madbottoms | The Ties That Bind (31/34 + epilogue) (Reply)

Title: The Ties That Bind 31

Beta:Blackcat1000
Characters/Pairings: Jack/Ianto, Donna, John Hart, Owen and James Harper, Mickey/Martha, Toshiko/Tommy, Claudia, Phillip, Suzie, Saxon, Rhiannon, OCs
Rating: NC-17
WordCount: 75K+
Warnings/Contains: Explicit sex (does that need a warning?), witchcraft, horror, supernatural themes, minor character death.

Summary: Ianto is a powerful magical warrior, one which Jack Harkness has never been able to resist. Once enemies, then almost lovers, he broke his heart. Years later, Jack must return to his hometown and seek help before it is too late. Jack and Ianto must now put aside their past and work together to defeat an evil threatening to overwhelm and take control of Jack because of his unique bloodline. Secrets and foretold prophecies will plague them and in this paranormal battle, they will need more than magic to survive.

A/N: The Master and his threat to Jack is gone, but what does that mean for Jack’s and Ianto’s future?

Chapter Thirty One

Six days later

Standing on a Noble’s, or Jones’ doorstep was always a stressful place for a man to find himself, and this time wasn’t any different. Except for the fact that Jack was getting ready to pledge undying love to the man he couldn’t live without. That was sure as hell something he’d never done before.

It’d been almost a week since he’d gone into Hell after Ianto, and he missed him. He’d hated spending that time apart from him, but if things turned out well for him today, he’d promised himself that he’d never be apart from him again.

Before leaving New York, he’d talked with the guys from his unit, who’d made it back to Scotland, and the conversation had been a good one. Mickey had dragged Martha down to the village church and gotten married. Now that the war they’d been fighting for the past year was officially over, Jack figured all the guys would be hitched by the time August rolled around. Which meant there were going to be lots of weddings and celebrations going on back in Scotland, and he didn’t plan on suffering through them alone. He wanted Ianto at his side, sharing in the laughter and the smiles. He wanted Ianto. Forever.

Coming to that decision had been easy. The hard part was what came next.

Jack imagined it would entail a lot of grovelling and saying he was sorry, but he was ready. Hell, they were meant to be together. They hadn’t gone to Hell and back to not be together. He wanted to make a life with him. Take care of him. Love him. Worship him. He just had to convince Ianto that he was in this for the long haul, which was something he hadn’t been able to do with the threat of the Master hanging over his head.

As John had told him to just open his heart and tell Ianto how he felt.

Owen had suggested he soften him up with some mind-blowing orgasms first, and spring the proposal on him while he was still dazed with pleasure. Jack figured he would start with the first idea, and if things weren’t going well, then he’d slide right into the second.

Finally working up the courage to knock, he held his breath as he waited for Ianto to answer the door. He lived in Cardiff, in a little white house with dark green shutters, and a front garden that was damn near overflowing with flowers. The morning was surprisingly warm, the sun beating down on the back of his neck as he waited on the front porch. He was just getting ready to knock again, when the door finally opened, the sight of him standing there in pair of tight faded blue jeans and a white T-shirt making him catch his breath.

Ianto blinked as he pushed a hand through his dark hair, looking surprised to see him. “How did you find me? I’m not listed.”

Taking in the sight of him with hungry eyes, he said, “John gave me a call, and I begged him for your address.” The demon had phoned Jack to let him know that his help was available if he ever needed it, saying he’d be happy to give the Guardians a hand tracking down the remaining Pharis, including those shades who had come through Rhiannon’s portal with the Master during the battle in the Veil. He just had to sort out the situation with his ex, and then he said he’d be in touch. Jack had actually thanked him…and told him he was looking forward to working with him. Then he’d gotten right to the begging part.

Leaning a smooth shoulder against the door frame, Ianto crossed his arms, his blue eyes shining with humour. “I can’t believe John gave it to you, seeing as how he was sworn to secrecy.”

Jack grinned. “Yeah, well, don’t be too hard on him, I had to promise to worship the ground you walk on and listen to some colourful warnings about what will happen to me if I ever hurt you. Before he finally shut up and gave me the damn address.”

The look in his eyes turned warm and soft. “I can’t believe you’re here,” Ianto whispered.

“And I still can’t believe you left the way you did.” Jack knew damn well Ianto could hear the hurt in the low words. The fear he couldn’t shake that he’d left because he didn’t want him.

Once John had returned them back to their cottage Jack had gone down to talk to James and Owen about what had happened, and to let his friends know that he would be taking his brother’s body back to New York. When he’d come back to the room, Ianto was gone. It hadn’t taken long to figure out that John had borrowed one of the unit’s rented vehicles to drive Ianto back home, taking Rhiannon’s body with them.

Clearing his throat, he said, “You didn’t even tell me goodbye, Ianto.”

~*~

It was taking everything Ianto had not to grab Jack and hold him tight, but he knew he had to do this right. Knew there were things that needed to be said.

He wet his lips and tried to keep his voice steady. “I’m sorry I left like that, Jack. I just… I knew I had to get out of there. If I didn’t, I was going to fling myself at you and beg.”

He stepped closer, and the wicked slant of his mouth made him shiver. “I wouldn’t mind a little begging from you.”

Ianto bit back a smile. “I figured your ego was already big enough.”

The look in his eyes got brighter. “And now?”

