gracie_musica | Deviations from the Norm-- It's Like Battle, But Harder

Title: Deviations from the Norm
Chapter Two: It's Like Battle, But Harder

dwtwprompts prompt: Children
Date Written: 5/4/08
Rating: PG
Word Count: 855
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters/Pairings: Jack/Ianto, OC
Spoilers: Torchwood seasons 1 & 2, particularly Small Worlds
Warnings: Fluff and crack. That's it.
Author's Notes: For

itoshii_chan, who is evil. Short and sweet.

1/?: De Mortuis Nil Nisi Bonum Dicendum Est

"Remind me," Jack Harkness asked between pants to no one in particular, "why did I do this again?"

Ianto Jones laughed. "If you can't keep up with the lads, old man, you're free to go back to the Hub."

"Hey, respect your elders!" Jack panted, pointing a finger at Ianto.

"Oh, come on Harkness!" Ianto teased, putting his hands on his hips as he stood in front of Jack. He was panting as well but not as hard as Jack, his face flushed with excursion, his blue eyes twinkling in mischief. "You chase Weevils on a regular basis. How bad can three eight-year-olds be?"

"They're twice as fast!" Jack complained.

Ianto rolled his eyes, adjusting the Vidara necklace around his neck.

"OW! UNCLE IANTO!"

"Oi! Tudor, stop hitting your brother!" Ianto called out, turning to run over to where the boys were fighting.

Ianto looked up sleepily from his position on Jack's shoulder at the knock on his door. He'd almost fallen asleep as they'd watched the movie. Quiet, lazy days off were a rare luxury for Torchwood employees, and for Ianto and Jack, sleepy days were even rarer.

Jack had fallen asleep, his head lolled back against the sofa, and Ianto pressed a gentle kiss against his forehead as he carefully disentangled himself from his lover, running his fingers through his hair as another knock rang through the flat.

He opened the door and blinked in confusion at the person on the other side of the door. "Mike?"

Mihangel Jones grinned back at his little brother. "Yan. Heard you had a day off."

"Yeah," Ianto replied, still a little out of it, running his fingers through his hair again.

"Good. Boys!"

Three small bodies attacked Ianto, knocking him back onto his rear. Mike waggled his fingers at Ianto. "I'll be back about eight, make sure you feed them too," he said with a grin, closing the door to the flat.

It took a few moments for Ianto's mind to catch up on what his brother had done to him. He watched his nephews run over to Jack, jumping on his sofa and shaking his lover awake.

Son of a bitch, he did it again.

"So this is the Jones family workout?" Jack asked as he carried Tristan up to Ianto's flat. "Chasing after kids in the park then carrying them up stairs?"

"Can you think of a better way to keep in shape?" Ianto replied, adjusting his grip on Arthur. Tudor was clinging to his back, his cheek pressed against his uncle's spine. All three of them were worn out from their romp in the park.

"Oh definitely." Jack grinned. "And if you keep wearing those pants, you'll get to reap the benefits."

Ianto rolled his eyes, digging in his pocket for the keys, then unlocking the door to his flat. "Bedroom."

"Now you're thinking."

"Jack."

Jack laughed softly, kissing Ianto's cheek as he passed. Ianto just shook his head, following him.

If he told this story at the Hub, they wouldn't believe him. Jack Harkness, doing domestic. No way.

Jack had to pass the bedroom on his way to the loo. The door was cracked open and he saw Ianto standing over the bed, looking down at the sleeping triplets. The boys were curled in on one another, dark curly heads close together.

Ianto bent and slipped something underneath the mattress before leaning over to kiss each forehead softly. Jack smiled, leaning against the door frame as he watched his younger lover.

Blue eyes widened when Ianto turned, his face the image of the word 'busted'. "What was that?" Jack asked softly, stepping back into the hall so they wouldn't wake the boys.

Ianto blushed faintly as he stepped into the hall as well, closing the door quietly behind him. "Just a silly superstition, something Mum used to do," he replied, shaking his head a little.

Jack just raised his eyebrows, waiting for Ianto to continue.

"It was a key, an old skeleton key, doesn't go to anything anymore," Ianto explained. "You put a key in a child's crib, or underneath their mattress, and it locks them in, so they can't be stolen out of it."

"Stolen out by what?"

"Fairies."

"Ah." Jack nodded. "Good superstition."

Ianto checked his watch. Seven forty-five. "Okay kids, Tad'll be here soon to take you home," he replied, giving a downright evil grin. "You know the protocol, right?"

"Yes!" three voices cheered.

Jack cocked his head to the side.

"Okay then, troops," Ianto said, rubbing his hands together. "Tudor, you get the ice cream. Arthur, you get the cookies. Tristan, the candy's in the bowl by the sink."

The boys hurried off to preform their tasks obediently, and Ianto turned to get down three bowls from the cabinet.

Jack blinked. "You're giving your nephews sugar."

"Lots of it," Ianto replied, giving Jack a smile. "And I'm timing it just so that the hyperactivity will kick in right when my brother comes to pick them up."

"That's evil. Brilliant, but evil."

Ianto grinned and shrugged, pulling out three spoons and an ice cream scooper. "It's not like they're mine."

ETA: Chapter three point one here