brutal_priestess | Perception Filters (Reply)

Well, here it is. My first Torchwood fic. Because I'm lazy, I invite the uninitiated to read this first: Torchwood Wiki Page
It's kinda dry, but it'll give you a starting point.

Pre-requisite disclaimer: Characters not mine, they were created by Russel T. Davies.
I'm not sure why it's all in italics. The file was created as a Word file on an Apple and transferred with a jump drive. *sighs* I have a word processor, itunes, but I'm not online...yet.

“Perception Filters”

Jack whistled long and low. “Brilliant work as usual, Ianto, but how did you ever convince Owen to write up reports on his field work?”

“I didn’t,” Ianto replied softy, “Apparently Tosh took care of all that.”

“Hm,” Jack mused, “I should have known. Owen’s a fantastic doctor but never much cared for paperwork.”

Ianto smiled, “You’re really not one to talk, Sir.”

Jack glanced away from the computer monitor and turned slightly in order to favour Ianto with a dazzling grin. Ianto kept his distance despite such a tantalizing invitation. He’d scarcely been able to take in the fact that Jack was back. Ianto was almost afraid to touch him, as though he wasn’t real at all.

“Well, everything seems in order here,” Jack announced cheerfully, “You really are invaluable, Ianto. I mean it.” He turned around and crossed the space between them in a few quick strides. Much to Ianto’s surprise, Jack stopped short of touching him. It was as though he sensed Ianto’s hesitation.

“Listen...Ianto, I’m sorry,” Jack told him softly.

He laughed breathily, astonished. “Bloody hell, Jack. You ask me out and apologize all in one day. What on Earth did that doctor of yours do to you?”

“Nothing like surviving a couple back to back apocalypses to put things in perspective,” Jack remarked dryly before turning utterly and completely serious. “Look, I know I didn’t always treat you as well as you deserved. I took you for granted and I’m hoping it’s not too late for me to make it up to you.”

Ianto sighed softly, “It’s good enough just to have you back. I was afraid that I’d lost you forever.” More to the point, Ianto mentally added, I was afraid I’d lost you just as I was beginning to realize how much you mean to me.

Jack moved in a little closer. Ianto felt his pulse quicken as chills shivered up his spine. Suddenly he wanted nothing more than to be soul kissing the man, yet he could sense that Jack wanted to seduce him slowly. He took one of Ianto’s hands and laced their fingers intimately. With his free hand, Jack stroked the slightly calloused pad of his thumb along Ianto’s lower lip. As he leaned in even closer, Ianto closed his eyes in anticipation of a kiss. Instead he felt Jack’s cheek against the side of his face and his soft breath against his ear.

“So...how about that date?” Jack asked.

Ianto’s eyes flew open as he pulled back slightly, “What? Now?”

“Sure, why not?” Jack shrugged. “We’ve got time since that odd little time reset. It’s like having the night off.”

“All right,” Ianto conceded, “but if we’re going to the theatre, can we skip any science fiction that might be showing?”

Jack laughed, “I couldn’t care less, Ianto. It’s your choice if I get to choose the restaurant.”

Ianto smirked, “I’ll make it quite dull then.”

Jack favoured him with a quizzical expression and Ianto’s smirk transformed into a wide grin. “Really, Sir, what fun is it going to see a movie with your lover if you don’t snog the whole time?”

Jack’s eyes gleamed with lust and pleasure. “We may not make it to dinner.”

Ianto shrugged, “We’ll go to the theatre right near my flat. I’ll make you breakfast instead.”

Jack dipped his face toward Ianto’s as that free hand gravitated to the nape of his neck, which he stroked as he kissed him. Ianto gasped softly, tilted his head, and opened his mouth in order to deepen the kiss. When he felt Jack’s hands begin to slide beneath his suit coat, Ianto squirmed restlessly.

“We should go,” Ianto breathed against Jack’s mouth, “Before one of us changes our mind.”

Jack sighed wistfully as he slowly pulled away. “Right,” He agreed as he grabbed Ianto’s hand and began to lead him toward the invisible lift.

Ianto was happy to follow along, even happier to be the one holding his hand. When they they got to the surface and stepped out of the perception filter’s boundaries, Jack reluctantly let go. Ianto snatched Jack’s hand back up and squeezed it, much to Jack’s astonishment. He didn’t say a word, only kissed Jack softly on the mouth. Though it was relatively chaste, Ianto knew what it would mean to Jack. Ianto couldn’t bring himself to care about the audible gasp of a passerby. It was the twenty-first century, after all. People really needed to open their eyes in more ways than one.

Jack smiled as their lips parted, “Today certainly has been full of surprises.”

Ianto chuckled softly as they decended the steps hand-in-hand. For months he’d been so confused by his feelings regarding Jack. It took Jack’s near-death and disappearance to make Ianto realize that it wasn’t a matter of gender or sexuality. All that mattered was how he felt right here, right now. There was no shame, no fear as they walked together as freely as any traditional couple. Ianto was proud to show the world (or at least Cardiff) that he was with this gorgeous, incredible man.

Life was too short to harbour regrets, and being a member of Torchwood left his days practically numbered. He didn’t want to die wishing he’d done or said something differently and he especially didn’t want to die without showing Jack just how much he’d grown to cherish their time together.

Finis