Ianto Jones lay on his back staring at the familiar ceiling of his bedroom willing his body to sleep, to no avail. He drew in a deep breath, the scent of the motionless body beside him assaulting his senses. Carefully drawing himself upwards, he turned silently towards the object of his mental entrapment, propped himself up on his elbow, and settled once again. A smile flickered gently at the corners of his lips as he watched the man beside him, who laid on his back an arm behind his head, his muscles relaxed as he slept.

Ianto's mind flashed back to a few hours before. The gentle touches, caresses, strokes… The tender kisses and soft pressure of lips brushing lightly over skin. The way they held one another, as if a grip too firm would shatter the other like glass into a thousand pieces, irreparable… irreplaceable… Lost within each other as they made love without a care in the world except for the one they were with.

Ianto did not expect to find himself so wide awake on such a night, but sleep continued to evade him as the hands of his clock mercilessly ticked on.

Hesitant, not wanting to disturb him, Ianto inched his free hand forwards to rest the tips of his fingers on the man's chest, tentatively lowering his palm so it lay flat above his lovers heart to feel the soft but steady beat beneath. The only other indication that this man lived, were the light flickers of his eyelids as he dreamed and the slow rise and fall of his reclined chest. With growing confidence Ianto gently stroked across his chest, mapping out the contours of muscles and watching his fingers as they danced gracefully over the distinct curves.

As he was so wrapped up in his actions he did not notice when the captor of his attention drew closer to consciousness, finally awakening but not letting on, content to lie where he was.

Ianto continued his tender assail downwards but a sharp intake of breath from his subject caused him to look up at his face and find himself staring into wide blue eyes that expressed an indescribable fusillade of emotions. Under the pressure of this violent torrent, Ianto could not prevent the man's name escaping his lips in his sudden shocked state, "Jack." He smiled down at him, his hand, after being momentarily stilled, travelling upwards to caress his cheek.

Jack suddenly reached up and grasped Ianto's hand, pulling it round to press it against his lips, fondly kissing it, whilst never breaking eye contact. He curved his own around it, threading their fingers together and clutching it carefully, not wanting to harm him in any way.

They stared at each other for a while immersing themselves in the others uniquely coloured irises.

"You're beautiful," Jack whispered suddenly, slightly breathless. Not because he was aroused, although he would be shortly if he continued to watch Ianto like this, but because the shear beauty of the man had struck him so, that it took his breath away. It wasn't that he hadn't noticed before, he had, he saw it regularly whether they were talking, or working, making love or anything else, but it was in this moment when they were just being together that he saw it for what it was. He could see all the things he loved about Ianto from his obvious gorgeous looks, to his attention to detail and obsessive neatness.

Ianto blushed delicately at the comment, slightly shaky under Jacks gaze. "What is it you want this time?" he asked jokingly, not used to such direct flattery.

Jack chuckled and dropped his eyes to their entwined hands, releasing Ianto's to stroke down his arm, the hairs there standing to attention in the wake of his touch. "You wound me," he murmured, "to think that I compliment you just to get something, tut tut…" He smiled, showing he wasn't serious. Ianto returned the smile and shuffled closer, reaching his hand upwards to run through his lover's hair.

Jacks eyes danced with amusement as Ianto lightly played with the soft strands, twirling each through his fingers again and again as though committing each one to memory. He closed his eyes at the sensation, using his other senses to feel the Welshman. He breathed in his overpowering scent, heard his almost inaudible humming, and felt his soft skin as he reached out and circled his arms around his waist. He re-opened his eyes to find Ianto looking at him with the softest of smiles painted on his face. Tightening his grip, he gently pulled him downwards so he laid the length of his chest, their noses crushed against each other. Tilting his chin, he pressed their lips together, kissing him with a comfortable familiarity. Parting his lips, he silently asked for entrance with his tongue, which Ianto willingly granted. They continued to explore each others mouths, Ianto shuffling ever closer causing them both to groan at the friction. Breaking away for need of breath Ianto smiled but it was interrupted by a yawn. He shuffled lower down the bed so he could lay his head on Jacks chest, nuzzling into the crook of his neck. Jack rested his chin on the top of Ianto's head, gazing round the room and enjoying the comfort of a large bed and his lover safe and well, encased in his arms.

Ianto felt a sense of calm and peacefulness set in as he closed his eyes and let himself relax completely. Being in Jacks arms he felt as though he was untouchable, he could let his otherwise constant guard down and just live in the moment. He had nothing to worry about, just him and Jack, here and now, isolated from the rest of the world, in their own bubble of pure euphoria. And he knew that that was where he belonged, he had found his place in the world, and he wanted to stay there, forever.

xxx