Disclaimer - MGM/Gekko/Double Secret own them.
It’s all Michelle’s fault. All of it. So many thanks for her to going over it. Tried to fix it, hon. Of course I didn’t succeed, but I tried {g}.
*
He’d started thinking about him at the strangest of times.
In the middle of the briefing wasn’t so weird; his mind tended to wander a lot then. Heck, his mind tended to go on a twenty-click hike with an extended lunch break.
But it wasn’t just at briefings anymore.
Like in the supermarket. Surrounded by all that food it was inevitable that he’d spring to mind, but Jack specifically remembered thinking:
Jonas would like that.
So he bought it.
And he looked forward to – and subsequently enjoyed – the smile on Jonas’ face way too much. Had even felt vaguely – *absurdly* – nervous, just in case he didn’t like it.
Jack didn’t get nervous, even out in the field. There usually wasn’t time for it. And it wasn’t *him*, dammit. He was Jack O’Neill, Colonel, kicker of Goa’uld ass (with a little help from his friends). He didn’t get nervous giving anyone a present.
Yet...
When they had sex now, he found himself spending less time on the actual act – as opposed to the hasty couplings that’d formed the beginning of their ‘relationship’ – and more time being fascinated with his skin. Running his hand over his ankle. Staring at that frankly hypnotic chest and asking him to *never* stop working out (while he could occasionally be deep, he was *always* gonna be shallow).
And on base, too. Trying to sound smarter than he was because the effort always made Jonas grin, and though he *clearly* had an overabundance of teeth that didn’t make the smile any less intoxicating.
Then there were the disagreements.
Hell – the arguments. Fresh From Kelowna Jonas wouldn’t have said half the things Used To Earthlings and Their Ridiculous Ways Jonas did. He’d always been confident, but never when it came to anything relating to Jack...especially after what happened to Daniel.
It was carefully unspoken: don’t mess with me. Don’t even *talk* to me unless it’s absolutely necessary.
Though that feeling had withered with time and Jonas had proved – if not a replacement for Daniel – a capable member of the team, even when they’d first started having sex, they never really talked.
But then it was never supposed to be about the talking.
It was supposed to be about the gratification.
Damn things always blindsided him.
Wait...he paused, midway through loading the dishwasher. *What* damn things?
A voice interrupted his musings.
“I’m done,”
Surprised, he turned at the waist even as he dropped the bowl he’d been holding. Cursing, he turned back as it clattered noisily onto the counter and whacked a hand on top of it, holding it still.
He turned back.
Jonas was simultaneously smiling *and* frowning. He was really gonna have to ask him how he managed that one day...
Jack couldn’t help but feel just slightly disappointed with the fact that, after his shower, Jonas hadn’t returned just in a towel. He had, in fact, returned fully dressed.
Ah well. Maybe later.
Realising Jonas was still staring at him, he cleared his throat. “Right. I’ll just be a few. Movie’s in the machine if you wanna watch the trailers.”
Jonas smiled, and left the kitchen. “Sure.”
That was another thing. Movies. Never mind talking, they were actually watching *movies* together. And not necessarily making out whilst watching them, either. From Jack’s point of view movie watching was kind of a pointless exercise – why do that, when you could be naked?
But that didn’t (and hadn’t) stopped him from placing the last dishes inside, adding the powder, closing the dishwasher, and heading into the living room.
Jonas had, apparently, closed the curtains and turned out the lights, so Jack – after a moments hesitation – sat on the sofa next to him.
They were halfway through a trailer for some stereotypical action flick (guns, explosions, and women with big breasts), when Jonas said something.
“Sam spoke to me today.”
Jack very, very carefully studied Jonas from the corner of his eye. “I imagine she speaks to you every day. Be pretty hard working on the team together if she didn’t.”
The light from the television screen cast across Jonas’ face, highlighting his smile. “That’s not...” He sighed, the smile faltering. “You always do that.” He turned his head towards him.
Jack shrugged. “Your point being?”
“That it can be frustrating sometimes.”
Hmm. “I thought you *liked* frustration?”
“Of a different kind,” He tilted his head slightly to one side, and treated Jack to one of those oh-so-rare evil grins.
He was sinking fast. He had to grab onto something – anything. “So what did Carter say that’s so noteworthy?”
Jonas looked away, as if uncomfortable with what he was about to say; an action that made Jack frown. Jonas had always been startlingly open regarding just about anything, and Jack couldn’t shake the feeling that he was looking away purely for his benefit.
“She said,” He licked his lips. “That she was pleased with how much we hang out now. How much time we spend together.”
That didn’t sound particularly like Carter. She wasn’t really one to go around saying...unless. Oh.
Suddenly he understood why Jonas had looked away. “You think she knows?”
He shrugged. “Maybe. You?”
As careful as they’d been, considering all the evidence...Jack was a pragmatist. “She’d be stupid if she didn’t. And if there’s one thing Carter will *never* be, it’s stupid.”
“Do you mind that she knows?”
Jack seriously thought over the question, focusing on the TV but not seeing any of the images. His first reaction when Jonas told him what she’d said hadn’t been fear, or embarrassment. It was just shock, plain and simple.
“No,”
He really didn’t. He really didn’t mind, or care, if Carter or Teal’c knew at all. The only thing that mattered right now was that he was on the sofa, about to watch a movie with the guy he...
Uh, *wow*.
Where the hell did *that* come from?
“Colonel? You okay?”
He was grinning. He was actually *grinning*. “Jonas,” He turned to face the TV again, and scooted a little closer. At some point, they were really gonna have to deal with that first name thing. “Shut up.”
~FINIS