Author's Notes: Well, a bit on the short side, but then again, the prompt is a bit like that. I wanted to connect it to last chapter somehow, because there are only four chapters left after that and I wanted it all to be tied up for the last one, so I hope you enjoy it.

In case someone missed it (which I doubt), in the part where they're talking about Amy and Rory's honeymoon, I'm referencing to A Christmas Carol. Also, the chapter title is altered, because it's too long for FF net apparently.

Day Twenty-Six: Gazing Into Each Other's Eyes

When Jack woke up the next morning, it was to Ianto still sleeping. Ianto tended to spread his long limbs around when he was asleep and now was no exception – one leg was thrown over Jack's thigh, while Ianto's left hand was draped over the Captain's shoulder and the right one was hanging off the bed. He was so peaceful and relaxed that Jack didn't have the heart to move and wake him up, so he just stared at him for a while.

As far as wedding nights went, this one had been breathtaking in every way it could have been. Ianto had always been a considerate lover but last night, he had showered Jack with attention more than ever before and the Captain briefly wondered if it had been his way to make up for the mess they've found themselves into through the last few days.

Married. Jack allowed himself to think the word in the several minutes that were probably left before Ianto could wake up and laugh away and discredit the whole thing, just like the Captain was quite sure he would do. He had been all smiles and happiness while they had still been there, but by now Jack had burned himself enough times to not trust him in that department and he was ashamed to admit that he enjoyed the idea of being married to Ianto, even if the man in question didn't quite see things like that.

Jack sighed loudly and Ianto – who was usually sleeping basically with one eye open – shifted on the bed, his eyes fluttering open and the usual small, startled gasp leaving his lips.

Jack twisted around in his arms so he could look at him and smiled warmly. Jack loved these first moments after his lover woke up, because they were the only ones when Ianto's eyes were completely unshielded and honest. There was no pretence, no lie, no desire to put on two or three different masks for the first twenty minutes of his day alone. "Morning."

"Hullo," Ianto mumbled, accent thicker with sleep as he blinked several times, trying to clear his vision. When Jack kept staring at him, the memories from yesterday seemingly came back to the Time Lord and he buried his head in his pillow with a groan. "I thought it was just a dream."

Jack clicked his tongue. "That's not a way to flatter a man, you know."

"I know." Ianto smiled; it was barely noticeable and still a bit hesitant, but Jack liked to see it as a good start. "It's just... strange to think of it."

"It is," Jack agreed. The concept was still new and his mind wasn't completely used to it, but that didn't mean that he didn't want it to stick around. "Who would think? The two of us, married. I wouldn't have believed it in a million years."

"Me neither," Ianto said, shifting about a bit until he was on top of Jack and could touch their foreheads together. "I'm sorry about what I said before we got in there. It can count and it's not like it's going to change anything, right?"

"Of course it's not going to change anything," Jack said. "I just wanted to know that we're on the same page. Otherwise, we've had enough changes. And, by the way... happy birthday. I never got the chance to say it, being dragged away by the police and all that."

Even up this close, Jack could see Ianto rolling his eyes. "I just really hope that the birthdays to come won't be filled with arrests on unknown human colonies with highly questionable laws."

"You love it."

"I do," Ianto admitted and seemed to be about to say something when there was a knock on the door. He rolled off Jack and pulled the duvet up to their chest before calling out, "Come in."

"There you are," the Doctor said, closing the door behind himself. "I thought you were up already."

"We are," Jack said, popping up to his elbows. "Has something happened?" The Doctor had never came to look for them before and Jack suspected that it was out of fear from being scarred for life, so it was probably an emergency.

"What?" The Time Lord frowned. "No! No, nothing's happened. I thought I might take you somewhere you like – you know, honeymoon and all that jazz."

"Yeah," Ianto said sceptically. "I've talked to your companions one single time and I know how well that went for them."

"It was an accident!" The Doctor spluttered, indignation flooding his features. "It wasn't my fault! And yet, it's probably best to recommend you solid ground instead of spaceships or planes." He shuddered at the mere thought of it and Jack wasn't sure if it was because of whatever had happened to Amy and Rory or because the idea of Jack and Ianto on a plane scared him. "Come on, up you get! Any planet, any time you'd like! What do you think?"

"Jack?" Ianto looked sideways with him and when their eyes locked, for the first time since they'd known one another Jack saw that at least one of the masks had fallen. "What do you think?"

"Have you got something in mind?" Jack asked. Ianto's enthusiasm was contagious, even if he was trying to hide it, and he found himself looking forward to it – whatever 'it' was.

"Oh, yes," Ianto said immediately, the smile transforming into a manic grin Jack had seen so rarely. "Everything."