Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

It was another uneventful, late night at Torchwood Institute with the majority of the team members already gone home after finishing the most recent crisis they needed to take care of and without any significant rift activity to monitor. Alone in his office, Captain Jack Harkness was aimlessly idling his time away until the morning when they could start the cycle of keeping the planet safe from alien forces all over again but for now he needed to wait for them to recharge after a night's sleep. He sometimes felt regretful for having that immortal body which didn't need any rest or recovery from an intense session of physical exploits but there was something that suddenly distracted him from those thoughts. An unusual sound made its way to his ears that he couldn't quite pinpoint the origin and instead of sitting there, wondering what it was until he became more unproductive than he already was he decided to search around. The strange thing though was even when he walked through the hub, it seemed like the sound was moving which began to make him annoyed until he finally came across another living being: Ianto Jones. He was walking around in circles, appearing to be occupied by something that was clearly troubling him while repeatedly sighing in frustration but the most bizarre aspect of his behavior was when he abruptly stopped then tightly clamped both of his hands against his face in order to muffle the same unusual noise as his body was pitched forward. A smile came to his face as a result of knowing exactly what was happening and the thought of confronting him about it caused him to eagerly walk up then start a conversation with a subdued expression despite the anticipation coming through by the glimmer in his eyes.

"Good evening, Ianto."

"Good evening," he reciprocated however it lacked the same enthusiasm with the tone of his voice slightly off from the way it usually was, a subtly that only someone as intent as paying attention to everything about their new lover did would notice, and upon realizing he wasn't about to leave him alone anytime soon he had no choice but to continue their discussion, "Is there something I can help you with, sir?"

"Oh, I believe there is. Tell me, how are you feeling tonight?"

"Fine… just fine. Why do you ask?"

"No reason, you know how I like to be in charge of my team."

"Well then if you don't mind I have things I need to do, in private. Excuse me."

"Whoa, not so fast. I'm not done with you."

"What do you mean?"

"Come on, drop the act."

"Act?"

"Stop playing dumb, although I'd be lying if I said you didn't look just as cute that way."

"Please sir, I-"

"You and I both know what's going on. Just admit it so we can move on. How do you feel?"

"I'm getting fed up with you. If you're going to keep asking me the same things and demeaning me then I'm-"

Ianto was caught off guard when Jack suddenly moved behind him and before he had a chance to turn around, he felt his arms wrap around his chest while resting his head against his shoulder in an intimate gesture which would have been enjoyable if he wasn't so distracted by what he whispered in his ear, "It's been happening quite a few times, hasn't it? I can sense the slightly labored condition of your breathing, the elevated temperature radiating from your body, the little snorting noises produced from the congestion in your nose and even as I speak there are inhalations steadily generated from your chest, if I could see your eyes I'm pretty sure they're closed right now and everything feels more tense so it's only a matter of time before you-"

Just as predicted he sneezed in a manner that was too unpredictable for him to react, only go with the movement of having his head snap forward which also was uncovered due to not being able to bring his hands to his face either and with those 2 factors combined the spray came into contact with his bare arms since he wasn't wearing his coat. It didn't bother him that much to be misted with his mucus and saliva except he wanted to prevent him from becoming too upset about it although that didn't seem to be an issue when he turned around to notice his dazed expression which proved nothing could get through to him as a result of the dizzy sensation. He quickly but carefully brought him over to sit in a nearby chair and the way he slumped down, only able to concentrate on catching his breath, made him realize it was fortunate he had a hold of him since he would have lost his balance from that forceful expulsion of air. After a few moments he became aware of what just happened, needing to compose himself by taking out a handkerchief from his pocket to blow his nose in the most dignified manner as possible and during the seconds he was distracted he brought his arms behind his back to wipe them off so he wouldn't notice before he decided to continue talking.

"Excuse me, sir."

"It's alright. Bless you."

"Thank you. That's very polite of you to say."

"I can be polite when I feel like it. So, do you wanna tell me how you feel now?"

"No."

"It's not like you to be this stubborn. Am I gonna have to force it out of you because I'd be more than willing to-"

"Just leave me alone, please."

