by Joy
J/D | NC-17 | 62 kb | AU/FT
Summary: Daniel's never liked his birthdays, but this one's not so bad.
Author Note: A strange and smutty cliche for Daniel's 40th Birthday Challenge. Also, when you find the word necromatic, it's not misspelled. I made it up. Go with it. ;-)
Author Warning: I Mary-Sued the sex. I couldn't help it. There were stars and earthquakes and... okay, just kidding, but the story required overdoing it, so be warned.
. . .
"I held my nose, I closed my eyes, I took a drink..."
"This is what?" Jack asked as he looked more intently at the small, round blue bottle. It'd been sitting on a table outside of the Scents and Oils shop and all he had done was pick it up and look at it. Just the bottle, mind you. It was made of beautiful sapphire glass and Jack liked sapphire.
The shop owner, an equally small and round woman named Hasha, gave him an impish grin. "It is called," she repeated, using a tone that sounded suspiciously to Jack like the one you took with children and wayward teenagers, "the Necromatic Transformation Elixir."
"Necro... Death?" he asked, setting the bottle down quickly, but Hasha laughed, picked it up and gave it back to him. Not wanting to be rude, Jack took it, but he held the bowl part of the bottle by the tips of his fingers. Barely.
"No, my dear Colonel. It is an elixir for sexual compatibility as well as congress. It gives our newly joined couples endless hours of explorative delight."
"Explorative... right. Gotcha." He set it back on the table where he'd found it and hoped that Hasha would just let the subject go. But of course, his luck being as it was, she didn't. Picking it back up, she held it in her hands as if she were either petting it or trying to make Jack think he wanted it back. He didn't. Sort of. He was interested but...
"What made you think of death?" she asked, tapping the stopper.
Jack sternly ordered himself not to be sarcastic. She was, after all, only being friendly. Or about to throw him in a large cauldron with a few vegetables and some basil. "We have a few words that start with necro. One of which has to do with dead bodies and I'm really not going to explain that one. Another definition refers to the practice of magic."
"Interesting," she said thoughtfully, though it looked more like he'd just told her the sky was made of gelatin. Either that or she had gas. It was hard to tell. "No, Colonel, this is not magic but chemistry."
"Hmmm," Jack replied, looking over the bottle in her hands as if he'd missed something. He wasn't about to take it back, or do what prospective buyers did--open the stopper and sniff. That lesson he'd learned a long, long time ago. Looking, good. Sniffing, bad. "Chemistry, you say? How's that work?"
"You don't know your chemistry, Colonel?" she teased.
"Well, there's chemistry and then there's chemistry."
"There is only one."
"Not on Earth, ma'am. We have single words that have many meanings."
She looked at him as if that explained some question in her mind. She held up the bottle in a way that reminded Jack of the way Daniel tended to hold priceless artifacts. "You are interested, yes? Would you care to purchase? I am certain there must be a mate for you at home."
Jack cleared his throat. "Nope, no one."
She smiled engagingly at him, ignoring his discomfort. "There has to be someone, Colonel. A man like you."
"A man like... what?" he asked, wondering if he should feel offended because it sounded like he should be.
"This would be of great use to you," she went on, avoiding the question while her voice took on a sweet, urging tone.
At that moment, Jack was quite certain that yet another constant of the universe was the high-pressure salesman. Or woman, in this case. "It might be if I had someone, but as I said, I don't," he answered. But his interest in the bottle was, er, rising. A particularly nasty thought occurred to him. Maybe a little joke on Daniel. No harm really. Just a passing thought. "Maybe--"
"Yes?" she asked eagerly, pouncing.
Jack reared back just a little, eyeing her carefully. "Well... how much of this stuff is used for, um, congress, and how much is used for, say, just getting someone in the mood?" Okay, more than a passing thought.
She laughed then, swishing her ankle-length skirts while her face showed even more mischief. Jack wanted to back away at that point but told himself to be a man and stay put.
Hasha cupped the bottle and unstopped the cork, revealing a dropper within. "One drop for interest, three drops for continued interest, and ten drops for a full night of passion."
He leaned in, despite his better judgment, looking at the dropper. The liquid looked like ink and he wrinkled his nose. "It doesn't smell like turpentine, does it?"
"Turpentine?"
"Fuel."
She started laughing, slapping playfully at him as if he'd said the funniest damn thing in the world. He probably had and he tried not to grin in return. "No, Colonel. It smells of the root it is made from, nothing more."
"Oh." Jack suddenly backed away, realizing he was coming close to making a sale. She was good.
She began again as if he'd made up his mind to buy it. "But a word of caution, Colonel. No more than ten drops, as the results would be very unpleasant."
"And more than ten does what?" he asked, telling himself it was still just passing interest.
"The body would be unable to perform due to exhaustion but it would still be restless with--"
"Right, gotcha," Jack said, cutting her off. The images that came to mind were not what he should be thinking right then, even if the thought of Daniel floundering about like a spawned salmon were sickeningly amusing. "So... full night, eh?" he went on, clearing his throat again, wondering what in the world compelled him to ask.
"Ten drops will ensure that, Colonel," she said more sweetly than before. It was starting to get a little creepy.
"Huh," he mumbled, ridding further images. "Got anything for joint and back pain?"
She laughed as she packaged the bottle in a nice wooden box and offered it to him. "The elixir provides all, Colonel. But even if it did not, I do not think a man like you would require any help afterward."
There she went again and Jack couldn't let her get away this time. "What makes you say that? A man like me."
"Sexually aggressive, virile, very much a man's man in all respects--"
"Whoa, okay. Thanks... I think." How the hell would she know what he was like? Clearing his throat again, he said, "I didn't say I would buy it, you know," he objected, mildly, as he took the box. Suddenly, the idea of a joke became something a lot more serious. Daniel's birthday was in two days. This could be a present... well, only if it involved himself as the recipient. If Daniel had no interest then--
"You show interest, Colonel."
Jack's eyes widened and he quickly looked down, without thinking. She started laughing; softly, but still laughing, and for the first time in a very long while, Jack blushed.
"No, Colonel, I was referring to the interest in the elixir. Since your SGC is going to be visiting my planet for some time to come, you may take this home and try it. If you enjoy the rewards it offers, then come back and pay me."
Jack gave her a suspicious look now. "No one's that accommodating. What's the catch?"
She smiled at him and winked. "There is no catch. I am simply interested in returning customers. That is how I make my living. You did not say but I do believe that you have a mate in mind. He is, in fact, quite a charming, handsome man. I understand your choice in--"
"Wait, wait. He? What makes you think..."
Man's man. Shit, he was slow that morning.
She lowered her voice and whispered, "It is Doctor Jackson, yes?"
"Now wait a minute," Jack argued, immediately lowering his voice to match hers. "I never said... how the hell would you--"
"You did not have to say anything, and I have eyes, Colonel," she replied, winking at him again.
Jack frowned at her, at a loss for words, but after a minute, he said, "Eyes, huh?"
"I am one hundred and fifty seven years old, Colonel. I have learned a thing or two about love."
Jack couldn't stop the look on his face. "One fifty-seven?"
