Title: Don't Forget To Dance
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Ianto Jones/Tenth Doctor
Fandom: Torchwood/Doctor Who
Rating: PG-13
Table: 3, 50episodes
Prompt: 5, Ball
Disclaimer: This is entirely a product of my imagination, and I make no profit from it. I do not own Ianto Jones or the Tenth Doctor. Please do not sue.

***

Ianto looked around as he entered the huge ballroom, the Doctor on his arm. He had wanted to come back to this time in the past, feeling that the two of them needed to take their minds off of all that had happened recently and just enjoy themselves.

They would certainly be able to do that here; it seemed that everyone around them was having a marvelous time. Ianto nodded and smiled at a lady who curtsied to him, realizing as she moved away that he probably should have bowed.

"I'm going to have to get used to the manners they expect in this century," he whispered to the Doctor, feeling a little embarrassed that he might have made a social gaffe just as they had entered the ballroom. "I should have studied a bit before we came here."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about it, love," the Doctor said, smiling and sweeping a graceful bow towards a dowager who was eyeing him speculatively -- and, to Ianto's eyes, more than a little lasciviously. He could feel a frown settling onto his features as the woman moved away.

"I don't like it when people look at you as though they're undressing you with their eyes," he grumbled under his breath, wondering if it had been a good idea to come here. He hadn't realized that the people in this century were so -- uninhibited.

"They're only doing that because I'm someone new," the Doctor protested, shaking his head. "I see that they're giving you quite a few looks, too, sweetheart. Don't worry, we'll stick with each other and I'll make sure that no one drags either of us off."

"I'd like to see anyone try to do that to you while I'm around!" Ianto told his lover with a soft laugh, sliding his arm around the Doctor's waist. He had already been assured by the Time Lord that it wouldn't be considered odd for two men to be together here.

"You know, the Regency seems like a place we could enjoy," the Doctor remarked as he accepted two glasses of champagne from a tray held out by a passing butler and handed one to Ianto. "We don't have to worry about hiding what we are to each other, at least."

"Ah, but isn't that only at parties like this?" Ianto asked, arching a brow as he took a sip of the sparkling liquid. "It's not like we could be obvious about the fact that we're together on a constant basis. Unless we wanted to be looked at as being degenerates, that is."

"Oh, I've been called much worse than a degenerate," the Doctor told him, languidly waving one hand in the air. "That doesn't bother me. But you're right. We couldn't parade who we are all the time. Sad that even in your time, being gay isn't accepted in several quarters."

"It is sad," Ianto agreed, sighing softly. "But even in Jack's time, it's not completely accepted, is it? Even though he's always called himself 'ominsexual,' I think Jack really enjoys flaunting that he's 'different' and shocking people."

The Doctor rolled his eyes at mention of the immortal, nodding in agreement. "Yes, I believe you're right," he mused, looking around at the crowd of people thronging the huge ballroom. "Jack has always liked to pit himself against the rest of the world."

Ianto couldn't help laughing at the Doctor's description of the man who had been a former lover to both of them. "Yes, that's Jack in a nutshell," he murmured. "He's always tilting at windmills -- but he wouldn't be Jack if he wasn't. I wouldn't want him to change."

"And I wouldn't want you to change, either," the Doctor told him, slipping his hand into Ianto's and twining their fingers together. "I love the fact that even though you wanted to come here, you're still a bit awkward. I find it endearing."

"I should know what to expect," Ianto said ruefully, shaking his head. "We've been to this time period before, after all. Though I don't like to think about what almost happened to you." He shuddered as he remembered the smugglers they had dealt with, the danger they'd both been in.

It seemed like a lifetime ago -- could it have only been a little over two years that had passed since then? He could swear that he had been with the Doctor for all of his days; he felt as though the Time Lord had been a part of his heart and soul for his entire life.

The people around them didn't seem to be throwing the two of them any strange looks; it took Ianto a few moments to realize that though there were a lot of men there who were with women, there seemed to be just as many who were obviously with men.

"Would you care to dance?" the Doctor asked softly, breaking into his thoughts. "This is a ball, you know. And it's been a while since we danced together, Ianto. I'd like to take a turn around the ballroom with you, if you wouldn't mind."

"I would love to," he said softly, sliding one arm around the Time Lord's waist and sweeping his lover away onto the dance floor. Fortunately, he was good at waltzing; the two of them spun around the floor with no problem, both of them feeling as if they were dancing on air.

"Why don't we do this more often?" Ianto asked, wanting to throw back his head and laugh out loud to the world. He hadn't felt so carefree for a long time; this was exactly what the two of them had needed, a bit of fun and relaxation in lives that could too often be deadly serious.

This was something they really did need to do more often, Ianto reflected as he whirled the Doctor around the dance floor under the admiring eyes of many people who had turned away from their conversations to watch. They didn't spend nearly enough time dancing.

There were times when their lives and responsibilities weighed down on them; they needed to take a little time for themselves, to dance with each other and merely enjoy the fact that they were alive, and that they were together. They needed to step back from their lives once in a while.

He was sure that the Doctor would agree with him on that score. They had spent so much time worrying about just why all the recent events had happened that they had forgotten to take time out to dance and enjoy the wonder of life.

But they wouldn't forget again, Ianto promised himself. He would remind the Doctor of this moment, the two of them moving gracefully around a dance floor, the feeling of freedom and exhilaration it gave them both. They would keep doing this -- away from all these watchful eyes.

They could enjoy dancing privately, in the safety and security of the Tardis. They would have that joy all to themselves, waiting there for them whenever they needed it most. They just had to remember to dance, to take advantage of their togetherness.

All he wanted to do at the moment was to get out of here, to go back to the Tardis and dance with the Doctor in their own private space, where no one else could view them. And then he had other, much more definite ideas, about what he wanted to do with the Time Lord.

He could tell that the Doctor's thoughts were traveling along the same path as his own; he couldn't mistake the sparkle in those dark brown depths. He was more than ready to leave and go back to the ship; he liked this time period, but there was somewhere else he would rather be.

Their steps slowed as the music changed; there was a smattering of applause from the people who were standing nearby as they left the dance floor, and Ianto couldn't resist taking a small bow before he pulled the Doctor into his arms and kissed his cheek.

The Time Lord blushed, looking down at the ground and then around all their audience. No one seemed to be bothered by the kiss; in fact, there were several knowing smirks, and glances towards the door, as though everyone guessed that they would be leaving soon.

"Are you ready to go, love?" the Doctor asked Ianto, sounding slightly breathless. "I think we need to have a bit of private time on our own, don't you? Being at a Regency ball is lovely, but I can think of other places I'd rather be in with you at the moment."

"I couldn't agree more, love," Ianto said with a smile, linking his arm through the Doctor's as they made their way through the crowd towards the entrance hall. They retrieved their coats from the footman, then headed outside and down the front steps.

No, they wouldn't forget to dance any time soon, Ianto thought as the two of them hurried back in the direction of the area where they'd left the Tardis. And judging from how they both seemed to feel now, when they reached the ship, they would be doing a very different kind of dancing.

***