"Aww, that hurt but I'm too concerned-"

"I never asked for you to be concerned over me! I don't want or accept your concern!"

"Okay, I'm sorry. Just calm down. Clearly I need to stop fooling around and approach this from a more serious manner," he announced before falling into a state of contemplation displayed by the gestures of placing a hand on his chin then shifting his attention away in a pensive expression since it seemed impossible to discuss the issue bluntly without making him offended or mad however a new problem came up when he suddenly tried getting up which forced the action of moving his hands to his shoulders to push him back down, "Whoa, where do you think you're going?"

"Let me go."

"Not a chance, I won't let you run away from me when I'm only trying to help you. Of course, you probably wanna say you refuse my help too."

"No, you don't understand. I…"

"Just tell me whatever you're feeling now."

He wanted more than anything to be honest with him but regardless of what he planned on divulging as he opened his mouth he was overcome with another sneeze which gave an insight on how he was feeling physically without him actually having to admit it and the way he collapsed back into the chair without trying to get up again couldn't help make him comment, "Bless you. Have you really stopped struggling, just like that? I thought I'd at least have to keep doing this for a little while longer."

"It was helping."

"What was?"

"Walking around, just having my brain concentrating on something else so I wouldn't be doing it so frequently."

"How long have you been like this?"

"A few hours but it's getting worse."

"And it's gonna keep getting worse until we take care of it properly… but I'll make you a deal since I know this must be hard for you to admit. You've always been such a professional man and that shouldn't have to change now. So just listen to me for a few seconds. For whatever reason, perhaps from overexerting yourself or the change to colder weather, you contracted an illness which is most likely the common cold unless you're feeling nauseous."

"I'm actually a little hungry."

"That's a good sign. I'll fix you something to eat once I get you into bed. What do you say?"

"If you don't mind me saying, sir, what do you know about taking care of someone with a cold?"

"You underestimate me."

"Oh really? When was the last time you were sick at all with anything, let alone a cold? I strongly doubt someone like you gets sick very often."

"Someone like me? Do you mean the immortal part or the 51st century one?"

"Both, you can't die which means you can't get sick either and with that far into the future, 21st century diseases certainly must have been cured. Also, the diseases you do have are different from anything we're used to now and probably can be cured instantly."

"Everything you're saying is true, sort of, but I've been around enough mortal people who're from all different time periods relative to my original past to get a sense of what it's like."

"Not a firsthand sense."

"All you're gonna experience is some sneezing and sniffling, not exactly life threatening. It's not that hard to take care of that. You just need to rest and relax until you feel better. I can at least take care of you that way."

"Why would you do that instead of just leaving me to handle it on my own?"

"You need to have more self-esteem and not act like this is something I'd just be wasting my time with. I'm in charge and that means I gotta make sure my team is in good condition but more importantly, it's very important to me to get you back to normal. I'm really sorry you don't feel well but I promise, if you let me, I'll do everything I can to get you through this. That's gotta sound good, especially the getting you into bed part, right?"

Once again he couldn't find the words to accurately express his feelings to Jack with his rare display of sympathy and instead he stood up to give him a hug but their affectionate moment was cut short when his nose started tickling which created the inevitable result of him sneezing again so forcefully it made both their bodies shake, still unable to cover his mouth in time although rather than focus on the uncomfortable sensation of having the droplets of moisture soak through his thin undershirt, causing him to shiver he couldn't help bring up a different observation, "Bless you, Ianto. For such a reserved man you sure have a loud sneeze."

"I can't control the way it comes out."

"That's not what I'm trying to say. It's quite a turn-on."

"Great, I'm sick and sneezing my head off and all you can think about is that."

"There isn't a single moment in time I'm not thinking about that but I like it better when those thoughts are about you."

"About me?"

"Of course, it's 1 thing to think about any random person in that way but it's another when the man on your mind is special."

"You think I'm special?"

"Come here, I'll show you how special you are."

He was able to predict exactly what would happen next based on his seductive tone and glare in an action even at that moment he was happy to comply with except right as they were about to start, going so far as to only feel the minimal contact of their lips brushing up against each other's, he unexpectedly backed away, and his hurt expression felt like a sharp pain which caused him to timidly mutter, "I'm sorry but I can't do this."

