Chapter Text
"Duckie"
Jack swung to see his mother and he rushed to cuddle her with glee as Ianto resisted the eye roll that he knew was epic even if no one saw it.
"Mom, come on in" Jack gushed, stepping aside to let her into the house she had purchased. It still felt a little uncomfortable for Ianto that she had done this, even though he knew his mother doing it would make Jack feel just as weird. It was the fact she liked to act like she still owned the place despite signing it over to them.
The Duckie thing was what really made him cringe. He had no idea Jack's nickname used to be Duckie. Now resurrected and with James Dean looking so much Jack he was getting called Duckie Junior with as much vigour. And that is how JD became DJ so easily. Ianto had taken pride in naming his son and she had even taken that over.
"Duckie… come to Grammy darling" she crooned as the little toddler rose from where he was laying with Nate and rushed towards her with glee, squealing as he moved with speed.
Nate watched and then shuffled on his butt towards his Taddy, not liking the idea of Grammy and her kisses. This little one, for all his cuddly nature with his Taddy actually hated being kissed. He hated being coddled.
"Jamie-Dee, don't forget to put your toys away if you are finished with them" Ianto reminded his son only to find Jack kneeling to pick things up instead. "Jack. Come on, he has to learn."
"Come on love, they are barely two years old" Jack replied "Come on."
"Come on Duckie Junior, Mama will get you a snack" she crooned as she rose from the chair and Ianto rose with Nate on his hip as well.
"Daphne. Did you just call yourself something we agreed was a no-no? Come on now, please don't make me put a time out on you." Ianto warned gently do as not to alarm the babies "We agreed… you are Grammy. Please do not try to change things."
"Mom, we did agree." Jack said with a sigh as he saw Ianto's chin jut out. Great, a shit show was starting any minute.
She snorted and then said glibly "Oh I forgot. For Godsake. I should be able to be myself in my OWN house."
Ianto turned to Jack with a look of thunder as the woman swept from the room and Jack nodded, following his mother to scold her again. Ianto settled back in the sofa with annoyance. Almost two years and still, she could not let things go.
At least Jack had got the spare key back off her.
.
.
"Oh god, really?" Toshiko sighed "again?"
"He finally took the key back" Ianto grumbled as he poked at his pie, not really wanting it now. Why the hell had he ordered fish pie? He did this sometimes and hoped for his Mama's pie only to realize no one made it right. He sat back and she pulled his plate over to taste it. He watched her.
"So, at their second birthday party she was told, now she has been told again. How many more times?" Toshiko muttered to herself with a frown "If anyone is to be called that it will be me."
"You preggers?"
Her fork froze halfway to her mouth and she looked at him with wide yes "What?"
"You hate fish pie."
She pulled a face and he smiled "Oh please… tell me you are. I need something to distract me form killing my mother-in-law."
She smiled as she nodded and he squealed as he gripped the table. She slapped at him and hushed him, "I've not told anyone yet. Still getting used to it."
"Well, ya told him right?"
She shook her head and looked around before admitting "He's talking about the new house and getting another bloody motorbike."
"Toshiko, you are not worried about dosh are ya? You know… I will cover all your medical bills right? I mean it… you are my sister in heart, if not blood. Those babies you carried for us make you so. You know that." Ianto said as he clutched at her hands "You NEVER need to feel weird about asking me for money. Ever. OK? I owe you my everything."
"Thank you Ianto. I really… yeah. I was worried about that. Not that we don't have money and savings but if he does get a new house…"
"Next door is for sale" Ianto rose with shock at himself for not thinking of it before "they can't keep up the mortgage payments on it, it's going up soon. They told me. I could get it at a cut rate price, they just want their money back they put in. Shit. I could look into it."
"And how will you get him to agree to accepting such a gift. Owen is too proud for that" she scoffed.
"Rental. You rent it and I simply place any and all money into an account for the baby!" Ianto folded his arms defiantly, jutting out his chin and she started to giggle as she saw the madness and the actual possibility of living in such a swish house.
"The one done by the lovely couple you helped when he fell off the ladder?"
"Yes. That one. Perfect. We can put a gate in the back fence, the kids will be together. Imagine… sneaking over for dinner or BBQ on a summer's eve?" Ianto rose to pay, as he always did.
Toshiko wondered if they could do it. If they might really be able to do it.
Buy one of the show's other houses.
If anyone can swing it, Ianto can.