Title: Me and Mr Jones
Author: Captains Cariad
Pairing: Jack/Ianto
Rating: PG
Author's Notes: Jack's POV. The title & the last line are taken/adapted from the song "Me And Mrs Jones" which is kinda stuck in my head at the moment.
Disclaimer: They're definitely not mine, but the boys like to play and so do I.
Summary: Jack is thinking about Ianto. Set somewhere after "Last Man Standing".

***

"Since I recruited Ianto Jones, I no longer need my daily morning Starbucks run. His coffee is legendary. I've drunk a lot of coffee all over the universe and believe me Ianto's is the best I've ever tasted - rich, smooth, dark with just a subtle hint of chocolate in the aftertaste. I could easily be forever indebted to anyone who makes coffee like that, hell I'd quite happily marry anyone who makes coffee like that.

I remember the first time he kissed me. It was late one night in the Hub, neither of us had realised the other was still there and we were caught by surprise though we hid it well. Ianto standing there with his shirtsleeves rolled up, tie off, waistcoat undone, diligently filing reports, making the most of the quiet with nobody demanding coffee and me in the doorway of my office with a bare chest and dishevelled hair having just woken from a fitful sleep, haunted by visions of my past.

Ianto turned and saw me there; the back of his neck flushed red, nearly the same colour as his shirt as he tried to cover the fact that his eyes kept flicking from my face to my chest. I offered him a drink, god knows I needed one after the dream I'd just had and he must have noticed I was shaken because he accepted, perching on the edge of my desk with a look of concern on his face despite his obvious embarrassment at being caught looking.

After a couple of gulps of whiskey, I sighed and contemplated the liquid in my glass, looking for answers, trying to ignore my shaking hands as I put the drink on my desk. I didn't hear Ianto speaking until I felt his hand on my shoulder, bringing my gaze to his. He said my name again; a question - was I alright? I gave a weak smile, a shake of my head, opened my mouth to speak, but found my voice hoarse and my eyes pricking with emotion.

Letting out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding, I managed a strangled confession to a nightmare and put a hand on Ianto's hip to steady myself. Fingers squeezed gently, then brushed across my shoulder to rest at the back of my neck as I blinked back tears, attempting to focus on Ianto's face. I felt a single tear escape my eye trailing down my left cheek and instantly Ianto's other hand was there, thumb wiping the wetness away. He held me there for a moment, hesitant, at arm's length as if plucking up courage for his next move, then pulled me closer until our lips met in a tender kiss.

His lips were soft and warm, lightly caressing, the slightest touch of his tongue asking me to part my own. I opened my mouth, slowly savouring every sensation, as we tasted each other for the first time. I felt his eyelashes flutter against my cheek and a small moan escaped the back of my throat as I slid my hands around his waist drawing him away from the desk and our bodies together.

He captured my lower lip between his teeth, biting gently as he pulled away, breathing shallow. His gaze was dark, full of lust and fear. He closed his eyes and dipped his head into the crook of my neck inhaling deeply as his hands came to rest against my chest. Then he opened his eyes, pushed me away and he was gone out of my office heading for the exit. He'd retreated back behind the safety of cool efficiency afforded by his suit, the mask of polite neutrality covering his face once more.

***

Things have moved on somewhat since that first kiss. What started out as a delicious distraction from the daily trials of life at Torchwood, soon developed into more of a coping mechanism for both of us - a way to get through it all.
Ianto was my attempt to escape the feelings of isolation that come from being the guy in charge, from being the one with so many secrets, from being immortal with no way out. In a similar way, he turned to me in his flight from the guilt and grief he felt over Lisa. It damn near consumed him and the incident in the Brecon Beacons only served to enhance his emotional turmoil. I was his last desperate refuge, his way of forgetting, relinquishing control to someone else...until I abandoned him; left him stranded as I went off in pursuit of the 'right kind of Doctor'.

However, these days I no longer want to escape life, I want to savour every moment I can get, especially those spent with Ianto. For some reason he accepted my clumsy apologies for leaving without a word and after the initial awkwardness, he gave me a second chance.

This time when he kissed me, although the setting was the same; lights low, him perched on my desk and my head filled with thoughts of the many lives I've lived, there was no hesitation on his part. His hand found my neck, guiding my mouth to his, pouring all his passion and need through his lips.
Kissing Ianto that night was my real homecoming from The Valiant. I channelled all my fear, despair and anger from that time into the desire of that kiss, entwining our tongues and pulling him as close as possible.

It's no longer about distraction or simply just coping, it's about living - he's everything I need to get me through and all that I want to keep me sane. He still intrigues me, still manages to surprise me, still infuriates me at times, but I couldn't imagine being without him. I suppose it's safe to say that me and Mr Jones have got a thing going on."

***