A Different Kind of Smile
Title: A Different Kind of Smile
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Jack/Ianto, Mica and David
Words: 2,692
Rating, Warnings: PG.
Disclaimer: Nope, don't own Torchwood.
Spoilers: References to Cyberwoman
AN: Written for
torchwood_fest Halloween fest. Prompt was "No-one knew that Ianto loved Halloween this much. Not even Jack." Jack/Ianto, pre Reset.
“Jack?”
Jack looked up in response to his name to find Ianto standing in the doorway to his office.
“What can I do for you, Ianto?”
“Next Monday night; can I have it off please? You know, barring imminent alien invasion.”
Jack leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers under his chin and pretending to be deep in thought. “You never ask for a night off.”
“Hardly ever would be more accurate, but either way, I am now.”
“Why?”
Jack watched as Ianto’s shutters came down. There was almost no perceptible change to his face and you would have to know him well to spot it, but Jack did know him well. Concern battled with annoyance as he fought to keep his own expression neutral as Ianto blandly replied.
“Things to do. Been rushed off our feet lately and just need to catch up at home. Thought Monday would be a good day. The world almost never ends on a Monday.”
Ianto gave a smile with this which Jack saw straight through. But he diligently smiled in return. He and Ianto had moved on since Jack’s return and currently seemed to be engaged in an unspoken “more often than not” situation. There was a closeness growing, or rather being re-found, that neither of them seemed quite willing to admit to. And, that they now spent more nights together than apart - and had even passed that tricky “spending the night together but not having sex” hurdle - was being left uncommented on. But even with everything that remained unsaid, Jack thought they were past lying to each other. Ianto was learning to trust him again and Jack instilled the same trust in return. This did not sit comfortably with him.
But one thing that had come out of their burgeoning…well, let’s not label it… was that Jack was becoming even more attuned to every little sign and tell that Ianto had. And while his body language and face screamed “nothing to see here”, his eyes told a different story. Having Monday night off was important to those eyes. Those eyes were worried the request might not be granted. No, more than that. The eyes would be sad if it wasn’t. So Jack continued with his smile.
“You’re right. No one likes to invade on a Monday. Too obvious. Take the night off and get yourself all caught up.”
Ianto’s eyes were relieved at his answer, but the rest of him gave a stoic little nod and an amiable, “thank you Jack.” Ianto turned to leave, paused for a second, then turned back.
“You know, if I get everything done early enough, maybe you could come over. We don’t spend much time at mine, but as I’ll already be there...”
Jack was startled but refused to let it show. He had not been expecting that and for a brief, truly terrifying second, he feared that Ianto was doing it again. Using himself as a decoy for whatever he was hiding; playing on and using Jack’s need to be lover against him. But the eyes said not. And he trusted that he knew the eyes these days. And the eyes may have been apprehensive, but they were genuine. Jack gave in to the eyes again; an easier capitulation this time.
“Yeah, that would be nice Ianto. Let me know how you get on and I’ll come over.”
Ianto gave him a tight, but genuine, smile and was gone. But Jack’s doubts lingered behind.
Three days later and Monday arrived in all its glory, bringing with it a sense of relief. All weekend Mainframe had been bleeping as she registered hits on the Police’s call log, blogs and news outlets, of strange creatures being sighted in the streets. And they had all been false alarms, but all had been checked up on. But as today was Halloween it meant there was only one night of it left.
Ianto was standing at his computer examining a page of data when Jack approached him. Ianto’s shoulders where not as high and firm as usual and an air of tense disappointment hung off him. Jack placed a hand on his shoulder.
“All okay there, Ianto?”
“Yup. Just closing off the last of the reports from last night. More will be starting soon today I expect.”
“Oh, there won’t be as much tonight. Just the kids mainly. The ones who really party will have got it out of their systems at the weekend. If you still want your night off you can.” Jack watched Ianto’s body language carefully for the response.
“Really?” And he saw that the response was guarded.
“Yes, really. I think we can handle a hoard of four-foot bed-sheet ghosts by ourselves tonight. You can go now if you like. It’s not quite four, you’ll get a head start.”
Then Ianto turned around, a full and genuine smile on his face. His shoulders seemed to lift and absolve themselves of tension all at the same time.
“Thank you, Jack. And I’ll call you, when I’m done?”
Ianto’s enthusiasm was infectious and Jack’s smile became genuine in return. “I look forward to it.”
