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[ ACTIVE / CLOSED ]

Who: John Sheppard & Ianto Jones
What: Extremely Serious Guard Dog Adoption
When: Early October
Where: Olympia
Warning(s): None!

John has what could be generously described as part of a plan.

He knows what the end looks like, it's the connecting tissue he's really missing. It's Sunday morning, and he's already been for a run and come back for a shower -- is mulling over the best way to try and steer Ianto in the right direction without being instantly overt about it. He's still in the process of making coffee, and John watches him thoughtfully as the room begins to fill with the strong scent of something freshly ground.

"You up for a trip out into Olympia today?" he tries, because maybe he'll get away with being vague. "Just some light recon. I could use a second opinion on some things."

There, space for Ianto to assume something. Like clothes, or furnishings, or something. Actually, they could probably use some of that too. He glances around the place thoughtfully, frowning as he weighs up how boring and annoying both shopping for new sheets might be.

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Ianto throws the other man a sideways glance at the question. Are you honestly asking Ianto Jones whether he's fussy about something? Is the sky blue? Ianto isn't even ashamed to admit the truth at this point.

"Bigger," he says, automatically. "Shower, if I have to choose. Though both would be a luxury." He glances aside at the other man, quirking another smile at him and raising an eyebrow to make certain he catches his drift before repeating himself again.

"Definitely bigger."

"Didn't realise you were such a size queen. Bigger bathroom it is, shower preferable."

He steers Ianto around out of the residential distract into the beginnings of the shops, clearly with a goal in mind, and frowns in thought.

"I think you're probably pickier than me. Maybe you should just pick a top five or something within our budget and then I can look at those."

Since John really isn't as fussed about things like bathrooms or kitchens, he could live pretty much anywhere if he had to.

Having no idea where in particular they are headed, Ianto allows himself to be gently directed as John walks. Making something of a face at the other man's suggestions (size queen, really John?) but it's not a bad idea in the end. Narrowing it down for John to choose a favorite from, they're still both technically choosing together in the end, right?

"Any further requests about what I'll be looking for yourself, then?" he asks. "Location, I suppose. I can keep in mind how far you'd have to go for work. And myself. It's not as though I'd hit the ground running, with what I've got lined up." They might both be working these other jobs for a while yet, even after they've moved into a new place. Just to tie things up and make ends meet.

"Reasonable distance to work would be nice," John admits, "since I'm walking back at awkward hours in the dark."

It'd be nice to not have to walk for an hour in the dark through suspicious narrow streets, but he supposes he could if it was worth it.

"Decent size living area?" he adds, "for our new friend," and he turns to push his way into what -- on glancing around the inside -- is immediately obvious as an animal themed shop. There's rows upon rows of collars, bowls, blankets, food items. The guy behind the counter looks up from reading a magazine and closes it on seeing John, squints between him and Ianto.

"Here to see her again?" he prompts, and John shrugs in answer.

"I needed a second opinion."

Ianto registers that John is leading him into a storefront, but it doesn't click just what sort of a business it is until he glances around the room at the various items on display that he realizes it's a sort of store for pets of some sort. One that apparently actually has animals, as the man at the counter speaks up about her and John replies back in turn.

See her again. Again? Ianto turns to glance aside at the other man, his eyebrows high on his forehead, obviously taken aback. John had mentioned a pet -- a dog -- and Ianto had answered honestly that he'd be interested. But he'd not honestly been certain that John had been serious. Yet here they are, in the shop, and John's already been here before?

"Again?" he repeats aloud. It's the only thought that seems to want to escape him, even though hundreds of others are rattling around his head. Our new friend? Here to see her? Again?

The man behind the counter shrugs and vanishes through a door. There's the sound of something like metal clanging, then a scuffling sound, then he appears backing through the door again and turning. There's an excited yap, and John moves forward and crouches down.

"Heeeeeeeey, hello! Do you remember me?"

He stands up and turns, and in his arms there is a mass of excitable fur that seems to mostly be intent on licking his face.

"Hey, sshhh steady now you're going to make Ianto jealous."

John moves closer, lofting an eyebrow at Ianto, and smiles as the puppy turns and focuses her big ears on the new person. Hello, potential friend!

Here to see her again. The words echo through Ianto as he watches the man disappear through the back and return. As he watches John bend and scoop up a small bundle of fluff that licks excitedly at his face. As he turns to Ianto and smiles and she turns her attention onto him as well.

A puppy. He'd mentioned a puppy before, but now she's here in John's arms and she's precious. And he's gone to look at puppies in secret before bringing this one to Ianto's attention, that's pretty much the icing on the cake here as Ianto reaches forward and ruffles her big fluffy ears. So young they're not both even standing up yet.

"Hallo, there," he murmurs, a gentle smile spreading across his face as she licks at his hand in turn. She's only just a baby, she'll need so much attention and care, Ianto doesn't think -- but then again, he doesn't work for Torchwood anymore, he has to remind himself. And he wouldn't be doing this alone.

He glances up at John from the puppy, momentarily stunned and lost for words.

"This is Ianto," John carries on, since Ianto himself seems to be at a loss for how to handle a puppy. "Do you think you can show him what a good girl you are? Come on, just like we practised."

