Chapter Text
Oh god. "No! Jack, no. We'll figure something else out. We'll just do whatever we have to until Janet can stop this. This isn't... shit. If I'm supposed to be your master... I don't want to—"
"Daniel, you don't understand. I. Really. Want it."
Except that Daniel could see that despite the message from his body craving sex, Jack was tense with worry. Of course. How could he be mentally or emotionally prepared to relive his violation?
"Can't we figure out some—"
"No. I can feel the..." Jack gestured around his midsection. "If we don't do this, I'll just get more intense 'itches'; I'll just get sicker."
Daniel contemplated for a second the possibility of waiting until Jack passed out, but decided quickly that Jack waking up from unconsciousness to find a dick inside of him would be an even worse trauma.
So instead Daniel put every effort into sounding confident and soothing. "It's okay, Jack. I've done this before, and I know how not to hurt you. You know I would never, never hurt you, right?"
Jack nodded mutely.
"How are you doing, illness-wise?"
Jack shrugged. "Not great."
"You put off coming to find me?"
"Yeah, a little."
Daniel sighed. "I can see why. But I still want to take it slowly. This will be different, all right?"
Jack's nod was more okay, let's just get it over with.
"Hey." Daniel moved close to gently pull Jack into a hug, and lightly encouraged Jack's head to bend towards Daniel's neck to sniff while Daniel stroked his hair. "What you experienced before was violence. It wasn't pleasure, it wasn't caring. It wasn't even sex, just an attack. I promise you, this will be nothing like that."
He felt Jack relax slightly against him and Jack's head nod understanding under his hand. "Okay, let's go to bed."
Jack pulled away and headed matter-of-factly back to the bedroom, stripping off. By the time Daniel came in with a clean handtowel, Jack was waiting on the bed on all fours, hard and waiting.
It was a magnificent view, except that Daniel could still see the emotional tension warring with the artificial libido. There was no way Daniel would get hard enough to carry this out as long as he felt like Jack was remembering his rape. The goddamned Neocosmans and their goddamned antiquated sexual slavery bullshit... And, damn it, they didn't have time for this.
Pulling himself together, Daniel considered Jack's position. Hands and knees was good for someone new to anal sex, but having an anonymous dick entering from his blind spot and a heavy man draped over his back would not likely to be good for Jack's state of mind. Jack on top would be best, so that he could feel completely in control of the proceedings. Unfortunately Jack wasn't in control—the drug effect was. Daniel was afraid the wild abandon Jack got caught up in under the influence would cause him to ride Daniel far more enthusiastically than his body could handle.
His decision was made. He grabbed the lube from the bedside table and knelt up on the bed. Even his soft, long stroke down Jack's body left a shiver in its wake before Jack pushed his ass higher and farther back in forced invitation. Daniel tried to sound gentle, not saddened, when he said quietly, "Lie down on your side, facing me." Jack complied, and waited stoically while Daniel lay down next to him.
Daniel ran his hand again down Jack's side, giving a tiny squeeze on his thigh before lifting it to stroke Jack's arm next. Over and over, he got Jack used to the contact. "It's just me, and I'm not going to hurt you. This is about pleasure. We're going to make each other feel good, the way we've been doing. Just trust me, and relax for me. There's only you and me here, and I'll never do anything to cause you pain. I want you to breathe deeply, into your belly." Jack took a deep breath, and slowly relaxed under his touch and voice.
As Daniel's hand moved to trace down the line of fur on his belly, Jack moaned and pushed his erection up to make contact. Daniel was relieved. Yeah, they knew this. Jack reached for him, and Daniel grew hard from the practiced stroke. "Lift your knee up here, Jack," Daniel ordered, patting his own hip before taking up Jack's cock again. Jack obeyed.
With Jack's legs now spread a little, Daniel furthered his explorations. He softly traced the balls, pulled sideways by gravity towards the mattress, and pressed lightly against the perineum behind. Between the stimulation and the call to service, Jack's response was increasing. Daniel paused to lube his right middle finger, and took up Jack's cock in his left hand.
"I'm going to touch you now, Jack. Just touch, outside." And he did, pushing the slightly parted cleft a little farther open with his thumb and gently running the slicked finger through the prickly hairs to the bare, wrinkled skin of Jack's opening. He slowly circled, with just enough firmness to massage the muscle. Jack's hand on Daniel's erection stuttered and Jack tensed with a choked gasp, but it seemed to be more from pleasure than fear. "I'm just going to do this as long as you like. It feels so good, Jack, so soft and wet." Jack's eyes closed as he unconsciously bent his head towards Daniel, visibly swallowing hard.
"Fuck me, please," he whispered hoarsely, as he pushed against the finger teasing him.
"We'll get there," Daniel promised. He brought his left hand up to stroke Jack's cheek with the backs of his fingers. "Are you ready for me to touch you inside?" Jack nodded, swallowing again.
Daniel added more lube to his finger, and barely pressed the tip into Jack's opening. He paused while Jack assimilated the sensation. When he seemed ready, Daniel rotated the finger as far as his wrist could reach clockwise, then counterclockwise. "You feel so warm, so good," Daniel encouraged. He pressed a little more firmly against the outer ring of muscle as he steadily rotated his finger again and again, tender, slicked skin gliding against his fingertip.
Jack seemed focused on the sensation, but his breathing was relatively steady and calm, so Daniel said, "I want to go deeper. Can you relax and let me in?" Everything tensed for a moment. "In your own time, Jack." Daniel brushed Jack's belly repeatedly. "Take deep breaths and relax on the exhale. Feel all your tension flowing down your body and out." The first breath was a little shuddery, but the next one was smoother. Daniel kept petting. Suddenly his finger was practically sucked in without his help.
"I told you I wanted you to fuck me." Jack sounded sarcastic, but his hands had involuntarily flown out in surprise at the invasion. Daniel grasped Jack's left hand in his and intertwined their fingers. He brought them both up to his face and rubbed the back of Jack's hand against his cheek before reaching over and extending his index finger to stroke Jack's jawline.
"It's just me. I won't do anything painful. It might feel strange, or different, but I won't hurt you. Just stay relaxed, and feel how good it can be." Fully inside the second ring of muscle, Daniel rotated his finger again so that Jack could discover the sensation of having something inside him. When Jack didn't tense, Daniel again pushed lightly against the muscles surrounding his finger as he unhurriedly turned one way, then the other. Jack stayed relaxed as Daniel pressed harder, really stretching the muscle in every direction.
Daniel pulled Jack's knuckles over to nuzzle them with his chin. "You're doing great. And you feel fantastic. So good. Are you ready for me to add another finger?"
Jack rocked experimentally against the finger. "Yeah."
"All right." Daniel slowly withdrew his hand and added more lube to the first two fingers. "I want you to breathe in, and then do a deep exhale." With a steady glide, Daniel made sure his fingers were fully seated by the time Jack was finished. Jack wasn't adding tension to his natural tightness, which Daniel counted as a win for this phase, even though Jack was gripping his other hand more firmly than before.