And with a hollered goodbye to the rest of the team, Ianto grabbed his coat and left. Jack watched him leave before walking as nonchalantly as he could manage to his office. He picked up a mobile tracer unit and the keys to one of the “unmarked” cars they had downstairs. Jack didn’t like avoiding ostentation often, but even he knew when an occasion called for it.
“Got to nip out for a bit, follow a lead.” Jack shouted to his remaining team members and headed for the underground car park. Seating himself with a slight grimace of distaste in an old, entirely not ostentatious and very small Vauxhall, he switched on the tracer, set the programme to follow Ianto’s mobile phone and turned on the ignition.
Jack had been a little surprised to find the tracer leading him to Ianto’s flat and doubt and guilt crept up on him. But then Ianto reappeared moments later carrying a bag and stepped back into his car, pulling away again. Jack let him get a head start and then let the tracer guide him towards the young Welshman once more.
An hour later and the guilt was back, sitting hard and heavy in Jack’s chest. He had traced Ianto to a sprawling council estate outside the city, all graffitied bus stops and run-down cars. His Vauxhall almost passed for luxurious here. He had watched and waited until Ianto had tumbled out of a house, his normal poise and grace lost to him as two children battled to beat him through the door. His suit jacket as gone too. Now a long black cape was draped over his shoulders, accompanying his blood red shirt and black suit trousers. His tie was gone, top button undone, which was “I’m relaxed” in Ianto’s language. His hair was slicked back against his head, his face painted white with darkened eyes and lips.
His rivals to exit the house were a small zombie and an even smaller witch. Jack knew he was wearing an expression of dumb surprise when the witch and the zombie each ran to one of the neighbouring houses and knocked on the doors. Another witch and two Harry Potter’s spilled from one, and a ghost and fairy princess with a tear stained face left the other. All tears were gone though as the children rushed on mass towards Ianto, converging on him from both sides. Ianto lifted his cape high and opened his mouth wide. He was halfway through a loud evil laugh, when his plastic fangs fell from his mouth.
Torchwood trained reflexes kicked in and the teeth were caught before they hit the ground. The children were all laughing at Ianto now and he grinned playfully back at them. Jack realised that he was chuckling too. The sound was very hollow to his ears and all of a sudden the small car seemed large and very empty.
Each of the children carried a small pumpkin bucket and they swarmed around Ianto chattering and pulling at his cloak. Jack found himself transfixed by the easy and open smile on Ianto’s face as they prepared to head off up the road. The first witch slipped her hand into one of Ianto’s and Jack witnessed a brief power struggle between the two Harry Potter’s for ownership of the other hand. And Jack felt lost and alone in the vastness of his car.
Jack’s impulse had been to drive away as soon as Ianto had gone out of view. Head back to the Hub, wait for the phone call, drink a bucket of Scotch, go a club and screw a stranger. But he didn’t. He knew he couldn’t follow Ianto and the children on their trick or treating. That would lead to a very quick arrest. Although, probably around here the justice was meted out a little more locally. No, following wasn’t an option. But sitting in his car and waiting from them to return was. And so he sat. And he waited. He wanted to see that smile again.
Various groups of children with slightly bored looking adults passed him as he sat in his car, all pursuing the same Halloween treats. Jack had no doubt that this estate had seen its fair share of tricks from its teenage residents over the weekend, but this night, or this post-dinner/pre-bedtime evening, seemed to belong to the children.
And then finally, a zombie he recognised and a ghost ran down the road together, pursued by the second witch. Two Harry Potters and a now considerably happier fairy princess followed them and then Dracula came into view, carrying the little witch. The witch had her arms tightly wrapped around Ianto’s neck and her face pressed close against his as if she never intended to let go. Her pumpkin bucket dangled from Ianto’s fingers and Jack saw that smile again as Ianto turned to whisper something in her ear. The little witch giggled and finally the little tableaux was complete in front of Jack again. Ianto stood on the pavement with the witch and the zombie and watched as the two Harry Potters and the second witch disappeared back into their house and the ghost and fairy princess retreated to theirs.
Now without an audience the zombie stepped in close to Ianto and leaned his head against his side. Ianto shifted the witch in his grasp and slipped an arm across the zombie’s shoulders, looking down at him. Then they headed back into the house they had left earlier, the door shutting firmly behind them. Jack started the car and pulled away.