The puppy wiggles and John turns to set her down. She lunges for Ianto's legs and John clicks his fingers to get her attention, lofting an eyebrow.

"Hey," he says sharply, and she turns quickly to him instead. "She's only nine weeks old," he adds wryly, and shoots Ianto an amused smile as he tries to hold her attention. "Okay, sit!"

She plonks down on her hindquarters and watches him, expectantly. This is sitting, yes? Is it good sitting?

Just like we practiced. Ianto watches as John sets the puppy down at his feet and waits for this good girl trick to be demonstrated. Biting his lip as John struggles with her attention span. Nine weeks old? God, she is young though. So young and so... God, she's so sweet. He can't help but smile down at her as she sits for John at his command.

"Good girl," Ianto praises her softly, before glancing back up at John as he does.

"You practiced this," he repeats again. "John, I... How many times have you visited -- our little friend here?"

Maybe practised sounds weird. John turns to Ianto and his face scrunches a little.

"Twice? I went around a few places seeing the kinda dogs they have."

He didn't come every day for a week or anything, he just wanted to see how obedient she was on the visits so they practised some instructions! Sit and stay and come and that kinda thing. She is meant to help Ianto with his PI stuff after all.

Good girl is enough to get her attention, though, and she turns and makes for Ianto -- stands up on her hind paws to scrabble at his legs. Hello, Ianto! You are very tell and she cannot quite reach you properly!

At the scrabbling at his ankles, Ianto turns back to the little wiggly puppy, bending down to gently shush her and discourage her from attempting to climb any higher up his leg.

“Hey now little one,” he murmurs, easing her off. “Are we ignoring you?” He reaches out to stroke a hand through her soft puppy fur, scratching behind her giant ears —she’s going to grow into them someday but for now they are so big — and ruffling her fluffy scruff as she mouths at his hands.

“Did you hear that?” He continues to ask the dog, though in truth he’s addressing John himself. “John likes you so much he’s brought me along for his blessing to take you home.”

"If you still think it's a good idea," John says, because maybe he doesn't. Maybe Ianto has changed his mind. Maybe he was never that into the idea of a dog to begin with. Maybe he didn't think John was serious?

"We don't have to," John adds, "or, we can wait until we find a place to move to if you want."

Since John can understand that it might all be... too many things at once.

The puppy bounces and begins trying to paw at Ianto's hand while chewing on it, as if fighting a fearsome beast, and John says hey sharply. She lets go reflexively and turns to him, ears perked forward, and sits down against just in case this is the right thing. Sitting is good? The people like when she sits, so she can do it again! Is this right?

"No biting," he says more softly, and she tilts her head, looking around in confusion. Is the sitting working? She isn't sure. How long must she sit?

While he hadn’t honestly thought that John had been serious at the time, the idea of walking away from here and leaving her behind — especially when John has gone through the effort of visiting several times already and picking her out just for them — it just about breaks his heart. No, whatever surprise Ianto might have felt upon arriving in the store and realizing where John had taken him, this is his decision too. He wouldn’t have it any other way.

“What I want,” Ianto replies, watching as the little puppy sits for him and smiling softly as she does before glancing back up at John. “What I want,” he repeats himself, “is to give her a good home. If you think that’s what you want as well.” He looks back to the puppy, smoothing a hand through her fur again as he asks, “How soon would we be able to take her home? We don’t. There’s nothing at the house for her. Are you sure we can really—“

But he stops himself from voicing that last thought aloud. Can they really afford this? If ithere’s anything he’s learned from the way he had grown up, it’s that there is always a way to make ends meet, if need be.

"Well, our shift pattern means there's normally someone around to keep her company. Only a few hours when both of us are out."

Which is good, it means she won't be too lonely. He reaches to pick her up again so she's at their level, so they can talk without crouching down awkwardly, and steps closer to Ianto once more so he can still reach for her. She squirms to rest paws on his shoulder, looking around, and he turns a little so she can still see Ianto while perching on John the way she likes.

"She's old enough that we can take her home any time, but I figure we should buy some puppy-safe things first. A crate for her to sleep in maybe, some toys, food and that kinda stuff."

Ianto moves to push himself up to stand again as John picks the puppy up, reaching for her again as John steps closer and stroking his fingers through her soft puppy fur as he listens to John list out the things they might need for her. Mentally going through their apartment and wondering whether there's any re-arranging they'll need to do in preparation for her arrival as well. Cleaning? They keep it pretty tidy, but a puppy can get into pretty much anything, and it's not as though they've got that much in the way of storage. No more leaving anything on the floor, they're going to have to start getting creative he supposes to himself, before he glances to John again.

"What do you think?" he asks the other man softly. "A puppy... It's a big commitment. We'll have to do -- pretty much all of her training. She's going to need a lot of attention, especially to start..." He runs his fingers through her fur again, playing with her giant ears. God, she's so sweet, and he doesn't know John's experience with dogs exactly but he already seems at home with her. And she with him, at that.

"I mean, she knows sit and she sometimes remembers stay. She's off to a good start. You wanna know what I think?"

