6

"Jack? What are we gonna do with all this sand when we've set off these fireworks?" Connor asked, looking at the half ton of the bloody stuff. They had sort of over thought the thing and gone a little… ah… mad.

Jack tried to think of a good solution then said "Ianto will know."

He headed to the chalets and found Ianto sorting clothing from the washing basket into manageable lumps to fold. Jack watched Ianto pick up a little pink top and fold it, placing it on top of a pair of Babbit's dungarees. "Babe, that's Bethy's top."

"Hmmm, no thy did a swap" Ianto said absently, picking up to little lacy toped socks and adding them in a neat ball.

"OK. Listen. The sand, what will we do with all the sand after the fact. I bought in bulk. The cat will all shit in it before the kids can play in it and…"

"Sandbags."

"We are not gonna flood. Mama…"

"No... for the fetes. Think of it. If we have a big wall of them, you can put some targets up and the kids can have some bow and arrows for prizes. A fun stall and the sandbags will take the blows. Then, we can also use them to create that retaining wall for the lower riverbed that it looking a little… ah… crumbly. We need to reenforce that" Ianot picked up a pair of bright green pants and looked at them with a frown, then placed them on Bethy's pile. The piles of clothes for all the kids, including Connor's family were neatly stacked all over the table like it was some sort of prepping exercise.

"How do you remember who all these…. Oh. Sorry. Right, edidic mind" Jack roared with glee.

"Hmmm, be a good boy and go finish sorting the fireworks display, making sure Babs, John and Skidmark stay well clear… have a safe zone or something… and for the love of coffee beans… stop letting Owen near a chainsaw!"

"How did you…. That little blonde turncoat. Babby told you?"

Ianto turned his head to stare at Jack who started to laugh softly to himself. Of course Babbit did not squeal. Ianto just had to hear the fucking thing going to know who was holding it. Like a fucking third eye kinda thing.

"Freak" Jack said, bending over to kiss him.

"Twpsyn" Ianto replied, patting the arse of his beloved "Go on… and remember… the fencing too."

"Yes dear" Jack said in a fake snotty voice, then laughed as he raced off shouting that they needed the portable fencing from the Fete stuff to cordon off the area like safety barriers.

Ianto knew the others would be impressed and tell him he was a clever fucker for thinking of that. And he wound shrug and say Ianto thought of it and they would all look at one another and whisper how sweet it is that he wants Ianto to be a part of something he hates.

And he does.

Never liked fireworks, or the fear it puts into the animals. After all, New Years Eve means the horses all stabled, the pets inside with lights on and the TV turned up with something loud like an action movie to drown out the real action outside and someone always got hurt somewhere. The paper full of it the next morning.

At least in his little village they can control things. Jack always got the fireworks that do not come with a cannon boom, called Silent Fireworks even though they do still emit a sound. It is a soft whistle or a crackling noise instead of the boom and they put up wonderful displays of colour into the sky, are about the lights without the sounds.

This is how he shows his love for Ianto.

IT took ages to find a UK company that makes Sound Muting Fireworks, he always purchases from there and is the one to make sure everyone knows there are to be no unauthorized fireworks about the place.

Not for the sake of the kids… or the animals… for Ianto.

And the children do not have to wear earmuffs to enjoy the evening.

He is lovely like that… this Captain Sexy Pants.