12
Ianto was not sure if he wanted to open or read his mail as he sat staring at the envelope with something akin to someone in the Harry Potter movies not wanting a Howler.
The mail came once a week… a week late. This was part of the idea behind them being isolated. Any outgoing mail was also kept a week before posting on to families. It was a stupid idea, another one Ianto argued against but lost to. Even in space, the delay in transmissions is mere minutes, not fucking days.
Ianto turned the envelope over in his hands again, looking at the childish scribbling on it that his niece must have done so it looked pretty for him. Mica did things like that. She worried about everyone like a little mama. Ianto could not help but smile a little at that.
"Hey! You got one?" Jack plonked himself into the chair next to Ianto and snatched the envelope from Ianto's fingers "I was starting to think no one even liked you."
"Lovely" Ianto said dryly as he looked or at the bag full of letters Jack was yet to open from admirers. Secretly he hoped there as one from his daughter in there his time, little Alice something Jack spoke of honestly, with a look on his face that was pure affection. Unfortunately the ex-wife was a bitch who probably would not allow the letters through. Mind you, Jack had stated this worry a week ago so she might have been forced to so it was not shown to be true. They all had no idea what media was saying out there but he knew she was likely being browbeaten.
Ianto retrieved his letter and moved to a quiet space where after a cleansing breath, he opened it.
He read the complaints about the electric bill, the kids needing new shoes… the usual open demands for money from her brother for things her own fat fuck of a husband could not provide. He sighed as he leaned back, letting his mind drift.
"So, was it a good one?" Owen asked as he watched Ianto, the sarcasm not lost as he knew Rhiannon well.
"Hmmmmm."
Ianto rose and headed for his room where he wrote a gentle letter to her, asking her to be a good sister and another one was written to his lawyer to release some funds to her. He placed them in their envelopes and then walked to the main room where he dropped them in the outgoing basket with the others.
She would be fine, she would be a good girl like he knew she was and he did not think of it again.
The drawings from David and Mica that had been folded up with the letter went on his wall. A little splash of bright loving colour in a concrete bunker under the facility.
Like a panic room.
.
.
"So, when did you first realize you had the aptitude for this job?" Mort was trying to sound good as he stood with his last remaining jacket that did not looked like even a drycleaners could not fix it, the shorts beneath it carefully not shown on camera.
"Donna, why is he wearing shorts?" Ianto asked.
"All his suits are buggered. He has to wear another one each day, he had three with him luckily but this is his last jacket." She grimaced "better than most, some only had what they were standing in."
"But I showed everyone the apparel room" Ianto frowned.
"The Wardrobe Room, yeah but he will not wear the same as everyone else. He thinks…" she looked around furtively before she hissed "he thinks he looks fat in trackies."
"But he is fat" Ianto said, then burst out laughing with her, making the Great Morten Hester glance over at them.
"Oh damn… I didn't want to but… I do have a portable hand steamer" Ianto finally sighed "do NOT tell the others but… I can lend it to you to steam clean his feckin clothes. If it makes him happy to be the Emperor in his New Clothes, go for it. He will just stand out for being pompous."
"Oh my god, you are a legend" she squealed, throwing her arms around him and Jack seemed to materialize out of nowhere like her squeal was a summons.
"Are you feeling up me fella?"
Both of them stared at him, then Ianto asked softly "YOUR fella?"
"Well… I was not intending to piss on your leg but… I could lick you I guess? Would that make you mine?" Jack asked like it was a serious question "Or… maybe … I can make a public declaration of lust?"
"Stop it" Ianto scolded, feeling his blush forming.
"God, you never know when this one is being serious but I can see him licking your face or something" Dona laughed.
"God, don't egg him on!" Ianto scolded with a giggle, and then he smiled softly at Jack before moving away.
Donna watched Ianto stop to talk to the teenagers and she turned to Jack "he's a bit skitterish."
"Like a horse scared of a backfiring car… I know. But he is such a lovely quest" Jack answered.
"A quest? Like a damsel in distress? I don't think so" Donna snorted "He's more like the dragon about to flame you in your knight's armour, mate. Gobble you up like crab meat in a hard yet crackable shell!"
Jack grinned as he agreed that Ianto was more fiery than most gave him credit for. Underneath that calm suited exterior… That man was a bloody goer.
But Jack would like to be eaten by him any day.