TORCHWOOD: Felix Tempts Jack - Part II

 

Surprise, Surprise

You can build a mansion, but you just can't live in it

You're the fastest runner but you're not allowed to win

Some break the rules, and let you count the cost

The insecurity is the thing that won't get lost

-         No One is to Blame, by Howard Jones

Ianto emerged from his flat. He was excited and apprehensive at the same time, walking quickly and with some determination down the small street. The pub wasn’t far from his flat, but the harsh breeze and misty rain made him move a bit faster. Inside the pub were a fair number of Friday night post-workday folks. They had a few hours of drinking on him. He found an elevated two-top table that also offered a nice view of the street. Thus, he could evaluate folx who came in, note their appearance and thus whether or not he would strike up a conversation.  Who am I fooling? he thought to himself. A perky red-haired waitress came to the table and took his order – one shot of scotch and a pint along with a bag of crisps. If he wasn’t chatting up some cutie by the end of his first, no second pint, he’d go home, Ianto promised himself. He didn’t want to get so drunk that he would perform badly or forget what happened.

When the waitress brought over his drinks, she smiled broadly.  “Haven’t seen you here before”! she flirted.

Ah yes, a chance to practice! he thought. “I live around the corner. I saw this place about a week ago when I was walking my . . . dog.” He handed her a few bills then added, “Keep the change.”

She saw the denomination and her eyes lit up. “Wow, thanks!” She leaned in and whispered in his ear, “Most folx around here are soooo cheap!” She smelled like sweet lilac and eagerness. “I’ll be right back with your crisps. You get a free bag with your order before 7.”  Never mind that it was already 7:23 pm. As he watched her walk back to the bar, he along with several other men (and two ladies as well) watched as her ass cheeks seemed to know it was showtime. 

Ah, competition! Ianto looked around more.  The pub was extra modern, with hanging plants dotting the window by his seat. The hardwood floor was clearly new and a bit slippery due to the excess waxing. The tall wood tables and booths were non-descript and the hanging pictures were stills of Cardiff scenery. The crowd was switching now with the just-off-work folx, were likely stumbling to the tube station two blocks away, the less inebriated supporting the bladdered.  That was fine for Ianto. That wasn’t his crowd.  But what is my crowd? Maybe I should be looking for friends instead of a one-night shag?

The waitress sauntered back, hips moving like they were pushing something out of the way.  Ianto noted that she was big breasted and petite. He like short, stocky girls – at least he thought he did. She dropped two bags of crisps on his table. “I hope you like these. This crowd has eaten us out of house and home tonight!” She locked eyes with him then added, “My name is Sandra, my friends call me Sandi.”

He blushed but responded immediately. “I’m Ianto, Ianto Jones.”  He thought to extend his hand but realized she had a tray in her hand.

Sandi looked to see if anyone was watching, then whispered, “I get off in an hour, if you’d like to chat a bit.”

Ianto couldn’t believe his luck – success on the first try.  The stars must be aligned, he thought. “I had planned to stay for at least another drink after this,” he looked at his watch then added, “And it is almost 8 . . .”

Sandi started to reply when a familiar figure dropped seemingly from space and interrupted with, “Ow, terribly sorry sweetie but he’s with me this evening!”  Jack Harkness offered one of his signature grins and asked, “But, if you play your cards right,” Jack put his arm around her waist and tugged, “you could make it a party of three.”

Sandi looked at him horrified at the proposition, “Ah sorry, but I didn’t know he was taken.” She gave Ianto a dirty look. “I take my men in singles.” She turned on her heel and walked back to the bar.

“You don’t know what you are missing!” Jack hollered back at her loud enough that a few patrons turned to look. Jack shrugged.

Ianto’s cheeks were flush and his mood shifted to irritation. “Really? I live around here you know!”

“Ah, afraid you’ll get a reputation?”

“Seriously?” Ianto sighed then downed his scotch. The last thing he needed tonight was work, “What’s up Jack? Has something come through the rift? You could have just phoned or texted my mobile. I thought you wanted me to take some time off – the salary budget line item and wanting to be more fiscally responsible I believe were your words.”

Jack took off his signature coat and tossed it on a ledge against the window. “Not work, not this time.” Suddenly, Jack realized he’d made it all the way here without a back story to explain his presence. “Listen Ianto, I am tired of the acrimony between us. I figured we could hash things out over a pint or two. Whaddya say?”

