The Hunt

Chapter Eight

“Good,” Ianto said.

They stared into each other’s eyes, their breathing as heavy as their heartbeats in the silence between them as Ianto leaned forward to take another kiss, well aware that Jack was watching his every move. Making it deep, making it messy, and doing it deliberate and obvious and slow for Jack. It had to be just so when he moved back, forcing Andy to follow and chase his tongue. He imagined how it would look – almost pornographic – because if he was sure of one thing, it was that Jack was watching to see if they did this, not to make sure that they didn’t.

His hands had been busy with undoing Andy’s jeans, but now they roved over his skin, palms capturing in sensation what his mouth couldn’t sample for the moment, taking Andy’s proportions and noting angles and hollows as if he were a sculptor. The heady power was changing when he felt Andy biting on his lower lip as he pulled back, morphing into a kind of excited exhilaration.

When his hands moved back down, they were looking at each other again, lips wet with each other’s kisses, and it suddenly occurred to Ianto how long Andy’s eyelashes were as they swept down in a slow, exaggerated fashion before his eyes opened again.

He moved the jeans out of the way, pushing them down over Andy’s upper thighs before his hands reached around Andy and slid beneath his underwear – Andy didn’t stop him. He said nothing, but his fingertips pressed a little deeper into Ianto’s shoulders as if he was considering pulling Ianto forward.

Breathe… feel… live… These were the only words that echoed in Ianto’s mind as he pushed the underwear down too, taking care with it, gaze flickering down briefly before he looked back into Andy’s eyes, finally having Andy the way he wanted. He rested his left hand on the desk at Andy’s hip as if to imprison him there, the other encircling his cock. It was happening so fast, but he couldn’t stop it – wouldn’t – even if Andy begged him to. But he was far from begging.

He squeezed an encouragement with his fingers and brought his hand up, eliciting a vicious little gasp from Andy as he finally broke the eye contact and let his head fall back a little. Those fingertips dug into his shoulders even more, making him grit his teeth, but he let himself enjoy the moment as his gaze travelled over Andy. From his hair that was just a touch too short at the moment to be as blond and curly as it wanted to be, and his blue eyes, eyelids slightly hooded now in desire. Over his throat, and the way his adam’s apple moved when he swallowed instead of saying Ianto’s name, stubborn as he was. The lines and contours of his body, muscles slightly bulging in his upper arms because of the way he held Ianto’s shoulders. Dark honey hair on his chest, just a smattering of it that tapered into nothing just below his waist. Down over his flat stomach to where Ianto was touching him so slowly, hand moving up and down over his cock.

On the downward movement, his hand jostled the dark blond hair at the base of it, like the hair on his chest, just not quite light enough to be truly fair. As he looked up again, he moved his hand the same way as his eyes and Andy shuddered with tension, his eyes only half-open now, a darkened stormy grey instead of the usual blue, and that combined with the deep rose of his lips completed the image. Ianto felt his mouth curving into a little smile of appreciation. It was like having his own youthful, slender Adonis to play with.

“Ianto,” Andy managed in a deep voice between noisy breaths, letting him know just exactly what it was. He knew what it was, because they were the same. That rush of masculine desire, so powerful. Breathe fast, feel fast, live fast… want forever. He was at his most vulnerable and dangerous all at once in Ianto’s hand, but more than those he was beautiful.

For all that Ianto had known men and women, there were times – like this one – when he was sure that this was the best way to experience lust. There were no mysteries between them and no secrets. Andy was subject to the same primal urges and instincts that existed in him, and he knew how good it felt to be there. Knew that Andy was quivering with restrained tension, not weakness – because this was never about weakness. And Andy knew him in return.

At times, he was certain this was the best way to love. They were using each other, after the demoralising work they had done with the list, but that was all right. The strength they took from it would see them through, and save them from losing faith in human nature, because they could believe in each other. It was more than he could get from a woman… it was so much better than any kind of comfort or warmth. It was conviction. It was bright and absolute certainty, and he wanted to find it here now, with them together.

