17

Jack was confidently walking the factory floor, amazed at the efficiency of the staff. Sewing machines hummed and laughter rang out as they worked, people. Not machines, real people. Their fingers nimble and each piece turned out by hand was an original. Clearly some were family, the resemblance to one another striking as they sat in their little pods, photos on their desks and a feeling of… well… happy.

Racks stood with some diligently checking the inner lining of each item against a check list, both importantly serious yet also… happy in their work. Everyone had their own job and clearly it was one they preferred, these ones with white coats on to lessen the possibility of fluff transference from the cutting floor to finished article also scanning with a little hand held device that surprised Jack.

Ianto had not been overstating things with the codes on the clothing, that was true. Each item's tag being hand sewn in had it's own ID number that registered it as both unique and expensive. A collector's item before it was even off the factory floor. A barcode that told the story from factory floor to new owner's hands… a trail.

So this is how Ianto ensured those most willing buyers at his little events, they gave themselves away with their purchasing power and habits. Clever bastard.

"Mister Harkness" someone called out happily and he found a man hurrying towards him "There you are. Come see the new silks."

Jack followed him to another room where Ianto was eagerly pulling long silk fabrics form large rolls, the colours swirling like some sort of kung fu movie's interlude section. He looked like a kid in a candy store, gleefully giggling as he looked at the colours.

"Hey good looking, Whatcha doing?" Jack asked as he was engulfed in silk for a moment while Ianto wafted past.

"Oh… look. That pale peacock blue… look at that with his eyes" Ianto said as he regarded Jack "Peacock… typical. Yes, you are those colours aren't you Mister Harkness."

"Marry me" Jack blurted out.

"Excuse me?" Ianto's face changed to one of total shock.

"Marry me. I want this… all of this madness… you. This… look at you. Like a rare birdie released from a life of captivity to finally fly free… so beautiful" Jack sighed as he pulled Ianto close.

"You're crushing my silk" Ianto said back softly as Jack felt fingers against his collar, Ianto looking deep into his eyes "If I say I want a quiet little courthouse deal? No declarations to others, no announcements… no press… no fucker's business but ours."

"Us fuckers, yes. Naked in the moonlight with tattoos instead of rings… I would still say yes" Jack replied eagerly "Ianto I want you. Not the hype, not the ceremony. You. I am… full. Full with you, my cup runneth over and all that crap… seriously. I want forever of this… finding you dancing like a nutta with silks, running across that huge lawn being chased by that mental badger that lives under the garden shed…"

"Meryl. You met Meryl? Did he bite or just do the scary faces. If it's just threats it means he likes you" Ianto gushed happily "So… we just buy rings, say yes, sign a bit of paper and you will never leave me? My bright, pretty peacock?"

"You are the rare bird, I am but a mongrel dog. I will die at your feet like the mangy cur I am… I will worship you, fetch your sippers and snarl better than Meryl does at anyone trying to get into your business. Ianto, I knew the first time we met that you were something different. I couldn't put my finger on it, now I know why it was so confusing for me at first. I never met anyone so… so… real." Jack tired to explain "I see you. All of you, the colours, the bright light glowing from you and I feel the heat, the warmth of you… I can't explain it. When I am with you I feel… more."

Ianto kissed him to silence the silliness that might evolve into a sing or something silly.

"Right then. Tomorrow, my docket is full today with these orders I have to finalize for the new silks… tomorrow you and me… Owen and Toshi as our witnesses. No one else, we just… do it. Then we go to the restaurant and we eat until we cannot even burp more room, come home and fuck like rabbits." Ianto whispered in his ear. "Let's do I like wild animals. Rutting in that moonlight you speak of."

"Without Owen and Toshi still right? I mean, I am all for a foursome but not on our wedding night" Jack said and was rewarded with the huge booming laughter that made something deep in his very soul sing along.

"Do you mean it?" Ianto was suddenly serious, those steely eyes looking into said soul.

"Yes. Always, yes. Ask me every morning, every night before we make love, ask me at noon when the traffic is bad and I am late for a meeting and flustered with your phone call to complain I forgot to put the trash out, ask me when I am on the loo… ask me…"

Too much silly talk.

Ianto kissed him.

The staff took their cue and slid quietly from the room to leave the two lovers to their embrace… clothing loss… ah… pre-consummation? Oh my.

The silks are definitely crumpled a bit now.

Actually, between you and me and the lamppost… I think some of it may be a little… dirty now.

Nice.