10 Day five 9.30 pm

It was late by their standards. Well … as of the last few days they seemed to want bed after dusk and it was kind of nice to have this little routine appearing.

The delegation was coming, Jack saw the first runners explode from the bushes to call that the Queen is coming. Jack was not surprised to find his lover hastily retreating from the square to stand over in amongst the horses in the corral. After considering things he nonchalantly walked over and leaned against the corral and watched as they entered the square.

The Queen was walking, spritely and energised as she had been the other day, the one following was not what Jack expected. OK. He knew he would be green but… he looked like …who was it … the dude after the Smurfs … Gargamel. Yeah, him. Jack watched him slink along and knew instantly that this was the brother.

Jack felt that creepy slimy feeling in his hair like you do when you see or hear something disgusting. No wonder other people were moving to one side like he was contagious. Jack glanced over and saw Kerrianne moving as well, her dislike clear on her face.

Right.

Transference. They don't want to share their life-force with him, even as they politely touched the queen. Like they sometimes touched Ianto, brushing their hands against him in passing. He had never thought about it, seen it so often but now he was seeing the opposite effect as the slime ball walked, his arms wide and his hands almost seeking contact.

Hmmmmm.

Jack watched the man slink towards him and then brush against his arm in passing, stall out and slowly turn to stare at Jack like he was some sort of apparition. Jack smiled and looked back at him calmly.

"You…. You do not bow?" Shamus demanded as he stepped in close and openly sniffed the air.

"Not to you" Jack replied with his calm smile still in place. "There is only one man I will ever bow to and it is not you."

"When you speak to me you refer to me as your highness" Shamus sniffed, turning as the Queen grew close enough ot hear the interaction and she opened her mouth to speak but Jack was already there.

"Then you shall refer to me as the Great Shamoo!" Jack pushed off from the fence and added "And I don't like my subjects to bow. They need to kneel. Yes. The day you take a knee and call me the Great Shamoo … that day I will bow in return Shamus."

Jack then walked away as the Queen started to laugh softly, her grandson spluttering as he looked around for some support only to find everyone evaporating like Jack just had.

Ianto stood watching from the shadows as his Grandmother shook her head and slowly headed for the royal chambers where Shamus had no quarters, his own house next door. Once he was sure his brother had gone, Ianto stepped out and walked slowly towards his own home, checking back to make sure that he was not being followed.

He entered the house to find Jack waiting, his face full of amusement "did you see?"

"Yes, Great Shamoo, I did" Ianto laughed, "You silly man."

"For you … I would be the insignificant Shamoo but … Great Shamoo sounds so much better" Jack leaned in and pouted gaining a kiss. "So … am I forgiven? Tiger?"

"Maybe… maybe" Ianto sighed, letting his head fall against Jack's shoulder "Maybe tomorrow. Tonight I just don't want to think about anything. OK?"

"OK." Jack knew he deserved that, could only hope to do better and vowed as he settled into the bed next to his …mate…. That he would do better tomorrow.

He knew he had to do better, this was not a friends with benefits kinda deal. This was a … forever thing.

Definitely.

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So ends this one. Thanks for reading so far and lets' hope the next day is not going to be too much drama. Or if there is any .. it's Ianto slamming Shamus' head into a cow