Lust

Joy

Daniel sat alone at the Control Room console reviewing the preliminary report from the MALP for their next mission. A nice looking world, if a little on the wet side. Jack should love that, Daniel thought sarcastically. At least the temperatures were moderate and not cold. They were set to go to the planet, designated as P9R-809, in two days. It was their last of five missions packed into two and a half weeks and after this they'd get four days off. Hopefully. At least they had two days of regular work before they had to go out again.

Daniel wrote a few more notes from the MALP readings and got up to go back to his office when he noticed the clock on the wall. It read 5:30 pm. Dammit. Where the hell did the time go? Daniel sighed and made his way to his office.

As he walked to the elevator, his found himself going over the past few weeks, and more specifically, what had happened over the weekend...and what had happened last night because of it.

It had to do with the relieving of stress.

They'd been rather busy since the weekend in DC. Daniel had just barely had the chance to say hello to Jason in the gear-up room when SG-1 had been sent out to help the Tok'ra. Daniel had been looking forward to seeing Jace and those damn Tok'ra had screwed things up. A few stressful missions after that, the purposes of which were acquiring more technology, had driven Jack and himself to arguing again. Daniel knew that the reason Jack snapped was the stress that weighed heavily on him, and though he tried his best not to make things worse, he couldn't help but snap back at Jack. At least he understood the stress after Jack had confided in him one night about the pressures he was put under as leader of SG-1 and the base's 2IC. It had been a rare moment but it had also been the night that they had mended their estranged friendship. That had been 8 months ago now.

They all had their own ways of dealing with stress. Daniel had had his own way of dealing with it for a long time. He buried himself in his interests, which 96% of the time were work-related. The other 4% of his time was spent with friends. With Daniel's friends, they dealt with it differently, but in some cases, the stress relief methods were the same.

Teal'c was an odd fellow. He spent time with Jack periodically, but mostly he preferred to visit his son, meditate, or watch films - the usual 'escapist' stuff Jack or Ferretti had introduced him to.

Sam spent time with Janet and Cassie and sometimes she went out on dates. When they were of a mind to, Daniel and the gals spent time eating, gossiping, and watching scary or suspenseful movies. Theirs was one way to relieve stress, and it worked. His gal pals would come over, bury themselves in baking cookies, and the three of them would over-indulge on dough and the eventually baked ones.

Daniel had tried that method with Jason and Jack and had found that baking cookies with them was a bad idea. Though it could be considered fun occasionally, they invariably ended up slinging more dough than eating it. Compared to Janet and Sam, Jack and Jason turned out to be somewhat boring when it came to lazing around having fun, since their idea of fun had a lot more to do with sports than in actually interacting with each other - aside from the sexual aspect, which was a non-issue. That was always more fun. But as pals just hanging around together, Janet and Sam were far more entertaining. Especially since Janet had a wicked sense of humour not many knew anything about and when she filled up on ice cream, chocolate, cookies, and the occasional beer, one ended up hearing the most amazing rumours that went around on base. Janet was in the best position to know, and her nurses were dreadful gossips, the corpsmen included. However, Daniel found it a toss-up sometimes when Paul was in town, considering all the dirt he heard in D.C. Those times with his best friends were a bit more riotous than anything Janet could come up with.

Jack, on the other hand, didn't really deal with his stress as everyone else did: by finding another outlet, be it films, food, alcohol or just visiting with friends. He'd simply go home and be by himself. He'd never actively seek out anyone. Daniel hated that and so did Jason, Sam, and Teal'c. For that reason, he or Jason would go round and visit with Jack and sometimes they'd talk, but mostly they'd watch television or play a game or three of chess.

And then there was Paul. Well, Paul would see a few friends, watch films, or...he'd call Daniel. Daniel had told him a long time ago that no matter the hour, he'd always be there to talk. Even across the country, Daniel was an ear for him.

Occasionally there were team nights, especially when there'd been a rather nasty 'team' mission, but mostly, they split up and went their separate ways. Everyone at the base had the base psychologist to talk to, along with the shrink MacKenzie, but unless ordered to do so, they steered clear and took their private lives, and problems, off-base.

That was the regular way to relieve stress and Daniel had found it useful most of the time. Until recently, he hadn't bothered educating himself about the other kinds of stress relief except as a way of staying informed. One of those ways, he'd discovered, was sex. Good old-fashioned sweaty sex. And the source of the 'buddy fuck'.

Sex had always been a stress reliever to military men - and now women - in the field. Whether it was hetero sex or gay sex, it made no difference. Daniel knew that his sexual relationship with his friends helped relieve the stress he was under, and the same for them. Guys on missions, on or off planet, used sex for stress relief all the time.

None of this was news to Daniel. It was a human thing to do and now that he was back to having sex again, it had become a welcome relief in more ways than the usual need.

Daniel had then found himself wondering what people did with their anger caused by stress, especially that kind of anger that wouldn't go away with just the passage of time. He remembered asking himself,

What did you do if you were extremely angry and upset from the mission, having watched friends die or having the crap scared out of you by almost dying yourself, or having to watch the inhabitants of a world die?  What did you do with those hard emotions other than stew or dwell? You could talk about it, sure, but that sort of talk usually escalated with the need to express that anger, so you needed a pressure valve, didn't you?

Daniel knew some chose to start fights in bars. Others chose less extreme physical activities to get rid of the anger, such as working out in gyms or other regular physical exercise. He had then asked himself, What happened when that wasn't enough? Answer: sex. Daniel had never wanted to equate sex with anger, fear, or rage, but that wasn't the issue. The issue was redirecting those emotions as a way to relieve stress.

Channeling that anger, fear, or rage through sex.

The down and dirty kind of sex. The somewhat violent kind. The rough, bruise-causing kind. The kind of sex that made it hard to sit down for two days without wincing. The kind of sex that seemed to cleanse your soul.

Daniel had had rough sex before and, in fact, liked it. A lot. Especially with Jason. But the difference was the mental state. That other, more angry, kind of sex...he'd never experienced that, even in a mild way, until during their second mission of the past two weeks.

They'd had a rather trying day, having to hammer out some sort of deal to gain access to naquadah mines that weren't being used. The day had been frustrating to say the least. Daniel had just come in from first watch of their camp site and discovered Jack in a restless sleep. Not one of his nightmares, but a hard dream, mumbling, as if he were arguing with someone. Daniel had laid down, then touched Jack's shoulder gently. Jack had normally calmed when he'd done it in the past but that time, Jack had grabbed his hand, still asleep, and had roughly placed it over his groin. Daniel had found his fingers and palm forcibly fondling Jack's cock. Daniel was so shocked with the action, and his own aroused reaction, that he had done nothing to stop it and had taken Jack's cock in his fist and - without question, he realized afterward - jerked him off, almost brutally, as Jack had guided his movements.

In a matter of thirty seconds or so, Jack had come, quite hard actually. Daniel had cleaned his hand off and as he did, Jack had woken up completely. He'd found Daniel next to him, had realized what had happened, and had started to apologize but Daniel had stopped him by suddenly returning the forceful emotion, kissing him hard and fiercely, taking Jack's hand and forcing Jack to do the same to him in return. Daniel had never had such hard, passionate sex before, not like that, and he'd found that it had turned him on. He'd also found that, in the morning, he and Jack were both in better moods and despite his not having any coffee, they'd stopped sniping at each other for a while.

Daniel's education with the more physical form of it came after they'd returned from the third mission. He and Jack had been in horrible moods and Jack's continued long after they'd returned to the SGC. But the following morning, Jack was nearly chipper. Well, not quite, but close enough for him. Daniel had also noticed how sore he seemed when he walked or sat down, and when they'd changed in the gear-up room to go home for the weekend, Daniel had then noticed a few bruises...on Jason. Just simple ones but they were around his hips and upper back. Finger-sized. He'd known then that Jason and Jack had been together for that sort of sex. Neither of them would have been with anyone else and they certainly hadn't been with him. He hadn't realized it then, but it had made him resentful, as if they considered his own need was somehow less than theirs.

Their fourth mission had been rather tame, but with their fifth and just recently completed mission, over the past weekend, the stress had risen off the scale. Their downtime had been cancelled so they could spend more quality time with the Tok'ra and Jack had been livid, just as they all had been. During the mission - which had inevitably involved the Goa'uld - Jack had barked at all of them, especially at the Tok'ra, including Jacob, and had hardly ever smiled except in sarcasm. Their evacuation of Vorash had been a picnic by comparison, and only the slaughter that had happened on Revanna had any comparative value.