She smiled. "How old are you, Colonel?"
"Um," he started, then again cleared his throat. "Fifty."
She smiled with surprise. "Fifty? A baby! How old is Doctor Jackson?"
"He'll be forty in two days."
"Another baby! And his birthing day!" she said, delighted. "And you will give this to him then?"
"Um... I actually hadn't thought about it but now that you mention it..." Where'd that come from and what the hell was the matter with him? He immediately looked around for a cauldron, then eyed her suspiciously, certain she'd made him say that.
"He will be delighted. You both will," she went on.
Jack felt the blush return. He'd had fantasies but outright planning? Everything was warm all of a sudden. "Right. Okay. Um, that's um... listen, about this elixir."
"Yes?"
"What if he goes off half-cocked with this stuff in him?"
She frowned in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"Well, what if I give this to him at his birthday party?"
"Will you be alone?"
"No, that's kinda the point of a party."
"Are you asking if he will wish congress with everyone around him?"
"Erm... I guess."
She patted his arm. "Don't worry, Colonel. Only his chosen one will reap the benefits."
Another throat clearing. "Chosen one. Right." Jack was astounded by the sudden feelings of jealousy. They were baseless, of course. Even so, maybe he could rework the duty schedule. "It's not a love potion, is it?"
"Love potion?"
"Something given to someone to make them think they want someone when they really don't."
"That happens with the Goa'uld nishta, Colonel. This is not nishta. This elixir enhances what is already there. It does not create feelings where none exist."
Jack blew out a breath of relief. He really didn't want to embarrass Daniel, but slipping him some... no, he really couldn't do that. He had to find some other way.
"It'll be fine, Colonel," she patted his arm again, then turned on her heel and waved over her shoulder as she went inside her shop. "You won't be disappointed."
Jack stared at the box, then turned and proceeded down the street, wondering if he could go through with it. She'd said not against the will so the chances that Daniel might lapse into some mad marathon jerk-off would be nil. The thought made Jack snicker, but if he put the shoe on the other foot, it wasn't so funny. Although privately, the thought of watching Daniel...
Jack adjusted his trousers and walked back to their guest quarters, box in hand, thinking over possible scenarios.
.
Behind a decorative screen inside Hasha's shop, Daniel stood stock still, staring at nothing. He set down the scented soap he'd been holding, his mouth twisted in thought over what he'd heard: Jack's entire conversation with Hasha. Fortunately, by the time Hasha saw him standing there as she'd walked past, he'd lost the flush to his cheeks.
"Hasha," he called and she appeared in the doorway that separated the private part of her shop from the one meant for customers.
"Yes, Doctor Jackson?"
"Is there a remedy for the stuff you just gave Jack?"
She gave him a coquettish look that had Daniel shifting uncomfortably. "Now why would you want to deny a man such as that?"
"Excuse me?" he asked, eyes wide.
She simply sent him a knowing grin, and considering that he'd heard everything, there was no reason for Daniel to go into a long spate of denial. Instead, he sighed, telling her, "We've never told each other..."
"That much is certain," she said, rolling her eyes. "Men."
Daniel resisted the urge to grin. "Yeah, I'm with you on that one. Now, about this elixir--"
"You will both enjoy its wonderful effects," she told him assuredly.
"It's not that. It's just, like I said, we haven't... and he won't... and it's not exactly what one does on a first date, if there should ever be one, and it's not like I expect it or anything, and seriously, the more likely event is Jack playing a joke on me because that's his modus operandi and--"
"Doctor Jackson, there is no need to be nervous."
"Huh?" he asked, blinking at her. "What makes you think that?"
She made a 'talking too much' gesture with her hand and Daniel wondered if that weren't part of a galactic-wide sign language.
"Right. Sorry. I think maybe I am. A little."
"A little?" she mocked gently, then patted his arm. "You will be fine."
"It's only a joke, Hasha. He has no intention of dosing me with it."
"Dosing? You sound as if you disapprove of the elixir."
"No, no, no. That's not it at all. It's just that Jack thinks of it as a game and--"
"I do not believe so," she countered.
"Seriously, Hasha. Jack won't give it to me in private. He might think about playing a joke on me, and for that reason, I won't be drinking or eating anything in his vicinity for a few days." He caught her staring at him with this bemused expression and sighed. "Is there an antidote, remedy, countereffect?"
She sighed, shaking her head, and picked up a tiny black vial and handed it to him. "This. Use only one drop, but you have to administer it within minutes of intake or it does nothing."
"Within minutes? But if I don't know I've ingested the elixir, then how can it work?"
"Therein lies the dilemma," she said, "and the reason why the remedy is rarely used."
"If it's useless, then why bother to make it?"
"Those who fear they may change their minds desire to have it available. A safety measure."
"And what if the elixir is used on someone who doesn't want it?"
"That has never happened."
"But how do you know?"
"It has never happened here, Doctor Jackson. I am the only one who makes the elixir and I can tell if someone has dire intentions."
"So there's no rape here?"
"There is, but not with this elixir."
"Oh."
She shook her head at him, clearly confused by his attitude. "Did you not hear my side of the conversation outside?"
He nodded. "Yeah, I did. Sorry about that, by the way."
"No need," she waved off. "Did you not understand what I told him?"
"That it enhances what's already there, that it doesn't work like nishta, yeah, I heard that, but what if you give this to someone who doesn't know they've taken it?"
Hasha rolled her eyes. "Then you were not listening to what I told the Colonel. Were you perhaps distracted by the revelation of his intentions toward you?"
Daniel blushed again, not answering. He was not going to say a word about that. It was private, anyway. Perhaps if he and Jack were already in a relationship... but then, he wouldn't be talking to Hasha about it. Just listen, buy, go home, fuck each other's brains out and...
The blush deepened and Daniel banished the images sternly. His next thought was to get back to their guest quarters, find Sam, and beg her not to go through with the surprise party he wasn't supposed to know about. Honestly, how could he not know? Word traveled around the base faster than a brush fire.
Daniel stared at the antidote in his hand wistfully. "Jack took the elixir to play a joke on me, Hasha, nothing more."
"That, I believe, was his first thought, but not his last. And you know this."
"Maybe. But you don't know Jack." Somewhere inside, a part of him giggled at that statement.
"He is not someone who proclaims his feelings easily, is he?" she asked.
Daniel was impressed. "No, he's not."
"He does, however, have feelings for you, just as you have feelings for him. What else is there?"
Daniel grimaced. "It's not that simple."
"Do you love him or not?"
"Well, yeah. He doesn't know that though."
"Tell him. Be with him. It is that simple."
"It isn't."
"Work around the obstacles, Doctor Jackson. Not with them."
"I already do that." More than anyone could possibly know, he thought.
"Then take it further."
"Right." Daniel stared at the antidote, then handed it back to her. Something was going to happen, and as the minutes passed and the knowledge of Jack's interest sunk in, Daniel felt the excitement growing. "I, uh, don't think I'll need this after all."
"Good man," she said, pleased.
Daniel picked up the soap he'd been sniffing earlier. "But I'd like to purchase some of this instead."
