Silver Service Chapter 1 point 2
Aug. 27th, 2009 05:12 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
a_silver_storyTitle: Silver Service
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
a_silver_story
Chapter: 1/?
Genre: AU, Romance, Angsty, fluffy
Rating: NC17 / 18
Pairings: Main Pairing is Jack/Ianto. Also includes Ianto/Martha, Ianto/Tosh friendship, Ten/Tosh, Mickey/Martha (mentioned)
Warnings: M.M, rentboy!Ianto, brief Het, Alternate Universe
Disclaimer: If I owned anything in this, I'd be a rich rich rich bitch. However, I am not a rich rich rich bitch so you may all, therefore, assume I own nothing. Which I don't. It all belongs RTD and the BBC, in case any of you didn't know. Now pass the retcon ...
Summary: Started as a PWP, but since it's me (sorry folks!) and I really can't do things by halves, it grew and grew and grew (and not in an innuendous sort of way). Doctor Smith owns a posh Cardiff hotel, and the respectable Sixth Earl of Boeshane is coming to stay - and he brings with him some very specific demands.
The story follows Ianto from being born, meeting Toshiko and them running away together to the city, right up until Ianto is taken to work in the Doctor's hotel as a 'service' butler for - you guessed it - Jack.
This chapter is quite bleak *sowwi* - but that's what good drama is, people! It makes you wish you'd never bloody bothered.
Don't worry - unlike some writers, I do believe in happy endings - for fiction, at any rate.
Torchwood Index/Masterlist
This is a multipost for one chapter - the LJ entry was too long, and has had to be broken down! Part One is here
It had been two weeks since he’d left Sarah Jane, and since then Ianto had been staying in a ramshackle little dormitory on the outskirts of the city. It was attached to a large stately home, and it was there he’d been given a crash (or more full-scale collision) course on how to be a butler. He learnt how to set tables, pour tea and wine, serve food, carry a silver tray with one hand and even how to hold a towel. Next he’d learnt the hierarchy of the serving staff – was a little surprised to find he’d be pretty much at the top of it – and who he would have to speak to about certain things, like laundry or cleaning supplies. He himself was expected to keep the Earl’s suite relatively clean – only the hoovering was not his responsibility, though he had to ensure it got done. Since he already knew a lot about cleaning from working for Sarah Jane, and before that at the bath house, all he really had to do was learn about cleaning ... cleanly. He wouldn’t be allowed to take his suit off unless the Earl ‘decided otherwise’.
He was taught how to introduce guests, answer the phone and communicate with other dignitaries. He had to research different types of wine – matching wine to meals, meals to wine and wine to glasses. Keeping his face bland and stoic no matter what was going on around him was essential. The Earl and his wife could have a screaming row in front of him, and he wasn’t to bat an eyelid, just carry on. If there was nothing to do, he would be allowed to leave the room, but invisibly and unnoticed. Anticipating needs was something he’d have to learn to do on the job, and he’d have to learn it quickly. Listen to his master, figure out when he wanted to leave so that he could fetch his coat for him, or when his voice sounded a little grated and he needed water, or ... other things.
Ianto already knew plenty about what was going on in the seedier districts of Cardiff, but alongside keeping up with the gossip there he was also expected to know what was going on everywhere from the kitchens downstairs to the European Parliament. He decided that his best bet was to read the paper, before ironing it and presenting it to the Earl – that way he would know everything as it happened without disrupting his other jobs too much. Research lead him into finding what other powerful figures were staying in Cardiff at the moment – he cross-referenced them against the Earl, checking for any obvious rivalries. Ianto learnt the Earl’s immediate family tree – one dissolved Civil Partnership, currently married to Adeiola Harkness who had a daughter by her first marriage. Harkness had no children of his own yet, and the step-daughter was grown up and living in Nairobi.
Ianto's jaw dropped when he saw the photograph of Mr and Mrs Harkness. He sat and stared at it for a good fifteen minutes before realising his mouth was hanging open – considering the fact he was practicing being stoic, that wasn’t a good thing. He shut his mouth and bit his lip, staring at the photograph in shock.
The woman on Harkness’ arm - his wife - looked exactly like Martha.
He knew, right there an then, that he must never, ever mention Martha to anybody – nor Adeiola to the nobodies.
After being bustled out of the dormitory and driven to the large hotel, Ianto was tipped into a bath and scrubbed by about three different sets of hands. Then he was dragged out, dried off and forced to sit in a chair while they cut his hair and scraped his chin. He stared at himself in the mirror. His curly hair had been trimmed shorter and neater, his chin had been scraped free of hair with a straight razor and he hadn’t felt so clean and fresh since he was ten years old. He glanced around the large, white-tiled bathroom and smirked to himself. For the next month, this – and the adjoining suite – was his. This small taste made him forget to be overly concerned with what he was going to have to do to keep it.
Pulling his fluffy white dressing gown further around him, he made his way back to the bedroom where one of the maids had hung up his suit and shirt, set out his tie and cufflinks and left a list of things he had to remember. Chores mainly, but underlined and in bold was a reminder that he must speak only when spoken to, and an honorific such as ‘sir’, ‘ your Lordship’ or ‘my Lord’ must be included every time he replied.