Jack lost track of time back at the now empty Hub. He moved around, straitening papers, looking at artefacts, reading barely legible autopsy reports; absolutely anything he could think of to pretend that he wasn’t waiting for his phone to ring. He was more successful than he realised and the ringing of his phone startled him into dropping a specimen jar of something blue and sticky on the floor. Swearing he picked up the phone.
“Bad time?” Ianto’s voice asked.
“What?” snapped Jack, still distracted by the growing pool of blue sticky.
“Hello is a more usual form of greeting when answering the phone than the words you just used.”
“Oh, yeah, sorry.” Jack eyed the mess he had made and considered the trouble he would be in. “I just stepped in something Owen’s spilt on the floor in here. Don’t worry about it though. I’ll clean it up.”
“Thank you Jack, that’s very kind.” Jack was sure he could hear a grin in Ianto’s voice and knew he had been rumbled. “Why don’t you leave it until tomorrow though? Do you still want to come over? It’s not late?”
A stupid, stubborn part of Jack wanted to say no; wanted to say that he didn’t need to see Ianto, didn’t want to see Ianto, didn’t want Ianto to smile at him with that look of affection he’d shared with the kids. But then his mouth didn’t listen to the stubborn part for once and Jack found himself agreeing and offering to take dinner over.
“How about pizza? Haven’t had that in at least six hours.”
“Pepperoni?” Jack asked, choosing to ignore the sarcasm.
“That would be great. See you soon, yeah?”
“Yeah.” Jack hung up from Ianto and started dialling the pizza number, all the time wondering how long he was going to be jealous of witch with a plastic cape and a pre-watershed bedtime.
Jack and Ianto sat side by side on the sofa, chewing on pizza, drinking beer straight from bottles, watching a film and pretending to be relaxed. Although Jack had a horrible feeling it was only him pretending. Suddenly Ianto spoke.
“You should join us next time.”
Jack choked on a mouthful of pizza in lieu of a reply, but managed to turn a quizzical raise of an eyebrow in Ianto’s direction.
“Next time we go trick or treating you should join us rather than sitting in the car getting cold.”
“You saw me?”
“Not a lot of people sit around my sister’s estate in period military clothing Jack. And you used one of our cars. How did you think I wouldn’t notice that?”
“You’re sister’s estate? Your records say you have no family.”
“When the shit hits the fan Jack, would you want anyone who knows about Torchwood to know you have family? I changed the record years ago.”
Jack wasn’t sure how to reply, being annoyed both that Ianto had kept something else from him, but also that he was right. Beside him Ianto took another long pull of beer and then began to speak.
“I always loved Halloween as a kid; all the costumes and dressing up. Witches and skeletons and ghosts and those awful plastic Dracula teeth. The glow in the dark ones were always the best. But my Dad would never let us trick or treat. Said it was no better than begging and ‘no son or daughter of mine is ever going to be seen begging’. It didn’t matter to him that we were more bothered about the dressing up than the sweets. Well, it was mainly me really. Rhi was never as interested in it as me.
“Even then I was fascinated by strange creatures. It was the fantasy of the whole thing. For one night you could dress up and make believe you were part of this big, secret, scary world where the monsters were real.” He snorted a laugh and Jack nodded at the irony, refusing to say anything and disrupt Ianto’s flow. “So when Rhi’s kids first became old enough to start going out, I offered to take them. Rhi and Johnny loved the idea and it saved them doing it and the kids still got out. The last couple of years I’ve taken the neighbours’ kids too. I’d even came back from London for Halloween. It’s fun, they enjoy it, I get to dress up and the worst injury that can be sustained is a slight sugar high.”
Jack remained quiet for a moment, digesting all that Ianto had said. Ianto rarely spoke so candidly or for so long and Jack felt an odd sense of privilege. Then his mind suddenly focused on the part of the conversation he had nearly missed.
“Would you really let me come with you?”
“Yes. If you wanted to. You’d have to dress up as something spooky though.” Ianto turned to him and smiled. It was the smile that up until a couple of hours ago Jack’d had no idea existed and no idea how badly he wanted that smile focused on him. And now he knew how good it felt to receive one.
“Yeah, I would like that.”
Ianto set his pizza and beer down on the coffee table and gave him a different type of smile. “You know, if you’re interested, I still have the cape…”
And Jack decided that yes, he was very interested indeed.