~
Over the next two days, Daniel steered clear of anything Jack offered. Jack was a good, honorable man most of the time, but once in a while, he did pull some nasty pranks. It was now Daniel's birthday and it might just be considered a free-for-all. Jack might not use the potion on him, but Daniel wasn't taking any chances.
As he entered the mess hall for a late lunch, Daniel braced himself for the party that Sam had arranged, but the moment he saw the throng, Daniel felt the flight response kick in. He liked attending parties, but his own? No. He felt awkward being the center of attention unless it was through something he'd earned. In his opinion, birthdays were private affairs, but there was no hope of that now; he was surrounded and couldn't escape.
The usual song started up, practically deafening with the number of people gathered, then Daniel was led... ushered... kidnapped... to a table that held this burning thing--forty goddamn candles--with white frosting on it and his name emblazoned. Or perhaps ablaze was more accurate.
"Someone got a fire extinguisher?" he asked, peering at the cake with caution. The laughs were loud while his own was nervous and quiet. He couldn't really think of anything to say, which was abnormal, he knew. He took in a breath just as someone annoyingly told him to make a wish first, then blew out the candles.
"Numero quatorze, Daniel!" Jack said, handing him a porcelain mug of something that looked like fizzy cherry punch. Daniel immediately gave it a suspicious look, then Jack another.
"Thanks," he said, but before he could have time to somehow get rid of the punch, Sam was yelling "Speech!" and others were joining her. She had a mischievous look on her face and since she was the culprit responsible for the melee, Daniel smiled and handed her his mug.
"Thanks a lot, Sam."
"Not too much is it?"
Daniel snorted as he looked at the crowd gathering 'round. "Nah. At least the cake's big enough. I think."
He cut the cake and received a few presents, and as the minutes passed, Daniel relaxed. His party wasn't just his own, but an excuse for the members of the base to socialize and take a load off. As good a reason as any for people who needed to celebrate something, especially during a war. Daniel decided that his birthday wasn't so bad if others got something out of it other than simply attending a summons.
"Daniel, you never had your birthday drink," Jack said, handing him another mug.
Daniel took it, wishing he'd been able to keep his eye on Jack. There was a punch bowl and... well, Jack wouldn't dare. Would he? The very thought of the punch bowl spiked with elixir made Daniel cough up a laugh. He raised his mug to his nose and sniffed. "I don't smell anything. You didn't spike this with anything odd, did you?"
Jack pretended to be offended, even through the disarming smile. "Daniel, I'm shocked, utterly shocked, that you would think I'd do such a thing."
Daniel grinned knowingly at him. "I seem to remember that hooch, as you so eloquently called it, back on P2X-597, where Teal'c--"
"I had nothing to do with that, Daniel," Jack said through a flicker of embarrassment before he pulled Daniel to the punch bowl and filled another mug. "Here," he said, switching Daniel's with the new one, then took a long drink. "Satisfied?" he asked, grinning smugly.
Daniel drank, unconvinced, as he stared at Jack over the rim. Jack only grinned back, his eyes moving from the mug to Daniel's eyes and back again, making Daniel feel a little warmed by the scrutiny. It wasn't anything out of the ordinary, Daniel knew, but today, it said a hell of a lot more.
"For now," he answered finally, allowing the smidgen of a grin and the result was to get Jack's eyes to sparkle with amusement. Daniel really liked it when he could do that. Jack loved dry sarcasm.
"I suppose you're wondering where my present to you is," Jack said.
Daniel hated to admit it, but he had been wondering. It wasn't that big a concern though because Jack had never been that big on touchy-feely... unless you counted the potion. Daniel suddenly realized the enormity of what Jack had bought from Hasha. Jack was actually thinking about him. Planning something.
They'd had this unspoken dance for a long time now--something undefined and unapproachable. Like a tease that would never be acknowledged. Now Jack was changing the rules, and for once in his life, Daniel had no idea what to do or say. Especially since that elixir was supposed to be a surprise. In a lot of ways.
"Okay, I'll bite. Where's my present?" He almost expected Jack to say that there wasn't one, that it was a joke. But he didn't.
"Dinner, 7 p.m. I'll pick you up and we'll go out, have steak, argue about everything under the sun. Have fun. How's that sound?"
Daniel stared at him in shock and nodded dumbly. The disarming smile was back and all he could think to say was, "Uh, sounds great."
Throughout the rest of the day, Daniel was distracted. The reason, aside from curiosity about the potion, was that Jack had actually asked him out on a date and did it in such a way that no one listening had been the wiser. Daniel couldn't have been more proud of him if he'd tried.
.
Daniel stared at his closet, not having a clue what to wear. Everything nice was too conspicuous. He grabbed the cell phone off the dresser and punched the quick dial.
"O'Neill."
"Hey, it's me."
"Hey. I'm gettin' ready to leave. You ready?"
"Um, that's the thing. Do I have to get ready?"
"Daniel..." Jack started.
"No, I mean..." There was no way he was asking if this was a date, if he needed to dress up, so instead, covered with, "Is it, you know, a restaurant with a dress code?"
"Steakhouse, Daniel. Wear clean clothes. Underwear, too, in case we get into an accident and my mother shows up."
"Oh, that's funny," Daniel replied, making a noise of disgust that caused Jack to chuckle.
"Liked that, huh?"
"Oh yeah. I'm calling Leno as we speak."
"That was clever."
"I thought so."
"So, no problems then."
"With the clean clothes or the putting on of underwear?"
Jack didn't reply right away and Daniel thought for a moment he'd gone a little too far till Jack cleared his throat.
"So no problems then."
Daniel snickered with relief. "No, Jack. No problems."
"Good. See you in fifteen."
Jack hung up and that was that.
So, jeans went on, then the dark grey shirt, a nice one--and okay, he was hedging because Sam had said once that it brought out the color of his eyes, which was hokey but so what. He was dressing up a little. At the last minute, Daniel changed out of his loafers and slipped on his tennis shoes. No sense in being too dressy. Besides, loafers with jeans just screamed, geek. Or fashion victim. Daniel was sick and tired of being called both and there was no way he'd have Jack thinking either.
.
Daniel had tried not to be nervous throughout dinner, but for all intents and purposes, they'd been on a date. Jack had also worn a nice shirt, the dark green one which made his eyes stand out, but the highlight had been his jeans. Those light blue ones that weren't baggy in any way, shape or form. As they'd been escorted to their table, Daniel had caught himself staring at Jack's ass. Not his fault, really. Those goddamned jeans fit him so damn well and he had another fine look at that ass when Jack had gotten up to use the restroom.
Combined with that shirt that had him thinking of inventive ways to get it off him, Daniel felt his IQ points dropping to double digits by dessert. In fact, thoughts had coalesced into one, single definitive plan. Little talking and lots of action.
There was no way in hell he could see Jack as just a friend after this evening and Daniel knew that morning would come in one of two ways. Either he woke up in Jack's bed or he'd be requesting reassignment to the Arctic tundra to count fossilized deer mice.
.
"Want something to drink?" Jack asked as Daniel followed him into his kitchen.