Sighing, he began to pull on the suit, inspecting its fit against his body and admiring the snug waistcoat as it sinched in his waist and broadened his shoulders. The material of his clothes felt like butter between his fingers, and his shoes were shined and laced to perfection. They smelt of newly-sewn leather and boot polish, and as he slipped his feet inside he could feel the cushioned padding providing comfort already. He tied his tie how he had been shown, leaving it at the correct length, then slipped his cufflinks through his shirtsleeves. They bore the crest of Boeshane – silver background with red bird-like creatures entwined around a tree – as did the breast pocket of his jacket. His suit and shirt were black, but his tie was red to coordinate with the Earl’s house colours.
Ianto took a deep, calming breath, which was interrupted by a knock on the door. “Doctor Smith requires your presence, sir.” a young maid informed him, poking her head around the door. He gave her a nod and a smile, then turned back to his reflection.
He leant in close, inspecting himself one last time, then turned on his heel and slipped into his ‘Butler Mask’. The distance between his room and the Earl’s suite was frighteningly small – all that separated them really was the width of the corridor. The Doctor was waiting for him in the Sapphire Suite where they were to greet his Lordship, and Ianto politely knocked before entering. The Doctor was alone, and seemed to have been pacing before Ianto had interrupted.
“Ah ... brilliant!” he exclaimed, walking over to Ianto and clasping him by his biceps. “Much better – you’ve learnt everything, yes?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good, good. And you posture has definitely improved. You’ve scrubbed up well. Hopefully the Earl will be pleased ...”
Doctor Smith started pacing again, freezing when he heard voices down the corridor. A hearty, masculine laugh sailed down the hall as Ianto moved towards the door, resting his hand on the handle and waiting for the knock to come. When it did, he counted to three in his head, then opened the door. A trolley full of bags preceded their owners, and as Captain Jack Harkness and Mrs. Adeiola Harkness entered the room, Ianto introduced them loudly and clearly in his soft, Welsh accent.
He remained out of sight behind the door for a second, holding it open as the busboy who’d been pushing the trolley scarpered out. Ianto shut the door behind him quietly so as not to disturb the conversation that had been struck up between the Earl, his wife and Doctor Smith. Ianto busied himself, pushing the trolley of bags through to the Master bedroom and removing them from the trolley. He’d ask about unpacking them later. Mr and Mrs Harkness had a lot of bags, and it took him a good five minutes to make sure he’d got them all – most of them belongd to the Lady Harkness, he presumed from the floral print.
Taking a deep breath, he wheeled the trolley back to the lounge – not noticing until he’d shut the door behind the trolley, leaving it in the hall, that Adeiola had gone. He decided that since Harkness had been travelling, he’d probably want some form of refreshment. Tea was usually the default, so he moved over to the small kitchenette and began to fill the kettle and set it to boil. Soon, he became aware that the hushed conversation in the corner had now turned on to the subject of himself. Stoicism in place, he did his best to ignore what they were saying, but it managed to find its way his ears nonetheless.
“What ... never? How can you be sure?”
“My sister owns his house. Sarah Jane. She’s had him since he was thirteen.”
“How old’s he now?”
“Twenty-three. And fit and healthy.”
There was a pause while the Earl ran his eyes over Ianto, and Ianto resolutely kept his eyes level and facing forward to the wall. “He is very pretty.” concluded Jack. “I’ll have him first, then decide whether or not he was telling the truth.” He held his hand out to the Doctor, and they shook. Finally, the Doctor excused himself, departing the room almost at a jog.
Ianto shivered, pouring the boiling water into the teapot to warm it, then emptying it out again. He spooned in the tea leaves, added more boiling water and left it to brew. The whole time, he could feel eyes burning into his back. He pretended to be oblivious, but all the while he tried his best to appear graceful, professional and ... unobtainable.
“Aren’t you going to take my coat?” asked the Earl, suddenly sounding closer than Ianto expected and his accent accentuating the ‘r’s he had spoken.
“Yes, sir.” Ianto smiled politely, closing the distance between them as Captain Jack Harkness turned and allowed his large greatcoat to slide from his shoulders and into Ianto's hands. Ianto hung it up carefully. “Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?”
“I’d say a cup of coffee – but it looks like you’re working ahead there.” The Earl jerked his head in the direction of the brewing teapot.
“I’ll pour it away and make you some coffee, sir.” Ianto hurried over to the pot, only to find his master stepping into his path.
“Leave it. I’ve never had leaf tea before.”
“As you wish, sir.” Ianto purposefully stepped back from him. “Would you like me to bring it over to you?”
“Whatever.” was his reply, the Earl already making his way to the sofa, flicking on the television and browsing through channels. Ianto had to tear his eyes away from the screen – he hadn’t seen any television for thirteen years, and the bright colours and sounds emitting from the narrow box on the wall hypnotised him.
The tea was probably ready now, so Ianto began to prepare a teacup, saucer, cream jug and sugar bowl. He poured the tea into the cup through a strainer and place everything carefully onto his silver tray. Carefully, he carried it to where Harkness was sitting, placing it down on the coffee table and moving the cup and saucer closer to the Earl. “Cream or sugar?” he asked.
“Dunno yet.” shrugged Harkness, lifting the tea to his lips. “Definitely cream. Lots of it.” he grimaced. Ianto added as he was told, and the Earl decided against sugar, so he took the unnecessary crockery away on his tray.
What to do next? He glanced around the room. It was pristine.
“Looking for something to do?” asked Harkness, quirking his eyebrows a little suggestively.