"I know. It feels even weirder having that much thickness inside you. Just keep relaxing into it like you have been. Pretty soon it's going to feel incredible, I promise." He rotated the fingers, with the same leisurely pace as before, getting Jack used to this new girth.
When Jack didn't clamp down or freeze, Daniel whispered, "Here's the really amazing thing about having someone inside you." He curled his fingers and drew the tips lightly along the smooth walls until he found the hidden bump that made Jack cry out in surprise when he pressed it. Jack pistoned himself on Daniel's fingers in automatic reflex to get pressure there again.
"Ah! Nice and slow. Just let the sensations happen. No need to rush. We'll get there." Daniel alternated brushes against the prostate with plain slides in, to let Jack learn the pleasures of both types of stimulation. Jack hummed and moaned and attempted to hijack the pace, so Daniel figured he was getting the lesson just fine. Daniel started spreading his fingers, gently working against the muscles of the opening in two directions.
"You're doing so good, Jack. Fantastic." He squeezed Jack's hand and freed it, so that he could take up Jack's cock again. The sensations in front and behind had Jack moaning and rocking back and forth into each. "Can you come for me? Can you come like this?"
Jack groaned and shook his head. "No. I, uh, I can't come until you do."
Daniel sighed. "I was afraid of that. It would help get you really relaxed, but you're doing fine this way." He twisted and spread his fingers again. "Spectacularly, really."
"I just..." Jack swallowed. "I just want you inside."
"You'll have me. When I know it's going to be all pleasure and no pain. You're close, really close. I'm going to add another finger now." He drew back to add more lube to all three fingers and in the trough they made as they bunched together. "Do the deep exhale again, and this time push out against me as I'm pushing in."
Jack obeyed, and Daniel's fingers slid two-thirds of the way in before Jack tensed up. He wasn't clamping down tightly, which was a good sign, but Daniel froze anyway. "It's all right, Jack. I'm not moving. I'll just stay right here while you adjust." Daniel felt a flutter of contraction against his fingers. "That's good. Test out the sensations. Squeeze tight..." He waited while Jack did so. "Now relax." The hold loosened. "Now push out... And relax again. Practice those and how they feel." Daniel let Jack experiment with his muscles.
When the tension in Jack's body released again, Daniel warned, "I'm going to twist again, let you see how it feels when you're this full." He let the ridges and valleys formed by his fingers glide slickly over the sensitive skin of Jack's opening and massage the tightness underneath. As Jack loosened, he pressed back against Daniel's hand.
"Are you ready for more?"
Jack pushed more emphatically.
Daniel eased the knuckles in smoothly, aiming his fingertips directly for the prostate. Jack bucked into the touch.
"Just hold there for a bit. I know—you feel full and stretched. Let yourself get used to it. Try the squeezing and pushing thing when you're ready—it will help." Eventually Jack was more relaxed, and Daniel deliberately rotated his hand a few times before very slowly fucking Jack with his fingers, hitting Jack's prostate just often enough to keep him enthusiastic about continuing.
"Oh god, Daniel, please, please..."
"Almost there, Jack." Daniel gave a few more long strokes, pulling all the way out and pressing all the way in to get Jack used to the feeling of being opened up wide. He spread his fingers a bit, feeling that Jack was relaxed enough to allow a bit of give.
This was as good as it was going to get.
Finally Daniel allowed himself to think about the tight, slick heat he had been exploring, and he was as eager as Jack.
He brushed his hand along Jack's cheek again. "Roll onto your other side for me." Jack hesitated a moment. "It will be a more comfortable angle. I'll be right here, holding you. Nobody but me."
Daniel was grateful for the incredible trust it showed for Jack to turn his back on the dick that was about to be thrust into him. He couldn't let him down.
He wiped his hand quickly on the towel and gently pushed Jack's top leg forward, opening him up. He opened the lube again and added another dollop between Jack's legs before generously slicking himself up. There was no such thing as too much lube in this case. Getting himself into position spooned behind Jack, he lay down and sneaked his left hand under Jack and brought it up around to hug Jack around his chest. "Just me. I'm here with you." Jack clasped fingers with him.
With his other hand, Daniel found the spot he was aiming for and guided the head of his cock towards it. "You know how to relax and open up, Jack. It's going to feel so good. You just do what ever you need to do to let me in. Tell me if you want me to stop, or to pull out. Whatever you need."
Jack took a deep breath and let it out. As Daniel slowly pushed forward, Jack pushed back. With the head of Daniel's cock just inside, Jack stopped, and his hand squeezed Daniel's tightly. Suddenly his hips tried to push down hard and Daniel stopped them. "No. Let yourself relax first. You can do it." That damn tea. Daniel knew it would try to push him too hard.
Daniel stroked Jack's chest reassuringly with their joined hands while Jack breathed deeply and tried to let out the tension. "Shh. It's only me, Jack. I won't let you be hurt. You're safe. Nothing's going to happen here except a whole lot of feeling good." He felt Jack flex and release around him, and it was... so much more amazing around the head of his cock than his fingers. He stifled a groan. He could wait for his pleasure, too.
Finally he felt Jack truly relax, and he slowly slid all the way in. This time he didn't stop his moan. "Oh, Jack. Feels so good." He wrapped his other arm around Jack, hugging him, and leaned his forehead against the back of Jack's neck. "So good."
He held still until Jack started moving, and then took control of the pace again, keeping it slow and measured. It had been so long since he had been inside someone that he would have been afraid of losing control if they hadn't been going at it like rabbits for the past several days. Fortunately the edge was off, and enough fear of traumatizing Jack remained to help keep him in check.
As Jack tried to thrust himself down onto Daniel's cock, Daniel held him more tightly and whispered against his neck, "Take it slow, Jack. These are delicate tissues. No slamming. No hard and fast. No soreness. It's all about pleasure. Just let yourself feel." Daniel paused the leisurely slide to scoot himself a bit, then resumed at an angle to reach Jack's prostate. Jack cried out in wordless yearning at that, and Daniel carefully rubbed the head of his cock back and forth over the spot, working towards his own orgasm with the movement.
He ruthlessly quashed his own instinct to speed up—because how could Jack ever trust that penetrative sex could be safe and fun if he were pounded and, god forbid, injured? Instead Daniel let the glow and tingle build with each controlled glide. The desire to rush towards a quick finish was offset by the way going so slowly was drawing out the sensations into one long euphoric experience. He reached for Jack's erection, already strained to the utmost by the pressure on his prostate, and used his hand to match the measured pace he was keeping behind.
It took an unbearably long time for the blissful sensations to culminate in orgasm, and once they did, it seemed to go on forever. Daniel's lips brushed against the prominent vertebra at the top of Jack's spine as he whispered, "Jack." He felt Jack's contractions in counterpoint to his own pulses, while Jack's cock was suddenly slippery and jerking endlessly in his grasp. Eventually they both wound down, until they lay quiet, nestled together.