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Jack/Ianto, Mica and David
Words: 2,692
Rating, Warnings: PG.
Disclaimer: Nope, don't own Torchwood.
Spoilers: References to Cyberwoman
AN: Written for
torchwood_fest Halloween fest. Prompt was "No-one knew that Ianto loved Halloween this much. Not even Jack." Jack/Ianto, pre Reset.
“Jack?”
Jack looked up in response to his name to find Ianto standing in the doorway to his office.
“What can I do for you, Ianto?”
“Next Monday night; can I have it off please? You know, barring imminent alien invasion.”
Jack leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers under his chin and pretending to be deep in thought. “You never ask for a night off.”
“Hardly ever would be more accurate, but either way, I am now.”
“Why?”
Jack watched as Ianto’s shutters came down. There was almost no perceptible change to his face and you would have to know him well to spot it, but Jack did know him well. Concern battled with annoyance as he fought to keep his own expression neutral as Ianto blandly replied.
“Things to do. Been rushed off our feet lately and just need to catch up at home. Thought Monday would be a good day. The world almost never ends on a Monday.”
Ianto gave a smile with this which Jack saw straight through. But he diligently smiled in return. He and Ianto had moved on since Jack’s return and currently seemed to be engaged in an unspoken “more often than not” situation. There was a closeness growing, or rather being re-found, that neither of them seemed quite willing to admit to. And, that they now spent more nights together than apart - and had even passed that tricky “spending the night together but not having sex” hurdle - was being left uncommented on. But even with everything that remained unsaid, Jack thought they were past lying to each other. Ianto was learning to trust him again and Jack instilled the same trust in return. This did not sit comfortably with him.
But one thing that had come out of their burgeoning…well, let’s not label it… was that Jack was becoming even more attuned to every little sign and tell that Ianto had. And while his body language and face screamed “nothing to see here”, his eyes told a different story. Having Monday night off was important to those eyes. Those eyes were worried the request might not be granted. No, more than that. The eyes would be sad if it wasn’t. So Jack continued with his smile.
“You’re right. No one likes to invade on a Monday. Too obvious. Take the night off and get yourself all caught up.”
Ianto’s eyes were relieved at his answer, but the rest of him gave a stoic little nod and an amiable, “thank you Jack.” Ianto turned to leave, paused for a second, then turned back.
“You know, if I get everything done early enough, maybe you could come over. We don’t spend much time at mine, but as I’ll already be there...”
Jack was startled but refused to let it show. He had not been expecting that and for a brief, truly terrifying second, he feared that Ianto was doing it again. Using himself as a decoy for whatever he was hiding; playing on and using Jack’s need to be lover against him. But the eyes said not. And he trusted that he knew the eyes these days. And the eyes may have been apprehensive, but they were genuine. Jack gave in to the eyes again; an easier capitulation this time.
“Yeah, that would be nice Ianto. Let me know how you get on and I’ll come over.”
Ianto gave him a tight, but genuine, smile and was gone. But Jack’s doubts lingered behind.
Three days later and Monday arrived in all its glory, bringing with it a sense of relief. All weekend Mainframe had been bleeping as she registered hits on the Police’s call log, blogs and news outlets, of strange creatures being sighted in the streets. And they had all been false alarms, but all had been checked up on. But as today was Halloween it meant there was only one night of it left.
Ianto was standing at his computer examining a page of data when Jack approached him. Ianto’s shoulders where not as high and firm as usual and an air of tense disappointment hung off him. Jack placed a hand on his shoulder.
“All okay there, Ianto?”
“Yup. Just closing off the last of the reports from last night. More will be starting soon today I expect.”
“Oh, there won’t be as much tonight. Just the kids mainly. The ones who really party will have got it out of their systems at the weekend. If you still want your night off you can.” Jack watched Ianto’s body language carefully for the response.
“Really?” And he saw that the response was guarded.
“Yes, really. I think we can handle a hoard of four-foot bed-sheet ghosts by ourselves tonight. You can go now if you like. It’s not quite four, you’ll get a head start.”
Then Ianto turned around, a full and genuine smile on his face. His shoulders seemed to lift and absolve themselves of tension all at the same time.
“Thank you, Jack. And I’ll call you, when I’m done?”
Ianto’s enthusiasm was infectious and Jack’s smile became genuine in return. “I look forward to it.”