Before he even realised it, Andy’s hands had moved from his shoulders, down over his chest, fingers just dragging over his nipples and over his ribs so that he shivered himself, suddenly realising what Andy’s intention was and he wanted it so much he almost pleaded.

“Yes!” he said harshly, needlessly, eyes falling to watch, catching sight of where his left hand rested on the workstation over one of the black-and-white forensics photographs. With a gasp, Ianto pulled his hand away from the desk and cupped Andy’s face instead, aware that Andy was undoing his trousers and wanting it as much as he wanted the kiss. They were so selfish, because Andy seemed to want both too.

As it was the night before, the kiss between them was an extension of the way they interacted with each other, which meant that this time it was hard and passionate and worshipful. It was aggressive and furious but it wasn’t a fight between them. Andy gave as good as he got – and so did Ianto, building it between them and knowing it had to be out of control, because neither of them could stop. At the end of the kiss, he felt Andy’s hand on him, and he’d finally caught up.

“About time,” Ianto said with a small grin against his lips. As if in answer, Andy did something clever with a twist of his hand that made Ianto rock forward and bite back an exclamation of pleasure.

“Don’t think I don’t know exactly how to touch you,” Andy said in a kind of sexy murmur. “I’ve about ten years of experience of that with myself.”

Immediately, Ianto’s mind provided him with a picture of Andy alone, touching himself, and it was so hot, he swallowed. “That’s, quite a lot of practice,” he replied, meaning for it to be a little dig, but he couldn’t quite hide how much he enjoyed the thought of it. Andy leaned forward, so that his lips were touching Ianto’s ear, and his hand did that clever little move again as he whispered.

“Next time, I’ll be thinking of you.”

“Yeah?” Ianto swallowed, and then couldn’t help himself. “I’ll bet I can give you something to think about before we’ve done.” He was expecting a retort by now, so the little sigh that Andy breathed into his ear seemed somewhat out of character. He pulled back a little, but Andy was looking behind him again, and he remembered Jack.

“Oh, you should see…” Andy said, voice trailing off as if he couldn’t describe it.

“What?” Ianto questioned, and Andy turned them around so that he could look, breaking their hold of each other to grab Ianto’s wrists and press them to the desk at either side of him. He leaned back suddenly, losing his balance because of the way his trousers pulled at him, and then caught sight of Jack, still stood watching them.

“Oh…” he breathed, sure that when he’d imagined it, Jack had simply been stood, looking indifferent. Now, though, everything had changed. He was stood with his palms pressed against the glass as if it was a prison keeping him away, and such an aura of longing suffused him. His entire posture spoke of it. “Jack…” Ianto mouthed at him, wanting him too, and happy to find it didn’t mean he wanted Andy any less. Jack leaned his forehead against the glass as Andy began to touch him again, and Ianto put all of his effort into keeping the eye contact.

“I’m Andy,” the other man pointed out, and Ianto broke the gaze he shared with Jack at last to look at him. How could it be so perfect? How could it be this easy? Surely it couldn’t, but God! Let it be, because he wanted it.

“You’re not getting a point for something so obvious,” he teased in a low voice, and Andy laughed quietly.

“Like you’re keeping score.”

“Four-three to you so far,” Ianto advised, and at Andy’s questioning look, he explained with a small intimate smile. “Well I had to give you an extra point for putting the phone down on Jack earlier.”

“I meant to ask you,” Andy put in with conspiring amusement, obviously remembering. “Did he notice?”

Suddenly, Ianto was struck by the urge to laugh, and it didn’t combine that well with all of the intensity. “Oh, God…” he managed while Andy and Jack both watched him, “I swear, you’re just like him!” He looked up at the glass again, torn between the need to have Andy keep touching him and the desire to give in and giggle. Jack must have breathed out, because the glass suddenly fogged in front of his face, and seeing Jack furiously rubbing at the glass with his shirt sleeve to clear it was just the last straw.

“Stop!” he gasped out as he let the laughter go, reaching down to stop Andy from touching him any further because the two things just didn’t go together. Andy turned with a frown to look at Jack and then shook his head.

“What?” he asked. “He’s gone.” Ianto looked up to where Jack had been a moment ago. Yes, he had disappeared. Probably on his way right now in fact.

