54
Ianto still couldn't believe his little bug was here, or so damned sweet.
Jack hadn't been exaggerating when he said he looked like him, it was Jack (with Ianto's' chin) down to the startlingly blue eyes and crinkled smile.
He was smiling now.
He was beautiful.
Ianto knew he was going to cry if he didn't get his baby brain under control and he swallowed as he counted in his head. Then Jack was there gently lifting Tucker off him for a bum change.
Jack was talking softly as he laid the newborn down and checked his nappy, giving Ianto a chance to get up and Jack looked at him nervously, "Where are you going?"
"Gotta pee" Ianto muttered, waddling for the bathroom as the birth canal still had to close over and movement was proving …uncomfortable.
He had no idea how women squeezed bowling balls out of their twats and still smile serenely as they walk down the hospital steps mere hours later. Bloody legends, for sure.
Ianto chose to sit, not game to test his competency standing and he had his eyes closed as he relieved himself when he got that feeling he wasn't alone and he opened his eyes to find Rex sitting in the bath looking at him with open horror.
"Hello Rex"
"Hello Ianto."
"Rex? Why are you sitting fully clothed in the dry bathtub?"
"Hiding from Mickey and Rhys."
Ianto sighed, "They teasing you still?"
"I feel like a first class dickhead as it is without them re-enacting it at random moments" Rex huffed, plucking at the face cloth on the edge of the tub.
You know how to stop it?" Ianto asked and Rex shrugged, "Own it. Laugh when they do it and do it too. Anything surprising or unexpected happens, pretend you're fainting again. Soon they will get bored because everyone laughs with you, not them."
"It's funny" Rex frowned, "not ha ha, I mean weird. I was never bullied, never a bully either. I sort of coasted through school. Never realised how …claustrophobic it feels."
"Just don't let them know that it's getting to you" Ianto advised, "They are little thugs, feeding off each other. Just wait, it will soon be one of them being laughed at. Mickey can't help but be a twat sooner or later."
"I concur" Maddy said, making both men jump and then Rex started to laugh softly as his head fell back against the bath pillow.
"Jesus on a stick!" Ianto spluttered, "Maddy! When someone is on the john you don't usually have a conversation."
"But you are not on a John, I do not believe there is anyone here called that" she said and Rex was snorting with mirth as he explained that a John is another word for a toilet.
"But you were" she pointed out and Rex laughed some more.
"Guys …I mean ….oh god" Ianto sighed, "No. No you are right. It's not like I have any dignity left anyway, everyone seeing me tackle floating in the water like a large fishing lure."
"Huge" Rex said softly, "Fishing for killer whale HUGE!"
"Stop it" Ianto snorted, "I'm not that big."
"Yes you are" Maddy preened, "I've been checking and you are very well grown there, as is Jack. Well matched."
"Oh god!" Rex wailed, "Now I know he's big too!"
Ianto started to laugh, then moaned softly as he rubbed his lower belly.
"Sore?" Maddy crooned softly, "So much work done by the muscles, you will be sore for a few days. Would you like some pain relief?"
"No" Ianto said reluctantly, "I'm going to try to breastfeed, I want my milk as pure as possible so no medications, even yours."
"Admirable" she purred, "Tucker. I am so grateful for the respect."
"Seems the right name" Ianto shrugged as he rose and flushed, closing his robe, "He looks like a wee Tucker to me. Jack is also pleased with the name, already calling him Wee Tuck."
"You honour my brother, you honour your heart" she said softly, "You honour me, our blood."
"My blood too, I guess" Ianto frowned at himself in the mirror as he washed his hands, "And now a part of Tucker's heritage. He needs a good name, for the future I hope him to have."
"Well said brother" she smiled, then left the two men as she had arrived, simply disappearing.
"Freaks me out, like, what if she is still there just cloaked watching?" Rex whispered.
"I check" Ianto giggled "Before letting Jack have 'fine times' I check the room for her."
Rex laughed, "Knowing Jack he wouldn't care either way."
"About what?" Jack asked from the doorway, a sleepy baby on his shoulder, "He's hungry."
"OK Cariad" Ianto rose and followed Jack back to bed, settling in the miles of pillows as Jack held the wee bug to his tit.
Tucker seemed confused at first, then remembered what to do as he latched on and Ianto groaned at the pulling sensation that felt so damned good. Relaxing.
Ianto sighed and crooned as the little boy suckled, Jack watching intently as his son seemed to grow stronger with each feed.
A survivor.
A Harkness-Jones.
A warrior.