He shifts her in his arms, moves to hold her up under her front legs and holds her out to Ianto.

"I think you need to say a proper hello."

Her tail thrashes excitedly and her paws wiggle mid-air, trying to swim herself closer to Ianto. Yes, yes, now she could maybe get at his face! Just as she hoped! He is no longer too tall!

Not wanting the puppy to wiggle her way out of John's arms and be dropped, Ianto reaches to take her, settling her against his chest as he does. Giving in to the onslaught of puppy kisses for a few moments before craning his neck out of the way and shifting her just enough that he's got a little more space to breathe and talk to John.

"Sit and stay," Ianto muses aloud. "Impressive, for only two visits." He bounces the puppy gently, as he addresses her. "You must be very smart. Or is John here a good teacher too, what do you think?"

John grins as Ianto bounces her in his arms like a baby, reaching out to ruffle her ears.

"I can't take all the credit, they've been training her here too."

Since a well trained puppy is easier to adopt out than one who has no training at all. John moves to scratch under her chin gently, smiling as she squirms to kick her back feet in response. It's clearly a good scratch spot.

"What do you think, could you live with such a menacing guard dog?"

A menacing guard dog who has a great deal of growing up to do yet, Ianto can't help but make a note of. One who is warm and soft in his arms and who might be squirming a little because John has found a good scratching spot, but she seems otherwise perfectly content to be held and petted and otherwise loved on. He ducks his head to nuzzle his face in her soft fur and breathe in her sweet puppy smell, sighing softly before picking his head up to offer the other man a smile.

"I think," he says, after a moment's thought, "that we can find a way to give her a good home. Whatever kind of a dog she turns out to be."

"Are you doubting her ability to be terrorise the bad guys?"

... Admittedly, right now she is not looking especially terrifying. Still, John's expression furrows as he combs fingers through her ruff.

"She will get big, and she's a working dog so even though she's very clever that will also make her pretty high maintenance. She'll get bored easily and act out, be territorial when people she doesn't know turn up."

She's meant to also be a guard dog, after all, and John is pretty sure she'll make a great alarm system if they want her to or not. Possibly about more things than strictly necessary.

Ianto hums along with everything the other man says, watching her wiggle wag at him as he pets her in his arms. She will get big, he can see it in the size she is already, and how big her feet are. She'll need to grow into them. She'll need to grow into a lot. She'll need to learn how to be a dog, and it's true, with their schedule these days there'll often be someone around to help her. That if they save up to afford this PI business they've been talking about, then she might be with them all the time. A partner in crime. Or against crime, rather. He smiles at the thought, as she snuffles at John's hand in turn.

"She'll have a lot of energy," he agrees. "She's already got a lot of energy." He glances up at the other man. "You could have someone to willingly go with you on your runs." More willingly than Ianto, anyway. Even if Ianto has gone too, in the past. Ianto's fitness levels are a work in progress...

"She'd be a great running partner," John agrees, and he reaches out to tickle one of her paws. She kicks again and squirms harder, because this is clearly a good game. "Pretty sure she'd run circles around me given the chance."

Although obviously, before they go running properly, John might need to make sure he knows how she'll behave around other people and other dogs. Otherwise it might be less 'running' and more 'stopping every five minutes to detach a puppy from another person or split up a dog fight'.

He has high hopes, though. A dog running partner would be nice.

"Is this a yes on the puppy, then?" he prompts. "Because she'll need a name."

The puppy squirms in Ianto's grasp and he struggles to keep a good grasp on her, shushing her gently as he adjusts his hold. It isn't hard to imagine John going running with the little puppy, with the dog as she gets older. It will help her get some of her energy out, and it will help him get some of his own out as well. A dog will keep him company, in this potential job, and more importantly at home. And a dog will give John a job to do. Beyond the bouncing at the club. A purpose that Ianto thinks he needs. A purpose he thinks he needs himself, at the end of the day, truth be told.

"Yes," he says softly, tucking her close to his chest and ruffling a hand through her ruff as he does. "Yes, it's a yes. The puppy is a yes." Glancing down at her and smiling softly as he adds, "How could I possibly say no to a face like this?"

"Well, you're gonna have to learn how to. Otherwise she'll wind up the boss of you instead of the other way around."

He ruffles at her ears again, then takes deep breath and looks around toward the shopkeeper again. He's gone back to reading a magazine, takes a moment to sense he's being watched.

"Made a decision?" he prompts.

"Can you hold her a day or two while we dog-proof the place?"

The man gives a non-committal half shrug, begins rummaging for bits of paper under his desk then sets down some forms and begins filling things in.

Ianto appreciates the man giving them the privacy. He can only imagine how they must have looked, a pair of grown men fawning over a puppy. Even if he is probably used to such things, working in a pet store as he does.

He takes a few steps closer, wondering if maybe he should put the puppy down at some point but deciding he'll just hold her for a little while longer yet. Watching as the shopkeeper begins to fill out his paperwork and deciding he can let John take care of the business side of things this time, since he's the one who had begun this venture in the first.

"It'll give us the time to think up a name for her as well," he muses idly. Since John is right, they'll need to come up with that as well.

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