50
Brac was not asleep.
Gwen and Rhys had tried several methods that the little enhanced man took as a game. By the time Ianto went back to the sleeping quarters to check Gwen was almost in tears while Rhys was on the verge of "tying the little shit in the bed."
"Well? You prevailed?" the child called across the room as he watched Ianto enter, easily evading Rhys's attempts to grab him.
"Yes, thank you for asking" Ianto replied then added "Rhys, do not grab a him like that please. He does not like being touched and must really like you to not have put you through a wall for it."
"Shit, I forgot. He's doing me head in" Rhys groaned.
"Why don't you both go now, I will be here tonight so I can stay with him" Ianto offered, settling in a bed that was beside the one the child was sitting on. "Hello Brac."
"Hello Ianto Pendragon Jones" the boy replied, then frowned as he plucked at the bedcovers.
"Ah, we still on that name thing? Well… I don't' see why you cannot choose another too… we usually have two to three names. A first, middle and last. Some only a first and last, no middle one. I like my middle one because it sounds mysterious. Also, it's my mother's last name so she is still with me… a bit" Ianto flopped back on the bed with a soft sigh "That shower has great water pressure. I could sleep for days."
"I can't sleep at all. My brain is going so fast, like it's stuck on a fast forward flicking through endless files of nothingness" Brac grumbled.
Ianto had never heard insomnia described like that before but found it an apt one "would you like a bedtime story then?"
"Oh yes please!" Brac lit up, leaping from the bed to Ianto's in a predatory manner, much like a cat. Ianto find it amusing as he let the boy settle next to him, both of them on their backs staring at the white painted concrete ceiling.
"Right, so the inventory included several shotguns, some sawn off naturally, and the hand grenade was…"
"Were the cartridges for the shotguns heavy duty?" the little one asked.
Ianto rolled to face him as the child rolled to greet him as well. With a soft smile Ianto proceeded to give a blow by blow debrief on the evening's fun as those blue eyes widened with each new kill added to the count.
"I would have loved to have seen the helicopter carcass" the boy said softly.
Ianto found himself removing his phone to let the boy see the photos of the playground… er… crime scene. As the boy took the phone to flick through the photos with soft gasps of excitement Ianto was again taken with how much like Jack he was.
"What is that? In the corner of the frame?"
Ianto sowed him how to enlarge the area and with a hum of happiness the boy settled to peruse some more. Ianto watching over him with a sense of pride.
Lovely boy.
Ianto understood him.
.
.
"Is he asleep" Jack asked as Ianto re-entered the meeting room.
"Yeah, clutching my phone like a security blanket. He is enthralled with the scene photos" Ianto rolled his eyes "would like to know if Uncle Owen can save him a 'slug' from one of the bodies. Little shit even did air quotes when asking."
"Awwwww, I will save a few from the chopper or the hunks of building that were thrown clear and riddled, no body involved. He doesn't need to know that" Owen agreed with a grin "He's a clever little sausage."
"He is. He will treasure those" Ianto assured the man, then turned to find Jack so close their noses brushed momentarily before Ianto moved his head back "Careful sir. You will take my breath away."
"Hoping to" Jack leered.
"Forfucksake, grab-arsing later" Archie grumbled as he thumped at one of the workstations "How do you boot this thing up dolly?"
Toshiko blinked as she turned to glare at him and then walked over as Owen turned to mouth 'Dolly?' as Ianto softly whispered "He always called her is little china doll. Still does not get the concept that she is Euro-Japanese. We gave up and realized he deliberately does it."
Owen snorted as he denuded he liked this old wretched shit. Kinda loveable, like a porcupine. He could relate.
They went over what they had, knew Piggsy was their target, like it or not and then Jack decided to involve another player that had them all gaping at him like he was nuts. Finally Ianto said calmly "Are you mad?"
"They have history, a loooong history that I do not begin to understand. Maybe… maybe she wants a piece of the pie?" Jack asked. Then glanced at Ianto "You know she likes you."
Ianto showed his annoyance, staring off into space and Jack knew that whomever was listening in to them was in deep discussions about it as Ianto listened to them. Then Ianto focused on Jack and gave a nod.
The powers that be agree.
The table concurs.
Jack grinned maniacally as he watched Archie lighting up as well, the concept of another battle something the old man clearly lived for and had missed dreadfully since his retirement.
"Archie, want in under Torchwood's Umbrella?" Jack asked a she slid over a Torchwood ID.
I swear to god, the old man almost cried as he snatched it up.
Almost.
Kingsmen don't do that sort of thing… although, he did sqwee and hug it to his chest before stopping himself.
A little.
Owen grinned back at him as he knew this would be fun.