And with a hollered goodbye to the rest of the team, Ianto grabbed his coat and left. Jack watched him leave before walking as nonchalantly as he could manage to his office. He picked up a mobile tracer unit and the keys to one of the “unmarked” cars they had downstairs. Jack didn’t like avoiding ostentation often, but even he knew when an occasion called for it.
“Got to nip out for a bit, follow a lead.” Jack shouted to his remaining team members and headed for the underground car park. Seating himself with a slight grimace of distaste in an old, entirely not ostentatious and very small Vauxhall, he switched on the tracer, set the programme to follow Ianto’s mobile phone and turned on the ignition.
Jack had been a little surprised to find the tracer leading him to Ianto’s flat and doubt and guilt crept up on him. But then Ianto reappeared moments later carrying a bag and stepped back into his car, pulling away again. Jack let him get a head start and then let the tracer guide him towards the young Welshman once more.
An hour later and the guilt was back, sitting hard and heavy in Jack’s chest. He had traced Ianto to a sprawling council estate outside the city, all graffitied bus stops and run-down cars. His Vauxhall almost passed for luxurious here. He had watched and waited until Ianto had tumbled out of a house, his normal poise and grace lost to him as two children battled to beat him through the door. His suit jacket as gone too. Now a long black cape was draped over his shoulders, accompanying his blood red shirt and black suit trousers. His tie was gone, top button undone, which was “I’m relaxed” in Ianto’s language. His hair was slicked back against his head, his face painted white with darkened eyes and lips.
His rivals to exit the house were a small zombie and an even smaller witch. Jack knew he was wearing an expression of dumb surprise when the witch and the zombie each ran to one of the neighbouring houses and knocked on the doors. Another witch and two Harry Potter’s spilled from one, and a ghost and fairy princess with a tear stained face left the other. All tears were gone though as the children rushed on mass towards Ianto, converging on him from both sides. Ianto lifted his cape high and opened his mouth wide. He was halfway through a loud evil laugh, when his plastic fangs fell from his mouth.
Torchwood trained reflexes kicked in and the teeth were caught before they hit the ground. The children were all laughing at Ianto now and he grinned playfully back at them. Jack realised that he was chuckling too. The sound was very hollow to his ears and all of a sudden the small car seemed large and very empty.
Each of the children carried a small pumpkin bucket and they swarmed around Ianto chattering and pulling at his cloak. Jack found himself transfixed by the easy and open smile on Ianto’s face as they prepared to head off up the road. The first witch slipped her hand into one of Ianto’s and Jack witnessed a brief power struggle between the two Harry Potter’s for ownership of the other hand. And Jack felt lost and alone in the vastness of his car.
Jack’s impulse had been to drive away as soon as Ianto had gone out of view. Head back to the Hub, wait for the phone call, drink a bucket of Scotch, go a club and screw a stranger. But he didn’t. He knew he couldn’t follow Ianto and the children on their trick or treating. That would lead to a very quick arrest. Although, probably around here the justice was meted out a little more locally. No, following wasn’t an option. But sitting in his car and waiting from them to return was. And so he sat. And he waited. He wanted to see that smile again.
Various groups of children with slightly bored looking adults passed him as he sat in his car, all pursuing the same Halloween treats. Jack had no doubt that this estate had seen its fair share of tricks from its teenage residents over the weekend, but this night, or this post-dinner/pre-bedtime evening, seemed to belong to the children.
And then finally, a zombie he recognised and a ghost ran down the road together, pursued by the second witch. Two Harry Potters and a now considerably happier fairy princess followed them and then Dracula came into view, carrying the little witch. The witch had her arms tightly wrapped around Ianto’s neck and her face pressed close against his as if she never intended to let go. Her pumpkin bucket dangled from Ianto’s fingers and Jack saw that smile again as Ianto turned to whisper something in her ear. The little witch giggled and finally the little tableaux was complete in front of Jack again. Ianto stood on the pavement with the witch and the zombie and watched as the two Harry Potters and the second witch disappeared back into their house and the ghost and fairy princess retreated to theirs.
Now without an audience the zombie stepped in close to Ianto and leaned his head against his side. Ianto shifted the witch in his grasp and slipped an arm across the zombie’s shoulders, looking down at him. Then they headed back into the house they had left earlier, the door shutting firmly behind them. Jack started the car and pulled away.