"You don't need to worry about getting me sick. I've been shot in the head, stabbed through the heart, even had my spine bent in half after being pushed off a building. I hardly think I'll be affected by the common cold. Besides, my 51st century body is too advanced to be susceptible to such a primitive disease. It doesn't even exist in that time, just like you said."

"That doesn't make sense. If you hadn't been exposed to it… never mind, I wasn't worried about spreading it to you. I'm very aware of how immortal you are without even having to see you get killed. You don't know this, because I haven't told you and you haven't figured it out yet, but… every time we kiss or go further it takes so much out of me. You can never die, you don't get tired either and that's because you have an unlimited amount of energy. It's really difficult keeping up with that."

"I never asked you to-"

"It's not something you could have asked for, that's only how your body works. We just started a physical relationship so I learned it's difficult keeping up with you unless I work really hard at it but afterwards when I'm lying next to you trying to catch my breath it feels amazing. It's just right now when I barely have enough energy to keep from collapsing I can't spare any to give to you. Please don't be mad."

"Oh sure, no problem. There will be no sex or kissing until you get better… I forget, how long does this sickness last?"

"A few days to a week… is that going to be alright for you?"

"I can definitely go that long without it… I think."

"You don't sound so sure."

"This isn't about me. You're sick and can't overexert yourself. My top priority right now is making sure you don't get sicker."

"That's not true. You don't have to concern yourself over me. I'm just 1 of your team members, the bloke who just makes coffee and only speaks up when nobody else has any more ideas. Would you do the same for Gwen, Tosh or Owen?"

"No… but I haven't started a physical relationship with any of them. Isn't it normal for people in that situation to be there for each other, like that in sickness and health thing?"

"You're talking about a marriage vow and besides, it's only normal for people to do that when they're in a romantic relationship, not just physical. I like being around you and I like doing those things with you. I know you feel the same way. In that case, there's no reason for you to be obligated-"

"Yes exactly, because we're in that type of relationship I wanna see to it you have a speedy recovery so we can get back to having sex as soon as possible. I'll just concentrate on that. Okay then, let's start taking care of you."

"Why do I suddenly have the impression you'll only make things worse?"

"Come on, you don't think I can be a good care taker?"

"Caring isn't the first word that comes to mind when I think about your personality."

"All you really need is rest. I can at least give you that and anything else you need I'll be there to help you with."

"No, I keep trying to tell you: you don't have to do this. Just walk with me outside, please? I'll drive home and stay in bed until I feel better then come back here."

"Do you really think I'd leave you alone when you're sick? I'd be a horrible person if I did that, especially towards the man I'm in any type of intimate relationship with. I just wanna make sure you're okay."

"You're not going to be able to do anything about it, just wait until the illness runs its course."

"I know that, but don't you think having me by your side will help you? I may not be able to do anything but just having someone watching over you can be comforting. Don't you want that?"

"It doesn't matter whether I want you with me or not… if I look as horrible as I feel and if it's only going to get worse before it gets better, I should stay in isolation. I already feel embarrassed enough with you seeing me this way."

"I'm not letting you go through this alone, no matter what you say. And it's not important what you look like, although if you're so caught up with that I'll tell you: you're still just as handsome as ever. Stop being stubborn and let me handle everything."

"Okay… I don't have enough energy to go against you, not even do anything for myself. If I drove right now, I would probably die in a car crash anyway."

"Don't say that. I know you're forced to think about what it's like when I die, since it usually happens once a day, but it can't be the same with me because if you were suddenly gone from my life… anyway, I'm glad you agree. You should know: I got a better idea than you going home. I'd be more comfortable letting you rest where I can keep an eye on you more efficiently."

"You mean here, in your office? I would like to lie down, please."

"Of course, I get that. Tell me: how well do you know the hub?"

"I don't mean to boast, sir, however I believe fairly well. It's my job after all to be acquainted with all the intricacies of this Torchwood Institute, just like I was with the last one I worked at."

"Weren't you just a researcher at Torchwood London?"

