Title: Boundaries
Author: godsdaisiechain
Format: Fiction
Word Count: About 800
Rating: NC-17
Characters, Pairing: Jack/Ianto
Summary: Ianto must cross some lines as he and Jack wend their way into a physical relationship. Alternating Ianto/Jack POVs.

Ianto
The eidetic memory had helped, at least once he started working at Torchwood One, but it made that moment, on top of Jack, feeling their mutual attraction, a haunting, lingering ache rather than the fleeting sensation it might have been for someone else.

Ianto had never liked men in that way. It had been the one boundary he would not cross. That and killing. Or drinking coffee made from instant crystals. Wearing ill-fitting clothes. Leaving the kitchen a mess in the morning. Using bad grammar. Allowing his girlfriend to die even though she was probably a cyberman. Shopping at Debenham’s. Admittedly, a lot of boundaries, but it definitely had been among them.

He’d felt no triumph in getting a job at Torchwood 3, because he knew he’d have to cross the line he promised himself he’d never cross. Knew he’d have to lie to someone he now liked and was attracted to. Someone doing him a favor.

And Torchwood 3! What a joke. They didn’t even keep dinosaur nets in the van.

But love did things to you, made you do things you never thought you would do. Ianto wondered, from time to time, whether love was really all it was cracked up to be.


Jack
Jack waited a long while (for him) before he tried to shag Ianto. He’d known since that moment after the pterodactyl that they would, that Ianto felt an animal attraction for him—he’d felt the evidence of it pressed against him—but unlike most people, Ianto resisted without much apparent effort. And had the nerve to criticize Torchwood 3 while begging for a job, any job.

If anyone had asked him why he waited, Jack would have laughed and said something about shitting and eating. Or maybe the coffee…Ianto’s coffee was pure magic. But something held him back.

The first time was hurried. Jack knew that he’d taken Ianto by surprise, but he hadn’t counted on how long it had been since Ianto had been with someone that way. Or that Ianto had never been with a man. Jack only rarely came across such sexual innocence wedded to such immediate physical chemistry.

Ianto
Ianto gasped and came as soon as Jack expertly flipped open his flies and slipped a hand inside the straining trousers. They were in the office alone after everyone had gone home. Ianto wanted to die of mortification as his knees went to jelly and he slumped against Jack’s shoulder, fighting back tears of grief—Lisa would never touch him that way again—and shame. He’d never reacted to Lisa so profoundly and uncontrollably, not even once.

“Hey,” Jack held him up, closed his free hand on the back of Ianto’s head and pressed their faces together. “You okay?”

“It must be the pheromones,” Ianto said, keeping his voice level with an effort. “I didn’t quite believe you, sir.”

Jack chuckled, tightening his hold while Ianto caught his breath. He counted silently to three and Ianto still didn’t have his feet firmly planted. “Can you get home on your own?”

“Of course.” Jack let go, then caught Ianto before he slumped to the floor.

“Let’s get you cleaned up.”

“Just help me to the loo.” Jack’s eyebrows shot up when Ianto emerged 40 seconds later looking as if he had never heard of sperm. Their eyes met and Ianto’s knees buckled again. Jack’s arms closed around him just before he tore his suit or cracked his skull on something hard and unyielding.

“Please let me see you home.” Jack winced at the old-fashioned courtly language. His intentions had not been even remotely courtly.

“That would be very gentlemanly of you, sir,” Ianto deadpanned, aware of the fact that Jack was simply blowing off some steam.

“I’ll just call a cab,” they said in unison.


Jack
“When did you last ask me anything about my life?”

Jack wanted to die of mortification. Ianto’s façade didn’t crack, not even once, until Jack pulled a gun on him. And he was right. They didn’t treat him like a person. Jack didn’t, and of all people he should have. He’d just been so embarrassed when he realized Ianto had never been with a man, and he was angry that Ianto had done so much lying, had tried to convince himself that Lisa was not really a cyberman.

Ianto was just luscious. He felt deeply, and at the same time Jack could see he’d be curious about sexual adventure. Willing to dabble. He rarely saw that combination of innocence and eager curiosity.

Everyone else had gone home, when Jack caught sight of a tailored sleeve. “Ianto?” Gods, his rear looked good in that suit.

Ianto thought he knew the tone. “Coffee, sir?”

Jack flushed. “I wanted to apologize, for that time…”

“I should,” Ianto said sheepishly. “I should have told you that I’d never…” He let his eyes drop to Jack’s shoes.

Jack closed the distance between them in two steps, nearly melting in the vulnerable expression when Ianto raised his head. He looked so young. “My fault, Ianto. I could have warned you.” Jack smoothed Ianto’s hair and leaned in. Ianto reached up and kissed him, cautiously at first, then hungrily. They let their hands roam, wrenching at each others’ clothes, then broke apart, breathless. “Ready for another round?”

“I’m game if you are, sir.”