Torchwood: Divergence
Book Two: Adferiad
Chapter 41
It was a fair amount of time before Ianto reappeared from the office, again wearing his grey field jacket over the blood red silk turtle neck and blue jeans he'd put on that morning. And no sooner had his boots touched the deck plates near the work stations, than the big cog-wheel door rolled open with the alternating tones of its warning claxon and a bright strobe of blue lights.
"Whoa," Jack called as he rose from his seat. "When did those go from Caution yellow to SUV blue?"
"This morning while you were dressing," Ianto half-smiled as they waited for their company to make it through the main door as it finished opening. "The left one blew out weeks ago, the right one went out last night when we came back with the pasties. I popped into the supply closet to see if there were replacements, but the only thing there were two of in the right size and wattage were those. I can always get more yellow later."
"Actually, I kind of like the blue," the older immortal shrugged, smiling as Gwen headed their way with a massive picnic hamper and Rhys followed with a snowsuit bundled Ebrill. "Hey, kids. How was your Holiday?"
"Brilliant," their friends grinned in unison.
Ianto immediately moved to take the obviously heavy hamper from his co-worker, and carried it up to the kitchenette for unloading. Jack waved their guests over to the couch, offered to take their coats since his partner was busy.
"How's your dad?" he asked Cooper, hoping for good news.
"On oxygen and pretty much confined to the house," she replied evenly. "But he was good about his meds and napping today, and really enjoyed having the baby there. So, it was a fantastic Christmas."
"I don't intend to have any extended stays in Hell again anytime soon," Ianto stated quietly as he appeared with a tray of steaming coffee mugs. "If you want some leave to spend more time with him, I'm sure the rest of us can handle the Rift."
"He has an appointment on the Fifth," Gwen breathed, settling her daughter on her lap. "I'll know better how to answer that when we hear what the doctors say. But I may do, yeah. I… wait… who's the tiny espresso cup for?"
"That would be for Ebrill," Ianto explained with a small smile, testing the side of the little cup with two fingers. "Warmed milk, just enough coffee for a touch of flavour, and a sprinkle of sugar. Mom used to give it to Rhi and I that way when we were bitty. She had a pathological dislike for hot cocoa."
"Bet the coffee didn't taste like this," Rhys commented, taking a drink from his own mug and sighing. "You know it's the main reason I told Gwen we should all come."
"I knew he was far too excited about the idea for it to be simple Holiday spirit," Cooper laughed, offering Ebrill to Jack when the eighteen-month-old reached for the American as his partner set out the rest of the hot drinks.
"I promised not to hang about where you work," her husband pointed out reasonably. "So, I have to get creative if I want some of Barista Boy's coffee magic, yeah?"
"I'll send a thermos home every night if you like," Torchwood's resident Guardian offered. "Plain black so she won't be tempted to drink it before it makes it to your door."
"Are you trying to steal my husband?" Gwen accused jokingly.
"Simply considering steps to prevent open warfare with Captain Cardiff, and avoid any messy kidnapping issues," Ianto smiled pleasantly, offering to take the baby so his partner could drink his coffee while it was hot. "Pure self-preservation, I swear."
"So, how was your Holiday?" Williams queried the pair, he and his spouse watching as their younger friend let Ebrill try the coffee-tinged milk.
"Pretty quiet," Jack admitted truthfully. "Single Rift alert, the result of which is still in the scan and analyse phase. Otherwise, we had a nice late start, went out and played in the snow so Ianto could stretch his wings and possibly start a religious panic, had some fun on the firing range, and now guests bearing dinner."
"'Religious panic'?" Cooper asked with wide eyes and raised brows.
"Snow angel," the young Welshman shrugged, offering the tiny cup to his goddaughter again when she reached for it with grabby hands, smirking slightly as another King Ianto's Coffee addict was born.
"Wings full spread with no footprints in the area," Harkness chuckled. "Probably will never be found out by that closed site near Cyncoed, but just the thought is worth a smile."
"And whose idea was it?" the one-time constable prodded, wondering if her suspicions were correct.
"Mine," Ianto smiled as he returned the baby to her lap. "It was that or stand on the roof of St. Joseph's with wings and a sword, and wait for afternoon Mass to let out."
"Less full-blown panic with the snow angel," the Captain put in with a chuckle.
"Told you he was just as awful as Jack," Gwen smiled at Rhys, saluting the younger immortal near by with her coffee cup. "And I'm sure you two have plans for this evening, so we won't stay long."
"Before you run for the safety of home," Ianto countered with an amused snort, reaching into the inside pocket of his jacket. "I have something for Ebrill."
