14
Bathroom week.
Of course it was and Ianto was in it deep, standing in the middle of the showroom floor holding the large plain white tiles in his hands as he looked around with a look of complete disinterest.
Carl was watching him from the side, taking in the pretty little tiles in a hexagon shape he was being shown as Ianto again looked at the larger plain white tile in his head. He sighed. Carl motioned Helen to over and she nodded as she slid around the counter to approach the man "You Ok pet?"
"I just… I just don't feel it today" Ianto admitted "I mean… look at these. So boring but… at the same time I want the bath to be the hero piece so… maybe plain white is the way to go"
"And if you didn't have the bath?" she asked. "I take it Jack chose it?"
"Yeah… HIS bath. If I chose? Well… plain white tiles with maybe the back wall a soft water blue… give the impression of a waterfall or something but… Jack is right. The bath is the hero piece. Only one in the country… it is a pretty bath and with brass fittings… white and clean is the way to go." Ianto shrugged.
She rushed back to her husband who looked at their tiles again, then turned to the salesperson "Do you have these in blue as well?"
.
.
The bathroom looked as stark and barren as they knew it would, both men standing back to look at the white as snow walls… ceiling… floor… space for the bath still covered in the other room… the only colour was the fittings. Brass. Not even polished brass… scuffed matte brass. Others had come and gone, peeking in and commenting as Ianto gave the air of defeat.
"He went for it…they are doing the blue on two of the walls" their builder said softly as he finished the final piece of grout near the doorframe.
"Oh god no… seriously? I said one wall… two?" Ianto gasped with horror.
"Yep. They didn't even go for a nice powered blue… a bright one… like a fucking M&M blue" their builder started to laugh as they envisaged the room with two walls so vivid.
"Dickhead. Right… we are all done here?" Ianto focused again.
"Yeah… you can carry the bath in any time you want… it's all good to go and the far wall that will back the bathtub is dry and ready to paint. Wish I could see you do it… I can't wait to see how is comes out" their builder patted his shoulder. "Good thing you can do plumbing mate."
"Thanks Cory. You have a good night. I will send you a picture of it when it's done" Jack said happily "Get some sleep… someone should have some… me and Ianto will be going for it in mental mode. Hon? Got the playlist sorted?"
"Yes Darls."
Jack blinked, then started to snigger "Sorry Tiger. Getting too into character, am I?"
"Just remember… each time you use one of those sugary pet names for me…you lose another minute off a blow job at a time of my choosing."
"Ouch!" Jack clutched at his chest as everyone roared with mirth, then they simply filtered away to leave Ianto and Jack in the huge, empty room. "Right. Bathtub?"
"No… paint first… I will never get the ladder in behind the tub. Paint… tub in… then the finishing touches" Ianto said softly.
Soon Ianto was up the ladder painting again, this time the ethereal picture one of a jungle, the huge palm leaves bright and shiny, the baby animals peeking around them so cute too. The bathroom slowly started to change into a children's safari paradise as the bathroom that would be between the two bedrooms they were going to make Children's rooms.
"Wow" Jack said after a couple of hours of watching "Tiger… that is so cool. Is that the luminous paint?"
"Yeah… turn the lights off and let's see" Ianto replied. Jack turned off the lights and the wall changed, the night scene turning the little tiger into a panther with bright shingling eyes as it creeps from the shadows…. The moon appearing from nowhere… the soft dew on the leaves in the daytime scene now shining with moonlight in the dark. It was fantastic.
"Ianto... I love this so much." Jack sighed as he turned the lights back on. "Wish you would do it for our boys… I know… you never do the same scene twice. This is… perfect. You know… I am starting to love this bloody house."
"Come on… while the top coat is drying we can get the bath tub in." Ianto said as he finished with the final spray of lacquer. He loved it too. Was gonna hurt like hell to give it away.
The bathtub.
It was definitely the only one like it. It had been Ianto's Mum's after all… custom made for her safari phase … and when she had redecorated it had been dragged out to be claimed by her son and put in his lock up for a few years… now here it was in all its glory.
The huge claw footed bathtub was perfect, the feet of the tub big lion paws. The sides of the bathtub painted by his Da to resemble a lily pond. Ianto was a handy man ya know, hooking up the plumbing without a second thought as his beloved retreated to get the other things to dress the room.
The potted plants, including a palm tree that was almost to the ceiling… the room more jungle than ever. The bath tub sunk into the foliage like a pond. The leopard print towels, the soap shaped like little bananas and the dish a leaf… the entire thing was so damned cute. Any child would scream for it.
Theirs would.
"God… I love it" Jack sighed happily as he cuddled his husband from behind, the smell of paint in his hair unable to hide that sweet sandalwood scent he wore.
"Me too. I think… I think we are done. In the morning I will do any touch-ups we might need but… nah… lets get a few hours sleep" Ianto agreed as he patted his beloved's arms.
Tick this one off as done!
.
.
They stood impassively as the judges made their rounds, commenting and laughing…. ooing and ahhhing… then came to Carl's … ah.. thing. Silence. The judges stood in complete silence as they looked at the blue and white room, then one said softly "Riiiiiiight. Oh god."
Then they walked across to Ianto and Jack's and the scream could be heard from outside, Ianto flinching as he glanced nervously at Jack. The female judge was running from the house, her hands flapping as she headed straight for Ianto and Jack "Oh my god… oh my god… oh my god…."
She reached them and launched herself "Oh god... tell me you do commissions? Please… tell me… you can do mine right? Please? Oh god! I want a wall of roses… oh god… sorry. Oh… sorry. That was… no cool. Sorry."
Ianto laughed as he let her hug him and he said softly "An old English rose bouquet that covers an entire wall? Some baby's breath… maybe a lady bug here and there?"
"Oh yes" she laughed as she hugged him.
He softly whispered so the mics could not pick it up "Gonna do an old overgrown garden in the master so you will see that first… maybe … we can talk."
He drew back and winked as she laughed happily, her hands clapping before she then took a breath and walked serenely back inside their house.
Carl swung to gape at Ianto.
"Wow" Ianto sad to no one in particular "Me first commission."
Jack just beamed with pride.
