4
"So… Santa?"
"Santa Claus. Santa is the one who sneaks into the houses at night and leaves gifts. Some say he is magical. Some say he is an elf or something… or a wizard… I don't know. The story might have mutated over time but … yeah…. He rewards the good boys and girls with gifts left for them" Rhys explained.
"Hang on… he breaks into houses and leaves stuff instead of steals it" Ianto tried to understand "Like… a reverse thief?"
"Yeah… sort of" came a laughed agreement.
"Only the good kids… what do the bad kids get?"
"Well... the legend goes that they get a lump of coal but really… all kids are good right? I don't know if anyone ever really got coal, it was a threat to be good" Andy said after considering.
"Ah. SO… all the kids get a gift. I thought so" Ianto sat back. After a few beats he then asked "Jack is trying to tell me the stickers are not right for kids but they are right?"
"Stickers?" Andy asked with surprise "Yes, stickers are a good thing… all kids like stickers."
'I thought so" Ianto was smug now. "Jack is full of shit again."
"You know… you are going to make their day. Stickers are a natural part of a child's development and I know as a kid I loved them" Owen nodded.
"Really, you are not Meatstick raised… you have them in your childhood?" Ianto rose with satisfaction and saw them out of his office, then sat and pulled out the drawer to his desk, the array of viciously deadly little daggers gleaming back at him "I know… you will be such lovely surprises for the kids."
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"Stockings" Gwen said as she watched the line of little socks get placed along the edge of the large table of the Mess Hall. There was no such thing as a mantelpiece here… I mean seriously… think about it. We can't exactly have an open fire here on Planet Torchwood. We would all die from the heat. This was the next best thing and Ianto found it highly amusing. Stockings for stickers. He just wondered if they might pierce the bottoms of the socks… maybe he needed to roll them in some material or leather?
"What are you thinking?" Jack asked as he watched his beloved's face flicker with so many things running through his mind.
"That I need to make some leather pouches… or ask Mervin to male them... he has such an eye for the fine snitching" Ianto replied, leaning over to kiss Jack before wandering off to fond the man who does a lot of their uniforms now.
Jack was glad to see Ianto fully embracing the spirit of Christmas, not something no Meatstick would find easy. Embracing make-believe.
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John was enthralled, sitting on the floor with Ianto and helping place the cute little killing stickers into the leather pouches that had arrived in a large box. They were all works of art, as per usual and the man who had made them was also on the floor helping, glad to see that he had the measurements correct.
"I like the little handles"
"Gwrff horn" Ianto replied conversationally "I swapped a hover for that horn… huge, almost took a flat hover's entire tray. It did all the sticker's handles… see?"
"I can't wait to see their little faces... I bet someone will lose an eye!"
The men chortled with glee at the idea of the little ones sparing and went back to work.
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"You look so cute I could snog ya!" Gwen gushed as she adjusted Rhys's trousers and he squealed, and then laughed as well. "Tonight you will shine."
"I don't know about the belly, I am not this fat!" he pulled at the large black belt.
"Stop it! The kids will recognise you if you don't have the pillow stuffed up there… leave it alone or I will smack ya one!" she scolded, then Andy backed her up.
"Sister is right, stop that" Andy stepped closer and smiled, reaching out to tug his jacket down "I think you look dapper."
"Brother Andrew… ever considered joining a unit?" Gwen asked, looking him up and down.
"Huh?"
"Rhys and I… we would like a third member to our unit. Have been discussing it and I see that you are fond of him too so … while heavily pregnant I cannot please him, sometimes I am not in the mood and … if you are companionable to the idea… want to join?"
Andy stared at her then said softly "A Triad?"
"Yes." She nodded "You are always with him these days anyway… why not join our unit?"
Andy considered "Well… OK sure. I've been looking and no single has interested me … so many are too involved in their own lives. You and Rhys are already family so... I would be amenable to a Triad with you both… yrs."
"Good" She nodded "Amilie wants to go swim, love you."
She wandered off and Andy turned to Rhys who was still tugging at the jacket before looking at himself in the mirror "do you really think I look OK?"
"Red is your colour big guy" Andy assured him, and then helped him get it all off, the final fitting before the evening meal had been a positive one… for all concerned.
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Jack watched Ianto as he shifted from foot to foot, clearly excited about something and Jack was surprised that even with that level of obvious excitement that Ianto was still managing to keep it shielded.
Whatever gift he had sorted for Jack… he knew it was gonna be a doozey.
