it's different with Jack. He's..." Despite the incredible awkwardness of the situation, thinking of Jack made him smile. "He is very handsome."

Rhiannon's eyes widened. "No! You're kidding me! Really, though? You're really dating Jack?" As her initial shock seemed to fade, she gave him a questioningly look. "Since when?"

Ianto took a sip of his tea and sighed again. It was just over ten weeks since their first official date. "A bit over two months."

"Two months! And you've kept it a secret all this time?" Rhiannon gaped at him with obvious outrage, but he could see the hurt in her eyes. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Well, there was the wedding. And I wasn't sure what it was in the beginning. I didn't want to broadcast it. And... I wasn't sure how you'd take it." Ianto stared down at his tea again. Finally he looked up, wanting desperately for Rhiannon to understand. "It's not men. It's... it's just him. It's only him."

Rhiannon sipped on her tea for a moment. When she spoke again, her expression had softened. "It's serious, then, is it?"

Ianto managed a weak smile. "Yeah... yeah, it is."

"I really like Jack. He's nice... kind-hearted, charming... generous too. Look at how he saved the day with my wedding dress. And he did all the wedding photography and refused to take any money. Plus, he's drop-dead gorgeous." Rhiannon grinned, a mischievous glint appearing in her eyes. "Every inch of him."

Ianto glared at his sister. "Rhi! You're a married woman."

Rhiannon waved a hand dismissively. "That doesn't mean I'm not allowed to look." Her expression turned thoughtful. "Actually, I told Jack when we went up to London that I almost wished you were gay so the two of you could get together. I thought he'd be good for you. Looks like I got my wish. Now I think about it, though, it was odd how quickly you and Jack became friends. That's not like you."

Ianto couldn't deny that he'd never been one to make friends easily, nor was he particularly surprised to hear that he'd been a topic of conversation during their trip. Jack had no doubt taken the opportunity to wheedle as much information from his sister as possible. From the very beginning, Jack had been nothing if not persistent. "You don't mind, then?"

Rhiannon gave him an exasperated look. "Of course not, you daft sod." She tilted her head, her questioning gaze returning. "Does he make you happy?"

"Yeah." Surprised by the certainty of his response, Ianto felt that same unstoppable smile tug at the corners of his mouth. "Very happy."

Rhiannon smiled in return. "Well, that's all that matters, then." She sipped at her tea, then put it down again, shaking her head. "Bloody hell, though. It's a bit of a shock."

Ianto couldn't disagree. All things considered, Rhiannon seemed to be taking the news remarkably well. "Johnny's going to have a field day, isn't he?"

"You know Johnny. He'll make some crass jokes about it, but he won't care. His friend Jake is gay." Rhiannon spoke matter-of-factly. "Does anyone else know yet?"

Of course, Ianto knew about Jake since he and Rhys seemed to be quite taken with each other. Jake had stopped in at the bakery twice during the week and the pair were going out again tonight. He replied with a reluctant nod. "Rhys knows. And Jack's friend Owen. I told Jack I wanted to keep it quiet until after the wedding."

Rhiannon frowned in obvious disapproval. "You should have told me sooner."

"I know. I'm sorry." Giving her a look of apology, Ianto sighed again. "It hasn't been easy... coming to terms with it all."

"I can't even begin to imagine." Reaching across the table, she squeezed his hand and offered an encouraging smile. "I'm glad you told me."

Ianto squeezed her hand in return. "Thanks for understanding, Rhi."

As they continued drinking their tea, Rhiannon's face took on a thoughtful expression again. "Same-sex marriage is legal in Wales now, you know." She grinned. "Jack could end up being my brother-in-law."

She looked positively delighted by the prospect, and Ianto had to try not to cringe as he imagined his sister proudly telling all her friends that the gorgeous photographer at her wedding was her brother's new boyfriend, or worse, her prospective future brother-in-law.

Suddenly, her mouth dropped open with a look of horror. "Oh, bloody hell. I'm not sure if I can survive planning another wedding. At least give me some time to recover from this one first, yeah?"

Ianto rolled his eyes at her antics, but then he laughed, feeling as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

###

Later that evening, after a romantic home-cooked dinner courtesy of Jack, Ianto stared down at Jack's handsome face and reflected that no amount of research could have prepared him for this experience.