“I was just wondering ... sir ... would you like me to unpack your bags, or would you rather do it yourself?”
“Leave the bags. Addy will do it. Actually – where is Adeiola?” He sat up straighter, looking around the room as if he’d only just noticed his wife had gone.
“She left earlier, sir.”
“Ohhhh of course! Yeah. Shopping again.” Harkness added with a grumble, sipping some more tea. “Unpack my stuff. She can unpack her own later.”
Ianto nodded and left for the bedroom, hauling the first of the blue non-floral suitcases onto the bed. He unzipped it carefully, and began unfolding and hanging the clothes inside. All of it was pretty much the same period militia uniform – there was even a spare greatcoat – with the odd dress shirt and a hideous beige jacket. Ianto separated them out, putting the dress shirts on the far left of the wardrobe, then working his way from green to blue to white with the everyday cotton ones. He hung the different coloured braces up on the tie rack – as it was apparent that the Earl owned only one tie – and the belts he neatly arranged on the hooks in the inside of the wardrobe door.
Underwear and socks went in the middle drawer of the bedside table, the top he’d decided to reserve for books or glasses cases or phones. Ianto found a diary, and put it with a pencil case he’d also found in the bottom drawer.
The other blue suitcase was smaller, and contained all of the Earl’s toiletries and pampering products. Ianto carefully arranged them in the en-suite bathroom, as well as changing the hotel towels for the ones Harkness had brought with him. He added the black silk robe to the hook behind the door next to the fluffy hotel dressing gown, thinking the Earl probably had use for both.
Yawning, he returned to the bedroom and started pulling out the pyjama bottoms from the suitcase before freezing and staring at what had been concealed underneath them. He felt himself turning bright red, staring down at the arrangement in the bottom of the suitcase with wide-eyed shock and interest. Each wrapped in a cellophane bag was a large assortment of sex toys – ranging from small, finger-sized things to what Ianto could only assume was beyond anything a human could take, never mind naturally own.
Shutting the suitcase quickly, he zipped it and shoved it under the bed. As he stood, he felt his back brushing a heated, cotton-covered surface behind him. The Earl had watched him, and chosen now to make his presence known. Very intimately.
“Like what ya’ see?” Harkness whispered.
“It was very ... intriguing, sir.” Ianto replied, keeping his voice level. He could feel the heat of the Earl’s body through his suit. A tanned arm snaked around his waist, and he tensed as it pulled him backwards into Jack Harkness and pinned him close.
“Wanna play?” Lips brushed Ianto's neck, and he shivered at the unexpected contact.
“I ... I’m not sure, sir.” he breathed. In truth, he was a little afraid. He’d known this was coming, and nerves had been piling up since he’d been left alone with the Captain.
“Let me help you make up your mind ...”
Ianto found himself spun round, practically nose to nose with Harkness. There was a moment where he seemed to be weighing him up, before he leaned forward and pressed their mouths together. Tensing, Ianto loosely put his arms around the other man’s waist, vaguely remembering kissing Martha and what that had been like.
Not like this, that was certain. Martha had been gentle and slow, letting him get the feel of it. Jack Harkness was claiming him, forcing his tongue forward and making Ianto open his mouth. Forgetting himself, Ianto bit down gently and the tongue quickly retreated. Ianto found himself pushed backwards and he landed with a bounce onto the bed.
“What the fuck was that?” Harkness snapped.
“I bit you, sir.” Ianto replied. In for a penny, in for a pound, he thought.
“Excuse me?”
“I bit you, sir.” he repeated.
He seemed a little taken aback. “Wha ... what for?” he ended up saying, folding his arms defensively.
“I didn’t like what you were doing, sir.”
Harkness took offence to that. His expression darkened and his jaw set. “You what?”
“I didn’t like what you were do –”
“Yes! I heard you the first time!” he snapped, silencing Ianto. “What about what I was doing didn’t you like?”
“Erm ... well ...” Ianto stammered, this being his turn to be taken aback. “It was harassment, really. Sir.”
“Harassment?” The Earl looked a little confused. "As in ... sexual harassment?"
"Pretty much ..."
"How do you 'sexually harass' a rentboy?"
"Well ... you just did, sir."
The Captain stared at him blankly.
“Think about it: you crept up behind me, you growled in my ear, you made turn round, you forced me to kiss you ....”
“Yeah ... yeah I see what you mean.”
Silence fell between them, and the Earl raised a questioning eyebrow at Ianto's expectant look. “What?” he asked irritably.
“This is the bit where you apologise, sir.” Ianto told him.
Harkness stared, mouth half open. Realising he was gawping, he shut it with a snap and put his hands on his hips. “I ... um ... ah ... I suppose ... sorry, then?”
“Apology accepted, sir. But please don’t do that again.”
The Captain shifted his weight from side to side, still gawping a little. Why the hell was his rent boy telling him what to do? He decided it was about time he gave him what for and reminded him who was in charge ... “Okay. I won’t do it again.”
“Thank you, sir. I really appreciate that. Thank you.”
Jack opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, trying to figure out what was really going on. Thank you? Appreciation? He felt a little good inside, being thanked and appreciated. He wouldn’t mind – what was his name again? Had he even asked for his name? – thanking him and appreciating him again. Several times. Maybe with actions rather than words ... “What’s your name?” he finally decided to ask.
“Ianto.”
