SG-1 Fic: Bedfellows (R)

[what_works]

Fandom: Stargate: SG-1
Title: Bedfellows
Author: Em
Rating: R, for masturbation and language
Word Count: ~540
Spoilers: vague spoilers for "Threads"
Pairing: Jack/Daniel
Prompt: "lonely"
025. Strangers (Big Damn Table)
Summary: "We make better strangers" is a complete lie Daniel utters.
Dedication: for wiccanslyr
Notes: written for stargatefic100

025. Strangers
Bedfellows

Daniel's eyes squeeze shut tightly when he grips his penis. He pulls roughly on the flesh, the same way Jack did a year ago. Absence doesn't make the heart grow fonder; it just makes Daniel remember mistakes, play them through his head until he is surrounded by his stupidity and ego, the perfect bedfellows for a night in a nearly empty bed.

"We make better strangers," Daniel said to him that last time, just after they'd both rolled to opposite sides of the bed.

Jack just grunted, maybe it was agreement, maybe it wasn't.

Daniel sat up, tugged on pants, socks, and shoes, even though it was his apartment. "We should stop this." Daniel didn't actually think that, but Jack had been pulling back ever since his promotion. "It's inappropriate."

"It is," Jack said.

"So, we should stop. Just be . . . what we were." Daniel didn't remember what they were. They were never quite friends, not with how quickly their relationship bloomed, how it was never innocent, never fully platonic. Jack had always touched him; he had always baited Jack. They didn't know how to not fuck, even when they were angry.

Daniel made it to the door, pushing it open with his hip while he buttoned his shirt. "I'm going out. There's a woman—in R&D—who invited me to a club. I know that's not my thing. . . ." It sounded worse than flimsy. "There's that liaison, with the red hair."

"Johnson," Jack supplied.

"She likes you. Well, as much as anyone ever likes you." Daniel forced the mechanics of a smile.

"Are you trying to set me up?" Jack hadn't moved from the bed, still hadn't covered up, still hadn't cleaned Daniel's come off his hip.

"No. I'm just . . . Jack, can't we be adults about this? We're at the end of this and I’d just like . . . some dignity." Daniel mumbled the last words because it wasn't at all what he meant.

"Forget we ever happened," Jack said. "We were a bad dream." He breathed sharply, like an aborted laugh. "Just die again and this," he gestured between the two of them, "can be a lifetime ago."

Daniel's lips tightened, temper only flickering, not igniting. "I'm glad you understand." He left the room, left Jack still sitting on the bed, and said over his shoulder, "Just let yourself out."

Daniel hears himself, echoing in his memory as he tugs harder on his penis. His eyes water sharply, but he's sure that it's just from the pain. He pinches his sack, his nails digging into the soft flesh between the balls. He grits his teeth against his panting breath and tries not to think about how Jack would be licking his neck, rubbing his own prick against Daniel's hip, and ghosting kisses under his ear that mean more than strangers or friendship.

Daniel comes in forced spurts, a puddle thick on his abdomen. He wipes it away quickly, throwing the used boxers to the far side of the room. He rolls over on his bed, facing East, wondering briefly if Jack has had any dates in D.C. or if his only bedfellow has been his memory, too.



~Comments and feedback make great bedfellows.

Comments

[theemdash]

Hee. &hearts

*pulls the knife out of your heart and wipes it down*

[janedavitt.livejournal.com]

Oh, so very, very good but so painful.

They didn't know how to not fuck, even when they were angry.

Or especially when they were angry...

Love the pictures you paint:

Jack hadn't moved from the bed, still hadn't covered up, still hadn't cleaned Daniel's come off his hip.

[theemdash]

Thanks! Daniel can be quite the King of Angst when he wants to be.

Or especially when they were angry...

I was thinking the same thing, but I thought that might take away from the mood. ;)

[sid]

Oh, God!

It's so sad the things that happen sometimes in those alternate realities.

;-)

[theemdash]

Oh yes, those alternate realities can be so tragic. ;)

Thankfully, though, they always have a second chance to get it right.

