15

Jack was almost ten minutes into his car drive when the clothing Ianto had been wearing flashed into his mind and he slammed on the brakes. Hang on... where did he get those pants? Jack sat on the side of the road going over the clothing, the swagger and calm smile on the face of his lover, then with a savage snarl he roared back onto the road, swinging into traffic without a second thought to do a u-turn and drive back towards home.

He entered the Cul-de-sac and was relieved to find everything in order, Ianto and John digging in the corner of the garden of the Franks place. He got out and walked over "Hey babe. Forgot to ask if we needed anything from the store while I was out."

Ianto turned to face him and Jack was surprised to see the ash and …blood? Ianto sighed and looked around then said softly "A loose end came our way and I tidied it up. Too loose and too bold to dump, one best never be unravelled. So… we buried it here where I will have the concrete poured for the garden shed."

Jack looked at John who was also not speaking about it, patting down the earth with a look of satisfaction.

"I will take a quick shower and change, and then we will go get the kids together. Maybe… maybe visit the shelter for that dog and get some flowers, go visit the graves? Let the kids pay respects and tell them about the dog?" Ianto said as he held out his hand for Jack to go with him across the road, Jack glancing back to see John casually open a wallet and look inside it before sliding it into his own pocket.

"Ianto?"

"The Man will not be at our door again Cariad" Ianto said softly as he stopped in the middle of the road to kiss him "We are done now."

Finally Jack got it, looking back with alarm "He came… I mean… are you OK?"

"You know that song? When the man comes around? Well… a man came around thinking he was all that and a packet of crisps only to learn the hard way that sometimes there are different kinds of men in the world."

"That word you used … Bwystfil. What does it mean?" Jack asked as they resumed walking sedately.

"Monster. It is Welsh for monster. Like… a Welsh bogeyman I guess" Ianto grinned as Jack motioned for him to enter the house first "don't fuck with the wrong man."

"Oh honey, you are all kinds of the right man for me" Jack laughed as he slapped Ianto's arse and they headed inside, the plume of ash the smack raised lingering in the air as the door closed firmly.

John hummed as he visualized his last visit to the Company.

.

.

The office was muted, as if someone turned the sound off and John knew it was him as he strode across the floor, the only sound apart from his soft hum was the shish of the door closing the outside world off.

"Hello gorgeous. That Boss still unavailable? Perhaps he needs more… incentive to talk?" John asked calmly "I would have thought Parlay would be a good idea."

The Suit appeared as if by magic, clearly had been standing just beside the door listening. John smiled as he leaned on the table, the wallet under his hand as he looked over at the Suit "So… we left our calling card the other night for you… in reply to your own. I see that it was not enough as you felt the need to press home your point of view."

The Suit stared at John, and then let his eyes slide down to the wallet. John then added "Oh yeah… Bwystfil sent this for you. Apparently he is hungry and will consume all you send from now on, no returns, no refunds. No backsies."

John lifted his hand from the wallet, the leather fold raised slightly and as John turned his back on the Suit to walk towards the door the Suit lifted the top fold of the wallet to look down at what was in it.

The pinkie ring with the little signet ring was nestled in the fold neatly. The Suit made a noise of dismay as John turned to look back at him and said calmly "Bwystfil did warn you that day you knocked at his dwelling entrance. He eats what he kills. That last morsel though… had a pip."

God, he loves this place. This man Jack found himself is sooo damned funny with his soft instruction and firm hand… like being back in the Firm again with a handler capable of smacking him off a chair while praising him.

Bwystfil might be the Welsh word for monster but in John's brain it also meant Eye Candy now.

Jack really had finally settled down… no not settled. A man like Bwystfil? You do not 'settle' for him at all. You thank god he sees you as a splash of colour in a world of grey ash.

Yeah.

John decided to stick around for a while.