39
John was right, the canopies huge as they were carefully brought back one at a time and positioned at the back door, the children already crooning as they touched the fabric and examined the flaps. John was bringing around the second one with Mace and Rhys standing to one side watching as Jack motioned for him to come back, the premeasured placement had to be precise.
Ianto saw it before they did, a bark of warning as he leapt from the top walk and landed, running to grab the side slowly tilting over Mace who yelped as he staggered back. Ianto helped them slide it off and then turned to the man, "For the love of candy, did you not see it tilt?"
"Not from my angle" Mace said shakily, "Shit, you just saved me."
"Can't have John heartbroken before he's broken you now can we" Ianto quipped softly and Mace blinked and then roared with mirth as he shoved at him.
"What Captain Hart and I may do in the confines of my bedroom are my business sir" he chortled, "Although I will confirm there will be neekidness."
Ianto sniggered too, winking as he motioned up at Jack who was watching them "We sometimes remember to do that too."
Jack felt a wave of affection through the bond and he strutted over to John, "Hey, our mates are bragging about us."
John perked up as he glanced down to see Ianto and Mace shoving each ether about, "Fighting over who has the most virile?"
"No arguments there" Jack sighed softly, "Mine. I can be semi-conscious and still cuming."
John smiled as he patted Jack's arm, I am happy for you, he is a mighty catch."
"Right, the kids are safe to come look now" Jack called loudly and there was an explosion of children.
Winkle and Josh, the two Vamps who John now knew were called Esmeralda and Randal, Daisy with the scar on her face, Ginger who was…well ginger of course, Helen carried out a little boy that seemed to be unable to walk, the girl following with the wheelchair almost identical.
"Twins" Ianto said softly, "June and Jimmy. He fell from a Hover and his parentals gave him up, she kept running away to find him so they eventually gave them both to me. They have four more to care for on a farmer's wage. Only visited once in the last six months."
Then came a wild carry on as three teenagers who were all wrestling limbs and manly grunts rumbled out.
"Malcolm, Morton and Mark" Ianto nodded, "We call them the 3Ms, the previous family home couldn't handle them once this fighting thing started, have kept it up for the two years I have had them. Tiring so best ignore it."
"Eleven" John said as he watched.
"Twelve, another is beside you" Ianto whispered, "Don't be rude, show yourself to our new family member."
John turned and squeaked with shock as a child suddenly stepped away from the canvas and a naked child stared at him, then stepped back to disappear again.
"A Chameloid" John whispered with glee, "Wow. A real live one, wow. How did you get her?"
"She came of her own free will. Others smell them, they are almost extinct" Ianto smiled. "I saw her one morning eating out of the open fridge. A little beast, likes nicking things but will return them. Just likes to examine things like a little Dragone."
"Just when you think you know all there is….hang on. Where does she live?" John looked back at the house.
"In the wall behind the fireplace. Nice and warm there. About a metre wide that wall so she has a nest and uses the wall brackets for shelves. They abhor clothes, their skin is so sensitive." Ianto smiled again, the love raw as he stared at the spot of canvas, "And so very pretty."
"What do they look like with your eyes?" John asked and before he could react Ianto turned to stare at him, the image filling his mind of a myriad of swirling colours, like a confined rainbow. "Wow."
"Yeah, that is how the Others see them, find them. Those eyes are sensitive to light because they see on another spectrum" Ianto confirmed, "Why they are dying out."
John considered "So… is there a colour they are blind to?"
"I had not….well, well, well. Once again you shot a goal" Ianto canted his head, "I have not explored that before, we shall later. Yes. Good idea. There may be a tone that they are blind to."
"Worth a check" John nodded, "If we can get it right, it may be a good defence is we get caught out with an early dusk attack or something."
"Or for the hover, in case we have a breakdown before we can get home" Jack agreed, the whimper beside him making him croon, "It's OK Wink. I'm not going anywhere."
"Good" Ianto said, repeating softly as he walked away "Good."
Jack felt the tug to follow.
It felt good too.