29
The only one without a gift was Ton, who hadn't failed to notice and as Ianto entered the house he found little Lord Ton-aroy sitting on the sofa with his arms folded and a look of thunder as he glared at his Taddy.
"Ah. You thought I had forgotten you, didn't you!" Ianto scolded softly and a tiny face lit up as he shuffled to the edge of the sofa and leaned forward in expectation, looking around.
"Behind the very sofa you are sitting on" Ianto said gleefully as Jack slid past to pull the sofa out.
The three wheeled trike was bright yellow with yellow and silver streamers on the handlebars, a banana seat that looked like a real banana and a little crash helmet that looked like a Minion head complete with goggles.
"I can't run anymore" Ianto told him with a tinge of sadness, "Taddy loved running but my silly legs don't want to. I can ride a bike though. If you have one too, then we can both ride around the village when I am strong enough, for now you can go alongside my Mayoral Motor."
"Jarred has got a bike as well, one with a baby seat so bubba can come and you can all race along" Jack told Ton, careful not to mention that Ren was getting a bike the similar to Ton's under his tree on Christmas morning.
"She got top?" Ton asked with concern as he looked at his helmet, "She have mine?"
"Oh darling" Ianto gushed, pulling him into a hug and kiss, "Don't worry. Izzy has her own little one. A princess one with a wee tiara on it, it's sooooo cute I was gushing like a real Twypsn."
Ton seemed to consider and then grinned as he grabbed the handlebars and started pulling at the bike, grunting with effort.
Jack easily hooked the trike out and carried it out where John let out a whistle and declared it the bestest bike ever made and he wanted to swap.
Ton laughed as he screamed "NOPE" and struggled to get on.
Jack knew it was killing Ianto and he gave him a gentle squeeze while John was still adjusting things for their minion and then he rose, saying he would borrow Taddy's bike for a ride with the coolest fella in the village.
Jack kissed Ianto and took off, jogging alongside his baby as John slowly pedalled and they encouraged Ton to push his own pedals which he got the hang of quicker than they thought he would.
Ianto knew he could get in the cart and follow but they were already half way to the main street and he didn't want to appear worried. He knew they had things under control so he turned to watch Walter lovingly groom his horse, talking to it as it chewed a mouthful of grass and stared at the mountain.
Stephen was in his new digs still happily watching the sky on his bed and Ianto suddenly felt alone.
He walked into the house and pushed the sofa back, grunting at the bite in his lower back from the effort an sat on it, looking around with an emptiness he wondered was maybe Empty Nest Syndrome.
One day this would be his life.
They would leave, go off and start their own lives and he would be left …
Ton was screaming and he rose with his heart in his mouth, then the little boy was racing in, his helmet still on and his little face beaming.
"Taddy! Love you Taddy!" he cried as he threw himself at Ianto, "Love my wheels. Thank you Taddy."
Ianto laughed at himself as he cuddled the little man who would always have a spare cuddle, settling on the sofa and unclipping the helmet to kiss him better.
Ton hummed happily as he cuddled in, wriggling in his Taddy's lap.
"You OK Tiger?"
"Hey" Ianto smiled as Jack entered, puffing and sweaty, "You look like you need a shower."
"Man, that kid can go!" Jack laughed as he flopped down.
Ianto rose to start the shower, putting out an extra towel as he decided to help scrub his husband's back and he chastised himself for his silly thoughts earlier.
He would never be alone.
He was loved.
