Hunt and Peck
Far from my best work. Really just a longish ficlet to showcase a few images that really didn't make a story. But it felt good to write something.
Title: Hunt and Peck
Author: muck-a-luck, posting in brainofck
Pairing: Daniel Jackson/Jack O'Neill
Rating: Hard R
Summary: Jack rescues Daniel (and SG-11) from slavery. In the process, he says some things in an unexpected language. Then nothing happens. What the hell is Daniel supposed to do with that?
Content/warnings: None.
Word count: 3,211
Disclaimer: If anybody is planning a script like this for SG-1, I'm certainly not going to claim any rights to it. However, I'd be delighted to work in a co-writing/consulting/first-reader/advisory-type capacity, with my fee to be negotiated at that time. :D
Archive rights: Absolutely none. My journals only. muck_a_luck and brainofck
The Matrix: Touch. The Matrix is located here.
Daniel had never been so happy to see Jack in his life.
He supposed two weeks of initiation into sex slavery had put him into a grateful frame of mind. His first job in the trade was Jack. That was his luck. Only he could be kidnapped from a perfectly safe dig site and auctioned off. And only he could be rescued in the nick of time, virtue intact, by his best friend.
Jack wasn't in uniform. Weirdly, he was just in jeans and a simple cotton shirt. Well, as disguises go, why not? Daniel thought. It wasn’t like anybody would recognize Earth fashion out here in the rest of the galaxy. So it must be an undercover mission. And when Jack's gaze passed over his without recognition, he knew he needed to play the role til Jack clued him in it was safe to stop.
The slave master bowed low before Jack.
"Honored O'Neill, my master offers you companionship for the night."
Jack's eyebrows raised and he turned his attention more fully to the group of attractive people lined up in his room. He let his gaze linger over them with a small, crooked smile. Several of the women in the group and one of the men had arrived all smiles and enthusiasm. Their attempts to attract more than a brief evaluation by "Honored O'Neill" were ignored. Of the three of them that had been led here with bound arms and shackled ankles, only Daniel met Jack's leer. It was in character for him. He raised his chin hot and cold gazes practically sparking as they crossed. Jack strode across the room and stopped right in front of Daniel.
He smiled widely and wickedly.
"This one," he said, heat in the words.
Daniel wanted to grin back at him. Stay in character, he thought to himself. He gritted his teeth and wondered if it would be too much to spit on him. Probably, he decided. And resisted the urge to grin again.
"An excellent choice for a man of action such as yourself, Honored O'Neill. You will find him difficult," the slave master said, though Jack obviously didn't need any encouragement.
He caught Daniel hard by the jaw, wrapped his other hand behind his head, and kissed him.
Jack devoured him. Ravenous, thorough, relentless, completely unlike anything Daniel had ever experienced. At some point Jack's hand moved from his jaw down his body and when Jack finally freed his mouth, his hand was groping Daniel carefully but firmly through his BDUs.
"Or maybe you are exactly the thing this one has been waiting for," the slave master said, all smug amusement. Daniel realized he was standing there, getting hard, eyes half-lidded, mouth hanging open until his tongue flicked out to run over his wet lips. Time to salvage his performance.
He spat after all, then stared in something between fascination and dismay as the spittle oozed down Jack's cheek toward his mouth.
Jack's grin turned positively predatory.
The slap staggered him and left him dizzy.
"How's this work?" Jack asked the slave master brusquely. "Do I have to give him back after tonight, or can I fuck him til we finish our business?"
"He's yours for as long as you want him. When you are through with him, let the household staff know and a new selection of companions will be brought and you can choose a new one."
There was a long pause. Daniel stayed still where he was, staring at the floor in what he hoped looked like angry humiliation and denial.
"And what if I'm still not done with him when the treaty is signed? He's just the thing I've been looking for and not able to find back home. Would this be something I would discuss with you, or your master?"
Daniel stole a look at the slave master, who was bowing low again.
"If you want him, I will ask my master. I am sure he would be amenable to a trade."
"Good," said Jack.
And then the slave master was herding the other slaves, disappointed and relieved by turn, out of the room, leaving him alone with Honored O'Neill.
"On your feet," Jack said, as he returned to his survey of the room. He stopped and peered closely at the mirror over the chest against the wall opposite the foot of the large bed.