When they'd finally returned to the SGC, Jack had started to calm down, apologizing to his team for his behavior. He'd then given Daniel a hard smile before he'd gone home, so it was very clear to Daniel that Jack - as they all were - was still good and pissed off. Daniel had decided that despite his own anger over the mission, he'd try to put it aside and see if he could help Jack. Maybe the man could use his company. It had seemed only fair as Jack had helped him out when he'd needed it.

Leaning against the wall of the elevator, Daniel remembered what had happened very clearly.

Daniel knocked on Jack's door, waiting for an answer. When he didn't get one, he tried again. Jack finally answered, beer bottle in hand, wearing jeans and a faded grey t-shirt.

"Daniel." Jack looked humourless; his eyes were hard, guarded.

Daniel suddenly had a flashback to when Jack had opened the door three years previously after he'd been forced to retire - a ruse because of that stupid NID sting operation. Jack had had a defensive look about him back then and he had a similar one now.

Irrationally, and because of his own stress from their mission with the Tok'ra, Daniel became angrier. Jack didn't need to greet him like that. He wasn't the only to be strung-out from that fucking mission. It was now Sunday night; the last two days had worn rather thin and Jack's attitude was wearing thinner. Daniel suddenly felt that coming to Jack was a huge mistake. He shook his head in disgust and held up his hand in sarcastic apology.

"You know what? I made a mistake. I thought a friend of mine lived here." He turned around and walked back to his car, fuming, and suddenly found a hand on his arm as Jack pulled him, resisting, into the house, slamming the door. They stood in the foyer glaring at each other and Jack seemed to be eyeing him as if he were a recalcitrant child.

"Jesus, Daniel. Don't be so melodramatic."

"Fuck you, Jack! You aren't the only one pissed off by this mission. If you and Jason think you're the only ones who have a goddamn corner market on needing stress relief, you're sadly mistaken!" He turned around and headed for the door but Jack grabbed him again, gripping his arms, his fingers flexing tightly.

"How did Jason get into this and what the fuck do you mean?"

Daniel tried to throw Jack's grip off of him, but he couldn't. In retaliation, he yelled. "I mean that I came here to see if you wanted some company because I needed company, too. I mean that I realized that the only reason Jason isn't here is because he's on a fucking mission and it pisses me off that you go to him and not me when we share the same mission stress! I mean that I'm tired of having no one to turn to for this even if it isn't about sex! I mean that you're not the only one who needs, Jack! You're not the only one!"

"What happened to that Alex guy?" Jack asked, neatly defending by going on the attack.

"I ended it!"

"Why?" Jack's voice suddenly lowered an octave from the surprise and in response, Daniel lowered his. They were still quite angry, and unfortunately Daniel's resentments had piled onto the anger from the mission, so now they were out in the open to be examined.

"Because I wasn't comfortable seeing him anymore," Daniel snapped in that tone that usually intimated that he was giving up information he'd rather not have Jack know just yet.

Jack frowned as he took in all that Daniel had said and then his frown deepened with the sudden knowledge as he realized how he and Jason had made Daniel feel. As a result, the guilt made him defensive.  "Daniel, Jason and I weren't intentionally ignoring you."

"The fuck you weren't," Daniel snapped again, though his voice was now much quieter. His resentment, however, was feeding off itself and gaining strength. "Every time we have long stretches of back-to-back-to-back missions, the only time I see you or Jason is at work."

Jack suddenly folded his arms around him and hugged him. "Not every time, but I am sorry for the rest of it."

"Well," Daniel said with vicious sarcasm as he tried to move away. "Now that that's settled--" Jack stopped him, making Daniel drop his coat so he picked it up and hung it on the hook by the door, giving Daniel a clear invitation to stay.

"It isn't settled, Daniel, but maybe now's not the time to talk about it because of our moods. Later, okay?"

"Fine. Whatever." Daniel was still fairly mad. He had no idea those hidden resentments were in there but now that he did, he wanted them discussed. The calm part of his mind told him that it was stupid to discuss anything while angry, but angry part flared with indignation that he couldn't vent.

"As for why you came over..." Jack started, but paused.

"Oh yeah, that..." Daniel spat, his words layered with heavy sarcasm. "It's why I came over."

"I'm not in a good mood, Daniel. Meaning that I'm not in the mood to fool around."

Daniel paused a moment, holding back a new string of epithets. He knew damn well Jack's choice of words, 'fool around', had everything to do with his mood and nothing to do with how he really felt.

"You're not in the mood? That's bullshit, and you and I both know it. You're in the mood, Jack, just not in the mood to be with me," Daniel hurled back, making Jack's frown furrow even deeper. "I saw the bruises, Jack," and Jack's eyes became as big as saucers. "I know what you need. I know what I need." Then Jack's eyes somehow grew larger. "Yes, Jack. I can get like that. You know damn well that I have it in me. I just never thought to use it this way. Remember two missions ago?"

Jack cleared his throat, unable to believe what he was hearing from Daniel. "But...that was more tame, Daniel. And how did you know that that was what the bruises were from?"

"I guessed." He didn't bother explaining that the bruises he'd seen were Jason's but Jack's answer had only confirmed it for him that he and Jason had caused them together.

Jack stared at Daniel and didn't move. He was going to deny it, but this was Daniel. His best friend. And if he wanted Daniel to not see anyone else, like Jason had told him, he'd better get his head out of his ass. If he also didn't want to create another rift between them, he'd better start seeing all of Daniel, not just the sides he wanted to see. He, unfortunately, only ever saw Daniel as a highly passionate man. Not one given to unleashing his anger this way. The more he thought about it, and the more he saw the flashing anger in Daniel's eyes, the flushed color of his skin, the more he was able to see Daniel that way. But he still wasn't sure if it was something Daniel actually wanted or if he was just trying to help. If anyone could convince him, though, it would be Daniel.

"This is very different, Daniel. How do I know you're not just here to help me out, that if we hadn't shared the same mission, that you'd be offering?"

"Because I have the same fucking needs as you, Jack. Just open your goddamn eyes and see me."

That was the right answer for Jack. And he did open his eyes and took a long look into Daniel's. He saw the anger, the hurt, the fear, and more importantly, the arousal and the need.  "Jason always brings a change of clothes with him."

Daniel opened his mouth to ask why, but shut it, suddenly not needing to ask. He closed his eyes and when he opened them, he found that Jack had closed the distance between them until they were face to face again. Daniel suddenly knew what he had to do if Jack was going to see him that way. He had a feeling that Jack wouldn't initiate this, either, so it was for him to start. This required no thoughts from him, no planning, no information gathering. Only action and emotion.

He reached out and grabbed Jack by the front of his shirt and turning them both around, Daniel shoved him very hard against the front door, the sound extremely loud and thunderous, making the walls rattle. He had handfuls of Jack's now-stretched shirt and when he tightened his fists and pulled, the material ripped.

Jack couldn't believe what Daniel just did. And he recognized the look in Daniel's eyes for the first time. Jack was hard in an instant as he saw the fire reflecting in Daniel's eyes. Jack reached out and grabbed him by the back of the head, painfully gripping his hair and pulling his head back slightly, making Daniel gasp with lust. He pulled Jack into a blinding kiss, their tongues battling, their mouths practically eating each other. They both moaned and gasped, loud, desperate noises, each needing to consume - and be consumed by - the other. Jack broke away, his fist still holding Daniel by his hair.

"Daniel, this isn't a game. There's no stopping."

"I know."

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes. And we both need it, Jack."

Their built-up anger transformed to intense, lustful need as Daniel ripped the t-shirt across Jack's chest, nearly tearing it in two as the sound of it ignited his lust even more. He felt his need climb impossibly higher as his own t-shirt was ripped down the back as Jack's teeth bit hard against his neck. Jeans were torn open and off, hands left bruising caresses on hips, thighs, backs and arms, and small, red bite marks were left behind in places that could be hidden behind clothing. The passion was as intense as a fireworks explosion. Short, bright and...very loud. By the time the two of them reached their powerful orgasms, they were exhausted. What struck Daniel more than the remarkable intensity of the sex, was that by the time they had come down from the extreme highs, they were also...at peace. Only the barest hint of stress remained.

