All tied up and nowhere to go

They were stripped down to their underpants and roped together. Under other circumstances, Jack may well have been delighted to find himself tied to a semi-naked Ianto Jones. But, he'd rather he was conscious. The tug on the ropes from where Ianto had fallen forward was pulling tightly across Jack's chest.

Jack had been able to fight off the effects of the drug faster than Ianto, his body's metabolism breaking down the tranquiliser more efficiently.

"Ianto?"

No answer – that worried Jack. He rocked forward hoping that maybe the sudden movement might wake up Ianto. Nothing. It was then that Jack felt as if an icy fist had wrapped itself about his heart, perhaps Ianto wasn't just unconscious, maybe he was more seriously injured than he'd thought. He'd not moved at all, and Jack stilled a moment, hoping to hear breaths – nothing. Jack's heart plummeted at the thought that he might be sitting here tied to his dead lover. He began to rock to and from more frantically, needing to hear something, even it was just a painful groan – anything that was a sign of life.

"Ianto! Wake up! Please… please wake up…"

Still nothing.

Jack struggled against the bindings that held him in place, his hands tied together in front of him, he couldn't even reach out and touch Ianto. He'd once boasted to the team that he'd taught Harry Houdini everything he knew. That was of course an embellishment of the truth. He'd once met the great escapologist when he worked undercover on the fairground circuit as the man who couldn't die. Houdini had been fascinated by Jack's act and had spent a while trying to fathom out exactly how he did it, then he'd been distracted by Conan Doyle who wanted to involve him in the whole fairy investigation. Jack had tried to warn him off the fairies. It wasn't widely known that red rose petals were found on the floor of his dressing room following his final performance.

Shuddering at the memory of yet another soul he'd failed to save, Jack tugged once more as fiercely as he could and was rewarded by the sound of a sharp intake of breath. His relief was somewhat tarnished by the fact that there followed a painful sounding cough that he could feel resonate through his own body, their backs being pressed close together.

"Hey there – you OK?"

"Do I sound OK?"

"You sound awake, which is good." Jack didn't add that he'd thought he was dead. That would have been tempting fate. Not that Jack believed in fate, but he wasn't taking any chances, not where Ianto Jones was concerned.

"Ouch – stop pulling on these bloody ropes will you?"

"I'm trying to get us out of them, if that's alright with you."

"Stop a moment and let's think. My hands and feet are tied up as well – I take it yours are as well?"

"Yep."

"And we're held together by a rope – so we need to get rid of that one first and then help each other out of the other ropes – yes?"

"Makes sense. You ready to try standing up?"

"Not sure that's going to work – maybe if we push back against each other and …"

Both men tucked their bound feet up and bent their legs at the knees, pushing down they managed to slowly raise their bodies from the cold concrete floor.

"That's good, they're not so tight now we're standing up."

Ianto didn't respond at once and then Jack heard the laboured breathing as if he was in pain.

"Are you hurt?"

"Just a bit – hang on a moment and I'll get my breath back."

"Ianto." Jack used his warning voice, but without being able to make eye contact the effect was mostly lost.

"Be OK … minute, that's all."

The fact that Ianto slurred his words slightly and seemed to be swaying on his feet did little to reassure Jack.

"I suggest we get as close as we possibly can and relax, then we should be able wriggle out of these ropes. You ready?"

"Uh huh …"

"Ianto? Speak to me please, you're getting me worried. Don't lie to me – how are you feeling?"

"Bit dizzy – room's spinning."

"Shit – we tried this too soon, you've only just come round. Back to the ground – now!"

"No, Jack – I'll be alright, please, let's try it."

Reluctantly, Jack gave in, partly because the sooner he could see exactly what state Ianto was in the better he'd feel. It took a while, with them pressing hard against each other's backs, sweat beginning to trickle between their shoulder blades as they concentrated on pushing the ropes upwards and over their shoulders, flexing their arms until eventually the outer strand of rope slipped upwards and then Jack took over, putting his upper body strength to good purpose he wrenched the ropes over his arms heedless of the rope burns he received across his smooth chest as he forced the coils over his head. As soon as Jack was free from the constraints of the rope he fell forward, no longer being held up by Ianto's body and as he toppled over he heard Ianto's exclamations as he hit the floor as well.

"Fucking hell … that bloody hurts."

Jack rolled over quickly to check on Ianto who was on his side, a thin trickle of blood just visible from where his head had hit the unforgiving surface.

"Shit – I'm sorry."

Jack scrambled over and managed to get his fingers to work on the cords around Ianto's wrists. As soon as they were loosened, Ianto pulled his hands free and began to untie Jack's hands. The twine about their ankles was then removed and at last they were free. Jack's first instinct was to grab hold of Ianto and squeeze him tight, fortunately his brain kicked in to remind him to check for injuries before making them worse.

There was a mattress in the corner of the room they'd been locked in and Jack helped Ianto across to it. There were no covers, but at least the staining was minimal and there were no springs sticking out.

Jack got Ianto to sit down so he could assess his injuries. There was a lump developing on his temple where he'd hit the floor suddenly and the drying blood that streaked across his pale face alarmed Jack, even though he knew that scalp wounds bled copiously. But there was nothing to wipe the blood away from his face with – not unless he took off the one remaining item of clothing he'd been left with. Both of them had been beaten first before being knocked out, naturally Jack's bruises had long since faded away, but Ianto's were only too evident, even in the gloom, dark purplish stains across his back and abdomen. Jack couldn't take his eyes from the dark red mark on Ianto's lower lip from where it had been split.

