"Come Fly With Me" Chapter 39

[wanda1969]

Title: "Come Fly With Me"
Rating:  Adult concepts- but not explicit this chapter.

Spoilers/Disclaimers :  Torchwood, belongs to the BBC and RTD, I’m just borrowing the characters.

Summary: Torchwood characters in a story set in the glamorous world of international travel!

A/N:  Many apologies for the delay- yet again- in posting and responding to reviews! Real life: work, a bit of a virus- you name it! This is not too many chapters off the end- and here’s a longish, fluffy chapter… edited by me so sorry for any mistakes in my slightly hazy state.

Chapter List:   http://wanda1969.dreamwidth.org/1863.html

Chapter  39

 

***

Bethan Jones pottered around the kitchen, helping to prepare some of the food for the afternoon’s housewarming party. Moving in about a week ago, Ianto and Jack’s new house was still in slight disarray; they’d unpacked most of their belongings, but even with Ianto’s usually organised mind, remembering where they’d unpacked most of them to seemed to escape them both, leading to the two men trying to keep the food preparation to a minimum. Beth had different ideas- she was having as little of that ‘shop bought, ready-made rubbish’ as possible if it had anything to do with her.  After settling in when she’d arrived yesterday in the late morning, she’d persuaded Ianto to take her and Jack to the local market and promptly stocked up on supplies; now, by Saturday lunchtime, they had more or less completed making salads and marinades, and chopping vegetables for kebabs.

Beth had been impressed with the new house; the small screen of Rhiannon’s ‘phone didn’t do the ‘photos she’d been sent of her son’s new home justice. True, it wasn’t palatial, but it had more room than her simple terraced cottage, and the ‘finish’- that’s what they called it these days, wasn’t it?- was superb: simple ivory walls, with all the original features beautifully restored and complemented, and classically styled furniture. The kitchen, while not overly modern in style, had most of the mod-cons and appliances.

She had insisted on a tour of the house- and Jack had volunteered enthusiastically while Ianto had taken her weekend bag upstairs and put the final touches to the spare room. By the time he’d completed that task, Jack had conducted the tour of the ground floor and was now on the first floor leading Bethan away from the small box room that they would be using for storage and as an office. Ianto joined them as the pilot had reached the master bedroom, declaring “… and this is our room…”  She glanced to her side and saw Ianto fidget whilst flushing a delicate shade of pale pink; it was easy to see that, in front of his mother, he was embarrassed by the fact that he shared a room- and a bed- with Jack. She tried to give him a reassuring smile, but she knew he was still uneasy. She understood that unease- he was admitting that he was in a romantic relationship with another man. There was a part of her that still felt, well, weird that she’d be in the room next door as her son and his lover lay in that very tempting king sized bedstead that she could see- perhaps she’d found herself blushing just as much as her son had- even if she found herself happy, overjoyed even, that he had seemed to have settled down, whoever it was with. And she really did like Jack; he was like an open book, his  affection for her son shining through every pore. He was older- but that didn’t seem to matter; this Jack was clearly devoted to her son. As for Ianto, he was evidently more contented than he’d ever been. In the face of that, it was impossible to make any sort of negative judgment about the way he lived his life, even if she’d wanted to.

***

It had been an exceptionally hot year after the heavy blanket of snow which had covered the country during the first couple of months of the year, and it turned out that this weekend was no different to the warm dry weather much of the UK had been experiencing for most of the summer. Rhiannon, Johnny and the kids were the first to arrive, refreshed from their stay at a nearby hotel- there was only so much space in the new house. Unsurprisingly, Johnny had taken it upon himself to ignite- and that turned out to be the operative word- the barbeque. Or rather, barbeques. There were two- one for Johnny’s burnt and meaty offerings and one for the vegetables and halloumi kebabs that they’d marinated earlier for any vegetarians, or those with a lighter appetite. As he watched his brother in law’s efforts at lighting the charcoal, Ianto found himself thinking about the last big party he’d been to that involved the cremation of various meat products. It had been Johnny’s own birthday barbeque and had resulted in that unscripted admission to his sister that he was seeing a man.