“Sweet. When we’re alone you may call me either ‘sir’ or Jack. ‘Kay?”
“Yes, Jack.” Ianto tried his name on his tongue, emphasising the “ck” sound at the end.
Jack smiled at him, and sat himself down on the bed beside Ianto. He leant back on his hand slightly and leaned in, gently pressing a kiss to Ianto's jawline. Ianto didn’t move away, so Jack kissed him a couple more times, moving lower to his neck, then flicked his tongue over the smooth, clean shaven flesh. Ianto shivered at the contact. “You like that?” Jack whispered, low.
“I may need some more convincing.” Ianto sighed regretfully. Jack smiled against his neck, licking again and rubbing his hand over the back of Ianto's neck. He shivered more, and Jack raised his head to see that Ianto had his eyes closed. As he felt the Captain move away from his flesh, his eyes flickered open. Jack leant forward, pressed their lips together gently, and pulled back again.
Ianto's heart was racing. Whether it was sexual frustration from all the times he’d turned down this kind of contact, or whether the Captain was just really good at playing a man, Ianto wasn’t sure. His sudden gentleness was causing Ianto's body to react, and he fought with himself not to follow Jack’s mouth with his own as he pulled away from him.
“Better?” asked Jack, smirking a little.
“Much better.” smiled Ianto. “Now ... if you’ll excuse me ... I need to go and –” He half got up to leave before an iron grip enfolded his forearm, yanking him back down. Forced onto his back by the heavy momentum of the Captain, he found himself lying beneath him and holding his entire weight. Jack stared down at him, frowning a little, as if wondering himself how they had wound up in this position.
“Harassment again, right?” he concluded, straddling Ianto's waist and taking his weight back.
Able to breathe again, Ianto nodded and told him yes, he was being a bit of a harassment again.
“Sorry.” he said instantly. “Er ... where were you going?”
“Lube and condoms.” replied Ianto.
“Ah .. right. Go fetch, then.” He pulled himself to his feet beside the bed and started taking out his little plane-shaped cufflinks. Frowning, he turned back to realise Ianto hadn’t moved beyond propping himself up on his elbows. His eyebrow was quirked in that expectant way again, and Jack answered it with a quirky eyebrow of his own.
“I think there was a please in there, sir. Just waiting to get out.”
FIN
I promise to get back to my other series later today! I just had to at least make a start on this ...
Requested byalicatt13 over a month ago, inspired by something probably random and non-related said by naddypants - and also a special big thankyou to griza, without whom none of us would have feet, wine or Belly Sivalis - even if she did eat all my bees.
Next Part | Torchwood Index | Request a Convo/Prose Fic
This is a multipost for one chapter - the LJ entry was too long, and has had to be broken down! Part One is here
Author:
a_silver_storyChapter: 1/?
Genre: AU, Romance, Angsty, fluffy
Rating: NC17 / 18
Pairings: Main Pairing is Jack/Ianto. Also includes Ianto/Martha, Ianto/Tosh friendship, Ten/Tosh, Mickey/Martha (mentioned)
Warnings: M.M, rentboy!Ianto, brief Het, Alternate Universe
Disclaimer: If I owned anything in this, I'd be a rich rich rich bitch. However, I am not a rich rich rich bitch so you may all, therefore, assume I own nothing. Which I don't. It all belongs RTD and the BBC, in case any of you didn't know. Now pass the retcon ...
Summary: Started as a PWP, but since it's me (sorry folks!) and I really can't do things by halves, it grew and grew and grew (and not in an innuendous sort of way). Doctor Smith owns a posh Cardiff hotel, and the respectable Sixth Earl of Boeshane is coming to stay - and he brings with him some very specific demands.
The story follows Ianto from being born, meeting Toshiko and them running away together to the city, right up until Ianto is taken to work in the Doctor's hotel as a 'service' butler for - you guessed it - Jack.
This chapter is quite bleak *sowwi* - but that's what good drama is, people! It makes you wish you'd never bloody bothered.
Don't worry - unlike some writers, I do believe in happy endings - for fiction, at any rate.
Torchwood Index/Masterlist
This is a multipost for one chapter - the LJ entry was too long, and has had to be broken down! Part One is here
It had been two weeks since he’d left Sarah Jane, and since then Ianto had been staying in a ramshackle little dormitory on the outskirts of the city. It was attached to a large stately home, and it was there he’d been given a crash (or more full-scale collision) course on how to be a butler. He learnt how to set tables, pour tea and wine, serve food, carry a silver tray with one hand and even how to hold a towel. Next he’d learnt the hierarchy of the serving staff – was a little surprised to find he’d be pretty much at the top of it – and who he would have to speak to about certain things, like laundry or cleaning supplies. He himself was expected to keep the Earl’s suite relatively clean – only the hoovering was not his responsibility, though he had to ensure it got done. Since he already knew a lot about cleaning from working for Sarah Jane, and before that at the bath house, all he really had to do was learn about cleaning ... cleanly. He wouldn’t be allowed to take his suit off unless the Earl ‘decided otherwise’.
He was taught how to introduce guests, answer the phone and communicate with other dignitaries. He had to research different types of wine – matching wine to meals, meals to wine and wine to glasses. Keeping his face bland and stoic no matter what was going on around him was essential. The Earl and his wife could have a screaming row in front of him, and he wasn’t to bat an eyelid, just carry on. If there was nothing to do, he would be allowed to leave the room, but invisibly and unnoticed. Anticipating needs was something he’d have to learn to do on the job, and he’d have to learn it quickly. Listen to his master, figure out when he wanted to leave so that he could fetch his coat for him, or when his voice sounded a little grated and he needed water, or ... other things.
