46
Ianto was woken by multiple little hands slapping the edge of the bed and he sighed, rolling to face several little pairs of eyes.
"Good morning" he muttered.
"Good morning Taddy Ianto" several voices sang as one.
"Oh god" Jack groaned from the other side of the bed.
"Go back to sleep, they want toast and marmalade" Ianto said as he swung is his feet over the side of the bed and rose.
Jack went back to sleep, this now normal.
.
.
Toshiko wandered out of her bedroom while tying hr dressing gown around her waist, to find the kids all at her house, sitting on the floor with a huge plate of toast in the middle of them, all eating silently.
"They were hungry" Ianto explained as he exited her kitchen.
"For MY toast?"
"They like your round flower floor mat."
"OK. Make's sense." She shrugged, settling in a chair to accept a cup of coffee.
"So, apparently we are going to be doing a maypole?" Ianto said after a while.
"Oh god, I knew those old home movies they found in the cupboard would come back to bite us" she groaned. "They are into everything with those little hands."
"They love the idea of all those ribbons" he laughed.
"Did we find it?" Owen asked as he shot into the room like a monster was chasing him. No one reacted because he always entered room like that. Seems Owen is a dasher.
"I think Mickey took over that one so … go ask him" Toshiko answered. "Outbuildings to be checked. He's sure it's here, if not we can create one."
"Right. Mickey Mouse" Owen grinned widely, then added in a baby voice he NEVER uses on the kids because they hate it "hey sleepy head. Forgot something?"
Everyone turned in the direction he was facing to see Jack there in the doorway just his boxers, rubbing his eyes as he looked at them blearily "Huh? Looking for little Lou-Lou, she forgot her slippers."
"And the little captain is trying to look too?"
Jack blinked and then looked down. "AH.. OOPS?"
"Don't worry. They think you're funny walking around nakies." Ianto assured him.
"I am nor… I have bottoms on" Jack frowned.
As one, the kids all giggled softly, then reached for more toast, sniffed it suspiciously, looked at it close to said noses, then took a bite.
"So… see? They are not bothered" Jack shrugged "Lou-Lou, slippers bubba?"
Little bare feet appeared from under the little robes on the children who all looked at him sarcastically, showing they were all barefoot, then they settled back to resume ignoring everyone.
"That was a little sarcastic guys!" Ianto scolded gently.
More giggling in stereo before they went back to eating.
"You really have a way with them. For someone who didn't' really think he would ever be a Tad you are doing a pretty good job of it" Owen pointed at Ianto as he spoke and little heads swiveled to stare at him.
Ianto cleared his throat "It's not that I didn't WANT to be a Taddy, I just didn't think the Gods had that as part of their plan for me, that's all."
Munchkins went back to eating.
"Thirsty?"
A single nod, all at once.
"OK.. I am calling it. Freaky" Owen shuddered then wandered off whistling.
The kids ignored him, used to him being the one to react to them the most... also being one of those who gave kisses and cuddles so they knew he was making fun, didn't mean it in a mean way, but was being playful.
They all agreed.
He was worth keeping.
Ianto was almost to the kitchen door and he swung to stare at thrum, their thought on the wind. Then with a soft snort of amusement, he was gone.
He knew he was worth keeping too.
.
.
They found the maypole.
Covered in dust and grime, unloved and discarded under some sacking and such, now pulled out into the sunlight to look at with annoyance.
"We can repaint it, come on. Help me remove the ribbons to wash and see it they are repairable" Ianto demanded.
"Bossy"
"Yeah" Rhys answered Johnny "But he gets it done."
"Come on Da, I wanna dance!" Mica demanded with glee and Johnny nodded as he went to help.
He knew who his boss was too.
.
.
Finally the maypole was slotted into the base they had dug ot for it, the search for said base had taken a morning and thank god the old movie footage had enough landmarks for a good hint.
"It looks bigger upright" Francine pointed out with alarm "they will get dizzy dancing around that!"
"Try telling them no" Tish said as the kids came running, screaming with jazz hands flying.
Alice was oldest so she stood handing out the ribbons like she was the boss, hesitating only once as Zane bypassed the blue ribbon on offer to snatch a pink one and give her the stink eye like she was holding out on him.
"Whatever dude" she replied.
And then came their weird version of the dance.
And even Ianto had to admit, the ethereal humming of a song they had never heard before was a little unnerving.
And they never bumped into one another once.
Like butterflies … they flew.
And then once finished cried to do it again.