Torchwood: Fanfic: Silent vows

[m_findlow]

Title: Silent vows
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Jack, Ianto
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 964 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for juliet316's prompt "Torchwood, Jack/Ianto, Could I have this dance for the rest of my life?" at fic_promptly
Summary: Gwen's wedding ends on a high note for her closest guests.

Jack pulled Ianto close as he shuffled forearm unto Jack's arms. He was still reeling from the amusing way Ianto had politely cut in on his dance with Gwen. Both of them had assumed he simply wanted a dance with the bride. He couldn't yet tell which of them was more surprised that it was actually Jack he'd been wanting to cut it on.

After days and days of teasing Ianto about weddings and dancing and all manner of other romantic pursuits, he gathered from Ianto's endless rebuttals, obfuscations and dissembling that Ianto had absolutely no desire or willingness to partake in any of Jack's plans for them to enjoy themselves at Gwen's wedding. They were still a couple who didn't openly advertise themselves as such, and things like public displays of affection were a long way from coming to fruition, if at all. Jack wished it didn't have to be that way but this was the twenty-first century. People were getting better at accepting it, but there was still a level of fear and hesitation in openly flaunting it. Apparently being visibly happy and in love was still the domain of the traditional heterosexual couple.

A little grin broke out in Jack's face as he felt Ianto's head lean just that little bit closer. His hand in Jack's had at first been slightly tense, but was now relaxing into the grip. Even the muscles in his back were softer and less rigid against Jack's palm than they had been at their initial coupling. The space between their bodies was getting narrower and narrower until Jack could feel Ianto's torso pressed against his own. Ianto Jones, always full of surprises, Jack thought. A pity everyone here except for Owen and Tosh was going to end up retconned. Maybe that was part of it. No one else would remember tonight except for them, but then again, what did it matter? If you couldn't make a show of being in love at a wedding, then where could you?

'You took you time,' Jack murmured close to Ianto's ear. 'I've been here all night just waiting for you. I thought I was going to have to ask Owen for a dance before you'd get jealous enough.'

Ianto didn't respond except to keep swaying to the music, but it wasn't enough for Jack. He wanted Ianto to admit he was jealous. It gave him such a tingle down his spine to think that Ianto was jealous of him and Gwen, even though there was no him and Gwen. The minute Ianto had cut in, he'd known it for certain. Gwen had Rhys and Jack had Ianto and that was just how it should be. If they were lucky maybe Owen would realise that he could have Tosh and then everything would be right in the world.

'You know it's bad form to outshine the bride on her big day,' Jack said, trying to lure Ianto in.

'Says the man who stormed down the aisle and demanded to stop the wedding,' Ianto replied, deftly skirting Jack's inference.

Jack chuckled, loosely sidestepping, and feeling Ianto get pulled along as they changed positions to that he could watch Gwen and Rhys, happy and together at long last. 'I've always wanted to do that. Rhys is never going to let me forget it.'

They swayed gently until the song faded but didn't let go. The next song started up and they kept dancing. Ianto wasn't letting go so neither was Jack. He'd keep dancing until there was no more music, and even beyond that, until someone kicked them out of the reception hall, or until neither of them could stand a minute longer, ready to collapse into sleep, whichever came last. The three other couples on the dance floor retired back to their tables leaving the pair of them alone. If Ianto noticed they were now stood there making a scene he didn't object.

Ianto was silent for a long time, pressed cheek to cheek with Jack, neither leading the dance nor following. It was one of the things he'd argued about with Jack in the days leading up to the wedding. Who lead when it was two men dancing together as Jack was implying they'd do? He didn't know how not to lead and he didn't want to be marked as the woman in their pairing. For all his sensitive ways, he was still a man and wanted to be seen as one. His masculinity defined him and being with Jack in public threatened to unravel that, because no one it seemed was going to confuse Jack for not being the one who wore the proverbial pants in their relationship.

The silence was broken by a single question. 'Could I have this dance for the rest of my life?' he whispered in Jack's ear.

The earnest need in the question took Jack's breath away. He'd been thinking they weren't quite as serious as he would have liked, because this was them, this was the twenty-first century, because people still got hung up on labels and putting people in specific boxes, and because they were Torchwood and life was about as uncertain as it could get. He'd thought Ianto was keeping a careful distance so that neither of them would get hurt when it all ended. He should have known that fighting it was pointless.

He let go of Ianto's hand and cupped it to his face, pulling back just enough so that Ianto could look him in the eye and see the truth of what he was about to say. 'I'll always save the last dance for you,' he said, before pulling him close and kissing him. It wasn't a marriage vow, but it was as close as he could get.

Comments

[bk_forever]

So sweet and romantic!