38

"You have to remember, he has been alone for a long time and has enjoyed his personal space" John watched Ianto lean over the walkway to look down, the sunset making him seem like he was about to fly into fire. "Love is not a simple concept for us. Soldiers like us learn to let go early on, we see something we love and we feel the loss, even as we revel in the pleasure of it there is always this little voice telling us we will lose it all soon enough."

Ianto turned to face John, his head canting as he considered and then he shrugged, "I know him and sometimes think I know all there is but then he does that fake to the left and goes for the right before I can counter."

"Solider" John shrugged, "It is our nature to destroy, especially something pleasurable. Punishment comes from within, surely I do not have to explain that to you brother."

Ianto snorted and looked back out to the incoming dark, "Think they will come tonight?"

"Three did last night, not worth waking anyone. They were curious moved on through" John stood, placing the gun on the small table set there for refreshments and such, stepping closer to Ianto, "As we must forgive ourselves, we also need to find that for others."

"Forgiveness" Ianto turned to look into John's eyes and for a moment they seemed suspended in time then Ianto blinked and John laughed softly as he stepped back.

"Shit, you do that so easily, I forget how strong you are" he rubbed at his face and took a deep breath, "I try not to flinch but man, you are like molten larva in my mind."

Sorry, that was rude" Ianto sighed softly as he looked out over the darkening grass, "I forget how strong I am. Left trapped for so long and now Jack is calling me out to play, I am finding myself getting quite animalistic thoughts."

"Understandable" John snorted, "I am not Chimera but enough Vampyre and Wilding to know that when released we are not only mighty, we are uncontrollable if allowed the room."

"Wilding, that is what I was detecting" Ianto grinned openly as he turned back to John, "What I could smell on Jack too, so long since I have had the company of fellow monsters."

John laughed now, his head lifting as he saw the playful nature of this man and how easily he must have disarmed Jack, then he glanced to the stables where Mace was walking the walkway with his rifle at his hip.

"He is a good man" Ianto nodded "Jack chose well there for you."

John spun to look at him as it all made sense, of course Jack chose Mace to stay and defend for his backbone and placed John beside him each shift for his…lack thereof. Bastard knew he would taste sweeter than candy.

"He does care for you, for all the things you have done for each other, to each other." Ianto smiled softly, "Jack told me of Gray. Also when he thinks of you does that same feeling creep into the bond. You do know that he considers you kin right?"

John nodded, swallowing thickly as he heard what he suspected.

"I've had an idea" he said after a while and Ianto hummed softly. "The tunnel is from a solid back right? The cover for one of the old wagons?"

"That's right" Ianto leaned back against the railing with no idea that he was now sex on a stick.

"In town there are several of the large travel wagons that were pulled behind teams of horses, those early ones before hovers took over. In back sections and scattered about used now like storage sheds and such." He explained as Ianto canted his head, "The fine fabric lets light in so it's like big house sized tents tight?"

Ianto nodded.

"So? Do we have enough in the coffers to go see if we can purchase a couple? They don't need to have sound wheels as we can use the stock hover to transport them, we need the tenting top only. We put one at the back door, another so we have another long tunnel … maybe a gap between the two with a small roof for shade that allows walking through from side to side … the Others will examine and see it is not a trap and the holes mean they will not tear at it to see inside. We keep the flaps open on the dull days, closed on full sun?"

"Play pen" Ianto stood upright with surprise, "You are suggesting a huge playpen outside for my waifs?"

"Yeah, even the wee Vamps can be safe in there right?" John pointed, "Huge area, means when the storms blow in we can just roll up the taps and leave the framework. Easy peasy."

"Well done Captain" Ianto shone with delight, "Make it so"

John had another project and Ianto's delight made it even more worth it.

He liked this guy.