“We should move to somewhere more comfortable,” Ianto said, thinking of the bed, but that wasn’t really big enough for the three of them.

“Any suggestions?” Andy asked, but before Ianto could speak, Jack did.

“Yeah.” Jack appeared behind Andy, looking over at Ianto as his hands came to rest lightly on Andy’s waist. He jumped a bit, but quickly recovered, relaxing into Jack’s grip, and his eyes were on Ianto as well. “I’m powering down,” Jack said, inhaling deeply as he took Andy more fully into his arms from behind. “Tidy this up.” One of his hands gestured at the files he and Andy had been working on before he flattened that palm against Andy’s chest. “Ianto, we’re going to your place.”

Unable to formulate any kind of response, Ianto just watched, breathless. Jack had closed his eyes, seeming to realise how close his lips were to Andy’s neck, and angled his head to take better advantage. His dark hair was a little too long again, just falling over his eyes as he bent his head and dragged his lips up over Andy’s neck, only to use his teeth to tug at Andy’s earlobe. His eyes opened, and he looked right at Ianto. “I want you,” Jack said. It wasn’t all that clear who he was speaking to, and perhaps it wasn’t clear to Jack himself either, because he suddenly looked at Andy again, with a wicked smile.

“Your place?” Andy questioned, after clearing his throat and sharing a single quick look with Jack. Ianto was completely speechless. He was slightly amazed to find that he wasn’t jealous. He wanted them both, which actually made it rather wonderful to see them together. He made a couple of nonsensical sounds before he managed any real words.

“I’ve got…” he said hesitantly, watching to see what Jack did next with Andy in his arms, trying to remember why the flat was a good idea. Andy turned his face towards Jack, and there was a kiss between them, every bit as showy as Ianto had tried for earlier. He gulped. “A big bed…” Jack smirked. Oh, he knew what he was doing. Ianto swallowed again, just taking it all in, especially the way Andy had thrown his head back onto Jack’s shoulder. Behind him, Jack was still fully dressed, and somehow that made it all the more breathtaking.

“Well, I was more thinking that Toshiko won’t walk in on us in the morning, but the bed is an advantage,” Jack said in a reasonable tone of voice, paying full attention to Andy’s throat for Ianto’s benefit, then he smiled. “Provided we get that far…”


“You only do that so that I can’t say I always make the bed,” Ianto retorted automatically, unable to stop himself, even when he was seeing something so hot right in front of him.

“I’ve never once heard you complain,” Jack pointed out, suddenly looking at him. Ianto watched the way Jack’s thumbs rubbed gently against Andy’s hipbones, and he knew how it felt when Jack did that, so he looked at Andy, who appeared to be a bit lost for words for a change.

“You say that like he can complain,” Andy said, his voice heavy, and Jack grinned.

“Thank you,” Ianto said warmly, glad that someone was seeing it from his side for a change. Andy just smirked at him.

“Yeah… anytime…” He turned his face to Jack. “I thought, you were… you know – powering down?” There was something very clearly challenging about the way he said it, as if Jack had gone too far, and Ianto watched as Jack let him go, his hands lingering for an instant longer.

“I should,” he said, “and see to the CCTV.” Again he waved a hand at the files, and spoke to both of them. “Sort this out. I’ll be five minutes,” he promised, and then bounded away, leaving them alone together again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once they were tidier, and dressed again, albeit temporarily, Ianto stood looking at the file for the nameless woman who had lost her life to make a call on her mobile phone. His fingers rested on it as if he couldn’t quite let it go.

“She’s not for the list, is she?” he asked with some sadness and regret. Andy took the file from him to put it with the others, and shook his head.

“No.” There was a comfortable silence between them for a moment or two.

“Are you all right?” Ianto asked suddenly, wondering if he was tired. “Do you have work in the morning?”

“Yes, and no,” Andy replied. “The shift this morning was for a friend,” he explained. “I’ve got a day off.”

Something selfish in him was just too pleased to hear it. That meant they had the entire night to do whatever they wanted, and the morning. “Good,” he said suddenly, seeing that Jack was finished too as the main lights went down. “Let’s get out of here.”

