InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "AWESOMESAUCE"

Captain Jack Harkness (foreverjack) wrote in marinanova,
@ 2017-03-21 16:07:00

Entry tags:

ianto jones, jack harkness

Day 420 / Action / Closed to Ianto
He's digested a lot of advice over his and Ianto's relationship problems and the chief idea seems to be to spend some quality time with Ianto in a public place to try and avoid sex getting in the way of actually talking to each other.

So on this particular day, in a vein rather similar and yet surprisingly a lot less kinky than when Ianto invited him to the library, Ianto will find a little note waiting for him when he gets back from the library at the end of the day: The Bistro - 8pm

When Ianto gets there, he'll find an unexpectedly nervous Jack seated ready at a table, dressed in his usual outfit but it's all impeccably pressed (i.e. brought home brand new from the store), and he's even been over to the Sector 3 salon for a hair cut and style and the closest shave it's possible to get.

The lighting in the restaurant is all turned down low except for a pool of light illuminating Jack's table, which is also sporting a wine cooler with a bottle of champagne waiting to be popped, and there's soft, classical music playing in the background to add to the ambiance.

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readystopwatch
2017-03-21 02:10 pm UTC (link)

Even with all their talking recently Ianto genuinely doesn't know what to make of all this - the note, the setting, Jack's appearance when he arrives at the Bistro. It's hardly Jack's fault. They've simply never dated much. It was always nearly impossible to schedule things back home and that became a routine here. Despite the accusations he threw around in their recent argument he's as much to blame for that as Jack is. All in all he's glad he was already wearing a suit so he doesn't have to worry about feeling underdressed.

"What's all this?" Curious, smiling enough to let him know he's impressed.

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Perfect icon!!!

foreverjack
2017-03-21 04:53 pm UTC (link)

The jitter of nerves only increases when Ianto walks on, bang on time of course, although it's softened by the genuine pleasure of seeing him, looking gorgeous as he'd known he would. He stands to greet him, smiling widely.

"I believe it's called asking you out to dinner," he says ironically, pulling him in for a soft kiss on the lips. "I think it's about time, don't you?"

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And so rarely usable!

readystopwatch
2017-03-21 05:09 pm UTC (link)

He'll admit it's pretty adorable. Not just the date itself but the effort Jack has clearly gone to here. Don't think he missed the haircut. So heats off the teasing for now and returns the kiss before taking his seat.

"I always forget how dangerously charming you can be when you make the effort. This is impressive." And very sweet, which goes unsaid butnis clearly implied.

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foreverjack
2017-03-21 05:32 pm UTC (link)

He grins, pleased that he appears to have got it right, but that remark of Ianto's is a timely reminder of how easy it would be to just slip into old, familiar ways.

"Feel free to head me off if I start falling into automatically seductive routines," he offers, remaining standing for the moment so he can pop open the wine. "This is supposed to be about connecting without the sex - or at least not till later! In the meantime, may I offer you some champagne?"

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readystopwatch
2017-03-21 05:47 pm UTC (link)

"When have I ever been afraid to call you out on that sort of thing?" He may be the first to put Jack on the spot for going over the top but they both know how much he loves this sort of thing, at least from him. And this particular night already feels romantic rather than cheesy because he knows the motivation behind it, how much Jack is trying here and it's genuinely touching.

"Champagne sounds lovely. This is wonderful, Jack. Thank you." They both promised to get better at talking and that means opening up and saying what he feels, not hiding behind sarcasm and manners. He does that too often at times like these.

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foreverjack
2017-03-22 04:18 am UTC (link)

"Well, not on that sort of thing at least..." he drawls, his eyes twinkling, because after all Ianto has talked rather a lot lately about feeling unable to call him out on other things, but yeah, this is one area where Ianto seems to have no problem doing exactly that. Or just enjoying it for what it is.

The sincere, open praise feels wonderful considering how damn hard he's working at this, and suddenly makes him feel that maybe this whole thing might not actually be so difficult after all. He smiles happily and leans down for another fleeting, grateful kiss before planting the wine bottle back in its cooler and taking his seat. He lifts his champagne glass and smiles across the table at Ianto. "To us, then!"

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readystopwatch
2017-03-22 08:53 am UTC (link)

Alright, that toast is pretty cheesy but Jack looks too happy to make fun of so he bites back a remark and instead smiles and clinks their glasses together. Maybe this isn't all bad after all, these changes they're trying to make. "To us."