[melayneseahawk.livejournal.com]

Oh, I am slain. Goodbye, cruel world! *expires*

[theemdash]

No! I can't be responsible for the death of an excellent writer! *attempts to revive her*

[melayneseahawk.livejournal.com]

*dead body blushes from the compliments*

[theemdash]

Success! Blood circulation! *whew*

[gaidheil1974.livejournal.com]

Heh. I seem to remember a recent fic of yours that absolutely killed me. Oh how the wheel turns! ;)

[melayneseahawk.livejournal.com]

Heh, is true, is true.

[green-grrl.livejournal.com]

Oh my God -- ouch!!! I'm especially stabbed by Jack's throwaway line about Daniel can just die again, right before he starts dating Kerry... Jesus ouch! And, of course, that they didn't reconcile... (Please tell me Daniel grabbed onto him when he got back from nearly getting killed by Replicators in Atlantis! Please!)

[theemdash]

I'm especially stabbed by Jack's throwaway line about Daniel can just die again, right before he starts dating Kerry... Jesus ouch!

Thank you for picking up on that subtle nod. Yes, and now we all know just how much of a heel Jack felt through that whole thing. Also, please note that the only reason why he started dating Kerry was because Daniel told him too. (See, he does everything Daniel says. Hee.)

And, of course, that they didn't reconcile...

Naturally! They'd have to admit they were wrong to reconcile. They both have to die for that to happen. ;)

(Please tell me Daniel grabbed onto him when he got back from nearly getting killed by Replicators in Atlantis! Please!)

Oh, you're going to make me write a sequel to this, aren't you....?

[green-grrl.livejournal.com]

I love the way that whole thing played out in canon. Jack was so, "Eh, it's kinda nice to have someone around to wake up with and cook for. I guess." And she was all, "You know, it would be too easy for me to get more invested than you will obviously ever be capable of. So sayonara." And he was all, "Um, okay. Whatever." 'Whew! I didn't have to break up with her! It always makes me feel so mean!'

Oh, you're going to make me write a sequel to this, aren't you....?

Um, if that *points up* is the sequel, then yes! 'Cause this being apart thing obviously doesn't work, and you they need to FIX IT!

[theemdash]

'Whew! I didn't have to break up with her! It always makes me feel so mean!'

YES! That's exactly how I saw it. And that's just another reason why I love Jack so much. He's charming. :D

[green-grrl.livejournal.com]

It just kills me that they gave Jack an October 20th birthday! Because he is SUCH a Libra man! (I, er, may have dated several in my time...) That whole "I'll just wait for you to say it's over" thing is classic. (Much to the detriment of Sam, who is waiting to hear it from him.) The charm is very Libran as well. :-)

[whisper99.livejournal.com]

*sniffle* AW....the poor dears.

[theemdash]

I know. Daniel is so melodramatic. ;)

[mar-sin-nua.livejournal.com]

Oof. These poor guys.

[theemdash]

I know. But they'll pull through . . . uh, maybe? ;)

[melcrook.livejournal.com]

Just rip out my heart and stamp all over it why dont you!!!!
:(

[theemdash]

*wipes it off and hands it back* Sorry, um, didn't see it there?

[charlies_dragon]

Meep! That hurt so bad it's good.
Silly boys, they should just accept that they're perfect together and "deal" with anyone who disapproves of their relationship *nods*
charlies_dragon

[theemdash]

I'm glad you approve of pain. And yes, they do have some issues to work out, don't they? At least they still have their memories (that will eventually force them to get back together, right?).

[no-eden.livejournal.com]

Oh, the angst. ♥

[theemdash]

Heh. Thank you? &hearts

[paian]

omg. ::is knocked on ass::

Between this and 'Sixteen Hundred Miles' (I just opened your jack/daniel tag in another tab and I know I have others to catch up on, too) I think you've cornered the market on writing these guys with rough edges and full sets of armor and an invisible line down the middle of the bed. Thank god you write them happy sometimes too.

I love the double set of dual layers in this: what's being said under what they say, and what's being felt under what Daniel feels (I can't even stand what it seems that Jack feels). This ...

"Forget we ever happened," Jack said. "We were a bad dream." He breathed sharply, like an aborted laugh. "Just die again and this," he gestured between the two of them, "can be a lifetime ago."

... is just extraordinary. Jack's statement is extraordinary, and it's delivered perfectly, with just the right rhythm and interpolation of actions. Wow.

