Title: All But One
Fandom: Torchwood
Pairing: Jack/Ianto
Rating/Warning: NC-17. Slash/Smut/Sexual Content/References to TW Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, DW The Sound of Drums and The Last Of The Timelords
Summary: Jack asks for forgiveness…but does he really need it?
Word Count: 2,727
Author's Notes: Written for my lover100 table, prompt Forgiveness .
Disclaimer: I don’t own Jack or Ianto, no matter how many times I’ve tried to purchase them.

Jack Harkness had never been categorized as a coward before. He’d sometimes been selfish, almost certainly been vengeful - for those who deserved it. You could also say he’s been downright cruel at times but he’d never been as cowardly as he was right now.

Hey, kids. Did you miss me?

Silence. It would have been comical except for the nerves racing through him. His team said nothing, just looked at him, various expressions of shock on their faces. Except for one.

No, Ianto had always been very careful at keeping his emotions in check. Something came into his eyes when he first saw him but before Jack could decipher it, it was gone.

Jack kept his grin firmly in place, not letting the fact that his heart was doing flip-flops at the bottom of his stomach show. He could deal with their anger over leaving them without a word. He could deal with their rejection even…all but one.

“Well, no time to waste. Shall we take care of this?” he motioned towards the blowfish with his Webly before holstering it and stepping forward.

Owen and Tosh were the ones who shook themselves out of their surprised stupor first, Owen kneeling to check on the hostage and Tosh doing whatever she did on her PDA. Jack could tell Gwen was seething and he hoped to avoid that until they were at the hub.

Maybe he’d feel more himself there.

“Could you help me, Ianto?” she asked stiffly, kneeling beside the blowfish.

“Yes, ma’am,” his voice was overly formal and even Gwen glanced at him.

Jack stepped forward to help them lug the blowfish away and but for a withering glare from Gwen, they allowed his help. Jack tried to catch Ianto’s eye but he wouldn’t look at him.

With the girl safely retconned and the blowfish in cold storage without a hitch, the shit hit the fan, as they say.

Gwen planted her fist in the middle of his chest and forced him back a few steps. She packed a punch but Jack refused to rub the sore spot as she began furiously. “Where the hell have you been, Jack?” she demanded to know.

Even though the crisis was averted and The Master was dead, he couldn’t reveal anything from another timeline and he wasn’t really ready to speak of that year to begin with. “I can’t tell you that. You’ll have to trust me. Listen -.”

“No. If you don’t have any explanation, then you’ll have to excuse me. Tosh, you can leave for the night. Owen, I need that report before you go home. Ianto, if you could get me some coffee –.”

Jack shook off his surprise at being brushed off. “Wait. Hold it. I need to be brought up to speed before everyone heads home.”

“You leave without a word, for months, and think you can just waltz right back in and take over?”

“Yes. Gwen, I can see you took charge and you did a good job but this is my team. While I’m here, I’m in charge of Torchwood, and I’m back.”

“Why did you come back?”

Jack’s eyes collided with Ianto’s. Their gaze held for a moment as Jack answered Gwen’s question. “I came back for you.” It was obvious to everyone he’d spoken to Ianto and not Gwen. There was that flicker again, and again it was gone before Jack could figure out what it meant.

He broke away and swept his gaze over the rest of his team. “I came back for all of you, you’re my team,” he said again.

Tosh, who’d appeared indifferent so far, softened. Owen frowned but didn’t offer an opinion. Ianto still held that mask of blankness about him and Gwen scoffed. “You should have thought about that before you left us.”

“I had to leave,” he insisted. “There was no time to explain.”

“Then explain now. Where did you go?”

Jack sighed wearily. “I can’t tell you,” he said again. How can I explain that I went to the end of the word and lost count of how many times I was tortured and killed?

“Can’t or won’t?”

Jack’s voice took on an edge as his voice rose. “Either. Pick one,” he said shortly. “Now are you going to bring me up to speed or do I have to review the CCTV footage and dig around the reports filed?”

From the look on Gwen’s face, he could tell she was about to refuse him. Jack turned to walk away, fully intending to ignore her and go to his office, but Ianto’s voice stopped him.

“Gwen.”

Jack turned around, surprised at the small hint of sharpness in Ianto’s tone. By the look on Gwen’s face, not to mention Tosh and Owen’s, she was as surprised as he was.

Ianto’s gaze darted to Jack and back to Gwen before he continued. “You did a good job while Jack was away but he’s back now. The rules state you have to back down as head of Torchwood.”

Gwen stared openmouthed for a moment, and then her jaw snapped shut. She spun on her heal and stalked away. As Jack watched her leave the hub, Ianto came to stand beside him. “If you’d like, sir, I can go over the reports with you. It’d be faster and…” Ianto’s voice trailed off, as if he was about to say something more but decided against it.