He frowned in concentration as he eased out and pushed into Jack again, managing to get a bit deeper this time. Despite what had seemed like sufficient preparation, Jack was still very tight. "I don't want to hurt you."

Jack smiled up at him, holding his gaze. "You won't, I promise. Keep going."

Ignoring the pounding of his heart, Ianto took a deep breath and slowly pushed forward again. They both wanted this, but it was obvious that they were both suffering from performance anxiety. In hindsight, they probably shouldn't have waited an entire week since they'd talked about doing this, even though it had given him the time he'd needed to undertake some research. He'd wanted to be prepared, but he now wondered if all his newly acquired knowledge was going to be his undoing and ruin the experience.

Fortunately, he met less resistance this time and was able to keep easing forward until he was fully inside. A tremor rippled over Jack's torso, the muscles of his abdomen and chest visibly tensing. Jack's accompanying groan seemed to be part pain and part pleasure, and his eyes fluttered closed before opening again. He wrapped his legs around the back of Ianto's thighs, pushing against him with his hips, and this time his groan sounded of nothing but pleasure.

Ianto hadn't expected the tightness to be so intense, and he failed to stifle his own unsteady groan, hoping that he'd last long enough not to embarrass himself. Focusing on his breathing, he waited a few moments to give Jack time to adjust. Then, taking hold of Jack's hips, he carefully eased out and pushed back in again. They both moaned in unison.

"Come here." Jack pulled him down, their arms wrapping around each other as their mouths met in a deep and passion-filled kiss.

While they explored each other's mouths, Ianto rocked his hips, sliding slowly back and forth. The combination of sensations was intoxicating. The heat and firmness of Jack's body, the touch of his hands, his sweet taste with its lingering trace of coffee, his musky, masculine scent, the hard length of his erection, that amazing tightness... everything about Jack filled Ianto's senses.

Jack's hands trailed down his back and grasped hold of his arse, squeezing and massaging the soft flesh. They continued to kiss as Jack's fingers dipped inwards and found his hole, stroking over its rim. Ianto shivered in response and surprised himself by pushing back in encouragement. Although this was new and different, the truth was that he couldn't imagine Jack touching him in a way he didn't enjoy. In fact, he was almost disappointed that Jack seemed content with this gentle teasing rather than lubing up his fingers and delving deeper. The thought of being impaled on one or more of Jack's fingers at the same time that he buried deep inside Jack was almost enough to make him spontaneously climax. He wasn't entirely sure that he wouldn't anyway.

Their mouths parted, and Jack lifted a hand to caress his face while the other one continued to tease him. "You don't have to be gentle. Just do whatever you like."

Ianto gave him a hesitant nod in reply. Shifting upright again, he delivered a series of deep thrusts, pulling almost the entire way out and adding a little more power with each one. He took hold of Jack's erection and stroked it from root to tip, adding a twist on the upstroke and relishing every moan and murmur of encouragement from Jack in response. He dipped down and kissed Jack again, trailing his hands down Jack's torso before grasping hold of his thighs and thrusting into him with increased confidence.

Despite the basic mechanics being familiar, he'd been worried that this would be unbearably awkward, his lack of experience resulting in an unsatisfying experience all around. In particular, he'd been worried about disappointing Jack, who likely had an extensive catalogue of encounters with which to compare this against.

Judging from Jack's response, however, it seemed that his fears had been unfounded. Besides, this wasn't just about sex. They were sharing their love for each other in the most natural and intimate way possible. This was a milestone in their relationship in a physical sense, but it was also more than that. Looking into Jack's eyes, he realised that this was a new and profound experience for both of them.

They found their rhythm, and something primal rose up inside him as he continued to gain confidence. He was imbued with an awareness of staking his claim, of taking possession of what was rightfully his. Jack was becoming more undone with each passing moment, and as they kissed again, he experienced a sense of awe and amazement. Using his body to give Jack pleasure, and knowing without a doubt that Jack was loving every moment was a heady, powerful rush unlike anything that he'd known before.

Leaning back a bit, he attempted to adjust the angle of penetration, seeking out the elusive sweet spot of Jack's prostate. He'd read that this could take some practice, and he suspected that Jack's hips needed to be elevated to achieve the ideal angle, but when Jack's body jerked and a look of unadulterated ecstasy passed over his face, he was fairly sure that he'd found his prize.

