28
Babbit and Walter had been keeping Ton amused by putting up Heck's train set. Jack's birthday had been that weekend and there was enough leftover food to keep them happy as Ianto did his own thing.
Stephen was watching and occasionally suggesting things to help overcome unlevel ground and door jams. Soon the train set was out in all its glory.
John had been out and returned with Tosh and Owen in tow, glowing from their weekend away.
Owen found Ianto sitting up in bed reading and his smile was warm as Owen checked his sugar levels and declared them safe.
Ianto came on to the sofa and the kids descended like jackals, arguing about who got to sit on his lap and, as per usual, Ton won with snarls and dog barks as he shoved them away while they laughed.
This game had been going for a little while as the older children pretended to want the lap and the baby was always triumphant. Babbit placed a hand on Ianto's knee and Ton lunged, gnashing his little teeth and Babbit screamed with glee as he pretended to be afraid of the wild animal defending its throne.
Walter wriggled as he played with the control tablet and the large screen turned from the movie to a live feed.
"What's this then?" Owen asked as he settled back next to Ianto.
"Me train is wired" Babbit said gleefully, nodding to Walter who hit the switch and started the train.
They watched the carpet colours change as the train exited the bedroom and whizzed along the wet room, then to the decking.
"Christ, is that outside?" Jack asked with wonder.
"We worked all day" Walter said as he watched the screen and the train dove down like a roller coaster ride as it headed down the steps to run through the garden. Past a sleeping cat and up again to run over the frog pond and then along the manicured lawn, back to the house and past a sleeping dog on the deck that never moved a muscle as the train powered past.
"Hit it!" Babbit said with narrowed eyes and Walter hit a button, making a little horn go on the train and a cat stuck its head up from behind the dog's head and glared before disappearing again.
Everyone was laughing as it took a sharp turn and shot along the kitchen edging, then under the table where a couple of bread bracelets showed how sick Ianto had been to not have scooped them up.
"What are they?" Jack asked and Ton pointed with glee.
"Tell ya later" John snorted and then they watched the scene change as the train ran out of the kitchen and towards them, their own faces visible and they all looked down at the little train and the camera mounted on it.
Not to mention the iguana sitting calmly on top of the entire contraption.
"Well done old man!" Babbit crowed as he gently plucked the lizard off the train, "Did you like your ride baby? Did Mama do a nice thing for a little monster?"
Babbit then placed the lizard back, crouching and kissing the lizard, then standing up and clapping his hands.
Walter hit the switch and the train left the station.
"Toot!" Ton yelled, waving his arms as the screen once more showed the scenery, this time a cat openly sitting on the track and leaping onto the air when the horn went, making everyone laugh and then a dog's arse.
"Don't you fart on my boy ya mineral!" Babbit yelled and everyone giggled as the mongrel moniker took a new twist.
Then the train was back and the lizard calmly stared at them.
"Are you still OK?" Babbit crooned, placing a hand on his baby, "Not too cold?"
"Is he still OK Babs?" Walter asked and Babbit smiled up at his brother.
"Yeah, one more turn" he turned back to the lizard, "Then you need a rest because you have been going all day! You'll never sleep tonight!"
Ianto gaped as he heard himself and Jack snorted loudly, before pulling Ianto close for a kiss.
Ton had slid down and toddled off, returning with the stale bread crusts and showed Jack how they fly from your ankle with a quick flick of your leg.
Jack laughed as Ianto settled in his arms.
Just another day in the life, eh?
