I. Wake Up Call
The mobile rang shrilly, interrupting what had been a rather pleasant dream that for once did not involve chasing a single slobbering Weevil, losing the keys to archives down the gullet of a Morlox, or being forced to watch a marathon of East Enders by his sister.
That last was often the worst nightmare of all.
Ianto Jones grabbed the offending piece of technology, slapped it off, and tossed it into a nearby basket of laundry, scoring a perfect shot even with his eyes half shut. The sound of soft laughter from beside him forced him glare at the source over his shoulder and express his deep irritation with an inelegant grunt.
"You're really not a morning person these days, are you?" asked Jack, grinning down from where he was propped up on his elbow.
Ianto answered with the most acerbic eye roll he could muster and turned his back on Jack, pulling as much of the duvet with him as possible in a rather immature attempt at retribution for the gentle mocking.
"I am not a morning person when the morning starts before sunrise," he muttered, his morning voice low and hoarse. "I am not a morning person when it starts before sunrise on a Sunday. And I am not a morning person when it starts before sunrise on a Sunday in the middle of the coldest snap of weather that Cardiff has seen in ten years."
Ianto closed his eyes and started to drift back to sleep, ignoring the continued laughter from behind him.
"So you don't want to get up, then?" asked Jack.
"Not. One. Bit."
Blissful silence. Then:
"What was the call?"
"No idea."
"I should probably check, you know."
"Don't bother."
"What if it's important?"
"Don't care."
"Could be the end of the world."
"Still don't care. In fact, I'm declaring a snow day instead. The world can end tomorrow."
There was a light snort, and Ianto could picture Jack shaking his head.
"Torchwood doesn't get snow days, especially if the world is ending."
Ianto burrowed deeper under the covers, pulling them over his head in a futile attempt to drown out everything keeping him awake, only to find that Jack had followed him underneath, grinning in the dark, white teeth flashing like the Cheshire cat. Ianto rolled over onto his back and scowled up at his duvet stalker.
"Then as Torchwood's best and only administrator, I hereby declare it too cold and snowy for the masses to get to work. Hence, a snow day."
"Since when is it the administrator's job to declare a snow day and cancel work?" Jack asked, his voice low and teasing as he moved closer under the duvet and wrapped an arm around Ianto's chest. Ianto had to admit that the extra bit of warmth was nice.
"Since the administrator's boss wakes up far too early and far too cheerful for a normal human being on cold, snowy Sunday mornings. And since the administrator needs his sleep because his boss works him too long and too hard."
Warm hands moved down his chest and along his hips, pulling him flush against said boss. "We weren't out that late."
"We were running down aliens until midnight. For the third night in a row."
"It was exciting."
"It was cold and wet and miserable, and my shoulder is still in knots."
"Don't try to tackle a Kukusi in the field, then; their shells are hard as ice."
As much as Ianto wanted to simply stick out his tongue and roll over, he settled for a far more mature response. "Sod off and let me sleep, Jack."
"Besides, I thought I rubbed all that out," continued Jack, ignoring him. "Your shoulder, that is."
"You did. Which kept us up even later, and now it's five o'clock in the morning, and I just want to sleep."
Jack smiled against his neck. "Oh, but it was worth it, wasn't it? Not the aliens—staying up just a bit later to get warm and relaxed?"
Ianto couldn't help but smile at the memory, then forced a frown he knew Jack probably couldn't see but still feel. "Yes, well, it'd be even more worth it if I could sleep in to recover for once."
Without warning Jack pounced, climbing on top of him and kissing his forehead, his nose, his neck, and finally his lips. Sometimes the man was positively soppy with his displays of affection, particularly when they were out of the hub and in the so-called real world, which mostly consisted of Ianto's flat and an occasional restaurant or cinema. Ianto almost felt like whatever they were doing together was a bit more real at those times.
Then again, it was possible Jack was just hoping for shower sex at five o'clock in the morning.
"We need a break, Jack. I need a break." Jack pulled back and nodded, running a finger down Ianto's cheek and over the stubble of his chin, then along his neck and down his chest. Ianto ignored it, too tired to acknowledge the trail of warmth Jack's touch always left. "Can't we invent a snow day for today? I'll add it to the official handbook."
"We have a handbook?" Jack asked in mock surprise.
"I'll start compiling one tomorrow, and the first thing will be policy 1-A, Snow Days in Cardiff, Wales."
"A handbook's not a bad idea," Jack said, nodding thoughtfully.
"Get off me, Jack," said Ianto. "I'm going back to sleep."
Jack sighed, leaned forward and kissed him soundly once more, and then climbed out of bed. Ianto moved back up to his pillow and peered through the duvet at him. "What are you doing?"
"Getting up. Checking my phone. Making you pancakes. Shagging you senseless with syrup on your lips." He pulled on pyjama bottoms and one of Ianto's jumpers, proof of just how cold it really was when he usually walked around in boxers and an old tee shirt. "In that order, assuming the world isn't ending."
At that moment, Ianto's mobile went off in the other room, and Ianto groaned as he pulled the duvet over his head again. "It's definitely ending."
Jack grinned. "Still time for the syrup, though."
Author's Note:
I had a snow day today. This is what I did. There is more, so enjoy.
