Title: Foot Massage Conversations
By: amuly
Pairing: Jack/Ianto
Word Count: 1,195
Rating: PG
Summary: Jack and Ianto take a moment to talk during "A Day in the Death"; also, foot massage.
Warnings: Absolutely none. Weird, right?
A/N: This was kind of a scene I thought could really take place. It's meant more as a look at Ianto's character, as kind of the silent, ever-supportive number two for Jack. I might even turn this into a regular series, I dunno.

            Shuffling through the files in his hands, Ianto stepped into Jack’s office. “Jack?” Ianto let his arms drop as he took a few tentative steps forward. Jack was leaning back in his chair, staring moodily down at his desk. A pensive Jack was not generally a good thing, and Ianto walked over to Jack’s desk, setting down the files carefully. “Jack.” Ianto spoke more assertively that time, starting Jack out of his reverie.

            It was apparent that the smile which crossed Jack’s face was not genuine. “Yeah. Did you, um…”

            Smiling softly, Ianto circled around Jack’s desk and sat on it, directly in front of him. “Yes, I did manage to make an inventory of most of the artifacts in Parker’s private collection. Feet.” Ianto nodded toward Jack on the last word. Now the grin on Jack’s face was genuine, as he lifted both his feet up and placed them in Ianto’s lap.

            Ianto set to work unlacing Jack’s boots, then pulled them and his socks off. Jack let out a contented sigh as he leaned back in his chair, relaxing into the foot massage. Focusing on Jack’s left foot first, Ianto pressed both his thumbs firmly into the ball of Jack’s foot, kneading and massaging the muscle and tendons beneath. He carefully massaged the ball beneath each toe, focusing on the individual tendons that lay beneath the skin. Another sigh escaped Jack’s lips, and Ianto looked up to see that Jack had closed his eyes and allowed his head to fall onto the back of the chair. Ianto allowed himself a small smile as he turned his head back down to his work.

            As he massaged Ianto waited. Sure enough, as he moved on to the center of Jack’s foot, Jack started to speak. “You know what he said to me?”

            Silently Ianto shook his head, not bothering to respond out loud even though Jack wasn’t looking at him. Jack didn’t need a reply. “He said, ‘you get to live forever, I get to die forever.’ He said that, to me.” Jack was obviously trying to sound outraged, but Ianto could hear the trace of sadness beneath it.

            “He’s upset. He’s lashing out. It’s Owen, after all. Not exactly one for kind words on his best of days.”

            Jack’s head lolled to the side as Ianto rand his thumbs firmly up and down the sides of his foot. “Mmm. I know. But he’s right. And it’s my fault.”

            Ianto lifted Jack’s foot and leaned down to plant a small kiss on his big toe. Jack cracked open an eye and smiled at him. “You weren’t ready to let go. And neither was Owen, even if he doesn’t seem it right now. He’ll get through this, and then he’ll thank you.”

            Ianto switched his attention to Jack’s right foot, repeating the same patterns with his thumbs. Jack’s eyes slid shut again as Ianto watched him concernedly. Sure enough, Jack started speaking again after a moment. “What did he say to you?”

            Ianto tried shaking his head and not replying, but Jack wasn’t having it. “I know he said something to you. He was upset, you were trying to help him make coffee…if he said something to me, I know he said something to you.”

            Not meeting Jack’s eyes, Ianto pretended to concentrate particularly intently on his foot. “Just the usual. About us.”

            Risking a glance up, Ianto saw a flash of anger cross Jack’s face before he schooled it smooth. “The ‘part time shag’ thing?”

            A lift of a shoulder and a slight frown of indifference. “Doesn’t matter.”

            Jack’s feet slid off Ianto’s lap as Jack pulled himself forward, placing his hands on Ianto’s thighs. “You know, that’s not you. You’re not just…”

            Ianto tried to slide his eyes away, but Jack reached up and cupped Ianto’s face in his hands. “You’re much more than that. I…you know that, right?”

            Ianto leaned forward and pecked Jack on the lips. “Like I said, doesn’t matter. Come on, I hadn’t finished.” Ianto gestured at Jack, and after a moment of consideration Jack moved away again and placed his feet back in Ianto’s lap.

            “He has a bandage on his hand.”

            Ianto’s thumbs slid down the center of Jack’s foot, up and down. “Martha says he can’t heal himself. Accident with a scalpel earlier, cut his hand open.”

            A non-committal hum was all Jack’s response to that new bit of information. Ianto didn’t press Jack on anything, just continued his ministrations. Jack was still tense, Ianto could tell. There was one more thing, something else he needed to say. Of course, Ianto didn’t push. He never did. Jack would just say it in his own time.

            Sure enough, just as Ianto was switching back over to Jack’s left foot, he spoke. “I told him to go home. Chill.”

            Again, Ianto said nothing. There was nothing for him to say. Owen was being a right bastard, but then again, he was experiencing a living death. And Jack couldn’t exactly say anything else besides tell Owen to relax and deal. Nothing else to be done, given the situation. Realizing that Jack needed more than just silent agreement, Ianto paused his massage to rub his hand up and down Jack’s calf soothingly. Jack didn’t open his eyes, but some of the worry lines in his face eased. Satisfied, Ianto resumed his massage.

            “Jack? Martha and I are going to grab a drink. Come with?” Ianto turned to see Gwen’s head popping around the office door. She grinned once she took in the position of Ianto and Jack in the room. “Oh, hi Ianto. You wanna come with, too?”

            Glancing back at Jack, Ianto saw that he hadn’t even bothered to open his eyes. He turned back to Gwen, shaking his head and flashing a smile. “No, I think we’ll stay in. Have fun.”

            Gwen waved a hand, giggling. “I’d say ‘you too’, but I don’t even need to.” A wink and a smirk, and she was gone, trotting off over to Martha.

Smiling slightly, Ianto watched them for a moment, before he felt eyes on the back of his neck. Turning around, he saw Jack looking at him gratefully. With a small pat to the top of both feet, Ianto ended the massage. He slipped Jack’s socks and boots back on, lacing them back up just as carefully as he had unlaced them. Sliding off the desk, Ianto straightened out his jacket and nodded. Jack reached out a hand and Ianto took it, allowing Jack to drag him in for a kiss. Their lips met and lingered for a moment, until Ianto pulled away. “Have to get back to work.”

Jack nodded and pulled himself into his desk. As Ianto picked up his files and made to leave, Jack’s head shot up and he called out. “Ianto.”

“Jack?” An arched eyebrow: the smirk on Jack’s face was a dead give-away of what he was about to say.

“Full body massage tonight?” Puppy dog eyes pleaded from Jack’s face.

Ianto nodded, smile twitching the corners of his lips. “Of course, sir.” With that, Ianto turned and walked out, heading back to work.  

Next story in series - Foot Massage Conversations Interlude: Full Body Massage