"Please," Daniel replied automatically, then muttered, "I need one I think."
Jack turned to look at him, a worried knot forming. "Need one? For what?"
Daniel gave him that look. The focused one, where Jack could see the change in pupil size. It was disarming, arousing, and a mystery. It also said stop worrying, so Jack stopped. Sort of.
He was still trying to figure out how to introduce the potion but he was also starting to chicken out. Besides--throughout dinner at the restaurant, Daniel had been acting as if he'd been given something like it. Nothing overt. Just giving Jack that look, as if he were, and still was, hungry, but not for food. Jack understood completely.
In fact, there was probably no need for the potion at all. Maybe it was just the idea of it. The catalyst that would make him act. Except Jack was second-guessing that, too. He didn't want to be rejected and he didn't want to start something that might end badly. He couldn't do that to Daniel. To himself.
Jack knew he was making excuses, but this was big. Still, he suddenly wished he was back at the restaurant, purposely bringing up topics that Daniel would debate. Secretly, it was something Jack liked. The arguing showed Daniel's intelligence; that he wasn't some sort of 'yes' boy, conforming to popular opinion, something that Jack could identify with.
"So...?" Jack asked as he got down the bourbon and glasses, trying to rid himself of the nervousness. Drinking would do it, that was for certain, but getting drunk would be a no-no.
"So?"
"Why do you need the drink?"
Again, the look, and less nervousness. "Maybe I shouldn't say. It's kind of embarrassing."
"For whom?"
"Both of us probably."
Jack was amazed at how Daniel's words made him relax and he grinned as he added ice to the glasses and handed Daniel his drink. "Say it anyway."
Daniel took a long drink, rubbing his lips together after and Jack found himself staring at them. Which was why he was caught by surprise when Daniel said, "I was in Hasha's shop when she sold you the elixir. I heard everything."
Jack stared at him, the liquor now burning his throat, and he coughed, then coughed again. "What?"
Daniel grinned sheepishly and took his hand. Took his hand? Jack found himself staring at Daniel's fingers over his own and before his brain could backtrack, they were standing in front of the couch.
He found his voice then, though it was still a little harsh from the choking. "What do you mean, everything? Everything everything or just bits?"
Daniel grinned again, this time without any sheepishness, and took another sip from his glass before setting it on the coffee table. "How about I sum it up for you," he said--not asking--and took Jack's glass from him and set it next to his own. Watching him carefully, Jack realized that there was no trace of nervousness left in Daniel's demeanor. The only one nervous was himself--except for his cock, which was apparently in league with Daniel's mind.
Jack started to say... something... but his words were caught in the back of his throat when Daniel slid his left arm around his neck, his right arm around his waist and leaned in. In that brief second, Jack's heart began to pound and his breathing seemed to stop before Daniel pressed against him and brought their lips together in a firm, warm kiss that forced Jack to breath again. Roughly.
There was no tongue yet; it was just a recon--well, one hell of a recon. Jack tasted liquor and dinner and something far more hormonal. It probably explained why the cartilage in his knees was disintegrating. When Daniel pulled back enough to look in his eyes, Jack blurted out, "Nice summation."
Daniel smiled, started to say something, only this time Jack didn't want to hear words. He wanted that taste back plus a lot more. He tightened his arms around Daniel's hot, strong body--the knowledge of that was lightning-quick and something he'd always known but had never experienced from this particular perspective--except for that one hug a long time ago--and just... holy shit.
Jack stopped thinking about it and kissed him back. Thoroughly. With tongue. Lots and lots of tongue. Daniel moaned and Jack couldn't help but moan back, kissing him harder, holding him more firmly, enough for bones to crack.
Breaking off, Daniel whispered, "That is what I heard, Jack. I need more information though."
"Yes," Jack answered--rasped--and kissed him again, needing to feel skin.
Skin. The thought forced Jack's mind to inexplicably backpedal as he was consumed with mixed emotions, panic and desire. This was going too fast but at the same time, shouldn't he be in charge here? Wasn't this his plan?
Jack's conflict abruptly paused when he found himself falling backwards as Daniel pushed them both onto the couch. Daniel was now on top of him, arms still in place, kissing him deeply, and again, holy shit. Daniel's right hand was travelling quickly down between them.
Panic told Jack this was still going too fast even if the rest of him said there wasn't anything wrong with that. He braced his foot on the floor, widening his leg for balance in order to... stop?... except what it did instead was give Daniel better access. The moment Jack felt the palm of his friend's hand, warm and wonderful, against his hardening cock, that was it.
Desire slammed through him and afraid of it for just a moment, Jack grabbed Daniel's hand and broke the kiss, gasping, "Daniel, wait!"
"Why?" Daniel whispered through a smile, licking over Jack's lips before diving in hungrily, encouraging Jack to meet his tongue halfway.
The moment Jack realized that there'd be sex any moment now, he pushed Daniel back again, holding his arms. "Wait." He tried to sit up, move away, since talking kinda required a little distance generally, but Daniel's hands were on his chest, caressing, slipping under the buttons, inside his collar and just... fuck!
It struck Jack that he'd actually gone insane. He wanted to stop and talk? Lizard Brain shouted at him to shut the fuck up and get with the sex already and Logic Brain said they should take this slower, talk about it. Jack compromised and said, "I don't have any lube out here."
.
Daniel started laughing, speaking against neck, "Jack." When he pulled back and found Jack blushing, he felt this tremendous urge to tell him how cute that was. But on the other hand, Daniel valued his life, so no, not a good idea. Besides, it was far more arousing than cute. He wanted that blush to turn darker, for the skin to be covered with sweat; a vision of fucking him came to mind and Daniel suddenly hoped that after this, Jack never blushed in public again. He couldn't be held responsible for his body's reactions.
"I didn't mean to say that, actually," Jack said, clearing his throat, wondering when the trip down the rabbit hole had happened. "What I meant to say was 'you heard what I said'?"
"Yes, I heard," Daniel answered, moving his hand just a little, making Jack gasp and reposition his grip over Daniel's hand--a grip that did nothing to stop him. Daniel gave him a very filthy grin. "Who knew you could be so naughty."
Jack was torn between being offended and resentful. "I can be... um, never mind. It was just supposed to be... Daniel, why aren't you mad?"
Daniel looked into that face, felt the body underneath his own, underneath his hand, felt the warm burn against his skin from Jack's five o'clock shadow. "I can't be," was his reply, then he leaned down and nuzzled Jack's cheek, inhaling his scent as he buried his face between neck and shoulder. Biting an earlobe, he added, "I only have one question."
Jack swallowed, closing his eyes, and moved his hands over Daniel's covered ass, telling Logic Brain to fuck off. "When do we get naked?"
"No."
"Where's the lube?"
Daniel laughed against his neck once more. "No."
Jack couldn't restrain the smile and gave in to the urge to bite at the shoulder knot in front of him. "Who gets fucked first?"
Daniel snickered. "That's not even an issue, so no."
"Not an issue?" Jack asked, pulling back, looking up into that face, amazed at how little was left of the blue of Daniel's eyes. "You know, your eyes change when you're all hot and bothered."