Jack lost track of time back at the now empty Hub. He moved around, straitening papers, looking at artefacts, reading barely legible autopsy reports; absolutely anything he could think of to pretend that he wasn’t waiting for his phone to ring. He was more successful than he realised and the ringing of his phone startled him into dropping a specimen jar of something blue and sticky on the floor. Swearing he picked up the phone.
“Bad time?” Ianto’s voice asked.
“What?” snapped Jack, still distracted by the growing pool of blue sticky.
“Hello is a more usual form of greeting when answering the phone than the words you just used.”
“Oh, yeah, sorry.” Jack eyed the mess he had made and considered the trouble he would be in. “I just stepped in something Owen’s spilt on the floor in here. Don’t worry about it though. I’ll clean it up.”
“Thank you Jack, that’s very kind.” Jack was sure he could hear a grin in Ianto’s voice and knew he had been rumbled. “Why don’t you leave it until tomorrow though? Do you still want to come over? It’s not late?”
A stupid, stubborn part of Jack wanted to say no; wanted to say that he didn’t need to see Ianto, didn’t want to see Ianto, didn’t want Ianto to smile at him with that look of affection he’d shared with the kids. But then his mouth didn’t listen to the stubborn part for once and Jack found himself agreeing and offering to take dinner over.
“How about pizza? Haven’t had that in at least six hours.”
“Pepperoni?” Jack asked, choosing to ignore the sarcasm.
“That would be great. See you soon, yeah?”
“Yeah.” Jack hung up from Ianto and started dialling the pizza number, all the time wondering how long he was going to be jealous of witch with a plastic cape and a pre-watershed bedtime.
Jack and Ianto sat side by side on the sofa, chewing on pizza, drinking beer straight from bottles, watching a film and pretending to be relaxed. Although Jack had a horrible feeling it was only him pretending. Suddenly Ianto spoke.
“You should join us next time.”
Jack choked on a mouthful of pizza in lieu of a reply, but managed to turn a quizzical raise of an eyebrow in Ianto’s direction.
“Next time we go trick or treating you should join us rather than sitting in the car getting cold.”
“You saw me?”
“Not a lot of people sit around my sister’s estate in period military clothing Jack. And you used one of our cars. How did you think I wouldn’t notice that?”
“You’re sister’s estate? Your records say you have no family.”
“When the shit hits the fan Jack, would you want anyone who knows about Torchwood to know you have family? I changed the record years ago.”
Jack wasn’t sure how to reply, being annoyed both that Ianto had kept something else from him, but also that he was right. Beside him Ianto took another long pull of beer and then began to speak.
“I always loved Halloween as a kid; all the costumes and dressing up. Witches and skeletons and ghosts and those awful plastic Dracula teeth. The glow in the dark ones were always the best. But my Dad would never let us trick or treat. Said it was no better than begging and ‘no son or daughter of mine is ever going to be seen begging’. It didn’t matter to him that we were more bothered about the dressing up than the sweets. Well, it was mainly me really. Rhi was never as interested in it as me.
“Even then I was fascinated by strange creatures. It was the fantasy of the whole thing. For one night you could dress up and make believe you were part of this big, secret, scary world where the monsters were real.” He snorted a laugh and Jack nodded at the irony, refusing to say anything and disrupt Ianto’s flow. “So when Rhi’s kids first became old enough to start going out, I offered to take them. Rhi and Johnny loved the idea and it saved them doing it and the kids still got out. The last couple of years I’ve taken the neighbours’ kids too. I’d even came back from London for Halloween. It’s fun, they enjoy it, I get to dress up and the worst injury that can be sustained is a slight sugar high.”
Jack remained quiet for a moment, digesting all that Ianto had said. Ianto rarely spoke so candidly or for so long and Jack felt an odd sense of privilege. Then his mind suddenly focused on the part of the conversation he had nearly missed.
“Would you really let me come with you?”
“Yes. If you wanted to. You’d have to dress up as something spooky though.” Ianto turned to him and smiled. It was the smile that up until a couple of hours ago Jack’d had no idea existed and no idea how badly he wanted that smile focused on him. And now he knew how good it felt to receive one.
“Yeah, I would like that.”
Ianto set his pizza and beer down on the coffee table and gave him a different type of smile. “You know, if you’re interested, I still have the cape…”
And Jack decided that yes, he was very interested indeed.