Daniel reached level 18 as he thought of what had happened. He felt a little guilty about it, leaving those bruises, but Jack had left a few bruises on him as well. One thing that he hadn't expected was that Jack would be the one who couldn't sit very well this morning. As a memory flash of rough, savage pounding came into Daniel's mind, he started to stiffen. He quickly put the memory away and thought instead of when he'd seen Jack that morning in the gear-up room. Jack had given him such a deep look of love and respect that Daniel had wanted to drag Jack home and make love to him for three days. Jack had apparently thought something similar but all he had said instead was, "Downtime, Daniel." Daniel had only smiled and nodded before moving off to his office.

Daniel turned down the corridor and found his thoughts switching to Jason. He knew that he had to tell him about what had happened. All of it, including the resentment. He needed to let Jason know that if he ever needed him that way, that he would be there for him. He didn't think Jason would have a problem with that, seeing as how he already knew Daniel loved it when he ripped his clothes off. Jason needed to see, just as Jack had, that Daniel could more than handle the angry side of stress-relieving sex.

Those thoughts were pushed away for the time being as Daniel remembered that his friend would be back from his mission that day. He missed him. He hadn't been with Jason in a long while and he couldn't keep the desire inside him from casting moving images of sex. Daniel didn't just want to take Jason home and fuck him, either, and though that had appeal to his dick, the rest of his body complained. What Daniel wanted was to play, as always.

The thought made him smile as he approached his office. When he got there, he found Jason and he couldn't keep from smiling at him in greeting.

"Hey," he said with a smile and closed the door. Daniel also noticed that Jason was already in civilian clothes, so he'd been back a little while. Then Daniel noticed Jason wore the clothes he liked so well. Those dark, tight jeans, and that dark red button-down shirt that showed off the hollow of his throat in a way that made Daniel's mouth water. Inwardly, Daniel groaned with want. Why did Jason have to look like that? This meant that Daniel would have to tighten the reins on his desire...a little bit, anyway. He had to fight the urge to go over and hug the man.

Jason smiled back. "Hey."

"I'm glad you're back. You going home?"

"Yeah, but I wanted to come get you first, drag you home, get something to eat, watch some TV or...something." Jason then awarded Daniel with a knowing and seductive smile and suddenly reached out and grasped his arm, caressing lightly with his thumb. Daniel looked at his arm, at Jason's fingers...those wonderfully dextrous fingers...then back at Jason. Jason was actually touching him...correction, caressing his arm...in his office...at work.

He gave Jason a gently teasing smile and somehow refrained from touching him back. "Jason?"

"Yeah?"

"You're touching me...at work. Do you want to lie down? Want me to call Janet?"

Jason put his hand down quickly. "Ha ha, very funny. I was just touching you on the arm. Besides, I touch you all the time," he said innocently.

Daniel turned to his door...and locked it. "No, you hug me all the time...but only in the gear-up room. That's different. What you just did was definitely a caress. Maybe there's something wrong with you..."

"Daniel, stop teasing...and why did you just lock the door?"

Daniel sniggered. "In case a mysterious outbreak of passion should hit you on-base, it might be safer to keep you away from others."

"Daniel..." Jason warned, his eyes laughing even as he tried not to smile.

"Are you sure Janet checked everything? Maybe you brought back some strange hormonal infection or something."

Jason barked out a short laugh. "Daniel, jeezus. Get a grip," and he moved over to Daniel's lab desk and leant against it, folding his arms and crossing his ankles, waiting for Daniel to get over his teasing.

Daniel couldn't resist. He stuck his tongue in his cheek, fully prepared to see just where the teasing would go, and got one hell of an idea as he watched Jason's body language...and where Jason had just placed himself.

"I tried 'getting a grip' once, Jace, but you pushed me away." His smirk spread into a bigger one as he walked toward Jason, who folded his arms tighter and adopted a belligerent stance. "What? No comeback? Come on, J. I know you have it in you."

"Keep it up, D," Jason warned as Daniel finally stood before him, standing just a little too close.

"Oh, I don't think I need to work at it, J. It's not going down anytime soon. You know as well as I do how long it's been for us," he purposely looked down at Jason's lips, then back into his eyes. "You really don't deserve to live, tempting me like that."

Jason snorted a bit, eyeing Daniel's lips. "Look who's tempting who," and realized that he'd put a desk behind him and had allowed Daniel to corner him.

"Who me? I didn't do anything. You're the one - for once, I might add - who did the caressing." Daniel stated, his eyes and browline assuming that surprised look of innocence.

Jason bit the inside of his cheek as he looked at Daniel like he wanted to kill him. Metaphorically. He really just wanted to torture him. Daniel surprised him as his hands settled on the lab table, his shirt just brushing Jason's aviator jacket. A matter of inches separated them now.

Jason looked at both of Daniel's hands resting on either side of him and then back into Daniel's eyes. He looked as if he was just about ready to tempt Daniel again and Daniel suddenly wondered just who was trying to seduce who?

At the moment, Daniel didn't care. He was feeling a lot warmer than he was before. He also felt his urge to tease a lot more. Jason suddenly unfolded his arms and placed his hands on the table, just inside Daniel's. Their fingers lightly touched. The act was highly erotic to Daniel, especially since Jason never did this, never let his teasing go this far. Jason's touching was always innocent, lost in friendship, and for a while, that's all it had been. Until recently.

Daniel gave Jason a soft smile and leaned his face in closer, his lips only an inch away from him. "Jason, it's been almost two months. I think it's time, don't you?"

"Not here, Daniel," was all Jason could think to say. He swallowed hard. He didn't know what was wrong with him. He'd touched Daniel and initiated this and Daniel had taken the cue. He knew Daniel was teasing the crap out of him, and it was working, too. But was he fully prepared to handle what would happen if Daniel were to grab him and kiss the hell out of him? He suddenly jumped when Daniel placed a hand on his chest. He could feel his own breath against Daniel's lips as he spoke. "Daniel, I don't think that this is a good idea."

Daniel smiled and purposely lowered his voice in a deep, seductive whisper. "You mean...it's a bad idea?"

Jason swallowed...hard, and felt the heat on his skin that had nothing to do with room temperature. "Yeah...it's a bad idea."

"Damn," and his smile altered to a wicked grin. "So it would be a bad idea if I did this?" and he closed the miniscule distance, just barely brushing his lips over Jason's, then moved around his face.

Jason uncrossed his feet and straightened, moving his head back. "Yes, Daniel, that's a bad idea."

"Damn," Daniel whispered as he leaned forward just a bit more so that his breath was above the back of his jaw, right before his ear. When he spoke, Jason jumped. "So I shouldn't tell you how much I want to kiss you?"

"No, you...shouldn't," he whispered back, his fingers tightening on the edge of the table.

Daniel opened his mouth and ran his lips over Jason's ear, not touching, but enough to let Jason feel his warm breath. "And I definitely shouldn't tell you how much I want to fuck you right now. Here...against the lab table."

Jason's fingers now white-knuckled the table. "No."

"How about if I drop to my knees and take your cock into my mouth? Would that be okay?"

"No...damn it, Daniel." Jason eyes closed as Daniel's whispers permeated his ear, making him hard, damn the man.

Daniel smiled very smugly as he moved slowly back to Jason's lips, looking into his eyes, waiting for them to open. The fact that they were closed, and his mouth was open, made Daniel all the more smug. Daniel didn't wait for Jason to open his eyes his eyes, either.

Without another word, he leaned in and kissed him fiercely without so much as touching him anywhere else, not with his hands or with his body. Jason was startled and his fingers clutched at the table's edge as Daniel pushed his tongue inside his mouth. Jason was more startled by the fact that he hadn't backed away and that he was, in fact, kissing Daniel back. Before he could change his mind and move away, Daniel surprised them both and pulled back instead, licking his lips and pressing them together. Jason gave him a hot, lustful look as he watched the dilated pupils of Daniel's eyes quickly covering that gorgeous blue.

"Um..."

"I know, I know," Daniel said, giving him a pout which changed to a delicious smile. "No fooling around on-base, but...I missed you, so I was motivated."

Jason finally gave him a rakish smile, one that had always sent chills down Daniel's spine...as it did again. "Care to take this home?"

It had been a while since Jason had been in his apartment and it again reminded Daniel how long they'd been apart. That, combined with the fact that he needed to talk to Jason about what had happened at Jack's the previous night, temporarily stalled Daniel's libido, telling him to slow things down. They hung up their jackets and went to the kitchen where Daniel poured them both a drink.

