Work Text:
Title:Number 33 Rain
Rating:Fluffy PG
Characters/Pairings:Jack/Ianto, coatfic
Spoilers: Sort of classic era Torchwood pre Reset
Disclaimer:Not mine, no profit, but much love
Summary:The SUV breaks down Jack and Ianto have to cope.
Author’s notes: A quote by noscrubs12345 set this up, used with permish. 1500 words approx. Note the publication date, just put this here because of the film Warhorse being given too much publicity this week.
No 33 Rain
After the stinky alien exploded in the back of the SUV the corrosive gloop dissolved the fuel tank, brakes and back-up electrics. No comms, no vehicle and it was as rural as all windswept hell. The rain was sideways and after Ianto and Owen had exited really quickly they all realised there was no mobile phone coverage either. They had to all three push to get the vehicle away from the flooded out petrol even though the tarmac was scooting it into the sides of the road. Ianto slipped twice into the slushy mud and stones rather than fall into the steaming gut liquid still dripping out. The extra equipment was a solid weight, especially uphill.
The guys all debated whether to leave the doors open to clear the smell, or close them to limit the short-circuiting of the equipment in the rain. The equipment won, and collecting the only unspoilt coat left Owen was voted to walk back to the crossroads at the top of the previous hill that had a signpost for the pub The Lamb and Flag. He was glad to go, because he could claim the only unspoilt waterproof.
"Don't forget to phone when you get there, the bar has a payphone, OK?" Ianto shouted as Owen set off swearing against the weather. It was at least daylight.
"That or mountain rescue, bloody countryside it shouldn't be allowed, If I had my way..." his voice dwindled as his pace picked up.
"Your coat is dissolving, take it off, " and Jack pulled his coat away and threw it to the side of the road. There was Ianto in a dark suit and tie, soaked to the point of hypothermia and angry as his suit collar dissolved into holes as well. The two men looked at each other, knowing the protocol for acid splashes.
At that moment the weather thundered, and the rain added an extra shot of hail. Ianto gave out a sound of pure rage as he took off his suit jacket, balled it up and flung it into the rain still dripping all over him. Jack admired the sight of wet through Welshman, the white shirt clinging to every contour, the dark hair running little rivers onto his face, eyelashes collecting crystal drops and even his trousers clung to his thighs tightly. Only the dead would not see how hot he looked wet and angry. Ianto shivered all the way through his body, and much as Jack adored the floorshow the windchill factor could kill.
"Emergency measures," Jack raised an eyebrow to Ianto, "trust me, I'm a Captain." Taking one of the younger man's still clenched fists he slowly pulled him nearer. Standing between him and the rain, Jack caught Ianto by the back of the neck with the other hand and pulled him closer. Jack's coat was open and he stepped towards Ianto. Slightly frowning, the shiver was unstoppable and Jack noticed the shallow respiration and the slightly glazed look that heralded a severe dive in body temperature.
"We have to share body warmth, now."
"Perhaps if there had been a stainless steel lining to the base, there'd--", Ianto was beside himself. Jack took it as a compliment that he was vocalising these thoughts to him. He tipped his head to one side and went under Ianto's gaze to make eye contact. Ianto glared back unmollified and not distracted. Jack did the unexpected, and swept the rigid chilled body into the front of his coat flat agains his own chest and thighs and enveloped him. Taking a step back to bump against the SUV door Ianto was pulled forward off balance; Jack wrapped the windward side around their legs and Ianto was wearing the coat too. Making a deepthroated sound of annoyance Ianto rested, placed one arm around Jack's waist using the other to turn up the oversized collar. Out of the windchill Ianto shivered less,and pressed his chest closer to the warmth. Inside the coat smelled of warm man sweat, rain and Jack's personal something.
Ianto was trapped, and let go of the frustration of the failed SUV with a huff into Jack's shoulder. Jack felt the warmth breath between his collar and the curve of his neck, and breathed back in turn onto his ear. Ianto breathed in steadily, putting his forehead down and palming Jack's chest.
The rain was still sideways on in gusts and chilly pushes around the SUV and the two men. The coat stayed wrapped, the collar and lapels were up and the swirling weather did its best to do its worst. Jack muffled his hands into his sleeves, pulling Ianto still closer and sealing any gaps. Ianto was squished and warm, surrounded by a sensation usually felt after sex. Body heat, pressure against hard muscles and Ianto snuggled into Jack's neck. He couldn't help but almost purr in spite of the wet cold socks in his shoes, his feet loosing all sensation.
