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Chapter Four
"No way, absolutely not!" Seto shook his head at the suggestion of the bachelor parties.
"Come on, it's tradition." Gwen tried to convince him.
"Read my lips; N. O. No!" He would not be budged from his decision as he stared harshly at the two grinning faces of his friends. "If the pair of you want to drink yourselves stupid and act like a couple of incompetent morons with your immature behaviour then go ahead, don't use me as an excuse to do so."
There was silence in the tourist office which the captain broke with his sigh. "Well that's Seto's mind made up, always the killjoy." He turned to the Welshman after receiving a disgusted glare from the CEO. "What about you Kisara? You up for a night out on the town?"
"I don't drink." She replied sheepishly in her male vocal cords.
"And given the circumstances, I don't think either of us would enjoy ourselves very much." Ianto added his opinion in the female tone. "Plus I'd look a little out of place tagging along as part of the stag night and vice versa for Kisara with the hen night."
"Don't you start turning into a killjoy as well!" Jack rolled his eyes at the poor body swap excuse his lover had given. "You've spent too much time with Seto, or has it got something to do will the change of hormone levels you're used to? That time of the month perhaps?"
"Oh god, I sincerely hope not!" There was a hint of panic in Ianto's exclamation as he looked over towards himself waiting for an answer. Switching bodies was one thing but having to deal with the opposite sex's hygiene routine was another.
"Well, actually…"
"Don't listen to her." Seto sneered to ease the look of discomfort felt by the friend currently portraying his lover as he spoke over the long drawn out sigh. They'd been having lots of regular sex recently as they tried for a baby so he'd be one of the first to know if Kisara was on her period or not. "Your dry sense of humour isn't so funny when it's used against you is it?"
"Look everyone, I've finished my picture!" Anathema held up the Welsh dragon she'd be colouring in her own unique design and background setting of one of her uncle's theme parks. "You like?"
"Very good Pooky, I especially like the wings."
"Thank you uncle Jack." She placed the picture back down and happily started another.
"Well then, how about a girls' night in?" Gwen ventured. "We could get some popcorn, ice cream, couple of movies, gossip, do each other's hair and make-up…"
"Can I come too?" The little girl asked. "I like ice cream."
The Welshwoman's eyes glanced at her male colleague waiting for Kisara's decision.
"Of course you can Baby."
"I'm not your 'baby' uncle Yanto!" Anathema giggled as she coloured away.
Feeling slightly startled by the child's remark at not being able to understand the situation, - why would she, she was only four almost five, - Kisara glanced at herself. The realisation that Ianto would have to carry on and pretend to be her in every way until things were back to normal was only just beginning to sink in.
There was a feminine sigh. "I suppose I'll be tagging along too then."
"You'll love it." Gwen assured. "It'll be the one time you can watch chick flicks without any complaints…"
"Excuse me, but I prefer my James Bond films, it's him who's the chick flick freak."
The captain's jaw dropped in surprise at hearing the remark which happened to be completely true but was meant to be a secret to everyone else but his lover. Calmly though he just shrugged it off and guessed it served him right for all of the times he'd ever embarrassed the Welshman with the suggestive taunts in front of others.
"And here you are claiming to be a non-romantic." Seto snickered. He wouldn't let the older man live this one down for a long time, if ever.
"That's sorted then, I'll call Rhys and tell him to disappear and leave us alone for the night." Gwen pulled out her cell phone and speed dialled her husband's number. "Hi Love, it's only me…"
"Aww, come on Seto, let me at least take you for one last drink before your big day." Jack whined and pouted.
The captain may be over two thousand years old, but he sure acted like a spoilt child at times and the far younger, - usually unyielding, - man caved. "Only one." He stated firmly. "And Mokuba will be coming along too, to make sure of that."
Shiny white teeth flashed in the happy grin. "Deal."
"… I know, why don't you go for a drink with Jack and Seto? …"
What?! Both men where horrified at hearing Gwen invite her husband to join them.
