Daniel waited nervously for Jack to get home from the Air Force shindig he’d been forced to attend in DC. It was the day before Valentine’s Day and Daniel had a special, home-cooked meal prepared for his lover.
They had a mission the next day: the SGC never stopped functioning completely, even on major holidays and Valentine’s Day hardly counted as that. Worse still, the mission was actually scheduled to last 3 days. It had been a while since SG-1 had had a mission that long, but there was a lot to investigate on this particular planet, including some ruins that Daniel was itching to get a look at. And for once they weren’t situated conveniently close to the ‘gate, meaning a lengthy hike there and back was called for. Therefore delete comma the General had not hesitated to make the mission slightly longer than usual.
So Jack and Daniel had agreed that they would celebrate with a special meal the night before. Only to have their plans threatened by the Colonel’s enforced trip to the Nation’s capital. Fortunately, time differences meant that he would be home in time for the two of them to still share dinner, even if it was a late meal.
This was their first Valentine’s Day together, as a couple and both men wanted it to be something special, a day they would remember.
Daniel looked at the clock again and sighed. Only ten minutes had passed since the last time he checked. They had agreed to spend the evening at Daniel’s apartment for a change, as they seemed to have spent all their time together at Jack’s house recently. But even with all his overflowing bookshelves to choose from, plus the assorted journals scattered around and all the work Daniel had waiting to be done, he just couldn’t seem to settle to any one task while he waited anxiously for his lover’s return.
The mere thought of that word was enough to start Daniel on another trip around the loft, trying to find something to assuage his restlessness. He sat at the piano and fingered a few notes idly, then paced to his crammed bookshelves, running a long finger across the spines, barely noticing the titles. Finally, he strode across the room and flung open the balcony doors, stepping outside into the February dusk. As always, the evening air was chilly, but Daniel was so on fire with his need for Jack to finally arrive, that he barely noticed the temperature.
He gazed out across the parking area and up towards the mountain looming darkly in the distance. Even running through the plans and tasks for the next day’s mission couldn’t distract him.
It was with a desperate sense of relief that he noticed Jack’s huge truck circling into a parking space below him. He watched the other man as he got out of the truck and carefully locked it, smiling to himself with pleased anticipation as he did so. Jack was still wearing his dress blues, making Daniel glad he had made the effort to put on the dark suit that Jack loved him to wear. Loved to extract him from too, Daniel thought with a smile, feeling a frisson of desire skid across his nerve endings at the memory. Mind you, he enjoyed excavating Jack’s gorgeous body from the class A uniform just as much, and turnabout was fair play after all.
Jack must have sensed that he was being watched because Daniel saw him look around with a frown, before finally turning his head to glance up at where he knew Daniel’s apartment windows were. The second their glances connected, lust, desire and love sparked across the distance separating them and they both smiled hugely. Jack nodded his head quickly, then hurried into the building. Daniel lingered a minute longer, enjoying the tingle of anticipation building in his gut, then turned back into the loft and secured the balcony doors behind him, finally drawing the heavy velvet curtains across to block out the noise and light from the world outside.
As he turned from completing his task, heading back towards the kitchen to check on dinner, he heard Jack’s key turn in the lock. He deliberately continued into the kitchen, knowing that it would be his last chance to ensure his preparations wouldn’t be going to waste because Jack was probably going to jump on him the second he got within range.
He had purposely chosen a meal that could be mostly prepared beforehand and then left to its own devices for a couple of hours without being ruined. Therefore they were having oysters as a starter, despite Jack’s dislike of clichés; they were a romantic choice. Followed by the one thing Jack cooked better than Daniel: steak. It was a risk, cooking steak for Jack, but Daniel felt that it was a risk worth taking. So he had chosen a simple recipe: filet mignon wrapped in bacon and topped with sautéed mushrooms, accompanied by baked potato and salad. It was a variation they had never eaten together, so Daniel hoped Jack would appreciate the choice. Dessert was some of Daniel’s home-made tiramisu. All three courses would be accompanied by wine, as Jack had come to appreciate fine wine more with Daniel’s guidance, to the extent that he preferred to drink it with a romantic meal.
Strong arms came around Daniel’s waist from behind and a nose nuzzled behind his left ear.
“Hello lover,” Jack said in a sultry voice. “Looks good enough to eat.”
Daniel leaned back into the caress. “Glad you think so,” he murmured softly. “Took me long enough to prepare.”
“I promise to enjoy every mouthful,” Jack punctuated his words with teasing kisses on Daniel’s throat. “And dinner looks good too.”
