Work Text:
Rebuilding Hope
by XFreak
x_freak@fastmail.fm
"Daniel." Jack sighed, forcing himself to look into those almost clear blue eyes. "I'm sorry."
Nodding once and dropping his gaze, the younger man closed and locked the door. "Hungry?" he asked when he turned back around.
"What?"
Amusement minutely curled the corners of Daniel's lips. "I said, 'Are you hungry?' I just started dinner and I could easily make it for two."
"What are we having?" Jack rubbed his hands together, sensing that serious talk didn't interest the other man just now, which suited him fine.
"Steak." Shrugging bashfully, Daniel added, "I never did kick the craving after we got the arm bands off."
Wincing, Jack recalled the night he, Daniel, and Carter went AWOL for a good steak or three. When a sore loser dared call the younger man a geek, things turned decidedly ugly. The brunt of one too many jokes, Daniel refused to let it go.
"Sure," Jack finally agreed, realizing that his friend awaited an answer.
"Good."
Watching the well fitted jeans accentuate thin legs as Daniel walked back toward the kitchen, Jack thought that he was the most handsome geek he'd ever had the pleasure to lay eyes on. Some people thought him too skinny, but to a certain colonel, he was just right. Lost inside himself for a moment, Jack lifted his gaze to find his friend turned toward him, forehead scrunched in that adorably confused expression he wore much of the time.
"You coming?"
"On my way, Danny."
"O-kay." Daniel glanced back over his shoulder, trying to see his backside. "Did I sit in something?"
"Not that I can tell." Jack snatched the opportunity to look back down at that fine ass. "Old habits are hard to break." Damn it. He wished the words would check in before blurting themselves out like that.
"Old habits?"
"Yeah." Jack wondered whether or not he should come clean, deciding that he owed this man honesty after recent events. "Daniel watching."
"You managed," the younger man stated flatly, busying himself with watching the steaks.
"I managed what?" Jack snapped, irritated that he wasn't quite sure what they were talking about.
"To break the habit." Daniel shrugged. "Watching me, talking to me. Interacting with me in any way."
Rubbing his eyes with the thumb and forefinger of the same hand, Jack decided that his earlier conclusion had been wrong. His friend seemed to want to talk seriously now, if not two minutes ago. "Daniel."
"Jack."
"You know I hate scenes like this."
"Yeah, well, I didn't particularly like being replaced, either."
"Tell you what. Why don't you just zap me with one of those snake ass hand things? It'd probably be less painful."
"For who? You or me?"
"For cryin' out loud. What do you want from me? I said I was sorry."
"Oh," Daniel answered somewhat forcefully, finally meeting Jack's eyes again. "You're sorry, so everything should be okay again. Is that it?"
"A guy can hope," he retorted lightly, shoving his hands into his pockets.
Crossing his arms over his chest and tucking his fingers under his arm pits, Daniel frowned. "Trust has to be earned. Once it's broken..." He shrugged.
Jack sighed and dropped his head forward before carefully making his way around the kitchen counter to stand next to his friend. "Daniel, I know I screwed up. Hindsight is 20/20."
"Yeah."
"I'm not expecting miracles here. I know I have to earn your trust again. I'm just asking you to give me the chance to do that."
Daniel titled his head and narrowed his eyes. "Yeah?"
"Yeah." Jack moved closer and opened his arms, but hesitated at the last second. "Is this okay?" At Daniel's nod, he enveloped the other man in a bone crushing hug. "I missed you, Space Monkey."
Blinking back the sting in his eyes, Daniel patted the older man on the back before resting his head on Jack's shoulder. "Yeah. I missed you, too."
END