Pre-slash

Small Realization and Revelations

By Jessica L. Blackstone

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Daniel drew the razor slowly down under his chin and then held it under the running water from the faucet before repeating the entire process until his face was completely smooth. His hyperactive mind not at rest even during this daily ritual.

This morning it was filled as it often was these days with thoughts of his best friend, who if the last several weeks, no make that months held true to form should be arriving any time now. His mind went back through the last couple of months trying to figure out when it had started. He had always gotten along with the Colonel, or let’s just say that their caustic meeting had soon turned into grudging respect. Respect won through bitter trials.

He knew Jack was competent in many areas, much more than the military man let on, but he also knew there were areas where he held the expertise and had no compunction in letting Jack know in loud and vocal terms. Something he knew that Jack secretly admired although he’d rather be turned into a Jaffa or a Goa’uld than admit it.

Even so, it had still come as a shock that when he had been out of phase after touching the crystal skull, he’d heard Jack’s statement indicating his faith in his, Daniel’s deductive abilities. Although admittedly at the time he had too many other things to worry about, the fact no one could see him being the foremost, that the full portents of the statement wasn’t understood until much later.

Much much later when it lost all it’s meaning after Jack told him to shut up on Euronda. And this after he thought they’d come a long way in healing the rupture that had formed in their friendship as a result of the Tollan incident over the stolen technology. Jack had even trusted him, albeit reluctantly when he, Daniel had ordered him to lay down his gun in spite of being faced with certain death on Kheb. He hadn’t even argued when he watched Daniel allow the Harsesis, the best weapon they could have against the Goa’uld, leave with Oma. He had immediately covered for Daniel’s actions with that quip about “no choice, huh.”

These last several months it seemed that what Jack gave with one hand he took away with the other. Daniel frowned as he realized that that even when Jack agreed with him, he still felt like he was being ridiculed. Even odder was that he got the impression he had a similar irritating effect on Jack and yet the older man continued to seek out his company off-base.

‘That just didn’t make sense. So what was going on?’ he asked himself as he gave one last check to both sides of his face. He didn’t even start at the loud knocking. “Come on in!” he called over his shoulder.

Jack turned the doorknob, hoping he hadn’t heard correctly, cursing when the door opened. “Damn it, Daniel! How many times have I told you not to leave your door unlocked! This isn’t Abydos you know.”

“Good morning, Jack,” Daniel greeted the other man while standing in the doorway of the living room, rubbing the last of the shaving cream from his face with the end of the towel draped around his neck.

The scowl on Jack’s face got even darker as he faced his friend. Christ! Daniel had absolutely no idea! He turned back towards the door, making a deliberate show of locking the door as he tried to banish the glimpse of the smooth muscled chest. If any of the guys had seen the two of them like this they’d think…by the time he turned back around, Daniel was buttoning his shirt.

“So Danny, what are your plans for today?” Jack casually asked with an impish smile.

Daniel frowned down at the cup of coffee he had just taken a drink of, it was already cold. “Oh, I thought I might finally begin translating that tablet from P30-255.” He turned and walked towards the kitchen, intending to get another cup.

Jack slowly nodded, he should have guessed. “The one you were working on before we were banished to Siberia, right?”

Daniel smiled as he poured his coffee. So Jack had actually been paying attention to what he’d been doing nine days ago. “Jack?” he offered gesturing with the coffeepot he still held in his right hand.

“Yeah, thanks.” Jack joined him in the kitchen, accepting the cup gratefully. “So spill.”

“About what?” Daniel asked slightly confused.

“Your date last night with that cute Doctor-the brunette that works with Frasier.”

“Claudia?” Daniel shrugged. “It was nice, I guess. Went out to dinner and talked, the usual.” He walked back towards the living room, an open book that he’d been reading earlier about ancient Mesopotamians catching his attention.

‘The usual, what the hell did that mean,’ thought Jack. “And?”

“And what?” Daniel asked absently as he began reading where he had left off. He took a sip of coffee as he looked for the pencil he knew he had left on the table by the book.

“Going out again?”

Daniel blinked, he actually had to think back. Had they made plans for another date? No, he dimly remembered Claudia inviting him out with her to a play next week which he had begged out of. “Nope.”

“That’s too bad,” Jack said not sounding at all sincere.