"… Seto? He's a guy I used to work with and it's the night before his wedding. Yeah, hasn't got many friends, that's why he's ended up with Jack…"
"You know there's a certain amount of honest truth to her words." Jack jested the CEO who gave him the look that warned him to quit it.
"… Oh that'll be great, I'll tell them. Yeah, I love you too, bye." Gwen hung up and placed her phone back in her jacket pocket. "Rhys says he'll join you both for a good-luck drink and he's going to bring Banana Boat along too."
"Banana Boat?" Seto's nose was wrinkled and he felt the same as the appalling look that the captain wore.
"His friend, Colin." Gwen explained and then another idea struck her. "I'll give Andy a call too, I'm sure he'd also…"
"Isn't he the guy who I met once before?" He didn't need to mention any more of the incident when he had struck the PC behind the castle grounds.
"Yeah, but Andy's the kind of guy who easily forgives." She waved Seto away as she got her phone out again and dialled her friend's number. "Hi Andy…"
This whole thing's getting out of my control!!!
Seeing the startled expression displayed on his friend's face, Ianto attempted to divert the situation away from the plans for that evening. "Let's see, what else is still left to do?"
"Not much, I don't think?" In fact Seto didn't have a clue as he wiped a hand across his exasperated face. The wedding had been set back several times now and arrangements had been made, cancelled, juggled around on so many occasions that he didn't know what was what anymore.
"I've got my dress to collect sometime later today." Kisara informed them. Thankfully the Welshman had stepped in to take charge of things, - allocating a couple of tasks to Jack and Gwen too, - after the third setback date and had ordered for her expensive designer gown to be delivered to a local bridal shop.
"We can go and pick that up now if you like?"
"Sure, let's do it." Kisara replied to herself as the two of them prepared to collect the garment.
"Can I come, can I come!" Anathema bounced around excitedly and then tightly gripped hold of the silvery haired woman's hand, leaving Ianto with very little choice but to take her with them.
"… okay bye." Gwen put her phone away once more and spoke to Seto and Jack. "Says he'll go, but you have to buy him a pint." She noticed the three who were just about ready to leave the tourist office. "I'll come along too, that way I can check with the florist and make sure they've got the bouquet all set to go too."
"See you later Darling."
Seto swiftly recoiled as he saw the Welshman approaching to kiss him on the lips. Even though he knew it was his fiancée's soul contained within the male body, and no doubt that he had hurt her feelings by preventing the affectionate gesture, he just couldn't, - wouldn't, - allow the man's lips to meet his. The thought of kissing his friend in such a way was a revolting one which would most likely scar him for life! Okay maybe that was a bit too melodramatic, but there was no way he'd ever let Ianto get that close to him again as unknowingly sharing a kiss right after the swap was traumatic enough.
His assumption about the hurt feelings had been correct as he saw sadness threatening to seep out of the pale blue eyes as Kisara silently backed away from him to join herself, Anathema and Gwen at the entrance of the tourist office. How could he have been so insensitive towards her?
"Kisara wait!" If he couldn't do it physically, then he'd make sure that she knew it verbally. Feeling terrified, he hesitated as the younger man stared back at him again. "I love you."
The silvery haired woman stared towards the captain hoping for a similar supportive announcement from his lover. None came.
"I love you too." The Welshman smiled back with wavering lips and then left with the rest of the small group as they continued to carry out the wedding based chores.
His heart felt heavy as he watched them leave and the CEO turned to converse with the captain. "It will definitely wear off in time for the ceremony, won't it?"
"Positive." Jack assured with a serious tone and sincere smile. "Now if you'll follow me into my office, I'd like to talk business."
The secret wall of the tourist office opened and the two men descended in the elevator, talking as they did so.
"Have UNIT finished now?"
Seto gave a frustrated sigh. "After many setbacks from them; yes, my 'basement' is now completely free of that huge monstrosity, and once I get back home construction work will finally be able to start." He had given some serious thought to the equally serious suggestion of creating a Domino based branch of the institution, and after thinking long and hard about aiding his friends' efforts, had agreed to lead what would soon become Torchwood Five.