"If you promise not to try to escape," Jack continued, "I won't have to tie you to the bed. You don't have to worry. I won't be fucking you here." He addressed the wall, "Sorry. I'm grateful for the bedwarmer, but I don't have sex for the entertainment of others."
"So," Jack said, turning back to him, "Are you going to try to escape?"
Daniel shook his head, which caused Jack to raise a concerned eyebrow.
"What's the matter with you? Cat got your tongue?" he asked mockingly.
Daniel smiled crookedly.
He said, "I talked too much," but no sound came out.
Jack smiled a hard smile. "They found a way to shut you up, huh? I'll have to find out who I should thank for that." The smile slipped away. Jack crossed the room and unbuckled the bindings around Daniel's wrists, leaving Daniel to free his own ankles from the hobbles.
"Have you eaten?" he asked. Daniel shook his head. Jack pointed to the food set out on the side table. Jack continued to pace the room.
When Daniel had eaten, Jack said, "Piss, strip, and get in the bed." Daniel didn't like that. The people here knew him. How was he supposed to cooperate without them taking notice? On the other hand, they didn't have any reason to connect him to Jack. They were used to slaves here. Maybe they would figure Daniel had found his master and was finally getting with the program.
He pissed, stripped, and got in the bed.
Jack turned down the lights and a few minutes later climbed into the bed behind him. There was a lot of skin, Daniel realized, to his aggravation. Jack was playing up this whole sex slave thing way too much to be funny. Jack threw a long bare leg over Daniel's and wrapped a possessive arm around his body, pressing his shirtless chest and belly against Daniel's naked back. At least Jack had left his boxers on.
Like those were worth anything. Daniel could already feel the soft head of Jack's hardening penis nudging him through the fly.
Um.
Right.
Jack was tapping against his sternum in an annoying and insistent way. Daniel grabbed at his hand, and Jack avoided him, swatting at him and returning to the annoying poking thumping tapping whatever he was doing. Then it started to break through his embarrassment and confusion ...and you're supposed to be some kind of genius? Jeez. Hello! Dr. 23 Languages. Morse code. Hello?
Oh, he reflexively tried to say, before remembering nothing would come out. He caught Jack's arm and tapped back.
Morse code. OK.
Finally! replied Jack.
His fingers went still for a moment.
So, sex slave, huh? he asked.
Yes, Daniel answered succinctly. Yes was easy. Longshortlonglong short shortshortshort.
You OK? Jack asked. Daniel rolled his eyes. Fine time for Jack to worry about him, considering he had made Daniel get naked and was now prodding him in the ass with his dick.
Yes, he tapped back.
'Cause with the sex slavery I was worried...
Daniel sighed in exasperation.
Unmolested, he tapped back slowly.
So what's with the not talking, then?
Daniel hadn't played with Morse code in years. He was rusty. It was annoying that Jack was tapping along lightly with three fingers like it was as easy as typing. Daniel's typing speed was 90 words per minute. He'd seen Jack hunt and peck. Maybe Jack was just doing that to annoy them. Or maybe when Jack was alone in his office, he entered all his reports into an online Morse code converter or something.
I made them mad, he tapped, making a long story very short.
In response to Daniel's comment, Jack's fingers momentarily went still.
Is it permanent?
Daniel shrugged.
Let me know who to kill on the way out, then, Jack said. The finger taps seemed heavy and firm. Like maybe the code should feel like a grim promise of things to come, rather than a joke. Could you put inflections into Morse code?
The others? Jack asked.
Not here. I know where, Daniel replied.
Come on, Danny, Jack wheedled. The finger taps were light and playful. We've got ten hours before I have to be anywhere. Talk like a normal person.
I'm slow, replied Daniel.
Nah. You're special! Jack retorted, and had the nerve to ruffle his hair.
And press a kiss into the back of Daniel's neck.
Jack, you do realize the whole master slave thing is supposed to be an act, right?
There's my linguist! Jack tapped back happily.
I'm here negotiating what could be a sweet naquidah deal. If everybody's OK and I can get you all back in one piece, the treaty will probably turn this into a big win for us. But I have to know. Who raided PX2-947? 'Cause I'm not doing the deal if this guy's the one.
I don't think so, Daniel said. We were sold in a public market. I think the people who captured us were in business for themselves.