Jason watched him, knowing that Daniel's mood had altered. He also knew the reason for it. It had to do with himself...and Jack. Daniel wasn't aware of it yet, but Jason had been back home for most of the day, and had already seen Jack. As a team leader, he needed to check in with the base's 2IC, and as Jack's friend and lover, they had spoken privately in Jack's office. Jason had been a bit surprised by what he'd learned, but not by much.

Jason didn't want to talk about it in the kitchen though. He had plans for himself and Daniel. He grabbed Daniel by the hand and led him down the hall. When Daniel saw that they were heading to the bedroom, he tried to slow his steps, resisting a little. "Jace, we need to talk."

Jason looked over his shoulder as he pulled Daniel into the bedroom. "I know. I can tell. But that doesn't mean we can't talk in the bedroom, does it?" He downed his entire drink in one go and began to take off his shirt as he toed off his shoes.

"No, it doesn't, but does that include getting naked?" Daniel asked, trying not to smile.

Jason gave him a grin, letting Daniel know by his body language that getting naked was a priority. "Yes."

Daniel drank half of his liquor, then set the glass down on the bedside table. "Oh..." and he proceeded to remove his shoes slowly as he started to talk. "Well, I was at Jack's last night and..." A puzzled frown crossed his face as Jason held up his hand to stall him.

"Clothes first." He was soon naked and stretching out on the bed. Daniel's undressing took a little more time as his eyes roamed over Jason's body, noting with a small smile how hard Jason was. He had his clothes off soon after that then slid across the bed next to Jason. He himself was only half-hard, not allowing himself to relax into his feelings until he'd said what he needed to say. When he opened his mouth, Jason suddenly put his fingers on his lips to prevent him from speaking, making Daniel's puzzled frown deepen.

"I know. I had a talk with Jack earlier this morning, in his office. He told me what happened...and what was said. For my part, I'm sorry I got you mad at us."

Daniel's frown deepened. "Oh for cryin' out loud, J. I didn't get mad because you were together. I got mad because the two of you were leaving me out, as if you couldn't or wouldn't come to me. Made me feel...well...cut off...separate...excluded...and frankly, insulted."

"I know. I'm very sorry, D." Jason leaned forward and kissed him softly and Daniel noticed he was trembling slightly and his frown increased even more.

"Jason...what's wrong?"

"Nothing, why?"

"You're shaking," Daniel said, worried as he pulled Jason's arm around him.

"Oh...yeah...I guess I'm still coming down off the adrenalin of the mission. Plus, I missed you. I missed Jack. I...was going to be with Jack until he told me to come talk to you first. When I asked why, he told me everything else."

Daniel listened to the sound of his voice carefully. Why hadn't he noticed Jason's shaking in his office then? "Jason, you weren't shaking in my office. Were you trying to control this?"

"I was...and you also distracted me, which I think is the reason I let you arouse the shit out me." He gave Daniel an almost embarrassed look.

"Oh yeah..." Daniel replied with a small smile, nuzzling his nose. "So...you wanna tell me what happened?"

"Since you didn't even know I was back, you wouldn't have heard yet," and he took a deep breath. "We actually came back early. We ran into some trouble. Typical. When do we not?"

"Goa'uld?"

"Uh, I wish. For once. No. Predators. Kind of like what those saber-toothed lions would have looked like...only a lot bigger. Size of polar bears, I swear to God."

Daniel's eyes widened and he suddenly reached out and grabbed Jason's shoulder. "Is your team okay? They all made it back didn't they?" he asked rapidly. Jason nodded and Daniel pulled Jason into a hug, holding him. After a minute or so, he returned the soft kiss Jason had given him...and the kiss deepened suddenly, tongues wrestling, hands searching out skin. Daniel pulled away a little, then pushed Jason onto his back and lay halfway on top of him. "Did you want...need...to take that fear away, Jason? Is that why you went to Jack?"

Jason frowned a bit with worry as he nodded. Daniel smoothed out his wrinkled brow with his thumb, then leaned down and kissed the spot. "Whenever you need me, Jace. It's what I planned on telling you. If you have a bad time of it, and you need to burn off the anger or fear or whatever it is, then feel free to ask me. Anytime," and Daniel paused for a moment and gave Jason an intense look. "Remember our first time in my apartment?"

"How could I for--" and Jason paused and his brow raised, remembering how he'd ripped Daniel's clothes off. "Oh."

"Yeah. You owe me a t-shirt and shorts, by the way," and he grinned at him. "But...Jace, you knew I liked it rough, passionate. It isn't that big a stretch to take it further. I was angry then, but at you, not something else. Though there's a little bit of a difference, it's still hard, rough sex. You know damn well I can take anything you dish out and this isn't any different."

Jason placed a hand on his cheek and Daniel noted that he was still a little shaky. He covered it with his own, sensing for the first time just how jumpy Jason really was. The man had hidden it well...until now. "This is different."

"How so?"

"I thought to be with Jack first to...you know...but he told me..." and he slipped his hand behind the back of Daniel's head. "I really have missed you and I want you more than anything, but I don't want just a quick stress-relieving fuck."

Daniel understood him now and he smiled as he leaned down for another soft kiss, even as his hands moved over his skin in purposefully hard caresses, trying to let Jason know that it was okay to be both gentle and rough. "You really are a romantic. You know that don't you?" He gasped in surprise as Jason grabbed him and Daniel suddenly found himself looking up into the man's eyes instead of down.

Jason leaned down and whispered against his lips. "Tell anyone and I'll kill you."

Daniel growled seductively. "Convince me to keep quiet," he challenged.

Jason took his mouth, thrusting his tongue inside, tasting him, while his hands roamed seductively over Daniel's skin. When Jason's hand caressed Daniel's thighs, Daniel moaned. Jason kept caressing as he slowly broke the kiss. "There are some things I don't want you to keep quiet about." Both he and Daniel smiled and kissed again, then Jason immediately elicited another moan from Daniel as his hand traced a highly stimulating path between his legs.

They traded slow caresses, seeking to remind themselves what the other felt like. Jason found himself on his back again and grasped Daniel's head in his hands as Daniel kissed him passionately, then moved down his body, teasingly covering him with small bites. When he reached Jason's groin, he quickly took his lover's cock into his mouth. Jason writhed under Daniel's skillful touch, his hands moving to grab fistfuls of sheet as he moaned words of encouragement. After minutes of blissful torment, Daniel tightened his hold on his buttocks and sucked hard, making Jason arch his body and cry out his name as he came in his lover's mouth. Jason was still shuddering from his orgasm when he heard the cap from the lube pop open as Daniel laid over him and kissed him deeply.

Daniel had made love to his cock, and now, he would take care of both his own and Jason's need. He moved off of Jason for a moment and Jason didn't bother to see what Daniel was up to. Jason had his eyes closed at the moment but he opened them in surprise when Daniel moved his hands over his head. Daniel looked at him in silent question as he tied cloth around Jason's wrists, and when Jason gave him a surprised and excited nod, he tied his wrists to a third tie at the head of the mattress - the one that had been constructed for Daniel's bondage fantasy.

He laid over Jason once more and watched Jason bite his lip in pleasure as he placed lubed fingers against his lover's entrance and teased, rubbed, and pushed inside. The effect of being tied up, and having Daniel's heavy weight over him, made Jason writhe with high desire. Daniel watched him, loving to see Jason's reactions as he began to pump his fingers, slowly, gently, preparing him well.

Going by the flushed color of his skin and hot need in Jason's eyes, Daniel lifted his legs and pushed his cock inside him. He went slow at first, gliding easily through Jason's body, his own body thrumming with pleasure. Jason's cock began to fill again and he suddenly thrust upward, forcing Daniel to gasp loudly as his cock sank to the root. With only his eyes, Jason told Daniel what he wanted and Daniel didn't question. He lifted his hips up, then thrust home hard, causing them both to cry out. Daniel took his time though, wanting to draw it out, to make Jason come again. He held his orgasm at bay for as long as he could, slowly thrusting deep to rub his lover's prostate. Time and again, he made contact, and Daniel watched with smug fascination as Jason became fully hard once more.

Jason's body tensed as he inhaled sharply, his eyes wide. He grabbed his bonds hard and ripped them free, grasping Daniel by the hair and pulling him down, speaking harshly, pleadingly, against his lips. "Fuck me hard...now!" then thrust his tongue deep into Daniel's mouth. Daniel felt Jason's muscles tightening around his cock and he gave Jason exactly what he wanted...what he needed.

"Here it comes, Jace," he growled as he held Jason's face in his hands and kissed him hungrily as he gradually increased his speed.

