A/N: still not sure will it be a shag night but things are going in the right direction. Hopefully we'll get to hear the story of Troy soon, I'm curious what will it be :)
Beta-ed: TattoedLibrarian (thnx so much)
No spoilers.
The pat reminded Jack that Ianto was someone he trusted, who proved himself many times. Maybe it would be fun to tell the whole story for once. The touch reminded him that there could be a reward at the end. He liked that reward, the last time it seemed different, like everything from touch to scents was deeper, like he could dive into this man. Like there was no pain between them, just soft skin.
"Hector was a very proud man" Jack started abruptly "you could say his pride was so high, that he valued his own virtue too much, it ached him, it controlled every second of his life."
"That doesn't sound like you" Ianto interrupted him, frowning.
"No, luckily no, I thought myself as his stature kind of guy, athletic, more for a long, heavy sword than a light short one. And maybe more of a family guy than roamer lately."
"Family guy?" Ianto choked on a cookie.
"A spouse isn't only form of family" Jack patted him on the back "I consider myself to be a fatherly figure."
"No, not for me" Ianto recovered.
"Grandfather?" Jack offered him with doubt and got a gentle punch in the arm in return.
"Neither my father, nor grandfather were sexy in any way, or a bit charming" Ianto stated with dignity restored. "Do continue."
"Sexy and charming" Jack grinned widely "you can say Hector was that in his own calm way."
"Never got that vibe" answered Ianto.
"Do you want the story or not?" Jack got a bit irritated but that was easily dispersed by Ianto's devilish smile.
"I'm just establishing facts in their place. So sexy, charming Hector that had a family. Did you charm him?"
"Me? Hector?" Jack feigned innocence. Ianto gave him a glare so he added. "He was a very straight guy for an adventurous man."
"Maybe Achilles would be more down your lane" Ianto murmured.
"For him, they say that he was wildly devoted to his lover, I wouldn't go near that… or now I wouldn't. I was a different man then, but still…"
"You brought your wife with you" Ianto jumped in.
"Really?" Jack was surprised. "You'll play it that way, jealousy of something that happened thousands of years ago? I thought we've passed this."
"So he was there" Ianto smiled. "Although I want no reminder of him, I was curious. Was that your five year loop?"
"Luckily no, who knows what would be left to the history if he had his field trip there. No, there he spent most of the time drunk and in the middle of an orgy, and they had those. It was just the beginning of our partnership. I thought him to be crude and strange. Anyway the task was all left to me, what turned out to be usual thing."
"What was the task?"
"Ilirian was seen wandering about those timelines. He hid himself among the cities of Troy, he spent years there unnoticed, but before big clash of ancient civilisations he needed extraction."
"Couldn't he left on his own?" Ianto was intrigued.
"No, he was made of stone, you see, he needed someone to carry him out of there."
"Stone?" Ianto frowned. "What like an angel statue?"
"No, not angel" Jack jumped. "Fortunately not an angel statue. It was just a gargoyle."
"Why would that be better than an angel?" Ianto was sceptical.
"Never mind" Jack shook his head. "Even if it was it wouldn't be so bad for us, because this thing" he taped his wrist strap "so we would be ok. But a gargoyle is a tricky creature, mostly harmless but when it would be stranded in a place like ancient Troy it usually wouldn't get extraction team."
"Why did this one?"
"It presented time with enough trouble to get noticed" Jack smiled "he stole Helena from Paris and hid her. There was no way the Trojans would found her on their own. The whole war would be ruined."
"And it's such a shame to ruin a good war" Ianto shook his head ironically.
"This wasn't just any old war. This was the war of all times. History is made in a war like that. Generations learned what war was, what it price was, and what was to lose from it. It was a terrible war, but the memory of it shaped civilisations and prevented more wars than it provoked." Jack stopped himself noticing Ianto's expression. He couldn't read it. "What?"
"Nothing" Ianto shook his head and pressed his lips together "there is such sadness in you when you speak of war."
"Well I've seen my share of them. It's not pretty and it never gets better. It seems like only young men die in them, young good men. The ones you just hate to see go. And the stench of fear, sweat and blood, even the smell of freshly dug up ground becomes something bad. The gun powder, the smoke, and the constant noise. It's just all so big and beyond control. I can't believe there were times when I liked war, when I could profit from it and just prance around all proud, young and playful like nothing bad was happening around me. It angers me just to remember that person. I can't believe that was me, walking the streets of Troy, knowing the destiny of every single person in it and not caring. Looking at them like they were exhibits in some history museum. Examining who's hot enough to charm away."
Jack bowed his head surprised by pure emotion that poured from him. He rarely gave himself the luxury of expressing emotions. They usually would drag him in too deeply.
"Not really a conversation that leads into shag night" he tried to joke weakly but this was Ianto Jones, the one to see through him even when he said nothing at all, he doubted that it will be accepted.
"I don't know" Ianto answered playfully after a short pause. "I can't decide whether you're telling me the story just to get away from the Hector question."
Jack looked at him surprised.
"Why are you so convinced there is a story about Hector?"
"Don't know, I think I've discovered my personal voodoo master, but there's something fishy about that story. Besides I've never thought I'd hear that someone was good enough to be the likes of you."
"You think I'm that vain?" Jack objected but grin escaped him.
"Of course you are" Ianto said easily and then leaned forward and kissed Jack.
It was a short kiss but Jack was taken aback with it. To claim him so easily. It provoked hunger in Jack, quick and insatiable, but he restrained himself deciding this would be a shag night even if he had to pay for it with truth.
"Hector shamed me" he said quickly to get it out there, Ianto would keep searching if he didn't "he made me want to be a better man long before I made a real effort at it. It haunted me, what he did, for years before I met the Doctor. Maybe he was the reason I finally gave up the Time Agency few years after that incident."
"What did he do?" Ianto was intrigued now and there was no going back. Jack didn't like to tell that story but his hunger got even deeper because Ianto leaned back exposing his neck.
"I'll tell you" Jack growled finding a way to tell the story and not give in to past "but you'll have to sit on me while I'm telling it."
"Excuse me?" Ianto sat upright surprised.
Jack grinned knowing he'd hit the right cord getting back in their play that stood aside to long.
"I'm not asking of you to undress and let me savour you, although I would, gladly, but just to sit in my lap, now, dressed, I promise I won't take advantage of your position."
Ianto watched him for few seconds and then moved and after some manoeuvring sat in Jack's lap facing him. Jack relaxed in his chair adjusting his groin to Ianto's. It was such a nice feeling. It felt like they hadn't touched in ages. He just wanted to run his hands across Ianto's suit to his face but Ianto leaned backwards with an expecting face and Jack put his arms on Ianto's thighs.
"I was different man then" Jack began "always searching for fun, doing whatever was asked from me, not asking any questions. So when we found Helena hidden in some old forgotten tunnels we returned her to her new husband. Hector was there watching us and tried to find where we found her, who had taken her, and why. Of course my partner just laughed it off and went in search for his vices, but Hector got hold of me."
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