Good. Tomorrow, after I leave, write everything down for Carter in the notebook in my pack. She and SG-2 will go look for the rest of your archaeologists and we'll all be home in a couple of days.
Then Jack was quiet. Well, obviously, he'd been quiet all along, but he seemed to have nothing left to tap against Daniel's skin. Though after a few minutes, his hands began moving restlessly, not tapping anymore. Sort of stroking. Daniel was not finding it very restful, with the still-prominent erection pressing into him from behind, and Jack breathing into his hair. He was too warm. The tickle of Jack's breath was sending goose bumps down his neck to his arms. And all the nakedness was making his cock tingle. He wanted to shove Jack off and roll over onto his back, but with the reflexive erection he had forming, that could be even more embarrassing.
Instead, he collapsed forward onto his stomach.
Jack, the bastard, just rolled so that Daniel was squashed under him.
Get off me, he poked into Jack's forearm.
"No, you're too comfy. Go to sleep," Jack said, his lips moving against Daniel's shoulder. Daniel wondered if you practiced hard enough if you could learn to lip read with your skin.
Jack, you're prodding me with your sidearm, he finally said, trying to lengthen the dots and dashes in "sidearm" into the Morse code version of a snide drawl.
Jack snorted, which sent shivers through Daniel. He hadn't realized he was so touch starved.
Don't mind me, Jack said, and obnoxiously didn't either apologize or elaborate further or move dammit.
Daniel elbowed him.
"Shhhhh," Jack said soothingly, his hands moving restlessly and meaninglessly again, this time over Daniel's back.
Daniel harrumphed and began pointedly making himself comfortable, jostling Jack in the process, until he had himself arranged comfortably despite Jack's weight laying half across him. His crooked knee protected his dick, which was refusing to behave.
The only problem was that he had managed to settle in such a way that Jack's little friend was nestled perfectly right against his ass. He decided that he was otherwise too comfortable to move again.
You'd better keep all your bodily fluids to yourself, he tapped rapidly. Jack snickered.
Quit squirming around like you're trying to seduce me and go to sleep, he tapped against Daniel's back.
Daniel tried to sleep. He really did. He was drowsing as Jack took up a random stroking between Daniel's shoulder blades. It woke him up, because he knew it was Jack's way of trying not to fall asleep. Daniel had seen Jack's restless fidgeting in too many situations not to recognize it now. Knowing Jack was trying to stay awake made it difficult for Daniel to relax. He tried to let the motion of Jack's fingers soothe him, and it mostly worked. It probably helped that this was the first time in days that he wasn't falling asleep on a stone floor. It was soft and safe and warm and he was tired.
He was almost asleep when he realized that Jack was talking to him. His strokes were not carefully delineated, not clearly separated into letters and words, and they came so slowly. It was like someone singing soft and low, maybe after one glass of wine too many.
Jack was saying soft things. Loving things. Gentle, sweet pillow talk that unfolded across Daniel's skin over long, lingering minutes as Daniel tried to keep his breathing even, and his body relaxed, as if he really had fallen asleep and Jack was safely whispering to himself.
It took three minutes for him to say, ...I would make love to you right now...
Daniel breathed deeply and slowly in and out and waited for Jack to fall asleep.
In the morning, Daniel wrote in Jack's notebook everything he knew about the people who had purchased the rest of his team. Sam showed up about twenty minutes after Jack left to get it. It was difficult to pretend not to know her. To exchange only brief smiles and glances that wouldn’t be noticed. Daniel didn't know why they were playing this game here, but he was sure there were good reasons.
It must have gone exceptionally well, because she was back that night with every member of his team. They looked tired, but as they all gathered at the Stargate for the trip home, they were looking decidedly relieved and happy. Daniel took that as a good sign.
Then one step through the Stargate, and his life of bondage was behind him.
That was it. That was all that happened.
Daniel obsessed over it for days. Weeks. Watching Jack, and finding absolutely no change in his behavior. Wondering what that could possibly mean. Why would Jack kiss him and feel him up and confess his love and then just go back to the way they were before? There were no explanations or embarrassed apologies or attempts to find out Daniel's feelings.
Daniel was confused. It didn’t make sense to him.
Which was how he ended up on Jack's doorstep, banging on the door in complete frustration.