Clearly, neither of them were going to last very long. Jack took hold of himself while Ianto tried to concentrate on maintaining their rhythm. Muscles rippling, skin flushed and gleaming with sweat, lips kiss-swollen and eyes glazed with pleasure, Jack was nothing short of magnificent. Glancing down at his own flushed, sweaty body, he hoped that Jack found him equally as appealing.

Jack only managed a few strokes before a strangled groan tore from his throat and his body spasmed, the sudden vice-like clench of his sphincter muscles causing Ianto to moan and gasp Jack's name. He watched in fascination as Jack climaxed with several powerful spurts, managing a few more unsteady thrusts himself before he climaxed too, filling the condom as the shock waves coursed through his body.

Limbs no longer willing to support his weight, he pulled out and collapsed on top of Jack, claiming his mouth in a breathless kiss. Boneless and satiated, he rested there while he recovered, enjoying the feel of Jack's body beneath him. Although conscious of the mess they'd made of themselves, he didn't want to move.

Jack dealt with the condom, peeling it off and wrapping it in a tissue, then cradled the back of Ianto's head with one hand while the other stroked up and down his back. "Okay?"

Ianto nodded against Jack's shoulder. "Yep. You?"

"Never better." Jack's lips brushed his cheek and lingered. "You're amazing."

Ianto laughed with happiness and relief. "You're not bad yourself."

They shared a leisurely kiss, and since Jack seemed disinclined to move, Ianto took it upon himself to deal with cleaning them up, figuring it was his turn anyway. "Back in a sec."

Reluctantly, he climbed off Jack and looked down at himself, tracing his fingers over where the dark hair of his chest and abdomen was smeared with Jack's semen. He looked up to find Jack watching him with hooded eyes and a soft, contented smile.

After cleaning them up and returning the flannel to the bathroom, he stretched out alongside Jack, still too warm from their lovemaking for clothing or bed covers. Jack's eyes were closed, but his arm slipped around Ianto's shoulders and held him close.

Ianto smiled as he studied Jack's face. Serene and relaxed, with just a hint of a smile still on his lips, this was a stark contrast to the exuberant and animated Jack that he'd come to know over the past several months. Enthralled by the sight, he suspected that watching this subdued, post-coital Jack could become one of his favourite activities. Shagging Jack senseless was going to be high up on the list too.

Shifting in their embrace, he roamed his eyes over the rest of Jack, admiring every toned plane and curve, a part of him still marvelling at his fascination with another man's body. Beginning at Jack's hip, he trailed his fingers over Jack's skin, tangling them in the neat patch of pubic hair before exploring Jack's abdomen and tracing the outline of each muscle. Jack responded with a soft murmur, the smile on his lips becoming more pronounced.

Working upwards, he continued to explore, taking his time to study every detail. He kissed Jack's chest, enjoying the feel of the firm, warm skin against his lips. "You're beautiful, Jack."

He hadn't meant to say the words aloud, although he wasn't especially surprised that he had. Little by little, he found himself losing his inhibitions around Jack. Not to the point where he'd wander around his flat naked, like Jack had done the week before – he still couldn't believe that he'd gone into the kitchen to find both Jack and Rhys without so much as a pair of underwear between them – but he was nonetheless becoming more comfortable, more tactile and less reserved when they were together in private. Even simply lying in bed after sex without covering himself up was new. In the past, he'd always been in a hurry to put on some clothes or pull up the bed covers, self-conscious about remaining so exposed. He didn't feel that way with Jack, and it was unexpectedly liberating.

Jack's eyes opened and looked into his. "Do you really mean that?"

Ianto would have rolled his eyes in reproach, but there was an underlying hint of vulnerability in Jack's voice so he took the question seriously. "It's what I think when I look at you. Although I'm sure you've been told that countless times before."

"It's different hearing it from you." Jack stared at him, his usual bravado nowhere to be found. "Maybe because I know how much it means for you to say something like that... maybe because I'm hoping you'll only ever say that to me."

Not quite sure how to respond, Ianto pressed his lips to Jack's. Holding on to each other, they kissed for what must have been at least several minutes. It was slow and tender, lacking their usual urgency, but filled with desire nonetheless.

