Just Imagine...

Types of Torture

{Author's Note: yet another purely self-indulgent fic. Proceed at your own risk XD}

Of all the ways Jack had been tortured in his long life, tickle torture was never something he'd had to endure. And that was a relief.
It was a well known fact that the people of Boeshane had skin that was highly sensitive to touch, a weird evolutionary trait that Jack had never figured out. All he knew was that it was at fault for how extraordinarily ticklish he was.
He'd learned to be resistant, always on guard for darting fingers and preying hands. Ready to flinch away at the slightest hint that someone was going to discover his secret.
Once he'd come back to life after being mauled by a Weevil to find Sam taking off his socks. She'd just been trying to make him more comfortable while he healed but Jack's instincts had kicked in before he could stop himself and his ankle had hit Sam right between the eyes.
"What the fuck?!" Sam demanded as Owen burst out laughing nearby.
"SORRY!" Jack exclaimed, sitting up, "I thought you were the Weevil! Are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine," Sam murmured, rubbing the bridge of her nose and grimacing, "definitely not brain damaged or anything."
"You were already brain damaged." Owen muttered.
"Owen." Ianto said from beside Sam.
"Is it bleeding?" Owen asked, ignoring him.
"Let me see." Ianto murmured.
"Oh, be gentle with me." Sam moaned as he cupped her face in his hands and peered at the spot where Jack had kicked her.
"I'm really sorry." Jack said, pulling his knees into his chest and feeling the sticky dried blood on his shirt.
"No, Jacksie, it's fine," Sam insisted, turning to him, "see? I'm okay. No blood. No harm done."
"We should just make sure you don't have a concussion." Owen murmured, walking across the hub to her side.
"Concussion?" Sam echoed, "he didn't kick me that hard!"
"That's exactly what someone with a concussion would say." Ianto mumbled.
Sam scowled at him and he chuckled, which turned to laughter as she tickled him.
"Don't!" He exclaimed, trying in vain to push her hands away.
"'Don't' what?" Sam teased, hands exploring Ianto's torso as he kept laughing helplessly, "I'm not doing anything."
"Sam, stop being an idiot," Owen grumbled, pulling her away from Ianto, "go down to the autopsy bay so I can examine you."
"You're like an old mother hen, y'know that?" Sam murmured, rising to her feet.
"Shut up."
"Bawk bawk bawk!"
"Autopsy bay. Now."
Jack had, admittedly, always wondered what it was like to get checked over by Torchwood's medic. Unfortunately he got the chance later that week, but in the worst way possible.
While chasing Weevils in the sewers, an alien parasite had somehow gotten into Jack's shoe and burrowed into the skin on the bottom of his foot. He'd tried to get it off by himself but it wouldn't let go, he'd have to get Owen to do it for him.
Jack sat there on the autopsy table, one leg stretched out and the other curled into his body, trying as hard as possible to stay still - and not doing very well.
"Would you stop bloody wiggling?" Owen demanded finally, "this is hard enough without you twitching every five seconds!"
"Sorry." Jack hissed through gritted teeth, bracing himself.
Owen's delicate fingers touched his skin again, and there were the tweezers rubbing against the sole of his foot. It was too much. Jack's leg jerked backwards slightly.
Owen sighed heavily.
"How many times do I have to tell you to hold still?" He growled, "what's wrong with you? Does it hurt?"
"No." Jack murmured.
"Then why all the fidgeting??"
Jack bit his lip.
"It tickles." He said quietly.
Owen rolled his eyes.
"Of course it does," he said sarcastically, "this is exactly why you kicked Sam in the face the other day, isn't it?"
"Shut up!" Jack replied, "don't tell anyone, okay?"
"Okay, I won't," Owen sighed, "as if I would."
He resumed extracting the parasite, and this time Jack managed to hold still until he was finished. The wound healed over immediately and Owen sent Jack on his way, but not before running his finger down from Jack's toes to his heel so lightly and deliberately it made him scream.
Note to self; Jack wrote in his journal later that evening, never EVER get tickled by Owen.