Title: Shag
Author: nakaleteme
Pairing: Jack/Ianto
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: All characters and the Hub belong to the brilliant Russell T Davis. If anyone is willing to sell Jack and Ianto, though, I will be the first bidder. Story concept is belonging to I.
Spoilers: Spoilers for episodes past Reset, Season 2 Episode 6 of Torchwood
Summary: Ianto, the ever faithful teaboy, hates the term "shag". A simple chat with Jack turns to something unexpected.

***

Ianto: "You okay?"
Owen: "What do you think? Bet you're loving this, aren't you? S'like you've finally won."
Ianto: "Didn't realize we were in competition."
Owen: "Oh come on. Even Tosh had more of a life than you used to, and now you're always on missions, you're shagging Jack, and I'm stuck here making the coffee."
Ianto: "It's not like that… Me and Jack…"
Owen: "Yeh yeh… you and Jack."

"Morning, Ianto," greeted an American accent.

The tall Welshman turned, nodding slightly to Jack as he passed by. He watched him stride into his office from the corner of his eye and then returned to fixing the first round of morning coffee. He filled two mugs and added sugar, cream, and various other mixings for the girls on the Torchwood team. He carried them carefully up to the workstations, handing Gwen hers (soymilk and a spoon of caramel) and setting Toshiko's (cream and chocolate) down on her desk. He was returning to the coffee maker when the Japanese woman returned from the autopsy room and picked up her mug.

"This is heaven, Ianto. You could be making a fortune with your own coffee shop, you know." Toshiko smiled, taking a sip of her coffee and sighing happily.

"Don't give him any ideas, Tosh!" Gwen replied, gulping down the scalding drink. "He might leave, and then we'd be stuck with Owen making that muck he calls coffee."

The two women shivered simultaneously.

"Oi! I'm dead, not deaf."

Owen had walked up from the medical area and was leaning against the railing, watching the mugs with hungry eyes as the two drank.

Ianto rolled his eyes from his position at the coffee maker as he set to fixing coffee for himself and Jack. He had been in a somewhat tetchy mood for a few days, and had almost considered not showing up for work that morning. He had simply lain in bed for an extra hour, considering the pros and cons of playing hooky. On one hand, he wouldn't have had to be around Owen or Jack and would get a lot of extra sleep, not to mention the time to clean up his flat. On the other hand, Jack would probably show up after an hour or two and interrogate him as to why he hadn't come in yet. Plus, his own coffee machine was broken, so he had finally dragged himself out of bed and stumbled through his morning routine with the prospects of fresh coffee awaiting in the Hub.

He sighed, pausing as he stirred in sugar and crème for Jack. He had been mentally killing himself for paying any attention to Owen, but his words had bothered him. Now, Ianto was thinking about his 'relationship' with Jack non-stop. Was he doing more fieldwork because of it? Had his status gone up because he was 'shagging Jack'? Just from the doctor's words, Ianto had begun to question everything about his role in Torchwood. And even more importantly, his role in Jack's long life.

He shook his head to dislodge his thoughts from his mind and picked up the remaining two mugs. He walked slowly towards Jack's office, focusing on not spilling the coffee so he could avoid conversation with the others. Stepping into the glass-enclosed space, he softly cleared his throat to catch Jack's attention. The captain looked up from a stack of yellowing papers and smiled.

"Ah, nothing like Ianto's own special blend to start off the morning."

"Glad to hear that you're an admirer, Sir."

He handed Jack a white and blue mug, his favourite for some reason. Ianto suspected it might have to do with the fact that it had survived Torchwood One and lived in Ianto's flat until Jack had recruited him. The more logical explanation could have been that blue was the captain's favourite colour.

"You still insist on calling me that during working hours?" The American smirked lopsidedly before taking a drink from the steaming cup.

"I think it's only appropriate. Especially since the others seem to be catching on."

"Is there something wrong with that?"

"I was just thinking that… certain… problemsmay arise," Ianto answered, putting emphasis on the word.

"Problems?"

"Yes… Sir."

Jack frowned slightly, standing and crossing in front of his desk in order to shut the glass doors. He stood stationary in front of the windows, looking out over the central part of the Hub for a moment before turning back to face Ianto. The Welshman met his gaze, then looked down at his coffee before taking a sip. It burned his tongue as he closed his eyes to savor the taste. When he opened them again, Jack was closer to him, leaning against his desk and watching Ianto from over the rim of his mug.

"So tell me. What are these problems that've got you concerned?"

"Well… I think that the others might start to think that you're treating me differently… if they find out that we're–"

"Shagging?"

Ianto cringed inwardly. "Do we have to call it that?"

"Is it something else?" Jack asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well… Even if it's just… sex… with no thoughts of love or anything deeper than lust…" He paused, unsure of where he was going or why he was going there. "Maybe we could pretend it's more than just sex and call it something less crass."

