Ianto had been sitting in his car in front of the Davies house for over half an hour, and it was getting late. If he wanted to go in, he should do it now.
He and his sister have had an ambivalent relationship for as long as he can remember. Rhiannon had always been a daddy's girl, bold, confident, and outspoken. Ianto was the polar opposite. He preferred to remain in the background. He was still working on his confidence, and while he had a strong sense of justice, he preferred the quieter and more diplomatic route.
He shifted his gaze to the passenger seat, where he had placed the box with the Everdream Doll. It was a beautifully decorated gift box with a viewing window through which you could see the intricately designed doll.
When had he last been here? Christmas? It had to have been Christmas. It had been just Rhiannon, Johnny, the kids, and their mother. A typical Christmas day, complete with plenty of food, presents, and, most importantly, personal questions about his love life and job situation. Ianto squeezed his eyes shut. He couldn't blame them for asking. They were family, and they were worried about him. And yet, there was no way he could tell them about Torchwood and no way he would tell them about Jack. Fortunately, they were content with the cover story about his civil servant job, and they eventually accepted that he didn't have a girlfriend. It would have been inappropriate to put too much pressure on him after Lisa's death.
He sometimes wondered why he was so afraid to tell them he was dating a man. It would undoubtedly be awkward, but their entire line of questioning was also awkward. Not much of a difference there. But no, he wouldn't tell them. Mostly because he didn't know what to say. That thing with Jack, what was it anyway? His family didn't need to know whom he was shagging. Even though they had grown closer since Jack's return from his travels with the doctor, it was still such an undefined relationship that Ianto wasn't sure where it would go. He couldn't imagine Jack committing to anything serious. And as long as he didn't know himself, he wouldn't share this bit of information with his family.
There was a knock on the car window next to him. Surprised, he raised his eyes to see his sister standing on the other side. He lowered the window and looked at her.
"Are you coming in or what?" She asked, clearly annoyed. "I'm in the kitchen dishwashing and I see you parking outside. Then nothing happens for thirty bloody minutes! Don't be daft, get inside!"
With these words, she turned around and returned to the house.
Ianto stared after her. Looks like he never had the choice of simply driving away anyway. With a sigh, he grabbed the box and followed her.
Rhiannon sat him at the kitchen table and handed him a cup of freshly brewed tea. There he sat, fidgeting with the handle of his mug, waiting for her to finish the dishes. He looked around the brightly lit house. The kitchen led to a cosy living room. The floor was littered with toys, and the place was quite chaotic. Another thing they never had in common. Rhiannon was chaos reincarnated, while Ianto preferred everything tidy and in order. Secretly, he admired how she managed to keep control of the house despite the state of disarray that reigned here most of the time.
"Where are the kids?" Ianto asked to fill the silence.
"Johnny took David to football practice, and Mica is spending the afternoon with one of her friends," she explained as she slid the plates into the cabinet.
"Some alone time then," Ianto nodded.
"Happens rarely enough," his sister chuckled. "And here I am washing the dishes instead of doing something fancy like visiting friends or shopping."
She finally sat down next to him.
"But I'm glad I did because otherwise, I would have missed you showing up here."
He gave her a tight smile.
"So, how are you doing, Ianto? I haven't heard from you in ages! You really could call sometimes."
Ianto sighed inwardly. Why did he come? He despised being the centre of someone's attention like this. He wished the rift would open and swallow him. Of course, the rift wasn't that reliable, and so he was stuck answering unwanted questions.
"Work is fine. Sorry for not calling. I just forget after a long day at the office?"
Rhiannon smiled and leaned forward, ruffling his hair affectionately.
"I'm just worried that you're lonely. You've always liked being a loner, but now that... Lisa's gone... I hope you don't become too comfortable hiding from everyone. You have to start living again, you know?" she said solemnly.
Ianto smiled at her awkwardly. He wished he could tell her everything about his life. Being lonely and leading a boring life was the least of his problems.
"Don't worry about me. I'm fine," he said without elaborating further.
"So, tell me. Whom do I have to thank for your unexpected visit?" She asked curiously.
"Well... since I don't come by very often... I have this present I thought Mica might like...," Ianto began to explain, struggling to find the right words. While talking about giving away the doll, he felt a strange sense of sadness wash over him. He picked up the box he'd left next to his chair on the floor and placed it on the table.
"Wow," Rhiannon said, staring at the box. "That's... uhm..."
Ianto looked at her, puzzled. She didn't seem as pleased as he had hoped.
"What's wrong?"
His sister pushed the box away from her and folded her hands on the table. She looked at him intently and then said it bluntly, as she always did when she was dead serious.
"I don't think that's a good idea."
Ianto was not easily shaken, but this rejection hurt. He didn't even notice how the sadness lifted from his heart.
"Why? You always tell me not to forget to bring something for the kids, and you dislike it when I give them money. What's wrong with giving her a doll?"
She looked at him incredulously. "Ianto, you always claim to be so intelligent, yet you fail at the most basic rules of running a functioning family. Once you have children of your own, you'll understand better."
Ianto stared at her incomprehensibly.
Rhiannon let out a sigh. Her brother obviously needed it spelt out for him.
"First and foremost, it is not her birthday. We don't spoil our children with expensive gifts for no reason. I've seen these dolls on TV, and they are insanely expensive!"
"I've got a good price...," Ianto began to defend himself, but Rhiannon was not done.
"Doesn't matter. The other reason is David. You can't give Mica a doll but not David. There would be quarrels for days if we ignored that rule."
Ianto was startled to realise that he had forgotten about his nephew.
"I could give him some money?" Was his rather lame response.