Except when Jack opened the door, looking bemused and in every way his usual self, Daniel didn't know what to do next. Just like he hadn't know what to do for all this time.
He stood there just staring at Jack. Apparently long enough to make Jack worry.
"Daniel?" he asked. "Aliens fry your brain again?"
Daniel shook his head.
"No. Sorry."
But he still stood there, trying to figure out what he should do.
"So," said Jack, leaning casually against the open door.
"Sorry," Daniel repeated. He was suddenly panicked. Why did he think he should confront Jack again? "I should go."
"I don't think so," Jack said with amusement, catching Daniel by the shoulder as he turned and hauling him bodily through the door by his coat. "I don't let my friends drive in your condition."
"Huh? No! I'm not drunk!" he protested.
"Says you," Jack replied, shoving him into the living room and pushing him onto the couch. "You said no aliens fried your brain."
"You did," Daniel blurted. Jack raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Noooo," he said. "I've definitely been cleaning the basement all day. No time for me to get over to your place with the necessary alien doohickeys."
Jack headed for the kitchen.
"Coffee," Jack mumbled under his breath.
"Are you gay?" It tumbled out in a breathless rush. Oh, way to go, great communicator of SG-1.
But even for Daniel, open-minded, academic, man of many cultures, the concept shifted the world, tilted the universe, turned old truths on their heads. He couldn't move forward until he understood that.
He heard Jack stop out of sight in the kitchen. A pause in the purposeful movement of feet. Then a cabinet opened, and instead of coffee, Jack returned with two shot glasses and a bottle of whiskey.
Daniel looked at the label on the Jack Daniel's and repressed an hysterical laugh.
Jack sat down beside him on the sofa, set the glasses on the table and filled them with a steady hand.
"I take it that's a yes?" Daniel said shakily.
Jack saluted him with one of the glasses and tossed it back with only the slightest grimace.
He pointed at the other glass.
"In case you didn't notice, that one's for you."
Daniel picked it up, sipped, and put it back. Jack glared at him, and defiantly poured himself another shot which he downed so fast Daniel wondered why he didn't just drink directly from the bottle.
"What brought you to the sudden realization?" Jack asked.
At the last minute he turned the panicked giggle into a self-deprecating chuckle.
"I wasn't asleep, you know," he said. At Jack's expression of genuine confusion, Daniel said, "When I was your sex slave."
"Ah. The planet where they actually made you stop talking..." Jack said.
"Anyway, I was wondering..."
"Yes, I'm gay. No, I'm not bi. My marriage was an act of denial that all things considered turned out remarkably well until Charlie died. Yes, I've had plenty of experience. Yes, don't ask don't tell sucks, but mostly you just have to be careful. Does that cover everything?"
Jack sounded bitter.
Daniel took a deep breath and said the next thing that needed to be said.
"You know I'm straight, right?"
Jack shrugged.
"I know nobody at the SGC has ever gotten you to say yes," he said blandly. Daniel wasn't deceived.
"Meaning?"
"You didn't seem to mind when I kissed you."
It was an accusation. He suddenly realized that was the reason he was here. Night after night he could feel the kiss, the grope, the weight of Jack's body, and Jack's hands murmuring confessions of love and adoration against his skin.
Daniel made himself look Jack in the eye.
"About that."
Jack was scowling.
Daniel reached out and touched the graying temple, letting his fingers smooth down over the tension of his eyes, the beautiful cheekbones, the harshly set mouth. Jack startled at the touch, not quite flinching away.
"I am straight. I really don't know how this would work. If it would work."
In the blink of an eye, Jack did the thing they always did, the mind reading thing, and Daniel had a whiskey flavored tongue in his mouth, Jack's hands cradling his head, fingers lacing through his hair.
Later that evening, head resting on Jack's chest where they had finally settled in the couch pillows, Daniel felt Jack tracing idle circles on the thin skin on the inside of Daniel's wrist. He couldn't believe how long it took him to realize that Jack was murmuring to him again, in a thick, slurred accent, about love, and joy, and the future.
If you're interested, all my stories, in order, from one page. Also, my fiction recommendations.
In the end, I didn't try to use any actual Morse code in the story, but there's an awesome morse code converter located at this link. For all your report-writing needs!
