12.
"Why is the nurse such an important role?" Ianto asked, leaning back against the desk. The 10b was looking at him attentively, some hands going up to answer the question.
Ianto still couldn't quite believe the effect their nightly activities had had on the students' behaviour towards him. Until now, they'd either encountered him without any respect or had been plain ignoring him. In Jack's presence that had changed a bit, but Ianto put that down to the students respecting Jack, not him.
Today, though, with Tosh sitting at the back of the room and keeping a careful eye on him, they weren't letting him down.
Ianto pointed at Jonah, who straightened in his chair. "She's a nurse, yeah?" Jonah said. "And she's been raising Juliet. And now she's playing messenger between her and Romeo because she loves Juliet."
"Yes, but what does that mean?" Ianto asked.
Jonah frowned and seemed to think about that. "That she raised Juliet and and now she's raising their love?"
Annie shook her head and turned around to him. "She's nurturing it like she nurtured Juliet when she was still a baby. She's nurturing the love between them." She looked at Ianto. "Right, Mr. Jones?"
He smiled with a nod. "That's correct."
xxx
"How did it go?" Jack asked, leaning in the door to the classroom.
Ianto looked at him with a smile, though he remained guarded. They hadn't talked since the kiss, just nodded at each other in the kitchen this morning. Ianto was still confused about why Jack had pulled away so suddenly, but he wasn't even sure whether he should mention it. Letting Jack take the lead was probably the best course of action, he decided, and answered, "Good. Really good. They were motivated." He closed his bag and hefted it onto his shoulder. "Jack, what you taught them about Romeo & Juliet is … astounding."
"You think so?" Jack asked, coming closer.
Ianto nodded.
Jack gave a shrug, though Ianto was almost sure he could see a faint flush on his cheeks. "I guess I know how it is to want something you can't have." His voice was low, intimate.
Ianto ducked his head before he looked into Jack's eyes and replied, "Nobody said you couldn't."
Jack gave a bitter smile. "Well ..."
"You kissed me."
Jack squared his shoulders. "And I'm as good as gone. I'm a substitute teacher and I've got a life going on away from here, let's not start something we can't go through with. Especially since it wouldn't work out anyway."
Ianto frowned. "You make it sound so impossible."
"It is, in a way," Jack replied. "Impossible." He chuckled, though it didn't sound as unconcerned as he probably wanted it to. "Come on, it was one kiss in the heat of the moment. You don't honestly think I wouldn't have gone through with anything if you were that irresistible."
Ianto stared at him, something heavy settling in his stomach. "Right."
"We're too different," Jack added. "You get that, don't you?"
"I get that," Ianto said and forced a smile. "Sure."
Jack paused, hesitated. Maybe he could read the devastation in Ianto's eyes or maybe he would change his mind … Jack reached out a hand but before he could make contact or say anything, the voice of a stranger interrupted them.
"Well, well, well … look at that." They turned towards the door. Ianto had never seen the dark-blond man who was standing there before … and he didn't think he wanted to meet him. He was wearing a red leather jacket zipped up and tight black jeans tucked into boots. His features were roguish and hard, but his smile put a spark in his blue eyes that made him more approachable.
"John," Jack said and took a step to the side to stand in front of Ianto. "What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to see where you work," John answered with a grin and sauntered into the room, looking around. "A bit miserable, not really your style ..." He looked at Ianto. "But I see where you get your kicks." His eyes strayed to Jack, but he was talking to Ianto when he said, "Would you mind leaving us for a few minutes, Eye Candy? Jack and I have got business to discuss."
"Business?" Ianto asked, not liking the way John was dismissing him. "What kind of business?"
"Not yours."
Ianto looked at Jack but he wouldn't meet his eyes, staring at John with an unreadable expression instead. Ianto grabbed his books. "Well, I guess I'll see you later then."
"Ianto." Jack grabbed his arm and stepped closer. "You understand about … about the kiss, yeah?"
"I think you've made your point," Ianto answered and left.
He heard John chuckle. "Shags at work are always such a messy business."
The door closed.
xxx
John leaned against the closed door, crossing his arms. "I want part of the money, Jack. Gwen says you're working on getting it out. I even wanted to help you, given that it's already been over a week since you started digging, but now I'm beginning to think that the reason for your dawdling is that you're probably getting a bit too distracted here."
Jack grit his teeth. "I'm working on it. Not that it's any of your business. What Gwen buried was my share."
"Well, I lost mine and I need 4000 to buy a van for the money transport thing. You were always there when I needed you, Jack, don't start getting strange ideas now."
Jack shook his head. "You're going to go through with the job?"
"Yes. Without you, if I have to. But I need the money." He stared at Jack pleadingly. "I know you've got way more than 4000 buried away."
"It's not my fault you gambled it away," Jack replied.