Ianto stroked the back of Jack's neck as they eased apart and smiled at each other. "This... us... it's real, isn't it?"

It seemed like an absurd thing to say under the circumstances, but the solemn, contemplative expression on Jack's face suggested that he understood. He took hold of Ianto's hand and kissed the palm. "Yeah... yeah, it is."

"You almost sound surprised." Ianto looked into Jack's eyes, trying to discern what he was thinking.

"In a way, I suppose I am." Jack ran his fingers over Ianto's shoulder and down his arm. "At the risk of sounding overly sentimental, I never thought I'd find this... find someone who makes me feel the way you do." An uncharacteristically self-conscious smile graced his lips. "The day we met, I knew you were special. Then we started to get to know each other. And somewhere along the way I realised that I wanted to take you in my arms and never let go."

Ianto again found himself lost for words. A part of him wanted to tell Jack how he felt, but the words seemed to get caught in his throat. He'd never been good at expressing his feelings, and he cursed his lack of eloquence.

Jack gave an uneasy chuckle, but his gaze didn't waver. "See? I warned you."

Ianto shook his head. "No. I'm glad you told me. I like knowing how you feel." Fearing that Jack might regret his honesty, he kissed him again, more urgently this time, trying to convey what he couldn't express with words.

To his relief, Jack reciprocated without hesitation, pulling Ianto on top of him and kissing him insistently. They were both becoming aroused again, and Ianto groaned as he moved his hips, rubbing himself against Jack's hardening length.

Jack rolled them over, pinning Ianto beneath him, their kisses becoming more passionate. When their lips broke contact, Jack trailed kisses along Ianto's jaw, down his neck and across his shoulder. Jack nuzzled the dark hair of Ianto's underarm, giving an appreciative moan, then proceeded to kiss a path across his chest. Ianto groaned with pleasure as Jack lavished attention on each of his nipples, teasing them mercilessly with his lips and tongue.

Then, to Ianto's dismay, Jack pulled away and rested on the backs of his legs. Jack's blue eyes raked over him, and Ianto moved to bring their bodies together again. Jack, however, held down his hips as a devilish grin spread across his face. He rocked forward, delivering a delicious grind of hot, hard flesh, then pulled back again, still grinning.

Ianto glared up at him. "Damn it, Jack. Stop teasing."

Jack chuckled without a hint of remorse. "I think I like having you at my mercy." He rocked forward again, lingering just a little longer this time, then pulled back once more. After several tortuous moments, he repeated the action, the contact still far too brief. "I wonder... how long can you last before you start to beg?"

Ianto groaned in frustration. He suspected that he'd last about thirty seconds if he was lucky, not that he'd admit that to Jack. Playing along, he gave Jack a defiant glare. "Do you really want to put that to the test?"

"Hmm." Jack lowered himself over Ianto, holding his wrists in a firm grip while keeping their crotches a mere couple of inches apart. Then he lowered his hips and gave another slow, teasing slide, causing them both to moan. Jack did this several more times, drawing out the anticipation until Ianto was convinced that he was going to lose his mind.

"Jack..." Ianto tried to thrust upwards with his hips, but Jack was too quick for him, pulling away just far enough to keep them from making contact.

The smile on Jack's face was infuriatingly smug, but his eyes were warm with affection. Leaning in, he kissed Ianto's lips. "Maybe I'll take pity on you. Just this once."

In one swift movement, Jack gathered Ianto into his arms, shifting them upright and bringing their bodies together. With one arm wrapped firmly around Ianto's waist, his other hand grasped hold of their erections and stroked them in tandem.

They lasted longer this time, Jack climaxing only a few seconds after Ianto. Jack lowered them back down onto the bed and they kissed tenderly, heedless once more of the mess they'd made of each other.

Ianto's chest swelled with emotion as he looked into Jack's eyes. "Jack... about the not letting go bit..." Swallowing, he took a deep breath. "I want you to know... I'm okay with that... more than okay, actually."

It wasn't 'I love you' exactly – he would need time to work up to that – but perhaps in a way it was something better. More real... more meaningful.

Judging from his beaming smile and the happiness in his eyes, Jack completely agreed.