Daniel snickered again, brows up. "First," he said, rising off the couch and pulling Jack with him. "Pupils generally enlarge during arousal--a common occurrence with everything else, too--so yeah, I'd say there's likely to be a change."
"Smartass," Jack said, coincidentally staring at that smart ass as he followed Daniel into his bedroom. As Daniel's shirt came off, Jack's attention flickered briefly on the wide back before moving back down when Daniel's trousers came off. Jack was lost for a minute. Or two.
"Second," Daniel said as he turned and laid on the bed, chuckling when Jack quickly threw off the rest of his clothes and practically pounced over him, straddling his body.
"Second?"
"Not an issue."
"What's not an issue?" Jack asked, wondering what Daniel was talking about as he looked him up and down.
"Who's getting fucked first."
"That so?"
"I was going to say I'm first, but I think maybe you're going to be," Daniel told him, twitching along with his cock at the thought when his eyes moved down Jack's body and zeroed in on his cock. He reached down and circled Jack's shaft with his fingers, forming a fist and stroking, once, twice, thrice, making Jack groan in such a way that the sound traveled straight to his balls.
"Am I?" Jack asked absently, eyelids fluttering, and so not paying attention to whatever he was saying as he reached down and took Daniel's cock in hand to return the favor.
"Yeah," Daniel panted. "Except if we keep this up, that'll be put off for a little while."
"Wasn't there a question in there before we started this part?" Jack asked, closing his eyes as he matched Daniel's rhythm.
Daniel grabbed onto Jack's shoulder, closed his eyes too, and lost himself to the man's tight fist. "Yeah, there was, but I'll ask later. Jack?"
"Yeah?"
"I can't wait."
He pulled Jack on top of him, kissing and changing the mutual jerk-off for rubbing and grinding. Only touch and taste mattered at the moment. Jack tasted of steak and liquor and lust, and when Daniel spread his legs and simply imagined Jack's cock pushing inside him, he changed his mind again as he shuddered.
Jack seemed to know it, too, because he pulled out of the kiss and stared down at him. "Where's the lube, Daniel?" he breathed.
Daniel started laughing. And laughing.
"What?" Jack asked... then he knew. This was his own bedroom. Erm... oops. Yanking open the bedside drawer hard enough to pull it out completely--and causing Daniel to laugh even more--Jack managed to grab the lube before he dropped the drawer onto the carpet.
He stared down into that handsome, flushed face and propped himself on one forearm as he positioned himself between Daniel's legs. Dropping the lube onto Daniel's chest, Jack held out his hand, palm up. "Assistance?"
"You can't kneel?" Daniel asked as he opened the tube and squeezed a generous amount onto Jack's fingers.
Jack gave him a dirty look as his hand moved down, dotting Daniel's balls with lube before placing two fingers over his perineum and sliding down toward his hole. "If you haven't noticed, I'm already on my knees."
Daniel inhaled as he locked his eyes on Jack's, then spread his legs and raised his knees. "Whatever you say, Jack." A loud groan followed when Jack pushed a finger inside, then another.
He was hot and tight and felt so fucking good. Daniel's cock lay thick and heavy, just starting to leak, and Jack had to taste. He dipped down, watching Daniel's face as he went, and when he took his cock into his mouth, Daniel rapidly clutched at the pillow under his head and arched back, breathing, "Ohmygod."
Smiling with satisfaction and wanting to hear and see more, Jack slid his fingers back and forth, brushing the prostate, while he sucked thoroughly, bringing Daniel to the edge before he pulled back and stopped, grinning at the blinking shock on Daniel's face from the sudden loss.
Kneeling now and looking down at Daniel's face and body, flushed with lust, Jack lubed his cock, placed the head at the entrance, and paused. It was a strange moment. Rubbing his cockhead over Daniel's puckered opening, feeling it clutch at him, Jack shuddered at the way they were both hot and slick, and for a second, reality turned surreal.
He was doing this. Fantasy had come true and that just never happened. Almost never. Then Jack pushed, grimacing at how fucking tight Daniel was--and for a brief second, wondered if Daniel were a virgin. But he couldn't be, not with those reactions, and Jack watched as the gorgeous man under him grabbed the back of his knees and pulled up, grunting loud and slutty around a half-smile.
"God yes," Daniel hissed between clenched teeth as Jack buried his cock inside in one long, slow thrust.
"Fucking hell, Daniel," Jack whispered harshly, biting at Daniel's neck when his lover laughed at his use of the word. He pulled back the moment he felt Daniel relax around him and grimaced again as muscles gripped the hell out of his cock, very obviously telling him exactly what they wanted.
Jack obeyed, moving in, pulling out. Again and again, rocking slowly. Jack struggled between closing his eyes and watching Daniel toss his head from side to side, panting faster. "Yes," he whispered, feeling things well up inside him, telling him to spill out words like I love you but Jack didn't dare. Not during sex. It meant more later, anyway. During sex and afterglow, it was too easy to say. Harsh sober light was better. Instead, Jack opted for words more appropriate. "So hot," "Feels good," and "Like this?"
Below him, Daniel responded with "Yes, more," and "Fuck me." Like Jack, he fought to keep his eyes open and just feel. He needed to look, to memorize everything, to see how Jack looked as he fucked him. He'd burn that into his memory for when he'd have Jack fuck him from behind later. But when he fucked Jack, he'd have him on his back, just like this, and memorize that look, which Daniel knew would match whatever look was currently on his own face.
"Beautiful," Jack suddenly said.
Daniel's eyes widened. Not with surprise, not with any urge to make fun. Instead, his balls drew up, making him groan. "Oh shit, Jack, I'm close," he warned, voice half a whimper as the pleasure skyrocketed. He slid his hand between them and took hold of his cock, squeezing and stroking, shuddering at the pleasure pinging back and forth between his dick and Jack's stimulation.
"Yes, come for me," Jack told him, and Daniel's words were suddenly true for him, too. Snapping his hips harder, Jack sped up, loving the sound of skin on skin, of Daniel's breathing. Then Daniel was yelling, clamping his hands over his ass, fingers digging in as his body tightened and spasmed. He was beautiful. Head arched back, mouth open, voice throaty and ragged as he yelled through his orgasm.
Muscles clenched tightly around Jack's cock, and his brain and body locked up in a swell of heat and pleasure. It was startling and embarrassing, the way his rebellious mind had him yelling about love and possible rapture as he emptied his balls and came forfuckingever.
.
Daniel dozed for a while, his body and Jack's warm and sticky, long past the cooled state. He wanted more. Sliding free of Jack's arms, he damn near stepped on the drawer as his feet reached the floor. After placing it back in the endtable, he padded to the bathroom, cleaned up a little after relieving himself and when he returned, he smiled at Jack's now-open eyes, watching him. He was going to sit down, but he needed something to drink. "Water?"
"Yeah," Jack replied thickly.
Grabbing two bottles from the fridge, Daniel returned and sat down, feet on the floor, and handed Jack one of them while he opened the other and drank nearly half the contents. He licked his lips as he watched Jack drink, carefully gauging him for post-coital reactions.