For my loyal rugbytacklers, I have done a Stargate crash course located here.
Title: Hunt and Peck
Author: muck-a-luck, posting in brainofck
Pairing: Daniel Jackson/Jack O'Neill
Rating: Hard R
Summary: Jack rescues Daniel (and SG-11) from slavery. In the process, he says some things in an unexpected language. Then nothing happens. What the hell is Daniel supposed to do with that?
Content/warnings: None.
Word count: 3,211
Disclaimer: If anybody is planning a script like this for SG-1, I'm certainly not going to claim any rights to it. However, I'd be delighted to work in a co-writing/consulting/first-reader/advisory-type capacity, with my fee to be negotiated at that time. :D
Archive rights: Absolutely none. My journals only. muck_a_luck and brainofck
The Matrix: Touch. The Matrix is located here.
Daniel had never been so happy to see Jack in his life.
He supposed two weeks of initiation into sex slavery had put him into a grateful frame of mind. His first job in the trade was Jack. That was his luck. Only he could be kidnapped from a perfectly safe dig site and auctioned off. And only he could be rescued in the nick of time, virtue intact, by his best friend.
Jack wasn't in uniform. Weirdly, he was just in jeans and a simple cotton shirt. Well, as disguises go, why not? Daniel thought. It wasn’t like anybody would recognize Earth fashion out here in the rest of the galaxy. So it must be an undercover mission. And when Jack's gaze passed over his without recognition, he knew he needed to play the role til Jack clued him in it was safe to stop.
The slave master bowed low before Jack.
"Honored O'Neill, my master offers you companionship for the night."
Jack's eyebrows raised and he turned his attention more fully to the group of attractive people lined up in his room. He let his gaze linger over them with a small, crooked smile. Several of the women in the group and one of the men had arrived all smiles and enthusiasm. Their attempts to attract more than a brief evaluation by "Honored O'Neill" were ignored. Of the three of them that had been led here with bound arms and shackled ankles, only Daniel met Jack's leer. It was in character for him. He raised his chin hot and cold gazes practically sparking as they crossed. Jack strode across the room and stopped right in front of Daniel.
He smiled widely and wickedly.
"This one," he said, heat in the words.
Daniel wanted to grin back at him. Stay in character, he thought to himself. He gritted his teeth and wondered if it would be too much to spit on him. Probably, he decided. And resisted the urge to grin again.
"An excellent choice for a man of action such as yourself, Honored O'Neill. You will find him difficult," the slave master said, though Jack obviously didn't need any encouragement.
He caught Daniel hard by the jaw, wrapped his other hand behind his head, and kissed him.
Jack devoured him. Ravenous, thorough, relentless, completely unlike anything Daniel had ever experienced. At some point Jack's hand moved from his jaw down his body and when Jack finally freed his mouth, his hand was groping Daniel carefully but firmly through his BDUs.
"Or maybe you are exactly the thing this one has been waiting for," the slave master said, all smug amusement. Daniel realized he was standing there, getting hard, eyes half-lidded, mouth hanging open until his tongue flicked out to run over his wet lips. Time to salvage his performance.
He spat after all, then stared in something between fascination and dismay as the spittle oozed down Jack's cheek toward his mouth.
Jack's grin turned positively predatory.
The slap staggered him and left him dizzy.
"How's this work?" Jack asked the slave master brusquely. "Do I have to give him back after tonight, or can I fuck him til we finish our business?"
"He's yours for as long as you want him. When you are through with him, let the household staff know and a new selection of companions will be brought and you can choose a new one."
There was a long pause. Daniel stayed still where he was, staring at the floor in what he hoped looked like angry humiliation and denial.
"And what if I'm still not done with him when the treaty is signed? He's just the thing I've been looking for and not able to find back home. Would this be something I would discuss with you, or your master?"
Daniel stole a look at the slave master, who was bowing low again.
"If you want him, I will ask my master. I am sure he would be amenable to a trade."
"Good," said Jack.
And then the slave master was herding the other slaves, disappointed and relieved by turn, out of the room, leaving him alone with Honored O'Neill.
"On your feet," Jack said, as he returned to his survey of the room. He stopped and peered closely at the mirror over the chest against the wall opposite the foot of the large bed.
