27

"Drink?" Ifan asks, moving to a cocktail table and pouring some stiff drinks or everyone, Gwen sitting gratefully in a large wing backed chair as she is handed a glass of amber liquid. She gulps it down then coughs and splutters as it burns like brimstone. The old man tuts and shakes his head with annoyance.

"No, no. One may down brandy, but whiskey is sipped. This is a 1943 Dalmore, the finest single malt. It should be drunk with a splash of room-temperature water, never with ice, and it should be savoured. Let it comfort you with a slow hug, not a quick fuck ..." Ifan scolded and Jack laughed softly as he turned to Gwen.

"Ivy is passionate about his whiskey. You know … never mind" Jack smiled softly at the old man and Ianto made a noise in his throat, pulling them back to the business at hand. He tapped the surface of the desk and a computer console flipped up from out of nowhere, Tosh excitedly sat down in the large wheeled chair that had been pushed to one side to accommodate the wheelchair and waited with her fingers poised like a pianist about to do some great recital. Ianto held out the chip to her then noticed she was looking past him over at some thins.

Owen was leaning over to look at a painting of what appeared to be two men wrestling, and then he frowned as he read the inscription underneath slowly to loud "Odaxelagnia"

"GRANDY!" Ianto scowled "What the hell! I thought I had that destroyed … for the love of puppies and chocolate!"

"It's my office. I shall have what I please in here!" the old man said defiantly at Ianto, pouting like a three year old "I like that one!"

"What does it mean?" Gwen choked out, still recovering from the burning liquid.

"Odaxelagnia" Ifan said proudly "It means…."

"Grandy!" Ianto sighed then said to Gwen warily "Sexual arousal from biting or being bitten. If you look closely one is biting the other man's forearm?"

"Oh yeah" Jack said softly "Wow. Both naked too. Wow. Is this oil?"

"Acrylic" Ifan said, "see the one in the top? Biting? That's …"

"Not on the agenda for today's issues" Ianto cut in and Jack squinted as he took in the muscular pale torso that was wrapped around the slightly dark skinned loser, that little pert nose against the skin as he sank his teeth ….oh. Oh my. Jack straightened up and glanced at Ianto with something akin to embarrassment ... if he ever felt that of course … then he cleared his throat and moved away.

Owen took his place and being medically minded he noted the small scar on the wining man's left hip.

"Ianto? Is this…"

"Not pertinent to this!" Ianto cut him off as he motioned him back to the table.

Owen glanced once more at the two naked wrestlers, now engrossed "I didn't know you had a tattoo. I never noticed that before. You don't let me see that area …so shy."

"Cute isn't it? It's a little welsh dragon about this big" Jack said, his finger and thumb about two inches apart "It must have hurt here in the fleshy part of his …"

"FOR FUCKSAKE!" Ianto roared. "Yes. That is me wrestling one of my cousins naked. Yes, I won. Yes I bit him … I fucking bite when I am angry. OK? I won didn't I? And yes, I have a dragon tattooed to the left of my dick! Now please … can we get back to…"

"That's your dick? I thought it was the other man's arm" Owen chortled, "No wonder you don't let me examine you. God, I feel soo inadequate now. Jack … more than a handful there mate."

Ianto sighed as he slumped into a chair, the room erupting as they all examined his physique and pondered out loud if he was still as fit under the suits. At least Jack didn't embarrass him by confirming that, just looked at him with a appraising leer. Gods.

"I don't know why you are so bothered" Ifan said to his grandson as they watched the madness around the framed painting "He never told anyone about us. Here he is flaunting you. Seems you made a bigger impression that I ever could."

Ianto looked at his Grandy with surprise as he heard jealousy tinged with pride, the old man patting his leg "Could do worse son. A lot worse. At least he's a certain. Doesn't die. We all die, all lose in the end. Not him. I see why you like him. Gods, if I don't still too."

Ianto didn't have an answer as he watched the old man power away, Jack still laughing as he recreated the hold on Owen who squealed as he yelled at Jack not bite him, he wasn't his type.

What a rabbit hole to fall down today.