29
"OK, they are newly hatched, and we do not know what an adult one looks like. They seem to like the usual fish food so we have those you brought in a large tank We will see how big they get" Owen was crowing, enjoying the fact he had something to do that was not just boring humanoids "But what we have decided is that they are indigenous to this region. Match both ancient carvings in the caves, and fossils too."
"Right. So not dangerous to the area… but to us?" Jack asked as everyone listened intently around the meeting table.
"I do not believe so" another voce cut in, Gerk leaning over the table with his unusually bright pink eyes rolling around the table "The water goes into the soil and it is well filtered before reaching our water table. We have tested it, there is nothing there out of the ordinary."
"Right, so this is most likely an indigenous species that has been dormant and is now waking up. Yes, let's monitor the growth of these things and work out if they are friend, foe…"
Ianto was cut off by Rhys who could not help himself as he blurted "Or food?"
Ianto looked at him as the table laughed and then he sighed "Rhys, you and your stomach. No ya numpty. Friend, foe or inconvenience."
"But we might be able to eat them" Rhys said as he looked around the table for support, ensuring more laughter.
Numpty.
.
.
"Fishies?"
Ianto glanced over at Mica who was close, her face screwed up as she repeated ""Fishies?"
"Yes. Here. These three are for you and your brother" Ianto lowered the tank he had been carrying, about the size of a shoe box, three tiny little things barely visible wriggling within. In the past few weeks, they had not only been deemed safe, but cute. Now the hundreds of them on hand about to become pets "Some of the kids are getting some as pets."
"Oh wow" she breathed with wonder "We feed them?"
"See this dust in this container? Look. A tiny pinch like this… scatter like this… only every second day"
"So cool" she breathed with wonder.
"Yeah, you both have to name them, love them and try not to kill them" Ianto said as he placed the tank on the sideboard in the main room "Just like parents."
"Parents don't want to kill their kids" she scoffed as she drew a chair over to kneel on and press her nose to the tank.
"Sez you" Rhiannon scoffed as she entered the room "Are those the Fishies? Who named them that? No, don't tell me. Bloody nerds."
Ianto laughed as he moved away and left his niece to her Fishies. David might be allowed one… she had already named two. Little bugger. Will be a fierce Mumma one day.
"Well, since you are here. This dishwasher is not working" she kicked at one of the lower cupboards and Ianto opened it to reveal that it was in fact a dishwasher. He knelt down and sniffed then pulled a face.
"Smells like it's blocked."
"Yeah."
"OK. I will get it looked at, one of the boys will be here this avo to bash it with a hammer" he assured her and she nodded settling back down to watch her daughter though the doorway. "Bloody Fishies. All she's talked about since they found them. The school has quite the support group for Fishie lovers."
"Well… she has some so now she can crow" Ianto snorted "until all the kids have them and it's boring."
"Oh god. You know her so well."
"Well… she is lovely."
"Where is the barnacle?"
"Jack's turn for show and tell at work" Ianto grinned "He is besotted, the silly bugger. Nice though, to get a breather now she is on bottle in the daytime."
Rhiannon kissed her brother and then offered a sofa, rising to get the homemade cookies he knew he would eat, at least.
Mica had helped make them.
.
.
"So, almost every home has tanks, this is going to be epic" Owen gushed happily.
"As long as they don't grow to the size of Hephalumps on the night and eat everyone in their sleep…yes" Ianto said blandly as Owen jiggled in his seat at the meeting.
That man is so excited about these bloody Fishies Tiggy.
Mind you Jack, they are something new and different after a long spell of boring.
Could be worse. Could be another meteor storm.
Gasp. Stop that Jack, wash your brain out with soap.
Come on Tiger... you know…
The inner banter between the two men halted as Owen's chair finally tipped back too far like Ianto had been warning him about for the last three meetings, it shot under the table and across the floor, Owen's chin hit the table and he howled as he bit his tongue.
As everyone helped him up, Ianto shook his head with wonder then turned to Jack to speak, only to find him looking a little queasy at the sight of the blood.
"No."
"What?" Jack squeaked as he finally managed to get a grip on himself.
"You can't be… it's too close. No."
Jack was about to ask what the hell he meant when it occurred to him and both men stared at one another with open horror.
Oh god.
Was Jack preggers?