Daniel groaned deeply, enjoying the double meaning of their verbal sparring. “You have time for a shower first,” he said. “The heat is on low for now.”
“Things will warm up quickly enough,” Jack responded, sliding one hand down Daniel’s body.
Daniel moaned again and pressed back against Jack, feeling just how warm things were between them already. And how hard. Jack tugged the shirt free from Daniel’s pants and slid a hand underneath to caress the bare skin. At the same time he continued to peck small kisses across Daniel’s throat and face, enjoying the stubble which numbed his lips and tongue. His other hand held Daniel steady against him, feeling the tremors shaking through his lover as he made slow, sweet love to his body.
Daniel managed to twist around in Jack’s arms, feeling the hand on his chest move to glide up his back. He took Jack’s mouth in a deep, tender kiss, enjoying the chance to relearn the subtle flavour of his lover.
The kiss gradually deepened and became more aggressive and passionate. When they broke the kiss to pant harshly for breath, Daniel started to undo the buttons of Jack’s shirt, sucking on Jack’s throat as he did so.
Jack’s hands went to Daniel’s pants, fumbling the belt undone and then moving to undo the button and pull the zipper down. A wriggle of Daniel’s hips and the pants fell to the floor, pooling around his feet. At the same time, Daniel removed Jack’s jacket and shirt together, letting them drop to the floor.
Their mouths met again and ravaged each other in a series of breath-taking kisses. Hands continued to uncover skin, until they were both almost naked and pressed together, hands roaming across bodies, pinching, stroking and caressing.
Jack started to kneel, but Daniel stopped him with a hand to the head.
“Your knees,” he said softly in answer to Jack’s questioning look.
Jack frowned and nodded. With a three day mission starting the next day, he had to consider his knees.
“Let’s go to bed,” Daniel suggested. “Lots more comfortable.”
Jack smiled. “Sounds good to me. What about dinner though? I don’t want to waste all the time and effort you’ve obviously put into all this.” He gestured at the kitchen.
“It’ll be fine,” Daniel replied, sliding one of his hands into Jack’s and started towards the bedroom. He stroked a finger across Jack’s palm and wrist. “I made sure to choose something that wouldn’t be ruined easily. I anticipated this might happen.”
For a second Jack looked smug. Then his expression changed to something resembling mock anger. He said in a playful tone, “Are you trying to suggest I’m predictable?”
Daniel smirked. “Not suggesting, stating a fact,” he said. “You’re a slut, Colonel, and we both know it. You can’t keep your hands off me.”
Jack raised their hands, which were still linked. “Pot and kettle,” he said dryly.
“I’m easy,” Daniel agreed comfortably. “Now are we going to bed or not? I can always finish dinner if you want to eat first, you know.”
Jack growled. “Bed!” he said firmly, sweeping a laughing Daniel off his feet and throwing him over his shoulder.
“Jack!” Daniel protested half-heartedly. “Mission tomorrow, remember?”
“Fuck the mission,” Jack said, dropping Daniel down hard on to the bed.
“I’d rather fuck you,” Daniel said, eyes glittering with lust.
Jack dropped down on to the bed beside him. “Best offer I’ve had all day,” he said with an exaggerated leer. He removed the last of their clothing, then drew Daniel into his arms to start kissing him once again.
Two hours later, Daniel put the perfectly grilled steak on the plates, adding it to the salad and baked potato already there. Jack was pouring water into their glasses so that they could alternate it with the wine.
‘Damn mission,’ Daniel thought to himself. It was casting a slight pall over the evening.
“We were right not to wait,” Jack’s voice startled Daniel from his thoughts.
“Huh?” he said in bewilderment.
“I know what you were thinking Daniel,” Jack said patiently. “We should have waited till after the mission to do this. But you’re wrong. It was right to do this tonight, even if we have to restrict the amount of wine we drink.”
Daniel brought the plates over to the dining table and sat down.
“Looks great,” Jack said. He looked at Daniel, who was hovering beside his seat. “What?” he asked gently.
“No-nothing,” Daniel stammered, sliding into his chair and picking up his glass. He took a mouthful of wine, then put the glass down abruptly.
“Daniel?” this was said even more softly.
“I hate this!” Daniel said, suddenly angry. “I hate the fact that we have to eat in all the time, I hate the fact that we have to go on the mission tomorrow so we can’t even enjoy this evening properly. I hate the fucking Air Force.” He reached for his glass of water, knocking over his glass of wine in the process. “Shit!” he exclaimed as he grabbed for the glass. It had been almost empty, but there was still a growing stain on the light coloured carpet.