He takes a sip of his drink, glancing around to really take in the scene that's been set. Unsurprisingly they're the only ones here which just adds to the atmosphere. "In an odd way I always liked that we could rarely find time to do this at home. It always made the occasions we did feel more special. And that's true here as well. When this isn't a regular event you value it more."

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foreverjack
2017-03-23 04:07 am UTC (link)

Well, cheesy or not, what else does he expect them to toast to, right at the moment? He clinks and drinks - and then chuckles at Ianto's comment.

"Oh well, in that case, maybe I should stick at one date every few months!" he teases, even though he has every intention - at least if this goes well - of trying to make this a much more regular occurence. "I wouldn't want to overdo it!"

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readystopwatch
2017-03-23 11:19 am UTC (link)

"Maybe not that far apart, but you certainly don't need to feel pressured to do this every night." And maybe Ianto might be the one to arrange the surprise dates from time to time.

He knows they both agreed to talk more but it feels best to start out with safer subjects and work up to anything serious. No need to force this. "Speaking of surprises I hear you ran into Spike the other day. Did you enjoy the temporary new body?"

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foreverjack
2017-03-24 05:39 pm UTC (link)

He can't help chuckling at that, because good lord, no, he's not doing this every night! But it does feel nice to be doing it at least this once. It's something different from their routine, and he always loves something a little different.

And taking turns to arrange the surprises - as Ianto did with his invitation to the library that time - would certainly add interest and intrigue to the proceedings!

He grins reflexively at the mention of Spike's transformation. "You know I did!" He's damn sure Spike's fed back to Ianto the gist, at least, of their encounter. "It was quite something, wasn't it?"

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	readystopwatch 2017-03-24 05:55 pm UTC (link)
	Quite something sums it up nicely. They've had their fair share of unusual things happen here but this one might be up there as far as strangeness goes. "I thought you'd be jealous. It seems like the sort of thing you'd be unhappy to have missed out on." He can only imagine what Jack would have been like with a new body to play with. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	foreverjack 2017-03-24 06:24 pm UTC (link)
	"I'm not going to lie: I'd have been jealous if I hadn't gone to the Blood Shack to talk to him and found him like that!" he grins, and arches an eyebrow. "I was a little put out that you hadn't called me to urge me to pay him a visit!" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	readystopwatch 2017-03-24 06:30 pm UTC (link)
	"I trusted you to pick up on it. After all, there were plenty of clues." If nothing else he trusts that Kirk would have tipped Jack off to some of the changes happening that day. He'd seemed particularly delighted in sharing things after all. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

foreverjack
2017-03-25 09:12 am UTC (link)

"What, like the other people who got sex-changed? Amazingly, I managed to make it through to the afternoon before I even encountered any of them, though they came thick and fast after that!"

A bot sidles up nearby with a couple of plates and hovers as if trying to catch Jack's eye to make sure it's a good point to come over, just like a real waiter in a posh restaurant. Jack grins and beckons it over.

"I took the liberty of ordering for us both already - classic French fine dining - so we've got pate and melba toast to start. I hope that's okay?"

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readystopwatch
2017-03-25 03:15 pm UTC (link)

He may try to hide it but Jack seems to be fonder of the robots that work here than anyone else he's met. Maybe they remind him of home. No matter what the case it's oddly endearing to watch him interact with the robot the way he would with any human waiter.

"Always the gentleman, aren't you?" He doesn't mind being ordered for. It feels old fashioned and charming and both of those are things Jack does well. "That sounds delicious. You really have gone all out on this, haven't you?"

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foreverjack
2017-03-26 08:26 am UTC (link)

Let's just say he's had quite a lot of contact with a wide variety of other forms of life over the years, whether alien, robotic or AI, and is thus a lot more comfortable interacting with them than many of the other inmates.

He grins over his champagne glass. "Hardly always, but yeah, I wanted to make this a bit special, you know? Part apology, perhaps? But mostly just wanting to show you a good time in an area other than the bedroom!"

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readystopwatch
2017-03-26 11:20 am UTC (link)

"I know why you're doing it." A gentle smile. For his part he wants to make sure Jack knows he's not the only one who is expected to change and make an effort here. He also doesn't want him to think this is some sort of trial run, that if things don't change it's over. They both have to make an effort here, but he doesn't want to get so swept up in improving things that they lose what they had before the way they did when the Wardens altered their memories the other day.

"I promised Martha I'd try to tell you something real every day. Something important. I'm guessing she got a similar promise from you?" She's a better friend than either of them deserve, frankly. "Do you want to go first or shall I?"