Ianto already knew plenty about what was going on in the seedier districts of Cardiff, but alongside keeping up with the gossip there he was also expected to know what was going on everywhere from the kitchens downstairs to the European Parliament. He decided that his best bet was to read the paper, before ironing it and presenting it to the Earl – that way he would know everything as it happened without disrupting his other jobs too much. Research lead him into finding what other powerful figures were staying in Cardiff at the moment – he cross-referenced them against the Earl, checking for any obvious rivalries. Ianto learnt the Earl’s immediate family tree – one dissolved Civil Partnership, currently married to Adeiola Harkness who had a daughter by her first marriage. Harkness had no children of his own yet, and the step-daughter was grown up and living in Nairobi.
Ianto's jaw dropped when he saw the photograph of Mr and Mrs Harkness. He sat and stared at it for a good fifteen minutes before realising his mouth was hanging open – considering the fact he was practicing being stoic, that wasn’t a good thing. He shut his mouth and bit his lip, staring at the photograph in shock.
The woman on Harkness’ arm - his wife - looked exactly like Martha.
He knew, right there an then, that he must never, ever mention Martha to anybody – nor Adeiola to the nobodies.
After being bustled out of the dormitory and driven to the large hotel, Ianto was tipped into a bath and scrubbed by about three different sets of hands. Then he was dragged out, dried off and forced to sit in a chair while they cut his hair and scraped his chin. He stared at himself in the mirror. His curly hair had been trimmed shorter and neater, his chin had been scraped free of hair with a straight razor and he hadn’t felt so clean and fresh since he was ten years old. He glanced around the large, white-tiled bathroom and smirked to himself. For the next month, this – and the adjoining suite – was his. This small taste made him forget to be overly concerned with what he was going to have to do to keep it.
Pulling his fluffy white dressing gown further around him, he made his way back to the bedroom where one of the maids had hung up his suit and shirt, set out his tie and cufflinks and left a list of things he had to remember. Chores mainly, but underlined and in bold was a reminder that he must speak only when spoken to, and an honorific such as ‘sir’, ‘ your Lordship’ or ‘my Lord’ must be included every time he replied.
Sighing, he began to pull on the suit, inspecting its fit against his body and admiring the snug waistcoat as it sinched in his waist and broadened his shoulders. The material of his clothes felt like butter between his fingers, and his shoes were shined and laced to perfection. They smelt of newly-sewn leather and boot polish, and as he slipped his feet inside he could feel the cushioned padding providing comfort already. He tied his tie how he had been shown, leaving it at the correct length, then slipped his cufflinks through his shirtsleeves. They bore the crest of Boeshane – silver background with red bird-like creatures entwined around a tree – as did the breast pocket of his jacket. His suit and shirt were black, but his tie was red to coordinate with the Earl’s house colours.
Ianto took a deep, calming breath, which was interrupted by a knock on the door. “Doctor Smith requires your presence, sir.” a young maid informed him, poking her head around the door. He gave her a nod and a smile, then turned back to his reflection.
He leant in close, inspecting himself one last time, then turned on his heel and slipped into his ‘Butler Mask’. The distance between his room and the Earl’s suite was frighteningly small – all that separated them really was the width of the corridor. The Doctor was waiting for him in the Sapphire Suite where they were to greet his Lordship, and Ianto politely knocked before entering. The Doctor was alone, and seemed to have been pacing before Ianto had interrupted.
“Ah ... brilliant!” he exclaimed, walking over to Ianto and clasping him by his biceps. “Much better – you’ve learnt everything, yes?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good, good. And you posture has definitely improved. You’ve scrubbed up well. Hopefully the Earl will be pleased ...”
Doctor Smith started pacing again, freezing when he heard voices down the corridor. A hearty, masculine laugh sailed down the hall as Ianto moved towards the door, resting his hand on the handle and waiting for the knock to come. When it did, he counted to three in his head, then opened the door. A trolley full of bags preceded their owners, and as Captain Jack Harkness and Mrs. Adeiola Harkness entered the room, Ianto introduced them loudly and clearly in his soft, Welsh accent.
He remained out of sight behind the door for a second, holding it open as the busboy who’d been pushing the trolley scarpered out. Ianto shut the door behind him quietly so as not to disturb the conversation that had been struck up between the Earl, his wife and Doctor Smith. Ianto busied himself, pushing the trolley of bags through to the Master bedroom and removing them from the trolley. He’d ask about unpacking them later. Mr and Mrs Harkness had a lot of bags, and it took him a good five minutes to make sure he’d got them all – most of them belongd to the Lady Harkness, he presumed from the floral print.
Taking a deep breath, he wheeled the trolley back to the lounge – not noticing until he’d shut the door behind the trolley, leaving it in the hall, that Adeiola had gone. He decided that since Harkness had been travelling, he’d probably want some form of refreshment. Tea was usually the default, so he moved over to the small kitchenette and began to fill the kettle and set it to boil. Soon, he became aware that the hushed conversation in the corner had now turned on to the subject of himself. Stoicism in place, he did his best to ignore what they were saying, but it managed to find its way his ears nonetheless.
