So here's the secret: there's a second name.

Right under the first one, the same font but a different colour (blue, such a bright blue that is impossible to imagine as someone's eye colour), letters building a short name: Jack.

It's impossible. It shouldn't be there. Shouldn't diminish and mock the other name. Her name. She is his soulmate and he has known that ever since the day they met (on his eighteenth birthday, almost ten years ago now, right in front of their soon-to-be College in Cardiff) and knows it still, after being married to her for five years now. Ianto Jones and Gwen Cooper are meant to be together.

Everyone knew that, everyone saw. The way they looked at each other. The way they acted around each other. They were perfect.

And yet, still, there was that second name. Ianto's covered it up his whole life now (well, more like ever since puberty when the names of his soulmates appeared on his left wrist). He's never told anyone, not even Gwen, because how could he? What would he even say?

»I'm sorry, sweetheart, but it seems like you are not enough for me?«

No, he couldn't do that. Not to her. He loved her, for God's sake. They were soulmates.

So here's the problem: sometimes he feels like he's missing something.

Of course their relationship is far from perfect.

They might be soulmates but they still fight over the dishes or some other minor things that are just part of being married. And yet they are considered lucky because they found each other so early on in their lives and they have both so much time to spend with each other. Years of their lives ahead to spend talking about their days and going on dates occasionally and watching the telly together and sometimes, when they feel young and reckless, do something crazy (like ordering take-out food from at least four different restaurants and then not leaving the bed for a whole weekend doing … stuff).

This is happening and it is everything Ianto ever wanted in life. A nice house, a stable job, maybe a pet and a few kids once he feels like he himself isn't one anymore, and, of course, his soulmate by his side.

He shouldn't be missing something. He still does.

So here's what happened today: he's met Jack while waiting in line at Starbucks.

He wasn't even supposed to be at that Starbucks today, but the coffee machine at the office broke down (again) and he was still a bit exhausted from their weekend engulfing in nothing but fast-food and their bodies, so he just wanted to go and get some damn coffee.

Not have someone bump into him and make him almost spill his coffee. And then make him almost drop his coffee. And then look at him with those blue eyes.

Ianto didn't even have to check.

He knew that specific shade of blue by heart.

Just like he knew the hazel colour of Gwen's eyes.

He's been staring at these two colours for the bigger part of his life now.

But seeing that shade in the place where it really belonged made his heart skip a beat.

He didn't even wait for Jack (who looked equally perplexed) to say something. Instead he just flat out bolted to the door and made his escape.

So here's what's going to happen now: he will tell Gwen.

He just has to. He can't keep lying to her. And yes, maybe this will ruin everything they've built together. Yes, maybe he will lose his soulmate over some man he shouldn't even have met. Yes, maybe this will ruin his life.

But it's still the right thing to do.

It's not fair to Gwen anymore now that Jack has a face (and a handsome one, too). It's also not fair to Jack, whatever that means. And maybe it's not fair to Ianto, either, but the equation is already complicated enough without his own name in it.

For now, all he can do is keep pacing in his living room, rubbing his wrist with his right and until the make-up he uses to cover up Jack's name is almost completely gone. Gwen will be home in a few minutes and so far his speech starts with 'I need to' and ends with 'tell you something' with absolutely nothing after this life changing sentence. Sometimes he hates being so bad at talking about his feelings. Or opening up about himself. Or doing both simultaneously.

He can hear keys opening the door.

So here's how it goes: Gwen stares at him for the entirety of three and a half minutes (he knows, he's counted).

Then rubs at her wrist for another minute. And at last shows him the name written there right under Ianto's in a familiar shade of blue.

He starts laughing immediately.

Of course. Just – how could he have ever doubted her? She's his soulmate and if he has another name on his wrist, so would she. They are meant to be together, Gwen Cooper and Ianto Jones, Ianto Jones and Gwen Cooper. And if he is also meant to be with Jack, then so is she.

She's started laughing, too, her tooth gap visible, and he picks her up and just spins her around in his arms until they are both dizzy and out of breath.

Then they kiss.

Then they decide to go looking for Jack together.

So here's how they do that: they start at the Starbucks.

Because they really don't have anywhere else to go and they have decent coffee at Starbucks and as long as you order something every couple of hours no one is going to give you a strange look.

And so they wait and wait and wait and hope and hope and hope, and absolutely nothing happens.

Jack doesn't show up in the morning and not at lunch and not in the afternoon for a coffee and something sweet and not in the evening for something to go home.

Ianto tries to be not too disappointed, it has been a pretty wide shot to begin with and there are literally so many variables they were ignoring in that equation.

Gwen, on the other hand, is stubborn as ever and by the time Ianto is ready to give up and leave, she just crosses her hands in front of her chest and stares him down until he sighs and goes to get another Americano for him and a White Mocha for her.

Which is, and the irony of the timing is not lost on him, the exact moment when Jack makes his great entrance by literally bursting in through the door. He's wearing a gray coat that is sort of flapping behind him, his hair looks wild and the blue in his eyes seems to be on fire.

For a second it seems as if he's about to shout something, but then his gaze locks onto Ianto and he just stops mid breath, staring.

So here's how it ends: Jack regains his composure and breaks out into a grin.

"There you are!" he shouts excitedly and walks up to Ianto until he isn't even an arm's length away anymore (not that Ianto minds his personal space or something). "I've been looking for you the whole day!"

His voice is loud and boisterous and American and Ianto almost wants to run away again. Also, people are starting to stare. Jack doesn't even seem to notice.

So Ianto decides to take things into his own hands by just covering Jack's mouth with his hand. "Stop that. You are making a scene" he states as calm as possible under the circumstances (his heart rate is rapidly increasing, and God, does Jack smell good this close to him).

"And we've been looking for you, too" he then adds after Jack hasn't struggled or kept on talking. So Ianto just takes his hand away again and waits for Jack to clear things up once and for all.

There's still the tiny possibility that Jack has only one name on his wrist. That this is all a cosmic joke. Fate gone wrong.

Jack looks confused, repeating "we?" and Ianto's heart drops because now everything is going to be a complete mess and he just hates messes.

But then Jack's face goes "Ohhh!" and his perfect teeth form another grin. "You've already found Gwen!"

And then he holds up his left wrist and Ianto can see Gwen's name (so familiar in its colour) and right under that his own (also familiar, and yet the combination is completely different).

This is when Gwen walks over, radiating happiness and looking more beautiful than ever.

"Hi" she introduces herself. "I'm Gwen. This is Ianto. You are Jack. It's nice meeting you."

Here's another secret: everything falls into place and it's perfect.