bk_forever: (Default)
bk_forever ([personal profile] bk_forever) wrote2014-12-25 08:32 pm

Quadruple Drabble: Festival Of Trees

Title: Festival Of Trees

Author: [livejournal.com profile] badly_knitted

Characters: Ianto, Jack

Rating: G

Spoilers: Nada.

Summary: Jack teaches Ianto more about Boeshane traditions.

Disclaimer: I don’t own Torchwood, or the characters.

A/N: For [livejournal.com profile] mahmfic’s prompt ‘celebrating a holiday other than Christmas’ This is a quadruple drabble.


Merry Christmas to all my readers!







Jack and Ianto were sprawled on the couch at their house, too stuffed with Christmas dinner to even think of moving.



“Did you celebrate Christmas on Boeshane,” Ianto asked idly.



Jack shook his head.



“No. By then earth traditions had practically died out. When humans started travelling beyond earth, their traditions mixed with those of the alien cultures we ran into until no one really remembered the old ways anymore. All that remained were jumbled up bits and pieces that made no sense. Each colony developed its own celebrations to fit themselves and the worlds they lived on,” he explained.



~~~



“It seems weird to think of a future with no Christmas,” Ianto said sadly. “To me it’s like a ray of hope during the darkest part of winter.”



“Most planets, those with seasons anyway, developed their own midwinter celebrations. On Boeshane, ours was called the Festival of the Trees.”



“I’m guessing that had something to do with your family trees?” Ianto raised an eyebrow.



“You guess right! On the shortest day, families gathered at their tree and decorated it, then held hands in a circle around it and each said what they were thankful for. Like Christmas and Thanksgiving combined.”



~~~



“Sounds lovely. You know, we should do that with our tree!” Ianto said with a smile.



“There’s only two of us though.”



“Well, it’s only a small tree. Besides, every family has to start somewhere. We might only be two people with a very small tree, but our tree will grow with our family.”



“True. We’d better go easy with the decorations this year though, don’t want to overburden it.”



Ianto levered himself up off the sofa.



“We have some leftover tinsel and the pinecones David and Mica decorated with glitter.”



“Perfect! You find those while I get our coats.”



~~~



Twenty minutes later, wrapped in coats, scarves and woolly hats, they stood in their backyard, either side of their little tree, festooning it with tinsel and pinecones. Ianto made a mental note to get something less gaudy for next year.



When the decorations were hung, they joined hands around the sapling, smiling at each other through its slender branches.



Ianto spoke first.



“I’m thankful for my family, friends and the chance to spend eternity with the man I love.”



Jack swallowed hard.



“I’m thankful for the love of this amazing man; because of him, I don’t dread the future anymore.”



The End


[identity profile] too-beauty.livejournal.com 2014-12-25 08:40 pm (UTC)(link)
awwww what a beautiful new tradition! I'm sure that in years to come, there will be little ones round that tree too!
Merry Xmas!

[identity profile] milady-dragon.livejournal.com 2014-12-26 04:10 am (UTC)(link)
That had me tearing up...happily, of course. The boys have an eternity making their own traditions and some day their family will be celebrating with them as well.

[identity profile] reddevilpoes.livejournal.com 2014-12-26 06:35 pm (UTC)(link)
Beautiful!!! I wish you and your readers a good christmas and the best of new years!

[identity profile] asia27.livejournal.com 2014-12-26 07:45 pm (UTC)(link)
Reminds me of the Library you wrote and of the Winter Solstice celebrations of my people... Lovely! It's a glance into that tiny portion of Jack's alienness yet still his humanity that ultimately shines thru...

[identity profile] owensheart.livejournal.com 2014-12-26 10:07 pm (UTC)(link)
That sounds like a lovely tradition.

great work.

[identity profile] raynewton.livejournal.com 2014-12-27 01:28 pm (UTC)(link)
How lovely. My absolute favouritE stories are ehrn Ianto is immortal too- especially those telling how he became immortal. Hinting, Moi?

[identity profile] jedi-harkness.livejournal.com 2015-01-26 08:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Aww, that's beautiful! <3<3<3

[identity profile] timelordshines.livejournal.com 2015-02-01 02:42 am (UTC)(link)
Aww this is really lovely.
When I have a garden in which to plant a tree I want to start this tradition.
Unfortunately I'm not very green fingered so I'll probably kill the tree before it's first festival of trees.

[identity profile] timelordshines.livejournal.com 2015-02-01 11:53 am (UTC)(link)
You can have a friend tree instead of a family tree and share pictures with us each year :-)