AN: This is the sequel to my story 'When I was your man'. You should probably read that first to understand the sequel :) I can guarantee everyone who did read it, this won't be one of these sequels where Jack does a 180 and all of a sudden is head over heels. :) This is a WIP, so i have no idea about rating, when this story will get updated - although I aim at once a week at least - and what will happen. I know how it ends and a rough path of how I will get there. But how do they always say ''Sometimes the way to a destination is more fun than the destination itself.' With these words... Enjoy. I always welcome a review/comment

Three weeks after I had learned about Ianto and his newfound happiness I came to realize that I missed him. Not just him, I missed… quite a few things. And the sex was surprisingly not one of these things. Sure, it has been great, but… now, when I was on my own at night, I realized that I missed him and the feelings he gave me more than anything. Not waking up alone was one of them and quite possibly top of that that list. It wasn't as if Ianto and I had spent every waking minute together. No, we actually only spent about two nights a week together. And those two nights were anything but romantic, because… we didn't need that. Or, well, rather I didn't. I wasn't in this for a relationship, feelings or anything deeper. I knew Ianto was, that he was the idealist, who hoped this would turn into something else. But it never did, and I was making sure it didn't.

Well, I at least thought it never did. But clearly, when I was missing the feeling of waking up next to him or the feeling of just spending time that didn't involve Torchwood stuff… something was going on. And I couldn't figure out how the hell it happened. But I was damned if I would now start acting all sappy, sad Hollywood-movie by running to him, getting soaked by rain and professing my undying love. Not. Going. To. Happen.

"Sir?" I had a familiar voice yanking me out of my thoughts. I looked up from the papers I had been looking at for what seemed hours and saw Ianto looking at me, a funny expression on his face.

"Sorry, Ianto, did you say something?"

"I was just brining you your regular dose of industrial strength coffee. And was wondering whether you are ok? You seemed a bit absent there for a moment."

"Just stuff that has me thinking and… paperwork," I smiled, indicating at the files in front of me. Ianto leaned forward and reached for the file, trying to see what I was working on. The closeness presented me with a big hit of his after shave – a scent that sent me back to nights I had spent in bed with him. Focus, I reprimanded himself. Not the place, and certainly not the time. A second later my eyes caught sight of something, something that made me look up at Ianto, concerned, worried even.

"Are you alright?" I asked rather abrupt, seeing Ianto putting the file back the way it had been a few moments ago.

"I…I'm fine, sir," he said, looking slightly confused at me. Not that I could blame him. My question had come of rather sudden and a bit unexpected.

"Are you sure?" I asked, reaching for his wrist and turning it the way it had been a moment ago when Ianto reached for the file. The deep, blue-violet bruising looked anything but beautiful and rather violent. Knowing for a fact that Ianto hadn't been out in the field for the past few weeks, I was certain this was not job-related. I was shocked about the feeling I had all of a sudden when seeing the bruising on his wrists.

"I am," Ianto said confidently.

"If there is something you wanna talk ab-" I started, but he interrupted me.

"Don't…" was all he said for a moment. "Just don't." he repeated, holding up his hand as if to stop me from something. "Jack, we never were good at talking, so why start now?"

He had a point, I gave him that. During our nocturnal activities we certainly did not do a lot of talking, or talking at all, unless it was to specify what to do to each other, or how good something felt.

I heard him let out a sigh, before he plopped down on the visitor's chair opposite from my desk. "Look…is this going to be a problem?" he asked a moment later which had me confused, since I didn't know what he was talking about. Was he talking about the bruising? Because if he was, this sure as well would be a problem. If Ianto Jones thought I would let someone run around, hurting my favorite Welshmen, that Ianto Jones was mistaken.

Had I just called Ianto 'my favorite Welshman'? Because that didn't sound possessive at all. And great, now I was being jealous. Although, maybe more protective than jealous really.

"Me, having a boyfriend, a life outside Torchwood. Me and you not sharing a bed any longer…" he explained and I saw what he referred to. "And I know that you know about Parker. Tosh told me. So don't even try to act all surprised," he smiled a moment later.

I have to admit, for a moment I was actually thinking of going down that way. Pretending cluelessness and surprise, like I hadn't known about Parker.

I had to admit the irony was not lost on me. I had always expected, if the day should ever come that it would seem like Ianto was distracted by what we did at night, it would be me who'd be asking that very same question. Leave it to Ianto to change that as well.

"This won't be an issue," I assured him. I just wanted to know what was going on. So I pointed towards the wrist again. "I just want to make sure you are alright and that you know if there is something you wanna talk abo-"

Once again he interrupted me.

"Jack, if you think this was Parker you are wrong," he said, looking straight at me. "Well… technically you are not completely wrong, but this was not some kind of act of domestic violence. I was in fact a very willing participant in the activities that lead to the bruising…" Ianto said, still looking me straight in the eye. I saw the soft pink that tinted his cheeks and I had quite a good idea what these activities involved. If I remembered correctly, Ianto loved being tied down in a quite literal way.

"And you of all people should know that I am bruising quite easily. After all… you managed to cause quite a few of these yourself…." He smiled shyly at me and just like that I felt like the biggest dickhead. I had never noticed. Not once. But then again… I had never looked at Ianto properly. I always assumed he was alright, well, except you counted this idea he had off us becoming anything more serious.

I saw him shift and get up from the chair, moving slowly towards the door. My next question surprised even me.

"Are you happy?"

It stopped him in his tracks. I saw him turn around, nodding and smiling at me.

"Very," he said a moment later and I knew I didn't imagine the hesitation for a moment.

"Good," I said, nodding. And then he was gone, doing whatever he felt needed his attention and leaving me to avoid my paperwork.