Same Ianto, Different Jack
Chapter 6
by Gracefultree
A/N: Thanks for all the reviews and follows! I'm happy to give you the next installment. Enjoy!
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Ianto was almost asleep when he heard New Jack's boots in the hallway outside his cell. He closed his eyes and waited, huddling in his blanket.
"Ianto? Are you awake?" New Jack asked tentatively.
Ianto ignored him. Between leaving after their shag with barely an acknowledgment and running away in the middle of their talk earlier, Ianto was in no mood to be generous. Plus, he was tired and cold. He didn't think it had been very long since New Jack bailed on their conversation, so he'd probably sequestered the unpleasant emotions somewhere in the back of his head and come back to do whatever he'd originally come down for. Ianto really hoped it wasn't sex. He wasn't ready to do that again with this man, though he knew he probably would if that's what New Jack asked for. New Jack was still Jack, as he kept reminding himself.
He wanted his own Jack.
The cell door clicked open and New Jack walked over to him. "Ianto?" New Jack asked again, shaking his shoulder gently.
"What?" Ianto mumbled, pulling his head out from under the blanket.
"Promise not to touch anything, ok? I want to take you somewhere."
Ianto yawned, covering his mouth to hide his knowing smile. New Jack's pheromones were in the air, and it was time to begin the game. How long could he resist New Jack's advances? Did he think sleeping with him would help? He definitely wanted to see him away from Gwen... and he knew it wasn't just his jealousy motivating that desire. New Jack was clearly miserable in his life with that woman, and if Ianto could help relight New Jack's spark for the world, he would consider this a successful mission. (Not that it was a mission. More of a detour.)
Jack wasn't the type to cheat on a partner, despite the reputation he carried. Instead, he would make it clear to his lover(s) that he was a free agent and leave it at that, or discuss it more if said lover needed to. If he wanted something outside the usual dalliances or routine, he would tell his lover(s), so they would be aware of what was going on. Jack felt that openness about what was going on was important. New Jack going behind Gwen's back to have sex with other people, not once, but three times, with three different people, disturbed Ianto greatly.
He climbed to his feet, stretched, folded his blanket, and put it down on the bench before turning to New Jack. His stolen swipe card remained in its new hiding place where he could come back for it if he ever needed it. I'll probably be back here in a few hours, anyway, he mused. And maybe I'll have some other tech or toy I can liberate. Only time you're ever going to hear me be thankful for my pickpocketing career.
"I'm all yours, sir," he said to New Jack.
They walked side-by-side through the tunnels of the base. Ianto noted small differences, made sure to put them in a folder in his mind where he could easily access them again. As they entered the main Hub, Ianto felt the muscle in his cheek twitching that signaled the beginnings of an OCD episode. The place was trashed. Pizza boxes, take away containers, cardboard coffee cups, and balled-up papers littered every available surface, often spilling to the floor. They were drowning in files and folders and reports. He couldn't even see Gwen or Owen's desks. Tosh's was passable, if messy and overrun with half-built tech, which helped him calm down a little. His mouth dropped open as he saw the array of tech just sitting out in the open.
"Don't you people even pretend to clean!" he growled, grabbing a bin liner from a pile of cleaning supplies that seemed unused and shoving as much rubbish into it as he could. "You! Put this in the Secure Archives. This, too. And that," he ordered New Jack.
New Jack stood there, completely frozen. His mouth worked open and closed, but he couldn't seem to form words.
"Jack! I said put those things away! And those two! And that one! Then get a bin liner and get to work!"
New Jack jumped to do what Ianto asked.
Ianto tied off the current bag and started a second. "I can forgo the recycling today," he muttered under his breath as he worked. "Just gotta get it clean. Gotta be able to work in here. Gotta be able to see their desks. Can't have germs. Jack likes it clean... never says anything, but he likes it. Gotta see the desks. Gotta get rid of the rubbish. Come on, Jones, clean faster!"
Ianto was tying off his sixth bag by the time New Jack got all the items into the Secure Archives. New Jack paused, hands on his hips, watching Ianto curiously.
"You know, this isn't really what I had in mind," he said petulantly.
"You want to have sex with me? Keep this place clean!" Ianto told him forcefully. He dropped the ninth bag to the floor, surveyed the area. All of the obvious rubbish was gone, though Ianto knew he'd find more if he started looking for it. Time for that later, he reminded himself. He started gathering coffee mugs and plates and spoons and any other dishes he saw left out. "Take all these to the incinerator. I'm tackling the kitchen."
New Jack watched for another minute before he went to do as he was told. He returned to find Ianto in the kitchen area doing the mountain of dishes. Silently, New Jack grabbed a flannel and started drying the clean ones. He got bored quickly, plus, he didn't have a place to put the dry dishes, since the cabinets were disorganized and dusty. He laid a hand on Ianto's shoulder to get his attention.
"Ianto, stop for a second," he murmured. Ianto turned off the tap and dried his hands. "Come with me," New Jack added, taking Ianto's elbow and pulling gently. Ianto followed him to New Jack's office, which was messier than His Jack's office, not that Ianto expected anything less, given that he wasn't around to make New Jack toe the line. On second look, though, it wasn't as bad as he expected, seeing the state of the rest of the Hub.