“What ... never? How can you be sure?”
“My sister owns his house. Sarah Jane. She’s had him since he was thirteen.”
“How old’s he now?”
“Twenty-three. And fit and healthy.”
There was a pause while the Earl ran his eyes over Ianto, and Ianto resolutely kept his eyes level and facing forward to the wall. “He is very pretty.” concluded Jack. “I’ll have him first, then decide whether or not he was telling the truth.” He held his hand out to the Doctor, and they shook. Finally, the Doctor excused himself, departing the room almost at a jog.
Ianto shivered, pouring the boiling water into the teapot to warm it, then emptying it out again. He spooned in the tea leaves, added more boiling water and left it to brew. The whole time, he could feel eyes burning into his back. He pretended to be oblivious, but all the while he tried his best to appear graceful, professional and ... unobtainable.
“Aren’t you going to take my coat?” asked the Earl, suddenly sounding closer than Ianto expected and his accent accentuating the ‘r’s he had spoken.
“Yes, sir.” Ianto smiled politely, closing the distance between them as Captain Jack Harkness turned and allowed his large greatcoat to slide from his shoulders and into Ianto's hands. Ianto hung it up carefully. “Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?”
“I’d say a cup of coffee – but it looks like you’re working ahead there.” The Earl jerked his head in the direction of the brewing teapot.
“I’ll pour it away and make you some coffee, sir.” Ianto hurried over to the pot, only to find his master stepping into his path.
“Leave it. I’ve never had leaf tea before.”
“As you wish, sir.” Ianto purposefully stepped back from him. “Would you like me to bring it over to you?”
“Whatever.” was his reply, the Earl already making his way to the sofa, flicking on the television and browsing through channels. Ianto had to tear his eyes away from the screen – he hadn’t seen any television for thirteen years, and the bright colours and sounds emitting from the narrow box on the wall hypnotised him.
The tea was probably ready now, so Ianto began to prepare a teacup, saucer, cream jug and sugar bowl. He poured the tea into the cup through a strainer and place everything carefully onto his silver tray. Carefully, he carried it to where Harkness was sitting, placing it down on the coffee table and moving the cup and saucer closer to the Earl. “Cream or sugar?” he asked.
“Dunno yet.” shrugged Harkness, lifting the tea to his lips. “Definitely cream. Lots of it.” he grimaced. Ianto added as he was told, and the Earl decided against sugar, so he took the unnecessary crockery away on his tray.
What to do next? He glanced around the room. It was pristine.
“Looking for something to do?” asked Harkness, quirking his eyebrows a little suggestively.
“I was just wondering ... sir ... would you like me to unpack your bags, or would you rather do it yourself?”
“Leave the bags. Addy will do it. Actually – where is Adeiola?” He sat up straighter, looking around the room as if he’d only just noticed his wife had gone.
“She left earlier, sir.”
“Ohhhh of course! Yeah. Shopping again.” Harkness added with a grumble, sipping some more tea. “Unpack my stuff. She can unpack her own later.”
Ianto nodded and left for the bedroom, hauling the first of the blue non-floral suitcases onto the bed. He unzipped it carefully, and began unfolding and hanging the clothes inside. All of it was pretty much the same period militia uniform – there was even a spare greatcoat – with the odd dress shirt and a hideous beige jacket. Ianto separated them out, putting the dress shirts on the far left of the wardrobe, then working his way from green to blue to white with the everyday cotton ones. He hung the different coloured braces up on the tie rack – as it was apparent that the Earl owned only one tie – and the belts he neatly arranged on the hooks in the inside of the wardrobe door.
Underwear and socks went in the middle drawer of the bedside table, the top he’d decided to reserve for books or glasses cases or phones. Ianto found a diary, and put it with a pencil case he’d also found in the bottom drawer.
The other blue suitcase was smaller, and contained all of the Earl’s toiletries and pampering products. Ianto carefully arranged them in the en-suite bathroom, as well as changing the hotel towels for the ones Harkness had brought with him. He added the black silk robe to the hook behind the door next to the fluffy hotel dressing gown, thinking the Earl probably had use for both.
Yawning, he returned to the bedroom and started pulling out the pyjama bottoms from the suitcase before freezing and staring at what had been concealed underneath them. He felt himself turning bright red, staring down at the arrangement in the bottom of the suitcase with wide-eyed shock and interest. Each wrapped in a cellophane bag was a large assortment of sex toys – ranging from small, finger-sized things to what Ianto could only assume was beyond anything a human could take, never mind naturally own.
Shutting the suitcase quickly, he zipped it and shoved it under the bed. As he stood, he felt his back brushing a heated, cotton-covered surface behind him. The Earl had watched him, and chosen now to make his presence known. Very intimately.
“Like what ya’ see?” Harkness whispered.
“It was very ... intriguing, sir.” Ianto replied, keeping his voice level. He could feel the heat of the Earl’s body through his suit. A tanned arm snaked around his waist, and he tensed as it pulled him backwards into Jack Harkness and pinned him close.
“Wanna play?” Lips brushed Ianto's neck, and he shivered at the unexpected contact.
“I ... I’m not sure, sir.” he breathed. In truth, he was a little afraid. He’d known this was coming, and nerves had been piling up since he’d been left alone with the Captain.
“Let me help you make up your mind ...”
