50

Valentine knew his role to play and was nervously watching as Taddy and Daddy cuddled on the sofa.

The meal had been wonderful, Jack laughing at the small pigs Ianto had made the strawberry moose dessert into and half sunk in chocolate sauce so that it resembled pigs in mud.

Jack had never seen that level of commitment to food before, the meal had been like art, even the baby tomatoes had been turned into flowers in the salad.

Now they settled on the sofa and Ianto was thrumming with excitement.

Jack handed Ianto the TV remote thinking it must be a programme coming on that he was waiting for. Little bugger had the TV guide memorised and could plan a whole week within a half hour read.

Ianto turned the TV on and chose a music channel, soft music filling the room and Jack with surprise.

"I need to talk to you" Ianto said solemnly and Jack saw fear in Ianto's stance.

"OK Baby, you can tell me anything." Jack assured him, letting him take a hand to fondle.

"Jack, you said you are mine, right?"

Jack relaxed, this was another round of confidence building. "Yes baby, all yours"

"So, you would tell everyone that you are mine then?" Ianto demanded.

"Yes. I'll even wear the T-shirt!" Jack assured him with a grin.

"Ah, well" Ianto wriggled on the sofa, "Not a t-shirt but ….ah …"

Valentine knew this was his turn and he ran over, carrying the little bag in his mouth as carefully as possible.

"Thank you darling" Ianto simpered, lifting the cat into his lap and rubbing his head the way he liked.

"What is that" Jack asked, watching the love shower with affection.

"For you" Ianto answered, thrusting it at Jack and then pulling it back when Jack reached for it.

"Um, no. Wait" Ianto paced the kit onto Jack's knee and slid from the sofa to the floor as he struggled to open the pouch.

Jack suddenly knew what this was and could only gape as Ianto extracted the ring.

"Will you be mine?" Ianto asked holding out the ring nervously, "I picked it all myself on the website, got it couriered over and paid for it with my card."

"Oh god" Jack said as he stared at the thin silver band.

"It's part of a set. The wedding band sits next to it and when joined, they look like one ring." Ianto grinned.

Jack blinked.

Ianto looked from the ring to Jack and thrust it at him.

Jack blinked again and Ianto's smile started to slip.

Ianto rose and paced the ring down in the coffee table, picking up the empty cups and retreating to the kitchen.

Jack blinked and took a deep breath, looking at the ring sitting on the dark stained wood.

Valentine was sitting on his lap looking after his Taddy and the sound of something breaking had him running from Daddy' lap to the kitchen.

Taddy was kneeling on the floor as he picked up pieces of the cup he had dropped. He was weeping softly and Valentine thought he must have hurt himself so he ran over to see if he was OK.

"Careful baby, I don't want your feet cut" Ianto sniffed.

Taddy? What's wrong? Daddy didn't like it?

"No." Ianto sighed as he rubbed angrily at his cheeks, "Daddy doesn't want it."

Into rose and threw the shards into the rubbish then squared his shoulders and picked up the bin, storming into the main room where Jack was still sitting, staring at the ring.

Ianto lowered the bin and swept the ring and pouch into it, then pivoted on his heel and stormed back to the kitchen. Slamming the bin into the corner with such force that the corner of the bin cracked.

Ianto then swept the remainder of the crockery on the bench off the edge and into the bin on top of the ring. Burying it with shards of broken china.

Ianto looked in the bin and felt remorse for his anger, the ring had been expensive. Maybe he could return it.

Ianto was breathing heavily as he reached in, wanting the ring back then swore as he leapt back. He swore and began trying to remove a shard that he had to dig from his hand.

Valentine screamed with horror, his fear bringing Voldemort running to see what was wrong. His own yowl filled the penthouse.

Jack finally shook himself from his shock and ran for the kitchen to find Ianto dripping blood on the floor as he growled at his own hand, his nails digging out the thin shard.

Ianto flicked it into the bin and looked over at Jack, pain in his face.

"The ring is in there! You get it out of you want the money back!" he spat, turning to put his hand under the water.

Jack rushed over and grabbed the tea towel wrapping it around the hand and pushing him towards the door.

"Owen, Ianto's cut himself and we're on our way" Jack panted down the comms as Ianto looked at the blood soaked tea towel and began to sag.

"Fuck!" Jack roared as Ianto fainted.