“Well, I’m with you. Whatever you want.” Andy’s smile was actually cute. Ianto checked him out, and noticed the freckles for the first time. He’d seen them before, but he’d been a little carried away at the time. He imagined getting carried away again – soon – and with Jack there too.

“You might regret saying that,” Ianto warned, and Andy shook his head, throwing a look of earnest trust at Ianto that made him feel warm and happy somehow. He might have analysed it at some other time, but for now, he only wanted to get somewhere that they could carry on where they had left off. Only, this time, he’d pay attention to the freckles…

“I doubt it,” Andy said in certainty.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Ianto?” Their footfalls echoed on the darkened streets as they walked to their destination. Ianto didn’t live far enough for them to take the SUV, and really, that would just have worried the others anyway if they ended up being late in. And if they weren’t late in – it would be a miracle.

“Yep?” Ianto asked, walking between the two of them briskly, wanting to get in out of the cool night air and the empty streets. It was bringing back the memory of that CCTV footage he’d been studying before, and that wasn’t something he wanted.

“Toshiko doesn’t have a key to your flat, does she?” Jack asked, far too casually. Ianto looked at him.

“No, Jack.” He smiled, remembering something. “It’s just us.” Though, that wasn’t actually strictly true now.

“Right,” Jack said with a satisfied nod, one hand in his trouser pocket as that coat billowed out behind him. Ianto looked to the other side then, at Andy.

“He’s been like this ever since Gwen called around to see where I was one morning,” Ianto explained for his benefit, and Andy nodded, stealing a glance at Jack.

“He made me hide in the closet,” Jack retorted at Andy, looking slightly put out. “Can you imagine that?”

“I just can’t credit it, Jack,” Andy said with a kind of understated shrug, and a speculative look at Ianto. “Ridiculous, really.”

“It’s a wardrobe,” Ianto said, his voice deliberately stony. “You’re not making an inference like that. Anyway – I thought you liked my suits?”

“I was in there for more than an hour!” Jack exclaimed in disgust. “You’ve only got six of them. I spent ten minutes with each one, and then I was really bored.”

Andy snickered into his hand as the argument carried on. By now of course, Ianto had forgotten all about the CCTV footage he’d been staring at and was even feeling the cold a little bit less.

“She wouldn’t leave,” Ianto stated, coolly defiant.

With a shake of his head, Jack peered around Ianto to look at Andy. “He made her coffee,” Jack confided.

“And he didn’t offer to give you one?” Andy asked. “Unforgiveable!”

There was a sudden urge in Ianto to smirk at what Andy had said, the double-entendre clear to him, but the playful animosity with Jack won out, and he took in a breath. “In these civilised times, Jack, that’s what you’re supposed to do when people visit.”

“Twice?” Jack demanded, and Ianto met his stare evenly.

“I’m very civilised,” he said.

Again, Jack took a break to peer around Ianto to Andy, and concede the point. “He is very civilised.”

“Yes, so I’ve noticed,” Andy replied to Jack. There was something more than the obvious going on between the two of them – as if they were plotting against him in some way, but before Ianto could address it, Jack was on the offensive again.

“And, you were talking about me,” Jack accused, sounding a little miffed.

“No, we weren’t.” Ianto denied it, whereas in actual fact, they had talked about Jack, for almost the full hour and a half.

“I could hear you!” Jack said loudly, and Ianto frowned at him before checking that the three of them were all alone.

“You could?” he asked, not certain, and wondering if Jack had listened to every word. Not that he’d said anything he wouldn’t have said in front of Jack. Well, except for that one thing…

“It’s a studio flat,” Jack said. Again, this was addressed to Andy, and Ianto folded his arms as he walked.

“Oh, right,” Andy replied with a nod, making Ianto look around at him.

“Do you feel like helping out at all?” he asked, and Andy shrugged.

“No, why? I think he’s doing just great on his own.” Something was entirely too familiar about that line, but they were at his flat now. Ianto unlocked the door, frowning, thinking about it – and then remembered. Jack had said that exact thing the night before. He also remembered the strong feeling that they were plotting something. He wasn’t wrong.