11
Owen was a mess.
Jack was beside himself as he tried to deal with another member of his strange family he had let down with his lack of ability to see their pain until it was too late.
First Suzie, then Ianto, Tosh and now Owen had been flying too close to the sun. Thank the Gods for Gwen. Good solid Gwen!
Jack looked over at her as she held Owen's hand and tried to talk to him as he sat sullenly. The ice pack a poor attempt at relief for his bruised knuckles and pride. Ianto looked up from his administrations on the doctor's cut eyebrow and caught Jack's gentle smile aimed at Gwen, not him.
Ianto straightened up and opened their bond. What are you thinking?
He felt affection. Not as a lover, but as a father watching a child take their first bike ride without those silly training wheels. Ah.
Ianto was mollified, Jack was still his but he frowned softly at the thought of sharing. Even a smile.
Jack sighed and rubbed his face as he lamented the last few days. Owen had been more broken than any of them had realised. What a mess.
How could he have been so blind to Owen's pain, seeing his eagerness as a positive instead of the opportunity to cheat death that it really was.
Strangest of all, when he commented to Ianto that he had thought Owen stalked death Ianto had laughed. Not openly, mind. Not that anyone would have heard it. Just a twitch at the corner of his eye as he looked back at Jack. In that moment the humour thrummed between them like Jack had just made a joke.
Ianto had covered it well, moving away but Jack had seen and felt it just the same. He thought about asking but as he moved to ask, Ianto seemed to feel his intentions and moved out of range.
Ianto frowned as he finished dealing with Owen's injuries and headed back to his archives to ponder the day.
First he visited the Weevil that they called Janet. Her name was actually quite hard to pronounce and he had practiced it for several days before trying it. Her little giggles of mirth telling him he was nearly there as he reached for her poor face, crooning as he put antiseptic cream on the cuts.
She was quite fond of this one. Not a land crawler like the others. She had felt it the first time he had walked past her cell, then stopped and reversed. Yep, he didn't turn around, just reversed his steps. She had found that so funny.
When he had spoken, using a language she recognised she lost her humour and wept as she finally had someone who could listen. She told him of her lost child, her hopelessness and despair. He had told her of his lost home, then later he had come to her covered in blood as he shook in her arms as he told her of his lost love.
They had a strange agreement. Neither let the land crawlers know they could communicate. Their stilted talks were done quietly as he cleaned her room, his gentle hands spending a moment to hold hers as he told her of his day. Poor wee babe. So lost and alone.
She could smell the Coat on him, knew they must be mating. She worried so for this poor wee mite. Like her, he was lost and confused by this world they found themselves in.
Oh but the stories. He told wonderful stories and when he opened his mind and placed a hand over hers she saw such wonderful things. He was so nice about sharing.
Today he was sad for a different reason than normal. He was sad for her pain. She felt a stirring of her maternal instincts, she embraced him as she growled softly and he kissed her poor face.
As he left she frowned and pondered the gap toothed one. He said he was not intimidated by her but Fodneossdla knew, the women always held control over the swinging appendages. It was true of her kind and she was sure it was true of his. Poor thing, needs a good mum.
Ianto reminded himself to add a banana to Fodne's dinner as she was seeking something sweet for a change. He thought of Gwen sitting at her workstation eating chocolates and felt a stirring of anger again.
There was no real threat from that woman. He knew Jack saw everyone on the team as family and loved them accordingly. His only real fear was that the others didn't realise that.
That huge 51st Century heart, so fragile and beautiful. So many scars.
Ianto settled into his favourite chair and pondered these strange creatures.
He could see why G-Pa loved them so much. Like small children playing house. Offering each other mud pies. Ianto snorted at the thought of Gwen eating a mud pie. Maybe a shit one for her.
Well, well, well. How about that!
Ianto cocked his head as he felt jealousy.
He wondered idly if he was acclimatising or simply de-evolving.
He found himself huffing with mirth at the thought. Next he'll be scratching his arse and picking at his teeth with a toothpick while cleaning his guns.
With the laughter continuing, he wandered around the shelves placing bits and bobs in their proper places.
The hands that grabbed at him were not seen coming but there was no fear as the very essence of Jack assaulted Ianto's senses.
The kiss was tender, the fingers that rubbed at his hips were friendly and not overly demanding. Add to that the gentle smile as Jack looked at him, asking permission for another kiss. Of course Ianto obliged.
Who could say no to that pout?
Really!