Jason's smothered moans unexpectedly became high-pitched when Daniel started fucking him vigourously, rapidly...and very, very hard. He abruptly tore away from the kiss, panting, his eyes wide, his legs rising higher, spreading them as far as he could get them, screaming, "That's it, Daniel! That's it, that's it...OH GOD!"

Daniel watched his eyes squeeze shut and felt his lover's body go rigid underneath him as Jason came a second time, long and just as hard as he had in his mouth. Copious amounts of semen spilled between them and from the feel of it, and the fact that Jason's anal muscles were squeezing around his continuous thrusts, Daniel let out a harsh yell and came inside his lover.

They lay in each other's arms for a long time, kissing, snuggling, dozing, before Daniel dragged them both into the shower. They took their time washing each other and neither said anything for a while.

Daniel let his soapy hands run over Jason's skin and he found himself thinking about the resentments that had clouded his mind. Resentments he hadn't known were there until he'd voiced them - shouted them - to Jack. He'd never considered the possibility of having those feelings. They were contradictory, and overall, they didn't make any sense. Between the three of them, one of them was bound to feel left out. They'd never entertained the possibility of a three-way relationship, and really, it would have to be a four-way, adding Paul. Daniel wished, for the umpteenth time in the last few months, that Paul could be stationed at the mountain. But even with him there, the feeling of being left out was still a possibility.

As it was now, the resentment may have been inevitable, but it wasn't necessary. He would work through it so it didn't rear its ugly head again. He had his own self-worth, his own healthy ego. If he wanted something, all he had to do was ask. It never hurt to ask. Jason and Jack had never turned him down without a good reason. He also knew that the addition of angry stress-relief to his relationship with them wouldn't harm it in any way. In fact, it seemed to help knowing their...darker sides. Things had changed, sure, but the core of their friendship and closeness had not. Daniel wondered how this would affect Paul and decided that it wouldn't. Though he'd share with Paul what had happened, he knew that Paul would accept it just as he had. He didn't know how he knew, he just...knew.

Daniel looked up from Jason's body and into his eyes and saw silent understanding, a further closeness that hadn't been there a few months ago. Jason pulled him into a long, passionate kiss, gliding his soap-silky hands over Daniel's back and down over the mounds of his buttocks. Daniel felt his body reacting, but slowly, as if waking up. It was a good enough metaphor for what they'd slowly woken up to, what they'd come to understand about each other. Because of it, there would be no more hiding. Full acceptance. All or nothing.

Daniel let his hand run over Jason's abdomen as he pulled back and kissed him gently. "No more stayin' away, J."

Jason kissed him back, his now-clean hands running between Daniel's thighs to encourage interest. "No more stayin' away."

After returning on Friday from their mission, Daniel knew he needed some time alone, away from his friends, for the first time in many months. He never thought he'd want to be away from them, but he did. After being with Jason Monday night, Daniel realized just how strongly his love had increased for the man. But it had also increased for Paul, and this morning, waking up next to Jack, he knew his love for Jack had increased as well. He wanted to sort out these intense emotions, to figure them out and he couldn't do that if they were...distracting him. Not that that was a bad thing, but he needed time to think and no distractions could be allowed. He grinned to himself.

"What'cha smilin' about, Danny?" Jack asked as he dressed in his civvies.

Daniel shrugged a little. "Just realizing how distracting you are when I need to think." He made Jack smile broadly and he loved that smile; could get lost in that smile...and that smile was another reason for him to go off by himself. How could anyone think properly around that smile? "I'm going to go up to the club tonight - by myself. I need some time alone."

Jack paused in the middle of zipping up. "But I thought you and I were...downtime, remember?"

Daniel grimaced in embarrassment. He'd actually forgotten. "I'm sorry, Jack. Can we make it for Sunday...maybe...unless you make other plans in the meantime? I really need to do some thinking."

Jack's face became a picture of worry. "Are there problems between us I need to know about, Daniel?"

"No, no, Jack. It's nothing like that. I just need to sort out some feelings. The...uh...intensity of the past few months has caught up with me, I think. I need to...put things in their proper perspective, I guess."

Jack nodded, appreciating the need to do that. He had those times as well where he needed to get lost and think about things that troubled or puzzled him.

"You could use my cabin if you want."

Daniel smiled appreciatively at Jack. "Thanks. That's really very sw...um, really nice of you," and Jack smirked knowing that Daniel was about to say sweet and fortunately changed his mind. "No, I need to think about what's on my mind and not about what needs to be done around the cabin. But thanks. Next time, okay?" The thinking he had to do would pull him from concentrating on wood chopping, generator-fixing, and general cleaning from the Fall leaves and such. Though raking wasn't a task that needed your undivided attention, the other two were. Daniel didn't want to work. He wanted to be lazy and think. If it had been summer, he'd have taken Jack up on his offer.

"Okay, next time."  Jack walked up behind him as Daniel moved to hang his combat/field vest in the team's field locker and whispered in a very deep voice, "But I can't wait to get you into that soft feather bed."

Daniel jumped a bit and dropped his field vest on the floor in reaction. He growled at Jack as the man sniggered and walked back to his locker. "Bastard," Daniel whispered as he went back to his locker, closed it up and grabbed his jacket off the bench.

"I'll see you tomorrow or Sunday then," he said, slipping the jacket on.

"Sure, Daniel," Jack said, still grinning as he bent over to arrange his boots in the bottom of his locker.

Daniel smiled wickedly. Just as he went for the door, he reached over and slapped Jack's ass, hard. Jack jumped almost two feet and crashed into his locker's door. He turned just in time to see Daniel disappearing through the door, sniggering to himself. All Jack could do was beam proudly...and rub his hand over his ass.

Jason reclined against his half of the couch, one leg braced up against the back. He watched Jack, who sat at the other end of the couch, waiting to see if there were any signs that the man's attention would wane from the game. He didn't see any indication so he decided to wait - sensibly - for the break between the periods of the hockey game before voicing his nagging question. When the time came, he cleared his throat. Jack's brow rose in query as he turned and draped his arm over the back of the sofa.

"Jack, aren't you worried about Daniel being at the club by himself?"

Jack gave Jason a patient look. "No. You and I both know that he can handle himself. Are you worried about that or something else?"

"His reason for needing to be by himself. I know he needs his time alone once in a while, but this is our long awaited downtime. I know he was looking forward to it. So, for him to suddenly need to go off by himself..."

Jack gave him a serious look. "He needed to be alone to think, Jace. He does that."

"I know, but about what?"

Jack shrugged. "I don't know. He wouldn't tell me. He just said that everything's all right but he needed some time to think about what's happened over the past couple of months."

Jason sighed dramatically and laid his head back, which ended up over the arm of the couch, giving him a view of the ceiling behind him. "What's to think about?" he asked quietly.

"You can ask him later."

"Well, what do we do in the meantime?" Jason asked, not able to take that angle of his neck for too much longer. He sat up carefully and looked at Jack who smiled knowingly at him. "Besides that," he responded, giving Jack a shove in the side with his foot. Jack grabbed his foot in return, making Jason smirk. "We should go see him tomorrow. Isn't Paul coming down this weekend?"

"He is. Stop worrying," and Jack pulled on his foot, sliding Jason's head off the arm of the sofa.

"Jack!"

"How about you stop worrying and focus on the here and now."

Jason sighed. "I suppose you're right. I'm being over-protective again, aren't I?"

"Just like me," Jack replied, giving Jason a careful look as his eyes filled with emotion. Jason didn't answer, he just met Jack's gaze, their silent exchange one of equal understanding. "What do you say we concentrate on other things and leave Daniel until tomorrow?" Jack asked, turning, and getting a firm hold on Jason's calf.

"What things?" Jason drawled, acting as if he didn't know, watching as Jack took a long swig from his beer and then set the bottle down on the coffee table.

"You know," Jack informed him as he started to lean over his legs.

"Jack?" Jason asked, not needing an answer as Jack's expression became suddenly seductive, predatory. He smiled softly as Jack's lips mouthed and gently nipped at the jeans material inside Jason's knee and moved up his thigh. "Jack?" he asked again, this time more playfully, half-heartedly fending him off. "I thought you've been waiting two weeks for this hockey game?" he continued, becoming slightly breathless as Jack kept moving, his hands holding Jason's legs firmly while his mouth inched toward his groin.

"I have, but that was before you got that..." and Jack looked at Jason's stomach, alluding to something under his shirt, "and I haven't been able to keep myself focused on the game," Jack said, his words muffled by the thick cloth bunched near the top of his inner thigh.