"It was more of a personal job, an undesignated one that I kept to myself. I have always been very good at being in places without getting noticed and some of the things I saw there were… why do you ask that?"

"All the intricacies, are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Do you know I have a number of rooms that were built over the years I reserve for personal use, various purposes which I keep private to myself?"

"Is that so?"

"Uh huh, and 1 of those purposes fits just perfectly for what we need now."

"I really don't like the sound of this either."

"Just relax and trust me."

"From the moment I met you I never stopped trusting you."

"Good, then you'll agree with me when I tell you this next thing: until you're completely 100% over your cold I don't want you doing any work, not 1 little responsibility."

"What?"

"You're not feeling well and I don't expect you to do your job like that. Besides, you might not be able to do it to the best of your ability and I can't have that."

"That's not true! Whatever happens to me, I can-"

"Shh, it's alright. I know how hard of a worker you are and you'll get back to it once you're better."

"But if I don't do what I'm supposed to around here, I'll feel useless… I guess it doesn't matter. You're right. My head feels so fuzzy now I can't focus on anything. I really am use-"

"You're perfect and nothing else. I don't wanna hear another word from you about it."

He pressed a finger against his lips in order to emphasize the point of putting an end to the conversation however it quickly turned into a seductive gesture when he added a second finger to trace around the edges of his mouth which caused his eyes to flutter close and a moan to be let out due to the pleasure of that simple action surging throughout his body, cutting through the bad feeling of his cold. Both of them were too preoccupied to realize those mechanisms had deepened, indicating a sneeze was on its way and the only precaution Jack had time to take in order to avoid being subjected to his bodily fluids again was move his hand to cover the entire mouth and nose region. It worked to muffle the explosion although as a result of not being able to get rid of the tickling properly he continued to sneeze, causing him to be pitched forward and by the time it was over Ianto was left too exhausted to be humiliated or even react when he took the handkerchief out of his pocket to clean him up in addition to wiping off his hand. What did catch his attention however was the kiss he planted on his forehead proving there was a way to do it without requiring any energy from him before he scooped him up in his arms to carry him bridal-style towards the secret location he had in mind although the affectionate atmosphere gradually disappeared.

From the position he was currently in, he didn't have a clear view of the immortal man's face but based on the fact he could feel his grip around him tighten it seemed as though something was bothering him which he thought might have been the imposition of having to take care of him suddenly sinking in. Despite loving the idea of being looked after by the captain while he was sick, the last thing he wanted was to be an inconvenience and just as he spoke up to tell him he could walk on his own, or at least make an attempt at it, the words were replaced with a sneeze that had yet to be covered. He rapidly turned his head to avoid being hit with the spray directly in his face and instead have it on his neck while concentrating on keeping a hold of him as his body shook with the unexpected action causing him to stand still for a few seconds to recover from being caught off guard by that however he didn't want to ignore him so he would be left feeling ashamed even though he couldn't help leave the sincerity out of his voice, punctuated by an exasperated tone.

"Not again, bless you."

"Thank you. I'm so sorry I keep doing that, sir."

"It's what happens when you have a cold."

"You sound upset. Please tell me how I can-"

"Why do you keep calling me that?"

"Calling you what?"

"I can't figure out whether you're being purposely obscure or sincere again."

"No, I feel too exhausted not to be sincere. Just tell me what it is."

"Oh great, that means it's subconscious then."

"Jack…"

"See, that's better. Alright, I'll get to the point. You don't need to act so formal with me, especially now. Sure when we're around the others you can act professional but alone it doesn't have to be that way. When it's just the 2 of us, I'm not your boss and you're not my worker. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I suppose it doesn't make sense to treat you professionally when we're alone and interact so personally… maybe we can think of it this way: now that I'm sick it could be like I'm the patient and you're the doctor," he explained without thinking about what he was implying until that statement sent him bursting into laughter which left the cold-stricken man at a loss, only waiting for when he calmed down to question the seemingly random behavior, "What's so funny?"

"He'd be furious if he heard me being referred to as that but I really like the sound of it."

"I'm confused."

