1
Ianto was filling lunchboxes as the kids raced about making noise as they usually do of a Wednesday morning. Monkey had stayed over and Ton was quietly scolding as he tried to get a shirt over the half naked beast, Imp laughing too much to help as Hawk sat laughing at them.
Ianto placed a plate of food down on the table, stilling the noise and then he faintly hears the screaming from next door, his frown deepening as he turned back to the sink, filling the drink bottles now as Jack entered and stood watching Ianto from behind.
.
.
.
.
.
"I know you are frustrated but you need to put these on" Curtis said calmly, kneeling before the little girl who was in full tantrum mode, her feet kicking as she tried to evade his hands.
"Maisey, come on love" he sighed as he lost his grip and the shoe flew over his head into the middle of the room where Penny stood, his snort of laugher as he retrieved it not helping.
"Pen, if you want to help love, can you go give Gracie a rattle on?" he asked, knowing the audience was making her more determined to evade him. As Penny left the room Curtis managed to get a shoe on and the Velcro straps done up before she realised she was caught and she threw herself back screaming with indignation.
"Good morning husband" Walter entered the room, leaning over to kiss Curtis' forehead, then he stepped forward as he leaned over the convulsing child, "And good morning my little beast."
She stilled as she waited for her kiss, his soft lips against her forehead full of affection as he looked down "WOW! Cool shoes. Mine are so boring compared to those. Wish I had some."
She stopped kicking to look at the one shoe on her foot. Purple. She likes purple. It was all glittery. She hadn't even noticed that and as she stared at it Curtis got the other one on and sat back with triumph.
"Right! Well done Maisey" he said like she hadn't made the chore twice as difficult…well…maybe ten times difficult? "Want to get the lunches for them too?"
She exploded off the chair, running to fetch the lunch boxes to hand to her siblings before they would all walk to school and she would wave them goodbye. She was still too…ah…bitey … for school herself but she was spending afternoons there at the end of school paying in the grounds under the watchful eye of several helpers.
As they left the house she tugged on the reins, looking over at Gracie who walked with her hand held out and after a moment's thought she accepted it.
Penny and Ben waved to the other kids as they spilled out of the house next door, LB walking sedately from her mother's hand at her own door. They all met and Ianto carefully did not look at Curtis or the child snarling as she tried to swipe at Hawk, instead lifting his son to his hip.
Jack watched from the front door as they started to walk, the kids all running and laughing as Ianto kept a good distance from Curtis.
The bite mark in Hawk's arm still vivid.
As was Ianto's anger.