21
"Never trust someone that doesn't like animals!"
Ton eyeballed the man who looked a bit dishevelled. There were brambles in his hair and leaves stuck in the cuff of his pants. His shoes muddy. Ton could clearly see that this man had not walked thought the security gates and he folded his arms as he looked him up and down "Who?"
"Mister Harkness-Jones" the man repeated.
"Well … I am Mister Harkness-Jones" Ton said sagely, "Mehaps you want me?"
Ianto was sitting at his table doing some recipe sorting and he looked up at the screen to see Ton standing in front of a stranger looking so much like his Daddy he just needed a Great Coat. Ianto considered and reached for the button to activate the mic, listening now as he watched a Hoodlum Enforcer move to the corner of the screen behind the man.
"I want the one who is in charge" the man said, making a noise as Muncher walked over to sniff at the man and he kicked out gently at the dog with open disgust.
"I am in charge here!" Ton was liking this. Being a Grup was easier than he thought it would be.
"I want your Dad"
"My Daddy is not a Mister. He is a Captain" Ton snorted "You are not that clever, are you. You asked for a Mister."
"The one who is the…ah….senor mayor?"
"Well … I am a future mayor. Can I help you?" Ton's face became bland and even thought Ianto knew he should go out and save the situation, he was incredibly touched to see his own 'fuck-off' face.
"Look little man …. Gods!" the man spluttered as Grub came around the side of the house, the huge bulked out Cane Corso would have left his mother in the dust now. The size of a small bull, the dog looked at the boy and then the stranger and he went into protect mode with a low bellow of warning.
"And that is Grub Harkness-Jones but he is not a mister either. He is a dog" Ton canted his head. "You know … we are about the same size but you are a bit fatter. Really, if I am a little man, so are you!"
"Get out!" the man snarled as he flapped his papers at the dog and then a cat made a strange entrance with a screech of anger, dancing over to rake claws at the man and then dance behind the dog that would save her from anything, the nakedness alarming in the sunlight. "Christ almighty! How many of these bloody animals do you have!"
"Lots" Ton smiled sweetly, "Dogs, cats, chickens, horses ….I am working on a rat but Taddy is a bit resistant so he got Muncher instead…sort of the same thing… and there is an Animal behind you."
The man swung to stare at the mad man with frizzy orange hair and a wide smile. His bright Hawaiian shirt finished it off, the sleeves split for the huge arms.
"Hi" Animal said in a deep boom.
The man paled and made a noise as he started to back away and Ton smiled as he turned to walk inside.
"Bye!"