17
Ianto was not sure where it came from but as it sat in the middle of the living room staring at him he knew somehow Mountain was to blame. "HAWK?"
Ianto listened for the drumming of feet and heard nothing. He stared at it some more and then tried the other one "Captain Kitty Hawk… I need you!"
"Yes?"
Ianto shrieked, swinging to find his son directly behind him with a bowl of meat in his hand. The steaks Jack has purchased to marinade had been left in the refrigerators for his tending to later and now two of them were haphazardly placed in a bowl.
"Ha… Captain. What in the living hell is that in the middle of MY house?" Ianto said in the low voice of doom the child always missed.
"Nigel."
"Nigel."
"Yes… he looks like a Nigel doesn't he?" the little boy looked at Ianto like he was mad as he moved around Ianto and calmly walked over to feed the cat that blinked slowly at Ianto like he was a bit mad too.
"Does your father know you have a Nigel now? I bet Mountain got him for you from one of his contacts. Right?" Ianto asked as he slid behind a chair to stare at the cat some more.
"He's just here for the afternoon. Walt has him for a movie and he hated the sound of the people on set so … 'Tain bought him here for me to get a look at. Apparently… aparrrrrrrrrenty you need a special permit to own a Nigel so… I may have to wait until I am a bit bigger for one of me own old man" the Captain huffed, "Once I am of age... it will be game on!"
"Hey Boss" Mountain said from the doorway to the other room, the man with him clearly the owner as he nervously watched the child approach his cat.
"Careful there son... if you are giving him that, place it on the floor. Don't offer it with your fingers." The man warned.
"Don't worry citizen… I am well reversed in Cat Laws." The boy said as he placed the bowl on the floor and then clasped his hands together with raw affection as the black panther calmly devoured the steaks.
"Mountain? Might I have a word in the other room?"
"Nah. I don't think so."
"Excuse me?"
"Nah. I know that look. You are gonna twist me ear and threaten me gonads with that look. Skidmark warned me about that look. Come on… declawed and hand raised as a pet… it's harmless." Mountain argued.
"A fucking Black Panther is in my house not even muzzled!" Ianto hissed.
"Oh he had a muzzle" the handler sighed "I think someone removed it when I went to the loo."
Ianto slapped his hand to his face, not even caring if he looked like a diva.
"Nigel … would you like milk? Does he have milk old man?" CKH asked.
"Water" Ianto sighed softy "Carry in the dog's bowl carefully."
"Ah!"
Mountain placed a hand over his ear like he could feel those fingers twisting with anger. Oh shit. He knew he needed to retreat with witnesses.
He had finally gone too far in the spoiling of the child.