Not long after the coals were alight, the doorbell rang, signaling the arrival of the first of the ‘non-family’ guests- Sarah Jane and Luke, along with Luke’s best friend, Clyde. An hour later, the party was in full swing, the garden quickly filling up with friends and teammates from TIA.

***

Gwen and Rhys had been following the directions, pulled off Google maps, which directed them to Jack and Ianto’s new home.

“Nice area…”

“I suppose so…”

“So… Jack and Ianto. Looks like they’re doing well if they can afford round here.” Rhys surveyed the house; sure, it wasn’t a mansion but there was a little garden to the front and room for a car or a small extension at the side, and he knew that the green and leafy area commanded a premium when it came to the house prices. The property was completely out of his and Gwen’s league.

“Rhys- Jack’s a pilot,” Gwen said tiredly. “I don’t even know what he makes- but I can safely bet that it’s more than either Ianto or me… or you and me put together, for that matter.”

“Aye, well… I reckon I got the wrong career advice at school, going into haulage and all. I know you said ‘housewarming’, but you made out they were only just starting out together and it was all a bit casual. I expected some flat. This is all looks pretty serious to me.” Rhys was secretly pleased; that was two guys on the crew down. He tried not to be a jealous man, but he’d seen 70s TV movies- all those glamorous trolley dollies visiting exotic climes, and falling for dashing, uniformed pilots.

“Oh… well Jack always says he isn’t gay. And they’re fairly distant with each other at work- for a couple,” Gwen replied as they walked up to the front door along the short terracotta tiled garden path. She reached out and pressed the doorbell. The sound of music, not too loud, and voices, drifted ‘round the side of the house.

“Gwen, that’s obviously because they’re at work. You know, professionalism and all that. And perhaps Jack’s ‘bicurious’ or whatever they call it these days- or something. ”

“I…” Gwen started only to be relieved that she didn’t have to continue, as the door was swiftly pulled open by Ianto, casually dressed in a dark T shirt and blue denim jeans.

“Gwen! Glad you could make it. Thank you,” he grinned and accepted the offered bottle of Moet et Chandon Gwen had brought as a housewarming gift and then held out his other hand. “And you must be Rhys?”

Rhys shook the hand as the young man simply introduced himself by saying “Ianto”.

‘Ianto’ wasn’t at all what he expected. He’d expected a camp caricature of a flight attendant, but Ianto didn’t appear to be anything of the sort. He was tall and had a slim, but slightly bulked physique, with muscled, but not overly so, arms- the man looked as if he was no stranger to rugby somewhere along the line, and his accent proclaimed that he was Welsh, as Rhys had expected from his name. He wouldn’t have been out of place at Rhys’ pub rugby team, the Exiles, populated mainly with ‘ex-pats’ from his homeland. He idly wondered whether Ianto would like to come and watch them next time a match was scheduled… 

Again, he thanked his lucky stars that the guy was off-limits- and perhaps a little too young for Gwen, anyway.

“Come on through- most people are out back.” Ianto quickly ushered them into the hallway, closed the door and led to the kitchen cum dining room. As they passed the open door to the sitting room he could see a couple of teenagers and a younger boy intently staring towards the TV screen, absorbed in what he presumed was an X-box game. They reached the kitchen and Ianto stopped at a large ‘fridge-freezer and opened the door, depositing the champagne on a shelf. “Right, we’ve got lager, wine, cider, juice… and some cans of Brains…”

“It’ll be a Brains for me,” Rhys said enthusiastically.

“Cold or room temperature?” Ianto asked and gestured at some cans sitting on the worksurface.

“Room temperature, please.” He was starting to take quite a shine to the air steward, especially as he saw him reach for a warmish can of Brains of his own.

Gwen quickly asked for a bottle of lager and spotted Tosh and Owen, then Emma, Amy and Martha, as she looked out into the garden through the French windows.

