anastasisrick | Reality Betrays Us All V

Author: anastasisrick

Prompt: Hoffman

Beta: janiemc (special thanks for helping me at the last minute)

Characters/Pairings: Jack Hakrness, Ianto Jones, Jack/Ianto

Rating: PG 13

Warnings: None that I can think about.

Spoilers: It’s totally AU so other than making the story fit to what we know, not really

Word Count: 13300

Genre: Romance, AU

Disclaimer: Torchwood and its characters belongs to BBC and Russell T Davies. Hoffman isn’t mine either. It belongs to Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC) & Longstone Film Productions

Summary: When Ianto Jones is blackmailed to spend a week with a stranger to save his fiance's life, his own life is going to change forever.

Notes: This story is written for

reel_torchwood

Ianto was roughly awoken in the middle of the night as Jack pushed away the covers and frantically started hitting his left foot on the floor. Ianto was on his feet in seconds still in the state between sleep and full wakefulness, looking at Jack antics as if he was a strange, old manuscript moistened by unknown liquid.

When Jack finished whatever it was he was doing with hitting his foot down, he turned and stared at him. “Just a cramp.” He said but Ianto gave no evidence he heard him. “What are you doing, Ianto? Go back to bed. It’s cold.” Jack went back to bed and fell on top of the covers trying to forget the shock of waking up with a cramp while keeping his gaze on Ianto’s hunched back.

“I don’t understand you. I don’t understand what you want. You blackmailed me, you said unless I come here Lisa would spend the rest of her life in prison, unless… unless I come here and spend the week with you. And then, then you make perfectly clear you want to sleep with me…” Ianto blushed but continued. “…that you want to have sex with me. And I’m here for three days and nothing has happened.”

Jack got up from the bed and went to Ianto. “Do you want to sleep with me, Ianto? Will you let me have you?”

“What? No!”

“There you have it then. Come back to bed now.”

Ianto followed Jack and snuggled with the covers. Life was getting unpredictable.

“And I don’t even know what really happened with Lisa.” Ianto added quietly.

“You want to know, listen to me then and listen well about the woman you’re willing to spend your life with. Torchwood holds all the important secrets of the Crown and the Government, secrets that have the power to destroy Great Britain if they fall in the wrong hands. One night, I caught Miss Hallett, your lovely Lisa photocopying the Reasonate-Tardis files. What she doesn’t know is and that’s what has kept her out of prison, that that particular file is for my eyes only and what she’s got is meaningless jabbering. As if John Smith would have left it fall in the wrong hands.”

“I don’t believe you.” Ianto said brokenly. “Lisa wouldn’t do something like that…”

“And still, here you are sharing my bed.”

“Then… you have to report her.”

“No, if you can make her stop. If you manage to do this, she’s going to get fired but be out of prison. If not, your loss of virtue would have happened for nothing. Good night, Mr. Jones.” Jack turned his back on Ianto and let the other man think of what he was told.

Ianto felt betrayed by what Jack said. He didn’t want to believe him; he knew it was all lies, all lies!

Sleeping in an odd position resulted in waking up in pain. Ianto couldn’t move his neck. His hand reached behind him finding the sheets cold. Jack was already up. Following his example, Ianto felt the pain intensifying. He walked slowly to the kitchen where Jack was reading a newspaper, in the old fashioned way Ianto’s Dad use to read his Sunday newspaper. A strange warm emotion coiled in Ianto’s stomach as Jack’s blue eyes looked up, taking in his pained expression.

“What happened to you?” Jack asked and rising to his feet he went behind Ianto to lead him down on an armchair.

“I can’t move my neck.” Ianto replied.

“Wait a minute.” Jack disappeared to the bathroom returning a couple of minutes later holding a lotion in his hands.

“What’s this?” Ianto asked.

“It’s massage oil.” Jack tried to work with Ianto’s tee shirt on but he failed. “I need you to take off the tee shirt.” He said. Ianto tried to do it but failed as the shirt was caught in his elbow. “Let me...” Jack offered as mechanically as he could despite the erotic aspect of the action.

His hands were a darker colour against Ianto’s pale skin. Jack began with nerve strokes; the light fingertip touches that acclimatised Ianto's body to being touched. They were soothing and relaxing. The muscles started to relax, increasing the blood flow to the skin and muscles, and preparing Ianto for the rest of the massage. Next Jack began the massage on Ianto's back and shoulders while interspersing non-painful deep tissue on Ianto's neck and shoulder blades. The fragrance of bitter almond and the sense of finally having his arms on Ianto's body made him stiff and needy. He reluctantly stepped away when he felt the nerves relaxing and Ianto immediately put on his shirt and disappeared into the bedroom.

