Title: First Night
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Ianto Jones/Tenth Doctor
Fandom: Torchwood/Doctor Who
Rating: PG-13
Table: 11, 50episodes
Prompt: 9, First Date
Disclaimer: This is entirely a product of my imagination, and I make no profit from it. I do not own Ianto Jones or the Tenth Doctor. Please do not sue.

***

"You know, it just occurred to me a few days ago that we've never had the sort of courtship that most couples go through," Ianto remarked to the Doctor as the two of them sat down to breakfast in the kitchen of the Tardis. "We've missed out on quite a bit."

"Really?" The Doctor raised an eyebrow in question, eyeing his lover skeptically. "I don't believe in so many of the those age-old human rituals of 'dating,' Ianto. You know that. I think that our relationship was never meant to be what most people would define as 'normal.'"

"I agree with that, but that doesn't mean that we can't have our own little rituals, does it?" Ianto asked, a deceptive mildness in his tone. The Doctor leaned back in his chair, his gaze still on Ianto, returning the bland look that his lover was affecting.

"Are you asking me if we can do something that humans would consider 'normal' in a courtship process?" he finally asked, a smile starting to tug at the corners of his lips. "Aren't we a little late for that? We've already bonded, you know. We're not simply dating."

"Doctor, I don't think dating with you would ever be described as 'simple,'" Ianto said with a laugh, shaking his head. "And yes, I know that we're bonded, and that we're together for the rest of our lives. I just thought that it would be nice to indulge in some of those rituals."

"Like what?" the Doctor asked, willing to be persuaded to whatever Ianto's idea of a courtship ritual might be. "Do you want us to go out on a date? We've done that already, you know. And there have been times when it's led us into more trouble than we planned for!"

"I was thinking that we never technically had a first date," Ianto said softly, his gaze never leaving the Doctor's face. "We've been out on dates, yes, but we never had that all-important first date, that magical time when you can discover so much about a person."

"No, we didn't," the Doctor agreed, his tone musing. "We've been out to so many places, but that was after we got to know each other." He frowned slightly, his gaze meeting Ianto's again. "And we know each other so well now that a first date would be redundant, wouldn't it?"

"I don't know about that," Ianto told him, eager anticipation in his tone. "Don't you think it would be nice to go out to a nice dinner at a romantic restaurant, and ask all the questions that people ask each other when they first meet? Turn back the clock, as it were?"

"It sounds like it could be an interesting thing to do," the Doctor hedged, looking doubtful. "But, Ianto, we already know the answers to so many of those questions. We're a part of each other now. I think that defeats the purpose of a first date -- to get closer."

"But think of romantic it could be," Ianto told him, leaning across the table to fix his gaze on the Time Lord's face. "A candlelit dinner .... dancing to soft music .... a bubble bath for two .... a huge bed with silk sheets ...." His voice was husky, soft -- and very persuasive.

The Doctor's gaze was a little unfocused by the time Ianto had finished speaking; he was obviously turning those words over in his mind. Ianto almost held his breath as he waited to hear what his lover would have to say to the idea, his eyes still riveted on the Time Lord.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea, actually," he finally said, making an effort to pull himself back into the present and away from the dreamlike world that Ianto's words had led him into. "Now, we just have to decide where we're going to have this momentous first date."

"Can we really call it a first date?" Ianto asked, frowning a bit. "I'd like to, but that doesn't seem right, in a way. After all, as you've pointed out, we know each other inside and out, Doctor. There isn't a way that we can ignore what we know about each other."

"It's our first romantic night out since our lives were turned upside down that day in the Hub," the Doctor told him with a sigh. "Do you realise that even though we've spent a lot of time alone together since then, we haven't been on what we could call a date?"

"Then that settles it," Ianto said authoritatively. "We should go on a date. All of the trappings -- a hotel suite, a romantic candlelit dinner, dancing, and even a walk in a perfumed garden. That would be a perfect way to celebrate our first date in our .... well, our new state."

"It's something that we definitely need to celebrate!" Ianto exclaimed, reaching across the table to take the Doctor's hand. "I feel like the first day of my life was the day that I became immortal. I'll never have to worry about leaving you alone again."

"And I'll never have to worry about losing the love of my life," the Doctor whispered, standing up and leaning forward to brush his lips against Ianto's. "Do you know how many sleepless nights that thought has given me? And how many tears I've cried over it?"

"You won't have to cry any more tears on that account, beloved," Ianto said softly, reaching out to stroke soft fingertips over the Doctor's cheek. "We'll never lose each other. And no matter what we have to face in the future, we'll do it together."

The Doctor pushed back his chair and moved to the other side of the table, sliding his arms around his lover's waist and resting his forehead on Ianto's shoulder. "Where do you want to go for our first date?" he murmured, his breath warm against the young man's skin.

"How about a pleasure planet?" Ianto whispered, running a gentle hand through the Time Lord's hair. "We can get a room with a beautiful view .... walk on the beach .... watch the sun go down .... and have that romantic candlelit dinner I mentioned."

"And then we can go back to that lovely big bed in our suite, and make love all night," the Doctor said, a dreamy tone in his voice. "Or we can make love in front of the fireplace. We have to get a suite with a big fireplace, Ianto. And a faux fur rug in front of it."

"Or we could always go for a moonlit walk on the beach," Ianto told him, a smile starting to spread across his face. "And make love by the surf, under the light of a full moon. That would be romantic wouldn't it? And something that we've never done before."

"We've made love in the moonlight," the Doctor protested, raising his head to look at Ianto. "One of the first nights we were together, remember? On the roof of your building, under the stars." He sighed softly, closing his eyes and remembering that night. "It was wonderful."

"I can remember every second of that night," Ianto whispered, closing his eyes as well and letting his memories flood back over him. "I can remember every expression on your face, and exactly how it felt to make love to you and to be with you."

"That feeling of belonging with you has never gone away," the Doctor whispered, tightening his arms around his lover's waist. "It's only grown stronger as time has gone on, Ianto. And I don't think it's ever going to leave. I'll always feel that closeness with you."

"We'll never lose that feeling of being close," Ianto told him, his voice firm and steady. "It's never wavered through all the time we've been together so far -- and now we have forever to make that feeling keep growing and getting stronger."

"I know we will," the Doctor said, raising his head and brushing his lips over Ianto's cheek. "And now, let's think of more immediate concerns. We'll have to decide just where we want to have our first date -- and exactly what we want to do."

Ianto shook his head, smiling as he stepped back to take the Doctor's hands in his own. "No, we don't have to plan things," he said softly. "All we have to do is decide where we want to go, and take it from there. Let it all work out naturally."

The Doctor nodded, smiling as his gaze met his lover's again. "All right, then," he agreed, his gaze not wavering from Ianto's. "I don't think either of us wants to re-create that first night on the roof. This should be something special that can stand on its own for us."

"That's always going to be a special night for me," Ianto told him, squeezing his hands before letting go. "But I want this night to be special, too -- our first real 'date.' A night that we'll remember for the rest of our lives, just as clearly as that night on the roof."

"I have a feeling that this will be a date we remember more than any other we'll ever go on," the Doctor murmured as he leaned forward to kiss Ianto again. "The first night of the rest of our lives," he added, his smile seeming to promise an eternity of nights -- and dates -- in their future.

***