“Let’s go out back. There’s food- of sorts, if you want to risk Johnny and Jack’s cooking…”

They followed Ianto out of the door and into the garden. It wasn’t anything special, just a few shrubs, small trees and flowers surrounding a lawn which was scattered with some wooden chairs and a couple of matching square tables. There were probably twenty or so people either just milling about or sitting around. He led them over to the side of the garden to another table, filled with salads, sauces, bread rolls and containers of soon to be charred foodstuffs. Two freestanding barbeques were set up next to it, presided over by a two dark haired men, one portly and sporting a Cardiff  Blues shirt, the other slimmer and dressed in pale jeans and a plain, brown fitted Tee shirt.

“This is Jack,” Ianto indicated at the latter man before quickly moving on. “…And Johnny- my brother-in-law…”

Rhys was greeted to a vigorous shake of his hand and a dazzling grin from ‘Jack’, and a heavily Welsh accented ‘Hello’ to them both from the more chubby and well built ‘Johnny’. The day really was looking up- Rhys was proud of his Welsh roots, and already he’d snagged himself a can of Brain’s and had met two fellow countrymen. Perhaps he would have been more enthusiastic about the day if Gwen had explained a bit more about the party.

“…and this is Gwen, one of the flight crew, and Rhys.”

Jack Harkness had Cary Grant’s dimpled chin, and sparkling blue eyes and an easy smile; the fact that he was off the market, too, and unlikely to be any kind of threat to him, made Rhys almost ridiculously relieved.

“Good to meet you at last, Rhys,” Harkness grinned again, his American accent becoming apparent for the first time, adding to the 1950s film star air. “Why don’t you two have something to eat?” He waved his arm at the grill that Johnny was labouring over.

Johnny waved his spatula. “We’ve got some bog-standard burgers, and then there’s Welsh sausages and some lamb burgers that Rhiannon and her mam brought down with us.” Rhys was in seventh heaven and quickly asked for a couple of sausages which Johnny lifted onto a large bread roll. 

“Shit! Rhiannon! I was supposed to be getting her and mam a drink! Excuse me,” Ianto exclaimed and moved swiftly back towards the kitchen.

***

“I never thought I’d see the day. Jack Harkness settled down and domesticated!” John Smith said as he sipped at his mug of tea.

Jack chuckled and tried to look affronted; he’d never been that lucky in love, but he’d certainly never been as much of a ‘play boy’ as most people assumed either.

“Seriously, though- I knew there was something a bit special about Ianto. It’s not like you to bring someone along to Sarah Jane’s birthday. Just didn’t think you two’d be settling down so quickly!” It certainly was unusual for Jack to be so open about his relationships; even with Lucia it  had taken close to a year before she had been formally introduced to Jack’s friends, and when it came to boyfriends he had been even more cagey. That Jack had so openly asked to bring him to Sarah Jane’s party in the first place spoke volumes; that the two men had arrived at one of his dinner parties a month later had sealed the deal.

“Well, Doc- Ianto is pretty special. I think good fortune might have smiled on me at last…” There was a glint in Jack’s blue eyes as he looked over to where Ianto, Rhys and Johnny looked to having an involved conversation. Rugby, he suspected, knowing full well the direction that conversations between Ianto and his brother-in-law usually went. Add a third Welshman to the equation and it didn’t take a genius to guess exactly what they were chatting about.

“It’s just good to see you happy,” John replied, not mistaking the look of utter contentment on his friend’s face. “And about time, too!”

“It sounds very much like I’m in time for the gossip, then?” Sarah Jane interrupted as she appeared at their side.

***

After the usual rounds of schmoozing and introducing various guests to each other, Ianto had gravitated over to Johnny who was, not for the first time today, huddled with Rhys in an intense discussion over a couple more cans of Brains.

Various debates had followed: how would Cardiff Blues perform in the coming season, and what on Earth did Gavin Henson think he was doing on that TV dating show?