Jack wasn't looking at him, and Daniel suddenly felt vulnerable, worrying that maybe Jack might want to back out of this. When Jack's eyes met his, however, Daniel was relieved to find no conflict there. He swallowed and asked, "Feeling okay?"
"Yeah," Jack replied, grinning at the only sound he'd managed in ten minutes. "You?" he decided to add. When Daniel nodded, giving him a look Jack classified as both sated and worried, he sighed. "Nothing to worry about, Daniel. I'm not regretting anything." He laid onto his back and reached out, running his hand over Daniel's stomach, fingernails scraping at the warm, soft skin. Daniel shivered suddenly and goosebumps started to rise. "Cold?" Jack asked.
Daniel shook his head and lifted Jack's hand high enough so Jack could see his dick was filling again. "You simply did something that turns me on."
"Fingernails?" Jack asked. Daniel nodded again and placed Jack's hand back on his stomach. "What else turns you on?"
"Make it your business to find out," Daniel replied, grinning at him when Jack rolled his eyes.
"Q and A is part of it, Daniel," Jack told him, faking a stern tone, but couldn't keep the smile off his face. Then a thought occurred to him. Or rather, a memory. "Speaking of questions, what was it you wanted to ask but never did?"
Daniel gave him a mischievous smile. "May I see the bottle of smut you bought from Hasha?"
Jack laughed softly and nodded. "In the top drawer," he pointed at the dresser.
While Daniel retrieved the box, Jack pushed himself into a half-sitting position, his attention not on what Daniel was getting but on Daniel himself. He shook his head, marvelling at how goddamned lucky and cursed he was. Gorgeous body, dangerous mind, and he had both now, probably for the rest of his life if the universe didn't fuck it up.
Sitting back down, Daniel opened the wooden box and pulled the bottle free of the cloth wrapping. "Nice glass," he commented.
"Yeah, that's what made me pick it up in the first place," Jack said, then without thinking, pulled out the stopper and dropped some of the liquid from it back into the bottle. Giving Daniel a long look, he simply raised his brows in question.
"I'm game," Daniel answered with a dangerous sparkle in his eyes.
Jack returned the look, but grimaced at the idea of taking the stuff straight. "Go pour us a drink, Daniel. We'll toast, then have see if this shit works."
Daniel got up, then paused, tilting his head. "Are you sure? First time and all?"
Jack eyed him with a deliberately provocative expression and said, "I'm no virgin, Daniel."
Daniel suddenly cleared his throat and walked out. "Good enough for me." Fixing a drink as quickly as he could, he returned, feeling more nervous than he was when he'd first kissed him. "What if this does something bad?"
Jack considered that, then shook his head. "I wouldn't have brought it home, Daniel. They're human, we're human."
"Except for their lifespan."
Jack pursed his lips as he waved the dropper over the glass of bourbon on ice, then placed six drops into it. "Let's compromise. She said three for 'renewed interest' and ten for a full night. I'll assume that means each. Now, I don't think we need ten. We're hardly up for an all-nighter, seeing as neither of us is twenty years old."
"I'm willing to give it a go," Daniel grinned, stirring the drink with his finger, then sucked the liquor off. At Jack's strangely beguiling look, he took a long swallow of the drink, then offered the rest to Jack, who downed it in one gulp. Daniel set the glass on the table, then laid crosswise over Jack's stomach, elbow on the bed and propped his head in his hand. Reaching out with his free hand, Daniel played with the sparse hair on Jack's chest, once in a while moving over a nipple to lightly tease.
They didn't talk as they waited. It was a comfortable silence as they caressed each other, not being deliberate about anything. Five minutes passed. Then ten.
"I'm not feeling anything," Jack said, disgusted. "I'm beginning to think she gave me ink water."
Daniel kept caressing his skin, and sighed, "Well, I'm not feeling anything out of the ordinary."
"I never even thought to ask how long it takes this shit to work."
Daniel gave Jack a very seductive look. "It really doesn't matter if it works. I don't need any incentive to want to have sex with you."
"No," Jack said, agreeing, and pulled Daniel down on top of him for a long, deep kiss.
Stretching out on top of him, Daniel kept his weight balanced on his knees as he threaded his fingers through Jack's hair and kissed him back, getting hungrier by the second as the kiss changed angles repeatedly.
Jack enjoyed that, and everything else, loving how Daniel's body fit perfectly over him, the way his cock rubbed his own. He expected his dick to harden again, so that wasn't what tipped him off to the effects of the elixir.
It was the tingling of their nerves, starting at the fingertips. And it spread. Fast.
Daniel suddenly felt pleasure at his fingertips as he circled a nipple. He dropped open his mouth, exchanging looks of surprise with Jack. "Oh my god, did you feel that?"
Jack suddenly grabbed him by the hair and kissed him harder, inhaling with a sharp groan before separating long enough to say, "God, you taste good," before he started in again.
Before long, they were tasting and feeling everywhere. Everything was sweet, including the salt from their sweat. It didn't take Daniel long before he had Jack's cock in his mouth, sucking like a starving man. His body was thrumming, demanding stimulation, so when Jack turned him around into a sixty-nine, he sighed with pleasure around the hot, heavy cock in his mouth.
It was only a minute after that. Only a minute.
Daniel was moaning one moment, then practically screaming around Jack's cock the next as he abruptly came, hard, in his mouth. Jack's equally loud moans reached his ears a second before Daniel felt the first spurt, then he was swallowing, moaning with pleasure at the strength of Jack's orgasm.
There should have been a breather. Afterglow was part of sex, but Jack felt this craving for more and knew somehow that Daniel did as well. They gave in to those cravings, rimming this time, tongues probing deep, making each other buck and squirm, spurred on by the soft keening noises they pulled from each other.
And again, it happened. It was almost frightening how quick it was. And how intense. Not a dry orgasm, either. Daniel exclaimed, "Oh no!" before plunging his tongue inside Jack's ass, stimulating him with a frenzy as he came against his lover's chest.
Jack's body began to shake; Daniel's tongue was the devil, and he suddenly gripped Daniel's legs hard enough to leave bruises. "Holy fucking shit," he gasped as he came, spilling onto Daniel's throat.
Collapsing onto their backs, their hands couldn't stop caressing skin, and eventually, Daniel got up and turned around, lying over Jack, hands tucked under his shoulders. "Jack?"
"Yeah," Jack responded, a stunned mullet expression on his face.
"Think we're in trouble?" he asked, 'cause frankly, Daniel wasn't so sure. He'd felt like this before, of course, but only in the middle of sex, not after.
Jack stared up at him, then spread his legs as he thought of what Daniel's cock would feel like inside him right then. "Ask me later."
Daniel's heart began to pound in excitement and apprehension. He'd always wondered what his cock would feel like inside him, but with the sensations caused by the elixir, how above-normal would it be? Would it be the same later, without it? As he studied Jack's face, he decided that his earlier statement was truer than ever. He didn't need any encouragement to want to fuck this gorgeous man.