"That's alright. It's really not important. How about this: you're just my boyfriend and I'm yours."

"Boyfriend… you never called me that before. You always said-"

"It could be something we try out for this short period of time until you get better. There's not a very civilized term for people who only have sex with each other so let's see how it feels to think of ourselves in that way. Besides, if I'm your boyfriend it's my responsibility and privilege to take care of you in the best possible way I can. Doesn't that make you happy?"

"I don't know. This is all a bit too much to handle right now."

"Come on, you're over-thinking it. Just tell me whether you like the idea of us being temporary boyfriends."

"Of course, I love it."

"Good, now just relax. We're almost there."

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see. For now it's okay if you wanna close your eyes. I got everything under control."

"Thank you, Jack. I… really appreciate this."

"It's no big deal, really. Sleep well, Ianto."

He gave him another kiss, this time on the cheek, with the last sight he saw being the tender smile of his 51st century boyfriend before he succumbed to the exhaustion and by the time he regained consciousness, feeling groggy and disoriented, the sensation of being bounced slightly in his arms was replaced by something more solid yet soft that he tested out by moving his hand across whatever surface he was on, noticing the touch of some sort of fabric under him. At first he kept his eyes closed, afraid at what might be awaiting him but when he sensed an unusually warm temperature, which could have just been the result of his own fever, he decided to get it over with and try to determine where he was although the location made him feel as though he had been kidnapped. It was a small room that had a fuzzy carpet covering the entire floor, a few bookshelves filled with books he could only guess at, a TV, a radio, an alarm and wall clocks, radiator, 3 floor lamps, a nightstand, 2 doors and the most significant item: a huge bed piled with pillows and linens which he was currently laying on. Everything looked so clean and normal like a real bedroom, proving he couldn't have still been in Torchwood tower but the sound of the doorknob turning brought his attention on possibly fighting his captor until he saw Jack walk into the room, looking concerned before he realized he had woken up and with the fear subsiding all Ianto had to concentrate on was feeling so drained from his cold while still being uncertain about where he was.

"Awake already? I guess if you can't stay asleep on your own, you shouldn't be forced to. How are you feel-" he began to ask except was interrupted by his sudden inhalation then a sneeze which sounded wetter compared to the previous ones, emphasized when he sniffled deeply only once although he still remained in a daze, unable to realize his nose was running and that prompted Jack to hastily take the handkerchief out of his pocket to offer him, "Bless you. Here, you should uh… blow your nose."

"Thadk you… excuse be…"

He couldn't help smiling at his stuffed-up tone that seemed to be alleviated after he went through the ungentlemanly process of releasing the congestion however he became more receptive especially as he delighted in the soothing sensation of having his hair caressed in a repeated motion which eventually slowed down since he needed to question, "I'll try this a second time: how are you feeling?"

"Confused."

"Okay… that wasn't the answer I was expecting but I'll go with it. Why are you confused? We were in my office talking then you fell asleep while I was carrying you here. I think you might be running a fever. I'll need to get a thermometer and a cold compress. You just stay put while I-"

"No, it can wait. Everything else makes sense but it's the here part I don't understand. Where are we? Is this still Torchwood?"

"It absolutely is. Remember earlier we were talking about how there are rooms in the hub you might not know about?"

"Yes."

"Well this is 1 of them. It's a restful, relaxing place that I set up a little while ago. Do you like it?"

"It's a bedroom."

"I'm glad to see your powers of observation haven't been hindered."

"But you don't sleep. Why do you need a bedroom? And I thought you have some sort of place set up like a bunker you have to use a ladder to climb down to in your office?"

"Don't be so naïve. You know beds aren't just for sleeping even if you're by yourself… but that's not what I do in here, and this place wasn't originally mine. 1 of the other leaders had it set up for them and after they were gone I just took it. I rarely go in here but somehow being in that tiny, cramped space isn't good when I need to unwind. I lie down and let all the tensions escape my body. Also, I have quite a collection of classic books that're really enjoyable to read. The other team members have their own ways. What techniques do you use if you're feeling overwhelmed?"

