Fic: Unlike the Perfect Package (PG) by Moonshayde
Title: Unlike the Perfect Package
Author: Moonshayde
Season: Nine
Category: Ship, Character Study
Spoilers: Nothing in particular
Pairing/Character: Sam/Barrett
Summary: Sometimes the best things aren't all that extraordinary after all.
Warnings: none
Rating: PG
Word Count: 469
Author's Notes: For Misty who wanted some really bad.
Disclaimer: Not mine. Just having fun.
He was different. She couldn't really pinpoint how, but he was.
In some respect, he reminded her of Daniel. He held the same kind of drive to do good, to make a difference in the world. He sought the truth. He didn't treat her as some kind of object. They were equals, complementary, and above all - friends. He genuinely liked her for her mind, for herself.
In other ways, he reminded her of Teal'c. He was strong and firm, but soft underneath, bound by duty and honor. While lethal and deadly, he could hold the gentlest caress. And he granted her that same kind of dignity as well.
Sometimes he was like Cameron. Energetic, positive, and full of compliments. He knew what made her who she was and wasn't afraid to depend on her.
He could be like Jonas. New, fresh, and adventure-seeking. He caught the thrill in the chase, and wasn't afraid to expand on it. He wasn't afraid of her.
But he could be like Jack O'Neill. Tough, sly, and willing to do what it takes to get the job done. While he could compromise his morals for the good of the nation, he never lost perspective. He never stopped protecting those he cared about, whether he knew them personally or not. He protected her.
Yet, conversely, he could be like Pete. Kind, gentle and loving, he could bring sunshine on a rainy day. He could make her feel like she was the only person in the world, and better, he could make her feel like she was the one person that could turn his frowns into smiles, to make his pain melt away, and to erase the jaded perspective he'd gained from his experience in the world.
And even though he could be all these things, he wasn't special. He wasn't alien. He wasn't godly. He wasn't genetically enhanced. He wasn't a genius. He didn't have a tragic past. He wasn't a knight in shining armor.
No, he wasn't the perfect package. Despite his difference, he was normal. He was average.
"Are you ready?" he asked her.
Sam smiled, taking the proffered hand he'd extended to her. The two of them walked into the restaurant - nothing fancy, but nothing tacky - and sat down to start their meal.
As they waited for the waiter to greet them, Sam leaned across the small table and kissed him sweetly on the lips. When she withdrew, she caught him watching her, his eyes dancing with a mix of amusement and excitement, while his face remained cool and pristine.
"I think that was the best appetizer I've ever had." He leaned forward, offering her a subdued grin. His faded freckles were brought to life, reminding Sam of warm sandy beaches. "What was that for?"
She took his hand. "For being you."
He was just Malcolm Barrett. And he made her feel human.
Author: Moonshayde
Season: Nine
Category: Ship, Character Study
Spoilers: Nothing in particular
Pairing/Character: Sam/Barrett
Summary: Sometimes the best things aren't all that extraordinary after all.
Warnings: none
Rating: PG
Word Count: 469
Author's Notes: For Misty who wanted some really bad.
Disclaimer: Not mine. Just having fun.
He was different. She couldn't really pinpoint how, but he was.
In some respect, he reminded her of Daniel. He held the same kind of drive to do good, to make a difference in the world. He sought the truth. He didn't treat her as some kind of object. They were equals, complementary, and above all - friends. He genuinely liked her for her mind, for herself.
In other ways, he reminded her of Teal'c. He was strong and firm, but soft underneath, bound by duty and honor. While lethal and deadly, he could hold the gentlest caress. And he granted her that same kind of dignity as well.
Sometimes he was like Cameron. Energetic, positive, and full of compliments. He knew what made her who she was and wasn't afraid to depend on her.
He could be like Jonas. New, fresh, and adventure-seeking. He caught the thrill in the chase, and wasn't afraid to expand on it. He wasn't afraid of her.
But he could be like Jack O'Neill. Tough, sly, and willing to do what it takes to get the job done. While he could compromise his morals for the good of the nation, he never lost perspective. He never stopped protecting those he cared about, whether he knew them personally or not. He protected her.
Yet, conversely, he could be like Pete. Kind, gentle and loving, he could bring sunshine on a rainy day. He could make her feel like she was the only person in the world, and better, he could make her feel like she was the one person that could turn his frowns into smiles, to make his pain melt away, and to erase the jaded perspective he'd gained from his experience in the world.
And even though he could be all these things, he wasn't special. He wasn't alien. He wasn't godly. He wasn't genetically enhanced. He wasn't a genius. He didn't have a tragic past. He wasn't a knight in shining armor.
No, he wasn't the perfect package. Despite his difference, he was normal. He was average.
"Are you ready?" he asked her.
Sam smiled, taking the proffered hand he'd extended to her. The two of them walked into the restaurant - nothing fancy, but nothing tacky - and sat down to start their meal.
As they waited for the waiter to greet them, Sam leaned across the small table and kissed him sweetly on the lips. When she withdrew, she caught him watching her, his eyes dancing with a mix of amusement and excitement, while his face remained cool and pristine.
"I think that was the best appetizer I've ever had." He leaned forward, offering her a subdued grin. His faded freckles were brought to life, reminding Sam of warm sandy beaches. "What was that for?"
She took his hand. "For being you."
He was just Malcolm Barrett. And he made her feel human.