Daniel searched blindly for the lube, and after finally finding it, he coated his cock, groaning loudly at the sensation his own hand gave him. "Shit."
Jack laughed, taking the lube and squeezing more onto Daniel's fingers. "Kind of eliminates the need for foreplay, doesn't it?"
"No," Daniel laughed, "but it makes this a lot more fun."
The moment Daniel slid his fingers inside Jack's hot, slick ass and touched his gland, Jack felt fire slam through him. With one hand, he grabbed his own balls and squeezed, and with the other, he slapped Daniel's fingers free.
"Jack?"
Jack stared at the ceiling with look of shock, then turned his eyes to Daniel's. "Jesus, rocket's red glare doesn't even begin to cover it!"
"What?" Daniel laughed with a tinge of alarm.
"I damn near came again."
Daniel's eyes widened and he pulled back. "Okay, this is getting--"
"Don't you dare, Daniel. This is a one time deal," Jack said, forgetting about the small touch of panic and paying attention only to the need for Daniel's touch, his cock.
"A one time..." Daniel started, then realized what Jack was saying. "Ah."
Jack pulled at his arms. "Get up here and fuck me. Now."
A small smile, then, "Yes, sir." Settling between his legs, Daniel touched his cock to his ass, hissed at the pleasure, then pushed. "Oh fuck!"
"Fuck is a lame word, Daniel," Jack growled as his eyes rolled up in his head. He hadn't thought he was so goddamned limber, but he was raising knees and spreading. He grabbed the spare pillow and started to shove it under his back, but Daniel made a growling sound in return, took his thighs in the crooks of his arms and lifted him. All Jack knew after that was how fucking good Daniel was.
The pleasure was blinding, and neither were able to focus on anything but what their bodies were experiencing. Daniel tried to keep it slow but at the sound of Jack begging for it hard and fast, he lost it and complied. God, he complied, and below him, Jack thrashed, fingernails scraping down his chest and over his shoulders. "My wild man," he laughed, loving it.
Till the familiar heat rocked through his body. "Shitshitshit," he whispered with both alarm and elation, Jack echoing his sentiment as they both came harder than before.
A minute later, Daniel realized they'd both dozed off, with himself on top of Jack, legs trapped in his arms. God, this was scary. But a crazy, good kind of scary. He tried to move and found himself shuddering at the pleasure of still being inside Jack. "Oh god." His dick started to fill again. "No, you don't, Jackson."
Withdrawing slowly, and clamping severely down on the sudden urge to thrust, he separated and lay down. Jack made a groaning noise and laid a hand over his thigh, then turned on his side and pulled Daniel against him, spooning him.
Daniel snuggled back into him, closing his eyes while Jack's breath against the nape of his neck put him to sleep.
.
Daniel awoke sometime later with Jack's cock hard and rubbing against his ass, his voice growling behind his ear. All he could think of doing at that moment was to roll his eyes up into his head and grab hold of the bed sheet as Jack slid deep inside.
.
At 1 a.m., Daniel lay on his back on one side of the bed. Jack lay on the other. He turned his head and looked at him and found Jack eyeing his hard-on. "Jack, stop looking at my dick."
Jack grinned tiredly. "Stop looking at mine. And the rest of me, while you're at it."
"You first," Daniel grinned back. He couldn't move, except his hand was lazily fingering his cock.
"I have insomnia sometimes," Jack said suddenly.
Daniel snorted. "To quote you, 'and but so therefore'?"
"Janet prescribed sleeping pills for occasional use."
Daniel started thinking sleep would be nice. He forced himself to sit up, wincing. "I'll get them."
"Okay," Jack replied, watching him leave the room, his ass cheeks moving so nicely back and forth and... Jack found himself pushing out of bed. "I'll get some juice."
"I'll get it," Daniel told him, but Jack was already going to the kitchen. He paused, telling himself that maybe it would be better to crash on the couch, so he followed. In the kitchen, he found Jack at the fridge, and he opened the bottle and handed Jack a pill, then tossed one in his mouth.
Jack swallowed his, then handed Daniel the carton of O.J.
Daniel swallowed the pill, then leaned against the counter. "I should probably crash on the couch."
Jack leaned against the wall by the fridge, nodding, even as he looked over Daniel's naked body and hard cock. "Probably a good idea."
"Yeah, probably." Daniel couldn't take his eyes off him, either. Jack had a very nice cock. And balls. And shoulders, arms, fingers, chest, belly, legs, lips, throat, ears, feet... Feet? "Oh boy."
"Yeah."
Daniel told himself to move away, look away. But he did neither. "How long's this pill take?"
"Half an hour or so."
"Um, okay, I'll just..." and Daniel thumbed in the direction of the living room, then pointedly looked away, feeling somehow like he was abandoning Jack. But he put one foot in front of the other and made it the couch. Well, the back of the couch.
Jack pushed off the wall and followed, sort of, keeping his eyes on the floor the entire time. "I'll get a pillow and blanket," he mumbled, going to the linen closet.
"Okay."
On his way to the living room, Jack looked up and saw Daniel standing behind the couch, his back to him. His ass to him. God. He walked to the couch, eyes on the floor, only when he got to Daniel, his ass came into view. Jack absently dropped the blanket and pillow on the couch, not looking away.
"Here you go."
"Thanks."
"You're welcome."
Minutes passed. In silence and heavier breathing.
"Jack?" Daniel asked.
"Yeah?"
"You're not going back to the bedroom."
"I can't move."
"I can't move either."
Daniel turned, his eyes traveling up Jack's body to his face. "We are so fucked, Jack."
"In many varied and wonderful ways, Daniel," Jack replied, then pulled Daniel against him and kissed him until Daniel yanked them over the couch.
~
The next morning, Jack awoke to find himself on his stomach, on the couch. Looking over the side, Daniel was on the floor, on his back, and half-hard.
"I can't move," Daniel groaned.
Jack tried to push up and every muscle screamed. "God."
Eventually, with effort, they cleaned up, showered, and finagled Hammond into letting them offworld.
Jack and Daniel found their way back to Hasha's shop while keeping as far away from each other as they could without raising suspicion.
The minute Jack saw Hasha, he pointed his gloved finger at her and cracked a grin that wasn't humorous. "You're evil."
"The elixir worked?" she asked, giving them an innocent look no one would buy.
"In spades, it worked," Jack replied while Daniel cleared his throat... and licked at the inside of his mouth. For a second, Jack was distracted, then glared at Daniel, then Hasha, and took a step away. "We need an antidote. Now."
"I told Daniel, the antidote--"
"Horseshit, Hasha. You have to have something for emergencies. Six drops. That's all we took yesterday. Yesterday. And aside from the... congress... draining the hell out of us, now we can't seem to stay away from it. So... antidote, now."
She blinked at them, then suddenly looked like she knew what was wrong.
"What?" Daniel asked.
What?" Jack asked.
"It must be our lifespan difference. The elixir is probably working faster on your metabolism."
"Well, it ain't leaving very fast," Jack groused.
"One more thing," she said carefully.
"Isn't there always," Jack said while Daniel rolled his eyes.