“Bit of a surprise to me, I have to say. With all that fake tan I always thought he was a bit of a poofter- even if he did go out with Charlotte Church,” Johnny was saying. “No offense, Ianto.” He added as an afterthought.

Rhys’ eyes darted between the two other men worried that Johnny’s comment would put an end to the good natured banter.

But Ianto didn’t take offense, totally used, as he was, to the other man’s sometimes heartfelt, but often ill thought out, comments. “I’d like to assure you that I’ve never used fake tan. And neither does Jack, as far as I’m aware- and, believe me, I’ve taken quite a good look…” An arched eyebrow completed the comment.

“I bet you have! But I don’t really want to know about that- you’re my wife’s little brother, after all.” Johnny laughed out loud.

Rhys was enjoying his day more and more; Johnny was a straight spoken man, and Ianto wasn’t too far behind him, knowing more than his fair share of rugby trivia. He was slightly disappointed when he saw Gwen waving to him from the other side of the lawn, where she was talking to Jack, another man and an attractive, older woman. “Bloody hell. Sorry lads. It looks like Gwen wants me for something…” he apologised, quite truthfully- he’d taken a liking to the two Welshmen, and would rather stay and talk sport with them. “See you in a bit…” he said regretfully and reluctantly strolled over to his fiancée.

“I like him,” Johnny said. “Nice to find a few more Welsh down here.”

“He seems like a good guy- don’t know how he puts up with Gwen, though. I love her to pieces but she can be a bit trying…”

“A bit trying?”

“She’s got a bit of a thing for Jack…”

“Like they all do?” Johnny nodded over to where his wife had joined  Jack and his friends, Gwen and Rhys, and was, quite frankly, swooning over the American. “You know, I still don’t get it. Jack’s a great bloke and all, but I just don’t get how you go from Lisa- to Jack…” This was the first time he had had Ianto truly on his own- and that Ianto was well on his way to being ‘tipsy’- since the last barbeque they’d both attended in February for his birthday.

Ianto laughed. “It’s OK, I’m not sure I get it either!”

“He’s a good looking bloke, can’t deny that. But he’s a bloke…”

“Is he now? I’d never noticed…”

Maybe for a millisecond, Johnny wondered for a second time whether he’d insulted the other man, but the characteristic roll of the eyes accompanied by a smile that he knew that Ianto was desperately trying to fight down, convinced him that again no offense had been taken. “You never fancied blokes before, though?” he asked, remembering the few comments that Rhiannon had made following Ianto’s revelation six months ago.

“Not unless I just didn’t realise!” Ianto laughed, before a more serious look swept over his features. “Perhaps I’d just never thought about it before? Or had the opportunity? Or met someone… like Jack?” He sighed, knowing that Johnny was waiting for some kind of explanation from him. “I just don’t know, Johnny… ”

“Maybe…” Johnny took a sip from his beer, delaying the moment that he had to say anything else.

Ianto’s visage suddenly broke into a grin. “Guess it doesn’t matter. I’ve learnt that a person’s sex isn’t really the most important thing.”

“Must be weird, though… you know- sleeping with a bloke…”

“It’s not that much different, really…”

“Oh, aye?” The tone of Johnny’s voice was quizzical and he gave Ianto a knowing wink.

Ianto lowered his chin to look at him from under raised brows. “I didn’t mean like that. I actually meant emotionally…”

“Yeah, of course…” Johnny felt slightly chastised by Ianto’s comment and took a drink of his beer.

The same mischievousness that Ianto had felt all those months ago when he’d told Rhiannon about Jack crept over him again at seeing Johnny’s slight discomfort. “Although it does help that the sex is great…”

“I…” Johnny stammered and his cheeks reddened as he choked a little on his mouthful of beer.

Ianto laughed as he slapped a coughing Johnny on his back. “Sorry, Johnny. I couldn’t help myself!”

“You bastard!”

“Well, you were fishing.”

