7
Ianto led Brian to his berth, "you can use that bed there, luckily this is a double berth. Once Jack and I are formally bonded we will share a berth and this will be yours."
"Just like that?" Brian snorted, "You left me, you come back like some…some great hero and snatch me back from the Mines Ship only to dump me here?"
"Yes" Ianto said as he anger grew, "I dumped you here. Terrible way to go."
Brian turned at the sarcasm and saw Ianto's fatigue as the man slumped onto the bed with an arm over his face. "Are you OK? Tadda Toto?"
"You can take those useless shades off ya know. We have now allowed shade-less interaction" Ianto replied as he let his arm fall back and looked up at the ceiling, "By this time tomorrow the entire vessel with have red and green lights. Change. There are clothes in that bag from Idris. I am going next door to speak with your aunt. Don't piss me off and the other door is locked so don't think you can take off on me. It's a prison remember?"
Brian sat on his bed as he watched Ianto storm next door, things finally setting in.
Were they free?
Rhiannon turned as Ianto entered and she motioned to the table where the roses were on display in the large green glass decanter she had hidden in her things for years. Finally, it was on display. Ianto grunted and in a moment of madness walked over and pulled a bright gold ribbon from his pocket to tie around the vase as Rhiannon gasped with glee.
"Oh Ianto, where did you get that?"
"Lisa" Ianto said softly, "She says hello. She sent ribbons for Mimi and some handkerchiefs for David. Also…this is for you."
He removed a scarf of soft silk, pinks and burgundy swirls with gold thread.
Rhiannon was afraid to touch it, even loking at it felt so…naughty.
"Oh dear Goddess" she sighed as she looked at the most exquisite thing she had ever seen, "The pale one. What is that called? Like a newborn child before the skin cools."
"Pink" Ianto smiled, "Roses come in that colour as well. Lisa sent cuttings that hopefully will grow for you. This time next year there might be roses this colour on your table."
"Oh my goddess, it looks so … quaint" she gushed, finally reaching out to accept the scarf and now she felt the silk with a gasp.
"If you will excuse me, I need to visit Toshiko and Owen, I have things for Owen's clinic" Ianto kissed her cheek, "Me and Brian will be here for the evening meal. We are looking forward to it."
"Well you may be, I remember that boy and he looks even more subversive than when a small boy clinging to you." She snorted.
Ianto went back to his berth and found Brian standing with a look of confusion as he looked at the clothes in the bag, all sold colours with subversive tones.
"Get hanged, I will be back in half an hour to take you through to see your aunt and cousins. You had better be polite and calm. If you piss me off I will bloody take your head off, understand? You have put me on the spot with your foolishness. At a time when I am trying to ensure the safety of my sister and her children, here I am yet again putting you first."
"Yes sir" Brian said softly, then he turned and looked at him, "Are we safe?"
"Yes" Ianto said as he picked up a parcel and walked off.
He walked to Tosh and Owen's, rapping to get access then walking into their outer room to wait for them. Owen was first out, his face flushed as he rushed over, "You OK? I hear things took a detour."
"Yeah, my adopted son and two other youths. All sixteen or seventeen … at the age of subversiveness. I do not know what I am doing here, he turned from me about four years ago, told me I was not his father and I had no right to shade him." Ianto sighed "Now I have to save his ungrateful arse."
"Typical teenager then" Owen snorted, then Tosh came out, the wall moving to show the little Japanese room they lived in. He smiled and offered her the parcel.
"I bring a gift for the yougling" he said softly, "I hope you do not find it too presumptive."
Tosh looked at him with surprise then smiled, "We have not announced yet, want to be out of the Sol3 limits so I do not have to take part in their testing."
"We are exempt. Today the Torchwood was given to me and Jack and marked as a separated nation" Ianto smiled as he reassured her, "We are no longer subversive. That word no longer applies on board this boat."
Tosh opened the parcel and gasped as an antique Japanese kimono peeked from the paper, her hands shaking as she folded it back to look at the brilliant blues and greens, the golden dragons in the fabric almost alive.
"Loving Goddess" Tosh sighed as she stroked the forbidden contraband.
"When you are heavily with child you will walk to the Galley in that! I will give you my chair for comfort and everyone will gush and be jealous at such open beauty" Ianto said as she held the robe with wide eyes.
"We are family" Ianto said softly, "We will endure. The Torchwood is our home. Our planet now. We are a new people, we are the people of Torchwood. A new race."
Toshiko held the fabric to her face as Owen swung back to look at him.
"Well?" he demanded with open cheekiness, "Where's my bloody gift?"