"I misspoke when I said a full night's passion. That included the day. If I understood your Major Carter correctly, one of our nights equals sixteen Earth hours."
"And?" Jack asked.
"And that means the elixir will take a long time to leave you. When did you take it?"
Jack looked at his watch. It was just after ten. "A little over twelve of our hours ago."
Hasha grimaced. "You have approximately twelve more to go."
Jack and Daniel closed their eyes.
"We are so screwed," Daniel said.
"In more than one way, Daniel. We're sore and tired and can't have sex." Realizing he'd said that in front of Hasha, Jack shrugged apologetically.
Hasha gave them both a look of pity, then sighed and went back into her shop. Not wanting to wait, Jack and Daniel followed, closing the door behind them. Fortunately, the shop was empty.
"Hasha, we need an antidote," Jack called out, wondering where she'd gone.
"Be patient, young one," came Hasha's voice.
Daniel snickered. "Talking to the wind, Hasha."
Since Daniel was in front of him when he said it, Jack slapped him on the ass, grinning when Daniel flinched and rubbed the assaulted spot.
Daniel looked over his shoulder and chided, "Ow."
Jack started to snark back but the look on Daniel's face melted his thoughts. The fact that he looked hot in those fatigues was just as distracting as the leftover feeling of his hand slapping his lover's ass. Jack abruptly closed the distance between them, murmuring, "Want me to kiss it and make it better?"
"Maybe later."
Jack took a shaky breath, feeling himself harden easily. "I could slap you again."
"Jack, shut up," Daniel answered, only his heart wasn't in it; his dick was. He pulled Jack in by his collar and kissed him, feeling the passion rise again. With a breath as shaky as Jack's, he stepped away. "Dammit."
"Yeah."
When they looked at the door that separated the back room, Hasha was leaning against the frame, watching them. "You two are so cute together."
"Cute?" Jack grimaced, and wanted to slap Daniel for snickering only he'd safely stepped out of ass-slapping range. Probably a good thing. Jack so didn't trust himself.
Coming forward, Hasha handed them each a small green bottle. "This will work, but the method it employs is not pleasant."
Daniel took the bottle from her carefully. "Okay, what's it do?"
"After drinking the contents, you will develop a fever to sweat out the effects, and then you will purge for a few hours. After that, you will be cleansed."
Grimacing, the men nodded to show they understood, but there was hesitation since they couldn't pay the woman. Hasha seemingly, and not surprisingly, read their minds and bartered their watches as trade. "Next time," she warned, "use only one drop of the elixir. Each."
Jack exchanged glances with Daniel and they nodded together, knowing damn well that they'd use it again. Sometime. Just... not anytime soon.
"I shall show you to your old room now," she said, escorting them from the shop.
"Wait, can't we take this home?" Jack asked.
Hasha shook her head. "No. I need to be here with you."
"Swell," Jack grumbled.
.
Later, after the puking party was finally over with and they were feeling much better, thank you, Jack felt... strange. Good. He was no longer sore--anywhere--and he checked with Daniel to see if that were true with him too. It was.
"Hasha, what did you do?" Jack half-accused. Okay, a little more than half. "What was in that stuff?"
"I did nothing. You had the antidote, nothing more. Besides, young man, a craftperson never gives away their secrets."
Jack harrumphed, eyeing her with suspicion. "You don't have any used cars to sell do you?"
"Cars?" she asked while Daniel was stifling another snicker.
"Carriages," Jack amended.
"Yes, why?"
"Cauldrons?"
"Jack," Daniel scolded, sobering abruptly.
Hasha only smiled. "As a matter of fact--"
"Never mind," Jack replied, holding up his hand. "Thanks for all your, uh, help."
On the way back to the gate, Jack felt more than good. In fact, he hadn't felt this strong and alive in years. "Daniel?"
"Yeah?"
"Feeling okay?"
"Actually, I was just thinking that. I feel great. I don't know what was in that stuff, but it seems the old adage is true. 'Nothing worthwhile comes without risk.' I'd like to know what's in that shit, but maybe it's not a good idea to find out."
"Yeah, I'm with you on that one," Jack grinned, thinking that the adage applied to them, not the medicine. "So..."
"So?"
"Whaddya want for your 41st birthday?"
"Five days off and the elixir."
Jack gave him the look. "Done." He paused, having the sudden urge to talk again. Weird. "Have I told you yet that I... you know."
"No, but tell me later. Sounds odd right now."
Jack frowned. "Why? We're alone and walking through the woods."
"Well, putting aside for the moment that you just said 'you know' for I love you."
Jack gave Daniel a sheepish look. "Okay, putting aside."
Daniel slowed his walk and smiled mischievously. "I'm surprised you said anything now."
"Why?"
"Because you're more comfortable saying it during sex."
Jack sighed. Even when he'd told himself he wouldn't, Jack had said it. Twenty-five times. Over eight orgasms. "Right. And your point?" Daniel only smiled and pulled him into the woods. "Daniel, we took the antidote," Jack said, his voice echoing.
"Yes, but remember the thing about me not needing any incentive? It's true. To risk swelling your ego, instead of your dick, I have to restrain the urge to fantasize fucking you at any given opportunity."
Jack grinned, shifting a little as his muscles twitched right along with his cock. "Are you sure it was your birthday, not mine?"
"Yeah, but Happy belated Birthday, Jack. Now drop 'em."
Jack grabbed at his belt, then paused, narrowing his eyes at Daniel.
"Jack?" Daniel asked, brows rising. "No?"
"Yes, but."
"But what?"
"I said it, Daniel, but you never did."
Daniel blinked, thinking, then realized that Jack was right. He never had. Taking on a flirty grin, he cozied up against Jack, pressing him against a tree. "Well, now. I guess I need to address this terrible oversight."
Jack sighed heavily. "It's nothing to joke about, Daniel."
Daniel had thought Jack was making light of it. Not joking, no, but not too sober about it, either. However, Daniel was very serious whenever he said it, so he nuzzled Jack's cheek and whispered against his ear. "I love you."
Jack didn't look at him; instead, he smiled in an almost shy way that somehow made Daniel all the harder.
"Better?" Daniel asked.
"Better," Jack replied, now feeling a little embarrassed.
Daniel quickly caught on and fixed it. "Want me to quote poetry?"
Chuckling, Jack unbuckled his belt. "That won't be necessary."
"I can, you know. Any kind. Name it, I'll quote it."
Jack gave him a teasing look and licked his lips. "Poetry and al fresco sex don't mesh, Daniel."
"True," Daniel smiled. "Ready to get back to making naughty in the woods?"
"I think I can manage that, yes."
"Then get those trousers down, Jack, or I'm ripping them off."
"Yes, sir, Doctor Jackson, sir."
"Ohhh, that sounds nice."
"What does?"
"You calling me 'sir' for a change."
"Don't get used to it. One time only deal."
"Ah huh. Like the elixir. Tell me, how do you feel about handcuffs, Jack?"
"Daniel, don't push your... handcuffs?"
Daniel smiled at the look in Jack's eyes. Happy Birthday indeed.
~
end