Title: Sticks and Stones may break my bones and love will always hurt me.

Paring: Ianto/Jack

Rating: NC17

Warnings: Language, sexual situations, angst, drama, AU

Series: Series two, spoilers for Countryside, Cyber woman and End of days

Chapter Info: He should be grateful for that, after all how many people could say they fell asleep to Jack Harkness humming in their ear or running a gentle hand up and down their back? This was just the way Jack was and he should be grateful….Oh bollocks to that!!!

A/N: Whoop so here's the next chapter, no idea what I'm doing if I'm honest lol. I think its one of those things where you know what you want to say but how do you get it all down in an interesting way? Ah, the mysteries of writing…..Anyway next chapter for you!

Ianto often found he would rather not know the truth.. It was an odd idea considering what he did for a living, but he just wasn't the type. He didn't't want to know the truth when his Tad started to spend more and more time at the hospital, he didn't'want to know the truth when he barely escaped a world of fire and pain with the woman he loved. He just didn't see the point because rarely would anyone tell you the complete truth, always believing it to be a point of view. Ironic that his job entailed making people believe that point of view.

Now while Ianto didn't always want to know the truth, he didn't like being blatantly lied to. He had always told people, friends, family, lovers- 'if you are going to lie to me at least tell me a good one'. When someone gave him the impression that they thought he was stupid, that's when Ianto got annoyed. Because Ianto Jones was anything but stupid. With an IQ of 165 it was easy to see why these assumptions could cause a pool of liquid anger to start to bubble in Ianto's stomach. And that pool was seriously starting to boil over.

Jack. It was always Jack wasn't it? Could never be anything else in his life. No, why would it be when all he had was Jack and Torchwood? God he really was a sad bastard. Where the hell was his life going? There was a tangible feeling in the air between them, like something un-said though Ianto was sure it wasn't him that was trying to say something. Other than 'tell me what's going on you sneaky bastard!!'However that remained a rather private thought, for the moment at least.

It wasn't something the others would notice, well certainly not Owen. He didn't notice a lot about you unless you were blonde with massive boobs and were willing to lower your standards to crawling into bed with him, well before his bodily functions ground to a halt anyway. Tosh, his beautifully twisted Tosh. She would notice if only it were just that little tiny bit more obvious. Unfortunately she didn't have the…expert knowledge in this case. Gwen, oh she would pretend she knew, pretend she could figure it out because that's what she did, noticed others feelings, bit of a shame she didn't notice Tosh's feelings when she was fucking Owen every other day of the week. But none of them could notice it because none of them were lovers. They didn't know the fine planes of Jacks face, the way his smile could spread just that extra inch and you would know his thoughts had turned to a completely different topic to the one under discussion. The way Jack had a very small splash of olive green in the blue of his left eye, something Ianto had spent a lot of time looking at, admiring that tiny imperfection in a man that he could believe was as close to perfection in looks as they were ever going to get. Perfection in personality was an entirely different matter. None of them would hear Jack's whimpers in the night when, mercies of mercies, he managed to get some sleep, never see his beautiful eyes fly open and not recognize where he was or rather when he was, with a small yell escaping his lips. But he knew these things.

Without a doubt if there was anyone qualified to notice a change in Jack, it was Ianto. Now that's not to say that they were easy things to notice even to him. He only managed it because things seemed to occur more and more often as the weeks blended together. Jack would be stiff and knotted in his shoulders, something Jack claimed never happened to him because he always liked to redirect his stiffness to other areas of his body-another brilliant Harknessism brought to you by Captain Cheesy.

Jack would often disappear, not something to be deemed unusual under normal circumstances and Jack always claimed to be out on a roof observing his kingdom, but the flushed coloring of his face always gave him away to doing something else. That was not a flush from the cold. And the smell always remained, it never completely went away no matter how many days passed, Ianto was starting to believe it was simply becoming a part of Jack now, or he was coming into contact with the source of the smell on a regular basis. Unfortunately the latter seemed more plausible.