There was a long pause, probably too long, before Daniel gave Jack's hand a reassuring squeeze and he gently pulled back, his soft cock slipping from Jack's body. He felt around for the handtowel, and reached back over Jack's hip to blindly wipe at the wet on his front before folding the towel to a dry portion and gently wiping the soupy mess of lube and semen from Jack's backside.
Jack hadn't said anything, or really even moved. He certainly wasn't doing his usual post-episode healthy-bouncy routine. Daniel tossed the towel, then asked, "Are you okay?"
"Jesus, are you kidding? Hell yeah." Jack reached behind him to grope for Daniel's hand, pull his arm around him again. He was just a little quieter than usual when he said, "I just... I didn't know it could be..."
Daniel snuggled up tight behind him. "Yeah, it can be." He loosened his hug a little. "You know, you'll probably be more comfortable if you go sit on the toilet, push everything out."
Jack just grabbed his wrist and pulled his arm tighter around him again. "Maybe. Just give me a few here."
"Sure." Daniel leaned against him. There was something incredibly intimate about what had just happened between them—a strange thing to think after days of sex. But this was different, with Jack's vulnerability and the depth of his trust in Daniel. He curled contentedly into Jack, enjoying the closeness. It had been a long time.
Eventually he felt Jack give him a silent signal with a hand squeeze, and he let go so that Jack could roll off the bed and walk carefully to the bathroom. Daniel allowed himself another few minutes of indulgence, then got up himself and pulled on sweats, fighting the lethargy that followed a long morning of sex in bed.
He heard the shower go on as he made his way to the kitchen for the morning's second round of coffee. He wasn't sure whether he should go bury himself in work to give Jack space, or just be around for Jack—let him know that as far as he was concerned they were still they same friends who used to hang out on Sundays. He'd have to play it by ear.
The shower went off again before Daniel had finished filling the coffee maker—a quick rinse then. Soon afterwards Jack came moseying into the kitchen and headed for the cupboard with the mugs. He then joined Daniel in his coffee vigil, and gave him one of his usual shoulder pat-clasps. Muscles Daniel hadn't even realized were tense relaxed; good—Jack wasn't so weirded out that he was going to avoid him, then. He felt safe enough to ask, "So, everything okay..." He trailed off into a vague hand gesture rather than continue, how? "With your ass?" "Down there?" "With your rectal tissues?" It wasn't until he'd gotten started that he'd realized there really wasn't a good way to put it.
Jack just shrugged, showing only the slightest amount of embarrassment when he answered, "Fine. I can, uh, definitely feel it, but it's not painful or anything."
"Good." Daniel nodded.
Jack absently stirred the spoon in the sugar bowl. "Rockies are away at San Francisco today. Game's on at two."
"Sounds good. Is there anything you want to get done before then?"
"Maybe a quick grocery run, get some snacks for the game."
"Sounds like a plan."
Back to a normal Sunday routine, then. Though he made a mental note to pick up some better lube than KY jelly, while they were out.
~
After lunch, Daniel caught up with Sam on the phone. Apparently the mood on base was pretty grim, with no one knowing whether SG-9 was going to pull through or not. Since SG-1 was on stand-down and Janet was working double shifts inside quarantine, Sam was spending most of her time with Cassie, with some Uncle Teal'c assistance. Considering her mother and everyone else on her homeworld had been killed by a virus, Cassie was finding the current crisis scarier than the staff blasts that usually threatened her adopted family. Sam had had to reassure her that Janet was being very, very careful, and that the scary virus wasn't what Uncle Jack and Daniel had.
They'd moved on to some of Sam's ideas for an SGC presence on Neocosmos when Jack stepped down into the living room. "Daniel, could I..." He mimed pulling him away from the conversation.
Daniel took one look at Jack and hurriedly interrupted. "Gotta go." He paused to add more normally, "The colonel calls."
Sam laughed. "Is that like 'his master's voice'?"
The double meaning gave Daniel a chill. He gave himself a mental shake and forced himself to laugh, "Not exactly." She was only making a joke about the attentive RCA dog; she had no way of knowing that it was Daniel who was the alleged master.
He signed off, barely paying attention to what he was saying, his eyes focused on Jack. As soon as he disconnected, he was up and across the room. "Not again; not already."
He saw Jack's throat work as he swallowed before answering, "Yeah."
"No. No, dammit! We just... it's barely been four hours! It's too soon!"
"Well there was yesterday, when it was two hours—"
"No! No, I mean, I know this thing can come on in four hours. What I mean is that it's too soon for you. It was just your first time—" He caught Jack's sardonic "well..." look, and nodded a brief, grudging acknowledgment that it had actually been his second time. "I'm just saying, you shouldn't..." He trailed off thoughtfully, then pointed in triumph. "You fuck me!"
"Daniel, no!" Jack barked.
"Why not?"
"It's... I can't ask you to... This itch, it's for getting fucked—I know what it wants."
Daniel looked down at the physical evidence, and looked up with a seductive smile. "But this would work, wouldn't it? When I said you should fuck me, you felt it." He rubbed his thumb lightly over the erection visibly bulging in Jack's jeans. "It will work. I like anal sex. I promise, I will come and you will get your bodily fluids." And yes, he was being deliberately tempting, trying to bypass Jack's protective, chivalrous, completely unnecessary gesture because making sure that Jack wasn't injured by these compulsions was important. Besides, Daniel was also telling the absolute truth. It had been a long time since he'd bottomed, and he honestly missed it.
Jack had his head leaned back and his eyes closed. "Daniel..." He said it with a tone of protest, but he didn't have an argument to follow up with.
"Come on." Daniel tugged his hand to lead him down the hall.
He stripped down, and was about to ask whether Jack wanted him to prepare himself, when he felt Jack's hands sliding over his ass. That answered that question. Daniel felt himself being gently nudged onto the bed, and encouraged to lie down on his front. He pulled his cock up to lie between his belly and the mattress, and settled himself comfortably, legs spread. He smiled into the crossed arms he was pillowed in when he heard Jack's intake of breath.
Soon he felt Jack's strong, firm hands stroking up the backs of his legs to the crease of his butt cheeks. A pair of thumbs spread him open, exposing him, and suddenly Daniel was surprised by a warm, wet tongue slicking his crack. He heard a small, needy whimper from Jack, and then his ass was being devoured in earnest. And holy hell, he'd never... Oh, god, it was blissful, amazing. He pushed back uncontrollably against the tongue pressing into him. More, more... If he'd been worried about Jack not being able to keep control under the influence of the tea, he was no better, and without the excuse of any chemicals stronger than endorphins. And at that moment, his brain decided rational thought was highly overrated.