“Well… OK, yeah. But I didn’t actually expect you to say anything! I was just havin’ a laugh.”

“I know,” Ianto smiled. “Let’s just say I’ve got no complaints about life.”

“Bloody hell, Ianto- you’ve definitely spent too much time with Jack! Time was it was hard just getting whether you had a girlfriend or not out of you. That man’s a bad influence on you!”

“Maybe… but it is so much fun…”

“Jesus- he’s created a monster!” Johnny shook his head in disbelief.

“I wouldn’t go that far.”

“I would! Thank God,” Johnny sighed as they were joined by Toshiko. “Saved by the bell!”

***

Gwen dried her hands on the fluffy towel in the upstairs bathroom. She had to admit she was well and truly jealous; if she and Rhys could afford it, this was exactly how she imagined her perfect home to be, assuming, of course, that the couple hadn’t won the National Lottery and moved to Mustique.

She made her way down the staircase and then ran straight into Ianto’s sister coming out of the sitting room door at the bottom of the stairs.

“One more game, David, and then you’re having something to eat… Whoa! Sorry…” Rhiannon laughed as she caught the other woman.

“Sorry!”Gwen agreed.

“Come on, I think I need another drink.” Rhiannon said as she pushed the door to the kitchen open.

Jack was pressed against the side of the fridge freezer by Ianto, one of whose arms snaked around his waist whilst the other tangled in Jack’s short hair, their lips locked together. Jack wasn’t blameless in the encounter- his arms were around the other man, pulling him towards him as if his life depended on it.

Rhiannon just laughed loudly causing the two men to break apart somewhat sheepishly, while beside her Gwen stood silently, mouth agape in a near perfect ‘O’ and eyes as large as saucers.

“Put each other down, you two- there’re kids here, you know! I don’t want our David scarred for life!” Rhi had tried for a disapproving tone in her voice, but failed completely; she had seen the obvious affection between her brother and the pilot, but this was the first time that the passion between the two had been so clearly demonstrated to her. And, as for David… well, the boy had initially greeted the news of his Uncle’s relationship with another man as any other twelve year old would have reacted- with ‘Ewww’s and ‘But I don’t have to think about it’s. After all, his reactions to girls of his own age weren’t that dissimilar. Soon after that, though, he’d quickly warmed to the idea- Jack was a pilot, with exciting tales of his time with the RAF, and their recent holiday had impressed him to the point that the concept of ‘Ianto and Jack’ ceased to have any bad connotations. He was as easily bought as any boy of his age- even if that had never been the intention of ‘Ianto and Jack’. Mica hadn’t even blinked at ‘Uncle Ianto’ having a boyfriend- Sian at school had two mum’s after all.

 Beside Rhiannon, Gwen remained speechless. It was one thing for the two men to declare their supposed love for each other, but to actually see them, far removed from their work personas, snogging like teenagers (much as she and Rhys had done in the beginning, in idle moments while waiting for the oven to warm or a kettle to boil) and she saw, for the first time, that the two men shared a deep connection, something that was never revealed when they were on duty.

“Ah, just came in to get Johnny and me a beer…” Ianto said and gently wiped his thumb over his lips, the faintest of pink colouring his cheekbones. He grabbed at a couple of cans of bitter.

At his side, Jack had the good grace to look equally embarrassed- a rare red tinge creeping across his face even as he schooled his features into a confident smile. “And I was just getting Sarah Jane and ‘The Doc’ something to drink…”

“And you just ran into each other?” Rhiannon smiled.

“Yeah… Well I’d better get these back to Johnny- he’ll be thinking his throat’s been cut,” Ianto brandished the cans at his sister and Gwen, smiled at Jack and was out of the French windows before he had to endure any more teasing or smirks from Rhi.

The pilot watched him as he stepped into the garden. “What can I say? You’ve got an irresistible brother, Rhiannon Davies!”