Bracing himself for rejection, Jack placed his hand on Ianto’s shoulder. Ianto looked at his hand, then back at him but didn’t shake him off. He breathed a silent breath of relief and smiled at him. “Thank you, Ianto,” he said simply, but his voice said so much more.

Ianto nodded and headed for the kitchen. Jack watched him walk away, enjoying as he always did the cut of his suit and the way his trousers fit around his arse. He snapped out of his enjoyed reverie when Tosh poked him in the side.

When he turned to her, she smiled. “Never a dull moment with you, is there, Jack?” she teased.

“Guess not.”

“I missed you. Owen’s grumbling down in the autopsy bay but he missed you too, no matter what he says.”

Jack leaned down and hugged her. “Thanks.”

With a smile she left as well. Jack headed for his office. When he got there he stopped dead in his tracks. Gwen had moved everything around, his desk and chair, his shelves. She added a couch, too. All his stuff was missing.

“She did that when you’d been gone three weeks.”

Jack turned to see Ianto carrying a large box, two covered coffee cups sticking out of the top. “She didn’t think you were going to come back.”

Jack resisted the urge to ask if he’d thought the same. “I hid this stuff before she threw it away.” Ianto set the box down on the desk.

Jack peeked inside and smiled. His question was just answered. All his stuff was packed neatly away, the breakables wrapped and the small trinkets in a smaller plastic box. “Thank you,” he had to concentrate on keeping his voice steady.

Ianto shrugged as if it were no big deal and took the coffee cups out of the box and set them on the desk. His nonchalant attitude had Jack relaxing a little.
“I’m starting to rethink my decision in putting her second in command,” Jack confessed.

“Who else would you have chosen? Owen’s a doctor; Tosh would rather deal with her computers then people. Gwen has training, leadership skills –.”

“You, Ianto,” Jack interrupted by saying.

Ianto faced him and stared. “What?”

“You know this place and its procedures better then anyone, even me. You’re good with people and you take care of all the things we don’t think to do.”

“Uh…” Ianto was overwhelmed. He could tell by they way he tugged at his collar with a finger. “That’s nice of you to say, sir but-.”

“No buts. And don’t you think it’s about time you stopped calling me sir? I mean, we’ve all ready had our first kiss,” Jack’s smile hid his nervousness well. He hoped a little flirting would loosen Ianto up some, so he could build up the courage to ask for forgiveness… maybe even a date.

“If I’m not mistaken, Jack, that wasn’t our first kiss.”

Jack smiled at the use of his name. He rolled his eyes and scoffed. “That one didn’t count, Ianto. Aliens made you do it.”

“That doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it,” Ianto retorted with a small smile.

Jack threw his head back and laughed. All the tension and fear left his body with that one statement. He pulled a surprised Ianto into his arms. He pressed his mouth into the side of Ianto’s neck and sighed a huge sigh of relief. “I’m sorry, Ianto,” his voice was soft and vulnerable. “I’m sorry for having to leave you. I’d just gotten your trust back and I leave. If you could forgive me, maybe-.”

It was Ianto’s turn to surprise Jack. He pulled back and silenced him with a soft kiss. It was brief and a little hesitant but unbelievable sweet. Jack pulled back and looked at him a moment. Ianto smiled and a silent message passed between them. Jack expelled a small laugh of elation before he took Ianto’s face in his hands and kissed him back.

It was a slow, deep kiss, full of meaning and a hint of desperation. Jack’s hands slid down Ianto’s neck and under his suit coat to knead gently along his shoulders. Ianto’s hands were busy unbuttoning Jack’s coat and pushing it off onto the floor.

It was amazing how quickly they both were stripped to the waist. They’d never gotten this far before. Sure, they’d teased, and flirted, and kissed – a lot, but they never crossed that final line. Maybe they both knew deep down that once they did, they’d never be able to cross back.

Jack gasped in surprised when Ianto grabbed the top of Jack’s trousers in both hands. Smiling wickedly, he towed him back towards the couch. He let himself fall backwards, bringing Jack with him.

“One good thing about Gwen’s redecorations,” Jack said as he braced himself on his arms so he could look down at Ianto. “I think I’ll keep it.”

Ianto laughed and got a good hold on Jack’s hair, pulling him down on top of him. Ianto’s lips took possession of his and Jack groaned softly. With one hand still holding his weight, Jack’s other hand traveled over Ianto’s smooth, pale chest. He flicked his thumb over his nipple and had Ianto biting down on Jack’s lip in response. Jack chuckled darkly and did the same thing to the other nipple before moving on.

Jack pressed his palm against Ianto’s stomach and brought his hips forward at the same time, letting Ianto feel his cock and how hard he was. Ianto returned the thrust. Jack traveled down his body, his teeth leaving a love bite on his neck, his lips toying with a nipple. Ianto groaned deeply when Jack dipped his tongue into his navel and his back arched in pleasure.

