"Charlie?" Duck doesn't wait long after knocking to enter, trusting Charlie to throw a shoe at him if she's yet undressed. He's dressed up himself, wearing the suit he'd worn to his own wedding, hair combed up and back in a way that feels respectable.
"Hey," he says when he finds her on the bed. "Getting close, eh?"
"'Cause it's one of the most important days of your life," says Duck honestly, sinking down onto the bed next to her. He plucks the hair away from her face, settling a hand against her back after.
She knew that. She did. And there wasn't anything else she wanted in the world right then than to be Mrs Jones, which didn't stop her stomach whimpering and heaving any time she thought about it.
"At least you and Geoffrey are gonna be there with me, right?"
"We'll be there," he says, leaning in to kiss her hair. At her wince, he smiles and teases, "You want us to get you a bucket? Geoffrey's real used to that."
"There will be no buckets while she's in that dress," insists Geoffrey, giving both Duck and Charlie a swift kiss on the cheek. "Relax, everything's going to be fine and you look beautiful."
Charlie took a deep breath, looking up at both of them and then reached out to grab one of their hands in each of hers. She closed her eyes and dragged another breath in through her nose.
"You wanna see the dress properly? I only just saw it myself. I've never owned anything this beautiful."
"That mean you're gonna get up off the bed?" Duck asks with another grin, cheekier this time. He makes an unconscious grab for Geoffrey's hand and completes the circle, stepping back to give Charlie room. "Yeah, I want to see it."
"Of course we want to see it," says Geoffrey, squeezing Duck's hand. "And you should get used to walking around in it; you're going to be in it for a while. And before you say a word, we don't need to hear about the part of the night when you'll be out of it."
Charlie let go of both of their hands and stood up, smoothing both hands against her skirt. Ianto had kept the dress simple, strapless with a flare of skirt, belted with sage green ribbon. Charlie did a little twirl, her curling hair falling against her cheek.
"Hey," he says when he finds her on the bed. "Getting close, eh?"
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She looked up at him, managing a smile but had to duck her head down quick again, flipped red hair slipping into her eyes.
"Oh, God, why do I feel so goddamn sick?"
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"It'll pass. When you see him, it'll pass."
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She knew that. She did. And there wasn't anything else she wanted in the world right then than to be Mrs Jones, which didn't stop her stomach whimpering and heaving any time she thought about it.
"At least you and Geoffrey are gonna be there with me, right?"
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"You wanna see the dress properly? I only just saw it myself. I've never owned anything this beautiful."
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"Yes?"
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