Soap

Perhaps Jack is staying over a bit too often, Ianto thinks when he goes into the bathroom that morning. Jack is snoring away on the bed. Ianto suspects Jack isn't really asleep, but he always acts like he is when he stays over. Three times this week. And every time he stays over, Ianto wonders if Jack's staying over too often.

It always occurs to him in the bathroom, because that's where it started. That's where Jack first started leaving things. Ianto had informed him that there was no morning kissing without brushed teeth, and the next time Jack stayed over, a blue, plastic toothbrush had appeared next to his own. Manual next to electric. There was something fitting and unsettling about seeing them there every morning.

Then, shirts. Shirts and trousers and underclothing and braces. So Jack could to work without putting on the clothes from last night and changing when he got there. That had caused a few too many raised eyebrows that Jack didn't mind as much as Ianto did.

Ianto had bought most of the shirts. Ones that were a little more modern, but not too modern. That wouldn't look right on Jack. Especially with the braces.

A razor and shaving cream came next. Drinks and food Ianto didn't care for in the kitchen. A couple of books on the bedside table for nights that Jack was just... there, not having sex. Ianto had insisted on books instead of things from work, and he found he rather liked resting his head on Jack's shoulder while he read, not saying anything.

"Are you awake?" he calls through the half-closed bathroom door.

And as he expected, Jack pokes his head through the doorway a moment later, not looking at all like he just woke up.

"What's this?" Ianto nods toward the new arrival sitting on the counter. Soft pink, wrapped in plastic. Some dried glue still stuck where Jack had pulled off the label.

The label, but not the plastic. Hm.

Jack grins, edges through the doorway, and closes the door behind him. He leans back against it and crosses his arms, as if he's particularly proud of himself for whatever reason.

Ianto can not help but think that Jack looks a bit like the hero from a cheesy romance paperback cover, shirtless with his braces hanging from his trousers. Had he been in bed with his braces on all night again? Ianto told him he didn't like that.

"Do you plan on answering my question?"

"It's soap," Jack says simply. "I thought you'd know. You have ten different kinds in the shower alone."

Ianto arches an eyebrow. He isn't looking at Jack, but he's watching Jack's reflection closely. "I know it's soap. I'm wondering why it's here. As you said, I have enough soap for both of us."

"Yes, and it's all goopy, drippy, scentless wheat germ soap in a bottle."

"Only one wheat germ," Ianto corrects. "And it's called liquid soap. It's what normal people use in the twenty-first century."

Jack shrugs. "A bar of soap has its benefits."

"Name one."

Ianto watches Jack's reflection move closer to his own, then he watches him lean forward, his chest brushing against Ianto's bicep as he plucks the soap off the counter.

"It's the little things," Jack says. He pulls on a fold of plastic and it crinkles away from the soap, releasing a fresh, sweet scent. "If you'll get a shower ready, I could show you."

"We'll be late to work."

"Boss's prerogative. And we have an hour."

Ianto rolls his eyes, but he can't keep himself from smiling as he goes to turn on the shower. Behind him, he can hear Jack brushing his teeth. He waits until the chrome and glass begin to steam before slipping out of his sleep clothes and into the shower.

He waits, simply letting the warm water soak his body, until Jack joins him. Still looking pleased with himself, which somehow looks more ridiculous now that he's naked and holding the pink bar in his hand.

"So?" Ianto asks, attempting to sound impatient, but not eager.

Jack gestures. "Come here."

It is pure willpower that keeps Ianto from rolling his eyes again. He steps forward, not close enough for anything to touch, and tilts his head with complete composure despite his present state. Jack is the one who has to close the gap, so he does, ostensibly to wet the soap in the shower jets behind him.

"There's something more tactile about a bar of soap," Jack said, his voice barely audible over the sound of water. "Something not quite the same as dumping it on a washcloth or... that scratchy mitten-shaped thing you like so much."

"It exfoliates," Ianto says seriously.