Daniel moaned, quietly but continuously, which only spurred Jack on. Daniel felt a finger join the tongue inside him, stretching him and searching for... there! Daniel gave an involuntary buck and bit down on his forearm. The finger was still sliding inside him when he felt the heat of Jack's breath pull away and the mattress dipping to the side. He was wiggling his butt to remind the finger of what was important when he felt Jack's weight resettle between his legs and he heard the pop of the lube cap. Ah.
Jack's lips laid a trail of kisses down his spine that were intoxicatingly erotic. He felt two fingers stretching him and coating him inside with slick. Then three. Apparently remembering how to relax and take it was like riding a bike, as Daniel felt himself open for Jack. He fucked himself back onto Jack's fingers. "Please, Jack. Please, please, please," he chanted.
Jack pulled his fingers out and nudged Daniel's hip with his nose. "Roll over," he whispered. Daniel flipped onto his back, and saw Jack slicking his erection with lube. God, yes, yes, yes, now, he pleaded silently. Jack knelt between his legs and leaned over him; Daniel wrapped his legs around Jack's back. Jack took himself in hand and guided himself slowly... in.
Daniel closed his eyes and concentrated on relaxing against the pressure. Jack was sliding, and sliding, and—oh!—he was in. Daniel's eyes flew open, and he saw Jack watching him carefully to see that he was okay. Daniel gave a dazed smile to reassure him. Jack pushed Daniel's legs higher and caught them there with the crooks of his elbows. Then he slowly pulled back and slid in again, and it was exquisite. Daniel's eyes closed involuntarily, and he bit his lip against the sobbing sound that tried to escape his throat.
As the satiny glide in and out continued, Daniel opened his eyes again and was caught in Jack's gaze. He couldn't tear his eyes away—the intensity went right through him, pinning him. He'd never noticed they'd always kept their eyes averted or closed before, but now... Daniel had a moment of realization that this changes everything, and then Jack's stroke hit his prostate and sent him back to preverbal bliss.
Jack moved into Daniel with a fluid grace that kept him floating in euphoria. He instinctively reached up and took Jack's face between his hands, pulled him down to meet his lips. Jack opened to meet him... And Daniel's world changed again. Energy arced from their mouths, down his spine, to where they were joined, in an unending loop. He was suddenly connected to the universe, touching infinity. Daniel kissed Jack hungrily—greedily—trying to get ever closer. He lost all track of time. Eventually he realized their pace and their pleasure were building, climbing towards the inevitable, and he rocked back against Jack in perfect rhythm, reaching with him for their goal.
Their mouths separated as they needed to pant and cry out, but they opened their eyes to hold their connection. "God. Jack. Please. Oh!" Daniel felt tiny prayers being wrung from him.
"Daniel!" The one word breathed against his lips held a world of meaning and emotion.
Daniel spilled his orgasm between them. "Love you. Love you. Love you," he gasped. And then Jack was pulsing into him.
They lay in the aftermath, entwined, unable or unwilling to move—Daniel wasn't sure which. Jack let Daniel's legs loose from his elbows, and Daniel clasped them around Jack's hips instead, to hold him inside him. Jack's head had fallen forward onto Daniel's shoulder, so he couldn't see Jack's eyes anymore. He wrapped one arm firmly around Jack's back, and raised the other to stroke gently through Jack's hair. Jack hummed and burrowed his face into Daniel's neck, then raised himself up to kiss Daniel—a series of sweet, soft claims on his mouth that Daniel freely surrendered to. Jack's hand cradled the side of his skull, a warm thumb sweeping gently back and forth across his brow and temple.
Daniel poured all the yes he could express into his kisses. The intoxication of sex was slowly ebbing; the real world would be intruding soon. But Daniel couldn't write off what had happened to drugs and hormones; he wouldn't be able to bear it if Jack retreated behind excuses or repression or denial.
Jack was pulling away... but thankfully only far enough to look into Daniel's eyes. Expressions flickered rapidly across his face: happy, shy, questioning, hopeful, hesitant. Then, voice whispered and cracking, Jack ventured, "You really...?"
Daniel was confused. He really what? Jack clarified, "You really meant what you said?" Daniel cast his mind back over the last several minutes. He hadn't said anything... Back farther... Oh. Oh! Had he really said out loud...? He looked up. Jack was frozen, waiting. Daniel pulled his head back down into a long, deep kiss.
"Yes," he finally said. Jack dove desperately for his mouth again.
His softening cock pulled free from Daniel's body, but the two of them clung tightly together, legs tangled and hands holding and stroking, reassuring each other that they both needed the connection.
After the kisses had eased off, they rolled to the side so that they could hold each other without Jack's weight crushing Daniel. Daniel angled his forehead to rest against Jack's, and spoke against his mouth. "I'm sorry. I feel like some kind of idiot for not realizing this before. How could I not know I was in love with you?"
"Maybe because I'm usually a giant pain in your mikta?"
Daniel wiggled against Jack. "Mmm. A giant something in my mikta," he joked, then added, "Actually, sometimes that helped. I mean, I've been through phases of hero worship or having a crush on you. Well, I've gone through little crushes on Sam and Janet and Teal'c, too..."
"That happens," said Jack, and Daniel recognized the admission.
"But it's pretty much been you. I can't help but notice you're gorgeous. And you have that whole courageous, loyal, saving my life thing going on. Watching you protect the lives of a group of helpless innocents turns my crank like you wouldn't believe. God, that first mission to Abydos..."
"Really? Since then?"
"Oh, yeah. But I pretty much figured you for a hundred percent straight. Besides, any time I had a big crush going, I could usually count on you to turn around and pull some boneheaded military maneuver that pissed me off." Jack snorted, in protest or in recognition. "Which was helpful for keeping the stars out of my eyes. The relationship we've built, the friendship, is pretty well grounded in reality. We know where we compromise and where we agree to disagree."
Jack nudged him gently, hip to hip. "Is it going to be a problem, disagreeing, now that we...?"
Daniel shook his head minutely. "I don't think so. For one thing, I understand a lot better where you're coming from." His tone went wry. "A few years of getting shot at and wrestling the Pentagon tends to take the shiny off the idealism. Besides," he continued, "you've learned to respect my opinion in the field, when it comes to diplomatic or cultural advice."
"Or moral advice," Jack added.
"Thank you."
"I can't always follow it, but I'm usually more frustrated by the situation than by you. I hope you know that."
"Yeah, I do. And same here." They hardly ever talked about their feelings explicitly. It was nice to hear that the assumptions he'd been making were correct, but he'd also already known it, deep down where they'd always had their uncanny connection, beneath the "soldier" and "scholar" exteriors.
"So, gorgeous, huh?"
Daniel rolled his eyes. Trust Jack to jump into the shallow end. "Well, you know, adequately attractive," he teased, just to watch Jack pout. "Actually," he got more serious again, "it's made this alketairo situation pretty hellish."
"Getting to sleep with a gorgeous man is a bad thing?"