[theemdash]

Between this and 'Sixteen Hundred Miles' (I just opened your jack/daniel tag in another tab and I know I have others to catch up on, too) I think you've cornered the market on writing these guys with rough edges and full sets of armor and an invisible line down the middle of the bed.

Have I mentioned lately how much I love getting comments from you? &hearts

That is just a wonderful compliment because I strive for those rough edges. I love them with those edges and that armor and that line down the middle of the bed. It makes me so happy that I'm actually succeeding. Whoo-hoo!

Also, please catch up on my other fics. Feel free to leave comments, too! ;)

Thank god you write them happy sometimes too.

*snickers* I went to look at the angst-to-happy ratio and I've only written 4 happy fics (well, 4 that are very clearly Jack/Daniel fics). That amuses me greatly.

I can't even stand what it seems that Jack feels

Personally, I think he feels rejection because, despite how he's acting, I think he clings to his relationship with Daniel. Which is kind of why this story kills me so much because they both want the same thing and are just too afraid to say anything. That's what I always love about them.

Jack's statement is extraordinary, and it's delivered perfectly, with just the right rhythm and interpolation of actions. Wow.

Thank you so much. I'm glad that works so perfectly for you. Yay!

[gaidheil1974.livejournal.com]

I'm just going to have to accept the fact that some people don't want Jack and Daniel happy. And that it does not mean it's a bad story. Especially when there's room for fixing it. :) Great job on the angst.

[theemdash]

I don't want them to be unhappy, it's just that sometimes they're really dumb. ;)

green_grrl has already sparked my interest in writing a sequel to this that will "make things right" so just stay tuned.

[roadrunner1896.livejournal.com]

Darn. Wrong reading order again. I think you need to make a Roadie index for your fics from most to least angsty for when I read at work. (And that seems to be the only time I ever read your fics. Not sure if that is saying something good or bad about them. ;))

Make them get back together and have hot and sweaty sex over and over again.

*goes to read malnpudl's F/K fic to not have you be the only one she reads at work and to get the angst out of her system*

[theemdash]

Other people have already requested that I get them back together. And they are back together! (I just haven't written it yet.)

If you need more palette cleansing, I've got smut up at jd_commentfic.

[roadrunner1896.livejournal.com]

I already had nice schmoopy Due South sleepy Ray porn from malnpudl to make everything better.

I will get through the rest of your angsty (and hopefully some funny) stuff next time I have a chance and then I'll go to the smut and whatnot that you haven't posted yet. Here, I mean. The smut you haven't posted is in your head. I am not sure I want to get into your head. Though, better than your stomach.

*is a bit weird today after realizing what a sick puppy she really is*

[theemdash]

I have at least 3 short fics that I need to post here. Hopefully I'll do that this weekend. I scanned through and you're entering my series of drabbles, so everything will be really fast reads for awhile. There are about 6 that are angsty or semi-angsty, but many of my drabbles are funny. There's one or two that I think you'll really enjoy. :D

I already knew you were sick; why are you surprised?

[roadrunner1896.livejournal.com]

I am looking forward for a quieter time at work then. :D

Well, I knew I was sick, but it was surprising to find out that I am really really sick. And I haven't even started reading RPS yet. *sigh*

[theemdash]

What "really sick" thing did you read? I'm a little scared.

[roadrunner1896.livejournal.com]

I didn't read. I only read your and the schmoopy Ray/Fraser fic. That was all fine. I will start reading RPS as soon as I am done catching up on old fic on my friendlist, though. Or well, I think I might. There is still hope that something else shiny will distract me.

It is more about what I have watched. Or rather what I have fantasized about lately that makes me think I am sick. And it is probably not "realy sick" by most fandom people's standards. It would kill Sarah, though. So I don't know. I need to bleach my brain, I think, but I don't want to. I need to get used to owning a ticket straight to hell, I think. All will be good then.

[momebie.livejournal.com]

Dignity, he says, as he bungles the whole fucking thing. >.> But one consolation, apparently they make terrible strangers. <3

[theemdash]

The beauty of Daniel is that even when he thinks something through and does things for the "right" reasons, he can still colossally fuck things up. At heart, Daniel is a martyr and he often forgets that other people care about him (or should also be allowed to make decisions).

Yes, they make suck strangers, too. :P

[ninja007.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's so sad!

[theemdash]

Thanks!