14 Mothering Actions
Owen's cry of alarm had Ianto running.
It had been another normal day and he hadn't expected any problems so the high pitched squeal was both unexpected and galvanizing.
Ianto vaulted over the handrail into the bay to find Owen struggling with the Dermex he had been about to autopsy from a Unit drop off earlier in the day.
Ianto acted without a second thought, throwing himself between Owen and a huge creature that was like a large blue gorilla, taking a severe blow to his chest and as he cried out his arm reacted to the danger by swinging and delivering a blow to its huge jaws.
Then Jack was there, shouting and distracting it, giving Ianto time to check Owen and the sight of blood on his face enraged Ianto. Ianto roared with anger as he stepped between Jack and hit the creature again, reaching for its scruff and shaking it like a mother would an errant child.
"NO!" he roared as he did so and the creature yelped then started to wail.
"Ianto, let it go" Jack roared and Ianto immediately complied.
The creature scuttled into a corner and whimpered as it balled itself up with woe.
"Owen? You OK?" Jack asked and Owen nodded as he shakily wiped his face.
"Just a bloody nose, nothing broken." Owen assured them ,"Shit T-Boy, you went Mad Mama on his arse!"
"Exactly!" Jack said proudly, "That is exactly how their mothers subdue them!"
"Really?" Ianto and Owen asked, then Ianto frowned, "I must have read the report somewhere."
"Well, bloody Unit cocked up yet again!" Owen huffed, then started to laugh, "They are gonna be so pissed when they find out we got a live one!"
"Yeah" Jack grinned, "Ianto, wanna find a cell for our guest?"
Ianto seemed to hesitate and Jack now knew that weird movement was him processing, then Ianto turned to face the ape creature, "Come!"
The creature squeaked and shuffled over offering a hand and Ianto took it, calmly walking it through the hub like a naughty child being taken to the naughty chair.
Everyone followed quietly with growing awe as he entered a cell and told it to sit.
He then crouched so head level and reached out to rub it's head, "Good boy."
The creature perked up, looking at him with delight and making little soft barks that had Ianto crooning some more.
"Aw, he's not so scary" Owen gushed from the doorway, "He was just scared, Right?"
"No, actually he was preparing to mate with you" Ianto said while still rubbing the creature's head, "You stink of Gwen and she's ovulating."
Owen felt the blood drain from his face and everyone started to laugh, then Gwen's brain caught up and she blushed as well.
Ianto pulled out a handkerchief and offered it to the creature who took it and settled on the bed, holding it like a cuddly.
"Right!" Ianto shot out of the cell an engaged the lock, "We need to find that a ride home, or it will go a little bit nuts with its need to procreate. Adolescents can be the worst."
"It was really …" Owen rocked his hips back and forth, making Jack giggle.
"Yes. You are smaller than me and Jack so it saw you as female." Ianto shrugged and Owen scowled.
"Alternatively, it saw you as quite attractive" Ianto threw over his shoulder as he wandered off and Owen perked up, preening as he went to clean up the messy bay.
Jack withheld the information that their females were hideous and went to find Ianto.
In the staff changing room, he found Ianto gingerly peeling back his shirt to reveal a nasty bruise and Jack cursed softly, the humor long forgotten as he rushed to assess the damage.
"Assessment?" Jack asked.
"Three broken, two more bruised" Ianto staid automatically, "they will heal by morning but it hurts like a bitch now."
Jack pouted and then to Ianto's immense shock he leaned in and started to kiss each bruised rib, his lips velvety smooth.
Ianto sighed and let his head fall back against the locker, enjoying the tenderness of the moment.
"Jack, I was … Christ can ya get a bloody … shit" Owen was pushing Jack out of the way, the lean shirt he was getting to replace the bloody one forgotten as he started to poke and prod Ianto's chest.
"Ow! Shit!" Ianto writhed, "Stop torturing me ya little bugger!"
"Broken" Owen growled, "Will have to scan to …"
"Nanites" Ianto deadpanned, "Healed by morning."
"Yes" Jack jumped in, "So I suggest rest. Go have a lie down and a little recharge, you know this will take some energy to do."
"Yes sir" Ianto smiled and moved off.
"Don't tell the girls he was hurt" Jack said softly as the two men started in the other direction.
"Why?" Owen asked.
"He hates fuss and Gwen is still smarting over the robot thing" Jack replied, "Also, we don't want them to dislike our new pet now, do we?"
Owen nodded and perked up as he started considering the creature.
As Jack had hoped, he let Ianto's injuries slide.
Jack hoped Ianto would be recovered enough for something to eat later, maybe a hot bah would help.
Poor lamb.