(Untitled)

[theunascended]

Dinner. It'd been a long time since he'd actually made dinner. It wasn't anything special this time. Just bits and pieces tossed together to make something that Daniel wasn't sure what to call. But it was food. And there was a table. And there were notes that he was using

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[karmic_darwin]

Mohinder's brain just stopped, and if his jaw wasn't hanging open, it was only by the grace of the tension that had held it shut earlier. His heart skipped, too, squeezing hard, then lurching forward and dragging his brain into high gear with it.

Leave aside that he'd never been intimate with more than one person at a time, and the logistics of it made him nervous - who would do what to whom and how? Did he even want this? Did he want to watch someone else - a very skilled someone else - make Daniel moan and cry? Did he want to watch Daniel pleasing Alcuin? Or have Daniel see him in either position? Did he want Alcuin to see he and Daniel together, and know the thing that neither of them was ready to say but became more apparent with each passing kiss?

It was an alternative, but...was it a good one? And why must he decide right here and now without talking to Daniel first?

When he had been silent too long, Mohinder sighed and rubbed his hand over his face and up through his hair. Never once did he let go of Daniel's hand, nor let his leg move out of contact with Daniel's. Not only for Daniel but for himself.

"No eggshells, Alcuin, that much I promise unreservedly. But..." He looked at Daniel, chin tilting, eyes softening. "Of course, I am worried about your feelings. How can I not be? And my own." Yet if Daniel wanted this, and he seemed interested... "If it is something you want, and Alcuin is in agreement, then I am willing."

As foolish as it felt to do so, like children playing a playground game rather than adults negotiating bedplay, he reached across the table to take Alcuin's other hand.

[will_you_see]

Perhaps Alcuin had underestimated them after all. He squeezed Mohinder's hand and said, "You know, this thing does not have to be about the three of us so much as it can be about the two of you. It is hard for some people to understand, but there is something in the act of sharing that can bring a couple closer together. It's something that I have a fair amount of experience with."

He had often been hired by couples back in Terre d'Ange. He was an easy choice for men who might be wary about sharing their wives with another man - Alcuin imagined that he seemed non-threatening.

He looked at each of them in turn and added, "I understand if it is something that the two of you would like to discuss in private first."

[theunascended]

"Just willing?" Daniel said, the barest hint of a tease in his voice as he looked at Mohinder. He turned back to Alcuin. "And wasn't this about the three of us to begin with?"

Which was true in a way.

"I asked Alcuin out on a date before you'd ever arrived on the island, Mohinder." He was chagrined and it showed in his face. "That went rather poorly. And obviously you were interested in Alcuin."

He gave Mohinder a look that clearly said that this was the most logical solution.

[karmic_darwin]

"Perhaps slightly more than willing," Mohinder allowed, the warmth of desire creeping into his voice. And yet...

It might be the most logical solution, but it wasn't necessarily the easiest one. "I care for Alcuin. He knows this. I pieced together from things Alcuin said and you did that you care for him as well."

Daniel wanted this. Alcuin was willing. He'd made it clear to Daniel he didn't need this to happen. So be it.

Pushing up from the table, Mohinder released their hands and said softly, "Now is as good a time as any, and better than most." Then he leaned over Daniel, one hand cupping the back of his neck and drawing him into a deep, heated kiss while the other reached out for Alcuin again.

[will_you_see]

Alcuin watched them, a small shiver of desire passing over him. He felt little in the way of jealousy now, and what lingered was more wishing that he had something like that than wanting either of them for his own.

He took Mohinder's hand and then slid his hand up his arm, resting his hands on both men's backs. "I you to be absolutely sure," he said softly, the words nearly a caress. "I'm going to go inside for a moment and make some tea."

And then he left them there, wanting to be sure that they had a chance to decide together, alone.

[theunascended]

"I am absolutely sure," Daniel said, but he let Alcuin go, running his hand along Mohinder's chest. Softer, he added softly enough that Mohinder was the only one that heard it, "I am."

He was, too. He'd determined that this was the easiest and possibly only way to stop the fights. Daniel didn't necessarily want to sleep with someone else. Maybe if things had been more settled, he'd have considered it.

Now, he just wanted the fights to go away.

"You're sure, aren't you?"

[karmic_darwin]

Mohinder placed his hand over Daniel's, trapping it against his heart. For a long minute, he simply looked at Daniel, breathing unevenly through parted lips.

"Honestly, Daniel," he said quietly. "I don't need this. I'm not even sure I want it. But if you do, if it will help, then I will be sure."

He would be, without reservation, but not before he made certain Daniel could never feel he had wanted Alcuin enough to jeopardize what they shared. And not before Daniel knew why he would do it. "I care for Alcuin, but--" His lips curved into a soft, truly intimate smile, and his thumb grazed Daniel's cheekbone. "Not like this."

Not like falling so fast and hard he still hadn't caught his breath.

[theunascended]

"Won't it help you?" he asked, equally as softly. "We're never going to get past this if we don't do something and, as you pointed out, we're both attracted to Alcuin. Or are you going to be uncomfortable every time we're in the room teaching?"

He sighed. The words were reminiscent of what he'd told Owen. Last resort. He really didn't want to associate the two. He didn't want this to be the last resort.

"Something was suggesting to you that the three of us be together or else the jukebox never would have picked up on it, but if you don't want to do this, we'll tell him no."

He knew which he preferred, but his suggestive glance into the hut said something completely different.