"It is when you've had fantasies about it in the past, but in real life he's straight, your best friend, and being forced into it against his will." He stroked Jack's cheek gently. "Making sure you weren't going to die really was my only concern. But there was the part of me that's attracted to you that I had to keep buried in a locked box in the back of my brain. I couldn't handle the idea of getting what I wanted through this sexual slavery."
Jack smiled ruefully. "I know exactly what you mean. I felt too guilty about you being forced to have sex with me to enjoy it. It was like when they say 'beware your dreams coming true'—a nightmare."
Daniel prodded. "Oh yeah? You liked me before?"
"I had... admired you, on occasion, yes," Jack admitted. "When you weren't getting on my last nerve."
Daniel grinned. He knew how that translated from Jack to English. "Really?"
"Let me show you something." Jack gave him a squeeze and disentangled his limbs from Daniel's.
Daniel watched him walk across the room. And he could watch him. He didn't have to keep his glance cool and uninterested; he didn't have to avert his eyes. He could rake his gaze with appreciation over every glorious inch of a nude Jack O'Neill and enjoy it. He indulged, gladly. Jack leaned into the closet, and Daniel watched the ass he'd so gently fucked that morning, the ass he'd deliberately treated with care and detachment, wanting only to get Jack through his medical and emotional crises in one piece. But to have the opportunity to make love to Jack, to bring all the tenderness and passion he felt into bed with them... Daniel closed his eyes a moment in anticipation.
"Falling asleep?"
Daniel flipped his eyes back open. Jack was back at the bed, carrying the tube he gotten on Neocosmos.
"No," Daniel replied candidly, "wishing I had the recovery time I had at eighteen so that I could make love with you again."
Jack gave a wordless growl and tossed the tube to the side so that he could crawl onto the bed on all fours and kiss the hell out of Daniel. Red-lipped and panting, he looked down at their still-soft groins and shook his head. "Youth is wasted on the young."
Daniel hummed in agreement. "Though," he added, "If I had that libido again with you around, I'd never get anything else done." Jack waggled his eyebrows in a comic leer, and Daniel gave him a light shove. "What was it you were going to show me?"
"Ah." Jack went suddenly serious and reached for the tube. Daniel sat up and leaned against the headboard, and Jack joined him. He pulled the roll of drawings out, and carefully spread them on the blanket. Daniel leaned over to better see, and Jack wordlessly handed him his glasses from the nightstand. "Thank you. Oh!"
Now that Daniel could see the drawing, he was amazed. Bacchylides had sketched SG-1 at one of the dinners. He'd captured Sam looking up at Teal'c, eyes sparkling, and Teal'c radiating happiness at having amused his teammate. Jack and Daniel only had eyes for each other, creating their own bubble of intimacy during the public event. You could look at the drawing and see four good friends who knew each other well, but it was very easy to see them as sophauthentes and alketairos, also. "Do we really look like that?" Daniel asked.
"Backy seemed to think so," Jack replied. He moved the sketch to the bottom of the stack. The next picture was an outdoor scene of Jack on guard, hovering protectively and bristling at interlopers while Daniel studied a building detail, oblivious of the crowded street around them.
"Oh, that really is us." Daniel smiled sheepishly. "Do I really look that absent-minded?"
"Do I really look that mama bear?" Jack replied.
The answers were embarrassingly obvious, so Jack shuffled to the next picture.
Jack was standing behind Daniel, his hand on Daniel's shoulder as he leaned in to say something in his ear. Bacchylides had captured Jack's look, tender and caring. Daniel was still looking at his study materials, but his whole body was focused on Jack's voice, leaning into his touch.
Daniel stared at the picture a long time, wordlessly, before Jack swapped it out for the last one. This one was a series of studies of Daniel explaining something to Jack. In the first, Daniel had clasped Jack's arm, face lit with excitement, while Jack was attentive to the report. As the series progressed, Daniel's focus shifted from the information to Jack, while Jack went from professionally alert to pleased at Daniel's pleasure. The series ended with a large sketch of Jack genuinely delighted that Daniel was so excited, and Daniel glowing with happiness as he saw his elation reflected back by Jack.
"God, we're idiots," Daniel moaned.
"I know," said Jack. "I saw these right before we left the SGC, after you'd saved my life again. I spent a self-pity moment wishing you really did feel like that, and then several more moments kicking myself for wishing that when you were being forced to sleep with me. Now I'm just kicking myself for being a moron."
Daniel was still staring at the evidence. "How has the NID never gone after your career for this before?"
Jack shrugged. "For all I know, they have. But there wasn't anything concrete for them to find before now." The thought seemed to trigger wariness; Jack rolled up the sketches and put them back in the tube.
Daniel shivered. "Well I'm more glad than ever that Janet's keeping this out of the files. Medical records are supposed to be private, but I wouldn't put anything past them."
"Me, either."
Daniel was making a growing realization, though. "But, oh god, Jack, we can't! This will kill your career, and will be used to go after the program."
Jack turned so that he could hold Daniel firmly. "No, Daniel. No. I've done my time and I've made my sacrifices. I was going to retire when I thought I'd lost you before. You think I wouldn't retire over finding you?"
"But, Jack..."
"Daniel. I would never do anything to hurt the program, but I refuse to pretend that we're not in love with each other. It's not fair to either one of us. We've both lost too much in our lives." He gave him a squeeze. "We've both learned you need to seize the carp."
"Jack..." God, leave it to Jack to crack a joke in the middle of a passionate declaration.
"What?" Innocent as a three-year-old with cookie crumbs on his face. Daniel had to struggle to keep his face serious.
"Speak Latin to me, and I'll follow you anywhere."
"Oh yeah?"
"Mmm hmmm."
"Carpe diem," Jack whispered in his ear.
"Mmm. You romantic." Daniel started sliding towards horizontal, his arms still around Jack.
"So you will come with me and be my love?" Jack slid down after and over him.
"Plenty of pleasures to prove."
"I got your pleasure, right here, Nymph Boy."
The kiss Daniel was about to give was interrupted by a snicker. "Okay, 'Nymph Boy' has got to go, unless you want a bunch of bad jokes about amorous shepherds in return."
"Rather have you."
"Exactly." This time Daniel did kiss him. "Mmm. Hey, did you want to watch that baseball game?"
Jack hesitated. "Only if you come with me."
Daniel was equally reluctant to lose this intimacy with Jack, so they both slipped on sweatpants and moved their snuggle to the couch in front of the television. It was like any shared Sunday with snacks and sports and free-floating conversation, random debates and easy camaraderie. The only thing different was full body contact. Daniel touched and petted constantly, reassuring himself they really were there together, taking full advantage of the opportunity to finally have what he'd wanted for so long, loving that Jack was doing the same back. And best of all, when the game was over, Daniel could pull off his glasses and...
...press Jack flat onto the couch. No more mister nice Daniel just giving the patient what he needed. Oh, no, he was making slow, lick, sweet, lick, passionate love to Jack. He was free to enjoy the swirling of chest hairs under his fingers, teasing up the nipples to hardness and then sucking and nibbling on them in turn. God, knowing that Jack loved him, that he had permission to... His hands and mouth roamed greedily, saying without words how very much he wanted to give, how much he had held back before.