Ianto closed the door behind him, trying to calm his breathing. Jack’s touch had been beneficial and deeply confusing; tender and strong, gentle and masculine. Ianto didn’t remember any other person’s touch making him feel so… well, important. He breathed deeply and chastised himself. “Stop being so stupid, Ianto. The man is an idiot. Lisa waits for you at home.” Ianto watched his flushed face in the mirror and thought nothing more of Jack’s accusations.

Jack noticed Ianto’s quick retreat. He thought he knew what had caused it but in the end he was wrong. “Reality betrays us all.” He whispered once again. “Come Ianto, get ready. I’ve planned a trip for today.” He called out to his guest.

“Where to?” Ianto asked coming out of the bedroom wearing a pair of jeans and a deep red jumper that looked incredibly soft.

“You’ll see.”

Jack’s driving was a bit dangerous. “Remind me to never come with you in a car again.” The reluctant passenger said after they had left the streets of London.

Jack only laughed and kept the not so innocent reply to himself.

“Are we returning to Cardiff?” Ianto asked a little later seeing the familiar roads.

“Cardiff no; Wales yes.” Jack said and started telling some stories about his life when he had been at Ianto’s age. “Here we are.” He said as he stopped in front of a large old house.

“This is yours?” Ianto asked doubting Jack as they slowly crossed the garden in front of the house.

“Yes, Ianto, this is mine. I bought it about three months ago and I’m making some changes when I can find the time.”

Ianto would question him again but seeing the keys in Jack’s hands made him stop. As they walked in, Ianto stared at the luxurious rooms and modern furnishing which still matched the antiquity of the building. “It’s very beautiful.” He said in the end. “It’s how I always dreamed my house would be. You’ve done a great job here.”

For the first time Jack saw admiration and acceptance in those wide, blue eyes. “It needs more to be done, of course but the start has been promising. And I find it relaxing to work here. With my hands…” He added laughing as he wriggled his fingers.

Jack left Ianto alone to go check the drains in the basement and the young man found himself calculating how he would like to decorate the house. If it had been his. ‘And Lisa’s’, a helpful voice inside his head provided.

“We’ll stay here tonight.” Jack said as running up the stairs.

“But I didn’t bring any clothes.”

“We have here everything we need.” Jack replied.

Later, sitting by the fire-place Ianto was silent.

“A penny for your thoughts.” Jack said.

‘Richard was giving away his whole kingdom for a horse and my thoughts only merit a penny?”

“Are you comparing yourself to England’s most villainous king ever?”

“Well, that’s Shakespeare’s opinion and no matter how much I respect the great Bard, he was a product of his time and that time was the Elizabethan. His plays were written for the Tudor Queen or at least during her era.”

Jack made a show of being shocked. “You mean you find something nice in Richard III?”

“I’m an Archivist, Jack. I only offer an opinion after research, not because I feel like it. There’re evidence that not everything happened the way Shakespeare described them. Not that Richard was an angel… far from it. But maybe he wasn’t a demon either.” Jack’s heart melted hearing his name from Ianto for the first time. The younger man showed no hint of realising his mistake. Or maybe it wasn’t a mistake. Jack really wanted to know.

Ianto got up. “So an amateur performance, right? Then why do you have yet another piano here? It’s not exactly pop corn. They’re expensive instruments.

Jack got up and took Ianto’s hand leading to sit in the piano. “Play with me.”

“Who? Me? Oh no! I took some piano lessons when I was very young and I remember almost nothing.”

“Come Ianto, I’ll show you.”

They sat side by side, Ianto’s technique was rusty but with Jack’s assistance they played… not well, but enjoyably, Jack at one side of the piano Ianto at the other.

As Jack increased the rhythm, Ianto laughed. “Hey, not so fast. Wait for me.”

Turning his eyes from Ianto’s long fingers to Ianto’s eyes he replied. “I am waiting for you, Ianto.”

“Lisa used to play the violin.” Ianto said, the thought of Lisa just entering his mind for the first time that day. “I should have phoned Lisa.”

“You do have your cell phone with you, Ianto.” Jack said, all good humour gone. “Call her.” He said and went to the bathroom. For a couple of hours Jack had forgotten that Ianto was there without wanting to be. He had made him come to him, he had blackmailed him. Ianto didn’t want to be there with Jack. Ianto wanted to be with Lisa. That hurt Jack in new, masochistic ways. He had three more days with Ianto though and he planned to have the most of them.

Coming out from the bathroom he saw Ianto walking back and forth agitatedly. The young man walked to the window and looked out in the frozen night.

“I spoke to Lisa. I need to return home tomorrow.”

“What? No! We still have three more days and four nights. You’re not leaving. I won’t let you.” Jack went to him standing behind Ianto. “No, no it’s too early. I haven’t….” Jack hands rested on Ianto’s waist and the younger man turned to face him.

