34
Ianto was walking, the little one off with Jack who was clingy today, telling everyone that their son was the clingy one. Gabriel did seem to take it well, as long as there was a bottle he didn't seem to care.
It felt strange to be childless but also liberating after a week of being a human milk factory. Ianto took in the morning air, the quite noises of people going bout their business and the wonderfully clean street he was wandering along.
Ianto could see that the Blumanchu had been doing their jobs well, the place looked terrific. He felt like running, the soft breeze making his blood pump, but he also knew he could not push things. Not yet.
Instead, he turned to head into the house where he could hear a commotion. He entered to find children in an uproar, animals racing about and three women plus one man all trying got catch them.
He had no idea what they were, he had never even seen those things before and could only assume they were imported as a luxury pet by the fat cats and then discarded, like so many things. This place was a dumping ground.
Ianto tried something, a high-pitched whistle. Nope, they continued screaming and racing about, things toppling over and the kids even louder than that fuzzy little… ah…. Sort of like badgers I guess, like on old Sol 3.
Ianto started to sing. Not a high soft happy song but a low baritone booming one.
The creatures froze, as did everyone else.
Ianto scooped up one of the creates and scratched under it's chin. Heavier than it first appeared, it was a lovely soft furred body with solid mass. This is when it chirped. Awwwww.
The others swarmed over and soon five of them were on his lap getting attention as well and everyone settled down "So… where did these come from?"
"We found them in a cage at the dump"
Ah" Ianto sighed "Probably really hungry and racing about seeking food?"
They rushed to get some for them, and Ianto spent a while watching them, noticing one of them hanging back like it was not part of the group. Smaller, lanky and a misfit. It seemed easy to lift it up into his arms as he left, after all this was the one he had picked up first. It had not got as much food as the others, the others pushing it away so it waited patiently. Manners, this one had bene trained and was polite.
Seems like it was destined.
.
.
"Oh, goddess on a pogo stick, Tad!" Rhiannon explained as he thrust the creature at her, then she started to laugh "Oh wow. He is so… so… dirty. Smelly too."
"But he is also a bit slow. The others left him behind, I think he is not like them. He didn't move so well, maybe an old injury or something slowed him. He seemed so depressed. I couldn't just leave him there" Ianto shrugged. "You liked fluffers… the kids might too."
"You big softy" she laughed as she accepted the poor thing, carrying it over towards the sink.
"Not in the sink, we wash the things we eat off in the sink!" he said with horror, knowing her intention and she turned to head for the downstairs wet room instead. Soon the creature was up to its chin in bubbles and hot water as it got scrubbed into some form of cleanliness that had its eyes wide.
Ianto knew she was enjoying that, even as a little girl she brought home anything and everything from a bird that had fallen from its nest to a long dead cat she wanted him to fix. The burial site out back at their old home was like that of a serial killer. Strange child, her desire for children always there. It had bene a relief when David was born and she got something to really nurture.
"Did you name him yet?" she called out.
"Stinky?"
Soft lighter as she seemed to think for a while "I like… sniffles."
"Aw, don't' infantile him love" Ianto called back, now super amused.
She looked into the face of the creature that now Seemed to have a look of adoration it's face as it waved its front paws lazily in the water.
"Chester then."
"Oh, for goodness sake, really? That the best ya got?" Ianto replied, then he laughed as he opened the fridge to look for something to eat. Hungry stiff… walking. I know… supposed to be burning off the baby fat but damn… she made chocolate pudding? "Is the pudding for the kids?"
"No Tad, I got a craving for some. It's for us too" she called back, now toweling the … Chester… dry with a large fluffy towel, her face one of delight as the little man started to make chirping noises of satisfaction.
Ianto piled his bowl high and sat, taking little bites like it might mean he was not eating so much, settling in his chair to contempt the fact he was not only domesticated, but he also seemed OK with this.
Even old dogs can find a place in the sun.
He grinned at himself and knew Jack would scold for that, so he let his mind wander to some reports that needed writing, some old paperwork he could get Alice or Rhianon to fetch while he had an afternoon of not much at all.
A nice day.
Finally… it felt like a home.