"Hi, Jack," Ianto said, answering his mobile as he stretched out on the couch.

"Hey there, Tiger. How was your afternoon?"

"It was fine. I stopped round to Tosh's with a pizza and video."

"She alright?"

"Yeah. I feel a little guilty about it, but she's pretty much convinced that she just had more to drink than she realized."

"I know what you're feeling," Jack said. "The way I think of it, saves people having to deal with traumatizing memories. Especially when nothing really changed at day's end. It doesn't always work that way."

"I suppose so. What about you, then? How's work?"

Jack made a noncommittal sound. "I'm here, but my mind isn't."

Ianto frowned, aware that Jack couldn't read his expression over the phone. "That doesn't sound like a good state if you're dealing with problem aliens…."

"Nah, nothing going on tonight. Just sitting here with a stack of paperwork in front of me. Any wonder I'm having no luck concentrating?"

"Paperwork, eh? I have a difficult time believing that even paperwork is dull around there, Jack. Most of us don't routinely report on alien encounters, you know?"

"Yeah, but when you've been reporting on the same aliens and other Rift flotsam for more than a century, it all gets kinda same-y," Jack sighed.

"I'd help if I could," Ianto said apologetically.

"I know, it's ok. It helps just to hear your voice."

Ianto couldn't help smiling at that. "I could… I don't know, read you the directory, if it'd help."

"You know, I'm certain even that would sound incredible read in your beautiful Welsh vowels."

Ianto laughed. "Right. Did you check the forecast? Any evenings look quiet for you?"

"It doesn't look like an especially busy week. Wanna shoot for Friday?"

"Yeah, sure."

"I was thinking, maybe something mid-week as well? Can I take you to lunch some afternoon this week?"

"That would be good, too. Bearing in mind, however, I only have an hour for lunch…."

"I promise not to make you late. I'll even call ahead for reservations. And I'll be on best behaviour… no snogging in the carpark when I bring you back to work."

"Hmm… well… maybe just one quick snog, depending on which colleagues are likely to see."

"Oh… now there's a side of you I haven't seen before!"

Ianto rolled his eyes at Jack's excited tone. "Calm down, you. I meant no such thing."

"Spoilsport," Jack said with an audible pout.

"That's me, yeah. Especially as you're on duty and haven't finished your paperwork, Captain."

"Hey, I am the Captain. That means I get to say 'stuff paperwork, I'm talking to my boyfriend.'"

Ianto laughed. "If you say so. Maybe I should turn in for the night, though. I've got work in the morning, after all. And then you could go ahead and finish your paperwork."

"You're a cruel, cruel man, Ianto Jones. You wouldn't really do that to me, now would you?"

Ianto affected a deep yawn down the phone.

"Oh, all right," Jack sighed. "I suppose you were up rather late last night…. Doesn't mean I'm going back to the paperwork, though," he said stubbornly.

"What will you find to occupy yourself, in that case?"

Jack was quiet for a moment, then said, "Maybe I'll just do a little reading."

Ianto snickered disbelievingly.

"What? I like to read."

"Oh, that I believe. I just have some serious doubts about you reading this evening."

Jack huffed. "Well, I haven't anything better to do, have I?"

"Of course you haven't…."

"I haven't!" Jack contended. "I'm on duty, and you won't talk dirty to me because I won't do my paperwork. Therefore, I have nothing better to do."

"Oh, Jack… what is to be done with you?"

"I could supply a list," Jack offered eagerly.

"Hmm…. I think I've just thought of one myself."

"Yeah? Do tell!"

Ianto could just about picture Jack sat on the edge of his chair, anticipating whatever bit of kink had crossed Ianto's mind. "I couldn't help thinking of you there, in your office, behind your desk, looking all… beguilingly handsome."

"Uh huh, with you so far," Jack said with that audible grin.

"Only… I'm thinking of you naked."

"I like the way you think! And I also like the way your voice gets all low when you talk dirty…."

"Not just naked, though," Ianto continued. "Naked and tied down to your chair. You're not going anywhere, Captain."

Jack gave a filthy laugh. "Is that so?"

"Yep."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Oh, just the fact that you're also shackled to your desk. And I've got the only key."

"Oh yeah? And… so… what, exactly, do I have to do to get you to unshackle me, huh?"

Ianto snickered. "I don't know if you're prepared to acquiesce to my demands, Captain…."

"I don't suppose I'm in much of a position to argue… I'll do anything, if you'll just let me go afterward."

