7th Christmas
Walter knew his Daddy wasn't going to be there for the present opening. Then, just as they were getting ready for bed there was a knock at the door and Walter ran to open it, finding his Daddy standing there nervously with presents.
"Hey buddy" Jack smiled as Walter screamed and ran back to the sofa to tell Babbit their Daddy was there and a little squeal called Jack in.
Ianto came out of the kitchen and slowed, seeing Jack sitting on the sofa cuddling his boys and bit back a retort, sitting and offering the bottle instead. Jack glowed as he fed the little boy, talking nonsense to him.
Walter was looking at the presents and then at his Taddy.
"Pop them under the tree" Ianto said softly, "Daddy will come back in the morning to help open them."
"YAY!" Walter crowed happily as he ran to place them with all the brightly coloured gifts.
"Wow, Idris has outdone himself" Jack muttered instead of the thank you he was intending to say and Ianto bristled as he swung to address him.
"What is that supposed to mean?" he demanded, "Am I not allowed some family? After all, you have some that I don't like either!"
Jack reared back and cleared his throat, "Alice and Stephen are not the issue here."
"Really?" Ianto said softly, "Then what is? Lies, secrets and surprise children? Gosh, is it my turn? I'll have to check my college day in case there is a daughter or something …oh wait. There was. I told you. You water her rose."
"Ianto" Jack sighed softly and Ianto turned away, "please. I … I should have told you."
"No" Ianto shrugged, "Don't be silly. Why would you. Not like I'm someone in the 'need to know' group, right? Jack …please. It's Christmas. Let's just ….just ….line. Yeah? Come tomorrow morning about eight, we'll open the presents that I bought them. There are none from Idris down there, they are mine. Lots of little things so Walter can do lots of ripping, Babbit loves the sound."
"I shouldn't have said that" Jack agreed nervously plucking at his trousers.
He left with more nerves and didn't sleep, returning at seven thirty as he knew Ianto hated tardiness and found Walter waiting excitedly.
"See?" he crowed "I said Daddy would come when I wished him to."
"Well, you do such great wishes" Ianto smiled as they settled to watch.
Babbit wanted Jack too, babbling happily to him as Walter ripped in and then he screamed with glee as he leapt to his feet and ran to show them the computer game.
"That …wow" Ianto said with a forced smile as he noted the price sticker still on it at twice the agreed amount to spend as a main gift.
Jack rose and handed the baby to Ianto who promptly handed it to a silent Idris and followed Jack to the bathroom, making Jack swing with surprise.
"How could you not tell me?"
"Because I knew you would react like this!"
"Really! Like what?"
"Like a bloody fishwife!"
"Ha! You do think I'm the wife goddamn it! Good for a fuck and nothing else, what, did you think I would never find out? You can just have to families like a fucking bigamist?"
"Now you really are being a drama Queen"
"Better a Queen than your bitch! And you think we can reconcile? You think a wee bit of counseling and I'll forgive you taking a huge dump on my family?
"This is my family too!"
"Is it? Are we?"
"Ianto …"
"How much was that game?"
"Well, I don't get to give wee pressies after work and stuff but I am still their father" Jack hissed back, "What the fuck. It's one he wanted, so it's more expensive, not like I'm short of money since you won't accept any from me."
"For Fucksake!" Ianto snarled, "I don't want your fucking money. I didn't marry you for that!"
"Then why did you bother!" Jack roared and Ianto stepped back with a lip wobble starting, then turned and fled.
"Fuck."
Jack went back out and sat morosely as the baby babbled softly to him and after a while Ianto reappeared, his eyes red from crying and Idris glared at him for a while, then rose to check the turkey.
"Well, go get dressed" Ianto said softly to their son, "Daddy is taking you both to the park until the Dinner is ready so you can try the sled out."
"YAY!" Walter ran to see what his Taddy had laid out on his bed to wear and Jack looked at Ianto with surprise.
"Really?"
"Yeah, go have fun, make them laugh." Ianto said as he looked out the window, "It's their day anyway. They don't need to suffer as well."
For some reason, that barb hurt most of all.
For it was the truth.
Ianto was suffering.
They both were.