Title: Gold in the Air of Summer
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Ianto Jones/Tenth Doctor
Fandom: Torchwood/Doctor Who
Rating: PG-13
Table: 3, 50episodes
Prompt: 23, Gold
Disclaimer: This is entirely a product of my imagination, and I make no profit from it. I do not own Ianto Jones or the Tenth Doctor. Please do not sue.

***

Ianto blinked as he sat up in bed, reaching out for the Doctor. He was surprised to find that the Time Lord wasn't at his side; when they spent time on a pleasure planet, his lover was usually curled up beside him in bed when they awoke in the morning.

But there was a first time for everything, Ianto thought with a smile. He already felt completely rested and rejuvenated, and he hoped that the Doctor felt the same. They'd needed this trip to a quiet place where they could let their worries slip away from them.

It had been a while since they'd been able to do that, Ianto reflected, throwing back the covers and getting out of bed. But with the dreams that they'd both been having, and the suspicions they had of the Master causing them, they'd needed to get away.

This wouldn't last for long, of course, Ianto told himself as he wrapped a robe around his body, tying the belt around his waist and heading out of the bedroom to the larger sitting room. But it was good to be able to put those thoughts out of his mind for a while.

Still, they were never far away, he thought with an inward sigh. The dreams hadn't plagued him for the two nights that they'd been here, but he couldn't say the same for the Doctor. The Master was apparently going after his subconscious with a vengeance.

They still weren't absolutely sure that it was the Master who was causing this, a voice piped up in the back of his mind. It could be any of the enemies that had set themselves againt the Doctor over the long centuries -- or a completely new adversary they hadn't dealt with yet.

But in his heart, Ianto knew that wasn't the case. No, this had to be the Master. No one else could possibly have been close enough to the Doctor at one time to be able to strike at the Time Lord through his dreams; no one else knew him well enough.

Well, he himself did, of course, Ianto corrected himself. And Jack did, as well. But the two of them would never do anything to hurt the Doctor; they weren't his enemies. So there was nothing for it but to believe that this was the Master's doing.

He'd tried to talk the Doctor into going to Torchwood at once, explaining to Jack and the team exactly what was happening. But for some reason, the Time Lord had held back from doing so; it was as though he didn't want to involve anyone else in their problems.

Ianto didn't know exactly why that was, but he knew that the Doctor had his reasons. They'd discussed going to Torchwood about this before, but it hadn't happened yet. He would just have to be patient and wait for the Doctor's decision.

Or would it be better for him to try and talk his lover into bringing the Torchwood team into this? Ianto held back another sigh as he emerged from the short hallway into the sitting room, his eyes still adjusting to the dim light of early morning.

He blinked once, then twice, not quite believing what he was seeing. It was a sight that had greeted his eyes before, but each time, what he was seeing took his breath away, clutching at his heart in ways that he wouldn't have thought possible.

The Doctor was standing by the window, looking out over the city they were currently visiting. The golden glow of the early morning light limned his body, turning his skin to tawny gold as the rays of the rising sun streamed in through the windows.

Ianto caught his breath, unable to look away from the vision his lover presented. He'd seen the Doctor like this before, and he'd certainly seen his lover in much more suggestive positions. But every time he saw his lover naked, the sight still transfixed him.

He'd never been in love with anyone in the way he was with the Doctor. Really, he doubted that he'd ever truly been in love before his heart and soul had bonded with this man. He belonged to the Doctor in every way possible, and he never wanted to be free of that bond.

This man was everything he'd ever wanted, both in a friend and in a lover. The two of them melded together seamlessly, as though they had always been destined to become one entity. Ianto couldn't even begin to imagine what his life would be like without the Doctor.

He didn't even want to think about that possibility; the Doctor wasn't going to regenerate during Ianto's time with him. That was yet another reason why he wanted to get to the bottom of what the Master might be plotting by invading their dreams.

Taking a step into the room, he let his gaze sweep over the Doctor's nude body, admiring the beauty that was presented to him. In Ianto's eyes, there was no sight in the universe, in any time frame, that could even begin to compare with this one.

He almost didn't want to move towards the Doctor; the golden glow that bathed the Time Lord would only last for a few moments longer, and he wanted to hold this image of his lover in his mind, imprint it in his memory to hold in his heart forever.

Just as that thought struck him, the Doctor looked up, his lips curving in a smile as he held out a hand to Ianto. The young man moved across the floor towards his lover, sliding his arms around the Doctor's waist and pulling the other man against the warmth of his body.

"I wondered where you were when I woke up and you weren't next to me," he murmured, brushing his lips across the Doctor's cheek. "Did something wake you? Not another bad dream, I hope. I know they aren't getting any better for you."

The Doctor shook his head in answer to Ianto's question, placing his hands on top of his lover's where they rested against his belly and lacing their fingers together. "No, I actually managed to get some sleep last night. I just wanted to see the sunrise."

Ianto let his eyes roam over the city that was stretched out all around them; it looked peaceful and quiet, with so much to offer anyone who came here. It was hard to believe that problems like theirs could exist in a world that looked so calm and serene.

But he was all too aware of the threat that the Master presented, not just to them, but to the world. They had to find out what that villain was up to, and stop him if they could. This was probably one of the last peaceful moments that they would have for a while.

"There's something about a summer morning when the air is golden and everything feels fresh and new, isn't there?" the Doctor said softly, his gaze focused on the rising sun. "It's so peaceful, Ianto. And it's up to us to make sure that it stays that way."

"We will, love," Ianto whispered, holding the Doctor close as he rested his cheek against the Time Lord's hair. "You've gone up against him countless times over the centuries, and you've always beaten him. You will this time, too."

"I hope so, Ianto," the Doctor said, sighing and closing his eyes. Ianto could feel the tension in his lover's body; the Doctor might give the appearance of being relaxed and letting his worries slip away, but he knew that wasn't the case. "I really, really hope so."

"So do I," he answered, his voice barely a murmur in the silence of the room. He didn't want to let any of those dark thoughts of the Master come into their time together, this brief golden time in the air of an early summer morning that he was sure was the proverbial calm before the storm.

It wouldn't be long before they had to face the Master again, he was sure. But until then, they had this all-too-brief time to lose themselves in each other and hide away from the rest of the world. And he intended to make the most of that time.

Turning the Doctor to face him, Ianto leaned forward to capture the Time Lord's lips with his. As those thin arms wound around his neck, he slid his own arms around the Doctor's waist and gave himself up to the pleasure of touching the man he loved and pushing all other thoughts out of his mind.

***