By the time Daniel made it down to the waistband of Jack's sweatpants, Jack was humping the air futilely, his cock stretching the fabric. Daniel slowly lifted the pants up and over Jack's erection and peeled them downward. He took a moment to enjoy his prize. This was heaven! He indulged immediately in licking a broad stripe up the underside of Jack's cock, ending in a little swirl around the head. Jack's hips surged upwards in appreciation, but Daniel backed off immediately. First he wanted to dive further down—he pulled clumsily at the pants, trying to get them all the way off. With Jack's legs free, he could spread them and take one of Jack's balls gently into his mouth and stroke it with his tongue. He used his fingernails to gently caress and scratch the inside of Jack's thighs while he licked and sucked lightly at the balls.
Only when Jack moaned, "Daniel, please," did he move up and lick again at the length of Jack's cock. He gave a few firm swipes with his tongue just under the frenulum, loving the way Jack rolled his hips and whimpered in response. Then he took the whole thing in his mouth and began to suck in earnest. This is what he'd wanted—to be an equal, to be able to concentrate on Jack's pleasure and give him an orgasm if he wanted to, when he wanted to. And because they wanted to, no coercion. This was heaven.
Daniel wet a thumb and pressed it against Jack's perineum as he sucked. Jack grabbed reflexively at his hair, and just as suddenly let go as he realized what he'd done. Daniel smiled around his mouthful as Jack's hands came back lightly resting against his head, every ounce of whatever concentration Jack had left obviously spent on being considerate of Daniel's scalp. Daniel pulled in his cheeks and rode him hard and rhythmically with his mouth, never letting up, and was soon rewarded with the pulsation and spill he'd been waiting for. He swallowed quickly, then gently, gently eased the softening cock out of his mouth and let it fall with a last kiss. He looked up at the delicious sight of Jack lying back on the couch looking completely wrecked.
Jack flopped his hand in a vague come here motion, and Daniel crawled carefully up his body to give him a kiss. Jack lazily, leisurely explored his mouth with his tongue, then rolled them a bit to tuck closely side by side on the couch. Half dopey from orgasm still, he held Daniel firmly and petted his hair. "Want you to fuck me again," he drawled.
Daniel's cock, already hard from getting Jack off, really liked the sound of that. But. "Are you sure?"
"Oh, definitely, definitely sure. Last time was..." He just squeezed more tightly for emphasis. "And I want to do it without being forced to and freaked out. This time I know I'll like it, and it's me that's wanting it."
"Okay, okay." Daniel gave him a kiss. "So do you want to try it on the couch, or the bed."
"I don't want to move!" Jack groaned theatrically. "But I definitely don't want any freak falling-on-the-floor-while-fucking accidents."
"Mmm. Safety first," agreed Daniel mildly. "Want me to carry you?"
Jack snorted and rolled his eyes. "In your dreams, geek." He gave Daniel a little shove to get him up.
"Geek who's about to fuck your ass," Daniel riposted. Liar. He was going to make love to that ass, and he couldn't wait.
"God I hope so," Jack said. Despite his previous snap, he held out his hand and Daniel hauled him up. Daniel noted Jack had recovered enough motor function to stumble along behind Daniel towards the bedroom. He'd have to practice giving a truly incapacitating blowjob. For now, being able to get to the bed was actually convenient. Jack flopped dramatically face down, then rolled over and beckoned him.
Daniel took another opportunity to admire Jack's naked form. The late afternoon light softened the scarred skin and gave it a warm glow, while the angle of the sun cast shadows across the lean, muscular limbs that spoke of a lifetime of hard work and conditioning. Daniel stripped his sweatpants off in one quick move and joined Jack on the bed. "You're gorgeous," he whispered. "Just gorgeous." And then couldn't say any more because his mouth was full of Jack's.
This was not the fraught, careful sex of that morning. Daniel kissed, licked and nibbled. He looked Jack in the eyes, letting the full depth of his emotions show. Jack looked back, happy, unafraid, in love. Daniel still attentively stretched and prepared Jack for penetration, but Jack was relaxed and eager this time. When he decided he was ready, he pushed Daniel over and climbed astride him. Daniel held himself steady, and watched with an equal amount of nerves and anticipation while Jack lowered himself down.
As the tight, hot pressure slowly engulfed him, he lost track of everything but the sensation around his cock and the sight of Jack's gaze holding him pinned. Emotion swelled inside him, and he gripped Jack's thighs as he rode out the waves of intense wonder and trust and joy. That they could have been having sex together several times a day for nearly a week and not known their connection was this deep seemed impossible.
Jack's trust showed in the way he opened for Daniel, letting him in; his love showed in his eyes. Jack finished seating himself all the way onto Daniel's hips, and paused to adjust to the fullness inside him. Almost involuntarily he started rocking his pelvis, seeking stimulation. Daniel watched, transfixed, as Jack undulated gracefully, finding a rhythm that hypnotized them both with pure pleasure. In the warm, orange light of sunset, the scene looked mystical.
Daniel stretched his hands up, reaching towards Jack. Jack bent forward to meet him, leaned over to kiss him. They rocked slowly into each other, drawing out the pleasure. Daniel wrapped a hand around Jack's cock, and felt him buck into it, then back, picking up speed as he worked the dual sensations.
"Oh god, Daniel. Daniel!" Jack panted against Daniel's mouth as he rode hard and got carried away by the inescapable orgasm. Daniel loved the feel of Jack's cock jerking in his hand, shooting wetness across his belly. It was such a gift to know that Jack could come of his own volition, because he wanted to, because he wanted to be with Daniel. Daniel closed his eyes and waited, holding tightly onto Jack until he recovered from his boneless slump.
Finally Jack raised his head, and wiggled his hips experimentally with Daniel's erection still inside him. "Wanna do something about that, big guy?"
Daniel grinned. "Actually..." He held onto Jack and turned them over. "Is this okay?" he whispered.
"Mmm... 's great," Jack replied.
So Daniel rolled his hips, working himself in and out of Jack's pliant body. He was overwhelmed by the experience—to have Jack, to love him, to remember Jack's pleasure at the same time Jack was humming with new pleasure... Daniel spilled out his orgasm helplessly, and searched out Jack's lips blindly, instinctively, needing to be joined with him in every way.
The light was starting to dim by the time they gathered enough will to stir. Jack stretched like a cat before attempting to stand up, but assured Daniel he was fine before heading to the bathroom. Daniel let himself drift again, until he heard his name called, then shouted, making him bolt upright. He was halfway across the room when Jack came running in.
"My pee stinks!" It took Daniel a second to catch on, and Jack was already explaining, "The goddammed tea—I can smell it. I'll never forget that smell. It's gone! Outta there! Hasta la vista!"
