Opportunities/One door closes...and a window opens (12/22)

[madbottoms]

Title: Opportunities/One door closes...and a window opens (12/22)

Rating: PG – I think. There is talk of sex and some ‘adult’ moments but nothing explicit.

Genre: AU! No aliens but some familiar names may still be used

Characters: Jack, Ianto, Estelle

Summary: The holiday season is coming up and Ianto Jones is stuck without a job, with very little money and not too many prospects. So when he is offered a job for two weeks, he readily accepts. But this new job may become complicated when he realises that the man who broke his heart years before is the grandson of his new employer.

A/N: Jack’s ego comes out to play a little again and another small intimate moment is shared.

*~*

Chapter Twelve

 

Ianto couldn’t believe he’d agreed to let Jack come with him. What had happened to him, anyway? A couple of days ago he was more resilient and more self-sufficient. Why hadn’t he just told Jack to bugger off and that he could handle it on his own?

 

At any rate, if he’d felt the need for any help, it wouldn’t be Jack’s help he’d have asked for. It’s not like he needed a bodyguard. Oh, he was built nicely, and he was agile—Jack climbing that wall was proof of that—but Ianto didn’t see him as the bruiser type. He so obviously preferred charm to brawn as a method of persuasion...

 

He had to admit, though, it was nice to have an extra pair of hands as he supervised the unloading of the SUV while he did the paperwork. The whole thing took less than fifteen minutes.

 

As they pulled away from the shelter, Ianto said, ‘You see? I didn’t need a security guard along after all.’

 

‘Maybe not.’

 

‘I’m not some weakling who needs protection, you know,’ Ianto said.

 

‘But there’s no telling what might have happened if I hadn’t been there.’

 

‘Are you training for the Olympic competition for the largest ego, or what?’

 

‘There’s a medal for that?’

 

‘I wouldn’t doubt it—and you don’t even need to practice. You’re a natural.’

 

Jack’s smile made Ianto want to reach out smack him up the back of the head. ‘What are you going to tackle next?’

 

Ianto frowned. ‘I’m not sure. Estelle hasn’t given me any kind of schedule, and she seems to have gotten distracted by the whole Christmas thing. She spent the morning putting together Christmas baskets for me to mail tomorrow. And she wouldn’t even have thought of the linen closet if I hadn’t finally tackled her and demanded that she put me to work.’

 

‘It just occurs to me—if the linen closet’s empty—’

 

‘It’s not, actually. There’s another whole load to take to another home.’

 

‘Gran owned two entire carloads of sheets and towels? Do you want to take care of that right now?’

 

Ianto shook his head. ‘I know the director, so I’ll take things there tomorrow—I don’t get a chance to talk to her very often anymore. Besides, you can’t help with that one because they only allow a limited amount of people on the premises.’

 

‘Why?’

 

‘Because that’s the way it is,’ Ianto said, giving no further explanation.

 

‘O-kay. Where is Gran coming up with these charities anyway? Throwing darts at the phone book? Or is it you who’s making the list? If you know the director—’

 

‘I know lots of people—and there is the little matter of matching up what Estelle has to give away with what clients can actually use.’

 

‘Well, that should keep you entertained for a while. If the linen closet’s going to be empty, does this mean I can’t have clean sheets for the rest of my stay?’

 

‘Of course you can,’ Ianto said heartily. ‘You can wash the ones that you have on your bed anytime you like. Washer and dryer are in the laundry.’

 

‘Don’t make the mistake of thinking I can’t do my own laundry.’

 

‘I’m sure you can. Seriously though, the laundry is in the basement of this house. When was the last time you were down there?’

 

‘I don’t know. A few years probably.’

 

‘Well, neither your grandmother nor Emma should be running up and down those stairs. I tried to stop Estelle from taking a load down this morning, and she said she’d been doing it for as long as she could remember and she intended to keep right on.’

 

The silence stretched out. Ianto had almost concluded that Jack wasn’t going to say anything, when he said, ‘She intends to keep on? You think she’s wavering about the move?’

 

‘Maybe,’ Ianto said slowly. ‘It’s one thing to give away sheets and towels you’ve never taken out of the box, but from here on the decisions will only get harder. It may take her longer than I expected. You’re sure you don’t mind stopping by the boarding house?’

