13

The elders were sitting around the circle, all talking when Sparrow approached, puling at his grandmother's sleeve "Memaw?"

"What child?"

"I gave him the box. He was nice and said I could come visit anytime. Rain had a cross on her grave and flowers too. Right there by the trees. Rhaeadr is so cute." Sparrow gushed "he is so tiny. Did you know Ianto calls him Rye for short? Like our whiskey?"

"That's nice boy. Does he had whiskey coloured hair? Or eyes maybe like his mama? Rain had lovely liquid honey eyes" another old woman called over.

"No, his hair is all white like the rest of him. He's an angel fallen from a cloud and it touched by the gods on the way down. He will always be white. Like the Stag. He is blessed" Sparrow said happily "and his eyes are the colour of the water in the spring. Rhaeadr. It means waterfall."

They stared at him, mute with confusion as he then reached into his pocket "Look. I got a picture of him from Ianto. See? He is loking at us. See? He is an old soul with a frown at our silliness. That's what Ianto says. Rhaeadr has walked this dirt before."

They all took turns staring at the face they all knew, those eyes they all knew and then passed it back with looks of horror.

Yes.

It was the old Brennan they had buried not 12 months past.

.

.

.

.

"Jack? What are you doing?" Ianto asked as he entered the bedroom to find it covered … literally… in flower petals.

"Well … I couldn't decide on a hat" Jack said as he swung around the doorframe for the bathroom and seductively posed himself for Ianto, naked as a jay bird with nothing but a flower pot stuck on his head. "What do you think? Too… terracotta?"

"Jack?" Ianto huffed as he saw the mess all over the floor that would take sooo long to clean up "what the hell?"

"Well … you said a flower pot .. what sort?" Jack asked with wide eye and Ianto felt that dropping of his gut as he finally remembered the quip he had made and he stood waiting as Jack approached… with a terracotta pot on his head and not much else.

"Jack!"

Jack knelt and reached dup for Ianto, hooking his trouser pockets and puling him close so he was practically able to nuzzle his crotch "Ianto. I love you. Love the bones of you … love the shadow you cast and the warmth you fill my life with. Our kids, our home… you. I love you. All that I am is because you push, mould and encourage me. All the while standing there in the shade"

"Jack" Ianto sighed softly, his smile dopey as he reached out to place a finger in the hole on the bottom of the pot, lifting it off his sully bugger's head.

Jack rose to face him "Marry me. Out there, in that rotunda. Stand there and marry me in the shade of that building I got for you. For us. And now … for Rye. Marry me. Make me an honest man. Make me a better man, I know I need never change anything about you as you are exactly what my heart needs to beat."

"Oh Twpsyn" Ianto sobbed as he reached out with the hand not holding the pot, strumming Jack's cheek as he leaned in and kissed him. "Yes."

Jack whooped, throwing his arms up and catching the pot on Ianto's good hand, making it fly through the air and hit the wall with a dull thud that had Ianto laughing as Jack grimaced.

"Hey!" Jack pointed "It didn't break!"

"Well, what goes up must go down but I guess but sometimes it does hold true" Ianto shrugged "Good luck?"

"Yeah!" Jack seized Ianto's' face and kissed him passionately "Great luck! Want the ring?"

"Ring?"

Jack grinned and looked down, Ianto following his gaze and finally seeing the ribbion around Jack's dick and the ring nestled against his ball sack.

Ianto couldn't speak for the laughter screaming from him, doubled over as he shook his head "I guess….i guess….you….do you…. Is it greased?"

"Greased?" Jack blinked, then grinned "Oh. You mean … is it a bow that releases or do you have to … suck the ribbon off? Might be knotted soooooo many times the only way to get it off is with some lube!"

"Wicked man" Ianto shoved Jack back on the bed and kissed him as he reached for the bedside table "I will have to cut to off with my scissors!"

Jack yodelled and wrestled as Ianto pretended to try and get a grip, their laughter filing the house as downstairs Gray and the kids paused their game of snakes and ladders.

The kids shared a grin as Gray sat back and smiled, knowing what was happening up there. Rye snuffled in the bassinette and Gray leaned over to watch the tiny tot's mouth move in a tiny pout then settle once more as he let sleep pull him back under.

"You know … I think we can call the pizza place and order some pizza for later on, then when Jack and Ianto are finished playing up there we can go pick it up while they have Rye" Gray said and head a dull thud of Ianto's shoe hitting the floor as it was thrown back over Jack's shoulder.

"Tell them … an hour" Gray grinned.