"If you promise not to try to escape," Jack continued, "I won't have to tie you to the bed. You don't have to worry. I won't be fucking you here." He addressed the wall, "Sorry. I'm grateful for the bedwarmer, but I don't have sex for the entertainment of others."
"So," Jack said, turning back to him, "Are you going to try to escape?"
Daniel shook his head, which caused Jack to raise a concerned eyebrow.
"What's the matter with you? Cat got your tongue?" he asked mockingly.
Daniel smiled crookedly.
He said, "I talked too much," but no sound came out.
Jack smiled a hard smile. "They found a way to shut you up, huh? I'll have to find out who I should thank for that." The smile slipped away. Jack crossed the room and unbuckled the bindings around Daniel's wrists, leaving Daniel to free his own ankles from the hobbles.
"Have you eaten?" he asked. Daniel shook his head. Jack pointed to the food set out on the side table. Jack continued to pace the room.
When Daniel had eaten, Jack said, "Piss, strip, and get in the bed." Daniel didn't like that. The people here knew him. How was he supposed to cooperate without them taking notice? On the other hand, they didn't have any reason to connect him to Jack. They were used to slaves here. Maybe they would figure Daniel had found his master and was finally getting with the program.
He pissed, stripped, and got in the bed.
Jack turned down the lights and a few minutes later climbed into the bed behind him. There was a lot of skin, Daniel realized, to his aggravation. Jack was playing up this whole sex slave thing way too much to be funny. Jack threw a long bare leg over Daniel's and wrapped a possessive arm around his body, pressing his shirtless chest and belly against Daniel's naked back. At least Jack had left his boxers on.
Like those were worth anything. Daniel could already feel the soft head of Jack's hardening penis nudging him through the fly.
Um.
Right.
Jack was tapping against his sternum in an annoying and insistent way. Daniel grabbed at his hand, and Jack avoided him, swatting at him and returning to the annoying poking thumping tapping whatever he was doing. Then it started to break through his embarrassment and confusion ...and you're supposed to be some kind of genius? Jeez. Hello! Dr. 23 Languages. Morse code. Hello?
Oh, he reflexively tried to say, before remembering nothing would come out. He caught Jack's arm and tapped back.
Morse code. OK.
Finally! replied Jack.
His fingers went still for a moment.
So, sex slave, huh? he asked.
Yes, Daniel answered succinctly. Yes was easy. Longshortlonglong short shortshortshort.
You OK? Jack asked. Daniel rolled his eyes. Fine time for Jack to worry about him, considering he had made Daniel get naked and was now prodding him in the ass with his dick.
Yes, he tapped back.
'Cause with the sex slavery I was worried...
Daniel sighed in exasperation.
Unmolested, he tapped back slowly.
So what's with the not talking, then?
Daniel hadn't played with Morse code in years. He was rusty. It was annoying that Jack was tapping along lightly with three fingers like it was as easy as typing. Daniel's typing speed was 90 words per minute. He'd seen Jack hunt and peck. Maybe Jack was just doing that to annoy them. Or maybe when Jack was alone in his office, he entered all his reports into an online Morse code converter or something.
I made them mad, he tapped, making a long story very short.
In response to Daniel's comment, Jack's fingers momentarily went still.
Is it permanent?
Daniel shrugged.
Let me know who to kill on the way out, then, Jack said. The finger taps seemed heavy and firm. Like maybe the code should feel like a grim promise of things to come, rather than a joke. Could you put inflections into Morse code?
The others? Jack asked.
Not here. I know where, Daniel replied.
Come on, Danny, Jack wheedled. The finger taps were light and playful. We've got ten hours before I have to be anywhere. Talk like a normal person.
I'm slow, replied Daniel.
Nah. You're special! Jack retorted, and had the nerve to ruffle his hair.
And press a kiss into the back of Daniel's neck.
Jack, you do realize the whole master slave thing is supposed to be an act, right?
There's my linguist! Jack tapped back happily.
I'm here negotiating what could be a sweet naquidah deal. If everybody's OK and I can get you all back in one piece, the treaty will probably turn this into a big win for us. But I have to know. Who raided PX2-947? 'Cause I'm not doing the deal if this guy's the one.
I don't think so, Daniel said. We were sold in a public market. I think the people who captured us were in business for themselves.