It was because of the setbacks with the task force, - who had safety removed and destroyed the Cyberman conversion unit from the hidden room located below his company's main building, - which had caused him to postpone the wedding several times. Of course everything relating to the two organisations had been kept secret from his fiancée, so he had made up pathetic excuses for the delays.
"How'd Kisara take the hold-ups?"
There was another sigh, this time it was heart wrenching as he thought about the upset he had caused her. "Pretty well. I knew she'd never let on just how disappointed she actually was, so I found ways to make it up to her."
"Oh yeah?" There was that mischievous Cheshire cat smile.
"Not like that." Seto rolled his eyes at the captain's hopefulness of having his bedroom antics shared. "Well yeah that too, but you'll never hear about it." He still received a look that wanted to know what else it was he'd done to make it up to his fiancée. Again he caved far too easily with his mumble. "I took her dancing."
"You, dance?!" Jack laughed as the elevator came to rest and the doors opened for them to alight. He knew that his friend had two left feet and the image he had of the couple dancing together highly amused him. "Poor girl, you must have trodden on her toes hundreds of times."
"No, actually." The huge circular door rolled to one side and they entered the hub. "I took up dance classes to improve my skills…" He stopped as the other man's laughing increased.
"Why would you do that?"
"Give and take Jack, that's what relationships are all about." Seto spoke is words a little too curtly and his friend's hilarity dissolved. "I didn't enjoy the fact that I learnt something which is completely useless to me, - I mean when am I ever going to find myself in a situation were I'd need to Samba my way out of it? - but I did it for Kisara as a compromise for all the times she puts up with me, my company and the secrets I'm keeping from her."
The captain remained silent as they entered his office. He'd gotten the hint; he should make himself more committed to Ianto. It wasn't that he didn't want too, he just…… had to stop making excuses for himself. He gave a sigh and altered the subject of conversation while he searched through his filing cabinet. "How's Europe taking to Kaiba Corp? Did you get the two secretaries you were after for your Berlin and London branches?"
"Things are going well, and yes, Idris has settled in nicely." Seto smirked at the indirect question. Why couldn't Jack just ask straight out if he'd employed the young Welshman, whose name had been put forward by the captain saying he owed a favour to the man? "And Donna seems to be doing far better than I anticipated too." He'd chosen to look out for the woman, - who had played a vital role in saving them from the Daleks and had lost over a years worth of memories, adventures and friendships as a result of it, - by ensuring that she would have a stable job within his company. A little chuckle as his thoughts turned back to the memory of the incident when the red-head had bumped into him shortly before her interview and not knowing who he was had mouthed off in her boisterous manner. "She called me Sunshine during a slight mishap we had a few weeks back."
"You can never mention anything about the time she spent with the Doctor Seto." Jack warned looking up from his files and watched the fond reminiscing smile disappear from the CEO's face.
"I know."
Returning back to his search for the paperwork, - This cabinet's a mess, perhaps I should actually let Yantie do his job instead of seducing him all the time?- the conversation was moved onwards again. "And what about the other staff issues? Have you found any recruits yet?"
"There's me, obviously. Only me in fact." Seto leaned on the desk, picked up the piece of coral that was always on there and began to turn it over in his hands as he spoke. "As much as I'd like to keep Torchwood secret from the rest of my family, there's no denying that Becky would be an extremely useful asset to the team."
"Well ask her then. If you don't I will as I need someone like her for myself." The captain sent his friend a quick glance. "And I mean that on a strictly professional need. Even if she remained in Domino and just did her technical research over a secure network for me, - a woman like that is far too talented to … Ah, got it!" He pulled out a brown paper file and handed it to the younger man. "Here's your first case."
Seto took the file and stared down at the name printed on it: Henry Van Statten. "This wouldn't be the same guy who's the CEO of Geocomtex by any chance?"
"Bingo. Ianto said you'd heard of him."
"Like I told Yan, the guy's a complete jerk!" Seto snorted his disgust for the self-righteous, egotistical man who he had been in danger of becoming at one point in his life. "Reckons he owns the internet and that his technology is far superior to everyone else's. Ha! How many Vortex Manipulator's has he made? Answer, nil!"