Ianto moved out of the doorway so that Jack could enter the house, and closed the door behind him. Then he leaned his back against the door, soaking up the sight of him in his own faded jeans and T-shirt, completely undone by the fact that he’d come after him. Ianto didn’t know how it was possible, but he was even more gorgeous than he remembered. Hard and dangerously beautiful, with that lean, ripped body and rugged face. Ianto’s heart was beating to such a wild rhythm he could feel the vibrations shuddering through his body.

“Ianto?”

He gave himself a little shake, locking Jack’s gaze with his hot stare, and finally said, “I spent a lot of the time we were together last week wondering how people could stand to take the risk of falling in love. I mean, there’s so much potential for pain. Heartache. But then, after those Wraiths came after us in the church, I got over being scared. I just didn’t get the chance to tell you.”

“To tell me what?” he asked.

Ianto took a deep breath, and explained. “This might sound completely sappy and outrageously romantic but that day, I figured out that love is what gives us the strength to take the risk. To open ourselves up and let the one we love inside. To give them everything that we are, both the good parts and the bad. To embrace all the wild chaos of emotion that comes with falling in love and build something solid out of it. Something beautiful, something real. So I’m ready to fling my heart at you, Jack Harkness. If you want it, it’s all yours. Actually,” he said a little unsteadily, “it’s yours no matter what. I can’t stop loving you.”

“Oh, I want.” Jack’s voice was a deep, dark drawl that sounded like sin. “I definitely want.”

The corner of Ianto’s mouth twisted with a grin, and he rubbed his damp palms on his jeans. “That’s good to hear. Because I wasn’t going to take ‘no’ for an answer.”

Jack stepped closer, projecting his sexual energy at him. “Is that why your bag is packed?” he asked.

Ianto flicked a quick glance at the bag he’d set beside the door that morning, and nodded. “I got tired of waiting, so I was coming after you,” Ianto confessed. “You know. To do that whole flashy flinging myself at your feet thing.”

“I think I would have liked that,” he said with another sexy smile. Then the smile fell, and he said, “I’m sorry I didn’t get here sooner, Ianto. There was a lot to get settled with my family, and honestly, I told myself that you needed the time to think about what you wanted.” He rubbed his jaw, then blew out a rough breath. “But I think I was just scared of what you would say. That’s why I didn’t call. Figured if I was here in person, it’d be harder for you to turn me down.”

Ianto’s tone was wry. “I can’t imagine you’ve ever been turned down.”

“Not for sex,” he rasped, the look in his eyes turning molten, melting his down. “But I’m going after something bigger this time.”

“You don’t want sex?” Ianto asked with a soft laugh, teasing him. His chest felt so light, the happiness surging through his veins making him light-headed. “Damn, I’m crushed.”

“Oh, I want the sex,” he drawled. “You’re standing there breathing, which means I want sex. But I’m going for the ultimate prize. I want it all.”

The pounding of Ianto’s heart got faster. “All?”

“I want forever, Ianto.” A corner of his mouth kicked up. “And the sex.”

“You can stop going on about the sex,” Ianto said, rolling his eyes. “The sex is a given, Jack.”

Jack’s voice lowered. “And what about the rest?”

Ianto crossed his arms again and lifted his chin. “Before we talk about the rest, you need to know that I won’t let you walk away from me again.”

His expression tightened, and he took a step closer, bringing that hot, delicious scent with him. “I was an idiot, Ianto I had thought I was making the biggest mistake of my life by coming back to Brecon, but it turns out I’d already made it. The biggest mistake of my life was walking away from you all those years ago, and if you’ll give me the chance, I promise that I’ll never do anything that stupid again. I can’t live without you.”

He didn’t wait for a response. He just pulled him close, holding him in his arms, and pressed his forehead to his. “I know I’ll make mistakes, but I will work my ass off to be the best damn thing that ever happened to you,” he told him, his deep voice rough with emotion. “Because that’s what you are to me—the best, most beautiful, amazing person I’ve ever known. Because I want to spend the rest of my life with you, making you happy.” He lifted his head, and stared into Ianto’s eyes. “I want everyone in the world to know how much I love you.”

“That’s what you were going to say, isn’t it?” Ianto whispered, a salty rush of tears burning at the back of his throat. “Before the Master took you over.”

“Yeah.” He lifted his hand, pushing his curls back from his face. “It killed me that I didn’t get the chance to tell you how I felt.”

Ianto gave him a radiant smile. “You’ve told me now. And I loved hearing it.”

“Actually, I’m glad you brought that bastard up, because I need to…” He struggled for the right words. “Ianto, you know what’s been going on with me. The fangs, the claws. There’s no guarantee where this is headed.”

“I don’t care.”

“You sure about that? Because it’s a helluva weight to pack on your shoulders.”

“I love you, Jack. Fangs, claws and all. Whatever happens, we’ll handle it together. I promise I’ll be right there with you.” Ianto whispered before pressing his lips to Jack’s.

Then Ianto took his hand and led him back to his bedroom, until they were standing beside his bed with its mound of pillows. Jack was the first man he’d ever taken into his bedroom, and he loved the way he looked there.

Jack’s hands were warm on the bare skin of his lower back as he curved his hands under the material of Ianto’s T-shirt and said, “I want you to tell me about that prophecy, Ianto.”

“We can talk about that later,” he murmured, more concerned at the moment with getting him out of his clothes.

“We’ll talk about it now.”