"Anything?"

"Anything, yes!"

Ianto pitched his voice a bit lower. "Even… your paperwork?"

Jack was silent for a moment before letting out a long groan. "Cruel man."

"Ah, well. Someone's got to keep you in line."

"You're likely the only one who could," Jack admitted.

"So what day are we planning for lunch?" Ianto asked.

"Tuesday, maybe?" Jack offered. "Or maybe Wednesday… split up the week."

"I was going to mention something else as well," Ianto said. "Tosh and I were thinking of going to play pool some evening, and I thought you might like to join us. I'd really like for the two of you to meet… without a death this time."

"I'd like that, yeah. Maybe we could do lunch Tuesday, pool Thursday, and date Friday?"

"Sounds like a good week."

"Yeah. I like that idea better than having to wait all week to see you again."

Ianto smiled at the warmth that enveloped him when Jack said that. "I like that as well, Jack. Not having to wait to see you."

"We could make that a regular thing. I mean, never know what the Rift is gonna throw at me, but with a little patience and flexibility on your part… we could have standing dates a few times a week."

"I'd be fine with that," Ianto said. "Let's talk about that over lunch Tuesday, shall we?"

"I'll put it on the agenda," Jack confirmed. "Right between… say, ordering entrees and me telling you how gorgeous you are."

"Alright, Casanova," Ianto laughed.

"He was a total jerk," Jack said quickly. "Trust me. Me… I'm probably more like Tom Rakewell. In fact, remind me to tell you about the time Wystie Auden, Chris Isherwood, and I were out cruising in -"

"Jack, I'm going to bed now. You finish your paperwork like a good lad and I'll give you a piece of candy when I see you next, yeah?"

Jack chuckled. "Ok. Sweet dreams, Ianto Jones. Phone me tomorrow?"

"I will. Stay safe, Jack."

"I promise. Any Weevils wanna tangle with me, I'll be sure to tell 'em they'd have to answer to you."

Ianto went to bed that night wondering when his life had taken the turning marked "Alien Monsters Living in the Sewers and Boyfriend Who Hung Out with Pre-War Writers but Doesn't Even Look Old Enough to Have Met John Lennon."

"I'll get that, I'm on my way out for lunch anyway," Gwen said when there was a knock at the office door.

Ianto checked his watch – 11:27 – and had a feeling that knock was Jack coming to take him to lunch. Well, he supposed, Gwen might as well meet him all over again. She won't have remembered all but drooling over him the first time. He decided to keep an ear out to see if she had the same reaction this time.

Gwen's immediate, "Oh, hello!" proved Ianto right. "How can I help you… um…?"

Ianto struggled not to laugh out loud when Jack re-introduced himself, "Captain Jack Harkness. I'm here to see Mr. Jones."

"Oh." Gwen paused. "What's he done?"

Tosh's stifled snicker at her workstation behind Ianto nearly set him off. Especially as he could just picture Jack's grin at that question.

"Everything right!" Jack said over by the door, and Ianto was sure he turned bright red.

Ianto jumped up from his desk, grabbed his jacket from the rack, and hurried to the door. "Thanks, Gwen. Enjoy your lunch. Bye!" he said in a rush, taking Jack's arm and rushing him out.

"Eager to get me all to yourself, are you?" Jack laughed.

"Nope, just doing your mate Rhys a favour. Besides, I skipped breakfast, so I'm hungry."

"Well, let's be off, then. Oh, just one thing before we go…." Jack wrapped his arms around Ianto's waist and pulled him close. "I've missed you, Ianto Jones."

"Jack… it's been two days."

"Yeah, tell me about it!" Jack said.

"Reckon I've missed you, too," Ianto said, giving Jack a quick kiss.

Jack pouted. "Oh, now don't tell me that's gonna be that one snog you promised me!"

Ianto rolled his eyes and said, "You'll get your snog once I've got my lunch. Let's go."

Jack just grinned and followed Ianto out to the car park. "I like it when you roll your eyes like that. It's cute," Jack decided. "Oh, hey, did you ask your workmate about Thursday evening?"

"Yep. Tosh is in. She did ask me to 'warn' you that she's quite good at pool, though. Some blokes get a bit annoyed when they're beaten by a girl, apparently."

Jack laughed. "Ianto… have you known anything about me to be like some blokes?"

Ianto paused for a moment, then said, "No, actually. Nothing at all."