Eyes across a room (Eternity-verse 16)

[amythest_n_ice]

http://amythest-n-ice.livejournal.com/7459.html 
Link to Prt 15 Rescue

http://amythest-n-ice.livejournal.com/8261.html
Link to Prt 17 By Fire

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Ianto smirked to himself as he watched the Doctor deal with yet another official thanking him and Jack for their efforts in driving off an alien invasion fleet. Twist and squirm as much as he liked, he hadn't been able to get out of attending this ball in their honor. Even pointing out that he and Jack had children they didn't want to be parted from any longer hadn't help, they had just been told to bring them.

Ianto looked down at Kalen, who was settled in his arms, wide, curious eyes taking in all the people and bright colors in the room. At only four months old, she already wanted to be into anything and everything. 

Bobby was resting on Jack's hip, head resting on his shoulder, looking at the men talking to his parents with complete and utter boredom, the same expression rested on Jack's face, although his was better hidden.

Ianto was so busy watching the others, he didn't notice the man approaching him until he spoke.

"Excuse me." The man cleared his throat. 

Ianto turned and his mouth went dry at the sight of the man. He was as tall as Ianto, slender, but with hints of muscle visible under the stylish tight tunic. Dark wavy hair cascaded below his shoulders and deep, chocolate eyes were fixed on Ianto.

"Yes, um, hi," Ianto stuttered, a blush suffusing his face. The man laughed, a deep, rumbling laugh.

"Forgive me for startling you. I just wondered if you would care to dance with me."

"Uh, that would be nice, but......." He glanced at Kalen, who was staring at the man.

"She is beautiful. Yours?" The man asked.

"No, she is their daughter, I look after the children, while they look after other worlds." 

"A very important task, if it frees them from worry over their young while they save millions of lives." 

"It is not a task, but a pleasure, they are both wonderful children."

"Then, perhaps she would like to dance too?"

Ianto gave in, allowing the man to lead him onto the dance floor and enclose him lightly in his arms. Kalen instantly reached out small fingers to explore the shiny decorations on his tunic.

"Incidentally, I am Terrel."

"I'm Ianto, and this is Kalen." 

"Honored to meet you both," Terrell said.

Ianto danced a couple of dances with Terrell, before he felt a light tap on his shoulder. He knew who it was before he looked when Kalen held her arms out to him. Ianto stepped back from Terrell slightly and turned to allow Jack to claim his daughter. She giggled and buried her face in his neck.

"Jack, this is Terrell," Ianto said.

"Terrell." Jack nodded. He turned his attention back to Ianto as he bounced Kalen lightly, making her giggle again.

"Bobby is getting cranky, as is the Doctor. I'm going to get the lot of them back to the TARDIS before they cause some kind of diplomatic incident."

"Do you want me to come and help?" Ianto asked.

Jack grinned, scenting the lust curling between the two of them, and shook his head.

"No, you stay here with Terrell, and Ianto."

"Yes?"

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do." Jack laughed, turning and walking back across the room to where The Doctor and Bobby waited.

"What did he mean by that?" Terrell asked, curious.

"He thinks we're attracted to one another." Ianto explained, blushing again.

"Well, I am attracted to you. Are you not attracted to me?"

"Yes, actually, very." Ianto gulped.

"Then perhaps we should follow their example, and slip away from the party. The gardens are very nice at this time of the evening."

"OK." Ianto agreed faintly.

The gardens really were very nice Ianto decided. The flowers reminded him of the Jasmine that grew in his parents garden at home, but looked more like roses.

"So, how much longer will you all be here?" Terrell asked, pulling Ianto to sit on a small stone bench.

"I think the Doctor will want to leave as soon as he can. He doesn't like staying in one place too long, espcially when people want to thank him for things."

"Oh. I was hoping for time to get to know you better, much better." 

"Do you have ties here?" 

"Not really. Why?"

"Spend the night with me? And if you want, in the morning I could ask him if you could come with us. If you want that is." 

"And what would I do, out there?" 

"Help me defend the children, or help them defend worlds." Ianto said quietly, looking into his eyes.

Terrell leaned forward and captured Ianto's mouth in a kiss, pulling him close and deepening it when Ianto didn't protest.

They were breathless when they broke apart, and Ianto smiled, grabbing Terrell's hand and pulling him back in the direction of the TARDIS.

"Do you want me to ask them, in the morning?" Ianto asked as they reached the doors, before he opened them.

"Yes. I would like nothing better than to travel the stars with you, if they will permit it." Terrell said. Ianto smiled, and stole another kiss, then opened the door, and pulled him inside.

Terrell's jaw dropped.

"This is amazing." He breathed.

"She is amazing. She's sentient." Ianto said, before tugging Terrell out of the console room and along the corridors to his bedroom.

Jack and the Doctor were taking the children to the kitchen to sort out breakfast the next moning, when Jack paused outside Ianto's room. He inhaled deeply, and grinned.

"What?" 

"I think we may have another passenger, when we leave here." He said.

"The man he was dancing with last night?"

"Yes." Jack smiled.

His eyes shifted for a moment as the TARDIS communicated with him, showing him the scene from outside the night before.

"They intend asking us this morning." Jack grinned.

"But, what do we know about him, he could be a threat to the children."  The Doctor protested.

"I don't think so. I trust him, and the TARDIS likes him. He would be good for Ianto too."

"All right, lets get breakfast going, and when they ask us, we can agree." The Doctor grinned. He trusted the judgement of his mate and the TARDIS, and if they wanted this man aboard, he wasn't going to argue.

Ianto woke up, stretching luxuriously, aware of the warm body beside him, and the mild, deep ache of muscles that hadn't been stretched for far too long. A hand stroked up his stomach, and a soft kiss was pressed to his shoulder.

"Morning," Terrell said.

"Morning." 

Ianto sat up and grinned down at Terrell, stroking his own hand over the warm, olive skin.

"We should get up and head down to breakfast." Ianto said.

"Yes. Do you believe they will allow me to stay?" He asked uncertainly.

"I hope so. The sooner we ask, the sooner we will know." Ianto shrugged, getting up and pulling Terrell to the bathroom for a shower.

Jack grinned up at them from where he was feeding Kalen as they came into the kitchen.

"Morning you two. Terrell, if there is anything you want to pick up, or anyone you want to say good bye to, you had better do it quick. We're leaving in a couple of hours." 

"What? I don't understand," Terrell said.

"You want to stay with Ianto, don't you?" 

"Yes, of course." 

"Then welcome aboard, and get a move on." The Doctor chided, as he swept Bobby up when he had finished eating, and took him to get him dressed.

Ianto and Terrell looked at Jack in open confusion, and he grinned.

"You held that conversation right outside the TARDIS Ianto. She showed me. Terrell, he means it, we're leaving in a couple of hours."

"Thats all right, I have nothing to fetch, and no one I need to tell I am leaving," Terrell said.

"Good, then Ianto can show you around, and welcome aboard." Jack grinned, picking Kalen up and taking her from the room.

Ianto turned around and saw the stunned look on Terrell's face.

"Is it always like that?" Terrell asked.

"Oh yes." Ianto grinned.

"I think I might like it here." Terrell grinned, pulling Ianto into a kiss.

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Eeeep, Ianto smoochies!