2
Ianto was walking around the mall pushing his son without much thought process, thinking a food court might be good around about now. He adjusted the shopping bags attached to the handle of the huge pram Owen had found online for the 'sweetling' that was so damned spoilt he now had a ride that could fit two…maybe three children inside. He looked down and smiled as he saw said stink had fallen asleep, curled up in the seat with his hands under his head, innocent and angelic.
Little devil.
Ianto saw some tables and chairs, settling the pram out of the way then quickly got some food and a soda for himself, Wick's sippy cap underneath in the tray of the monstrosity still full and ready for an eager toddler.
"Oh, how adorable" a voice purred and Ianto felt his hackles rise on the back of his neck, careful to remain seated and smile like he did not recognise a Were so close.
"Thank you. He is when asleep, when awake a heathen scummer as are most this age." Ianto replied calmly.
"Mine only sleeps in the car" she gestured to her own toddler, straining on the straps of his pushchair and Ianto reached out, placing a little snap on toy from the bottom tray of the carriage to this one, her surprise evident as she watched him gift her pup something that instantly stilled the tantrum.
"Wick used to as well, until I realised it was boredom that makes them twitchy. Seems your little one has an eye to him, maybe all the mixes to auras confuse him? Taking his eye off those around him to refocus in an object he can touch and control helps. Kelpie are not so different, our young can find it hard to find human auras unintimidating. They eat such crap, their bodies give off such sharp colours" he replied as the little one cooed and fingered the little toy that made a noise to his delight "But do not worry. That is the sign of an Alpha, to already see the colours of people. Rare, in our kind too. You should be proud, your son will be a pack leader one day."
"Thank you" she said happily "I am Ruby Nethergood."
"And I am Ianto Harkness-Jones" Ianto repeid.
She passed "Ianto…Icarus? …Jones…."
"Mated to a fellow man, we agreed to join our names. I am Harkness-Jones now" he corrected gently "But yes. I am that one. The Elemental one. It's OK. I do not seek fear or vengeance for past arguments between our kinds. I do not see merit in holding a grudge when we all lost so much in the wars. Some of my loyal friends and security are Were. I do not hold with this modern crap where we are enemies. Were we not once cousins?"
"My mate and I feel this also, but it is a discomfort to speak of such things in the presence of our pack leaders" she took a seat without thinking about it "There is another pack leaning to this way of thinking but it is not taking any new members, stretched. We are waiting for gap in the pack to emerge into it. If not for the lack of space we might have splintered into a secondary 'alternative' group but the room for our kind is limited."
"A new dawn. A new age" Ianto nodded "Kelpie are stronger now, renewing and showing themselves. I know it causes discomfort in your packs, but is it not the Kelpie way to incite or seek war. We only answer a call. I have hopes that this peace will linger."
"There is to be a meeting of the Heads of Pack. A summit to talk about this thing, this thought of peace. I think it will come to a vote. If we vote for peace, there will have to be some sort to truce worked out and agreements" she sighed. "My mate is wary of this, he knows he will be a likely emissary as he is a good negotiator, but he fears your kind with a passion. As do we all now you are showing teeth we thought only legend."
"I would welcome peace talks on hallowed ground" Ianto said as he considered things, reachings into his pocket and removing his wallet, taking out a Torchwood Card and handing it to her "My email and phone numbers. I will be willing to come with representatives to a meeting with a promise of truce. A treaty negotiation of sorts."
She stared at the card with surprise "Torchwood?"
"Yes. Not that London lot with their death wish for us all. The Cardiff branch, we are the ones who saved that pack swept away in the flood last June. They were Reds, were they not? My mate is the one who gave them another vehicle to get their pups home. The Harkness of myself."
She took the card and slipped it into her purse "Thank you Mister…."
"Ianto. I am merely Ianto. Title is only for those who need it" he smiled as he watched Wick waking, sitting up to look at the baby and light up.
"BUBBA!" He reached out to touch and croon, the little one gleeful to see another baby and the two babbled at one another with delight.
Too young to know they were different.
Yong enough to still know they were not different at all.
We all spark and flame.
Embers of the Gods.