Waking

Waking
by elfin

Characters beloved creations of and copyright Jonathan Glassner and Brad Wright. Story copyright MJHughes 2000. PG-13, soppy warning!

“Space Monkey” hadn’t exactly encapsulated all he’d wanted to say, but he hoped his voice held the gist. And the expression on Daniel’s face, that happy, beloved smile, had told him he’d got it at least partially right. There was a party, a celebration on the base. But SG-1 hadn’t felt like being a part of a crowd, they just wanted to be together.

First suggestion had been a bar somewhere, but Daniel had asked that they go to Jack’s, with food and beer, and just watch some videos. So that’s where they ended up. After all, Daniel had been the one to almost die. Jack found plates and forks when Sam turned up with Chinese food – lots of Chinese food. Daniel raided Jack’s limited DVD collection.

“Did you choose these?” he complained. Jack closed up behind him, resting an easy hand on his shoulder.

He shrugged. “I have a deal with a store. They send me the top five each month. Come on, I only bought the player thingy because I thought I should have the latest technology. You know, being as I work with it all the time.”

Daniel chuckled, enjoying the other man’s nearness, and reached up to pick out a couple of boxes. He had The Matrix at least – like everyone else on the planet – as well as Cube, Aliens and an odd choice he thought – Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. They’d do.

They spread the food out on the coffee table, and settled in for an evening of quiet togetherness playing at being Mike Nelson and Crow.

First up was Aliens. They all agreed it was the best of the four, but not everyone shared the same high opinion of the movie. Daniel did, however, get more excited when they put Cube on. Jack sat back, content, after as many noodles as he could eat and four beers, just to watch Daniel watching the movie.

They took a break after Cube. Food was reheated, the toilet was visited and more beers were taken from the substantial stock in the beer fridge. The next one up was The Matrix.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” They heard the toilet flush and heavy footsteps on the wooden stairs. Then Jack bounced back into the room. “I’m here.”

He glanced at the three – Teal’c in the armchair with his legs thrown over the arm in a very uncharacteristic pose, Sam in one corner of the sofa and Daniel curled up sort of in the middle. Making his mind up, Jack ushered Daniel over slightly and dropped into the corner next to him.

Jack reached out and put a hand on his shoulder, pulling him back gently. “So get comfy again.” Daniel cast a glance back, but figured ‘why not’ and leaned back into Jack as an arm was draped around his waist. He glanced at Sam but she only smiled. The Matrix began in earnest, special effects everywhere.

Outside, the sun set slowly and the room became flooded first by an amber glow, later by a cool darkness. Daniel couldn’t have sworn to it, but he was sure that Jack’s arm around him tightened slightly. Not that Jack wasn’t a comfortable pillow. But there were a couple of things….

“Yes, you are.” Daniel moved to sit up, but that arm, while not exactly stopping him, did make it clear that Jack would prefer it if he didn’t move. Jack put the box down onto the floor and dropped his fork into it.

As the special effects became more extravagant, Jack smiled to himself to feel Daniel shifting closer into him. At one of the film’s more romantic moments, the blond head dropped back against his shoulder and Jack couldn’t resist. He dropped a single kiss into the soft mane, so quick that Daniel wasn’t sure it had happened.

It was comfortable. Neither Teal’c nor Sam seemed to mind the development happening here, Daniel noted with interest. Even when The Matrix finished, Teal’c got his butt out of the chair for more beers, and Sam offered to raid Jack’s kitchen for more food.

“You’re gonna have to move for a minute, Danny.” Jack reclaimed his arm and squeezed Daniel’s hip as it passed. The other man sat up to let his cushion clamber out from the corner of the sofa.

When Jack got back, Daniel was gone. “Hey, where’s my Space Monkey?” He took a beer from Teal’c and watched while Sam bought out three buckets of ice-cream. “I had those in my ice box?”

“Sure.” She handed him a spoon and a bucket. “You two can share.” Jack thought he might actually have blushed then.

Daniel stepped back into the room and was greeted with an award-winning smile. “Thought you’d deserted me.”

Getting used to this odd new thing between he and Jack, Daniel smiled back and waited for the other to settle back into the sofa before sitting back himself, shifting until he was comfortable again, Jack’s arm around him a little less casually this time.

Final film was Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Sam and Teal’c tucked into the ice-cream as the opening sequence introduced the mood of the film. Daniel had taken the bucket from Jack and was happily spooning the chocolate out into his own mouth, wondering how long it would be before Jack demanded some. After five minutes he felt the man behind him move, and smiled to himself, readying a spoonful.

He started then when he felt lips press against his neck, flutters of kisses against his throat. As quickly as they’d started, they’d gone, and there was a chin rested on his shoulder.

“Ice cream,” was all Jack said, and Daniel complied. He wasn’t sure what was happening here, but it wasn’t at all bad. He kept glancing at Sam and getting the same knowing smile, same if he caught Teal’c’s attention. Obviously they had expected this. What had happened in the twenty-four hours in which they’d been apart?

Concentrating on the film was near impossible. Although doing nothing blatant, Jack’s arm around him was distracting enough. But his other hand was slowly exploring Daniel’s back. Nothing sexual, perhaps not even sensual, but it was touch enough to send his mind reeling away from the film, and over time it became one of the most intimate caresses he’d ever experienced.

The final film finished. Sam pretended to hide what was obviously a false yawn behind her hand and glanced at Teal’c. “I’m exhausted, Sir, I think I might call it a night.” She gave Teal’c another, more meaningful look.

