Disclaimer - MGM/Gekko/Double Secret own them.
So, my first Stargate slash. And it's Jack/Jonas. If you don't like the idea of that, I suggest you don't read this. That said, this is mostly just Jack curiosity. I'm kinda happy with it, though I'm hoping my next one will have some angst (though 'Prophecy' gave me all kinds of happy goodies to work with!).
Spoilers for 'Children of The Gods', 'Hathor', 'Upgrades', 'Meridian', 'Redemption Pts 1 and 2', 'Unnatural Selection', 'Smoke and Mirrors', 'Metamorphosis' and 'Full Circle'. Set after 'Full Circle', but before any season seven events occur.
Feedback would be appreciated.
*
He was actually starting to like the guy.
It wasn't without precedent. Neither Carter nor Daniel were his favourite people when they first met - both scientists, both seeming to revel in making long, boring speeches on subjects he had no interest in.
And it hadn't helped that Carter had a pole up her butt the size of the Eiffel Tower.
Jack's resistance to appreciating Jonas in any way, however, was two-fold. First, Jonas was a scientist (assistant to High Chancellor, his ass), and most importantly, there was the whole Daniel debacle.
He'd loathed him initially, even if he had done the 'right thing' in the end. He'd resented the fact that he'd had no choice but to make him a member of the team, resented the fact that - even if they didn't quite welcome him with open arms - neither Carter or Teal'c actively disliked Jonas as much as he did.
Was a little suffering and humiliation brought upon the new guy too much to ask? Really?
Everything about Jonas bugged him. The relentless enthusiasm (it was even worse than Carter's had been all those years ago). The constant eating (did anyone really need to consume *that* much food in *one* day?). The weather channel (who in their right mind would choose that over The Simpsons?).
He could speed read, had a photographic memory, and - though Jack didn't like admitting this, either - his physical condition was much better than his own.
It was as if he was wearing one of those damn armbands, just...without the armbands.
Super Jonas.
The too perfect guy.
But something had...shifted. Altered. Maybe it was just that after spending time in prison, anyone on the outside would look good (not *good* good), but suddenly he'd realised Jonas wasn't quite so irritating anymore.
And hadn't been for a while.
Not that he was perfect. He seemed to suffer from the same affliction as Daniel: the one that caused alien women - including any Goa'uld that happened to cross their path - to throw themselves at him.
Not that he was jealous.
The most curious thing of all was that Jonas was starting to talk back to him. Not as obviously as his predecessor: it was nothing like the headaches Daniel used to provoke, but every now and then...
"You know what you did, don't you?"
"It is really necessary to further provoke him?"
He'd become used to Carter talking back to him over the last few years; he and Teal'c almost never disagreed so it was rare with him, but Jonas...Jonas was the new guy.
And the antagonist in Jack (which, admittedly, was most of Jack) revelled in it.
He'd always preferred arguments; sparking off another person, doing whatever it took to piss them off. Yeah, it probably said something worrying about his psyche, but it was definitely the truth. Arguing was *so* much more interesting than just 'getting along'.
They were on a mission when it happened. The planet suffered frequent seismic activity, but according to Carter it wasn't about to break apart anytime soon - and as Carter was always right, the mission was cleared.
They split off into pairs to reduce the mission time - just because the planet wasn't about to fall apart didn't make the seismic activity any less dangerous. While Carter and Teal'c took their samples and readings, he and Jonas studied a few old ruins about half a click from the gate.
Well, Jonas did the studying. He did the standing around looking bored.
Until the ground rumbled once more, and he heard the crack.
How a guy who was so observant about everything failed to notice it was beyond him, but Jack didn't have time to ponder that for too long - something big, stony, and bone-cracking was about to land on Jonas' head.
Moving even as he yelled, he barely had time to acknowledge the dust surrounding them as he shoved Jonas out of the way, just managing to avoid the rocky downpour himself.
When the rumbling stopped, and the last piece fell, Jack spoke - and coughed - finding it hard to see anything beyond the dust. "Jonas?"
"I'm okay," That voice drawled from somewhere to the left, so Jack carefully inched towards it, wincing in disgust at the taste of stone now wafting into his mouth.
The breeze picked up, and soon enough he spied Jonas, half-sitting/half-laying on the ground. He was caked in head to foot with dust; looking like someone had gone mad with a giant talcum powder bottle. Hmm. "You got a little dust on you,"
Rolling his eyes at him (Jack enjoyed that *way* more than he should), Jonas clapped his hands against each other to clear the dust off, only resulting in making a new little cloud of the stuff. He coughed. "Yeah, I noticed."
Only then realising that he must look much the same, Jack extended a hand to help him up. "Come on. Let's get back to the SGC and give Fraiser something to laugh about in our post-mission check up."
Grinning - those teeth even more of a contrast than usual against his dust-ridden skin - Jonas nodded, and took the proffered hand.
Digging the balls of his feet into the ground, Jack braced his weight and helped haul Jonas to his feet, intending to release him and step away when he was up.
Except he didn't.
The movement stopped, Jonas nearly crashing into him, Jack being forced to clutch his free hand onto a forearm to ensure they didn't tumble over...but he didn't move away.
If he happened to be staring at Jonas, it was only because of how ridiculous he looked.
If he happened to be blinking excessively, it was only because of the dust in his eyes.
If he happened to still be holding Jonas' hand, it was only to keep their balance.
Another rumble.
Jack didn't look away. "We really should..."
"Probably," Jonas agreed. "But I can't go. I'm not done yet, Colonel."
It didn't bug him.
Skin moved; (dusty) flesh on (dusty) flesh, the contact severing.
As Jonas walked away, Jack stared down at his hand.
~FINIS