Title: Welcome Visitors
Fandom: Torchwood
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Ianto, Meriel, Jack, Martha, Tom.
Rating: G
Word Count: 1090
Spoilers: Nada.
Summary: Ianto is busy getting the flat ready for his and Jack’s houseguests.
Content Notes: None needed.
Written For: Challenge 424: Guest.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Torchwood, or the characters.
A/N: Set in the Nosy-Verse.



It was a good thing Jack had designed their penthouse flat with so many bedrooms. With three kids and their Fluffs, plus another one on the way, they needed the space, and even when the new baby-to-be was old enough to need a room of its own, there would still be a couple of spare rooms available for visitors.

At present, Jack and Ianto had the Master Bedroom on the mezzanine level, complete with adjoining nursery. Nosy had its own room, although it still mostly shared with twelve-year-old Meriel, while the five-year-old twins and their Flufflets shared a room with two sets of bunkbeds. At some point they’d decide they wanted their own spaces, but for the moment that left three vacant bedrooms, one of which Ianto was using as his home office and sewing room.

He’d thought it absurd at first that Jack had designed their home with seven bedrooms, but now he was grateful for his husband’s forethought, especially since they were expecting guests.

“Can I help, Taddy?” Meriel stood in the doorway to the guest bedroom Ianto was preparing.

“That would be lovely, sweetheart. Making up a double bed is always so much easier with two people. It’ll save me running from one side to the other all the time. Your dad and I usually do this together.”

Jack, since he wasn’t quite at five-months yet, was still able to do desk duty at the Hub, ordering the rest of the team around, fielding phone calls, and keeping on top of the paperwork, more or less, so today he was working while Ianto took the day off to get ready for their visitors.

Meriel joined her Taddy, smoothing the bottom sheet on the bed and tucking the sides in with neat hospital corners. Ianto hated fitted sheets with a vengeance, they tended to come adrift during… vigorous activity, so all the family’s sheets were flat, which made them much easier to iron and fold.

The two worked in companionable silence for a while, spreading the top sheet, then a blanket, and last of all a big patchwork quilt. As they started putting pillowcases on the pillows, Meriel finally spoke.

“When will Auntie Martha and Uncle Tom arrive?”

“They should be here by dinnertime.”

“I can’t believe they’re finally moving to Cardiff! You and dad have been asking them to FOREVER! But how come Rachel won’t be with them? That really sucks.”

“She’s staying in London with her grandparents until the school term ends. By then, hopefully your aunt and uncle will have found a house they like. They’re not going to be living here permanently, they’ll only be our guests for a few weeks, a couple of months at the most.”

“But I was hoping Rachel would live here with us for a bit too.” Meriel looked bitterly disappointed, and Ianto could understand that. Martha and Tom’s daughter was only eleven months younger than Meriel, and the two girls got along well; they phoned each other at least twice a week. As much as Meriel loved her brother and sister, they were so much younger than she was, and Jenna wasn’t the least bit girly, much to her older sister’s annoyance.

“Once they’re all settled in their new home, I’m sure Auntie Martha will let Rachel come for sleepovers, maybe for whole weekends sometimes. You might even find yourselves going to the same school.”

“That would be brilliant! I know we wouldn’t be in the same year, but we could still hang out together at lunch.” Meriel plumped up the last pillow. “There, that looks comfy. What time is it?” She checked her watch and frowned. “It’s still HOURS until they’ll be here!”

Ianto laughed; his daughter was even more excited about the prospect of having guests than Jack was, although as usual he’d left all the preparations to Ianto, claiming his husband was far better than he was at that sort of thing. Which was true.

“There’s still plenty to be done, including preparing dinner for seven humans and three Fluffs, and I thought we could make plum crumble for dessert.”

“Yes!” Meriel loved baking as much as her dad did, and was probably better at it than her Tad. “I could make some cupcakes too!”

“Good idea. Why don’t you start on that while I put out fresh towels?”

“Okay!” Meriel dashed off to the kitchen and Ianto gave a sigh of relief that Rhiannon had been willing to take the twins for most of the day, so he wouldn’t have to deal with them getting underfoot. It also meant that the Fluffs were getting a well-earned break.

By the time their guests arrived, Jack was home from work, the twins, worn out from an afternoon at the park, were watching cartoons with the Fluffs, and the flat was filled with the delicious aromas of baking. Ianto was just getting dinner underway, with some help from Jack.

“It’s really good of you to let us stay here while we’re house hunting. I hope we’re not going to be in the way,” Martha said.

“Of course you won’t be, Nightingale!” Jack kissed her on the cheek and shook Tom’s hand. “You’re welcome to stay as long as you need to. Let me show you to your room. Ianto’s got everything ready for you.”

“I helped too!” Meriel cut in. “And I made cupcakes, but they’re for tomorrow. We’ve got plum crumble and custard for dessert today.”

“That all sounds wonderful, but while we’re here I hope you’ll let us help with the cooking and other chores. I know how busy you all are.”

“You’ll be busy too,” Jack said. “House hunting when you’re not working.”

“I don’t start at Cardiff Royal for a couple of weeks, so anything you need me to do, just ask. You know I’m always happy to help.”

“We know,” Jack agreed. “That’s why we’re happy to have you two as house guests until you can find a place of your own. Friends help each other out, and Martha’s doing us a huge favour coming on board as our second medical officer. With a bigger team, one doctor just isn’t enough. Owen’s run off his feet; he never stops complaining.”

“Well, I’m here now to help with the workload.”

“Glad you finally saw sense and agreed to join us. I’ve asked you often enough, but you always said no,” Jack teased his old friend.

“You didn’t really need me before, but now you do.” Martha smiled. “I feel like I’ve come home.”


The End