“She needs me. She didn’t say exactly what’s happened but she was agitated. After three years I know what and how she thinks. And… this cannot work, can it? How would I go back to her, if anything more happens between us?” Ianto’s hands were resting on Jack’s neck, caressing either side. “I’m sorry, but this…” He indicated between the two of them. “This could never work. Do you want me to be miserable for the rest of my life because you wanted to screw me?”

“It’s… do you want to go?”

“What do you think, Jack?”

Jack closed his eyes the moment Ianto’s hands fell down by his thighs. “You won’t change your mind?”

“What about? Half the time I was scared to death by your behaviour..”

“And the other half?”

Ianto looked down. “I’m sorry. I hope you’ll find a person to give you what you need, but you don’t need what I want to give or what I need in my life.”

“And what’s that?” Jack asked desperation creeping inside his heart and mind.

“Love, Jack, love!”

Jack ran pressed his fingers through his hair. “Do you know what, Ianto?” He asked moving menacingly towards the younger man. “I could have had you the first night, when your stomach rebelled at the idea, or the second when you were dead on your feet. You wouldn’t have put up much resistance yesterday either.” Once again his face was really close to Ianto’s, mere centimetres between the two of them. “What about now?” He asked snaking his arm around Ianto’s waist.

His attempt to kiss Ianto, failed when the younger man turned his head to his left and he tightened his hold on him. “You think you can overpower me? You can’t! Let me tell you, you cannot, Ianto Jones.” His voice rose and felt Ianto’s stiffened body starting to shiver or shake. “You want to know why I didn’t do it and why I won’t do it now either?” Jack asked pulling away from Ianto who in return turned to look at him, his blue eyes wider than ever.

“Why?” Ianto whispered.

“Because plans change, Ianto. Because when you came here I wanted to push you onto my bed, pull your clothes off and make you beg for me and two hours later I only wanted to take care of you. Go ahead and return home and play families with your Lisa. Lisa who will never respect you or love you! Who doesn’t deserve one quarter of the love you have for her.”

Ianto’s eyes narrowed at the implications of Jack’s words. “What do you mean?”

“She cheated on you.” Jack said. “You, you think you know everything, in fact you know nothing little boy.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“That’s fine by me. Ask her. Ask her about the long work hours with Owen and then…”

“What? You say Lisa went with Owen?” Ianto didn’t want to believe Jack, but even if he did he was surprised that he didn’t really care if Lisa slept with Owen. The realisation made him angrier at Jack and himself. “You lie.”

“Oh no, Mr. Jones. I am many things but not a liar. Maybe you should look elsewhere for that kind of human…”

“Do you mean me? Well, if so you made me one. How do you feel knowing that you bring out the worst in people, Sir? Does it make you feel good? Important?”

Jack was so close in losing his temper. Ianto Jones shouldn’t want that to happen.

“If it is as you say it, then I only brought out what was already there.” Sneering at Ianto, the older man grabbed a coat and went out.

He never saw Ianto sliding down the wall, never witnessed the agony in those blue eyes, and never heard the whispered words. “Do you think I don’t know that?” It wasn’t the lie that Ianto was made to say, it was all the newly awakened feelings that confused and scared him.

He got up, went to bathroom and then lay down on the bed waiting for Jack to come back. When he heard the other man he closed he eyes and pretended to sleep.

Jack sighed finding Ianto sleeping soundly in his bed. He had caught himself wishing the younger man had left before he returned home. No; the Fates were never that kind to him. As he lay next to Ianto he did the same as the first night; he wrapped his arms around Ianto and let the other’s man’s breathing lull him to sleep. As sleep claimed him he thought how nice would have been to sleep like that every night.

The next morning Jack opened his eyes to find a pair of blue ones looking at him. A long fingered hand rested on his cheek and Ianto smiled. Jack thought he was dreaming. He blinked, and blinked again. It was a mistake because in that time Ianto had pulled his hand away and had gotten up, away from him.

“Ianto?” Jack called him back.

“I have to go.”

Ten minutes later, Ianto was ready and standing by the door. “Will I see you at work tomorrow?”

Jack got up and walked to him. “Yes.”

“Do you think it will be suspicious?” Ianto bit his bottom lip waiting for an answer, making Jack’s blood run hot.

“Not really? And if it does, well we had a secret mission and there was no need for the rest to know.” Jack answered and Ianto smiled albeit a bit forced. “Do you want me to take you anywhere?”

“No, thanks. I already called for a taxi.”

Five minutes later, Jack was standing alone in the middle of his living room looking around feeling lost.

tbc at: anastasisrick.dreamwidth.org/4006.html