[karmic_darwin]

"We've done something," Mohinder answered, gaze never wavering from Daniel's. "Talking about it, with Alcuin, knowing you would do this for me, and that I would with Jack or even Owen for you...that's enough. My discomfort with Alcuin stemmed from knowing he'd wanted both of us, and that I'd hurt you with him."

Unless there was someone else, someone he didn't know about with whom he shared Daniel's affections, his hurt had passed. It would never feel good not to be the only one Daniel wanted, but Mohinder trusted him and believed he'd chosen him.

"It's all in the open now, acknowledged." He shrugged one shoulder, then caressed Daniel's jawline. "It might be fun, someday, to share Alcuin. But for me, that day is not today. When I go to bed tonight, I want it to be with you." He bent and pressed a soft kiss to Daniel's lips. "Just you."

[theunascended]

"And the next time the jukebox decides to taunt you again? Not to mention I'm not sure there'd be another time if not now." He gave Mohinder a sad smile and pulled away a little, turning and looking away at the path out of the area.

"After Ianto broke up with me, I continued to go to the temples. You saw what happened. My broken wrist. And a concussion. Alcuin was there visiting someone and he noticed me and came to check up on me."

His voice went soft as he remembered.

"I was dreaming about my wife. And I kissed him before I realized I'd woken up. He invited me to stay for a few days once I got out of the infirmary. So I went. I almost slept with him. But I wasn't quite ready. I was still too hopeful that I could work things out. He's forgiven me a lot."

Why he didn't just accept the 'not now', he wasn't sure. Maybe because Mohinder had brought up Jack and Owen after Daniel had told him that nothing would happen. Period. "You will be with me," he said softly. "Either way."

[karmic_darwin]

"The next time the jukebox, or the bookshelf, or the island decides to taunt us, we will all three laugh together," Mohinder answered confidently, stepping behind Daniel and wrapping his arms around his waist. "And if there is never another time, then there won't be."

Hearing that Daniel had almost slept with Alcuin didn't hurt. Maybe it should have, but it didn't. "I am genuinely glad Alcuin was there for you after Ianto and the temples. You needed someone, and it couldn't have been me. If it would help you to know the details of what passed between Alcuin and I, I'll tell you. But I want you to know that we didn't have intercourse."

He bent his head to kiss Daniel's throat. "I am attracted to Alcuin, as are you. But attraction is not the same as desire. I can go to bed with both of you. I want only you."

[theunascended]

"Tell Alcuin that you've changed your mind, then," Daniel said, giving no hint of how that made him feel. He kissed Mohinder and pulled away, cleaning up the dishes.

"I just hope he doesn't take it badly. That's how I hurt him last time."

Alcuin had been right. They were just going around in circles. Daniel was tired of it, but there wasn't anything he could do. Not willingly, at least. Not yet. Not ever, if he had his way. But Mohinder seemed to think that he'd sleep with Jack or, god, Owen, if given the chance.

Daniel wondered if he'd ever be able to convince Mohinder he wouldn't.

[karmic_darwin]

When Daniel pulled away, Mohinder sighed in frustration. This should be the right thing, telling Daniel he didn't want anyone else. But Daniel seemed disappointed. It made no sense, after he'd been so adamant about Dani.

He pushed a hand through his hair. "If you tell me you want this because you want Alcuin, then I am willing to do this with you. Talk to me. Please? Tell me why you want to do this. Because I'm not seeing how it's right for anyone."

Including Alcuin, who should be loved for himself. Not as a fix for a problem that wasn't even a problem, just the past being laid to rest.

[theunascended]

"Mohinder." Tell him or not?

"I don't see how it's wrong for anyone. Before you second guessed it, before Alcuin left to give us time to think, what was your first reaction? You kissed me and held a hand out to him."

Daniel caught Mohinder's eye.

"Slightly more than willing, remember?" He smiled. "You over-think things. I should know. I do the same thing. Before it was just a natural continuation of where the conversation had turned and now you're asking me to give you reasons and facts and logic."

He licked his lips. "And before you second guessed it, I'd already said yes."

[karmic_darwin]

"Daniel." Mohinder shook his head, smiling, because Daniel was, and he couldn't not smile when Daniel did. "I'm a scientist and a philosopher. Of course I want reasons and facts and logic."

He crossed his arms over his chest, tucking in his hands, and leaning against the side of the hut. "You told me, when we talked about Jack, and again about Owen, that you couldn't control your feelings but you could control your behavior. I believe that. And I'm exercising that same control here."

But seeing Daniel look interested automatically made him start thinking about Daniel naked, panting and sweat-slicked from pleasure. The thought that Alcuin could make it that much more intense for Daniel did have an appeal if he let himself think about it, and Daniel was making it hard not to.

"I hear you saying yes. And me saying no. I can meet you at yes. But only if you tell me it's because you want the pleasure of two sets of hands and two mouths on your body. And only if you tell me you want me to fuck you while Alcuin's there, helping."

[theunascended]

Daniel inhaled sharply. Put like that, he almost forgot why he'd had objections in the first place. And given that it was where he'd been steering the conversation the entire time, it was an opportunity too good to pass up. He caught Mohinder's eye and made sure he saw the desire there.

"I'd already said yes," he said, voice deceptively soft. "Do you really expect me to say no after hearing that?"

It was pretty much impossible, even if he'd been a saint and, as time had proven, he wasn't anything close to a saint.