8

The cow was labouring and had been for some time before they had discovered it on the boundary and Ianto cursed as he slid from the horse "Fuck it all to Timbuktu and back, I think it's stuck."

"Timbuktu. Fuck, that's an old one Tiger" Jack laughed as he moved from his saddle like a fucking film camera was documenting it, walking over to watch as Ianto shrugged of his jacket, outer coat and then rolled up his sleeves.

First the first time, Jack saw the two bracelets that were sometimes in a bowl by the back door along with spare Hover fobs and hair ties for the baby. He had wondered whose they were, a dull metal that fitted snuggly to the man's wrists like they were made specifically for him and only a small disc on the inside, at the pulse point where the clasp must be, was the only decoration. Had Jack looked closely he might have seen the small lightning bolt for the mark of the original maker, but as with most things it was simply now barely even noticeable. As Jack had two wristlets himself… well… a wristlet and a watch… he did not find it strange. Maybe they belonged to his wife and he wore them for luck?

Like I said… he had SOOOOO much to learn right?

Ianto used a phone in his saddlebag to call the owner of the ranch and then tossed it back into the saddle bag as he explained to Jak that four properties were connected to his. This one was a friendly, like Harper. Jack hoped he was less… well… cocky.

It was some time before Ianto managed to get the little calf almost out, by this time the rancher who owned the neighbouring ranch was riding towards them at speed and Ianto was bracing with his feet on the cow's hips as he pulled, his muscles singing as Jack reached out to help pull from his upper body.

"Fuck, she's the kid's pet. I didn't know she had got out of the birthing pen" the man said as he fell to the grass "What do I do Lou?"

"Get the water for my arms… I do Not like grossness" Ianto snarled, giving one last heave as the cow bellowed and pushed, the calf flopping out into the late day sunlight. Ianto now down on all fours in the muck as the cow struggled to rise, rubbing the calf and slapping at it until it feebly moved.

"Thank the gods" the man sobbed "It would a broken their hearts to lose her. Shit. Silly old bitch… sorry Lou."

"Water, pour!" Ianto held out his arms and the man tipped the large jug of water from the horse's saddlebag, pausing to watch the water run over the bracelets, his eyes sliding up to meet Ianto's, then back the task of cleaning him off, ending with offering a cloth from the saddlebag to dry the muck off with.

"Thank you Ritter" Ianto said softly, then he looked at the calf "A good looking little girl too. She will be a good producer."

"Yeah, I was worried about another bobby. The kids don't let me knock them off and they just take feed" the man nodded.

"Well… I am going home to wash more cleanly and change my clothes. The smell of blood… never pleasant to one who had smelt too much" Ianto smiled as he held out his hand and the man accepted the handshake with something akin to awe.

As they rode the rest of the fence line Jack commented "He was a nice guy."

"Wife, four kids… another on the way… I always make sure he gets some of my winter feed. They don't have enough dirt for the meat that are trying to grow for their own freezers… but it is all they have. He got a bum deal when he was medicaled out of service early. Never got to see much action." Ianto replied sagely "his boy sometimes comes to play with mine. In the back field with the goats they have a little cubby house thing. They play soldiers of course."

"Of course." Jack greed, what he played as a child himself.

They rode home chatting as people do, Ianto then veering off "Come on, let me show you one of the reasons I fought for this chunk, and some are pissy."

"Hunk? You mean this place or me? Oh… did you say chunk? I only hear hunk in there."

Ianto laughed as he led the horses to some trees and dismounted, motioning Jack into the interior of the belt of trees. Jack followed him in and found a little…. Fuck me… a pond? A lake. A small but cute lake.

"Come on… it's cold" Ianto said as he began taking off his clothes and Jack saw that he was going to see his lover fully naked in broad daylight… well early twilight but you know what I mean, not the semidarkness of their usual trysts. And although the scars were fierce and the old marks of battle were vicious, he was magnificent. Ianto looked over at hm "Jack? Works better if we are both naked ya know."

Jack jolted out of his fugue and rushed to follow Ianto in the water that was fucking glacially cold. "Ah… fuck… my balls… wow… nice."

"A natural spring. Always cold like this, so nice after a hard day of work or riding to come here and totally immerse yourself. Reminds me of the salt pools in Med bays."

"Oh god yes, I have woken up in many of those… like a mother's womb but this is cold… so cold… wow."

"At first I was sad it wasn't hot water but now I know this is better. You come out clean, shining and soo fucking awake" Ianto laughed laying back to look at Jack "And you know… I always wondered what it would be like to fuck in here."

"Oh?" Jack looked at those hooded eyes and felt himself go soooo hot all of a sudden, it was a wonder the water didn't evaporate "Oh lover… sounds like we need to test that out."

"Oh yes… lets."