 

Jack shook his head and turned toward Ianto’s old neighbourhood.

 

Jack might not mind stopping, Ianto thought, but he certainly minded. If he hadn’t forgotten his address book in his hurried move he wouldn’t have gone anywhere near the place. Not until he had to.

 

In fact, he realised the instant they walked in, though the boarding house hadn’t changed a bit, spending two days away from the gloomy atmosphere had made it seem worse than ever. Dark and dingy, the hallway smelled of one of the residents’ sausage and garlic lunch. He had tried to hold his breath while he dug for his key.

 

‘What are we picking up?’

 

‘Just my address book. I’ll only be a minute. You can wait outside if you like.’ He pushed open the sliding door.

 

He remembered perfectly well pulling boxes out from under the futon he used as a bed, and then pushing them back. Perhaps he hadn’t put them away as neatly as he’d thought. But as surely as the broken Christmas ornament had told him that someone had invaded his privacy before, the twinge in Ianto’s gut told him that it had happened again.

 

‘What’s the matter?’ Jack asked.

 

‘Someone’s been in here again. It’s not important.’ He was talking to himself as much as to Jack. ‘There’s nothing left worth stealing.’

 

‘That doesn’t mean it’s not important to you,’ Jack said thoughtfully.

 

‘I guess I’ll come back and put a padlock on the door for when I go out.’ He dug through the pile of books on the end of the mantel and found his tattered address book. ‘Come on, let’s go. I’ll deal with this later.’

 

But Jack didn’t move. ‘Get your stuff. All of it.’

 

‘Excuse me?’

 

‘You’re not leaving anything behind.’

 

‘You’re being a little heavy-handed again, aren’t you? It’s really not your business—’

 

‘Is the furniture yours?’

 

Ianto glanced from the futon to the one worn chair. ‘No, thank goodness.’

 

‘Then we don’t have to put it into storage. We’ll take the rest of your things today, so you don’t have to come back here.’

 

‘And where do you suggest I go in a couple of weeks, when the new semester starts? At least this place has a window.’

 

Jack wandered over to look out said window. ‘And such a view. A lane and a row of bins. Tell you what, Ianto—I’ll pay the rent on an apartment for you.’

 

Ianto frowned at him, not quite sure what he was hearing. ‘Why?’

 

‘You only have one more semester until graduation, right?’

 

With a sudden flash of wry humour, Ianto said, ‘Well, I’ve learned the hard way not to count on anything. But that’s the plan, yes.’

 

‘Then I’ll pay your rent until you graduate.’

 

Big as the offer looked to Ianto, it was peanuts to Jack. So don’t go getting crazy, Ianto—it’s not like he’s offering to set you up in a love-nest. ‘So what’s the catch? I suppose you want me to play games for James’ benefit.’

 

‘You really think that would be enough?’ Jack’s voice was smooth. ‘Six months’ rent is a tidy sum. What are you offering in exchange?’

 

Ianto noted his dimples showing as he smiled, and he couldn’t decide whether to be relieved that he was teasing, or annoyed that he was laughing at the idea of them being lovers—at least for anything more than a one-night stand. ‘I’m not interested in having an affair with you, that’s for sure.’

 

Jack’s eyebrows rose slightly. ‘I don’t recall offering one. But if that’s what you’d like, Ianto...’ His voice had gone low and soft, with a rough edge.

 

This was how he’d sounded that night. Ianto had never forgotten, and when he heard that tone again he felt it in his veins, reminding him of sensations and emotions that were far better left buried. He tried to ignore them. ‘Now if you’d forget about the apartment and hire me to do an internship at the Hub instead...’

 

‘What for?’

 

At least now he was taking him seriously, Ianto noted. The dimple had vanished. ‘Because in order to get a good job when I graduate I need to have experience in the field. But most internships are unpaid.’

 

‘And you can’t afford to give up the job you have now.’

 

Ianto held out both hands, his gesture encompassing the dingy little room. ‘It’s because I insist on being surrounded by such luxury, you see.’

 

‘Yeah, if you’d just cut back on your standard of living...’