It was incredible, the feeling he got when he knew he’d done something that pleased Ianto. He continued to play with his navel as he unbuttoned and freed Ianto from his trousers.

“Jack…Christ!”

Jack tossed the trousers onto the floor and knelt between Ianto’s legs. “Are you sure about this, Ianto? What do you want?” Jack asked, his voice low and heavy with desire.

“You.”

“Yes, but what do you want?” he stressed, needing to be sure.

Ianto was unable to say the words. He sat up and gripped Jack to him, kissing him fiercely. With a hand on Ianto’s shoulder, he pushed him back again, following him down without breaking their kiss. Ianto’s hands tugged frantically at the button to Jack’s trousers. Jack helped him and soon they were free of all that separated them.

With his gaze holding Ianto’s, he settled between Ianto’s legs. He pushed himself forward, letting his cock press against Ianto’s. The look on his face and the gasping moan that came from him told Jack that Ianto was surprised by how amazing it felt.

Jack leaned forward and kissed him and as he did, he gripped Ianto’s cock gently in his hand. Ianto started and gasped. Jack took the opportunity to take the kiss deeper and flicked his tongue inside Ianto’s open mouth. Ianto moaned then, from that and the feel of Jack slowly pumping his cock. As the feelings built up inside Ianto, he tried to urge him to go faster but Jack wouldn’t go any faster then the leisurely pace he set.

With a frustrated growl, Ianto pulled away. “Jack…” he tried to say move but Jack kissed him again. He let go of Ianto’s cock but before he could protest, Jack thrust forward, with a little more force this time. It sent Ianto to panting and Jack smiled into his mouth.

Jack gently pushed Ianto’s legs wider and slid his hand down to press his thumb at Ianto’s entrance. He tensed immediately and Jack pressed a kiss to his damp forehead to set him at ease. “You’re not ready for that yet,” Jack said in a soft whisper.

Ianto tried to protest but Jack silenced him with his lips. “Trust me.”

He felt Ianto relax under him and a spark of joy filled him up. As he kissed him, Jack toyed gently with Ianto’s entrance for a moment, letting him get use to feeling his touch there, before pulling away. He took Ianto’s cock in his hand again and brought it flush against his own. As he held Ianto in his hand, he thrust forward, causing their cocks to rub together.

The incredible friction had both of them moaning breathlessly. Jack thrust again, and again. He leaned down and kissed Ianto’s panting mouth softly. “Move with me.”

Ianto began hesitantly, unsure of himself. Jack continued to thrust forward steadily, slowly, whispering encouragements against Ianto’s lips. They soon found their rhythm and their pace sped gradually. Their kisses grew hotter and their breath heavier.

Embolden by Jack’s grunts and moans, Ianto reached between them and took Jack’s cock into his hand much the same way Jack held his. He thrust into Jack’s hand, all the while pressing Jack’s cock against his. With the combination of thrust and press, thrust and press, their movements grew desperate and their lips collided in brutal, frantic kisses.

“Jack…ahhh…”

“Let go…Ianto…Just let go…”

Those words along with a twist of Jack’s wrist and a hard pull of his fingers and Ianto came. He arched his back and let out a guttural moan as he exploded in Jack’s hand.

The look on Ianto’s face as he came completely did him in. With a cry of his own, Jack covered Ianto’s mouth with his and came with him.

Spent, Jack flipped their position so his arms held Ianto against his chest. Their breaths calmed and their skin cooled. Jack’s hand traveled idly up and down Ianto’s spine. Ianto kept running his hand over Jack’s bicep. He flex and Ianto laughed.

“That was…” Ianto trailed off, unable to find the words. “That was…”

“It was indescribable,” Jack filled in for him. He dropped a kiss in Ianto’s head.

“Yeah,” Ianto agreed, closing his eyes as he felt Jack’s lips move to his temple.

“Tomorrow we’ll go on a proper date. Dinner and a movie,” Jack promised in a low whisper against his skin.

“We do have to go over those reports,” Ianto said.

Jack groaned and Ianto laughed. He tilted his head up and Jack met his lips with his own. When they pulled away, Ianto smiled. “I’d like that.”

Jack smiled back but Ianto was too busy yawning to notice. He curled up on Jack’s chest, nuzzling his face under his chin. It wasn’t a particularly comfortable position but neither of them made any protest.

It didn’t take long for Ianto to drift off.

Jack stayed awake for a while and watched him sleep, lovingly categorizing his features with gentle fingertips, committing them to memory.

He laughed at himself for how ridiculous he’d been, how scared. It turned out he really didn’t need to ask forgiveness after all.

~FIN