10
Ianto gave a sigh of relief as he decided they were over the worst of it, just the packing up and preparing for the New Year, Gods help them all.
Ianto had retrieved the boxes and was gently removing the baubles first as the glass ones nestled back into their original polystyrene from their place of origin. Three little angels had found their beds and Ianto was reaching for another one when he heard Rhiannon's screams and he gasped, racing from the room as Dahlia looked up from the book she was reading with surprise. Lin laughed as he tuned to Lucky and they both agreed that it had been a bit mad there.
Ianto ran across the grass for Rhiannon's and entered to find chaos, Luc standing in the hallway with a look of horror as Rhiannon raining blow about his shoulders as she screamed with rage. The cause of the problem was still in his arms, the tree half out of the main room with ornaments falling and breaking on the ground as he yelped and tried to protect himself by burying himself in the branches.
"Oh gods, some of these are heirloom!"Ianto wailed as he fell to his knees and tried to catch some of the more delicate ones, Rhiannon's' blows making more fall as she now swung at the tree without a second thought.
"Oh Luc, these are so old" Ianto sighed and Luc appeared from the branches.
"Yes. See? They are old!"
"Like the bloody broach old!" Rhiannon screamed "Heirloom. You get it? These were hung in the tree by us as kids, our Mam watching happily with a black fucking eye from our bastard Da uually, you fucking idiot!"
Luc looked aghast now.
"This was my fourth" Ianto said as he held up an apple with the stalk broken off, "Remember? I got the apple and you got the little bell? So naff."
"Yeah, she looked so happy, thinking we would love them and we both looked at each other and pretended to be enthused" Rhiannon agreed, then gasped, "Here! The little bell."
"Ahhhhhhh" Ianto smiled, "I can fix this, another ribbon can be glued where the stalk was, they can still match Sissy."
"I killed gifts from your bloodline" Luc said as he slumped and looked at the tree again, "I thought we had a fire and gave the tree to the Gods. The decorations go to them."
"No, no. The decorations are reused" Ianto stood and looked at Luc, "It's OK, this was a simple misunderstanding. It's OK, I am not angry just so disappointed that some are gone."
"My queen, how do I fix this?" Luc asked the one who was no longer attacking him like a warrior.
"I don't know" she wailed.
"Wait, you carved those little animals for Lin" Ianto swung to look at him, "Perhaps if you carve some new decorations for the tree next year your children can hang them and begin the new bloodline."
Luc perked up as he looked at Rhiannon, "Did you hear that? Mister Missus is right! Sorry… brother. I have to get used to that, yes."
"Right, even better if you teach those boys to whittle too" Jack added, his quick assessment that he needed to save his favourite brother-in-law "Imagine them hanging their own offerings."
"Ahhhhh" Luc shone with glee as Rhiannon mouthed her thanks and Ianto looked at the mess.
"Right, how about Rhia and I finish un-trimming the tree and then you can have your bonfire. Maybe if you go around the neighbourhood and offer to take the naked trees for your bonfire the neighbours will love that."
Both men scampered off followed by the children who shot out from under the stairs where they had been watching and as they roared our Micha paused to look at her uncle, "I don't have to whittle do I? My fingers are too little."
"Of course not darling, you can do whatever you want, maybe you want to write a song or poem? Luc would find that wonderful as it's something their people do" Ianto offered and she squeed.
"Oh god, I could kill him sometimes" she sighed.
"Don't' worry I know exactly what you mean. Have you met my husband?" Ianto asked as he plucked a little soldier form the tree, "Ah. A wee nutcracker."
Rhiannon snorted and they were soon both laughing as they stripped out the tree and looked up as the men bounced back in.
"Eight!" Luc said with glee, "Eight!"
"Including this one?" Ianto asked and he nodded.
"Eight including mine."
"Well nine is a lucky number for you lot, right? Give me half an hour to empty mine and then you will have nine trees" Ianto offered and Luc made a little squee noise like Micha that was sweet considering it was obviously to copy her. He rushed off again. So much energy.
"Thank you Ianto, you always remember things about numbers. God, I really lamped him."
"It's OK love, he has to expect a little slap and tickle, they like that sort of thing. He did choose you for your strength and authority. After all, he was panting a little bit like he might be aroused."
"Oh" she blushed as her hand flapped, "Really? He's not hurt? I can't believe how much of Da there is in me."
"Ah but I see Mama, didn't she always apologise with a feed?"
Rhiannon rushed off to make a sandwich for her hard working man and Ianto went to finish his tree before Jack started to help.
Another lamping might ensue if that happened.