31
The phone rang again, Ianto glancing at it then resuming with the rimming of the tree. Alice was excitedly standing on a step stool as he handed her things and let her go mad. Her own tree. Her very own bright purple tree she was allowed to decorate anyway she wanted. Ianto saw it as a good compromise, letting her have a gaudy monstrosity that meant she was not touching the other three … yes… three trees he had trimmed with an artist's eye.
"Gonna get that?" Owen asked as he walked past, his arms full of gifts, Rhiannon's name flashing on the screen "Ah … which tree isf the gift one?"
"The one inside the glass" Ianto said without rolling his eyes as he ignored the phone "These are for show. That one is the real one."
"Yeah, it has the angel on top" Alice agreed without looking from her task "Can I have a white ball now?"
"Here you are sweetie" Ianto crooned, not correcting her manners as he knew her mother had not taught her things like that … it took time.
Owen entered the glassed living area and whistled at the tree, floor to ceiling with gifts hanging from it along with the ornaments. Now he felt silly for asking. Of course this was the 'real' one. He grinned as he plonked his gifts down, turning to find Tosh there.
"Hey toots" he said happily settling to talk to her "You staying overnight too?"
"I want to be here when she wakes up, want to see her excitement" she nodded "you?"
"Well … thought I would. Might be nice to wake up with family … see how it feels for once" Owen sighed, trying to make it sound flippant but she knew and reached out to take his hand.
"You have family Owen. You are family" she assured him, his smile soft as he took the hand offered, kissing her knuckles.
"Most Christmases were at boarding school. She didn't want me at home, the hew husband didn't like kids so … I never left that place. Year after year. Got to know the staff well, roamed the empty halls. Wondered ya know. What family Christmases were like." Owen whispered to her like he was ashamed to admit he ws unloved.
Her answer was to kiss him, gentle yet firm.
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"Tosh and Owen are making out" Gray infirmed his brother, turning from the doorway where he was guarding the room while Jack wrapped the gifts for him. Jack sniggered as he placed a box down and pulled a sticker off the sheet. Gray had written in spindly writing, breaking Jack's heart as he saw that he clearly could not read or write every well. Almost 25 for Godsake.
"Right. You can put them under the Real Tree now buddy" Jack said as he got off the bed and Gray rushed or comply, gleefully saying each person's name as he looked at the labels, still worried he might have forgotten someone.
This would be his first Christmas too.
Jack wondered if his mother would show up and if she did … would she be polite? For Ianto, he hoped she would be.
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Myfanwy looked down at her little nestling, his heart so sad today and she wondered how to cheer him up, swooping down to snatch the hat of the screamy one and on cue, Owen roared and flapped his arms around trying to retrieve it. Ianto laughed softly, making her feel leak she was doing a good job so she dropped the hat and flew back up, watching now as Ianto soothed the acidic man, helping him put his hat on like an overgrown pouty child.
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"She picks on me!" Owen huffed.
"You must be very pickable to her" Ianto agreed "Take it as a complement. Someone that a Phoenix cannot resist."
"Yeah" Own perked up "Yeah! I guess so!"
"That animal magnetism, all the birds want you" Ianto chortled, Owen sniggering too as he stuck a hero pose.
"Yeah. Bird Man!"
They laughed together, the mood shifting as Myfanwy nodded to herself, turning to look at Jack who watched to one side, his concern clear as he made sure Ianto was OK. She was warming to that one.
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"One!" Ianto repeated slowly "Only one! The rest in the morning"
"Awwwwwwwwwww" Alice and Gray whined, Owen's more of a growl.
They then all chose a gift, a small one from the tree and Ianto watched with excitement as they opened them, laugher as they all found something silly inside.
"A pooing reindeer" Owen gushed, placing the toy on the table and pushing on it, a little chocolate raisin falling out. He roared with mirth.
Gray looked at him as he open his, then smiled "I have a toilet with slime tht makes farting noises when you push it. Cool!"
"I got a doll that burps!" Alice gasped "I didn't know they had those!"
"Well … I got a little Japanese brain teaser toy" Toshiko said with obvious delight "These are antique. My Baba used to buy me one every year. Oh Ianto , so special!"
"Underwear?" Jack frowned as he opened his, then unrolled the clothing to roar with mirth at the picture on the front of the boxers. It was a squirrel with a bazooka, the caption underneath "Don't touch me nuts"
Ianto nervously plucked at his own gift, Jack had chosen it for him and he looked around then opened it to look down and blink.
"A … stop watch?"
"It was my grandfather's. I never used it, it has always been in a box of things … I found it and took it in to get it fixed. I know you like things like that and … it ws important to him. To me. It has the Harkness crest on it, see?" Jack turned it over and Ianto saw a wolf and eagle.
"I love it" Ianto assured him "So many things you can do with a stop watch."
"Yeah?" Jack said with a cant of his head, Ianto's wink surprising him he whispered back.
"Yeah… will show you later."