madbottoms | Someone to Watch Over Me

Title: Someone to Watch Over Me (6/?)

Pairing(s)/Characters: Jack/Ianto, Tosh/Owen and OCs.

Rating: NC17 (overall)

Warnings: smarm, sap and crack – of the mills & boon type (seriously), m/m pairing

Disclaimer: Torchwood and its associated characters, and events are property of the BBC and Russell T. Davies but shamelessly borrowed for some fun.

A/N 1: I decided to go all Mills & Boon on you. But no swooning allowed. Tensions are still building....

Summary: Jack Harkness, a close family, and owner of a prestigious security firm is asked to take on the task of protecting Ianto Jones when he starts receiving death threats.

SIX

The next morning, Ianto was feeling marginally more relaxed. Any remnants of the tension from last night he decided to work off at the gym. Jack came along, of course, and did some weights while he did a cardio workout.

So much for his aim of ignoring him. That plan had fallen by the wayside last night. It didn’t help that, despite his best intentions, his eyes kept trailing to Jack, finding him with the help of the gym’s mirror.

Jack was in superb physical condition. His biceps and chest muscles flexed as he lifted the weight above his head, held it, and lowered it again, unaware of his scrutiny.

He thought about those arms around him the night before and flushed. Then his mind went back to his words. Had he ever wondered about having sex with him?

The question had been a like a dousing with iced water, yanking him back from the haze he’d fallen into.

Of course, there’d been a time when he’d wondered what it would be like to have his legs wrapped around Jack while their naked bodies writhed together. But the question, the way he’d asked it, not only made clear that Jack only wanted sex and that he hadn’t reciprocated what he was actually feeling and it had shown how little he really knew about Ianto.

And, naturally, he couldn’t forget that Jack had long ago proven what an insensitive prick he was.

Another quick look in the mirror showed Jack was attracting more than his fair share of admirers.

Scowling, Ianto ran faster.

Minutes later, he stepped of the treadmill and walked over to where Jack was now standing over at the leg press. ‘I’m going for a swim.’

Jack gave him a crooked grin, a thin sheen of sweat coated his arms and muscles and neck and his T-shirt was darkened in the centre with perspiration. Yet he still smelled fantastic. ‘Need to cool off, Button?’

His double meaning was not lost on Ianto. He gave him a level look. ‘Yes, and I thought a few laps in the pool would be a better approach than dumping water over your head.’

Jack’s laugh sounded behind him as he moved off in the direction of the change rooms for a quick rinse off before changing into his swim-shorts. Since Jack had gotten in this gym—not his own—with Ianto’s guest pass, he doubted Jack would be following him to the pool.

He was wrong.

He’d completed three laps and stopped to find Jack standing above him. They were alone, he noticed, the woman who had been swimming in another lane just disappearing.

Ianto trod water and frowned up at Jack. ‘I didn’t think I’d see you down here.’ He nodded at Jack’s blue shorts. ‘Where did you get those?’ he demanded.

‘I always come prepared.’

Was that amusement he saw lurking in Jack’s eyes? If he wasn’t mistaken, Jack knew he’d been thinking—no hoping—he’d managed to shake him.

Instead, Jack was looming above him, muscular legs planted near the side of the pool, his hands braced on his hips, his chest and forearms leanly corded and well defined.

‘Suit yourself,’ Ianto said, and then took off toward the other end of the pool.

Within a few minutes, however, he became aware of Jack in the lane beside him. He pushed down his frustration as Jack stayed with him down one length of the pool and up another, matching him stroke for stroke.

He paused at the realisation. Was that what Jack was? His match? Is that why he found him so annoying?

He’d thrown his best at Jack over the years and jack had thrown it right back at him. Jack didn’t let him call the shots like a lot of the men Ianto had dated. Instead, he was an immovable, solid block of granite and Ianto hadn’t even made a dent despite years of trying.

Except, last night, Jack had wanted him. He’d imagined that if he hadn’t made some flippant remark, if he’d taken Jack’s offer seriously, they’d have wound up in bed together.

He tested that thought despite himself. In bed with Jack Harkness. In bed with the most annoying and implacable man he knew.

Instinctively, he knew that their sleeping together would not be a tame affair. No, they’d take their contemptuous relationship into the bedroom and they’d be wild and uninhibited and a match of wills and passions.

He knew Jack found him attractive, that was clear—at least, it seemed more so lately—if their fiery kisses were anything to go by. So why not just give in to it?

He felt warm despite the coolness of the water. It would be so easy to go to bed with Jack—and so complicated—not least because he was currently living with him and sleeping just down the hall.

A part of him was thrilled he’d finally gotten Jack’s attention, even if it was over ten years too late. That part of him whispered; why not find out exactly what kind of lover he could be.

Still, Jack was Owen’s closest friend. He was so close to his family that Rhi and Geffin thought of him as a brother. If he gave in, he might have to deal with seeing his old lover over and over again at family dinners now and then for the rest of his life.

When he found himself touching the side of the pool again, he decided to stop and pull himself up straight. His gaze immediately connected with Jack’s blue eyes.

