"Thanks for what you're doing," Jack said one night, after they had moved everything to Ianto's.

He was playing with Myfanwy, letting her bite his hand gently, and annoying her at the same time, with ridiculous childish noises. Ianto smiled at the scene, feeling his stomach contract as he saw Jack happy with his cat. It had been a few months already and Ianto was now working full time for him, with him, and he wanted more than being his friend or co-worker or employee. Except that he didn't know how to do this, how to make him understand that he wanted him.

"It's nothing," Ianto sighed after a while.

"Are you sure you're okay with that?"

"Yeah," Ianto shrugged. "I'm alone anyway, so I like it better with you here. And it will save me some time."

"It doesn't save me some time," Jack answered, smiling at him then looking down at the cat.

"You could... huh... sleep over, sometimes, if you want," Ianto stuttered, tightening his crossed arms against his chest as his heartbeat picked up.

"You only have one bedroom and your couch isn't that comfortable," Jack replied without looking.

"One bedroom is enough, I wouldn't mind someone with me," Ianto said quickly, briefly closing his eyes to pray that he didn't sound stupid. He probably did.

Jack stopped playing with Myfanwy and stared at him, frowning as he tried to fully understand what Ianto meant, probably.

Myfanwy got bored of that man who was just resting his hand on her belly – how dare he – and chewed his sleeve, her claws all out in his arm. Jack yelped and looked down, backing his hand off as the cat ran away quickly.

"That hurt," Jack pouted, looking at his hand. Then he got on his feet and studied Ianto again. "Okay," he eventually said.

"Okay?" Ianto repeated.

"Yeah."

"Can you stay tonight?" Ianto pushed, hoping his luck would continue.

"Sure," Jack shrugged. "But I don't sleep much at night."

Ianto wondered if there was something more to the sentence but nodded anyway, smiling. He went after Myfanwy to carry her in her room for the night, a closet he had entirely renovated in a cat heaven. Well, Myfanwy loved it, at least. He kissed her with a last pet on the head and closed the door, then lead Jack to his bedroom. They got ready for the night, Jack keeping the t-shirt he had been wearing and Ianto taking the one he usually wore at night, a star wars t-shirt who was a bit too small but that he couldn't bring himself to throw away, so he had kept it for the nights. He felt Jack's stare as he changed to the shirt and smiled inwardly when he turned, Jack not discreetly staring at him for a few seconds. An awkward silence followed, then they lay in the bed, each on their side for a while.

They eventually started talking, relaxing as they laughed in the dark room, until Ianto rolled on his side to hold Jack in his arms. They still talked, but less and less, until Ianto gathered enough courage to kiss Jack who responded eagerly.

Ianto sometimes wondered how they had gone from this one-night stand to secret casual shags, to regular shags, to something that looked like a couple but wasn't one. He didn't even know how to call their relationship, and it was fine because everyone knew, but nobody mentioned it, and everything seemed to go fine. Jack was a gifted partner in bed, and Ianto thought of him as his best friend – with whom he was banging, right. But on some days, just some days, Ianto caught himself wanting more.

It usually happened when they were lying in bed in the morning, before anyone was in. It was calm and Jack was a bit different, more relaxed than during the day. They talked and genuinely laughed during those moments and sometimes Ianto simply stared at Jack and wished for more.

Of course, he forgot as soon as they were out of his bedroom, but he longed for those stolen moments, alone with Jack.

And of course, John's presence wasn't helping him right now. He couldn't help hating the man, and thinking he looked good, which was unnerving because he knew that Jack had shared something with him, something strong if Ianto had to believe the stories they sometimes told. Even if it sounded simply like sex and fun, with illegal stuff mixed with it, but Ianto only shared sex with Jack as well, and he didn't want to be like John.

John Hart was another person in Jack's little team, but working as an independent contractor, if one had to put a name to what he was doing. Ianto had never met him – while he had been working with Jack for almost a year – and had never even heard about him, but suddenly he was there and Jack was behaving differently and kept making puns and innuendos.