Jack blinked, setting down his coffee and pushing off from his desk. He stepped closer to Ianto, slowly, as if afraid that the Welshman might bolt for the door.

"Are you saying you want more? Or something else? Because I've never been good at figuring out what the Welsh truly mean when they dance around the topic. You people have an amazing skill."

Ianto blushed lightly, looking down as he replied, "For you, I mean. Just… could you pretend I'm something more than a butler that you–"

"Shag."

"Yes. Shag. If you must use that word, use it. It's rather degrading, though. If that's all this relationship is, though, then by all means, 'shag' away." He was shivering slightly despite his skin being suddenly hot against his suit. He looked down at his coffee mug, taking another gulp as he felt Jack's blue eyes boring into his downcast face.

"So… you're saying… that you don't want me to call what we do 'shagging'?"

"Unless that's all it is to you." Ianto's face was burning with embarrassment.

Jack shrugged, crossing his arms in front of his chest and continuing to look at Ianto dead on.

"What would you prefer we call it?"

He sighed, shaking his head and finishing his coffee.

"Never mind it, Jack. Oh, and Owen thinks I'm shagging you to improve my status. 'Working my way up the ranks', as it were."

He turned to leave the office, walking toward the doors with coffee mug in hand. He heard a few short footsteps and the rustle of Jack's coat before he felt a large hand on his shoulder, holding him back. He closed his eyes for a second, steeling himself mentally, before turning around to face Jack. He was surprised to the captain's hurt expression as he squeezed Ianto's shoulder softly.

"Do you think that's all it is? Sex? Because I know I come across as shallow and perverted–"

"Extremely perverted," Ianto thought to himself.

"–But I never sleep with someone just for the sake of sleeping with them. Especially you."

Ianto blinked, surprised further by Jack's words.

"I didn't know I came across as such a lecherous creep," Jack smiled slightly, his blue eyes willing Ianto to match the laughter within them.

"I just wasn't sure what our relationship was."

"Neither was I," Jack admitted. "I didn't want to make you uncomfortable by making it more than it was. You've had a tough enough time with relationships…"

Ianto nodded, looking through the windows out to where Myfanwy had attacked his cyberwoman girlfriend almost a year ago.

"So," Jack said, breaking the silence and taking a step to close the space between the two. "What are we going to call this then? I've got a feeling you don't like the term 'shag'." He smiled brightly as he put his arms around Ianto, pulling him closer.

"Er… 'sleep with' doesn't quite cover it," the Welshman replied, returning the smile. "How about–"

"Fornicate? Bang? Ravish? Mount? Screw into the wall? Maybe screw into the desk would be more appropriate…"

"I was thinking 'make love'," Ianto confessed, blushing brightly.

"I was thinking the same thing, actually."

Jack smiled, leaning forward to kiss Ianto softly on the lips. Ianto smiled against the captain's lips as he deepened the kiss, slipping his tongue into Jack's hot mouth. The American pulled the other closer, crushing him against his body as the kisses became heated. Ianto dropped his coffee mug to the floor with a clunk as he raised his hands to caress Jack's face. Jack pushed Ianto into a darker corner of the room, shielding them from the eyes of the others. Fingers wound their way through thick brown hair as they panted for breath with each break, coming back together as soon as enough air was won. The pair broke from their wanton kisses as they both heard footsteps approaching. They stepped back from each other arduously, not wanting to break from each other's arms. Ianto quickly straightened his suit jacket and tie, picking up his fallen mug from the floor as Jack smoothed his rumpled greatcoat. A moment later, Owen knocked on the door before opening it and coming in.

"Hope I'm not interrupting anything dodgy. The girls were wondering if you could make more coffee. I offered, but they said I'm rubbish. Anyway, they won't drink anything I touch. Oh, and Tosh said that she's found an energy spike coming from the National Museum that could be alien technology."

"Right then. Jack, would you like a warm up while I make another round?" Ianto picked up Jack's forgotten mug, the coffee considerably cooler.

"I'd love one, thanks. Owen, tell Tosh to keep an eye on it but focus on that simulation."

Owen nodded silently, leaving the office and rejoining Toshiko at her desk. Ianto walked after him, pausing in the doorframe and turning back to look at Jack.

"So…Shall I stay late tonight?" he asked meaningfully.

"How about we go out for dinner? We haven't done that in a while."

Ianto raised an eyebrow, leaning against the doorframe on his shoulder.

"Are you sure you can wait that long?"

Jack paused, grinning and thinking about something in the not-so-distant future that Ianto would definitely learn about later.

"On second thought, tell Owen to take the girls and investigate that spike at the Museum.

Ianto smirked, pushing away from the doorframe. "I'm still holding you to that promise of dinner." He chuckled, stepping out of the office and just barely catching Jack's reply:

"Wouldn't miss it for the world."

***