48

Ianto was checking the bookings again, trying to see if any press reporters had slipped through. In the last few weeks there had been a couple of fake bookings in order to sniff about and luckily any he missed, Jarred was sniffing out pretty quick.

The village had closed ranks around their beloved mayor, which was both touching and a little weird.

Ianto heard a noise and turned to find Ton watching him furtively around the door frame to the house and he smiled as he pretended not to see him.

"Hmmm" he said out loud, "Looks like I need to eat something. I wonder who will make me a sandwich."

A little gasp, then the hand slid back round the doorframe, followed by the thumping that faded away as Ton ran for the kitchen.

Ianto closed the book and looked around the office one more time, so pleased with how Conner was running the business, Heck would have liked him.

He then decided he had stalled long enough so he headed in, finding Ton at the bench with the chair pushed over to stand on, and the bread was getting buttered within an inch of its life.

"Mama?" Ianto called out feebly, "I'm hungry. Is there a sammage for me?"

He slumped into the kitchen chair with a groan and let his head fall back like he was dying, "I'm so hungers, I need my nums."

Ton carefully placed the plate on the edge of the bench, then climbed off the chair and retrieved the plate by pulling the edge as Bet watched with one hand poised in case it fell, but the little boy easily pulled it down and carried it over to place in front of his poor Taddy who was now making moaning noises with hunger.

"Poor Taddy, here. Tonny on da jobbie!" Ton declared, pulling his pants up a bit higher as he looked at the plate with pride.

Ianto looked down at the slices of bread, one covered in peanut butter and the other in raspberry jam.

"Oh my god! Is this what I think it is?" he asked with awe.

Ton climbed on to a chair and calmly flipped one piece onto the other and squealed, his hands splayed out like a magician as he cried "Alllla pannutty butter samages!"

"Oh my magical child, how blessed I am" Ianto crowed and he giggled as Ton channelled the Muppet Count from Sesame Street.

He made loud humming noises as he bit into it and made out like it was an elixir giving him life and Ton beamed with delight, reaching out to pat his mouth with a paper towel, the way his Taddy did when he was eating.

"Tonny" Ianto sighed softly, "You take such good care of me. I love you so much my little man."

Ton climbed between the chairs into his Taddy's lap and hummed happily as he got a cuddle. Babs had been getting a lot lately and he was sick of it, to be honest. He was the baby, always the baby. Taddy had said so, he promised.

Ton looked up at Ianto and patted his arm, "Me Tonny Bubba?"

"Always" Ianto said as he guessed why the question had been asked, "Taddy loves all his children but you are my only always baby boy. Always my best little boy. Forever and ever you will be my baby."

Ton nodded with satisfaction, then settled back in.

"You have been a lovely friend to Izzy too" Ianto continued as he accepted a glass of milk from Bets, "She needs a friend like you. Ren has Walter and Babs, she is a little one who is too small to play their games. I love that you share and act so big for her. She feels so safe and happy with you. I am so proud, you remind me of myself."

Ton considered this and frowned.

"You are like Taddy, you have a big heart" Ianto explained, "Love love love love."

Ton grinned and accepted the praise with a clutch, closing his eyes to listen to his lovely Taddy's strong heart banging away.

Ton sometimes got confused and thought Taddy had forgotten him, loving someone else but he knew that was silly because Taddy always came back and always asked for his little boy.

He thought for a while about Izzy too, knowing that she got scared sometimes and was always cold.

He sometimes lent her his blankies and rolled her up like the twinnies.

But he was still Taddy's Baby Boy.