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Ianto had been the first to see the danger, calling out to Jack as the lightning lit up the lake and the storm blew in from nowhere, and Jack swung in time to see the boat out on the water turning. Jack ran for their own boat securely berthed under the large back veranda, swinging over the railing and onto it in one fluid motion that he had practiced once or eight times maybe.
Hawk ran to the door in time to see his father take off and his shoulders slumped as the little mask in his hand drooped to the floor. "He forgot me?"
Ianto did not have time to soothe so instead he redirected "He left you to protect me silly. It's a storm out there, monsters can slither up from the water or anything. Those people coming in might need someone with guts to check the entrance and keep the gateway open for them maybe?"
"Oh. OK" Hawk bent to pick up his mask, he hadn't thought of that. This could be a diversion to let someone sneak inside. "Come on bud, let's do a premium check."
"Perimeter" Ianto mattered to himself, way not able to focus as he dragged more towels out and threw the rag rug from the side room in front of the door to catch the water. Slippery floors were the enemy here.
Ianto called those who needed to know the score, being told it would be about half an hour if they needed assistance in this weather, like he might not know that already. He assured those on the other end Jack was already pulling them out. All good, just logging it in.
Once the family were inside, Jack helping the father and son to shower in their bathroom while the two girls and their mother showered in the other one, Hawk helped get out cups and mugs for the huge pot of hot chocolate his Taddy was making, the CKH mask flicked aside as this was serious work for Harness-Jones men and he would rather be a Harkness-Jones man right now.
For some reason Ianto could not describe, that filled him with such delight to find Hawk wanted to be recognized as a good man rather than a super hero.
He was finally getting it.
Super heroes are everywhere… they just don't all wear masks. But then again… the hug to his Taddy's legs as he stirred the pot slowly while humming… maybe Hawk could see the invisible mask on his wonderful Super Taddy.
