Ficlet: All A-Flutter
Title: All A-Flutter
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Ianto Crow, Jack, Alien.
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Nada.
Summary: Jack is dead or dying, but there’s nothing Ianto Crow can do for him.
Word Count: 500
Written For: Prompt 327: Flutter at anythingdrabble.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Torchwood, or the characters.
High up in the safety of a tree, Ianto was all a-flutter, feathers fluffed up and wings twitching ineffectually. As a crow, it wasn’t a particularly dignified state to be in; crows were not easily ruffled, they were intelligent, adaptable birds, but right now Ianto thought he had every reason to be a bit… agitated.
On the ground below him, Jack lay unmoving in a pool of his own blood, seriously injured, perhaps already dead, and there was little Ianto could do for his lover. He was larger than most urban bird species, and surprisingly manoeuvrable for his size and wingspan, but he was still no match for a heavily armed and decidedly hostile alien. He’d learned that a few months ago, when he’d all but broken one wing trying to divert another hostile alien away from the children playing outside their school just a couple of hundred metres away, and he’d promised Jack then that he’d never risk himself like that again unless there was no other choice.
This time he had a choice, unpleasant though it was. Jack, whether currently alive of dead, would survive, no matter what his attacker did to him, although the alien seemed disinclined to harm him further, probably believing it had effectively dealt with whatever threat he posed. So, Ianto could either stay where he was, watching over his lover from a safe distance, and tracking the alien’s movements until Jack revived and, hopefully, dealt with his attacker himself, of he could fly back to the Hub and alert the rest of the team, which would mean leaving the alien wandering around loose, and potentially putting innocent lives at risk.
If they hadn’t been so far from the Hub, he could have used the small communication device he wore around his leg to contact the rest of the team, but unfortunately, he was out of range, so that was out. There was no point changing back into his human form either, because then he’d be naked, unarmed, and unable to help Jack anyway. At least in his crow form, he could follow the alien, and when Jack revived, let him know where it had gone.
Decision made, Ianto calmed himself, letting his feathers settle. He’d stay here, keep watch, and when the alien moved, which it seemed about to, he’d keep tabs on its location, flying back and forth between it and Jack, until Torchwood’s leader was able to go after it again.
The alien rose to its feet behind the bushes where it had hidden after killing Jack, and set off across the park, thankfully deserted on this chilly winter morning. Ianto waited until it got far enough away before fluttering down to check on Jack. Unsurprisingly, he was dead, although the gaping hole in his chest was closing rapidly. Flying up into the branches again, Ianto followed the alien, hoping his lover would revive soon. This time, when Jack caught up to it, Ianto was sure he’d show it no mercy.
The End
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Ianto Crow, Jack, Alien.
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Nada.
Summary: Jack is dead or dying, but there’s nothing Ianto Crow can do for him.
Word Count: 500
Written For: Prompt 327: Flutter at anythingdrabble.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Torchwood, or the characters.
High up in the safety of a tree, Ianto was all a-flutter, feathers fluffed up and wings twitching ineffectually. As a crow, it wasn’t a particularly dignified state to be in; crows were not easily ruffled, they were intelligent, adaptable birds, but right now Ianto thought he had every reason to be a bit… agitated.
On the ground below him, Jack lay unmoving in a pool of his own blood, seriously injured, perhaps already dead, and there was little Ianto could do for his lover. He was larger than most urban bird species, and surprisingly manoeuvrable for his size and wingspan, but he was still no match for a heavily armed and decidedly hostile alien. He’d learned that a few months ago, when he’d all but broken one wing trying to divert another hostile alien away from the children playing outside their school just a couple of hundred metres away, and he’d promised Jack then that he’d never risk himself like that again unless there was no other choice.
This time he had a choice, unpleasant though it was. Jack, whether currently alive of dead, would survive, no matter what his attacker did to him, although the alien seemed disinclined to harm him further, probably believing it had effectively dealt with whatever threat he posed. So, Ianto could either stay where he was, watching over his lover from a safe distance, and tracking the alien’s movements until Jack revived and, hopefully, dealt with his attacker himself, of he could fly back to the Hub and alert the rest of the team, which would mean leaving the alien wandering around loose, and potentially putting innocent lives at risk.
If they hadn’t been so far from the Hub, he could have used the small communication device he wore around his leg to contact the rest of the team, but unfortunately, he was out of range, so that was out. There was no point changing back into his human form either, because then he’d be naked, unarmed, and unable to help Jack anyway. At least in his crow form, he could follow the alien, and when Jack revived, let him know where it had gone.
Decision made, Ianto calmed himself, letting his feathers settle. He’d stay here, keep watch, and when the alien moved, which it seemed about to, he’d keep tabs on its location, flying back and forth between it and Jack, until Torchwood’s leader was able to go after it again.
The alien rose to its feet behind the bushes where it had hidden after killing Jack, and set off across the park, thankfully deserted on this chilly winter morning. Ianto waited until it got far enough away before fluttering down to check on Jack. Unsurprisingly, he was dead, although the gaping hole in his chest was closing rapidly. Flying up into the branches again, Ianto followed the alien, hoping his lover would revive soon. This time, when Jack caught up to it, Ianto was sure he’d show it no mercy.
The End