Ok, here is a chapter where I've shared some of my favorite things, and some Gareth's favorite things to shape Ianto with more detail. I think it's safe to make Ianto sci-fi fan. I know I am so I can give into it, and it's just fun to share legends of sci-fi (reference from Gwen's take on sci-fi was mentioned in one of audio books, maybe Slow decay, I had a need to make note about that). So here goes, have fun. Thnx to new subscribers, and thnx to FriendofMyfawny for missing c. We're on 29th comment now, it would be nice to go into 30's, especially because I'm going on 30. this year :)

Beta-ed: TattoedLibrarian (who is starting brand new ff story, it's first published after 15 years, so go and show support to a fellow writer, it's a interesting story)

"What the fuck" Owen looked around Ianto's boxed apartment "are you planning on fleeing us? If you have planned to leave the country un-Retconned you shouldn't bring me here."

"I'm just moving to a better looking place" murmured Ianto not really pleased that Owen had seen this part of his coping with things "I've already placed the updated information in my file."

"Of course you did" Owen said absently peering into open boxes.

"I'll be back in a minute" sighed Ianto knowing there isn't much he could do about Owen's snooping around, he wouldn't find anything interesting anyway.

Ianto opened the box with his casual clothes thinking about how rarely he wore it lately. When he came out of his room Owen was standing and reading one of his books, he had taken it out of his sci-fi box.

"You really read this?" Owen said absently "I agree about this with Gwen, before Torchwood sci-fi simply sounded silly and unbelievable, and after it's even more silly and naive."

Owen closed the book and Ianto could see he was holding his copy of Hyperion from Simmons. He would never call that book naive, even after everything that happened. Maybe it all sounded more plausible.

He took it from Owen's hand and placed it back in its spot between The Fall of Hyperion and Herbert's Heretics of Dune .

"I find it relaxing, if I stop doing things that are silly life would very quickly become utterly dull." He closed the box and got up.

"You're right there, mate" Owen looked at him critically "ok you won't scare them away so quickly."

Ianto changed into pair of jeans, black leather jacket and red shirt. Ianto thought he looked quite good in it. Lately he allowed himself more colour in his closet and it seemed like red suited him rather well.

In the club the lights were dim, the dance floor lights were circling and flashing, people were dancing, the music was loud, and alcohol was distributed all around. Ianto felt like he hadn't been in a place like this in ages. His life in the Hub and around suited him better than this chaos. In spite of danger, death, and loss, it had certain calmness about it, the silence of the Hub, humming of the computers, typing of the keyboard, and the whiz of the coffee machine. He felt in his place there. Here he felt his spine tightening and shoulders rising.

Owen gave him a big grin sardonically enjoying in his discomfort. He would not show him just how much he was out of place, or to see him out of control. He used to come to these sorts of places but he was always withdrawn and observant, some people would approach, not the one to engage conversation. He just wasn't that interested in others. Now he'd have to try something else. To achieve that he pictured Jack somewhere in that dim crowded room. He could picture him there; Jack would fit in waving to rhythm of the music. He needed Jack at this moment because he was different sort of man with him. He drew something out of him, something almost seductive, maybe even provocative. When he pictured Jack there he the felt immediate change in his posture. It was like his spine unknotted, his limbs unraveled and he could almost feel the music in them. His face relaxed into something softer. He walked behind Owen towards bar and it was like whole world shifted around him. It was like everyone was looking at him, checking him out, catching his gaze, and to his surprise he smiled back at them.

When they've reached the bar Owen turned towards him and instinctively looked away from him displeased. Ianto was satisfied with that, it was much better than pity.

Next few hours they didn't talk much. Ianto thought Owen was terrible wingman, not that he needed one. While Owen dwelled upon the bottom of his glass Ianto had flirted. It turned out that he was quite good at it. People came and went, taking drinks and they would exchange few words with him. He had gotten lots of compliments on his shirt and jacket but he didn't hook anyone enough to stay. After a while he realized more than few gazes were studying him puzzled. He smiled at that, it was familiar; it used to happen to him a lot. He flirted equally with both men and women and that made people uneasy, they needed to box him. Jack didn't have problem with that, it seemed he was built the same way. Neither did Lisa, she found it charming. Finally, some random woman entered Owen's orbit and in an instant she was hooked on his crooked charm. Owen waved in his direction and they were off.

The minute they had disappeared from sight Ianto felt his shoulders returned in their normal posture. He ordered his first drink of the evening and didn't engage in flirting with next person that leaned next to him. Maybe it was fortunate that Owen and Tosh cut in, he didn't have time to think much. He decided he wouldn't think of it at all.

He sat there drinking beer when he heard familiar rhythm starting to play. Was it near closing time already? It was a song for cooling down the mood. As he turned around he realized that dance floor had cleared. He enjoyed the melancholy guitar and almost weeping voice.

"I'm so tired of playing
Playin' with this bow and arrow
I gonna give my heart away
Leave it to the other girls to play
For I've been a temptress too long"

He remembered many times he sung this song voiceless in his room ten years ago. He loved that song. He left his bottle on the bar and went to the dance floor. He was far too old to pretend that he was straight enough to stand in the corner griping his bottle of beer and pretending he wasn't moved by this emotion.

"So don't you stop, being a man" voice sang and he let himself sway in rhythm singing with a whisper changing a verse like he always did "Give me a reason to be a man, I just wanna be a man"

All too soon the song faded away and everything was back to normal, hard songs and bodies filled the dance floor. It was just a little break in the night. He stood unmoved by the new song and looked around. He found more than a couple eyes staring at him, male and female. He could pick any of them, just walk over and it would be a done deal, but he hesitated. If he turned either way there would be demands to make up his mind, to choose a part of himself, and he wasn't in that stable state of mind to hold his ground. That's why he went out of the club and walked home alone. It wouldn't be right to string someone along, when he wasn't available for new engagement. It would be just like with Jack, while he held on to Lisa to the very end. It would be just plain cruel to drag someone else into his mess, and he clearly wasn't over Jack yet.

While he walked the song kept replaying in his mind.

"For I've been a temptress too long" kept catching his attention. Maybe that summarized it, he was a different man with Jack, so different that all he ever showed was a play, nothing real. He didn't offer Jack anything he could hold on to, and Jack hadn't given any promises in return.

He considered now Jack from this new point of view, Jack who had been abandoned, and who had waited for so long. That must have been lonely.

Song used in this chapter is Glory Box from Portishead and Gareth David-Lloyd has a cover of that song. I love original, and his version brought Portishead back to me, so this is a tribute to both of them. I do recommend that you check it out on you tube (I like this version best: Blue Gillespie at Abergavenny Cycling Fest (21/06/08) Pt 2)

Books mentioned in this chapter are:

Hyperion and Fall of Hyperion from Dan Simmons

Heretics of Dune from Frank Herbert (last book of original series)