All in all, Ianto was jealous. And maybe a bit afraid that things would change if that John guy stuck around. He didn't want him in his life and he didn't trust him. And he had no idea of what he was doing there. John was gone all day but once he got home – to Ianto's – he kept talking about casual things, or sex, and drugs. Ianto knew that he had asked Owen for drugs, and that was all he knew for certain.

Ianto sighed as Myfanwy jumped on the couch then walked on him, sniffing his knee then his face, before sitting on his laps, apparently satisfied. He shook his head, wondering why he was thinking back of how he had gotten there, with a man he didn't like sitting on his couch, and a man he liked a bit too much sitting on a chair in front of him, and two more people working on stolen items in the same room.

"What's Eye-candy's deal anyway?" John asked, putting his feet on the table, and Ianto cringed but turned his attention to his cat. "And is he available?"

"He's not interested," Jack answered quickly.

"I can speak for myself," Ianto said harshly, to both Jack and John.

"Easy Tiger," John laughed and sipped his beer. "What about you, Harkness? Still interested?"

"It's been a long time since our last... Whatever," Jack shrugged, glancing at Ianto.

"Some would say too long," John grinned and Ianto decided that he really didn't like that grin on this face.

"I've... actually got someone," Jack said quickly, and Ianto's head shot up.

Jack briefly looked at him, then away.

"You? You've got someone?" John snorted. "I don't believe you."

Ianto tried to do as if he wasn't listening to the conversation, looking at Myfanwy leaving her spot, apparently unhappy, and going near John. Ianto decided that yes, he was jealous, even of John petting his cat, so he carried her before she could sniff him and put her back on his laps, petting her the way he knew she liked.

"Yes," Jack shrugged again.

"So who is it then?"

"Nobody," Jack said, closing his eyes.

Ianto wondered whether Jack was thinking about him or seeing someone else. He hoped for the former but wouldn't be surprised by the latter. They had never talked about being exclusive, after all. Or even about being together.

"Oh come on, don't be a tease," John huffed. "Or you're lying just because you think that will stop me?"

"It's Ianto," Jack interrupted him as he was about to get up.

John slumped back into the couch and turned to Ianto who had frozen, his hand under Myfanwy's chin.

"Eye-candy there?" John said. "You and him?"

"Yes," Jack said. "And his name is Ianto."

"So you're shagging him?"

"We got it, John," Ianto rolled his eyes.

"Oh you talk! But he's more my style than yours," John pointed out to Jack who crossed his arms on his chest.

"I don't have a style."

"When did that happen?"

"I don't know, it just sort of... happened."

"Is he any better than me then?" John grinned. "I could think of a few things to do with both of you."

Ianto rolled his eyes again and opened his mouth to answer, but Owen put one hand on Ianto's shoulder and leaned on to pat Myfanwy on the head.

"He can hear what you're saying, and you're disgusting, Hart."

"That's John for you, sweet-arse."

"Stop calling me that way."

"I heard 'gifted hands' suited you as well..."

"You could at least pretend to be happy for them," Owen said, scratching the cat on the head and straightening.

"Well, good for you two," John muttered.

"I think they're cute," Tosh interrupted, having stopped typing at her computer to listen.

"Whatever."

"Well, you asked, John," Ianto smiled, underlining his Welsh accent on purpose.

John stared at him then at Jack.

"Are you sure you don't want another h-"

"No," Jack said, getting up. "Ianto stop teasing him, I told you your voice could do things to some people... That includes me, and him."

Ianto smiled innocently, his self-confidence kicking back in because the others seemed to be on his side.

After this conversation, John wasn't much in Ianto's flat. He kept coming at him – or anyone – when they were in the same room, but he clearly was jealous, the same way Ianto had been. Which comforted him. John was staying at Jack's brother's flat, with Jack, and Ianto had first disapproved of it, but as long as John didn't come bragging about shagging Jack, it meant they hadn't done anything. Which was Ianto's fear.

He tolerated John's presence, although he still had no idea of what he was doing in the team, and why he didn't know the existence of Gwen, the team having warned him not to mention her. So Ianto stayed silent and tried to be out when John was in his flat. It worked.

Then Ianto asked Tosh the right questions – unless it was the wrong ones – and she answered honestly.

Okay that's the end of the quick beginning ;) I hope nothing's too confusing, if so don't hesitate to ask.