He turned back and opened the ‘fridge to randomly retrieve a bottle of chilled Vin de Pays du Gers. “And Sarah Jane and The Doc will be getting thirsty, too…”

He too made a sharp exit, leaving Rhiannon chuckling quietly to herself. “Well, that’s a first- they’re usually so careful around each other in public.” On receiving no other reply than a ‘yeah’ from Gwen, she continued. “I remember when me and Johnny were like that, couldn’t keep our hands off each other. Then the kids came along, and now I wish he’d just leave me alone and shut up when I was trying to watch Corrie!”

Gwen nodded in agreement. “I know the feeling…”

“And I know Ianto’s my brother- but, boy, those two are so cute…”

The other Welshwoman had to concur. She’d never before understood the excited interest that the rest of the girls at work enthusiastically demonstrated when gossiping about the two men. And she’d always believed that there was nothing between them other than maybe a casual attraction; today was challenging those beliefs.

***

To Be Continued…

Comments

[badly_knitted]

Accept it Gwen, you never had a chance with Jack, you could never compete with Ianto so just be happy that you've still got Rhys, who adores you despite everything!

Looks like the housewarming party is a big success! Ianto, Rhys and Johnny are getting along famously, everyone else seems to be having a good time too, and Johnny's managed to avoid setting fire to anything he shouldn't, which is a bonus!

Loved Ianto teasing Johnny! =)

[wanda1969]

I think Gwen's getting the message now!
Thanks again!

[addieharkness]

Oh! Wonderful! Loved it!

update soon!

[wanda1969]

Thank you - and sorry for the delay in updates!
Keep well!

[janiemc]

Aww lovely fluffy update, love the Johnny, Rhys Ianto triumvate discussing rugby.

[wanda1969]

I always like to think those 3 would hav egot on, if only we'd got to see it! Thank you, Janie!

[milady_dragon]

That was great! Love the barbecue setting a lot. And Gwen certainly got an eyeful!

[wanda1969]

I have to say the Jones/Davies family seem to have a thing about Barbeques!
Thanks!

[bluelilacs.livejournal.com]

The housewarming seems to be going wonderfully. It's good to see the boys so relaxed around their friends and co-workers and everybody, including Ianto, having a good time. Glad Rhys is hitting it off with Ianto and Johnny. You can never have too many guys to talk rugby with.

Looks like Gwen is finally getting that the boys really are serious, even if she did practically have to be hit over the head with it. Hope it sticks now.

[wanda1969]

I would have kind of like to have her being hit over the head with a big stick until she saw sense in this... but even I thought it might be a bit cruel...!

[missthingsplace]

I love love love that Gwen caught Jack and Ianto snogging, it certainly seems to have given her a wake-up call :)

Utterly brilliant, i so love this fic :D

[wanda1969]

If catching Jack and Ianto snogging hadn't made her realise they were serious, I don't know what would have!
By the way, I'm loving Utopia- and keep well; I hope things are going a bit better for you now. x

[iolo1234]

Now will Gwen finally inderstand what passion between two people means? Love Rhys and Johnny. I think those two would have got on well.
Hope you're OK and real life isn't too bad.
love
K
xx

[wanda1969]

I just really wish we'd managed to have more Rhys, Johnny, Jack and Ianto interaction in TW... I think they would all have got on in the end!
Real life's been far too busy- on the plus side it's come with a pay increase (even in these hard times), and I'm at last getting this year's holiday in a week and a half. Over 6 months late!
How are you? Well I hope?
Vx

[tartan_tarte]

I love this story and I loved this update! It was nice to see them relaxing with friends and family and being comfortable with it all. The connection between the Welshmen was cute, as was the banter between Ianto and Johnny. Looking forward to more. :)

[wanda1969]

The guys just couldn't help their 'Welshness' coming out! I bet Jack's even an honorary Welshman in this! Thank you!

[idamus]

Lovely :), wish I'd been the one walking in on those two

Hope RL is getting better *hugs*

[wanda1969]

Thanks! RL is getting better, especially with a holiday looming in a week or two!
mmm... I could do with walking in on them too!