4
Ianto had his easel up today, painting in the little meadow as the falls babbled nearby. It was a warm day but the shade is ever Ianto's friend as he sat on the painter's chair with a soft hum while enjoying his peace.
He didn't know how long they had been there, just that they were behind him looking at his work so he let his hand drop and made to mix some more green so they might see the entire thing.
"Frogos?"
"Yes. Can you hear them?" Ianto asked softly "Over there. See? Hiding on the mossy rocks. Look. They are shiny."
The larger child made a noise in his throat as he followed Ianto's finger and grinned wide "See Froggo. Yes."
"Frogs. They are clever things, also … they are an animal that breathes though its skin. If water is poisoned or bad, there will be no frogs. A frog means its good water."
"This water springs from the other place. It renews, cleanses and brings comfort" the older boy said as he regarded Ianto and turned to leave, Ianto calling after him that they were welcome anytime.
The little one waved happily as he skipped after his larger brother.
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He returned home to find Gray at the kitchen table shelling peas.
"Hey" Ianto smiled "You home from the big smoke already?"
"Bonnie is working a late shift so I will pick her up after her shift ends tonight. Came to hang out until then because she will sleep-in in the morning and I don't want to wake her leaving. Got the weekend off too." Gray said as he popped another pod.
"Oh. Soooooo you will stay the night and most of the morning in her….bed…. to be a gentleman by not moving about waking her?"
"Exactly" Gray grinned "Knew you would understand. Hey, get some work done?"
"Yeah. I have to put it away though, that lawyer is getting antsy for the one of his house" Ianto sighed "The photos are soooo not clear."
Ianto sat and rubbed his face.
"Give me his address, I will get the drones to do a 360." Gray said around a mouthful of fresh peas.
"You can't do that!"
"Sure I can" Gray laughed "You want to see don't you?"
"Well … yes."
Gray nodded and smiled as the dog started to bray with excitement "Well now… is that the school bus?"
"Mehaps it is" Ianto said in a silly voice "Mehaps."
Ianto headed upstairs with his canvas and placed it on his inside easel. He looked out the window and gasped as he saw something white in the far tree line then he watched as the Stag meandered out to check the new potted colour he had placed along the pathway's entrance to the trees.
Then it was gone… spooked.
Then a horse nickered and Ianto watched Mica's horse do a gallop along the tree line with its tail high. Showing off for someone or something before a fox broke cover to run for it. They were playing. It looked like that anyway.
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"Uncle?"
Ianto turned from the sink to answer, then saw Mica was looking at Gray who looked up from his paper and smiled "Yes princess?"
"Gloria is having a sleepover on Saturday" She said with excitement "I have an invite here. Can I go?"
"Gloria?" Gray said with a frown "Is she the one with green hair?"
Mica laughed "NO! No one has green hair! No, she's the one with the doggie that can walk on it's back legs. It's her birthday and I can go. So?"
"DO you have her mama's phone number so I can talk to her and find out …" Ianto started to ask but Gray cut him off.
"Well … me and David were going to that model airplane thing for the weekend so … I don't see why not" Gray smiled at her.
Ianto gaped at him as he heard for the first time that Gray intended taking David on some road trip. Gray missed the look but Mimi caught it, looking at Ianto with wide eyes "Can't I go? Please Uncle Ianto? Uncle Gray said yes already."
Now they were all looking at him as he stood there dripping soap suds on the floor.
"I just… do I know her mama?"
"Yes, you met her at the parent thing. She wore the yellow sundress" Mica said with a wriggle in her seat.
"Come on Yan. She's been a good girl" Gray snorted "Just loosen those apron strings a bit, will ya?"
"These are my kids thank you Gray and I think I shod be the one to decide what is best. We never talked about you taking David away" Ianto said as calmly as he could without raising his voice at all. He was quite pleased with himself there.
"Oh great, here we go again with the 'parental' thing" David muttered as he pushed himself away from the table "I will be in my room when you decide if Uncle Gray can take me or not. You know … we didn't ask for mama to die ya know. She would have let me go!"
He stomped off up the stairs and Ianto felt the twist of the knife as Mica followed silently, looking back with a glare like he had run Myfanwy over or something.
Ianto removed the rubber gloves and threw them at the counter, one falling in the sink of water to sink slowly to the bottom of the sink.
"Whoops" Gray said softly with a grimace "I … I will go talk to him."
"Yeah. You do that" Ianto choked out "Since he apparently wants you to parent him instead of me. Yeah, you go tell YOUR boy what time you are leaving with him then. Drop her off at her friend's first though, I would hate for her to have to be here alone with such an ogre as me!"
Ianto stormed from the house and stood in the field, gasping for air as he stared at the tree line, hoping for some sign that it ws going to be OK.
The cracks were starting to show.
He knew it would come sooner or later… the kids pushing back as their grief dissipated and their resentment at having to settle for him set in… but damn … he didn't expect that level of nasty as the kids let go of their grief for their losses and started to push for dominance.
Ianto didn't know what to do.