likesthecoat | (no subject)

"On the floor," she says, gesturing to the area he cleared. "It is traditional for the one who has experienced a loss to be waited upon, but if that makes you uncomfortable, it is not something I am adamant about."

Ianto chuckles. "You sit. I'll do it, if you'll just tell me what needs doing."

"Thank you." She lowers herself carefully onto the cushion he'd placed on the floor.

"You sit opposite, me, with the tray between us."

He obeys, and takes off his shoes so he can sit cross-legged more comfortably.

"First, you must add a spoonful of the kiras seed into each cup, as a reminder of the bitterness of the loss."

He does so, and looks at her for the next instructions.

"Then the tea," she says quietly, nodding in approval of his actions.

He pours carefully.

"And now mine is placed in front of me, and yours in front of you."

It's quite strange to walk someone through this ceremony. Teyla was very, very young when she first learned it.

He places the cups, trying not make as little noise as possible.

"We don't . . . deal with grief like this here. Sometimes I wish we did."

"No?" Teyla says, picking up her cup and indicating for Ianto to do the same. "How do you deal with it."

She sips the tea slowly, despite the strength of the mint, the kirsan has made it quite bitter.

"You just . . . go on living."

He sips as well, big hand wrapped around the cup.

Teyla nods thoughtfully. "We must do that as well. This ceremony is only observed once a year, and only for those very close to you."

She cradles the cup in both hands, frowning into it, wondering if she will have the heart to observe the ceremony on the anniversary of the day she discovered her people were gone.

"But nothing like this," Ianto says. "I visit graves a few times a year. That's all I can do, really."

"We do not often have graves to visit," Teyla murmurs, taking another long sip of her tea.

"Oh. Yes, of course."

Bluuuuuuuuuuuuush.

Teyla shrugs. "It has been that way for quite some time," she says. "It is...the way of things." Something she's had her entire life to get used to.

"But that's why there's Atlantis, yeah? To fight the--" He has to search for the word Major Lorne used. "The Wraith? So it doesn't have to be the way of things anymore."

"You know of the Wraith?" Teyla asks? She has not yet discovered that Lorne is in Milliways.

"Oh--yes. I know someone else who works at Atlantis. Major Lorne? Solid fellow with blue eyes and dark hair?"

Teyla smiles a little. "Where did you meet Major Lorne? In...Milliways?"

"Oh, yes. We talk quite a bit."

"I did not realize he knew of the bar," Teyla says. "I may have to ask him about it."

Ianto gives a guilty little twitch and hopes he's not got Lorne in trouble.

"I'm sure he'll have lots to tell you."

"I...have been reluctant to talk of it to anyone. Alternate realities are something of a touchy subject in Atlantis. But Major Lorne is a good friend. It will be good to have someone else who knows of it."