49
They waited until the morning, arriving to announce their plans for a special day.
The Brig took Alice and Yvonne took Angel as Jack rounded up Caden, Harry and wee Billy into some form of order. Ianto slept as Mavis finally got the child in her arms and ran for the lower levels where they were all waiting impatiently, placing him on a table with reverence and then carefully unwrapping him so they could all see his naked little body as he calmly waved at hem, no fear from the feelings of affection he felt washing over him like the warm water he was borne to.
When Ianto stirred and woke he found his son asleep in the Moses Basket beside him but the clothing he wore was different to what he had dressed him in that morning.
"Wow" Ianto sat up, ignoring the gentle pull of correction in his lower gut and he pulled back the covers to see the intricate beadwork in his son's little nightgown, the bodice looking like a constellation of stars. Such work and time had gone onto the gift and he ran his fingers over it with care, touched that the bugs had done such a thing. His little tufts of curly dark hair were sticking on all dictions showing many claws and pincers had felt it, examined him and probably sniffed him. He knew more than one crusty had probably licked him too and knew he had to accept a lot of things might happen he would never know about, safe with the knowledge his chick would not suffer any harm in the lower levels where those stranger creatures hid from even him.
"Mavis? Mama?"
Mavis rushed in clicking with a tray of food, shoving it at him as he sat back and found pillows being fluffed by Boggyra, Mavis' eldest daughter.
"Thank you Boggy, your own hatching must be soon" he said politely as her extended stomach brushed against the edge of the nest, her egg sack bloated.
"Yes Dada, in two more suns" she agreed happily, always delighted that he noticed her. "We think maybe more than half will ripe"
Ianto found it sad that it meant about half the eggs would not hatch, either duds or deaths. However it was the way of this breed and he smiled as he agreed with her, "Wow, that would mean…what? Three? Maybe four? Good Pete! Better you than me, one is more than enough for my nerves."
She bloomed at the compliment and leaned in, her mandibles brushing over his forehead with affection and he tipped his head back to kiss her face before she recoiled with a giggle.
"Go, hover comes" Mavis said and her daughter slid to the wall then disappeared into the fake panel that Ianto had agreed could be added here and there for the comfort of the bugs who hated people looking at them.
"It's Owen" Ianto said after a moment or two, "I think he has Tosh with him, the Panther is happy as she always remembers banana skins for the babies."
Mavis moved to watch the Purr Flowers waving excitedly as Tosh threw pieces of banana skin to them and then waved happily up at her and she clicked her welcome as the Panther Plant lovingly looked over her brood as they ate.
Tosh was excited to be allowed a hold of the newling, her face shining with delight as a tiny hand reached up to touch her hair with wonder, "Wow, he's so aware."
"It's the Firebird in him, he is going to be as forward as his Daddy I am afraid. I many need a leash" Ianto sighed.
"And one for the bub when he walks too" Owen added quickly, ianto blinking and then starting to laugh softly as he clutched at his tender stomach.
The image of Jack and the baby straining at a leash each while he walked them in the park like dogs too funny to ignore.
The little coo from Tosh's arms showing that Bennu enjoyed his Dam's mirth.
Lovely.