"Don't sleep, that's hypothermia not our usual post-coital glow," rumbled Jack quietly to Ianto. Ianto laughed but did not look up, wanting to keep the warmth of Jack's neck on his forhead and cheek. He stroked Jack's back in reply, earning a squeeze in return.
After a few minutes he felt more aware to make a comment on the situation. Jack was content to breath in unison awhile.
"We can't sit in the SUV, it's toxic in there. Some of the rear seats have started to dissolve.." said Ianto absolutely truthfully. Jack barked a disbelieving laugh. Before he could draw breath to reply, Ianto continued, "Now tell me about other dissolving situations resulting in hilariously sexy events..."
"Or would that be dissolving sex resulting in hilarious events? Or hilarious situations resulting in sexy dissolving..." Jack intoned.
It took a while for Jack to work out what it was. Ianto was giggling. Jack tipped his cheek against the back of Ianto's head and kept it there.
About forty minutes later a horrible clatter was in the distance, east away from the setting sun from the direction of the pub. A bright blue tractor approached along the distant road, its lights making no difference to the approaching gloom. Behind it followed the reflective white and yellow of the local police in a tiny car.
"Help is probably on the way, unless Owen has been arrested." Jack could feel Ianto's smile against his shoulder "That has to be the smallest police car yet," chatted on Jack to keep Ianto awake and interested. They had fought the cold together, but there was a point at which active help was needed, and Jack's experience of trench warfare was starting to become relevant. He hoped that the farmer had come prepared to warm them both up and extra points to Owen for solving the problem of getting the SUV out of there and away to the Hub.
As the tractor drew next to the disabled vehicle, the police car put on its flashing lights to warn traffic of the obstruction even though the road likely thought it was its birthday to have three vehicles on it inside of a week. Owen jumped out of the police car with an oversized flimsy thermal blanket ready to wrap around them, correctly reading the priorities of the situation. Ianto realised he was in his shirtsleeves in a rather helpless position that was undignified at the least, and could cause harassment at the best. City lifestyle choices were not guaranteed to be acceptable everywhere, and he started to tense ready to pull away into the rain.
Jack was saddened by the man-man shame thing that was telegraphed by Ianto's tensing shoulders. He knew Ianto's mindset on this, wished it was different, but had to act to keep in the warmth for both their sakes, Ianto's most needfully. He nudged Ianto's head upright with his chin.
"Hey gorgeous, how're you doing here?" Jack's smile wasn't his usual flirty, brash announcement of sexual interest. Ianto caught the edge of it with a visible relief of tension. As Owen put the first of the blankets around their shoulders together he brushed some snow away from their heads.
"Well, truth? My feet hurt but not so bad, not so bad." Owen put a second woolly blanket from the police officer around them both, wrapped a different way and clipped to stay, placing a thermometer strip on Ianto's forehead and taking a throat pulse. The farmer was impressed at this, and the police officer nodded.
Explaining that they'd warm them where they were standing a minute or two before they were moved, Owen was meanwhile judging the two men's reponses and alertness. Ianto realised that there had been a serious danger only because it had passed. The weather rained on them anew, earning sets of curses from London, Wales and probably outer space. Ianto let himself forget the others as he and Jack stayed warm together, in the coat and the rain. Safe together.
Author’s note:#33: Rain
Ianto lets himself forget the others are around when Jack pulls him close and wraps his coat around him as the chilling rain soaks them and the broken down SUV.
quote by noscrubs 12345
Second Author's note: During WW1 officers often wore a coat over the standard uniform jacket, an overcoat also of uniform pattern. Trench warfare introduced a second coat over the first, a greatcoat (written as all one word) also of uniform pattern. The deep collar and lapels were functional with hook and eye etc to be rainproof to the throat. Officers and men still froze to death where they stood (fact), the all-wool fabrics delaying the exposure effects. The traditional rear split to the waist for easier horseriding could be buttoned closed partway with either flap or concealed button, a convention in higher end mens' tailoring until something like the seventies for any coat three-quarter length or full calf length. Don't get me started about buttons *g*. Seriously... On sleeves... Sizes...
Of course, your stage costume milage may vary.