"Not the point. Don't you get it? They are both of an age where they are envious of the other's possessions. David gets a matchbox car, so Mica wants one too. If Mica gets a colouring book, there will be much screaming until David gets the same one. Aside from that, both are currently in their dinosaur phase. I'm not sure how well received a doll would be anyway."
They would have such a blast if he could take them to the hub and show them Myfanwy, shot through Ianto's mind, but he wasn't in the mood to dwell on it. Inwardly, he cursed. It had never occurred to him that the present might not be appreciated.
"I'm sorry," he simply said, staring at the table. He wished he hadn't come even more now.
Rhiannon's face softened when she saw her brother's distressed expression. She knew how he struggled with family matters and that he tried. The last thing she wanted to do was push him further away.
She reached out to grasp his hands, but he pulled them away.
"Don't worry, Ianto. It's fine, nothing has happened. I'm not angry or anything. Just return the doll to where you bought it and request a refund. At least it was reason enough for you to drop by, and I'm really glad to see you."
"I'd better go now," Ianto mumbled as he stood up. He needed to get out of there. "Was nice to see you too."
They shared an awkward hug before he fled to the safety of his car and drove away.
Ianto slammed the door behind him as he entered his flat and tossed the box with the doll onto the armchair. He felt worn out as he removed his jacket and loosened his tie.
He could handle his teammates at work, but social contact was a chore for him. Especially when he visited Rhiannon. Ianto felt like he was being put through the wringer. He tried his best, but for some reason, he always felt like he was doing it wrong. And today, he had completely and utterly failed.
Frustrated, he opened the fridge and grabbed a bottle of beer. He took a long swig from the bottle and a deep breath to calm his nerves.
'Don't get too worked up about this, Jones,' he chided himself.
Ianto began to regret telling Jack to stay at the hub for the night. He hadn't known how long he would stay at the Davies' house, and now he faced being alone all evening.
Kicking off his shoes, he flopped on the couch. He just sat there for a while, staring at the boxed doll while sipping his beer.
"And what am I going to do with you?" His voice sounded overly loud in the silent apartment.
It still felt wrong to throw away a hundred and fifty pounds. Maybe he could donate her. He'd never tell Tosh or anyone else that Rhiannon had turned down the present. That was an embarrassment he didn't need on top of everything else.
Ianto eventually sat up and reached for the box. It was a real shame he couldn't give it to Mica. He opened the top flap and took out the doll. She even looked a bit like his niece.
Her hair was curly, and her pupils were as dark as the night. Ianto admired the delicate lines on her face, which gave her a fragile appearance. The little red lips smiled at him. She was dressed in a blue dress with a removable, maroon-coloured coat. A pair of colour-matching slippers peeked out from beneath the hem.
Even though the dolls were intended for everyday use, he was impressed by the incredible attention to detail.
As he looked at her, his fingers dug into her soft torso.
She was beautiful.
He could feel himself finally calming down, all the stress and insecurity from visiting his sister fading away.
Ianto chuckled.
The anxiety he felt around his relatives was ridiculous. He wished he could just get over it.
Unfortunately, life was not so simple.
"What do you think?" he asked the doll. "Maybe I just keep you myself."
He sat her in the armchair and tossed the box in the trash.
Ordering Chinese and watching a movie sounded like a good plan for the evening. Ianto picked up the phone to place his order.
After an uneventful evening by himself, he'd had a rough night, punctuated by nightmares of mutilated bodies and knife-wielding dolls pursuing his niece and nephew.
When the alarm clock struck six o'clock sharp, Ianto groaned and sat up. Exhausted, he ran his hand over his face. Where had these nightmares come from? Yesterday hadn't even been that exciting.
Ianto forced himself to get up and stumbled into the kitchen to make coffee. While the black gold brewed, he slipped into the shower and dressed for another day at the hub. As soon as the coffee was ready, he sat at the kitchen counter and inhaled the aroma, emanating from the steaming mug.
Lost in thought, he looked at the doll. He frowned. Something was wrong, but he couldn't pinpoint it. He locked his gaze on her for a few moments longer. Then it dawned on him; the doll seemed to be watching him. A cold shiver ran down his spine. He broke eye contact and turned away. That had been creepy.
He sipped his coffee again and suddenly felt silly. The doll wasn't creepy; he'd spent the entire evening with her, and nothing had felt off.
He looked at her again and the intensity in her eyes drew him in. Hypnotising, almost possessive. Ianto felt his chest tighten and found it difficult to breathe. He couldn't take his gaze off her as she drew him deeper and deeper into her spell.
Then his phone rang, and the momentum was lost. Ianto shook his head, reached for his phone, and picked it up.
"Hey, Ianto!" It was Jack.
"Good morning," Ianto mumbled, still dazed by the strange moment he'd just escaped.
"Since we have our bowling tournament tonight, remember how you recommended bringing our own bowling shoes?"
"Of course," Ianto wondered where this was going.
"Well, I don't have any. I also don't want to borrow used ones," Jack admitted sheepishly.
"You had a whole week to buy something!" Ianto exclaimed. Why was Jack always like this?
"Could you buy me a pair? I'm really holed up today, and... you are so much better at this anyway," Jack begged, with that tone in his voice, that Ianto could never resist.
Ianto sighed and rolled his eyes.
"Sure, I'll run some errands and get your shoes. Just don't complain when I come in later than usual," he agreed defeatedly.
"You're a lifesaver, Ianto Jones!" Jack happily whooped. "I will repay you tonight."
"The very least you can do," Ianto replied smugly.
Ianto returned his gaze to the doll after disconnecting the call. The eerie feeling had faded, but the look on her face remained unsettling. Ianto picked her up and stowed her in the cupboard. As soon as she was out of sight, he felt a lot better.
He grabbed his keys and jacket and headed out.