"You could have fooled me," Jason replied, becoming breathless now.

"I know," Jack said, smiling as he inched nearer Jason's covered testes. He opened his mouth wider, mouthing firmly as his tongue wet the slightly rough material. Jason inhaled with pleasure as the heat from Jack's mouth fully hardened the rest of his stiffening cock, making him reach for Jack's head, his fingers running through his hair.

"But you've been talking about..." and he gasped as Jack's mouth moved upward along the outline of his shaft, dressed slightly to the right of the closed zipper. "...this game...a lot."

"I know," Jack repeated, thoroughly wetting the material, savouring the way Jason responded to his tongue. His hands moved to pull Jason's white t-shirt up, his mouth quickly moving off his jeans to kiss and suckle skin.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Jason noticed the game was in progress again but he couldn't formulate words anymore as Jack stiffened his tongue to probe his navel, seeking out, and finding, Jason's new navel ring, shining brightly around slightly pinkish skin. Though the irritation from the piercing had died down, the stimulation was permanent. Jason hissed and started to move away in reaction as the pleasure spiked straight through to his groin. Jack tongued the tiny gold ring, pulling slightly as the tip of his tongue pushed through.

"But...the game," Jason gasped, almost silently.

"I know," Jack said again as his tongue continued its onslaught. His hand sought out Jason's clothed erection, feeling it jerk and twitch at every move his tongue made over and around the ring in his navel. Jack slid his hands upward, pushing Jason's shirt up as he moved his mouth up to find a nipple to tease.

Jason couldn't take the confining nature of his clothes anymore and his hands left Jack's hair to move between them and open his jeans. Jack stopped him, holding his wrists tight in his hands as he pushed them up over Jason's head. His mouth found Jason's and they kissed deeply before Jack began to make his way back down to Jason's groin.

"Jack...don't you want..." and he inhaled sharply, his hands gripping the arm of the sofa behind his head as Jack mouthed and licked over his erection once more.

"No."

"But..."

"No," Jack growled, a deep rumbling sound. Then came the much different sound of a zipper...and Jack's hot breath on his skin.

"Jack!" Jason panted, his eyes rolling back into his head as Jack smiled smugly and took him down.

Daniel was shown to a two-person table and without needing to see a menu, he ordered a prime rib dinner and was soon after served the appropriate wine he'd asked for. He opened the anthropology magazine he'd brought with him - mostly so that he wouldn't be bothered while he ate.

It was his second time at this exclusive men's club and he had no idea how 'polite' the gentlemen were while visiting here. He knew the rules from the membership package he'd received, but there were official club rules and then there were the unofficial socializing 'rules'. Having read them, he hoped that they were followed. If he were seen reading while having a meal, it would be a signal to be left alone.

This suddenly didn't seem so important as he looked up and saw Dylan at the dining room reception desk. Dylan looked over and smiled at him and Daniel nodded his head, indicating that he join him. Dylan was soon seated, and his order quickly taken. He already knew, just as Daniel did, what he wanted.

Throughout their meal, Daniel didn't bother to hide his reserved mood and this put Dylan on guard, knowing that something was up. They talked of inconsequential things, and when dinner was finished, Daniel wasn't hungry for dessert so he took his time finishing his wine. Dylan ordered a short glass of bourbon and instead of waiting for Daniel, he decided to speak up himself.

"You seem pensive."

"I am."

"You also haven't flirted with me once, so I'm going to ask, why?"

Daniel took a deep breath. He'd always hated this, and though he hadn't done it often, he still felt like a shit, just as he had with Alex. However, with Dylan, it was a little more difficult. "I've decided that I'm only going to see my best friends."

"Meaning that we won't be seeing each other again?" Dylan asked, the disappointment clear in his dark eyes.

Daniel nodded. "It's not a reflection on you, Dylan. I like you and I think you're a beautiful man, but I can't...get close."

"Why not?" Dylan asked quietly.

Daniel sighed. "Because my job is under the military and I can't talk about it. That really sucks in a relationship, you know? And that's the thing. I'm looking for one person to be with and the only ones I really want to be with are my best friends. They work with me, so it's not a difficulty there. Being with you...it would be. Not being able to tell you anything, et cetera."

Dylan nodded with understanding. His own background with the SEALs gave him the understanding. "I understand, Daniel. Believe me. Being a SEAL doesn't exactly make for open relationships, either," and he paused. "I wish things were different."

"Me, too." Daniel was genuinely sorry that things couldn't be different because he really did like Dylan. The thought of being with Dylan one last time crossed his mind and he quickly stifled it. It would hurt Dylan and he couldn't do that. He cared about the man, much more so than he had about Alex, and though knew he couldn't allow himself to love him, he wouldn't hurt him like that.

They were thoughtful for a short time, allowing the regret to pass without comment, and then Dylan offered Daniel something surprising. "If you want to stay friends, I would like that very much. Just friends."

Daniel couldn't see how they could be 'just friends' since their limited relationship was based solely on sex, but he gave Dylan the benefit of the doubt and accepted his offer of friendship.

Saturday afternoon, Daniel needed to take a walk in the fresh air but found the adjacent grounds not to his liking. He asked a staff member if there was access to the nearby creek that skirted the property and she pointed out several places along the edge of the lawn where the wooded section ran. Daniel left a message at the front desk in case anyone tried to reach him while he was out, then headed for the wood.

Reaching a specific section, Daniel settled himself comfortably on a felled and stripped tree log and watched the water of the creek flow by. Even though he loved the desert, he had always been fascinated by the hypnotic flow of running water. Waters of the ocean surf were his favorites. The surf on the world where the Goa'uld Palace resided had helped calm his mind, though he couldn't sit and watch for more than ten minutes at a time without needing the chemical fix from the machine inside the building. But even those ten minutes had helped immensely. If they'd been sand dunes and calm breezes, it would have been the same, but rivers, creeks and streams had always attracted him. In his times in Egypt, the Nile had had its pull on him. During his time at Oxford, the waters of the Thames had done it. Even the rain that bore down on a roof over his head had had its effect.

Then came Colorado Springs and its frozen winter wonderlands. The falling snow, for all it had been transformed, had the same tranquilizing effect on him. Motion. Lulling, natural motion. He let the creek's tranquilizing effect pull his thoughts together, the ones that had been bothering him. Well, not bothering him so much as they were needing a sense of order put to them. As he had told Jack, he needed time to think.

Daniel focused and remembered the thoughts he'd had in the shower as he and Jason had cleaned each other. He had come across one simple word that seemed to explain everything.

Assumption.

It had been his assumptions all along that had brought him to this place in his life. To a place where...as weird as it sounded even to him...he was having sex with his best friends.

Those assumptions, some true, some grossly in error, started much farther back than the SGC and the revelation of the stargate. There were his assumptions - and strong instinctual belief - about the ancient cultures of the world belonging to the same melting pot. That they'd all been tied together. Through the stargate, he'd learned that they were tied together, via the Ancients, the Asgard, and the Goa'uld. So that assumption had borne truth.

There was his assumption later on, after his invitation to the underground facility later called the SGC, that he could bring Jack's team home from the mission to Abydos. That assumption had been wrong. He'd assumed there would be something to tell him what the gate coordinates were, but there were no immediately apparent coordinates, as he'd 'assumed' there would be, and the DHD had been hidden behind a wall, blocked off. Daniel had had to find the coordinates through markings on a wall, but the point of origin glyph had been missing. Only by sheer luck had Daniel stumbled onto it when he'd found Skaa'ra making that celebratory drawing on the wall, unknowingly using the glyph for Abydos. It had been exactly the same when he'd figured out the glyphs on the cartouche of Giza were constellations. If it hadn't been for that newspaper that airman had been reading, he never would have made the connection.  Daniel knew he had been fortunate both times.

Then came his time on Abydos for that year and a half. He'd assumed that it had been okay to unblock the gate. He'd been wrong. He'd then assumed - no, hoped - that he'd be able to find Shau're but it had been Amaunet who had found him, via Kasuf, and the last moments with his wife were in pain and death. He'd been unable to be with her except through that strange method via that damn hand device. She'd been able to send him a message and allow him to say goodbye...all of that despite the hold Amaunet had over her. He'd loved Shau're more for it, after her death. It had taken him almost six months to get over his ever-consuming grief, and though he'd continued to grieve just a little less after that time, he knew it would never go away.