Jack grabbed the salt off the table and poured it over the pool of liquid. Then he pulled Daniel from his seat and into his arms, hugging him hard. Jack could feel tremors racing through his lover’s body as Daniel shook with the force of his emotion. He puzzled over what had caused this sudden outbreak of emotion in Daniel. In the past the other man had seemed unconcerned about the hidden nature of their relationship, once even going so far as to tell Jack that he enjoyed subverting the military regulations which were supposed to prevent relationships between not just men, but people on the same team.
Daniel pulled back slightly from Jack and lifted his head. “I’m sorry,” he said ruefully. “This wasn’t quite how I planned for the evening to go.”
Jack stroked a hand gently down his lover’s back. “It’s okay Daniel,” he said softly. “I’m not upset. But what’s wrong, why is this suddenly bothering you so much?”
Daniel sighed heavily, but relaxed into Jack’s continuing caresses, which soothed the emotional storm inside him. “I don’t know,” he finally said, hesitantly, trying to understand the knot of feelings inside himself. “I guess this is the first time it’s really hit me exactly what our situation is, how constrained things are and how that is never going to change. I know we’ve been together for a while now and I should have dealt with this by now, but I guess that I was just refusing to think about it.” He looked at Jack. “Does any of that make any sense at all?” he asked ruefully.
Jack smiled and kissed the tip of Daniel’s nose. “It’s called denial,” he said. “Nothing wrong with that. But it’s not something I would usually associate with you, Daniel. You never hide from the truth, it’s one of the things I love about you.”
Daniel smiled back. “Can I get that in writing?” he asked with a grin.
“No,” Jack said firmly, refusing to be side tracked. “So now you have faced this, how do you feel?” He had to ask, had to know if Daniel thought the relationship was worth the inevitable sacrifices involved, now he had realised just what that would cost them.
“To hell with the Air Force, I love you and I refuse to give that up,” Daniel said fiercely. “Just hurry up and retire permanently okay?” The mischievous grin was back in place.
Jack answered the grin with one of his own, refusing to take the bait for once. “So can we finish dinner now? he asked, just as his stomach rumbled a protest at its emptiness.
Daniel laughed. “Sure,” he said. “You’re going to need all your energy for later,” he said.
“Daniel!” Jack said warningly. “Don’t forget we have an early start tomorrow because of that damn mission.”
“Don’t worry Jack, I’ll make sure you perform tomorrow.” This was said with a wide lascivious grin which made Jack moan, suddenly hungry for something other than food.
“Daa-niel,” he said, feeling the aching hardness of his body at the tone of voice Daniel used to say the words as much as the double meaning in what the other man had said.
“Jaa-cck,” his lover replied, grinding his hips against him, allowing them both to feel the mutual need, Daniel’s earlier distress already forgotten.
Jack forced himself away from Daniel’s body, despite the way Daniel almost wailed at the loss of contact. “Food first,” he gasped out. He waited patiently for Daniel’s eyes to flutter open, catching his breath at the heat that flared within the almost-black rimmed by blue. Daniel was pure fire, lust radiating from him in waves. Jack panted, suddenly breathless, wanting nothing more than to sweep the table clear, push Daniel down and ravage his body mindlessly. Instead he forced himself to back away.
“I don’t want to waste the effort you took cooking this meal, Daniel,” he said softly. “It means too much to me to do that to you.”
Daniel nodded reluctantly, understanding Jack’s sentiments. He moved to retake his seat, looking down curiously when something crunched under his foot.
“Salt,” Jack explained, meeting the puzzled look Daniel raised to him. “To get rid of the wine stain.”
Daniel nodded in sudden comprehension. “I’d better clean it up,” he said, heading for the kitchen. Jack retook his seat and sipped from his glass of wine. His body was starting to calm down again and so he reached for his knife and fork, ready to enjoy the steak at last.
“Leave some there, to make sure the stain disappears completely,” Jack instructed, as Daniel returned with the broom and dustpan. Daniel nodded agreement.
By the time Daniel returned again from the kitchen, his cleaning finished, Jack was savouring his first mouthful of steak. He wasted no time in letting Daniel know how good it was.
“God, this is good,” he said, as soon as he had finished the first mouthful. Daniel smiled, pleased to have created something Jack liked.
They ate the rest of the meal in companionable silence, enjoying the CD Daniel had playing quietly in the background and each other’s company.