"It's...? Oh, god, Jack, that's great! That's great!" Daniel clung to him with relief, which was difficult since Jack was trying to dance around, making them lurch in an awkward whirl around the bedroom. Oh, thank god. Daniel would never again have to see Jack shaking and white with nausea, falling into a coma. He gave Jack an enthusiastic kiss.
As they wound down, Daniel remembered, "Hey should we call the base?"
Jack made a face. "I'd rather not."
"Why?"
"Well, they'll just tell us to come in right away, but one of two things will happen. Either the doc will be too busy to see us, and we'll be waiting around the base for nothing, or she'll see us and separate us to test it out. And frankly, I just want to sleep with you tonight." He nuzzled Daniel's ear, making a great argument for that suggestion.
"Yeah, okay. I kind of like that idea."
"Hmm, thought you would." Jack placed great, open-mouthed kisses all the way down Daniel's neck. At this rate Daniel was never going to want to go back to the base.
~
The next morning, though, they were good and called for their check-in. Doctor Warner answered, and told them Doctor Fraiser was asleep after a long night's work, but that they were waiting to see if the latest treatment for SG-9 would take. Jack left the message that the good news they'd been waiting for had happened, and that they should be in the all-clear. He promised they'd be on base at thirteen hundred hours when Fraiser would be available.
"Well, we seem to have the morning off," Jack leered comically.
Daniel responded oh so dryly, "Why, whatever shall we do?" But he climbed astride Jack's lap and kissed him thoroughly. "Actually," he amended, "there is some work we should get done."
"No!" Jack played at clinging to Daniel. "No work!"
"Yes work," Daniel kissed him again. "We should call Sam, have her send over her suggestions for facilities on Neocosmos."
"Why?"
"Remember that offworld secondary SGC you should have been given? Maybe Earth should have an offworld base—maybe it should be a military/civilian/diplomatic/research complex, somewhere the goa'uld don't know exists."
Jack went still as he ran over the possibilities in his mind. Daniel loved getting glimpses of the shrewd, strategic thinker Jack usually kept hidden. "There's always the question of funding..."
"I have some ideas about that. In fact, the way the Neocosmans build, I think it could largely be self-sustainable, other than paying the Earth personnel, who would have to be paid anyway."
"And there's getting the political will..."
"Did you know the First Lady has a degree in Classics?"
"I thought she had a law degree."
"She does. That's what someone with a bachelors in Classics does when they decide they don't want to work at McDonald's."
"Ah. So I'm guessing that one of the first honored guests at the Neocosman complex would be..."
"Exactly."
Jack's brain was ticking at full speed now, and he patted Daniel on the butt to get him to shift off. "Okay, I'm going to call Carter and get her list. We have a few hours to brainstorm some proposals to go along with my letter of resignation."
"Jack?"
"Hmm?"
"Jack!" Daniel really needed his attention for this. "When you talk to Sam, tell her and Teal'c to meet us in my office at noon. They should really hear it from us, first." Jack grimaced, but nodded.
~
Jack and Daniel sat in the private exam room as the doc gave them the once over. She looked worlds better, after a solid sleep and knowing that SG-9 was on the mend.
"I have to say, I can't figure out how the tea worked. Was it responding to stress levels from repressing your feelings? Or does it react differently to sexual fluids contacted outside of the periods of compulsion?"
"Actually," Daniel offered, "if that second hypothesis is true... It's possible that Neocosman pairs initiate their sexual contact right after the tea is drunk, before the first compulsion, causing the elimination of the tea. Or if they have sex during the compulsion, with their relationship back on track they have sex again before the next episode, again triggering the elimination." He shrugged. "It's also possible that the Neocosmans' long-term diet of native plants offers them something that makes them react differently to the tea than we do. Whatever the problem, they are well aware now that tea and SGC personnel don't mix."
Janet shuddered. "I should hope so. I don't want any patients falling into comas." She turned to Jack. "I do want to keep you under observation for twenty-four hours, and make sure that a separation from Daniel doesn't cause some sort of relapse. And Daniel, I'll want you to stay on base, even if not in proximity, just in case."
"Of course." They'd expected this.
Jack added, "But first I'd like to see General Hammond. I'll need to..."
Janet saddened. "Of all the ridiculous regulations... We shouldn't be losing officers like you—the program needs you."
Jack grimaced. "It is ridiculous. But with any luck I won't be leaving the program entirely."
"I'm glad to hear it, Colonel. I hope we get to keep you. As for the two of you... well, I'm not sure whether I should be saying congratulations or God help you." She gave them a cheeky wink and walked out.
"Definitely God help me," Daniel declared.
Jack swatted his arm, "She meant God help me."
"Nope. Pretty sure she meant me."
"Nuh uh. The doc loves me."
"Then God help her, too."
Jack captured him in a headlock that turned into a rough, affectionate hug. "I'm off to the general's."
"Good luck." They weren't kissing. Not in uniform, not on base. Not before Jack handed in his resignation. But they both felt the connection, just the same.
~
Jack knocked on General Hammond's door.
"Come in, Colonel. I'm glad to see you back. I take it you have good news for me."
"Yes sir. Well..." He placed an envelope on the desk in front of the general before sitting down. "I have good news and bad news, that's actually, for me, good news, and I think I have other good news." General Hammond looked unfazed by Jack's circular speech pattern. Huh, Jack had actually gotten him broken in.
"I take it one of these good newses is that you won't be dying from the side effects of this alien ritual tea."
"Yes, sir. We managed to figure out how to end that problem. The thing of it is, sir—well, that's why you have that letter in front of you." Jack took a deep breath and stared at the desk. This had been hard enough with Carter and Teal'c. "The effects of the tea ended once I was able to admit that I'm in love with Daniel." He checked cautiously. Well, the general had managed not to blow a gasket or gape in shocked disbelief.
"Then this is a letter of resignation?"
"Yes, sir."
"Dammit, Jack! I don't want to lose you." Before Jack could protest, the general put up a hand. "I'm not saying you should deny your feelings or try to hide them. I'm just saying I can't imagine this command without you."
"Well, sir, we have some ideas about that..."
~
Epilogue
Daniel stood by the stargate with the SFs, waiting. Both the voice transmission and IDC cleared, so Captain Mendez opened the new, super-durable trinium iris. Four figures stepped through the event horizon.
"Sam! Welcome back to Apoikios."
Sam gave Daniel a huge hug. "It's great to be back."
"Your leg okay?"
"Would Janet clear me if it weren't?"
"I know. We were just worried."
"I'm fine, Daniel." Daniel, Sam and her team turned towards the SGC outpost. "So, I rate a welcome from Mr. Ambassador, himself."
Daniel gave her a wry look. "It is largely a ceremonial position."
She snickered. "Good thing you get to do research on the side. Found anything interesting lately?"
"Actually, maybe yes. I'll break the news later, after you and the geek squad get settled in."
Sam protested on behalf of her team. "Hey! You've been living with Jack too long."
