10.

The atmosphere between Ianto and Mica relaxed after that night. Jack knew that Ianto and her were having an intense talk after the party when he left to take care of his tunnel. When they had breakfast the next morning, everything seemed calmer. Jack himself felt happier as well, promising Mica that he would ask Gwen whether the two of them could go shopping together on the weekend. He received a slightly scandalized look from Ianto for that, but nothing more was said.

Owen remained oblivious, bitching about the woman he'd pulled the night before while walking to the teachers' lounge with Jack. "You would think we're already married. Seriously, we went out once and she thinks I should move in."

"Get out while you can," Jack said, opening the door.

As if she'd waited just for him, Tosh was standing at the door, pushing a heap of paper into his hands before he got the chance to resist. "Ah, Jack!" Tosh said, smiling widely. "This is a test Suzie had the 10b do before she jumped. As expected, they are in an intellectual vacuum. Please see to it that they understand they will fail their GCSEs."

Jack sighed, leafing through the tests … and an idea that had been jumping around his head for the last few days suddenly came back to the forefront of his mind. "Tosh," he said, "where can I get forms for one of those trips?"

"Trips?" she asked with a frown.

"Yeah, where you go with the kids to learn something."

Tosh stared at him. "With the 10b? Where would you go?"

Jack smiled. "Leave that to me."

xxx

Owen started to laugh. "You did what?"

Jack grinned at him. "Well, they were the ones insisting that school wouldn't get them anywhere and that being a criminal, or a prostitute, or living off state money would be the best kind of income."

Ianto looked at them both over the rim of his cup, sipping his tea quietly while correcting tests at the kitchen table.

Owen handed Jack a beer. "Perfect. I wish I had the courage to do that."

Jack shrugged, leaning back against the kitchen counter. "Not much courage needed. Gwen's parents like me. They were more than ready to tell the children exactly what they can afford off social benefits. It also helped that her mother is a bad housewife, so the flat wasn't exactly presentable. Left an impression." He winked.

"Forget about that," Owen said. "You brought them to a strip club and then you went to prison with them!"

"I've got connections," Jack answered, reminding himself to buy Andy a beer for convincing his boss of Jack's little 'preventive measure'.

"Mate," Owen said, "you've got balls." With that, he left the kitchen, still chuckling.

Jack looked at Ianto, who still hadn't said anything. He sat down opposite him. "You don't approve, I take it." Ianto raised his head to look at him. The bright light of the kitchen lamp made his eyes seem even bluer. Jack felt a tug in his belly, the curl of attraction undeniable, but he stamped it down resolutely.

Ianto tilted his head. "How did you get that idea?"

"You're quiet."

Ianto set his pen down and leaned back in his chair to cross his arms. "I'm trying to figure you out."

"To figure me out?"

Ianto shrugged. "For someone who fakes a degree to get a job and who is friends with prostitutes at strip clubs, you seem awfully invested in the future of some problematic children."

Jack cleared his throat. "I've been where they are, but I had nobody showing me the right way."

"You still made it to university."

Now, Jack remembered his lie from the beginning. He shrugged. "And I also said that I had problems while I was there."

Ianto smiled. "I have to say that you're a horrible teacher. But you reach them. They actually look up to you. I saw you coming back from the trip and I think it really left an impression on them. You might just be the best thing that's ever happened to them."

Jack swallowed, biting down a pleased grin. "But?"

"No 'but'," Ianto said, blushing. "That's all."

Jack stared at him. "A compliment from you is worth something."

Ianto bit his lip. "Well, I started it with the fact that you're a horrible teacher."

Jack laughed.

"I'm a bit jealous, I guess," Ianto added. "At the way they look at you. I always imagined myself being that kind of person to students."

Jack nodded. "They can't identify with you. Middle-class boy with top grades who could be anything he wanted."

Ianto made a thoughtful noise. "Who are you then?"

Before Jack could stop himself, he said, "Lower-class foster kid who was good for nothing in his mother's eyes after he killed his brother."

Ianto stared at him.

Jack felt like an idiot, having disclosed more than he'd ever intended to, but there was no way back now. "It was an accident but … well, it was me who dared him to follow me over the train tracks, so ..." He shook his head.

"I'm so sorry, Jack," Ianto said.

"Well," Jack said, clearing his throat. "It was a long time ago." He got up. "It doesn't matter anymore. I have to get to the club. See you tomorrow." He didn't give Ianto a chance to answer.

xxx

"So, Bernie," Jack said loudly, hopping to sit on his desk at the front of the classroom, "what's the problem at hand?"

Bernie rolled his eyes, seeming reluctant to answer. However, he finally said, "They fall in love."

Jack nodded. "Why is that a problem?"

"They just met," Bernie said. "It's unrealistic."

Annie shot a glare at him. "It's not. You can fall in love at first sight."

"Give me one example," Bernie replied.

"Bella and Edward."

"Who the fuck is that?!"

"Twilight, you idiot!" Annie answered.

Jack raised a hand. "No, we're not talking about other books here."

"Books?" Annie asked with a frown. "Haven't read the books, just watched the movie."

Jonah raised a hand. "Is there a movie for this Shakespeare shit? 'Cause I didn't understand a word of it."

Carys rolled her eyes. "There's two families, there's a a party and then a chick and a boy fall in love." She turned around to Jack. "But that's a problem because their families are at war."

Jack nodded. "That's correct." He pretended not to see Carys's face lighting up at the praise.

Annie frowned. "Seriously? Did Shakespeare copy this from Westside Story?"

"You know Westside Story?" Jack asked.

Annie shrugged, seeming embarrassed about having admitted to it.

Carys giggled. "She loves it. Her uncle took her once."

Jack looked at Annie. "In London?"

Annie nodded, but didn't raise her head from the book. "I'm not going again, though."

Bernie scoffed. "I still don't believe it. That's not love, Romeo just wants to get into her pants."

xxx

Jack was impressed with how well the class had actually went. There had been quite a good participation – though reluctant – and it seemed as if Ianto had been right. The students did respect Jack and he could use that.

When the bell rang and everyone quickly gathered up their things to rush for the door, Jack said, "Annie, wait a moment."

She exchanged a look with Carys, who just shrugged and left, a pack of cigarettes already in her hand. Annie hung back, though reluctantly.

Jack leaned back against his desk and waited until everyone had cleared out. "You said you're not going to see a show again, but Carys said you loved it. Why's that then?"

Annie bit her lip and clutched her backpack to her chest. "My father doesn't want me to visit Uncle Larry."

"Why?"

"He's a poof."

"I'm bisexual," Jack replied.

Her eyes widened and she brushed a strand of blond hair behind her ear nervously. "Well, you know … he's a real one."

Jack frowned. "A real one?"

"All girly," Annie whispered.

"So?"

Annie avoided his eyes and shrugged. "My father doesn't want me hanging out with him."

Jack crossed his arms. "Go tell your father that he's welcome to have a chat with me."

Annie shook her head. "I'd rather not tell him."

"Why?"

She looked at him. "'Cause I like hanging out with you."