37
The world was turning, Ianto was wide awake in the massive Dome that was mostly tundra. The grass was almost knee deep, the dog that had been paying with him now asleep in a tuft of the stuff, its madness spent. Yeah, even with the teenagers gone, the dog remained. Dedicated to Ianto and willingly given to him as all could see the poor thing broke its heart at the thought of leaving this nirvana I came to know as home.
The kids were asleep, the adults asleep bar his one who stood there drinking in the moonlight filing the space like a huge halogen lamp.
"Hey"
OK, not all other adults asleep then. Ianto turned to find Owen there, his PJ bottoms sagging and the white shirt he wore on his top half crumpled. He looked like a little boy come to say he had a bad dream, all he needed was a teddy bear hanging from one arm.
Ianto instinctively stepped forward to hug him, the action surprising the man who did not usually like affection. But this is Ianto, and such things are not only forgiven, they are accepted with the kindness with which they are offered.
"I thought Andy was on night duty" Owen mumbled into Ianto's shoulder, hugging him back and enjoying a moment where there was no one to see him be a soft tit.
"He and Rhys sort of… ah…."
"How is Gwen with all of this? I never got near to ask her about that," Owen leaned back to look at Ianto, knowing he would have approached her for reassurance instead.
"Good, fine. She is on with that sound fella who came in after the Domes opened to get her autograph. Turns out he was sending her love noted for about the last three months in here." Ianto replied.
"Fuck, you're kidding me. So… amicable" Owen said, pulling Ianto back into snuggle again as Ianto tried to hide his surprise, then hug back. Owen added "You now all the gossip and share nothing."
"Well… they both knew they were on the knifes edge with regard to their relationship when they entered the experiment, I think. This was supposed to bring them together but in fact it made them both see that they have different agendas" Ianot rubbed that knobbly spine he could feel through the cotton of the t-shirt.
"You and lover boy?"
Ianto grinned as he laid his head on Owen's and started to sway them gently "Oh… he has my heart… hook, line and sinker. Oh god yes."
"Sucker."
"And Toshiko?"
"Touche" Owen snorted and then sort of shrugged "I am gonna meet her family… god I made sure she doesn't have to meet mine. We are talking abut a spring wedding maybe."
"Well, that gives us time to plant flowers here amongst the grass, make it look like a wild prairie full of colour, maybe I can move the roses and create a little staging area. You know… we could sell this as a place for weddings. Let the tourist area outside deal with the reception and shit." Ianto considered "Jack is a real Captain. Means he can marry people as a celebrant."
"Really?" Owen pulled back and grinned, then with a flourish he spun Ianto away and they started to dance for real.
Owen was a surprisingly good ballroom dancer; despite the Electrified Squirrel Dance he usually did to modern music and Ianto was soon laughing as he let him lead.
"Oi, who do you think you are, dancing with me fella" Jack called out as he entered the dome "What is this going on, and the music sucks."
"There is no music fuckface" Owen returned with a wide grin "And who says he's exclusive?"
"I do!" Jack said firmly "Mine… allllllll mine and I will fight ya for him."
"Nah, just had a glass of milk. Can't fight on a full tum, might get indigestion" Own quipped, kissing Ianto's cheek and taking off as Jack roared and fake chased him off.
"So… you have better music to dance to sir?"
Jack stepped into the vacated space and pulled them flush to one another "Oh yeah…. You are the music of my life."
"OH god… no. Not that one."
"Ah…. My soul music sings for you?"
"A bit better… but you still need to work on that" Ianto laid his head against Jack's shoulder and they started to sway, Jack singing softly as he took over.
Moonlight Serenade was never more apt.
And they danced as one.
Into their future.
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And I shall leave this one here, I do not want to overcook it. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it.
Blessings be.