Good. Tomorrow, after I leave, write everything down for Carter in the notebook in my pack. She and SG-2 will go look for the rest of your archaeologists and we'll all be home in a couple of days.
Then Jack was quiet. Well, obviously, he'd been quiet all along, but he seemed to have nothing left to tap against Daniel's skin. Though after a few minutes, his hands began moving restlessly, not tapping anymore. Sort of stroking. Daniel was not finding it very restful, with the still-prominent erection pressing into him from behind, and Jack breathing into his hair. He was too warm. The tickle of Jack's breath was sending goose bumps down his neck to his arms. And all the nakedness was making his cock tingle. He wanted to shove Jack off and roll over onto his back, but with the reflexive erection he had forming, that could be even more embarrassing.
Instead, he collapsed forward onto his stomach.
Jack, the bastard, just rolled so that Daniel was squashed under him.
Get off me, he poked into Jack's forearm.
"No, you're too comfy. Go to sleep," Jack said, his lips moving against Daniel's shoulder. Daniel wondered if you practiced hard enough if you could learn to lip read with your skin.
Jack, you're prodding me with your sidearm, he finally said, trying to lengthen the dots and dashes in "sidearm" into the Morse code version of a snide drawl.
Jack snorted, which sent shivers through Daniel. He hadn't realized he was so touch starved.
Don't mind me, Jack said, and obnoxiously didn't either apologize or elaborate further or move dammit.
Daniel elbowed him.
"Shhhhh," Jack said soothingly, his hands moving restlessly and meaninglessly again, this time over Daniel's back.
Daniel harrumphed and began pointedly making himself comfortable, jostling Jack in the process, until he had himself arranged comfortably despite Jack's weight laying half across him. His crooked knee protected his dick, which was refusing to behave.
The only problem was that he had managed to settle in such a way that Jack's little friend was nestled perfectly right against his ass. He decided that he was otherwise too comfortable to move again.
You'd better keep all your bodily fluids to yourself, he tapped rapidly. Jack snickered.
Quit squirming around like you're trying to seduce me and go to sleep, he tapped against Daniel's back.
Daniel tried to sleep. He really did. He was drowsing as Jack took up a random stroking between Daniel's shoulder blades. It woke him up, because he knew it was Jack's way of trying not to fall asleep. Daniel had seen Jack's restless fidgeting in too many situations not to recognize it now. Knowing Jack was trying to stay awake made it difficult for Daniel to relax. He tried to let the motion of Jack's fingers soothe him, and it mostly worked. It probably helped that this was the first time in days that he wasn't falling asleep on a stone floor. It was soft and safe and warm and he was tired.
He was almost asleep when he realized that Jack was talking to him. His strokes were not carefully delineated, not clearly separated into letters and words, and they came so slowly. It was like someone singing soft and low, maybe after one glass of wine too many.
Jack was saying soft things. Loving things. Gentle, sweet pillow talk that unfolded across Daniel's skin over long, lingering minutes as Daniel tried to keep his breathing even, and his body relaxed, as if he really had fallen asleep and Jack was safely whispering to himself.
It took three minutes for him to say, ...I would make love to you right now...
Daniel breathed deeply and slowly in and out and waited for Jack to fall asleep.
In the morning, Daniel wrote in Jack's notebook everything he knew about the people who had purchased the rest of his team. Sam showed up about twenty minutes after Jack left to get it. It was difficult to pretend not to know her. To exchange only brief smiles and glances that wouldn’t be noticed. Daniel didn't know why they were playing this game here, but he was sure there were good reasons.
It must have gone exceptionally well, because she was back that night with every member of his team. They looked tired, but as they all gathered at the Stargate for the trip home, they were looking decidedly relieved and happy. Daniel took that as a good sign.
Then one step through the Stargate, and his life of bondage was behind him.
That was it. That was all that happened.
Daniel obsessed over it for days. Weeks. Watching Jack, and finding absolutely no change in his behavior. Wondering what that could possibly mean. Why would Jack kiss him and feel him up and confess his love and then just go back to the way they were before? There were no explanations or embarrassed apologies or attempts to find out Daniel's feelings.
Daniel was confused. It didn’t make sense to him.
Which was how he ended up on Jack's doorstep, banging on the door in complete frustration.