 

‘And I can’t do both jobs and keep up with my classes, too. So—’

 

‘I’ve got it. If you share a place with someone...’

 

‘Like who? You?’

 

‘There you go again—tempting me. And you say you’re not interested in an affair.’

 

‘Jack, the only way you’d be interested in a roommate is if there was a revolving door on your bedroom.’

 

‘Damn, you have good ideas.’ Jack sobered then. ‘Alright, Ianto. Here’s the deal. Originally, you thought that within two weeks Gran would change her mind about clearing out the house. I’m raising the stakes. You get her to settle down to this project and get it over with, and I’ll fork over your rent for the next six months. And I’ll think about that internship.’

 

Was he serious about giving him a job? Ianto shook his head in disbelief. ‘You want me to have the whole house cleared out in two weeks? I don’t think it can be done.’

 

‘Nope. I want her to make that decision you’re so sure she’ll reach—either to keep the house or leave everything right where it is or call an auctioneer. I really don’t care which she ends up doing.’

 

‘Because either way she’ll be done with it?’

 

‘Yes. All I care about is that she not kill herself by trying to clear out all the debris she’s collected in sixty-odd years.’

 

‘Isn’t there anything in all that so-called debris that you care about, Jack?’ He was honestly curious. ‘You’ve spent a lot of time in that house—isn’t there a single thing there you want?’

 

‘Now you mention it...’

 

Suddenly Ianto realised that Jack was standing closer to him than he’d expected. He was right behind him at the mantel, so close that he could feel the warmth of his chest against his spine. His hands skimmed his shoulder and moved down his arms, and he turned Ianto to face him.

 

‘One thing comes to mind’, he said softly.

 

Jack was so close to him that there was barely room to take a breath. So close that he couldn’t even smell the stale odours from the hallway anymore, only the light scent of Jack’s aftershave. He couldn’t stop himself from looking at his mouth. He couldn’t quite suppress the quick intake of breath, and couldn’t quite prevent the very tip of his tongue from running along his lower lip.

 

Jack’s eyes narrowed. Slowly, and very deliberately, Jack moved his face closer and a little shiver ran through Ianto.

 

‘What was that?’ Jack whispered. ‘Not revulsion, I’m sure. Are you scared? Or eager?’

 

Ianto opened his mouth, not quite sure what he’d say. But before he could try to form words, Jack took advantage of what must have looked like an invitation and kissed him.

 

His kiss was soft, almost tender. The very gentleness of it made Ianto want more—and, as if Jack tasted his desire, his kiss grew more demanding. Jack’s hands slipped around his back and drew him closer, until he was moulded against him, meeting him kiss for kiss.

 

What are you doing? Ianto asked himself.

 

He’d been so certain that he could handle Jack now, that their single night together had been an anomaly, that he’d only been so vulnerable to him back then because he was young and inexperienced. Even the stolen kiss on the stairway didn’t really count in the equation, he’d told himself, because it had taken him by surprise. Jack shouldn’t be affecting him like this.

 

But all Jack had to do was touch him, and he wanted him so much. Obviously he wasn’t as experienced as he thought he was, if Jack could still affect him this way.

 

And, just as obviously, Jack was even more so. But the most terrifying part about that, he realised, was that when it came to kissing him, he didn’t care about anything else—not the past and not what the future may hold. He only cared about right at this moment, and that Jack’s attention was entirely on him.

 

Maybe the moment is enough...

 

Hardly aware of what he was saying, he murmured, ‘We’re not at university anymore, Jack.’

 

‘And that’s the beauty of it,’ Jack whispered against his lips. ‘No more confusion. No more games.’

 

No more bets...

 

‘Just two people who know what they want.’

 

With the last of his strength Ianto managed to break free. ‘Yes—and I also know what I don’t want. I don’t want this,’ he said as calmly and resolutely as he could.

 

Jack smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes. ‘Sure Ianto,’ he said softly. ‘You just keep telling yourself—and maybe someday you’ll make yourself believe it. Now let’s get your stuff and get out of here.’

 

 

*~*

 

**Okay, suggestion time - what do you think Estelle should get Ianto for a present? Or what should his stocking be filled with?  Anyone...?