Under My Skin

Under My Skin - Part 8

Will was past a dozen crates full of grenades when he felt a flutter from his pocket.

"Will?" panted Louis. "I don't think this is working."

"You okay?"

"Can't breathe. I'm getting dizzy."

William looked down in time to see Louis slide to the inside of his chest pocket.

"Louis!" Will bent to his knees and scooped him out, the tiny body trembling. He took a deep breath, took his mask off and held it over Louis, the air hissing through. After half a minute the blonde agent stirred, coughing.

"That would have been a shitty way to die," Louis muttered as he sat up on Will's palm. "How long was I out?"

"A few seconds," said Will before he took a breath from the mask. "You could breathe the air inside my stomach, why not out here?"

"Dammit, I don't know why this isn't working!" Louis groaned and rubbed his face, taking a rare, patient breath. "I was inside you, and you were breathing normal air. I just can't breathe out here."

"Do you want to un-shrink and share the canister?"

"No, idiot, I already explained we wouldn't have enough air for both of us." Louis closed his eyes. "Aw, shit."

"What?"

"I have an idea that I hate on principal."

Will looked warily at his partner and had a feeling he was going to hate the idea as well. "Do I want to ask?"

"Put me in your mouth."

Will's jaw dropped. "You want to go back in there after what happened last time?"

"I'm not asking you to swallow me, idiot. Just hold me in your mouth until we get some better air."

Will chewed his lip, thinking over the idea. On one hand it could work, on the other hand there could be an accident and Louis's arm could be crushed between two molars. Despite the rough experience he had had last time, Will was thinking in favor of just swallowing his small partner whole. "You really want to be in my mouth, with my tongue, spit, and teeth, for two hours?"

"No, but I... I don't want to feel that helpless again." Louis took his turn from Will's air mask, passing his hands over his bruises and the long scratch on his side. "Then again, I'm pretty helpless right now aren't I?"

"You've seen better days," agreed Will. "Now, what'll it be, sharing my air full size, or... swallowing?"

Louis tapped his foot, frustrated. "Swallow, but you better do it quick before I change my mind."

Will nodded and instructed his partner to take off any unnecessary equipment so his throat wouldn't be scratched on the way down, and hopefully make it easier for the way up. Louis stripped off everything but his communicator, his knife, clothing, a flask at his hip, and the virus canister. He had even taken his boots off. The miniature items were stowed in Will's pocket.

Meanwhile, the younger agent was mentally preparing himself for something he never thought he'd have to do again. He held Louis closer to his mouth, and then his lips quirked in a lopsided smile.

"What is it?" asked Louis, annoyed.

"I just remembered a scene from a music video where Pamela Anderson was swallowing the members of some band."

Louis made a noise between a huff and a laugh. "You ain't no Pamela Anderson, fanboy. Now, move it."

Will moved his hand to his open mouth, allowing Louis to crawl in, and then shut his lips. The bitter smell of coffee that usually lingered around Louis was transformed to taste on his tongue. There was salt, coffee, dirt, and if he looked for it, blood from the scrape on Louis's side. Would swallowing aggravate his partner's injury? He could feel the small body shaking against the roof of his mouth.

Will took a few quick breaths through his nose. He could do this. He did it once before, he could do it again. He just had to not think about it. Last time he'd been half drugged and unknowing that the painful thing moving down his throat was Louis. Now... well, he hoped it would go easier.

"Will, it's real tight in here, you'd better hurry up," snapped Louis.

Suddenly, Will tilted his head back, hearing the unexpected yelp of his small partner being moved to the back of the mouth, and then swallowed.

Tears came to his eyes as the body squeezed into his throat. It was like swallowing a living mass of sharp rocks. How could something so small feel so big? Will put his air mask back on, but had to swallow a few more times to get Louis down enough to breathe. He could feel the lump in his throat, as evident as the pounding in his veins.

Over the SkySprechts he could hear Louis's struggle in the dark, tight confines of his esophagus; fearful gasps, pained groans, they echoed in Will's ears as he forced himself to swallow again and again. Then he realized some of the pained sounds were his own, and he pressed his back against the wall, hoping it would end soon.

The aching was at its worst when Louis squeezed into his chest like a brick. At one point he seemed stuck, right next to Will's heart, putting pressure on its pounding. And then all at once, the pressure was gone, leaving aching relief. A familiar weight rested inside him, and it moved as he rose to his feet, left hand pressed over his stomach.

"Louis, are you okay?" he rasped.