The police had caught up to him much sooner than to John back then. For two weeks, John had used the money in about every casino in Wales he could find. The police catching him had put and end to it just when his money had run out, anyway.
Jack added. "I've got plans for the money, I can't give you anything."
John stepped closer, his eyebrows pulling together into an expression Jack knew all too well. John was prone to sudden mood swings, and just now he'd swung toward furious. "Right, you listen to me. I was there for you when you had nothing. When you came over from London, I took you in. I taught you most of the advanced stuff you know. I won't force you to to the job with me, but I need the money. Otherwise, I'll tell Eye Candy all about you and who you really are. I don't think he'd like to spread his legs for you then, proper boy that he is."
Jack glared at him. "Not that it's any of your business, but we didn't shag and it won't happen, so stop talking that way about him!"
John stared at him, taken aback for a moment, then he laughed. "Fuck me, Jack. You're in love."
"Don't be ridiculous."
"Well, if it's not true, let's go to a hotel and shag like we used to."
Jack swallowed.
John chuckled. "There was a time when you wouldn't have hesitated."
Jack turned away, looking out onto the school yard and found Ianto and Owen walking there together, talking. He guessed he did owe John and even without the 4000, he would still be able to leave and start anew somewhere else.
Without John.
He turned back around, his hands on his hips. "Fine, when do you need the money?"
John smiled. "How fast can you get to it?"
Jack ducked his head, thinking. "I can make it tonight if I hurry."
"Well, hurry then." He made for the door, but paused and looked back at Jack. "My offer still stands by the way. You can join in on the job any time."
Jack shook his head. "I can't, they need me." When John frowned quizzically, he added, "The kids. We're almost through with Romeo & Juliet and I want to do a test on that. Besides, GCSEs are coming up."
John snorted. "Romeo & Juliet? Fuck, Jack, that's not your world! You never gave a toss about bleeding Lord Byron before-"
"Shakespeare."
"Whatever. Do you actually think you can teach them something? You haven't even finished school and you didn't manage to graduate from prison school either. It's better if you're not around. Let them have a proper teacher." He clapped Jack's shoulder. "It's all well and good, being a good guy for once, appearing like a law-abiding citizen and all that crap, but you know deep down that Eye Candy would never respect you if he knew who you really are. None of them would. They talk like they wouldn't care but they do, or it wouldn't be this hard for ex-prisoners to find a job or for poor people to climb the ladder. We both know that the system already decides in school whether you're worth something or not, and it's certainly not your brains being the most important factor."
Jack sighed, reluctantly seeing John's point. "Still ..."
"Get your act together and find the money and join me doing something you're actually good at. And then we'll fly to California and do all the other things we're good at." He winked at him. "So … what do you say?"
xxx
"Who was he?" Ianto asked, barely glancing up from the tests he was correcting. Jack turned his attention away from the telly for a second, unable to suppress a smile at the way Ianto sat curled up in one corner of the sofa with tests piled on his legs and a pen in his hand. There was music drifting down the stairs from Mica's room, but it was faint, as was the conversation Owen was having on the phone in his room. The lounge was a cosy place, clearly furbished by Ianto's sister, but with touches of Mica, Ianto and Owen's presence everywhere. And now there were some of Jack's things as well. Beside the kitchen, this was the only room shared by all of them and Jack had gotten quite used to coming down here whenever he felt like company. Someone was always there.
He knew who Ianto was asking after and he didn't bother pretending he didn't. "Just a bloke."
"Just a bloke," Ianto echoed, still correcting tests. "A friend?"
"Yeah," Jack said, turning his attention back to the telly.
The pen in Ianto's hand stopped scratching over paper and he turned his head to look at Jack, his face deadly serious. "I don't want you to ever invite him here. I don't like him."
Jack frowned. "You don't even know him." Sure, John was an arse but he could be nice when he put his mind to it. Besides, Ianto's refusal to let John into his house strangely felt like a rejection of Jack's personality.
Ianto scoffed. "He seems shady. Gwen is one thing – she is a lovely person – but I don't want that bloke near Mica."
"Because he did time?"
Ianto's eyes widened. "He was in prison? No, now I definitely don't want him here."
"Well," Jack said, getting up and grabbing his jacket off the couch end. "No worries. This is your house after all."
With that he left, not reacting when Ianto called after him. The rain felt good on his face. He zipped the jacket up against the cold wind, tucking his hands into the pockets, and started walking. He didn't know where to go at first but when he stood at the entrance to the school – his hair dripping and his cheeks feeling frozen – he knew that he'd somehow, subconsciously, made the right decision. A little exertion sounded about perfect right now.
He tugged his mobile from his jeans pocket and dialled John's number. "I'm at the school," he said as soon as John picked up. "Come digging."