And then there was the sex. God it was glorious anyway, Jack just had the talent for knowing just the right place to touch, to make him beg like he never believed he would do. Because Jack knew people better than they knew themselves, his whole nature allowed him to touch a person without ever lifting a hand to them. But recently there was something else underneath it all. A sadness that had not been there since the time of Cyber women and Cannibals. But there It was in the bed with the both of them every night. Jack seemed almost desperate to bury himself in Ianto, clinging to him like he was his last life line, holding onto him so tight Ianto would often have to tell him he was hurting, and even then Jack would apologize over and over and pepper his face with kisses. The way he drove into him, holding Ianto's legs bent up to his shoulders was almost animalistic, affirming. But affirming for what? It was like Jack was..justifying something. But what? His life? Being in Ianto's flat? In Ianto's life? His bed?

Maybe he was preparing to say goodbye. Well that would have been a first, Jack Harkness actually bothered to think of the people he was leaving behind before pissing off on another grand adventure. Maybe he knew the Doctor was coming and he was going to leave forever this time, because no matter what Jack did or said there was always that doubt, that thought that he would turn around one day and Jack would be nothing but a memory. Dust on the wind. Who wouldn't rather travel the stars, see things no ones dreamed of yet. But then sometimes when Ianto looked into Jack's eyes he could wonder why he ever thought Jack would leave them, there was such a look of pride and admiration, a look that said a thousand things but didn't say anything much at all.

The situation never really appeared to be a problem for their..relationship if that's the quaint word one wanted to use, until one month and one week from the day Ianto first noticed that smell. On that day everything came crashing down around Ianto's ears, his first little bit of peace was blown to bits and he never even saw it coming. And even if he had he would have more than likely just stood there and been hit in the face by it.

It was a slow day in the Hub, the Weevils deciding that today wasn't a good day for a walk, mostly due to torrential rain that had been falling on Cardiff since the early hours of the morning. Roads were flooded and blocked, the area around the invisible lift was out of bounds to everyone, even Jack, after Owen got drenched with a huge wave of water that fell from the surface when Jack came in from where ever the hell he had been. As happened so often with the rain, everyone was confined to the hub. Sorry we aren't allowed out to play right now Mr Alien, come back later. Owen was doing some unnecessary and highly messy experiment on the latest alien, Ianto had the impression that Owen was the type to torture small animals as a child. Gwen was going through police reports looking for anything to do to get her out of the main hub and the stillness that had descended over them.

Tosh was with Jack discussing the newest changes she had made to the translator programmes and the rift predictor. Ianto watched them from across the main floor, cleaning up the remains of their latest eating binge to help with the boredom. Anyone could see the open affection that the two had for each other; there was a trust there between them that went deeper than just the job. It was in Jack's easy grin, in Tosh's confident voice when she spoke to him about what she had been doing, it was in the love bite on Jacks neck..Wait, what?? For a moment Ianto stood there blinking hard, once, twice, three times, hoping that the mark would have disappeared with each blink. It didn't. As Jack had leaned over to look at something on Tosh's screen his blue cotton shirt had shifted just slightly and with Ianto's keen eye he saw the discoloured skin, purple and deeply bruised. Someone had had a right go at that.

He couldn't move for a moment, not quiet knowing if he should start screaming or if he should display quiet dignity and simply walk over to Jack and twat him in the face. The latter was rather appealing. The sounds of the hub seemed to disappear and all Ianto could hear was the beating of his own heart in his ears and all he could see was that mark on Jacks neck. Jack fucking Harkness. But why was he getting so upset? He knew Jack was a firm believer in 'free love', Jack wasn't the type to put his eggs all in one basket, he liked to dot them about the place like some mangy tom cat! The anger was boiling in his belly and Ianto had to shut his eyes and take a deep breath. He had to get out of there; he couldn't look at him anymore without wanting to do bodily harm.

He made a mad dash for the Archives.

Jack upon seeing him rushing past reached out a hand, intending on giving his favorite part of Ianto (his fabulous arse) a much needed squeeze but Ianto took a wide circle around him, not even looking at him as he passed. A frown creased Jack's forehead as Ianto practically ran away from him, what was up with that? Ianto normally went out of his way to get a little caressing in when they passed each other. A little taste of what was waiting when they were alone.

'Ianto! Where are you going?'

'Archives' was the answered tossed over his shoulder

'You ok?'

'Yep!'

Well that was an informative conversation.

**************************************************************************

Ianto was sitting on the floor between S-T, sort for sucker and twat. Fitted himself and Jack perfectly he thought.