Ianto found himself spun round, practically nose to nose with Harkness. There was a moment where he seemed to be weighing him up, before he leaned forward and pressed their mouths together. Tensing, Ianto loosely put his arms around the other man’s waist, vaguely remembering kissing Martha and what that had been like.
Not like this, that was certain. Martha had been gentle and slow, letting him get the feel of it. Jack Harkness was claiming him, forcing his tongue forward and making Ianto open his mouth. Forgetting himself, Ianto bit down gently and the tongue quickly retreated. Ianto found himself pushed backwards and he landed with a bounce onto the bed.
“What the fuck was that?” Harkness snapped.
“I bit you, sir.” Ianto replied. In for a penny, in for a pound, he thought.
“Excuse me?”
“I bit you, sir.” he repeated.
He seemed a little taken aback. “Wha ... what for?” he ended up saying, folding his arms defensively.
“I didn’t like what you were doing, sir.”
Harkness took offence to that. His expression darkened and his jaw set. “You what?”
“I didn’t like what you were do –”
“Yes! I heard you the first time!” he snapped, silencing Ianto. “What about what I was doing didn’t you like?”
“Erm ... well ...” Ianto stammered, this being his turn to be taken aback. “It was harassment, really. Sir.”
“Harassment?” The Earl looked a little confused. "As in ... sexual harassment?"
"Pretty much ..."
"How do you 'sexually harass' a rentboy?"
"Well ... you just did, sir."
The Captain stared at him blankly.
“Think about it: you crept up behind me, you growled in my ear, you made turn round, you forced me to kiss you ....”
“Yeah ... yeah I see what you mean.”
Silence fell between them, and the Earl raised a questioning eyebrow at Ianto's expectant look. “What?” he asked irritably.
“This is the bit where you apologise, sir.” Ianto told him.
Harkness stared, mouth half open. Realising he was gawping, he shut it with a snap and put his hands on his hips. “I ... um ... ah ... I suppose ... sorry, then?”
“Apology accepted, sir. But please don’t do that again.”
The Captain shifted his weight from side to side, still gawping a little. Why the hell was his rent boy telling him what to do? He decided it was about time he gave him what for and reminded him who was in charge ... “Okay. I won’t do it again.”
“Thank you, sir. I really appreciate that. Thank you.”
Jack opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, trying to figure out what was really going on. Thank you? Appreciation? He felt a little good inside, being thanked and appreciated. He wouldn’t mind – what was his name again? Had he even asked for his name? – thanking him and appreciating him again. Several times. Maybe with actions rather than words ... “What’s your name?” he finally decided to ask.
“Ianto.”
“Sweet. When we’re alone you may call me either ‘sir’ or Jack. ‘Kay?”
“Yes, Jack.” Ianto tried his name on his tongue, emphasising the “ck” sound at the end.
Jack smiled at him, and sat himself down on the bed beside Ianto. He leant back on his hand slightly and leaned in, gently pressing a kiss to Ianto's jawline. Ianto didn’t move away, so Jack kissed him a couple more times, moving lower to his neck, then flicked his tongue over the smooth, clean shaven flesh. Ianto shivered at the contact. “You like that?” Jack whispered, low.
“I may need some more convincing.” Ianto sighed regretfully. Jack smiled against his neck, licking again and rubbing his hand over the back of Ianto's neck. He shivered more, and Jack raised his head to see that Ianto had his eyes closed. As he felt the Captain move away from his flesh, his eyes flickered open. Jack leant forward, pressed their lips together gently, and pulled back again.
Ianto's heart was racing. Whether it was sexual frustration from all the times he’d turned down this kind of contact, or whether the Captain was just really good at playing a man, Ianto wasn’t sure. His sudden gentleness was causing Ianto's body to react, and he fought with himself not to follow Jack’s mouth with his own as he pulled away from him.
“Better?” asked Jack, smirking a little.
“Much better.” smiled Ianto. “Now ... if you’ll excuse me ... I need to go and –” He half got up to leave before an iron grip enfolded his forearm, yanking him back down. Forced onto his back by the heavy momentum of the Captain, he found himself lying beneath him and holding his entire weight. Jack stared down at him, frowning a little, as if wondering himself how they had wound up in this position.
“Harassment again, right?” he concluded, straddling Ianto's waist and taking his weight back.
Able to breathe again, Ianto nodded and told him yes, he was being a bit of a harassment again.
“Sorry.” he said instantly. “Er ... where were you going?”
“Lube and condoms.” replied Ianto.
“Ah .. right. Go fetch, then.” He pulled himself to his feet beside the bed and started taking out his little plane-shaped cufflinks. Frowning, he turned back to realise Ianto hadn’t moved beyond propping himself up on his elbows. His eyebrow was quirked in that expectant way again, and Jack answered it with a quirky eyebrow of his own.
“I think there was a please in there, sir. Just waiting to get out.”
FIN
I promise to get back to my other series later today! I just had to at least make a start on this ...
Requested by
alicatt13 over a month ago, inspired by something probably random and non-related said by naddypants - and also a special big thankyou to griza, without whom none of us would have feet, wine or Belly Sivalis - even if she did eat all my bees. This is a multipost for one chapter - the LJ entry was too long, and has had to be broken down! Part One is here
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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Date: 2009-08-27 04:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-27 05:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-27 05:29 am (UTC)"I bit you, sir." Didn't know what to do with that at first, but snarky!Ianto making Jack do what he tells him to without realizing it is fantastic :)
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Date: 2009-08-27 05:50 am (UTC)Jack and Ianto's interactions are great!