"I never feel that way. After we come back from dealing with an alien situation, I unwind by doing office work or making coffee. Those tasks might sound mundane to you but I enjoy the repetition and routine."

"Alright, I understand. For now you could just do nothing… unless that's gonna drive you crazy."

"No, I'll be fine with you here."

They exchanged smiles as Ianto felt grateful to have such a wonderful boyfriend to take care of him but when the mood became a little too intimate since Jack moved onto the bed, pressing his body up against his with their faces only a short distance apart and he realized it couldn't be taken any further which caused him to back away before switching the subject instead of dwelling on the awkwardness, "So, we should concentrate on getting you better. While you were sleeping I started the preparations for soup by heating up some broth on the stove and once it's boiling I'm supposed to add-"

"Are you kidding me?"

"Isn't soup what you're supposed to eat when you're sick to make you feel better? I even got chicken and noodles, what's believed to be the ultimate cure for-"

"You're making soup from scratch?"

"Of course, I'd never give you that oversalted stuff from a can. This is gonna be homemade, delicious-"

"How are you going to make it yourself without a stove?"

"Yeah… I guess I never explained that to you either until now. It's another 1 of the private rooms I have in the hub which also was made by someone else that I inherited: a fully stocked and functioning kitchen."

"If we have a kitchen, why do we constantly eat take-out?"

"Well I didn't say I like to cook and besides, it takes too long. But this time's different. Having good food will make you get better sooner."

"That's true, but it sounds like a lot of trouble you're going through just for me."

"Don't worry about it. I'm not even sure how it'll taste… do you like to cook?"

"Probably, I don't make homemade meals too often but if it's a repetitive task, I would most likely excel at it but either way it seems relaxing to spend a little bit of time in the kitchen and work hard to prepare some better tasting food."

"Ooh I'd absolutely love to see you working hard in the kitchen, wearing an apron… and nothing else."

"Jack please…"

"Alright, I guess I shouldn't bring up any suggestive thoughts because you wanna get back to it just as badly as I do. Now, I need you to take off all your clothes," he simply stated without thinking it was something wrong until the way Ianto glared incredulously at him proved that to be true, which he responded to with a blank expression, still believing it was a perfectly normal suggestion and their stare-down could only be disrupted when he succumbed to another strong tickle in his nose, making him sneeze once then again a few seconds later as he not only managed to turn away but bring the handkerchief up in time, "Bless you."

"Thank you but what happened to not bringing up anything suggestive?"

"I didn't mean it like that. You should get comfortable and change into a pair of pajamas. It doesn't seem likely you could relax very much in the suits and ties you always wear."

"But I like wearing my suits and ties. It's what looks best on me."

"Oh, I couldn't agree more. You look amazing in it. But I mean come on, you can't expect to wear that whole outfit for everything you do. What clothes do you have on when you're sleeping?"

"Still this, maybe with the jacket off, for the little amount of sleep I get. There's always so much paper work to take care of…"

"Please Ianto, do this for me."

"I'm telling you: I don't think I even own a pair of pajamas. Besides, I don't keep personal affects at the place where I work unlike you since apparently this is the place you work and live in. Any other clothes I own are back in my flat."

"Yep, I knew you'd say that. I'll give you some pajamas which I want you to put on and keep for whenever you need to have something to wear to bed. And you really should sleep more. The work can wait. It's not going anywhere. Now, I just gotta find where the pajamas are," he muttered then went about searching through the numerous drawers of his hidden bedroom while he took the opportunity of finally not being the center of his focus to blow his nose again and he had just enough time to finish before he was handed the clothes, "Here you go."

"Thank you… I hate to admit this but they do feel pretty comfortable. Perhaps it won't be that bad."

"Of course, they might be a little big on you because they're mine."

"If you're giving me something of yours I'll wear it very often."

"Good, so then I'm gonna go and gather some things then be back with them and a nice bowl full of what I hope will be edible, but if we're really lucky, delicious soup. In the meantime you change and try to relax… oh, and could you please not go through any of my stuff in here? It's just I have it organized in a specific way, plus I haven't been in this room for a while so I don't even know exactly what lies among these books and secret compartments… alright, I'll return to you soon."