Except when Jack opened the door, looking bemused and in every way his usual self, Daniel didn't know what to do next. Just like he hadn't know what to do for all this time.
He stood there just staring at Jack. Apparently long enough to make Jack worry.
"Daniel?" he asked. "Aliens fry your brain again?"
Daniel shook his head.
"No. Sorry."
But he still stood there, trying to figure out what he should do.
"So," said Jack, leaning casually against the open door.
"Sorry," Daniel repeated. He was suddenly panicked. Why did he think he should confront Jack again? "I should go."
"I don't think so," Jack said with amusement, catching Daniel by the shoulder as he turned and hauling him bodily through the door by his coat. "I don't let my friends drive in your condition."
"Huh? No! I'm not drunk!" he protested.
"Says you," Jack replied, shoving him into the living room and pushing him onto the couch. "You said no aliens fried your brain."
"You did," Daniel blurted. Jack raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Noooo," he said. "I've definitely been cleaning the basement all day. No time for me to get over to your place with the necessary alien doohickeys."
Jack headed for the kitchen.
"Coffee," Jack mumbled under his breath.
"Are you gay?" It tumbled out in a breathless rush. Oh, way to go, great communicator of SG-1.
But even for Daniel, open-minded, academic, man of many cultures, the concept shifted the world, tilted the universe, turned old truths on their heads. He couldn't move forward until he understood that.
He heard Jack stop out of sight in the kitchen. A pause in the purposeful movement of feet. Then a cabinet opened, and instead of coffee, Jack returned with two shot glasses and a bottle of whiskey.
Daniel looked at the label on the Jack Daniel's and repressed an hysterical laugh.
Jack sat down beside him on the sofa, set the glasses on the table and filled them with a steady hand.
"I take it that's a yes?" Daniel said shakily.
Jack saluted him with one of the glasses and tossed it back with only the slightest grimace.
He pointed at the other glass.
"In case you didn't notice, that one's for you."
Daniel picked it up, sipped, and put it back. Jack glared at him, and defiantly poured himself another shot which he downed so fast Daniel wondered why he didn't just drink directly from the bottle.
"What brought you to the sudden realization?" Jack asked.
At the last minute he turned the panicked giggle into a self-deprecating chuckle.
"I wasn't asleep, you know," he said. At Jack's expression of genuine confusion, Daniel said, "When I was your sex slave."
"Ah. The planet where they actually made you stop talking..." Jack said.
"Anyway, I was wondering..."
"Yes, I'm gay. No, I'm not bi. My marriage was an act of denial that all things considered turned out remarkably well until Charlie died. Yes, I've had plenty of experience. Yes, don't ask don't tell sucks, but mostly you just have to be careful. Does that cover everything?"
Jack sounded bitter.
Daniel took a deep breath and said the next thing that needed to be said.
"You know I'm straight, right?"
Jack shrugged.
"I know nobody at the SGC has ever gotten you to say yes," he said blandly. Daniel wasn't deceived.
"Meaning?"
"You didn't seem to mind when I kissed you."
It was an accusation. He suddenly realized that was the reason he was here. Night after night he could feel the kiss, the grope, the weight of Jack's body, and Jack's hands murmuring confessions of love and adoration against his skin.
Daniel made himself look Jack in the eye.
"About that."
Jack was scowling.
Daniel reached out and touched the graying temple, letting his fingers smooth down over the tension of his eyes, the beautiful cheekbones, the harshly set mouth. Jack startled at the touch, not quite flinching away.
"I am straight. I really don't know how this would work. If it would work."
In the blink of an eye, Jack did the thing they always did, the mind reading thing, and Daniel had a whiskey flavored tongue in his mouth, Jack's hands cradling his head, fingers lacing through his hair.
Later that evening, head resting on Jack's chest where they had finally settled in the couch pillows, Daniel felt Jack tracing idle circles on the thin skin on the inside of Daniel's wrist. He couldn't believe how long it took him to realize that Jack was murmuring to him again, in a thick, slurred accent, about love, and joy, and the future.
If you're interested, all my stories, in order, from one page. Also, my fiction recommendations.
In the end, I didn't try to use any actual Morse code in the story, but there's an awesome morse code converter located at this link. For all your report-writing needs!
For my loyal rugbytacklers, I have done a Stargate crash course located here.