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Date: 2009-08-27 06:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-27 06:03 am (UTC)Ianto and Tosh meeting so young, and sticking together is just perfect. :D
If Ianto keeps this up, he'll have Jack wrapped around his little finger before too long. I just love how Jack's supposed to be the one in charge and Ianto's correcting him. hehe :)
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Date: 2009-08-27 06:40 am (UTC)w.w.w.
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Date: 2009-08-27 09:35 am (UTC)Awesome! :D
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Date: 2009-08-27 12:48 pm (UTC)This is amazing! I need more of this and if it's now all the better!!!!
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Date: 2009-08-27 12:50 pm (UTC)I will try not to eat your bees the next time;)
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Date: 2009-08-27 02:39 pm (UTC)Can't wait for an update.
Awesome is as Ianto does, that's for sure!
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Date: 2009-08-27 02:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-27 02:52 pm (UTC)I can't wait for more. :D
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Date: 2009-08-27 03:57 pm (UTC)I didn't think I could love anything more than the IMs but I was wrong. OMG! Tosh's part-time shag? The birthday scene with Martha?
I got near the end of the first page thinking, "Oh no! It can't be ending already!"
But there was more and it was equally fantastic. And Rentboy!Ianto is definitely one to be reconned with - as His Harkness is finding out.
Update soon,please. *minion grovels*
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Date: 2009-08-27 04:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-27 05:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-27 05:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-27 05:44 pm (UTC)What a fabulous start! Madre de Dios, you are unfairly good at this.
Poor Young!Ianto and Young!Tosh. I hadn't realised how much I missed the Tosh/Ianto friendship until now.
This Jack is certainly in dire need of being taken down a peg or two...hundred. Given Ianto's reaction to Jack's advances, this is going to be a fun ride.
Toshiko took her cue from his fast thinking, kicking the man who went for her in the balls and digging her teeth into his wrist.
Ho, ho...respect. ;)
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Date: 2009-08-27 06:47 pm (UTC)Madre de Dios
OMG!!! I actually remember a bit of high school Spanish!!!! I know what this meeeeeeeeeeeans!!!! *has a bit of a moment*
Thanks for your comments - you are far far far toooo kind :)
I missed the Tosh/Ianto friendship
*sniffles* me too :(
Ho, ho ...
... you callin' me?? eh? eh? eh eh eh? *in your face like Dory on the defensive*
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Date: 2009-08-27 06:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-27 07:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-27 07:18 pm (UTC):D cant wait for more i pray its soon!
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Date: 2009-08-27 07:19 pm (UTC)But then I knew I would love it the second I saw it, because I love your IM series.
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Date: 2009-08-27 07:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-27 08:03 pm (UTC)I love the way you got into their heads. It was totally believable the way you had them thinking and acting at their different ages.
Poor Ianto and Toshiko!
Owen tried to kiss Ianto! I have to say I love that because I have a lot of love for Ianto/Owen,(well,Ianto/anyone but there's something about him and Owen I just really like). Is that ever going to develop into anything,or was it just that one time?
And Ianto's behavior with Jack-OMG! I laughed so much. I didn't expect that. I thought he'd be shy and somewhat diffident cause it was his first time,and Jack's such a big,important person apparently. But his responses were so Ianto that when I thought about it that definitely made sense.
I'm looking forward to more,soon I hope!
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Date: 2009-08-27 10:30 pm (UTC)Please, write more soon?
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Date: 2009-08-27 11:18 pm (UTC)I would like much more of this as soon as possible. (Or as soon as convenient for yourself and the storyline.) Please and thank you kindly!
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Date: 2009-08-28 12:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-28 01:43 am (UTC)Rebecca D
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Date: 2009-08-28 02:58 am (UTC)...really I can''t think of any comment other than 'damn'. (and 'I want more' of course). I love how ianto is supposed to obey jack's every whim and he's really telling jack what to do XD he's got him wrapped around his finger.
can't wait to see what happens with martha (do we, the readers, know how she ended up at sarah-jane's and I just missed that part somehow, or is it still a mystery?)
god, I love this fic. (I'm also a sucker for rentboy!ianto fics, but this is one of the best so far)
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Date: 2009-08-28 03:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-29 05:13 pm (UTC):D
Rentboy!Ianto! LMFAO
He's not going to make an honest man out of Jack, is he?
Bless. The last line was complete win!
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Date: 2009-08-30 12:34 am (UTC)Sorry if this makes little sense, it's 1AM and I'm avoiding writing a History essay.
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Date: 2009-08-30 10:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-04 05:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-04 01:29 pm (UTC)Apologies for losing you there! I think that was a *flail for a word* moment, and that was the best I could come up with.
Thanks for reading thus far, and your feedback really is appreciated xx
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Date: 2009-09-04 02:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-04 02:28 pm (UTC)You're totally right about the "Harassment" point though. It's far better than what I wrote, and I think I shall have to change it.
Again: concrit feedback is very, very appreciated :D
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Date: 2009-09-11 06:15 pm (UTC)I can't wait to read more of it =D
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Date: 2009-09-12 05:19 pm (UTC)“This is the bit where you apologise, sir.” Ianto told him.
LMAO - best line
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Date: 2009-09-13 01:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-05-20 02:34 am (UTC)