Slashthedrabble Challenge 584 - Under pressure

[m_findlow]

Title: Under pressure
Fandom: Torchwood
Characters: Jack, Ianto
Author: m_findlow
Rating: PG
Length: 500 words
Content notes: none
Author notes: Written for Challenge 584 - Pressure at slashthedrabble
Summary: Jack is in a bad way, but Ianto will do whatever it takes to keep him alive.

Ianto’s gunshot rang out clear as he felled the alien that appeared to be all claws and not much else. Jack hit the ground a split second later and Ianto feared his bullet had gone straight through and hit him as well.

As he ran to Jack’s side, he realised it was far worse than a gunshot. The alien had managed one large swipe which had ripped Jack's belly open from left to right, entrails pouring from the slit.

‘Let me go,’ Jack pleaded.

Ianto shook his head. ‘No chance.’

‘Ianto, I’m not in a good way. I’m dying.’

‘Let’s agree on the first without question. As for the second, yes you probably will die, but it could take hours. In excruciating pain.’

‘So speed things up a little for me, huh? What’s the point of letting you have a gun if you don’t use it?’

If he wasn’t so concerned about Jack’s current level of pain he might have belted him. That was not what he kept a gun for, even if there were times when he metaphorically might wish he could shoot Jack.

‘Ever been eviscerated before?’ Ianto asked, trying the keep the question light and conversational.

‘Nope.’

‘Right then.’ Ianto leaned over him and grabbed the snaking intestines, trying hard not to vomit over them. With a sudden move that prevented him from thinking about it too much, he shoved them back inside. Jack’s scream was one he didn’t think he’d ever forget. He forced as much pressure over the bloody gaping wound as possible, which only made Jack scream and howl more.

‘What the hell are you doing?’ Jack wailed. He lifted his head a little to inspect the situation. ‘Oh, God. I thought that’s what you did.’

‘Well, we had two options really. One, put everything back in and hold it all together until you can heal yourself-‘

‘But that could take hours!’

‘Or, keep pressure on the wound without doing that and find out what happens if you try to heal yourself with all your insides still on the outside. I for one don’t share your confidence that course of action ends well.’ He’d seen Jack’s body heal up around all kinds of things that got in the way of open wounds – bits of fabric, wood chips, half a crushed beer can... Having half his digestive tract hanging out like a weird umbilical cord was not an acceptable outcome.

‘It hurts,’ Jack said, wincing in obvious pain.

Ianto sympathised. He could only imagine how much it must hurt. ‘I know, Cariad, but what else am I to do?’ His hands were slick with warm blood and the sensation of sausages beneath his fingers, but he’d keep them there no matter how much he wanted to empty his stomach. He had never assisted Jack in dying. Stayed by his side countless times as he slipped away without anything that could be done to save him, but not that. Not ever, and he wasn’t starting today.