Jack had been standing there for several minutes, enjoying the view of Ianto bending and stretching as he trimmed the roses under the living room window. Their home was big and secluded enough that Ianto could have done the gardening naked and not be seen… but then Jack would never let him along long enough to do any work. Finally, Jack decided to interrupt and cleared this throat loudly so as not to startle his partner.

Ianto made one final cut and stood, checking his watch. "Only three and a quarter minutes? You must be getting bored of me."

"Not a chance," Jack grinned, walking over to wrap his arms around Ianto's waist. "Just wanted to let you know dinner will be in about half an hour, so you have time to get cleaned up," he said, kissing Ianto's neck.

Ianto let his head drop back, letting Jack tease all he wanted for a minute. When Jack's tongue traced his pulse point, Ianto pulled back for a proper kiss before putting his arm around Jack's waist and leading him back inside. "I'll clean up, you mind dinner."

"Alright," Jack sighed. "Beautiful evening. Dinner on the terrace?"

"Sounds nice."

Twenty minutes later, Ianto came back through the kitchen in jeans and a fresh shirt. Jack opened the back door to the terrace and stepped aside.

"Intimate table for two, sir?" Jack said, putting on that awful faux-posh accent.

"Actually, I'd rather prefer a group table by the window," Ianto teased.

"Quite sorry, sir, it's reserved for a party of 8 visiting from Shallacatop."

Ianto sighed. "Service really has gone downhill here."

"Confidentially, sir, it all started going when they let the 51st centurions in."

"They certainly do cheapen the place," Ianto smirked, pulling Jack in for a kiss. "Will I ever get tired of looking at you?" he asked, running a hand down Jack's side.

"Maybe. The look doesn't change much."

"Glad it's a good look. What's the chef's special tonight?"

"Frisee with pear and Crottin du Chavignol to start. Salmon, basil orzo, roasted asparagus, and an accompanying chardonnay. Crème brulee with fresh berries for dessert, and, of course, your sparkling dinner company."

"Well, that sounds… incredible. What's the occasion?"

Jack smiled. "Do I need a reason? Martinis to start?"

"Alright," Ianto said. No, Jack didn't need a reason and he often surprised Ianto with special little dinners, but there was definitely something a bit different tonight.

Jack was back in a moment with two martinis. "Drier than your wit, my dear," he grinned.

After dinner, Ianto got a little suspicious again when Jack took his time before coming back with two dishes of crème brulee and the kitchen torch to caramelize them. It had such a counterpoint of perfect crispness and creaminess that Ianto found himself sighing more than once through dessert.

"Bristol cream to finish?" Jack offered.

"Love to," Ianto said. He was still sure he was picking up something different, almost a nervous vibration from Jack. It reminded him of their first real date and Ianto wondered if he was forgetting some little anniversary of theirs.

Jack came back over to the table with two tiny, delicate sherry glasses. He set them down but stayed standing for a moment. "There's something else I was wondering about…."

'Ah-ha, at long last,' Ianto thought, wondering what it could be that Jack had in mind after such a build-up. Another trip to the stars, perhaps? Something 'innovative' in the bedroom (or out of it)?

Jack held something in his pocket for a moment before taking it out and kneeling down. "Will you marry me?" he asked, his voice shaking like a leaf, as he opened the box with a simple rose-gold band inside.

Ianto felt dizzy and electric all over as he started to shake too. "Yeah," he breathed, nodding frantically. "Yeah, I will. Come here!" he said, fighting off a sob as he pulled Jack into a long kiss.

"Looks like rain," Jack said, looking at the lilacs from the kitchen window and debating whether to pour himself another coffee.

"Likely steady showers throughout the day," Ianto said, joining him and stealing a kiss.

"Let's stay in today," Jack suggested. "We haven't had an excuse to spend a day cuddled up in a while."

"Well… since you've twisted my arm," Ianto winked, then headed into the living room.

About an hour after lunch Ianto suggested an afternoon nap. He and Jack curled up together on the sofa, just listening to the sound of slow rain that wasn't from Jack's wrist strap. Jack held Ianto, thinking of that dream he used to have so long ago of a rainy spring afternoon spent with someone he loved.

As he absently carded Ianto's hair, Jack's eyes fell on the photo on the mantle – the one with him in RAF dress uniform and Ianto in a black dinner suit and blazing red tie, and the most beautiful smile Jack could imagine. That was almost three years ago, and Jack had seen more of that smile in those years than he had since they'd met. There wasn't much that could humble Captain Jack Harkness the way putting that smile there could.

Of all the memories, sweet and bitter, that had come and gone in his impossible life – and all that were surely to come eons into the future – this was the one he'd do anything to keep, the memory of a dream come true.