Chapter Text
"Wanna see my ship?"
Ianto looked up from the paperwork on his desk with surprise, not having heard Jack entering the office "Excuse me?"
"I know you have Betty, but you've not been on my Janet, right?" Jack sat on the edge of the desk "So? She's Chula ya know. Old. Decrepit. Very moody."
"Sounds charming" Ianto sat back and grinned "go on."
"Well, she is now three months old, a rise into outer atmo will not hurt her ears. The school is having a camp thing in the bunkers. They think if the kids spend time in them, they will be less scared next time we have to use them. Just the fact we that have to plan for a next time is a little worrying but, they are right. Learning where everything is and what to do down there might make it less scary so… it will just be us and the sprog for the next few days." Jack explained.
"Oh, thank god they didn't ask for parent help" Ianto sighed.
"They did. So many offered that they could pick and choose. Of course, they went for nurturers and calmers. Makes sense. So… you wanna?"
Ianto considered and then nodded, making Jack punch the air and then cover up his excitement by pulling up his pants. Like he needed to. Man had suspenders AND a belt.
Ianto thought about it and thought it might be a nice change. Out of the house, both of them in the Black. Hell, some sexy time may be ahead.
Ianto went to look at his wardrobe.
.
.
She was like a big fat bug in space, just sitting there like … well… a slug.
"Don't be fooled, she goes like stink" Jack defended her even as Ianto shielded his thoughts, and he smiled seeing that there was genuine affection for the ship.
"How many souls can she hold?"
"She is OK with one pilot, but I have had ten souls inside her… not recommended. The farting alone… well… best for two or three. Like, a small family planet hopping." Jack said happily "She was an ambulance that has been decommissioned so she has two sleeping bays as well as the patient quarters which I turned into the galley."
The small shuttle clipped onto the arse of the slug… stop it… ship and the two blasters either side would clearly miss hitting the shuttle during movement. IT was actually cleverly made. Jack made a thing of carrying the bub through the airlock onto the vessel like he was presenting her to family and Ianto knew his was a big deal for him, so he stood back as Jack gushed showing the baby all the blinking lights.
Soon Ianto had the baby food put away since the replicator did not have any in its menu, plus a bottle made and being shook gently as Jack settled in the pilot's seat to feed his munchkin and then Ianto could make up their bed.
So domestic.
"You know what I like about the Black?" Ianto asked as he tucked in the sheets.
"Hmmm? The stars? Why you named her one?"
"The silence."
Jack glanced over with raised eyebrows so Ianto elaborated "No other Mutes. Really it was a bit silly, shortening Mutant to Mute because no one ever shuts the hell up. If they are not talking, flexing or snarling, there are their thoughts wafting around like smells."
"Really? Its that loud for you?" Jack was surprised.
"God yes. Sometimes it is deafening."
Jack pondered how it must be in a room full of talking people all the time, even when you are walking down a street or in a store…. Like… crowded. "Well, I like it up here because I find the stars so peaceful."
Ianto smiled as he settled in the other flight seat, watching their daughter start to lag "Burp or pay the price."
"Shit yea" Jack complied and soon their daughter also complied with a little pop.
Ianto put her down to sleep in the cradle before settling back to watch Jack watching the stars with a faraway look on his face.
So peaceful.
.
.
That night… well it is always night out there in the Blackness of forever but I mean once they had their meal… the sex was amazing. Little noise made, their hands doing hard work and their lips so soft to one another. It was like meeting one another after being away for a long time.
No longer apart. Nice.
Once they were all awake once more, the baby fed and both men with nice hot cups of coffee, they once again settled in the seats to look out at the stars.
Ianto held his charge and watched her eyes flick around the Black, drinking in the stars. He softly explained like you would to another adult as he parented like they were intelligent enough for conversation and not in need of baby talk "Stars form in large clouds of gas and dust called molecular clouds. Molecular clouds range from 1,000 to 10 million times the mass of the Sun and can span as much as hundreds of light-years. Molecular clouds are cold which causes gas to clump, creating high-density pockets. Some of these clumps can collide with each other or collect more matter, strengthening their gravitational force as their mass grows. Eventually, gravity causes some of these clumps to collapse. When this happens, friction causes the material to heat up, which eventually leads to the development of a protostar – a baby star. You are called Astra. Our baby star. See? So bright, so shiny. The Black can never touch you."
Jack saw that this was the time. For once in his life, he saw the moment and knew he was right. He cleared his throat "Most natural diamonds from Old Earth have ages between 1 billion and 3.5 billion years. Most were formed at depths between 150 and 250 kilometres (93 and 155 mi) in the Earth's mantle, although a few have come from as deep as 800 kilometres (500 mi). Under high pressure and temperature, carbon-containing fluids dissolved various minerals and replaced them with diamonds. Much more recently (hundreds to tens of million years ago), they were carried to the surface in volcanic eruptions and deposited in igneous rocks known as kimberlites and lamproites. So rare and so strong."
Ianto looked over at him with sock "Jack… that… you know all that? Well now. Listen to you. Did you hear that? Listen to Daddy being all smart and stuff."
"Diamonds from Old Earth are so rare, so much more rare than those little globs of light out there, despite these seeming to be so many, like the diamonds of Old Earth, they are scattered so far and wide" Jack said, shifting from the chair to the floor and Ianto felt his throat tighten as the ring box came out once more.
This time… this time he had it exactly right. Out here, where they needed only the diamonds of the Gods to light their joy.
"Is that a yes?
"Well... yes, yes. of course."