Work Text:
Nobody's Fool
by TheGeekGirl
Daniel was fuming.
He was standing outside Jack's house at midnight and he was fuming.
"Daniel. Shut up." Jack's snapped words echoed in his mind, stoking his resentment once more. He remembered the humiliation and anger flooding through him that had caused his cheeks to burn as he sat at that table. Jack's later and somewhat hasty apology over the DHD had done little at the time to repair the damage of his sharp words. Daniel had stewed over the incident. Jack's obvious unwillingness to talk about it had been broadcast by his avoidance of the younger man. And so, Daniel had decided to take ugly matters into his own hands.
He rang the bell.
A few moments later the door opened to reveal a casually dressed O'Neill, a half empty beer bottle dangling from one hand. He wrapped an arm over the top of the door and looked at his visitor with dark eyes.
"Daniel."
"Jack."
Daniel frowned slightly as a silence settled between them. "May I come in?"
Jack shrugged and pulled the door back further and gestured inside with the bottle of beer. Daniel had to brush close to Jack as he entered. Despite the older man's relaxed stance he had an almost tangible air of menace about him. Daniel refused to be intimidated as he met Jack's gaze, the set of his jaw was determined. But Jack just crooked a finger around the tall neck of the beer bottle and took another swig.
The door swung shut and Jack followed Daniel into the living room.
"So Daniel. What can I do for you?"
Daniel caught the crispness of the words, despite the easy tone they were delivered in. There were no contractions or 'Jack-slang' in the question, which meant only one thing. Jack was on edge. He was guarded.
"We need to talk." A soft snort issued from Jack's direction making Daniel frown before adding, "About Euronda."
"What about Euronda?" Jack said as he flopped his six foot something frame onto a couch. "Mission was shot to shit as I recall." Anger at the Eurondans and their damn eugenic war flared in Jack's eyes.
"About us. About what happened there." Daniel said, trying to keep his voice patient as he settled onto the couch opposite.
"Crap Daniel! It's late. Just say what you mean," Jack snarled.
"There! It's that...this..." Daniel gestured into the air before stopping and then starting again. "I want to talk about the way you spoke to me there."
Jack leant back against the couch, his face impassive. "I apologised. At the DHD."
"Yes but I wanted to talk about why you felt the need to put me down publicly. In front of our teammates and potential allies for just doing my job. For asking questions that, if I remember correctly, needed to be asked." Daniel's eyes flashed with anger and frustration.
"And you think NOW is a good time to talk about this?"
"You haven't exactly been around to chat to the past few days, Jack."
"What's there to talk about Daniel? I was doing my job! I thought that you of all people could understand that!" Jack angrily slammed the now empty beer bottle onto the couch table.
"And I was doing MINE!" Daniel said, getting to his feet. "So what did I not understand Jack? What was it about your race to get your hands on Eurondan technology that I failed to comprehend? Just where along the lines did I get in the way? Was it when I walked back through that Stargate four years ago!" His hand punched the air, illustrating his last point.
Jack unwilling to let Daniel get the physical advantage also rose to his feet. "You shouldn't have pushed me, questioned what I was doing, especially in front of the Eurondans. I had my orders," he said angrily. "For god sakes Daniel, I'm supposed to be your commanding officer."
"And I'm supposed to be your friend."
Daniel's quiet hurt tone was a complete contrast to their heated words of a few moments ago.
Jack made a strange choking noise and then said, "I am your friend Daniel." He sought to try and reach across to lay a hand on Daniel's arm, all trace of anger and aggression gone.
Daniel reached for his jacket, evading Jack's touch and gaze. "I'm sorry Jack, you can fool me once into believing we're close friends, but I don't think I'll fall for it again. I'm nobody's fool." He gave Jack a reproachful glance as he made his way towards the door. "I'm sorry to have disturbed you so late." Deep inside he felt something break and shatter. His feelings for Jack were complex and although this hurt now, it was for the best.
Jack's hand whipped out to catch his sleeve. "Don't leave. Not like this. Let's talk." His tone was almost panicked.
"What is there left to talk about Jack?" Daniel's voice was resigned, a little sad. "Over the past few days you've made your position quite clear. I understand, I truly do."
"No. No you don't. Not at all." There was something in Jack's tone that made Daniel turn. He looked closely at Jack who appeared to be struggling with some kind of internal decision.
"Then tell me Jack. What don't I understand?"
The older man took a step back to relieve himself of the pressure of Daniel's questioning eyes. "Too close," he whispered.
"What?" Daniel said gently.
"I let you get too close. Too dangerous."
There was a look almost akin to fear on Jack's face. Its presence puzzled Daniel and this time it was him who reached out a tentative hand. "It's not dangerous to have friends, Jack. Good friends." If anything Jack seemed to be even more disconcerted by this statement. Daniel's brow furrowed in confusion and he laid a reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Not just friends, Daniel," Jack said in a quiet voice, tentatively meeting Daniel's worried gaze. "Closer than that. You've gotten closer than that. Too close."
"Jack, I don't understand..." Daniel begun and then stopped as Jack lifted his hand from his shoulder and brought it to his mouth, bestowing a gentle kiss on the palm. The shock of the realisation of what Jack was trying to say stunned him.
"Too close Daniel." Jack closed his eyes in momentary pain before opening them to look at the stunned face of his friend. He released Daniel's hand. "You should go. Now."
Daniel looked at him intently as though weighing a decision. "No."
An exasperated look crossed Jack's face. "We are not going to talk about this Daniel. This is not open to discussion."
Daniel took a step forward, closing the space between them. "You are right. No talking." Before Jack could say another word, Daniel's hand curved around his neck and pulled him into a kiss.
Shock froze Jack in place for a moment, but then his lips came alive to move over Daniel's mobile ones. One of Jack's hands settled over Daniel's back, pulling him closer, the other wrapped around the younger man's arm. Daniel's insistent tongue flickered over Jack's lips, seeking to deepen their connection. As Jack's mouth opened to him, Daniel claimed it in a skilful yet greedy manner. His tongue curled around Jack's, massaging it gently, breaking down Jack's remaining barriers.
Eventually they broke apart.
"Oh." Jack said.
Daniel gave him a small shy smile and pulled off his skewed glasses, still in Jack's embrace.
"Why didn't you say anything?" Daniel said gently, his long fingers playing at the base of Jack's skull.
"I didn't work it out until a short while ago. When I was on the sub."
Daniel nodded and pulled Jack into a hug, turning his face to bury it into his neck, planting short kisses at the line of dark silver hair.
"Daniel?" Jack began hesitantly. "Do you want..." He stopped and then began again. "What do you want?"
Daniel pulled back and looked up at him with one of his rare broad smiles.
"You."
Reaching, he took Jack's hand on his arm in his, interlacing their fingers.
"And you Jack? What do you want?"
Jack returned the smile. "Whatever I can get," he said hopefully.
Daniel laughed and with a gentle tug, led Jack towards the bedroom.
The End.
E-mail address for feedback: fanfic@thegeekgirl.com
Author's websites: http://members.lycos.co.uk/slashbunny/