“I too require sleep.” She sighed inwardly, he could at least have put some effort into the lie.

If he noticed what they were doing, Jack didn’t hint. He turned a winning smile on them both. “Spare rooms are… spare. Take your pick.”

Reaching over to pick up the remote control, Daniel switched off the television set and turned until he was facing jack, one foot on the floor, the other leg pulled up under his chin. “Jack….”

“Danny… listen….” It had been easy this evening, but now they were alone, now they had to face one another, Jack touched the soft blond hair, stroking lightly. “Leaving you on that ship was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.” He whispered the words that for him were akin to a speech.

Smiling gently, Daniel shook his head. “You never lost me. What I feel for you hasn’t changed since Abydos, I doubt it ever will.”

And Daniel nodded. “That long.” He dropped his head sideways against the back of the sofa, eyes still locked with the liquid chocolate gaze of the other man.

Finally Jack put his hand out and lifted Daniel’s, stroking his fingers. “I think… when I left you there… I think my heart broke.” He blinked surprising and annoying tears from his eyes, feeling more than a little foolish. Daniel reached up, catching an escaping tear on the side of Jack’s nose.

“You’re all I’ve wanted for a long time.” He was amazed how calm he sounded around his loudly-beating heart. “But if this is just a guilt trip for you….” It didn’t come out as unkind, it was almost… a plea.

“It’s not. You wouldn’t believe how… happy I was to see you this afternoon.”

Daniel smiled his shy smile. “I could take a guess.” He leaned forward slightly. “If you’re serious….”

They met half way, lips caressing, then parting. The first tentative tastes of one another before buried need overwhelmed them. Jack continued to hold on to Daniel’s hand while the other began an exploration of Jack’s neck, fingers dipping under the cotton T-shirt to touch what he’d so longed for. Daniel’s tongue flicked over the other when he found his way blocked. He needed to be closer, so much closer.

Daniel caught the expression of surprise. “Look, Jack, your Space Monkey I might be, but at the moment I’m an extremely horny Space Monkey and it’s your fault.”

The other man wrapped his arms around Daniel and hauled him over himself as he lay back on the sofa. “In that case, I’d better do something about it.”

Sweaty, sticky, they finally lay still, Daniel draped over Jack. Jack held his lover against him, cheek rested against the wonderfully soft hair on Daniel’s head. “I love you, you know. This wasn’t….”

“I think you’re the most sensual, sexy, intelligent….” A hand settled over his mouth and the head lifted from his chest, sparkling blue eyes looking at him, a warning dancing within them. “What?” Although the word was muffled, spoken as it was into Daniel’s palm.

Jack took Daniel’s wrist gently. “Do what? Tell you how… how beloved you are to me?” He watched the soft expression change. “Danny… I mean it. All of it.”

“I thought you were a geek. Now…” he smiled, “how could I think that after what we just did?”

Daniel ran his hand down Jack’s arm to his hand, linking his fingers with his lover’s. He lay back down. “In that case, I no longer think you’re an arrogant, closed-minded….” His words were cut off by the fingers of Jack’s other hand digging gently into his side. He jerked away. “Hey! No fair.”

He resettled himself and for a time they just lay together, enjoying the new sensations of one another’s bodies. Daniel broke the silence some minutes later.

Smiling, Daniel moved to sit up. “I’m not sure I’m going to get used to this poetic side of you.” He got to his feet and watched, admiring his new lover as he got followed suit, gathering Daniel into a bear-hug as soon as he was standing.

They reached the bottom of the stairs before Daniel glanced back. “Jack… clothes?”

Jack looked as if he were thinking about that. “Nah, wouldn’t fit ‘em.” He took Daniel’s hand and pulled. When his lover didn’t follow, he looked back.

“Daniel?” Those gorgeous features were schooled in a serious way. “What is it?”

He took a deep breath. “Air Force. Rank. Homophobia. Duty. ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’.”

Jack turned, hands moving to again embrace the other man, aware of the draft coming under the door into the hall. “Ah, Danny. Don’t ever think that any of it means more to me than you.” He shrugged. “Don’t tell. If they ask, I’ll resign. Done it before. Twice. I’ll do it again.” He smiled to himself. Sometimes things were so simple.

Jack didn’t answer, just leaned back until he could claim those ample lips once again. “You’re mine. I won’t let them take you from me.”

Daniel returned the next kiss. He had his answer. If only every decision was that easy. Taking Jack’s hand again he moved passed him on the stairs, drawing his lover behind him. “We have to get out this draft.”

Jack could only agree. Closing the gap between them, he moved slowly, teasingly behind Daniel, drawing his tongue along the line of Daniel’s shoulders.

“Now that would give Sam and Teal’c something not to tell about.” Stepping away, Daniel continued toward the only bedroom without a closed door. Good guess.

Jack followed, stopping in the doorway. Daniel had dropped onto his back on the bed, pushed himself up onto one elbow and licked his lips. He patted the bed. “Coming?”

“If I watch you for much longer….” But he stayed one more second. “I have fantasised about you lying there.”

Daniel chuckled. “I’ve always wondered what you think about when you’re not listening to me.”

"I love the way you pace around when you’re trying to get something through to your thick CO. I love the way your hair gets in your eyes and you just ignore it. I love the way you swallow your anger when I won’t listen to you.”

“Do you want me to swallow you to the hilt, suck on you until you come so hard you have to yell my name?”