"Slight change of subject since you mentioned it, but did UNIT confiscate your plans for the Hoppers?"
Following the timelord's orders, the task force had searched Kaiba Corp's entire computer systems as he did not fully trust Seto to not use the advanced technology which he was capable of reconstructing, or the captain's words that he would keep an eye on the younger man. Unfortunately for them, they had found nothing but proof that the Doctor was being untrusting and slightly paranoid about things.
"What do you take me for?!" A slight malevolent smirk accompanied the answer as a finger tapped his head. "It's all up here."
"Brilliant!" Jack grinned. He hated the fact that they were deceiving the Doctor, but the ability to instantly transport from one place to another would be extremely handy for his team and Seto's once the devices had been constructed. Of course neither of them had planned or considered using it for time travel purposes, so a little lie to the timelord wasn't going to hurt. "Okay, back on topic, first off, yes he does own the internet…"
"Don't be stupid, nobody can claim rights to owning the internet."
"Seto, what have I told you about interrupting me? Just button it and listen. We've been investigating this guy for some time now and have rights to believe that he has accumulated an impressive array of alien artefacts which we plan on confiscating. You know the rules; if it's alien it's ours. I'm pretty sure it's in the handbook somewhere…"
"Torchwood has a handbook?"
"Now you're doing it to spite me, stop it!" He saw Seto display a smug grin for having interrupting him again. "And no, Torchwood does not have a handbook. Please don't tell Ianto 'cause he'll probably sit down and write one…"
"I bet he's already started and is half way … ow!" The CEO rubbed his head where his friend had playfully struck him for yet another interruption.
By now the conversation was diverted away from its original topic and intention. The captain swung it back. "Just get your company to strike up a partnership with his and find out what you can. With any luck you'll be able to get a lot closer than we have managed with this investigation so far."
"As soon as the wedding's all over with and I'm back home, I'll get on to it ASAP." Seto nodded and casually dropped the file down on the desktop and placed the coral on it like a paperweight.
"There's no rush." Jack assured. "Don't let Torchwood take priority over your personal life."
Beep-beep-beep-beep! Seto pulled out his cell phone and frowned at the text message he'd just received which had taken almost five hours to reach him since his brother had originally sent it.
"What is it?"
"Message from Mokuba, the flight from Domino has been delayed again." The way things were going it was getting dangerously close to the plane not touching down on Welsh ground in time for the wedding. But the text itself had been sent in the early hours of the morning so it was most likely that they were actually on their way right now.
"Bet you wish that you didn't sell off your private jet now eh?"
"Not really, I needed the money from its sale to help start my own Torchwood funds as I couldn't just let a vast sum of money like that disappear from this annual's profits for my company." He was set on paying for his secret organisation out of his own pocket since he had the ability to do so.
"Speaking of money, I have a favour to ask." Jack breathed in and winced. "I was wondering if it was possible for you to loan me some? I'm not talking a huge amount, but I need to acquire it without Ianto's knowledge, and since he's in charge of all my team's funds it makes it a teensy bit hard for me to do so."
"What's it for?"
"I'll not only tell you, but show you, while we're out."
"Out? Where're we going?"
"We've got a couple of chores to do too, or don't you want a suit and rings for your wedding?"
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A/N: My original draft for this chapter had Seto actually kiss Ianto so that he wouldn't offend Kisara, but I changed it for a couple of reasons as: a) it seemed a little too weird for Seto to consider going through with it, and b) the image of them both locked in lip action with each other ........ ewww!
Torchwood Five based in Domino and lead by Seto. Who didn't see that one coming? (sarcasm intended)
Idris and Henry Van Statten can both be seen the Doctor Who episodes 'Boom Town' (Idris, who is later featured in the Torchwood novel 'Twilight Streets') and 'Dalek' (Henry Van Statten) The purpose of getting Seto involved with Geocomtex serves as knitting the two universes together that little bit more for these fics.
Lol's at the thought of Seto barhopping/pubcrawling. I liked writing those scenes :)
KG