Because of the loss of his parents, the loss of a special foster home, then the loss of his wife, Daniel had come to another false assumption. That everyone he loved, or those he had loving relationships with, ended up dying on him. He decided that it might not be a good idea to ever love anyone again. The 'assumption' there being that if he spared them his love, then there would be no one to care for, no one to hurt for.

But Daniel had fooled himself, and badly. He'd had a hard life to strengthen him and he'd had to rely upon that strength to easily see himself through the loss of friendships over the years. Problem was, that hardness inside him, that fear of getting close, made him assume he could do without. But no one could keep themselves from feeling love and attachment. But Daniel had tried. He thought his love for his work would be enough, and every time he felt someone getting too close, he shut himself off in whatever way worked. He wore a façade on both the inside and outside.

The thing was, Daniel hadn't counted on that façade ever being broken down. He hadn't recognized the deep, loving friendship he had formed with one Jack O'Neill. He hadn't even let himself see it - face it - not even when Jack had been feared dead or lost. He'd known he had cared strongly for the man who'd become his friend, but he'd resisted thinking it was anything more than a common friendship. Daniel hadn't let himself recognize that his love, and sometimes grief, for Jack was the same as it had been for Shau're. He hadn't even known when that love had begun and he'd only just recently let himself accept the fact that he did love him.

And not just Jack. He'd formed strong friendships for Jason Coburn and Paul Davis. They, along with Jack, had become his best friends, and never in his wildest imaginings could he have seen that coming. They were so unlike him, so opposite to him, but there they were. They'd taken a liking to him, why he simply couldn't fathom. But he'd taken a liking to them in return, and he couldn't fathom that either. He'd always despised the military; had always had little use for it. But they were the ones who had changed his mind. They'd let him see that he could have friends like them.

To a lesser extent, it was that way with Sam and Janet. His women best friends. He'd always had women friends, and his closest had been Sarah, his ex-girlfriend from the Oriental Institute in Chicago, and a foster-mother, Claire, who'd died of cancer some twelve years before he'd joined the SGC. Sam and Janet had been a little wary of him at first, especially given his tendency for lateral thinking, or thinking outside the box. It wasn't exactly conducive to military thinking, but of all the people who 'could' think or appreciate that way of thinking, it would be them. Both of them operated in fields that required constant guesswork, and guesswork was a part of science and science wasn't looked at too kindly in the military. Until after the fact. Don't explain how you built the computerized jet, just explain how to fly it and then go away. Janet had to learn, just as Sam had, how 'not' to go into too technical a detail with everyone. They didn't have to do that with him. Whatever Daniel didn't understand, he asked about and didn't cut them off in mid-explanation. Both Janet and Sam had always returned the favor and so - as a result - they'd bonded and become his first true friends at the SGC, even before Jack, and much longer before Daniel had ever met Jason or Paul. The two women held a special place in his heart and he knew that his bond with them would never go away.

Then there was Teal'c, and though he deeply respected the man and loved him as if he were the older brother he never had, he regretted that the barrier of his wife would always be there. Then there was Cassie, and though Daniel hadn't ever been very good with children, she'd taken a shine to him after she'd come to trust him. Then there was Hammond and Ferretti. Both of them were like extended members of his family. George was almost like his father: very stern but loving. Ferretti reminded him of a foster-brother he'd had when he was ten. Claire's son, Alan. Essentially loving, a prankster, and loyal to a fault. He hadn't been able to stay with that family for more than three years because after Alan had been killed by a drunk driver, that had put Claire, who was already a widow, into the status of a 'single' foster-mother. Back then, that wasn't looked on too well, and so, at thirteen, he'd been forced to live elsewhere, and if it hadn't been for a woman he'd met who worked at the local library, he'd never have been able to get to college as early as he did, at fifteen.

Those loving experiences were rare, but they'd been there, and it had taken Daniel a long time to realize that his whole life had been punctuated by people he had loved and who had loved him back. He'd seen and gauged his life through his failures and his losses, instead of what he'd gained. Though he loved those people to a lesser degree than his best friends, he hadn't seen them all for what they represented in his life. He'd focused only on his parents and Shau're and had taken everyone else for granted.

All of those thoughts had been based on his 'unrecognized' assumption that their relationships weren't...well...real. That they hadn't really cared for him. His bad and hurtful experiences before and after his time with Claire and Alan had given him a strong sense of survival but had also taught him not to depend on anyone. The only ones he had depended on were dead. And thus, his fear of abandonment had blossomed. Then came a few loving, but short relationships. He himself wouldn't stay in them for very long, because that fear of love - and through it, loss - had had too great a hold over him. The old cliché had come to play: leave them before they leave you.

Then Shau're had changed all that. Even after she was taken from him, he'd let himself have relationships again, knowing that if he didn't, and they reunited again, she'd kick his butt. But none of the relationships he had allowed had been romantic in any sense. He'd cut himself off, resigned himself to the yet-again 'assumed' knowledge that his intimate relationships were doomed. The loss of Sarah by Osiris, even if it was a past relationship, had subconsciously reinforced this erroneous assumption.

Daniel noticed the swallows across the creek flitter and fight, absently watching their behaviour as he allowed his thoughts to move on to the next set of 'assumptions'.

Those being about his sexual needs. Daniel had assumed that by controlling his need for love, he could control his need for sex. And he had...for a while. It had been easy to do while Shau're was missing, and for a while after she died. Except for the he'd taken getting over his withdrawals from both the sarcophagus and the Goa'uld palace's chemical, Daniel had thought he'd had things well under control...until he and Jack had completely mended their friendship back after they'd come back from that planet with the Sentinel. Then his subconscious had betrayed and sabotaged him and he'd begun to have those wildly erotic and exotic dreams.

Daniel now realized that the dreams had actually started not long after he'd received that 'teaching' dream of Shifu's. The dreams back then had been mild and only vaguely sexual and he'd had only a vague recollection of them when he'd awakened the next day. They had never woken him during the night. Only flashbacks in his sleep of the teaching dream had done that and those had always woken him up because they were frightening. His work had helped him refocus his mind and forget about all of them, especially that goddamn teaching dream. But two years after Shau're's death, for some reason he had yet to figure out, his dreams had turned highly sexual, treading heavily into kink. He wondered if his healed friendship with Jack had somehow triggered them, but he doubted it was likely. The timing wasn't right.

Daniel sighed and pushed at the dirt with his shoe. He didn't know what to make of all of it. The one thing that had become clear throughout the past few months was that he could have a relationship again, but...

Suddenly, it dawned on him. Was that it? The dreams were meant to open his eyes about his fear of a relationship?

Was it that simple?

He thought about what that meant. It meant only one thing that he could understand. He was ready for a partnership again. A one-on-one relationship.

Thinking of his friends, he couldn't see who it was he would be with. How could he choose? He loved Jack. No question. The same went for Paul and Jason. When he was with them, separately, he could see himself being with them for the rest of his life. They each had their special qualities and they each made him feel special in return. Putting them together in a room - for the sake of argument - and having him choose...it sounded ludicrous. Again, how could he choose? Was he really supposed to? And was that really the point? Wasn't it more to the point that he was ready to move on, to have that one person, special and apart?

One person. The idea, frankly, still scared him and maybe it was why he wouldn't allow himself to choose. And maybe, just maybe, he really couldn't. How could he? He didn't know the answer, and so he was left, again, with more unanswered questions.

He pushed again at the dirt with the toe of his shoe, idly drawing lines, and was suddenly startled by a set of noises some distance behind him. He turned and saw the very men he'd been thinking of coming toward him from across the large expanse of lawn. He smiled and stood up, noticing their casual clothing. They must've been at the club for a little while because they'd changed out of their formal 'arrival' wear. He looked around and realized it had started to get dark so he must've been sitting on that log for three hours or so and hadn't realized the passage of time.

"Daniel," Jack said, greeting him with a warm smile.

"Jack...Jason." When he saw Paul, he walked over and hugged him. "Paul. Long time, no see." Paul returned his embrace warmly.

"I just talked to you three days ago."

Daniel thumped him in the back before letting him go. "That was at work. Doesn't count."

Jason cleared his throat. "Daniel, we ran into Dylan."

At the tone in Jason's voice, Daniel glanced at all three men, half-expecting disappointment or something because the sound of Jason's voice was of sympathy. But for whom? Dylan? Yeah, he could see that, he supposed. Dylan had, after all, been the 'dumpee', not the 'dumper'. Even if Dylan hadn't exactly been a 'relationship' relationship, he had been one. Of a sort. Of course, his thoughts about what his friends were feeling was just another assumption, wasn't it?