As they ate, the meal became a form of foreplay, each watching the other without being aware they were doing it, following the path of a fork to the mouth, fingers on a wine glass, the swallow of each mouthful of food and drink. At the same time, their feet were playing in a subtle dance of movement under the table, toes caressing each other. They were sat at opposite ends of the table, but both their legs were so long it made no difference.
Daniel knew exactly what effect his feet had on Jack, although he didn’t really understand why. To him they were just feet, the same way his eyes were just eyes, and rather short-sighted ones at that. But then, Jack’s hands and fingers as well as his hair fascinated him. So maybe he did understand after all.
Plates finally empty, they looked at each other, the air again crackling with sexual tension.
“Dessert?” Daniel asked in an oh-so-casual tone.
“I’ll have Jackson to go,” Jack said, equally casually.
“Bed it is then,” Daniel said conversationally, as if he were discussing the weather. He took the plates and carried them to the kitchen. Jack followed close behind, carrying the empty wine bottle and glasses. They left everything in the sink, unable to wait for each other any longer.
“Shower?” Jack asked, echoing Daniel’s earlier conversational tone.
“Share,” Daniel said firmly, allowing Jack to lead the way.
In the bathroom, they wasted little time stripping off the sweats and tees they had thrown on earlier to wear while they ate.
Once they were under the hot spray of water, Jack took the shower gel in hand and started to wash Daniel. It was erotic, sensual and caring all at the same time, allowing yourself to be cleaned by another Daniel mused to himself, enjoying the gentle touch of Jack’s callused hands across his body.
When he had finished cleaning Daniel’s body, Jack swapped the shower gel for shampoo and started washing his lover’s hair. Not for the first time, he found himself wishing that Daniel would let it grow again. Jack had never had the opportunity to enjoy it when it was long. However, Daniel claimed to prefer it short, saying it was more practical and easier to manage at this length.
Finally, Jack had finished cleaning his lover and turned to allow Daniel to take his turn with the shower gel and shampoo. Neither made any move to relieve the tension and need gradually building in their bodies, instead delaying the inevitable gratification, knowing how much sweeter it would be when they did finally succumb to pleasure.
When they were both thoroughly clean, they quickly towelled off the wetness from their bodies, before moving into the bedroom, both still naked.
They moved together to their bed, Daniel lying on his back, urging Jack to lie on top of him. He loved to feel Jack’s full weight pressing down on him, their erections trapped between them, while they exchanged long, wet kisses. Jack’s hands played with Daniel’s hair, while Daniel’s hands ran the length of Jack’s back, eventually stopping to cup his ass, caressing the skin there gently.
Jack moaned deep in his throat, pushing his hips against Daniel. Daniel pushed back gently, groaning into the kiss as he did so. Then they broke apart to pant for air. Jack rolled them onto their sides to allow him to run his hands down Daniel’s back and stroke his backside too.
Fingers teased at openings as they ground against each other. Jack reached for the lube under a pillow, pulling it free and dropping it between them.
“What do you want?” Daniel panted out breathlessly as they broke the latest kiss, gasping for air.
“Fuck me,” Jack said roughly, sweeping his tongue across Daniel’s late night stubble, nibbling the jaw line, moving to suck at an earlobe.
Daniel fumbled the tube open, coating his fingers before returning them to Jack’s ass to tease the entrance there. He slipped one finger inside easily, feeling the looseness there from their earlier session. A second finger joined the first, then a third, even as they continued to kiss and caress.
Once he was sure Jack was ready, he manoeuvred them into position, allowing Jack to straddle his hips as he half-sat, half lay against the head of the bed. It was a reversal of the position and Jack hesitated, uncertain whether Daniel could take his weight. But Daniel quickly reassured him.
“You’re no heavier than I am, Jack,” he said, “I’ll be fine.”
Jack acquiesced and positioned himself over Daniel, moving down slowly on the hard cock jutting towards him. Daniel’s hands steadied his hips, grip light as he guided Jack onto him. Finally Jack rested with Daniel’s full length securely inside him. They paused for a while, acclimating to the feelings racing through them. Then Daniel slowly thrust up as Jack rocked against him.
They made love slowly and lingeringly, savouring the experience for as long as they could before giving in to the inevitable climax, dizzying in its intensity as always. Sated and exhausted, they clung together, exchanging light kisses until Jack eventually allowed Daniel to pull free. They settled together, twined in their usual position and slid easily into sleep, ready to face the universe on the morrow.
“Happy Valentine’s Day Jack,” Daniel murmured softy, as sleep over took him.