Ianto was trying to recover from Jack’s scent. Unlike Sandi, Ianto didn’t have the words to describe that alluring smell of the man that wasn’t like any other human he knew. It drew you in and stirred the groin. Ianto shifted in his stool then sighed again. “Sure. I guess this evening can’t get any weirder.”

Jack turned to wave to one of the waiters. A tall blond came over and took his drink order – a triple shot of vodka and a water. “Don’t want to drink too much. You could take advantage of my good nature.” Teasing Ianto was a habit he found terribly enjoyable and something that he’d engage in frequently before the whole Lisa thing.  Jack was falling back in quickly and this mad him a bit uneasy. He had a million reasons to leave this alone including the fact that Ianto was inexperienced, exposed, and Jack was an asshole who could only offer this fine human being a good fuck.  Jack had dated, hell even married, too many partners with the same fresh face and loyal heart. He just couldn’t take hurting another one particularly someone so sincere as Ianto Jones.  And yet, as in the past he was drawn to people with warm souls and fascinating vulnerabilities.  Thus, he couldn’t be mad at Ianto too long – never had, even when he pestered Jack into hiring him. He wondered how much of that was desperation to save his girlfriend and how much of it was . . . something different.  Jack tried to distract his mind from how nice the young man looked in his blue dress shirt and jeans but only then found himself envisioning Ianto naked and sweaty with . . .. The waiter returned with Jack’s drink order and Jack downed the vodka in a quick slurp.

“If you knock ‘em back like that, you’ll be drunk sooner than later. You won’t be able to drive the SUV back to the Hub.” Not that drink mattered as Jack was one of the most reckless drivers Ianto had ever seen. Ianto rubbed his cheeks, hoping to get the visible signs of fluster off his face.

Jack sat up and wondered to himself, What am I doing here and now that I’m here, what do I want to happen? Suddenly it was Jack who felt awkward. “Did I ever tell you about the time I was chasing a couple of renegade Oberhaberman’s?  Nasty creatures, with long, blue talons and horrible bad breath. That last part came from their regular consumption of what we call concrete.” His story relaxed them by taking the pressure off deciding why they were there - together.  Ianto liked Jack’s fantastical tales. They always had interesting characters from history or other worlds, places beyond where Ianto thought he’d ever see. It was like listening to someone tell a myth, but Ianto knew it was all real . . . well, likely everything but all of Jack’s heroics. Nevertheless, the young man found himself envisioning travelling the universe with this wilding, saving Earth, hell even the galaxy between bouts of . . . Ianto found himself wondering again how two men have sex.

A few hours went by and Ianto was up to four shots and feeling a bit giddy. Jack noticed the slight changes and wondered again if it was fair to entangle Ianto in the mess of Jack’s life. But Jack Harkness was not one to be distracted by some silly guilt trip. He watched Ianto’s hands as he shifted them on then off the table, representing the excitement he was feeling. At one point, their hands nearly touched, the sharp spark as if they’d just rolled in carpet. Ianto and Jack fell silent for a few moments, both looking out the window lost in their anxiety. 

Abruptly Jack asked, “I actually have a bottle of Glenlivet in the SUV. “Why don’t we go to your flat and see how much of a dent we can make in it?” He said it like they were two blokes hanging out.

They both knew it was more than that.

Ianto was flustered and his face turned red again. Jack found it charming and smiled at him which made things worse for Ianto. “You’ve never been to my place before.”

Jack realized he had had dinner at everyone’s flat, even Owen’s. But he’d never inserted himself when it came to Ianto. He wasn’t sure what he’d do until now – he was about to do something foolish. “Well, there is a first time for everything! Don’t worry if your place isn’t tidy. You know how I keep my pod area.”

“Yes, I do,” chuckled Ianto, recalling how he’d tried cleaning it before only to find it in the same condition the very next morning. “No, it isn’t that. It’s just, is this really proper? I mean a boss coming to your house intending on intoxication. I’m sure Torchwood has HR rules around that.”

Jack stood up and grabbed his coat. “Do we ever play by the rules, Ianto Jones?” He started to put the long coat on and Ianto got dizzy. Jack looked so hot with that coat on. Ianto had masturbated many nights to the thought of rubbing it all over his body, Jack’s smell plastered against his skin . . .   Jack turned to go but realized that Ianto hadn’t moved. “Well? The bottle won’t drink itself! You live around the corner from here, right?”