Title: The Mission After
Author: Pepper
Fandom: Stargate SG-1
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 774
Featured Character(s): Jack, Sam
Pairing(s): Sam/Jack
Summary: Jack is being an ass, and Sam is fine, okay?
A/N:
annerbhp doesn't much like babyfic but she beta'd my last one anyway, as did
crazedturkey, and they both like Sam/Jack, so this is for you both, babes. *smooch*
And also, of course, happy birthday to
kirsty841!
---
She stripped down to skivvies - the planet didn't seem hostile, although it had a few peculiar customs - and climbed quickly into the bed, while he dawdled at the other end of the room. Once she'd settled on the far side with her back to him, he blew out the candle and quickly stripped down to T-shirt and boxers, and climbed in beside her. They lay there in silence.
This felt familiar. In fact, it vividly reminded him of being in bed with Sara when she'd been pissed at him - and not in a good way. Was there a good way of being in bed with someone who was pissed at you? Well, there was the makeup sex of co...
Okay, not thinking about that.
He stared up at the dark ceiling, conscious of the inches of chilly space between their bodies. Not that they normally snuggled - not that they ever snuggled, unless it was a life-or-freeze-to-death situation. But something told him that the space between them wasn't just about propriety. Perhaps it was her over-bright smile when they'd been informed that they were sharing this room, or her sharp, "It's fine," when he'd asked in an undertone whether she was okay with that. Or perhaps it was because those were the first words other than "Yes, sir," that she'd addressed to him this whole mission.
It wasn't like he didn't know why, but... dammit, did she have to be so poisonously polite about it? God, what he wouldn't give for a decent explosion from her!
He sighed noisily, hoping she'd get the picture that he was tired of this crap - but she just stiffened, and, if he wasn't mistaken, subtly tried to edge even further away.
"Oh, stop that," he snapped, his voice loud in the darkness. She stilled. He could almost sense her gritting her teeth. And she thought he was annoying. "Permission to speak freely granted."
"Fuck you."
Okay. Apparently she didn't want to talk this out. "Yeah, maybe not that freely, Major." Oh yes, he could escalate with the best. She sat up, grabbing her pillow, and for a fleeting second he thought she might be about to wallop him with it. But instead, she swung her legs to the floor. "Where are you going?"
"To see if Teal'c and Daniel have any spare room."
"Don't be ridiculous," he said, knowing how much it would annoy her. "We have to follow these people's customs. Don't want to create an incident, do we?" She sat with her back to him, trapped between her irritation at him and her devotion to duty. "How would you explain that to Hammond?"
"God, you're so-" she muttered. Jack sat up.
"What? I'm so what?" She gave him a look of extreme dislike, and lay down with her back to him again. "Come on, Carter - you want to say it, so say it."
"You're so childish!" she snapped, rolling over to face him.
"Oh, I'm childish? This from the woman who's been sulking the entire mission!"
"I was not sulking! I was trying not to say something I'd regret later! I know better than to shoot my mouth off before thinking about the consequences, unlike some people in this bed."
Jack leaned over her, glaring down furiously. "Oh, meaning me, I suppose? Well, unlike you, Carter, I'm not afraid to make my feelings known. I don't bottle it up and say "it's nothing" and "I'm fine" when I really want to give someone a piece of my mind."
"No, you don't, do you?" she agreed, with brittle brightness. "And what a virtue you think that is!"
"You know, this isn't about our ranks at all, is it? This is about you being unable to recognize a real emotion if it bit you!"
"Me? Hah! God, if you weren't my commanding officer, I'd-" She snapped her mouth shut, grinding her teeth.
"You'd what? Sulk at me some more?"
"I'd make you eat those words!"
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah!"
"Oh yeah?"
This time, when she grabbed the pillow, it really was to wallop him.
---
Daniel's expression next morning said it all. Jack shrugged, and touched the sore patch on his cheek. "Pillow fight."
"I see the pillow won," said Daniel, eyebrows rising.
Sam and Jack exchanged sheepish looks, and turned away, heading for the breakfast hall. Jack hoped they had some of that spicy bread again; he was starving. "Oh, I'd say it was about a tie," he said, glancing back at Daniel, and wincing as his pack rubbed at a sore patch on his back. Sam, walking carefully beside him, nodded.
"Mutual annihilation," she said, huskily.
---
END.