29
Jack woke alone, sitting up and looking around then remembering the dishes. He swore and struggled from the bed, pleased to see a robe laid out for him. He pulled it on and padded out to find Ianto with the suit pants and waistcoat on, the white shirt open at the neck and the sleeves rolled up as he washed.
Holy shit.
He had looked generously presentable in the buttoned up suit but this was like a tease he hadn't known could give him a second wind like this as he slid in behind him to kiss his earlobe gently, "You look edible."
Ianto chuffed softly and turned to accept a kiss to the lips, "Almost finished. Gravy sticks."
"You should have woken me, I did offer to do these" Jack scolded without any strength to the words and Ianto snorted to show he didn't care.
"Harrison will not stay all night, not after the last time so I expect a ping in the next hour or so politely asking if he can come home, you know….the unspoken 'are you decent' thing?"
"Well, how about I clear the table and rebuild a nest as mine will come too. We can all cuddle and watch a movie until they are sleep" Jack offered and he saw Ianto's' face change to open surprise.
"Jack, that is very thoughtful, that would be lovely." Ianto said happily and Jack felt delight in surprising him like that.
It was half an hour later that the ping sounded and Ianto answered, politely smiling and informing the sitter that all three children could come to his berthage please, Stephen's face visible behind Harrison's as they leered around the sitter at the screen.
"Taddy? You OK?" Harrison asked before the call ended.
"Yes love, everything is good" Ianto replied and he then finished helping Jack with the nest, the door opening to let three horrors enter and they were busting with news on the new hold, their thoughts, ideas and complaints.
They settled to watch a movie and then drifted off within the first few minutes of the movie starting. Jack settled on the sofa behind the nest with Ianto and found himself interested in the movie about the civil war of Catkind and Hallerash.
They drifted off and woke to the giggles of children peering over the side of the nest as they lay entwined in the sofa.
"What are you looking at you horrible beasts?" Jack asked as he watched them blinking up at him.
"Are you two loving?" Harrison whispered with wide eyes.
"Yeah" Jack replied softly as he reminded himself that this child was being raised by a Gorgan and used to straight talking, "We are loving one another and are thinking that we might be one family maybe."
"Good" Harrison said as little eyes slid closed and he slid down into the nest where Alice cuddled him close and stroked his ears.
"Yeah" Ianto whispered against Jack's neck, "Good."
They slept like the dead.
.
.
.
.
Next morning was chaos with Ianto calmly ignoring the screaming and wailing as the children wrestled in the nest, this being something Catkind was renowned for and Jack could see his two loving the noise and naughty havoc they were suddenly allowed to do in the little nest that was considered a Grup-free zone.
"So, as long as they are in the nest they can do as they like?" Jack asked as he leaned back to speak to Ianto as he waited by the door for their breakfast to be delivered.
"Within reason" Ianto nodded, "We can still punish if someone loses an eye."
Giggling in the nest as the children wrestled some more and Harrison yowled as he mock attacked Stephen's foot, the little boy squealing as he struggled to free his foot from the sock.
Breakfast arrived and the crewmembers looked around with glee as they were allowed in the Gorgan berthage, something not usual and their gaze drank in the nest, the children and especially their Captain in a Gorgan dressing gown.
They ate with two confused children, their eyes bugging out as they heard Ianto's humming for the first time as in the Mess it had been drowned out with the noises of other people. Harrison started a happy purr of his own as he ate and now they heard a harmony as Jack hummed softly to show solidarity.
Stephen shrugged and started tapping the table in time to the beat he could hear and Alice giggled, then hummed too.
Ianto looked up with surprise and Jack knew he had no idea he even hummed, looking at the children with confusion then to Jack.
"We are happy. We want to hum" Jack said and Ianto blinked, then went back to his breakfast and the hum that filled the room now loud as he took more confidence in it.
The food went down as their day began, their new life too.
As a family.
