13
Jack loved the place, opening every door, cupboard, window… it was quite tiring actually just watching him and Ianto took a seat as he opened the book on the table to check the figures. Finally Jack noticed "what's that?"
"My caretaker notes everything for me as I am a bit anal retentive about things" Ianto muttered and Jack could not help the snort of amusement. Yes. Noted. Ianto looked up and grinned as he caught it "there is diesel in the generator ready to go, more in the three cans to one side. Enough for us to live here for an entire winter if we wanted… also the feed for the horses is all….."
The sound of the door slamming had Ianto looking up from the book with surprise, then watch as Jack reentered the cabin with wild eyes "There's horses out there."
"Yes Jack, hence the need for feed for them" Ianto replied calmly, amused by the childlike glee on the man's face. Clearly the man knows horses.
"IANTO THERE IS THREEE ARGHHHHHHH A FOALLLLLLLL"
"Oh my god" Ianto said to himself, the yelling a new aspect he had not had before as Jack provided to yell a running commentary of everything outside, Ianto at the table blinking slowly as he shook his head with wonder.
It was an hour before Jack came back, grinning from ear to ear and stinking of livestock. He washed up while talking animatedly about the horses and the goats he found as well, his glee making him flick water as he forgot he had not dried them yet.
Then Janet came flying into the house.
Jack yelled as he chased her and Ianto looked at the floor with horror "Jack… did you leave the gate open to the horse paddock?"
The mud was like a gory crime scene and Ianto felt his temper flaring as he went to get the cleaning supplies… oh god. The bed.
Ianto ran but was too late, the man and dog on the bed wrestling as the bedding flew around them told him he was FARRRRRR too late.
"Oh god."
.
.
"I have never had a dog before" Jack said later as they lay on the floor in the soiled sheets, the dog rampaging at the foot of their mess, puling at the sheet they were laying on as the wrestling became something else that the dog managed to race away from. "She was polite not to watch us … you know… eat a snack in the kitchen."
"Food is a major thing with a dog. They will do anything for food. It' a great motivator" Ianto replied as he looked up at the ceiling and sighed "and now I have to make the bed with fresh linens and you have to bath the dog."
"Bath? You bathe them?"
"Yep, there is an old tub in the back yard. You can half fill it with the hose then boil the two huge cooking pots full of water to take the chill off the water and then… in she goes" Ianto said, making a swoop of his hand for emphasis.
"And she likes it?"
Ianto did not answer, preferring to grin to himself as he made a note to close the door and shut them out for it.
.
.
Right" Jack said as he hitched up his pants and looked at the bath tub. It was nicely full, he had used the elbow test to make sure it was not too hot even if Ianto told him she was not a baby and it did not need to be hot at all.
The towels were nearby, although he didn't know why there were two and the soap looked like human stuff beside the bottle of doggie shampoo.
Jack found out.
Apparently lifting a huge English sheepdog, putting your back out a bit while doing it and the dog struggles like you are about to drop it into larva means you go into the bath too.
Jack managed to get out, dripping as he shampooed the damned dog and he looked back toward the cabin to see Ianto in the window, pissing himself with laughter. He knew… he knew this would happen? Damn… did Ianto play a joke on him?
Jack started to laugh as well, seeing how this must look to him and the dog's happy face like she was glad she created the laughter.
At least now he knew why there were two towels.
Once he had the dog dried, himself dried and the fresh clothes he found under the towels where they were safe…. Damn that man thinks of everything.
Jack stood on the doorstep and knocked "Can I come in?"
"Are you dry?"
"Yeeeessssss"
The door opened and Ianto's eyes seemed to dance with merriment.
"You knew she would do that to me!" Jack accused and Ianto sniggered as he widened his eyes with fake shock at the accusation.
"Come on, I have hot scones…. On the…" Ianto stopped talking as Jack slammed past him and headed over to the oven, opening it and then looking around as he sniffed the air, heading for the table where the scones were cooling.
Jack grabbed one, yelped as it was hot, laughed while juggling it as he took a knife and delicately opened it to add a HUGE dob of butter. Ianto sat and watched as the dog rampaged into the house and snatched half the scone from a plate before Jack could react.
Ianto simply rolled his eyes and poured the juice.