He was disturbingly closed, beads of water clinging to his shoulders above the water line. ‘Nice swim, Button. Is this how you keep in shape?’

‘I enjoy a good swim now and then.’ He paused. ‘Alone.’

Jack smiled. ‘Glad I’ve been let in on the secret ritual.’

‘Lucky me.’

Ianto swam away from him and toward the ladder at the side of the pool. Jack swam after him and he was acutely aware of his eyes following him and watching as he got out of the pool, water cascading down his body.

He grabbed a towel and headed to the change room, hoping Jack would at least have the decency not to follow him into the showers.

An hour later, Jack parked in the driveway of the house and followed Ianto to the front door. On the way Ianto collected the myriad of catalogues stuffed in the mailbox with the other mail.

Jack stepped around him and before he could react, and pulled out the mail from his hands.

‘Hey!’

Jack just smiled and rifled through the mail. Ianto made to grab it back but he moved away swiftly. ‘Aren’t you going to open the door?’ he asked placidly.

‘Don’t patronise me.’

‘Open the door, please!’ He said again. He nodded at the lock, then looked around. It was broad daylight, not even noon, but he didn’t like standing out here exposed. No threats had been received since he’d moved in with Ianto, but he knew better than to let his guard down.

After entering and turning the alarm off, Jack tossed the catalogues aside and studied a legal-size white envelope with no return address. He turned it over and, noticing nothing on the back, slid his finger under the flap to tear it open.

‘That’s my mail!’ Ianto stormed back over to him from where he’d set down his gym bag. ‘And don’t tell me you open all your clients’ mail, too!’

Jack slid the contents from the envelope and his blood ran cold. Ianto gasped beside him.

There were photographs of Ianto going about his business. The photos were somewhat grainy, computer-generated reproductions taken from a distance, but the subject was unmistakable.

Angling himself away from Ianto, Jack let his eyes scan the contents of the paper that had fallen out with the photos. The three lines of typed text chilled him:

Just so you know Im watching. I can take you

Out anytime. If you wanna live quit your job

And go vacation on daddy’s money

Ianto made a grab for the material in Jack’s hand, but he held it up out of reach. ‘What is it?’ he demanded.

Jack debated for a second, but realised he’d have no peace until he found out, as much as Jack wanted to shield him. Jack wanted to kill the bastard who was threatening him. ‘Take a look.’ He turned out the rest of the contents on the hall table.

He watched Ianto’s face go pale and curse under his breath. ‘Don’t touch anything. I’m calling the police and having them test the contents fro fingerprints.’

Ianto nodded, uncharacteristically silent.

‘Do you recognise when the photos were taken?’

‘Two or three weeks ago, I think.’ He looked up at Jack with an expression that showed a margin of distress. ‘That first one was taken in front of the dry cleaners. My car is over in the far left, looks as if the photo was taken from the car park across the street.’

‘Okay, and do you recognise the two others?’

‘I think so. I’m wearing something different, but I think they were taken a couple of days apart.’

Jack nodded and set down the pieces he’d touched. ‘Good. That’ll give them a lead about where to start asking questions to see if anyone remembers anything, though I doubt anyone will.’

Ianto raked a hand through his hair. ‘This is ridiculous. I’m used to having my photo taken from time to time, but it’s always been the reporters flashing bulbs in my face at a press conference or a charity ball.’

Jack raised a brow. ‘Quite the popular little heir prosecutor, aren’t we?’

‘Kiss my millionaire arse, Harkness.’

Jack laughed, but privately, he admitted the joke was on him: he’d certainly given more than a passing thought to kissing him all over.

But, he was glad to see his comment had had its intended effect and there was some fire back in Ianto’s eyes. That white-faced expression was so unlike him. And while he wanted Ianto to appreciate the danger he could be in, he also didn’t want this crazy nut to be able to get near Ianto ever again.

Ianto frowned. ‘Well, his English skills aren’t very good.’

‘Yeah, which does point to our man Smith or, more precisely, one of his gang members who isn’t behind bars.’

‘Hmm. Maybe.’ Ianto looked unconvinced. ‘Or it could just be someone trying to throw us off the scent and point the finger elsewhere.’

‘What makes you think that?’ Jack had his own theory in the regard, but wanted to hear Ianto’s.

Ianto crossed his arms. ‘If one of Smith’s pals wanted me dead, I’d already be gone—or, at least, they wouldn’t have bothered with a note.’

Jack nodded. Ianto had obviously learned a few things over the years. Jack just wasn’t sure he liked Ianto being acquainted with the seedier side of life. Sure, he’d often made fun of his wealthy upbringing, but he knew better than most just how bad the alternative could be.

‘The person who is doing this obviously wants to scare me,’ Ianto mused, ‘but so far he’s hung back from doing more than threaten. So, again, we have a profile that might fit better with Manger, who’s a white-collar criminal.’

‘You know what, Button?’

‘What?’ Ianto’s brow quirked, waiting for the expected sarcastic remark.

‘You took the words right out of my mouth.’

‘That’s probably the highest compliment in your book.’