"Right. And I'm sure that seems important to you." Jack kisses him softly on the corner of his mouth. "Now, turn around."

"You realize that this is a bit ridiculous."

"Do you want me to stop?"

Ianto sighs, long-suffering as ever, but he does as he was asked.

Jack rests a hand on Ianto's waist, then slides the bar of soap against Ianto's stomach in a slow, circular motion. The soap is a bit rough, but slick so that there's only enough friction to tease his skin, to make it tingle. Ianto leans back against Jack's chest and tilts his head so that Jack can kiss his neck.

"See, it's not so bad," Jack whispers, his breath hot against Ianto's skin.

Ianto grins. Just a little. "I suppose."

Jack skates the soap up to Ianto's chest as his other hand moves down. Ianto draws a sharp breath as Jack's fingers brush against his cock.

"That's not fair," Ianto says.

"I didn't say it was going to be."

Jack curls his fingers around Ianto's cock as he lets the soap drift along Ianto's clavicle. Each touch has become electrified by arousal, and as his cock swells in Jack's hand it's almost too intense. But not enough to ask Jack to stop.

He can feel Jack smile against his shoulder as he traces Ianto's jaw with the soap, and he can feel Jack's erection pressing against his tailbone. There is none of Jack's usual impatience. Ianto doesn't dislike it when Jack's eager, but it's a nice change of pace to feel Jack aroused and not really doing anything to get himself off.

Not himself Only Ianto.

A thrill of giddiness goes all the way through Ianto at that thought. Ridiculously, he wants to laugh, but a shiver goes through him instead. He can see Jack in his peripheral vision; he can see Jack watching him with a strange little grin and intent eyes, the corner of his mouth still pressed against Ianto's skin.

Ianto gives himself a moment to soak in the image before he leans his head back against Jack's shoulder and closes his eyes. Jack slides his palm over the tip of Ianto's cock, then begins to stroke him again. Slowly at first, steadily moving faster. He is massaging Ianto's hip with the soap now, then down and in to his thigh. Ianto doesn't realize that he's moaning until his voice catches, hard, as pleasure shoots through his body, constricting him.

Ianto stands, gasping for a moment, leaning against Jack so that his knees won't go out from under him. Jack kisses Ianto's jaw, then his cheek, then his eyelashes.

"Do you mind if I leave this here? At your place?" Jack asked, his voice a loud but gentle in his ear.

Ianto can't help but smile. Jack hasn't left anything inside the actual shower before. He can't shake the feeling that Jack does this consciously. That he's leaving bits and pieces with Ianto until he doesn't have anything else to leave there but himself.

They'll have to invest in a soap dish.

"I demand that you do." Ianto stands away from Jack, finally able to hold himself up. "I'm still not entirely convinced about it yet. You'll have to give a few more demonstrations."

Jack laughs. "Whatever you want."

Ianto plucks the soap out of Jack's hand and sets it next to one of his bottles of liquid soap, then he turns to face Jack again. He lets his eyes drift down. "Step back. I don't quite have enough room to get on my knees."

"Oh, I'd forgotten about that," Jack says, quite innocently.

Ianto slides down Jack's body, resting his hands on Jack's hips and tilting his head to look clinically at Jack's cock. He's not entirely sure when he started finding such a thing so attractive. Or, maybe he is sure. Maybe it was when he started finding plastic toothbrushes and shaving cream and bar soap and braces and cheesy smiles attractive.

He darts his tongue out and lets it brush Jack's cock, just to tease. And to hear Jack gasp.

"What's this a demonstration for?" Jack asks.

Ianto smiles up at him. Perhaps Jack is staying over a bit to often, but Ianto can't quite remember why that was bothering him before.

"Us, I think," Ianto whispers.

He's not sure Jack heard him over the sound of running water, but Jack smiles back at him and brushes his fingers, still sweet-smelling from the soap, against Ianto's cheek.