Anythingdrabble Challenge 64 - A riot of colour

[m_findlow]

Title: A riot of colour
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters/Pairings: Owen, Ianto, Jack
Word Count: 500 words
Rating: PG
Notes: Written for Challenge 64 - Riot at anythingdrabble
Summary: Jack has come back from a rift alert a little under the weather.

'What the hell happened to you?' Ianto asked, seeing a very sodden Jack trudge back into the hub. His coat was dripping heavily, leaving a trail of water in his wake as he made his way wordlessly towards Owen's medical Bay.

Ianto's brow furrowed with concern at the lack of reply, following him in his wake. 'Jack? Are you okay?'

Jack reached the top of the stairs and gripped the railing altogether harder than was necessary.

'Jack, please talk to me. What's wrong?'

Jack doubled over without preamble and began vomiting onto the step below him. That attracted the attention of Owen who'd so far been ignoring the return of their captain. Owen pulled a face and cringed. 'Well, who knew the human body was capable of that,' he muttered in response.

Ianto saw the pile of mess and thought he might be sick himself at the sight. It was an absolute riot of colour; red, yellow, green purple and specs of blue as well. Jack remained doubled over, spitting the last of it out.

Owen folded his arms. 'Is there something you'd like to tell us? Or do you normally vomit up a rainbow?'

Ianto rested a reassuring hand on Jack's back, trying not to look at the result of Jack's efforts as he slowly eased himself upright. 'What happened? You said you were going out to check that rift alert.'

Jack wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. 'I did.'

'And? You look like you fell into the bay.'

'The river, actually,' Jack corrected.

Owen snorted. 'The next logical question would be why, but then again nothing with you is ever logical.'

'The aliens were in the river. I was trying to reach in with the net, but the embankment was slippery.'

'This is why we go in pairs,' Ianto chastised, rubbing Jack's back in slow circles, seeing how peaky Jack still looked.

'So, what you're saying is you epically failed and drank half the river while you were in there,' Owen surmised. 'I thought you could swim.'

'You try falling in a river unexpectedly and see if you don't swallow any of it.'

'Throwing it up was probably for the best,' Ianto conceded, even though he knew he'd be left to clean it all up. 'The Taff isn't exactly the cleanest waterway.'

'So, now I guess we have to go back there and find the aliens?' Owen queried.

Jack frowned. 'What are you talking about?' He pointed down at the technicolor muck that was seeping down the stairs. 'Of course I caught them. It just wasn't quite how I planned it. You think my vomit is that colour naturally? That's nine tenths alien plankton.'

Owen gagged. 'That's just sick. Literally.'

'Once I'd accidentally swallowed a few, I figured  that I might as well keep going. Besides, they prefer warmer waters. They were only too happy to go down.'

Ianto cringed again. 'I'm never letting you go to a rift alert on your own ever again.'

Comments

[jo02]

Seriously, he could have texted Ianto to have a bucket ready to vomit into.

Remind me again why they are our last best hope against alien invasion?

[m-findlow.livejournal.com]

Sadly the bucket got cut in favour of the word count!

[bk_forever]

I don't think the alien plankton's going to be bothering anyone again...

[m-findlow.livejournal.com]

It wasn't how they expected to make their first communication with earthlings!