Ok, ok so Jack might be going out and sleeping with someone else, or more than likely some bodies, but Jack came back to him didn't he? At the end of the night when he had finished roaming or having a good time, Ianto was the one who got to sleep next to him, to smell him all around him, to have his taste and touch be the last thing he knew before he fell into sleep. He should be grateful for that, after all how many people could say they fell asleep to Jack Harkness humming in their ear or running a gentle hand up and down their back? This was just the way Jack was and he should be grateful….Oh bollocks to that!!! Ianto smashed his open hand down on the floor, venting a little of his frustration on the floor. He leaned his head back to rest on the stone wall behind him then he lifted his head again only to smack it backwards once more, repeating the action over and over.

Ianto didn't have to be grateful, what was he? Some sad charity case? He deserved respect even from the great Jack Harkness and there was no way in hell he was going to be used as a second thought, not by anyone! He might not be the most easy person to get along with but he was a damn sight better than Owen and ,at least when he wasn't hiding certain little details from everyone, his loyalty could never be questioned. He deserved, need, wanted to be more than just one in a long list. There was no way in hell he was going to just sit there and be played like a fiddle! Ianto's deep angry breathing was the only thing filling the silence of the Archives, with his eyes closed he was oblivious to everything around him, just his mind thinking over time.

So maybe it wasn't as bad as all that. Maybe Jack just had a fun grope with someone but didn't actually shag them. Isn't that better than going all the way? Still a betrayal of the trust between you two, a little voice in his head said. Yeah but its not like I lead with a good example is it? So? Does that mean everything that ever happens will be a game of he said she said? No, but its not like Jack has an obligation to be honest with me after everything, the very fact that he can be alone with me and not expect me to shoot him is something in itself. Oh, so for the rest of your time together your going to forgive everything he ever says and does because he can simply pull the cyber woman card whenever he doesn't like what your doing? Oh yeah, deffinatly the basis for a much healthier relationship than your last one. ….Shut up.

'You know that look on your face always makes me wonder if your thinking about world domination or the things your going to do to me later on.'

Jack stood leaning against the file draws, arms crossed over his chest and a small smile gracing his perfect lips. He looked the perfect picture of a man completely at ease with his world. His eyes however told a different story. His eyes were concerned and questioning. He shifted from one foot to the other as he watched Ianto. Normally Ianto would have heard him clunking along, he did always say Jack sounded like a heard of elephants when he walked, he would have turned the corner to find Ianto intent on his world but there would always be the buzz of anticipation surrounding him, taste able in the air. But here he was slumped on the floor staring out into space with the utmost look of concentration gracing the features Jack adored so much.

Ianto's head swivelled towards him so fast Jack was afraid he might have snapped his neck. There was that look in his eyes. Well this is going to be fun Jack thought as he went to sit down beside Ianto on the stone floor. Ianto sighed. Jack sighed. They both avoided eye contact.

'What's wrong? You know you can tell me if something is bothering you. If I don't know I can't help you' Jacks voice broke the silence first.

'Its nothing. Just thinking about things, about this, about us'

'Us? What are you thinking about…'

'Where do you keep going off to?' Ianto cut Jack off, still refusing to look at him.

'What? I'm not going off anywhere. What's the matter? Do you miss me when I'm not here?' He nudged Ianto's shoulder with his own. 'Or is it that your craving something else when I'm not there to deliver?'

Ianto's voice was suddenly lower, more cold, 'Its nothing to do with that. Is that all you think about when it comes to us? That we just shag each other? If that's the case then why are you going off to…' He cut himself off shaking his head. He couldn't ask him about it now. Not when everything was still buzzing around in his head, he couldn't think straight, he couldn't understand what was happening between them. He didn't understand Jack.

Finally Jack was looking at him, concern and an almost fearful look flitting across his face. With a deep breath Jack reached over and pulled Ianto to him, wrapping his arm around Ianto's shoulders. Ianto let himself be pulled to the side and nestled against Jacks chest, Jacks cheek on top of his head.

'You think that's what I think of us? That's all you are too me? You couldn't be more wrong Ianto. The things you do to me, the things you make me want to do. There have been very few people in my life who have made me want to be something different, something better, but you are one of those people. All of this is something special, because it wont be here forever' Jacks voice was hopelessly sad at the end and it made Ianto want to weep.

