Chapter One: Watching From Afar

Jack shivered with involuntary pleasure as he felt those eyes on him once again. As much as it worried him, he couldn't help feeling pleased with himself and amazed that he, Jack Harkness, slave to the Gods, had managed to steal the attention of the beautiful Ianto, the God of Drink.

Unable to resist any longer, the servant glanced hesitantly and nervously over his shoulder at the God, who had captured his attention as much as he had captured the Gods.

God that man – that inhuman beauty – made his heart pound in his chest. His face was strong, as if sculptured by marble. Everything about Him was just perfect, appeasing to the eye, from His pale blue swirling eyes to the perfectly shaped, cured toe nails. Jack watched the God sip at his specially blended coffee and absentmindedly wondered what it would be like to have those hands, those rough strong hands, running along his body and seeking the sexual release that only he could provide.

If only, he thought bitterly as he returned to his work, seeming unable to keep the sadness from the depths of his eyes.

X

Ianto wasn't sure what it was about the handsome slave but he was entranced, obsessed. Not even the fact he was the servant of Lisa, a smaller equivalent to Mother Earth, and one of his ex-lovers, seemed to make him change his mind about the attention he was focusing on the younger man.

The younger man was just … stunning. It was a human beauty, 100% natural, unlike the Gods and Goddesses that had created them, who had fashioned themselves in vain attempts of their own ideas of perfection. It was … like a breath of fresh air, something so different – it enthralled him.

He had this shaggy dark hair, so thick and luxurious and the fingers of the God itched to reach out, to grasp it, to let the locks run through the gaps between each limb: he amazed himself with his self control. The slave had these eyes, these blue eyes that were common among the Children of the Gods, but something was different about them. They seemed to have more of an affect on him, much more than the other Children of the Gods. These eyes he could get lost in forget all his worries and be completely distracted.

If only he could.

A wave of annoyed bitterness washed over him as he took another sip of his well blended coffee drink. He let the taste fill his mouth, overwhelming his senses, before he swallowed and returned to his thoughts.

All he wanted to do was approach the young man – this slave – and talk to him, hold him, kiss those perfectly shaped lips, but he knew he couldn't, wouldn't. For one, it wasn't heard of for a God to have a intimate relationship with a slave, especially one that was obviously a Child of the Gods. Secondly, he didn't have the courage, the will to actually approach the man and fulfil his devices.

Ianto let out a sigh of defeat and disappointment and, reluctantly, drew his gaze away from the graceful servant boy to the depths of his coffee mug.

X

"Elixir?" Jack offered politely as he approached a team of two couples, some of his favourite all powerful beings: the Gods of Time and Thunder, and the Goddesses of Fertility and Life itself.

The four paused in their conversations to glance down at the slave boy and smiles broke over their faces instantly, pleased to see their favourite Child of the Gods.

"Why thank you Jack." Rhiannon said, accepting one of narrow, amber liquid filled glasses delicately.

"Always so polite, this one" Rose grinned widely and ruffled the young man's dark locks. Normally, Jack would see it as patronizing bur, if the Goddess of Life did it; he always seemed to find himself beaming with pride.

"So how are you Jackie my boy?" The God of Time or the Doctor as he preferred to be called for reasons unknown to all expect for himself, asked in his uniquely cheery way as sipped at his Elixir.

"Good Doctor Sir; and yourself?"

"Oh I'm brilliant!" He grinned widely, happily, and downed the rest of his drink in one gulp.

"Jack! Jack – where are you?"

Even though the voice was perfect in everyway, the young slave had to struggle to keep a look of expiration of his face. A chuckle of amusement broke out among the four beings.

"I'd get going Jack." Johnny suggested, tipping his glass slightly in the direction of their version of Mother Nature, "I've never seen her annoyed and I honestly don't want to."

Jack grimaced and nodded reluctantly, stepping away from the Gods. "Excuse me."

Lisa's eyes lit up when she caught sight of her personal servant, and she had to rush towards him, holding the white fabric of her dress above her feet, almost seeming to forget that she had the power to bring him to her.

"Jack. I need you to go to my quarters and set up my bedroom, ready for me," she flushed slightly but her grin remained in place, "and Adam. I'll need it done as soon as possible, understand?"

"Of course, ma'am." He bowed politely.

She patted her head, like he was a dog, before moving to stand at the side of the cool and collected Adam, or the Memory God as he was more commonly known.

It was then, that he let out a sigh.

X

Ianto felt his heart sink to his stomach as he saw Lisa speaking to the angel. Of course, it would be the only time that he got to see the one person that had grasped his attention the view was almost destroyed by the figure of the one person he'd be happy to never see again.

Bitterly, he gulped down the last of his coffee.

"He's a looker, isn't he?"

Ianto jumped in surprised at the voice. "What? I-I … I have no idea what you are talking about …"

Donna, the fiery Goddess of Time, rolled her eyes and gave him a look that clearly said 'yeah right'. "Don't try and hide from me Coffee-boy. I'm the Goddess of Time, remember? I can see everything."

"… He is handsome …" he spoke quietly, his eyes dropping to the floor as he fell silent.

The Goddess rested her hand comfortably on his shoulder. "And a charmer according to my brother and his wife." She gestured towards the Doctor and Rose before pausing for a moment thoughtfully, "… Don't wait too long to talk to him Ianto – you never know what could happen."

Ianto glanced up, confused about what the red headed Goddess had said, but she had already disappeared into the crowd.