The room they were held in wasn't much more than a cupboard with a single mattress pushed up against one wall. There were no windows and only a solitary naked bulb providing some light. Jack felt Ianto shivering as he sat next to him, their adrenaline fuelled struggles had warmed them up briefly, yet had also caused them to lose body heat, which was not good. Reaching an arm around Ianto's shoulders, Jack pulled the younger man closer to him and gently pressed a kiss to the raised bump on his forehead.

"Are you going to kiss all my injuries better?" Ianto winked at Jack, trying to take the look of concern from his face.

"Would you like me to?" Jack shrugged.

"It might pass the time until we get rescued I suppose."

"It might do." Jack grinned. "So where next?"

Ianto held out his arms, revealing reddened marks around his wrists. Jack swiped his tongue over the inside of his wrist, laving the delicate skin before kissing the palm, then repeated the same actions on the other hand.

"Better?"

"Oh yes – much."

"You've got a split lip as well…" Jack leaned closer, pushing Ianto back onto the mattress and ran the tip of his tongue over the abused lips, teasing them apart and then plunging his tongue deeply into Ianto's mouth in one of those kisses that always made Ianto feel as if Jack was trying to devour him. It was Jack that broke the kiss, sitting back on his haunches to catch his breath whilst taking in the sight of Ianto lying there chest heaving as he breathed deeply. Jack frowned, he knew his kisses owed a lot to the many years of experience he'd had, but he didn't believe that was the reason Ianto's teeth were chattering.

"You cold? You keep shivering."

"I'm almost naked, Jack and unlike you I've not got an internal furnace keeping me superheated night and day."

"I could warm you up."

"How would you intend doing that?" Ianto sat up and slipped an arm around Jack's waist, pulling him closer, making it clear that he was quite willing to entertain any suggestion that might prevent him from dying of hypothermia before they could be rescued.

"I think that if maybe I got you completely horizontal and then lay on top of you – like a blanket, that might warm you up…"

Not waiting for a reply, Jack pulled Ianto fully onto the mattress and swiftly rolled over him, leaning up on his elbows looking for permission before sinking down on top of him. Ianto made a soft growling sound in his throat before tugging Jack down onto his chest.

"Hey – I don't want to hurt you!" Jack held back and traced his fingers over the mottled bruises on Ianto's abdomen.

"Not made of porcelain, Jack – or hadn't you noticed?"

"Oh yeah – I know every inch of your body and even though it's not delicate, you've got bruises and now's not the time or the place to test your pain threshold."

"Take it slowly and I'll let you know if you hurt me." Ianto's voice was low and the tone was enough for Jack to interpret exactly what he meant.

Jack slowly rolled his hips over Ianto's, testing for a reaction and liking what he found.

"What's that? You warming up the only part of me that's actually clothed?"

"I don't think it's going to need warming up too much." Jack leaned up on one elbow so he could run the finger tips of his free hand through Ianto's chest hair. "You're almost furry anyway, this should keep you warmer than it does."

"It's not that thick! You're just envious because you haven't got any."

"This is mine I'll have you know," growled Jack, running his fingers through Ianto's chest hair possessively.

Ianto shuddered as a cold draft of air blew across his bare chest. This only prompted Jack to tuck his head down to tease a nipple with the tip of his tongue.

"If that's all you've got, it's going to take a while to warm me up."

"You playing hard to get?"

"Excuse me – lying pretty much naked underneath you – how does that count as hard to get?"

"So – you're up for this – even though the rest of the team could come storming through that door at any moment?"

Jack grinned, knowing that the risk of being discovered was a turn on for Ianto, as he'd been delighted to find out that time he'd had Ianto's thighs spread out across his lap, his hands braced onto the desk in front of them, impaled on Jack's cock in such a way there would be no way even Gwen could have mistaken what they were up to that morning.

"What did you have in mind?" Ianto's voice caught, betraying his eagerness to find out what was behind the filthy leer on Jack's face.

"Let me show you? I think it could really help warm you up."

Jack carefully rolled Ianto over onto his stomach and lay over him, pressing kisses to his shoulder blades even as he slid his hands down to his waist, tucking his thumbs into the waistband of his boxers pulling them down over the younger man's hips until he could push them all the way down. Sitting up briefly he got rid of his own underwear and threw it to one side.

Pressing his erect cock firmly along the crease between Ianto's buttocks Jack began to rut slowly against his lover's arse, the friction soon warming them both up.

"Jack … what?"

"Shush … just try to relax …"

The slippery sensation of pre come dribbling onto his thigh made Ianto gasp, but not as much as when Jack used it to lubricate the tip of his finger, which he gently pressed in just the right place until any resistance was surrendered. It was then that Ianto knew he was lost and that he'd let Jack do whatever he wanted with him.

"Jack – are those your underpants over there?" Gwen asked as she walked over to the sticky, crumpled bundle of cotton.

"No!" squeaked Ianto, before she picked them up. "We told you, they stripped us completely."

Gwen shot a look at Ianto, noting the way a blush crept across his chest. A quick glance at Jack caught the 'cat got the cream' look an instant before it was rapidly disguised. If she didn't know better they actually looked as if they'd enjoyed being kidnapped and held hostage.

Stockholm Syndrome she thought. But after only four hours?