'As for where I go it doesn't matter. All that matters is that I come back to you, ill always come back here to you. Whatever happens when I leave the hub makes no difference to me and you.' His free hand reached over to start stroking Ianto's cheek. 'This is what matters to me, being here with you. Knowing that your waiting for me, that you haven't just…left me behind' His grip around Ianto tightened and suddenly he was kissing him, desperate and gentle at the same time. Ianto didn't have time to think about anything other than then gentle pressure of Jacks lips, Jacks tongue sliding wetly against his own, Jacks grip on him clutching him against his body. Ianto's hands moved of their own accord, reaching up to cup Jack's face, caressing his cheeks with his thumbs and then Ianto was lost. He was pulled into the sea that was Jack, terrible and beautiful, tossing him about without control, no hope of escape and no hope of rescue, all that was left to do was to sink down, down into those depths.

With a moan Ianto pushed Jack back roughly on to his back, crushing himself on top, pressing the whole length of his body against Jack, feeling every breath he took rise against his chest, feeling the tightening of his muscles, feeling the hardness that was slowly developing pressed against his inner thigh. He rolled his crotch into Jack's causing a moan to slip from both of them. Jack's hand were clutching his arse, pressing him into Jack, asking, wanting and most of all needing. Trailing kisses from Jacks mouth Ianto bit the sensitive skin behind his ear, knowing it always sent a rush of pleasure though the Captain and today was no different. A sharp thrust up from Jack eluded to this please and Ianto couldn't think of anything more wonderful. His hand trailed up to the top of Jacks shirt practically ripping the buttons off in his attempt to undo them. He caressed Jacks throat feeling the rumbling movement of Jack moaning under him, licked a path from Jacks collar bone to the top of his neck accompanied by Jacks constant 'Yes, yes' and Jacks hands clutching at him, stroking him, holding him. Moving his head to the side he placed tiny feather soft kisses to Jacks neck, each other nothing more than a temptation, further and further done Jacks neck until he lips came In contact with the love bite, mocking him, letting him know that there was someone else who was making Jack moan, making him beg and then Ianto thought he was going to be sick. He could feel the bile rising in his throat, his well used gag reflex kicking in and he wrenching himself from Jacks desperate grasp. He could see it, see Jack with the faceless lover, fuck he didn't even know if he was screwing a man or a woman, but nerveless the image wouldn't leave him and he couldn't bare to have Jack touch him, kiss him, suck him, knowing those hands, that tongue and mouth had touched someone else, that Jack had whispered the same words to someone far less deserving than Ianto was.

Jack raised himself to his elbows, one eyebrow raised as he looked at Ianto sitting away from him, all passion long since disappeared. 'Ianto? What's wrong with you? What is it?' No answer other than Ianto's deep breathing, looking at him but not really seeing him. Concerned Jack sat up, reaching out to touch the other mans face but he jerked away with a small cry that Jack might as well have been reaching over to slap him. Ianto was up and walking away before Jack could even think contemplate the reaction.

Scrambling to his feet Jack watched Ianto walking away from him for the second time that day.

'Ianto? IANTO!!' But he didn't stop, kept on walking and ignoring Jacks cries. Jack watched his form leave the Archives, just standing there wondering what the hell just happened. His body had been consumed with that familiar fire that always came with being near Ianto and then suddenly its like he's been dosed with a bucket of ice water and Ianto's acting like he's got the plague. Now THAT was deffaintly a first. What had just happened between the two of them? First those questions then Ianto's abrupt exit, he couldn't figure it out.

Shaking his head Jack turned to the mirror Ianto had placed down there for when he and Jack decided to have a little fun and Ianto needed to make it look like he was perfectly respectable rather than perfectly shagged out. Reaching up he started to do up the buttons Ianto had hastily undone, his mind still on what the hell had just happened when he reached the top of his shirt and his eyes caught what he had forgotten was even there. Blatant and obvious there was no way Ianto wouldn't have seen it. No way. Suddenly the reaction all made sense.

'Fuck'

A/N: So there we go, another one down. I know not a lot happened in this chapter but its all building up to something, things don't just happen for no reason I 'll have you know lol. But yeah I put chapters one and two together because one was already done and I didn't want to keep you waiting for the second chapter If you read the first one the firs time I posted it. So ill try to update again soon and I hoped that you liked it!!! Thank you!!!!