45
Rhiannon was on her knees, cuddling her children to her as they all cried and talked at once. Johnny on the other hand, stood back appraising the situation and as his eyes settled on Jack he started to talk "so, I would ask who I have to fuck to get a bed to sleep in around here but… I would rather not."
"Well… that would be Martha actually. She's taken over the accommodation side of things since me and Ianto don't give a giraffe's arse" Jack replied.
"You mean a rat's arse?"
"Oh no… we simply kill rats around here."
Silence.
"That's enough Cariad, I want the SUV squared away, David you show your mama where you are billeted and as for you young lady… I seem to have filched a Barbie doll or three from one of the stores along the way." Ianto said calmly as Mica gasped with glee, running to see as she yelled for Holly.
"Smartarse" Johnny said softly.
"Johnny… I don't get you. All your scoffing at me and Ianto for being gay… you seem awfully interested in arses mate" Jack clapped him on the shoulder. Hard. Johnny tried not to show any pain but Ianto knew Jack had a hard hand.
Alice hung back and Ianto smiled at her "We have some for the babies too. I know you wouldn't settle for a boring old Barbie doll. There is a purple bag in there... your favourite colour... there might be a reborn baby doll in that one with some clothes and stuff. We can build her a little crib sand stuff so you can have a baby too. And I bet yours wouldn't be in the garden over there slapping dirt on the head of the runt."
"OI! Did you just call me kid a runt?" Owen roared.
Ianto grinned at Jack before turning around to face Owen, sorry little man, I call it like I see it. Clearly the other kids think so too. It's manure. Like… they have watched us gardening and hope it makes her grow like the flowers."
Owen gaped as if they were one entity, the kids all turned their head in unison to stare at them, dirt dribbling through Zane's finger. Seems he is the bloody ringmaster to this circus.
"Yep" Ianto said softly "My monkeys. Definitely my circus."
"Awww that's so cute" Francine gushed "They want her to get bigger."
"They are too young to understand that they are not all the same. They want to be ya see. The same. In time they will see that being individualistic is not a bad thing" Ianto shrugged, "Come on. I am so hungry I could eat a horse."
"Horsies?" voices said as one.
Johnny balked then said softly "Creepy."
"You think that's creepy… wait until you see the little beggars eat" Owen said with glee "Full silent droid action. They are soo cool!"
"Come on guys… looks like I will have to put my sandwich on hold and gt these beasts into a bath" Ianto grinned.
"It's OK, we've got them" Francine laughed "
Oh… and there is food in your house. I know you're tired after all that. Go on, rest. Just have a snooze and I will send your babies to you later."
"Thanks" Ianto kissed her cheek then walked towards his new home, Jack pausing at the door to glance back.
Francine nodded to show she had things under control, so he left.
.
.
The two men were tired, sitting there with their plates still half full as they talked over their day. Little hands were soon coming up around the edge of the table which had Jack laughing as he lifted Zane to his knee, Ianto lofting Laurie up to kiss and ask softly "You two done making fun of your cousin's stature?"
Both little ones giggled and shoved food into their tiny mouths as Jack said "they are too small to know what that means."
"No… they know"
"Shit, don't choke" Jack gasped as a hunk of meat went in her mouth.
"They are fine, their teeth are all in" Ianto assured him.
"Now that is scary. Good thing the girls are not breastfeeding anymore, I cannot believe these little ones can drink out of cups. Growing so quick" Jack admitted "What do you think?"
"That they will be fine" Ianto assured him.
Jack was not so sure but at the end of the day, these were his kids.
He will defend them to his last breath.
Even if they scared him a little, he would never admit it.