"No, not nearly long enough, actually." And when had he turned into such a sap? Maybe Jack was rubbing off on him. "Besides, you know he calls me and the social scientists worse."
"True."
And speak of the devil... "Colonel Carter! Nice to see SG-10 here again. Come on in."
"Sir!" Sam saluted.
"Would you cut that out? I've been a civilian for two years. Let me enjoy it."
"Well if you weren't running an SGC outpost, it might feel more like you were a civilian. As it is, though..." she teased him with a twinkle.
"If I were running an outpost that had more military than civilians, I might buy that. Unfortunately I'm neck-deep in bookworms. Then you had to go and show up with your science team. Right now I'd even take a squad of Marines! Er, no offense Garfield," he added to Sam's Marine engineer.
"None taken, I'm sure, sir," replied Garfield deceptively blandly. Jack eyed her warily.
"So!" He clapped his hands and turned to lead the party in. "There's a gaggle of folks in the city right now, so we'll do the briefing at fifteen hundred hours, local. Go settle your gear, and come see the big guy. He pretends like he's fine with stopping by and helping review all this history crap, but he's probably bored out of his skull."
Daniel huffed. Teal'c was perfectly happy comparing goa'uld legend with Egyptian records. Sure he spent a lot of time at Museopolis's gymnios, or in Apoikios's own sporting complex, but that was nothing new.
Daniel kept up with physical training, himself. Even though he wasn't on a field team anymore, he liked staying in shape. And it was setting an interesting example for the Neocosmans to watch him spar with Jack, or even Teal'c. He wasn't out to change their social structure—it certainly worked for them—but just being exposed to a new perspective was giving them food for thought. They'd been unicultural, more or less, for sixteen hundred years.
Other exposures they were wisely rejecting. It was one thing to read about war in their ancient history; it was another to see video of contemporary conflicts, and the horrors they involved. That Christianity was still sometimes the source of violent intolerance was an especially hard blow. Resource depletion and pollution was another concept the Neocosmans couldn't wrap their minds around. All in all, their initial excitement at reconnecting to the Old World was tempered by some of the harsh realities of how Earth's societies had evolved—or not.
They also got a look at galactic war, as groups of refugees came through to Apoikios for asylum, getting treated and sorted out before moving on to new, more permanent homes.
Still, there was a great deal of good and advancement to be shared, from both sides. The Neocosman-built complex was largely self-sustaining, with the SGC's addition of solar panels for extra power to run their computers and radio equipment. Agricultural engineers had set up a farm around the complex to grow seed for corn, beans, squash, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and cocoa—Neocosmos was finally getting a taste of the "other" New World.
Jack had also offered the Council his expertise. Over the centuries, sometimes learning the hard way, the Neocosmans had developed measures to protect themselves from storms, droughts, blights and other natural disasters. Daniel had enjoyed watching Jack demonstrate his incisive mind, making suggestions to adapt their existing contingencies and add a few modifications, in case the worst should happen and they faced invasion. The Council hadn't minded his rough street vocabulary at all, and had been deeply impressed with his analytical thinking. Daniel took quiet pride in hearing him called "Alexander" behind his back.
Not that it stopped Jack from putting on his goofball act most of the time. Jack and Bacchylides were still thick as thieves, and Daniel had to admit that Backy had become a good friend of his own as well. Kapta and Philip also visited often, and Daniel and Jack slowly realized they had both developed close relationships with several Neocosmans. With the running of the outpost, Jack didn't get to go fishing as often as he would have liked to, but they'd very much made a home on Neocosmos. Together.
~
"So, Daniel," Sam linked her arm in his on the way to the conference room. "You look the same, but happy. You both do."
Daniel joggled her arm with his. "Uh, thanks?"
"You know what I mean."
He did. When they'd first told Sam and Teal'c, Sam had been shocked, and Teal'c had been—well, he'd blinked, anyway. But it had only taken a minute, and a very stammered apology for gaping, for Sam to realize that it really wasn't surprising at all. "Honestly, Daniel, sir, I mean, the, uh, physical relationship thing," she'd choked out, "I never would have... But the two of you, well, I mean, you are kind of together, or, well, you always have been..."
"Sam. Sam! It's okay, I know what you're saying," Daniel had rescued her. "Thank you." She'd been bright red over her inability to articulate herself, but she'd been happy for them. Teal'c, of course, had been as smooth as butter, congratulating them, and having a few choice words about the US military's regulations. Jack and Daniel had promised to do what they could to stay involved in the SGC, and fortunately they'd succeeded.
Now SG-1 was reunited, if only briefly, at a conference table on the other side of the galaxy, with a command's worth of personnel around them. Daniel listened attentively to Sam's update from the base. Teams rotated regularly visiting Apoikios, trading updates and offering physical training to Earth personnel and Neocosmans alike. It was a popular mission for new personnel or for teams coming back from injury, as Sam was.
The various academic team leaders delivered their reports to Sam, and Teal'c related their latest hypothesis on Ra's rivalry with Apophis.
Finally it was Daniel's turn. "This didn't come up during our scholarly research. In fact, it was only a chance visit by Bacchylides that led us to this. He came by while I was going through one of my archive boxes, and recognized a text sample. There's a statue dating back to the founding days of Neocosmos with what everyone thought was a decorative motif on the base." Daniel clicked a slide up on the screen, and he saw Sam's eyes widen in question. "Here is writing from the meeting place of the Four Races we dubbed Heliopolis." He added another slide side-by-side with the first. The resemblance was unmistakable. "We have to consider the possibility that Athena was a Furling."
Before Sam could burst out with an excited exclamation, Daniel held up his hand. "It doesn't get us much farther than we already were. We aren't able to translate this, and we're still no further in knowing who the Furlings are or how to contact them. But it is interesting that they as well as the Asgard may have been assisting Earth, and it would be something to discuss with the Asgard and the Nox."
The meeting broke up, and SG-10 surrounded Daniel, eagerly asking questions. Yes, they had tested the statue thoroughly. No, it was simple stone—no technology. Yes, the artists and historians were searching their oldest artifacts for any other traces of the Furlings.
What Daniel didn't say was that he had a deeply held belief that Neocosmos and Apoikios were an important part of humanity's journey to become the Fifth Race. Maybe it was wishful thinking, wanting to still be involved in relevant work. But Thor had been very intrigued on his one visit to Apoikios, and was planning to meet the Neocosmans soon.
~
That night, Daniel curled into Jack, who opened automatically to pull him in. Daniel rolled his upper body over Jack's and kissed him slowly and deeply. When they finally paused, Daniel remarked, "This is eutopia."
"Mmm hmm," replied Jack. He was paying more attention to Daniel's face, as he ran his hand slowly over Daniel's brow.
"Jack, are you listening to me?"
"What?"
"Never mind." Daniel said, and leaned in to kiss him again, hot, dirty and with intent. Between them, actions spoke louder than words.
~
Apoikia - colony, "people from home"