New Jack opened the manhole cover to his bunker. "I assume you know about my bunker, right? Go use the shower. I got you some clothes, too. Wasn't sure of your size, but they should be relatively ok. I totally guessed about the shoes, though." New Jack finished talking, not looking at Ianto. He seemed hesitant, sheepish, as if he expected Ianto to reject his suggestion.
Ianto smiled at the thoughtful gesture and gave New Jack a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you. It'll be nice to be clean again."
"I'll, um, I'll be in here," New Jack added, motioning to his office. "Just come get me when you're done."
"Thank you," Ianto repeated. He quickly climbed down the ladder and found himself surrounded by Jack's scent. He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, enjoying the burst of arousal that the smell created in his body. Opening his eyes, he looked around. The tiny space was even more austere than His Jack's had been when he arrived at Torchwood Three. The bed was made with military precision, the night table had a lamp and nothing else on it, and the closet contained the usual assortment of Jack's things. None of His Jack's books were there, none of the little alien trinkets he'd gathered over time. Sadness welled up in Ianto when he didn't see his spare suit on a hanger. He sat on the bed and let the tears fall silently, knowing that New Jack was giving him privacy for a while where there were no cameras.
"I miss you," he whispered to his absent lover. "I miss you because he's not you. And I worry about you. I know - I know I'm just one of thousands, millions you'll have over the course of your very long life, but I like to think that I matter, at least right now. I hope the others are helping you get through. I hope Gwen isn't taking advantage." He wiped his eyes. "I promise I'll do everything I can to get back to you. I really will. But I think this Jack needs me, too. He's so lonely, so broken. He didn't have anyone to put him back together after his travels with the Doctor. He doesn't have someone to come home to who respects his need for silence. He doesn't have love."
Ianto stood and stripped, dropping the clothing in (on top of) New Jack's hamper. He moved to the bathroom, where he found more evidence that New Jack had never brought Gwen down the ladder. Only Jack's bath products were in the shower and cabinet. Only Jack's toothpaste was by the sink. (Ianto knew Gwen's preference because he routinely stocked up on everyone's toiletries for their lockers, in case they needed to shower or clean up. He knew Tosh's and Owen's, too, of course.) He turned on the water, waited for it to warm up, then stepped under the spray.
"I love you, Jack. I love you so much it hurts, sometimes. And I know I've never said it, and I'm not even sure if you'd want to hear it, but I do. And I'm going to tell you as soon as I get back. Because I will get back to you.
"I'm just taking a small pit-stop here first. I'll help him get better. Please don't be upset with me."
Ianto closed his eyes and let the hot water wash away his tears, feeling slightly lighter. He'd made his confession, he'd made his decision. Getting home was his top priority, but helping New Jack was right behind it on the list.
He luxuriated in the shower, enjoying the first opportunity in over 24 hours to get clean. When he finished, he went into the other room and examined the clothing New Jack bought for him. Stonewashed jeans, a size too small for him, a crimson button-down shirt, and boxers in the appropriate size. He chuckled. New Jack knew exactly what he was doing when he went shopping. His Jack would have done the same thing, being presented with an attractive young man who needed clothes. The shoes turned out to be black boots that were a size too big, but that was remedied by borrowing a pair of socks from New Jack.
Dressed, he climbed up the ladder to find New Jack humming softly as he organized his desk.
"I'm impressed," Ianto said. "You're cleaning."
"Well, you said you'd have sex with me if I did," New Jack pointed out.
"No, I said that you wouldn't get any if you didn't. I never said that you'd get more. Remember my conditions."
New Jack sighed and rolled his shoulders. "I know, I know. No Gwen." He turned in his chair to face Ianto. "Wow! You look great! I knew you would." Ianto preened under the praise. "I need some time to make a decision. But, for now, would you mind, um -" He broke off, clearly very embarrassed. He motioned to the hatch, his face turned down.
"Do you want to cuddle in bed?" Ianto asked gently, stepping forward to kneel at New Jack's feet. He reached up and ran his fingers lightly through New Jack's hair. New Jack nodded, silent. Ianto smiled, sad that this Jack was so hesitant about stating his desires. Or was it that he wasn't used to needing something? He guessed Gwen wasn't the sort to offer emotional support, or, rather, emotional support that someone like Jack could accept, so New Jack wasn't in the habit of asking for it. He tilted New Jack's face and kissed his lips. "Come on, then." He reached for New Jack's hand.
Once in the bunker, they both took off their boots and crawled under the remaining blanket, still clothed. Ianto settled on his side, with his back to the wall and his chest to New Jack's back. He wrapped the older man in his arms and held him tightly.
"It's four-thirty," New Jack murmured, tossing his watch onto his nightstand, though he kept the leather wriststrap on his wrist. "We can sleep for a few hours, if you want. I'll have to take you back to the cell, though. I'm sorry, but I can't let the others find you here."
"I understand," Ianto replied, meaning it. He did. He knew what kind of trouble New Jack would be in if this were discovered. He shifted, leaning over to kiss the back of New Jack's neck. "Sleep well."
"You, too."
Ianto waited until New Jack sighed and his breathing settled into a comfortable sleep pattern before letting himself drift off. He had work to do, and he knew he'd need as much sleep as he could get.