Chap 10
"Taddy. I need to tell you something important," Ianto started as he tried to remember his pre-rehearsed speech.
Jack had returned with a blanket, insisting it was too cool in the night air without one. Sitting on the swing seat in Jack's arms, Ianto focused on Jack's breath in his hair.
"Taddy. Dadda. I have been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Stage 1-B. I intend to beat it and get on with my life but you need to be prepared for the slim chance that …" Ianto choked and looked out into the twilight.
"Ianto has roughly a 75% chance of beating this thing," Jack said. "Cancer treatment has come so far and he's young, healthy, and bloody gorgeous."
Ianto's Tadda had risen from his chair and turned his back to them as he looked in the same direction as Ianto. His long, lean body was tightly coiled, and Jack wondered if it might snap like a rubber band.
James stood and tried to hug his husband, but Eugene shook him off with a startlingly loud sob that shook his body. Then he howled, long and deep. It was primal, like some wild animal caught in a trap, as he doubled at the waist hugging himself, and Ianto found himself pulling at Jack's arms for comfort as Jack hugged him tightly.
"Come on Gennie, come on love," James said softly as he rocked the man.
Now Eugene screamed. Guttural rage spewed out and he turned to strike at his husband like he was the cause of his misery. "My boy. My boy. My fucking baby boy!"
Ianto buried his face in Jack's neck. He'd had enough. Jack lifted Ianto in his arms, so light since the weight loss, and carried him inside past the open-mouthed Tosh.
Jack placed Ianto in their bed, where Walter was already sleeping. Ianto made a small noise of misery as he snuggled into his own baby boy and Jack removed his shoes, taking the time to kiss his feet as each sock was removed. Then Jack unbuckled Ianto's trousers and pulled them down as Ianto whispered, "Getting into my pants again, you sex demon."
"Can you blame me? Looking so wanton all evening, especially after you spewed on me. God, so erotic," Jack whispered back, and Ianto giggled softly as he slipped off into never-never land after his son.
Jack waited a few minutes until Ianto's breathing deepened and lengthened before returning to the deck. The two men were sitting now, silhouettes in the dying sunset.
"Eugene? James? You OK?" Jack asked softly, not wanting to intrude.
"I think it's at least Gene and Jamie now, don't you?" Gene said quietly as he stroked his husband's cheek.
"He's asleep. With Walt." Jack felt the need to comfort them, and the thought of Ianto and Walter together made him feel better so he hoped it did for them as well.
"Oh god. Walter." Jamie turned with horror.
"He knows. We told him immediately. He's scared but thinks it will be OK because it's his Taddy," Jack assured them.
"No, I mean the bloody Hallett family," Jamie clarified.
"Walter is mine. Legally. I adopted him and am listed as a custodian. They can't take him from me if …" Jack stopped and shrugged, then made a show of folding the blanket that had slid from Ianto as he had lifted him.
"You've talked this through then?" Gene asked.
"Feels like all we've done is talk. Ianto is so tired of talking and I feel like I've not said enough." Jack snorted into the night.
"Ah, well. That's love, son."