He held in his right hand a small toy flying horse not much bigger than his palm, obviously hand stitched from worn brown leather with age darkened wool fleece for the mane and tail, its wings made of stuffed oil cloth.
"This is Cyfnos," the twenty-six-year-old explained as he crouched down beside the couch. "Taid Jones made him for me when I was three, shortly before he passed away. He was my night-time buddy, held every single one of my secrets and wishes safe, kept all my fears away. He's been with me the many years since then… I found him in the things from my flat a few months ago. He's a brave little pony, made from my Hen-Daid's flight jacket I was told, but I can't prove that. All I know is that he's never had a stitch come loose or the leather crack since I've had him, no matter how much hugging, crying, and spot cleaning he put up with. I face things now he's not really up to fighting, but I think he'd be very happy looking after Ebrill for me."
"Oh… Ianto…" Cooper whispered, touched but torn. "It's from your Grandad, sweetheart, you shouldn't…"
"Little Cyfnos needs someone to protect and take care of," Ianto insisted quietly, placing a kiss on the toy pony's nose before entrusting it to his goddaughter's small hands, pleased to see her eyes light up as she hugged it close. "Someone who'll love him as only a child can. His boy has grown too old, and doesn't want to be selfish and keep him on a shelf. He'd rather see him safe in the arms of your little girl. Honestly, Gwen… love Cyfnos as much as I do, I'll be happy knowing he's Eb's night-time buddy now."
"We'll be sure he's looked after proper," Rhys reassured, reaching over to pick up his daughter and her new toy to snuggle in his lap so his wife's hands were free. "Tucked by her pillow every night."
Ianto nodded and started to rise, but Gwen grabbed his hand, urged him close for a hug and breathless "thank you", and a few whispered words. He returned the embrace with a soft two-word response, then stood and reclaimed his coffee mug.
"I'm… going to go sort out the stuff you brought so you can have your hamper back," the young Welshman smiled, heading for the kitchenette once more and well aware of his partner's gaze following him.
"You like little Cyfnos, yeah?" Williams asked the baby in his lap, touching the leather pony she held tight to her chest. "He's a very special friend from your Godfather Ianto."
"Cyf!" Ebrill piped with a gap-toothed smile, not quite able to manage the full name. "My Cyf… my Frân!"
"She definitely knows he was yours," Jack observed, sure the younger immortal could hear them. "And mighty possessive of you already. I'm gonna have to keep an eye on her when she gets old enough to date. Must have been the coffee."
"Jealous?" the Archivist called from the area near the coffee machine.
"Ask me again in sixteen years," Harkness laughed, able to hear tension in his lover's voice in spite of his playful tone.
"Ask him again in twenty," Rhys insisted with a grin. "'Cause there's no way she's dating till then if I have my way."
"Do you need a hand up there, Ianto?" Cooper called helpfully.
"Nope, almost done," the Changeling replied, just a shade too quickly. "And I hate to abandon you, but I don't remember closing the ammunition room when we came up. I don't want to deal with the paperwork if the rats carry off the pre-oiled cleaning cloths again, so I'll pop down and be back once things are accounted for and secure."
The young Welshman trotted downstairs, placed the now empty hamper on the table by the couch with a smile, waved two fingers at the baby, then turned to cut across to the corridor into the bowels of the base.
"I think it's time we work Eb back into her snowsuit, so the boys can have their dinner, yeah?" Rhys suggested tactfully, well aware that Ianto was acting a little off and figuring his wife's guilty look had something to do with it. "We'll tuck the pony inside the top, and he'll be nice and warm for the ride home."
The Williams got their daughter dressed, put on their coats and prepared to leave.
"Tell Ianto I appreciate the coffee," Rhys smiled as he hefted the nappy bag. "You two enjoy your evening."
"I'll see you in the morning, Gwen," Jack stated pleasantly, not giving the woman a reason to linger or offer explanations. "Drive safe."
The family was soon out the cog-wheel door, and Harkness gave it a count of thirty before heading down after his lover. He'd missed something that had upset the twenty-six-year-old, and he was determined to fix things if he could.
TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
Welsh Bits:
Cyfnos = Twilight
Taid = Grandfather
Hen-Daid = Great Grandfather
TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
AN: Hmm… Ianto gave Ebrill a really special present, but Gwen seems to have said something to make him uncomfortable about the gesture. Hopefully the boys will still enjoy their evening anyhow.
Thank you to those reading the story. And thank you to those who have followed, favourited, and reviewed. NM