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foreverjack
2017-04-10 03:06 pm UTC (link)

He chuckles, shaking his head wryly. "I might have known she'd ask the same of you, separately!" Or he would have done if he'd thought of it, which he didn't. He's already done some sharing in the days since his talk with Martha. He's told Ianto about the kisses with Kirk and Wade and Gaeta - kisses he wouldn't have thought twice about before the future glitch event, but now they're people he feels he has long histories with, even if they're as fake as the decades-long fight with Ianto. He's talked about the Doctor being gone and the mixture of regret at his loss and relief that at least the Doctor doesn't have to feel stuck here for too long, even if he knows he's not really free now. He's talked about the weirdness the other day with the sex changes and age changes and everything else.

But there's always more to share and, more than anything else, he desperately wants Ianto to feel he can talk to him. That's the thing above everything else that's been the most devasting in this whole thing.

He grins, a little self-concious only because this means so much to him. "Actually, there is one thing I've been meaning to mention - it just kept getting lost amidst everything else! I've taken over proprietorship of the Plush Rump."

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readystopwatch
2017-04-10 06:03 pm UTC (link)

It has been a good few days with the whole talking thing. At first Ianto was uneasy about it, worried they would feel like it was too forced or too much of a change but so far it hasn't been bad. If anything it's reassured him that the future they saw wasn't the real one, that they can change a bit but what they had still works pretty damn well.

"That seems like a career choice made in heaven." He clinks the glasses together in a celebratory toast. "Do you have any grand plans for the place?"

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foreverjack
2017-04-11 11:28 am UTC (link)

It's given him a lot of hope too. It still feels a bit odd and sometimes a bit forced, but it's working and that's the main thing. If this all eventually falls apart now, it's certainly not going to be for want of trying.

He grins at the toast, and drinks up his bubbles. "To be honest, I haven't really had a chance to do anything with it yet, but my plans are mainly to make it more inviting even to the less kinky in the dome and to gradually push the AIs for more and more kinky stuff for those who are!

"Oh, and to change the name of the place to something more tasteful. That alone should get more customers through the door!"

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readystopwatch
2017-04-11 05:07 pm UTC (link)

In an odd way this actually helps him remember his promise to Martha to try to talk to Jack about something real since it does give him an idea of something to mention once it feels like the right moment. The two of them have been exploring more kinky things together lately after all and it relates to that. For now those he's interested in actually listening, and is genuinely curious to see how Jack does managing the place.

"Any name ideas yet?" Better not ask for his input unless they want a repeat of the Risen Mitten.

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foreverjack
2017-04-12 06:29 pm UTC (link)

Secretly, Jack's actually rather fond of the Risen Mitten, and certainly not against asking Ianto for help with the naming of his shop.

"I don't know, I've got so many possible ideas in my head, it's hard to know which to pick," he admits, reaching for the champagne and refreshing their glasses. "I rather like Good Vibrations, but there's also Frisky Business, or the Pleasure Chest or the Smut Hut - or something more personal with my name in like, I don't know, Captain Jack's Exotic Emporium... How is one supposed to choose these things?"

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	readystopwatch 2017-04-12 08:32 pm UTC (link)
	"And here I thought I was the one who had the weakness for a name that rhymes." A faint chuckle accompanies the words as he listens to Jack list off the suggestions. "You'll just have to go with the one you like best. You are the manager now, after all." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	foreverjack 2017-04-13 04:44 pm UTC (link)
	He pouts, pointedly. "Well, thanks a lot. I was hoping you might help me with this one!" He considers the matter again for a moment as he chews a mouthful of pate and toast. "I might be leaning more towards Captain Jack's, actually. It's a little more personal, you know? And really, for anyone who knows me, the name's practically synonymous with kink as it is!" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

readystopwatch
2017-04-13 05:45 pm UTC (link)

"I like that one. It has a good ring to it and anyone who's met you will know exactly what to expect with a name like that." He likes seeing Jack this excited about an idea. Sometimes he worries he doesn't have enough to do here and all that boredom will catch up with him eventually.

"Speaking of kinks and everything else this conversation implies I did want to ask your opinion on something." He fiddled with his food for a moment before continuing, remembering that promise to Martha about talking. "I like what we've been experimenting with lately. I'd even be interested in branching out a bit more, if you'd enjoy it. I don't suppose your new shop carries anything we might put to good use?"

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