45
"Come on son" Jack said again, more forcefully this time as he stood at the SUV trying to cajole his son from the back seat. Hawk was having none of it, his arms folded defiantly as he glared at his father, determined not to get out of the restraints.
"No!"
"Hawkeye, it's getting late and I am hungry. Are you hungry? Come on, the doggies must be hungry" Jack tried desperately but the Glare of Doom continued, the little boy beyond pissed and (not for the first time) Jack wondered if he was being too soft on the kid.
"I wanna go home!"
"We just got here" Jack groaned "Come on… the whole weekend, just us two men? We can eat what we want and Taddy will NEVER know. Come on love, let's go inside."
"I wanna go HOME!" Hawk screamed the last word, not throwing himself about in his restraints and Jack now knew he was definitely coddling the little shit.
"Hawk!" he tried to be forceful himself "Taddy is busy this weekend with Walt on their project. I promised him you and I would be OK out here without him. He packed picnics and stuff, he made lists up the wazoo and I know he even gave you some things to do to look after me, right?"
Hawk glared at him silently, then a small nod.
"So… do you want to turn around and go home? Admit to Taddy that we were both too dumb and sooky to do what we said we would?" Jack asked knowing that would get a reaction and Hawk's eyes widened at the insult, puffing his cheeks out as he finally undid the seatbelt and slid out of the car.
"OK" he said sulkily "But I am doing this in the dress!"
Jack considered then said softly "Under duress?"
"What did you think I said?" the child asked haughtily as h trust his arm into the air like he was surrendering "Come on man… carry me!"
Jack blinked, then like a first class twat actually lifted the child and carried him inside where the fire was set, placing him in Ianto's chair before lighting the fire so the child could watch it all burn. Seemed to calm him. Fire.
Jack went to the kitchen to start unpacking the food, found the little bowl with a note attached that said 'for the first tantrum' and smiled. Trust Ianto to know this was going to happen and Jack peeled off the note then walked to the chair, handing the child the bowl wordlessly and the little shirt-bird accepted it with a sniff of approval, settling back to chew his Russian fudge.
Jack had no idea how long this weekend really was going to be for him without Ianto there to 'tweak' the temper.
Jack was about to discover that this child had as much of a stubborn streak as himself.
Good thing that out at the Lake House… no one can hear you scream.