Daniel sighed. "And?" was all he could ask for the moment.

"We're sorry," Jason filled in, and the other nodded their agreement.

Daniel shrugged. "Thanks."

"Daniel, it's getting a bit chilly," Jack said, "How 'bout we go upstairs to the suite?"

Daniel nodded and walked back across the lawn with them. He was a little confused by their presence, but he knew they worried about him, even if the worry was baseless. He supposed he might look as if he were acting mysterious and that would concern them so he had to give them a little leeway. Besides, he had to eventually talk to them anyway, so their arrival was fortuitous.

When they arrived in the suite, they took off their jackets and sat around the dining table. Jack poured them all drinks and sat down between Daniel and Jason.

"So," Daniel started, not really wanting to beat around the bush. "You came up here to check on me?"

"Partly," Paul answered, looking at Jack and Jason for confirmation. They didn't exactly nod, looking sheepish instead.

"Partly?" Daniel asked, casting a glance at all three of them.

"Yes, partly," Paul answered for them. "We wanted to be here, with you, but we also wanted to know what was going on in your head. Jack told me what you said about needing some time to think. I wish you'd said something on Wednesday when we talked."

"I didn't know then, Paul. I didn't know until Friday. Besides, what good would it have done? It wasn't because of any of you. I needed to be by myself for a while and my apartment is too accessible. I wouldn't be assured of privacy and you know how I'd end up feeling guilty for telling people to get lost so I decided to come up here. Anyway, I had to sort through too many thoughts running around up in this head of mine. You know how I get sometimes."

"So...did you sort things out then?" Jack asked, looking a little nervous.

Daniel felt an uneasiness coming from Jack and he wasn't used to seeing it except on missions. Actually, that feeling was coming from all of them. But it wasn't really uneasiness. It was more like...apprehension. Then it dawned on him. They must all know about Alex by now. Now they knew about Dylan. Were they thinking they were next?

"I came up here to think about my feelings and to end things with Dylan. I sorted out the stuff that I came up here to sort out." He paused and looked at all of them. They still seemed tense and worried. "And you guys want to know what that was, don't you, and if I don't tell you, you'll bug me to death until I do, right?" They looked a little guiltily at him and he smirked. "Honestly. You'd think I was on a leash or something." He got up and went to the window and looked out, his arms folding over his chest in the old habit, which startled his friends. "I needed to think about the last few months because I had some things...nagging me. I had to figure them out."

"And did you?" Paul asked.

"Yes...and no. I realized some things, made a decision a while ago and only just completed it - ending my relationship with Dylan, and before him, Alex, and also saw another decision I thought I had to make, but maybe I don't. It's one I can't see myself making, and don't know if I'll ever be able to make it."

"Can you tell us what decision it was that you did make?" Jack asked.

Daniel turned around and saw that the suspense was killing them. He felt odd. They really were worried, weren't they?

"Don't worry, guys. I'm not leaving you, if that's what you're thinking," and snorted as they visibly relaxed. "Sounds weird, saying it. Anyway, I thought you would have known it. I've decided to see only the three of you. No one else." The further relief on their faces, and in their body language was very palpable and obvious. "My reasons are," and he checked off on his fingers, "One, I just don't trust anyone else and I need to have that trust. Two, although I got a thrill out of the sex with Alex and Dylan, and I wouldn't change those experiences for anything, I'm done with them. I don't need it with others. Only with you. I need that trust, and I only trust and love the three of you."

His friends now seemed very flattered. Then Jason finally asked, "You've finally realized that you're ready for a single relationship, haven't you?" Jack and Paul looked at Jason as he asked the question, then all three looked expectantly at Daniel.

Feeling that he was put on the spot, Daniel cleared his throat, then walked over and took a few drinks from his liquor glass, then stood there, staring into the liquid. Finally he looked up, and swallowed hard. "I have realized that I am ready for one, yes, but at the same time, I'm not," and he shook his head. "I hope you weren't expecting me to...choose." He thought he could almost feel a collective sigh from the three of them, but wasn't sure what that meant.

"Daniel," Jason started, "each one of us would be with you in a heartbeat, but we'd never expect you to choose. That's not fair. Three against one. If we loved each other more than we love you, then we would have to step aside and say so. As it is, I have to say that though we'd love to be in a relationship, and want one in fact," Jason paused and looked at his friends, who nodded in agreement, "We haven't really made a decision, or committment, because of where we are and what we do. Paul's across the country; we're in dangerous jobs. None of us can choose, so how can we expect you to?" then he shook his head. "Don't worry, Daniel. We won't choose, either. We're content with the way things are for now. Should that ever change, we'll talk about it."

Daniel noticed that Paul and Jack were a little more subdued and he wasn't surprised. Though they were caring men who knew how to show it, Jason was more verbal than they were. But Daniel suddenly realized something that maybe his friends did not, and that little thought itself surprised him.

"Jason, all four of us are in a relationship already," and Daniel made a circular motion with a forefinger that indicated all of them. "Whether we admit or not, it's a four-way thing. I know you meant one on one, but have you considered that there is this four-way thing going on here?"

Jason shrugged. So did Jack and Paul. "Yes," Paul answered. "But...it always has been."

"Not sexually," Daniel countered, and got a very wry grin from Jack. He backhanded him gently across the shoulder, making Jack grin even wider.

"Doesn't matter, Daniel. To us, it was the same," Jason replied.

"Not to me, Jace," Daniel started, his words making it obvious what he meant, but he elaborated anyway. "You haven't been celibate. I have. There's a huge difference in relationships there. Besides, what you say would imply that you expected me to be with you sooner or later. Which implies--"

"Daniel, don't go into that," Jack interrupted. "There was no expectation or implication. We hoped. That's all. We love you and hoped that one day, you'd let down your guard and be with us. You have."

Daniel stared at them for a few long seconds, then nodded his head. He knew he had just been a little paranoid and had started to over-analyze something that didn't need it. Then he was reminded of something else that did need speaking of.

"Paul," and he sat down in the chair between Paul and Jason and faced him. "Do you know about the post-mission stress relief?"

Paul's browline went up and he looked between Jack and Jason, and they nodded to him. He looked with surprise at Daniel, as if looking at him in a new way. He then smiled. Daniel watched the silent exchange, and Paul's sudden reassessment of him. He found it curiously amusing and wondered why it didn't bothered him.

"I know about it, Daniel, because I'm the one who suggested it after Jack and Jason were having this fight at Jack's one night. They'd actually started to throw stuff, so I suggested an alternative I'd heard a friend talking about once," and he paused, seeing the almost shy grins on Jason and Jack as they regarded each other - reliving the memory.

"You've never?" Daniel asked.

"I have my own stress but no where near life-threatening, but even so, I'm hardly in a position to be able to jump in an F-18 and fly over. Fun as that sounds." He received knowing smirks from Jason and Jack, and a curious one from Daniel. "Can I assume from your question that you now share this stress-relief with Jack and Jason?"  Paul then noticed Daniel's jaw tighten and he looked over at the other two men in time to see them wince. "What?"

Daniel cleared his throat, then spoke very softly. "When I became sexually active again, I should have been included in that. I share those missions. My stress isn't any less. Though I'm fine about it now, it ticked me off that I wasn't included."

"You're right. You should've been," Paul said to him, casting certain looks back at his other two friends, and Daniel wondered that was about.

"What?" Daniel asked, his eyes darting from one man to another and back to Paul.

"Nothing. Just giving them an I told you so."

"I hate it when he's right," Jack grumbled and Paul gave him a smirk. Not one of smugness. Just one that said, 'don't mess with a man who deals with politicians.' That made Daniel smile and instead, he sent the smug grin across the table. He felt oddly vindicated. He sat down and finished his drink, then stood up to pour another. The four of them were silent for a few minutes until Jack broke it.

"So, um, Daniel?" he asked as Daniel made his drink at the bar behind him. "Are we okay then?"

Daniel grinned and turned around as he finished. "We've always been okay, Jack," he said, then kissed the top of his friend's head. "Always." He sat down and saw Jack flush a little at the tender expression he'd received. He pushed playfully at Jack's arm as Jack gave a small scowl to both Jason and Paul, who were smiling at him. Jack then swallowed his embarrassment, cleared his throat, and altered his features to appear nonchalant. It made Daniel snort.

"Okay then," Jack began, clearing his throat again after taking a sip from his glass. "How about some dinner?"

Jason and Paul groaned, indicating they were hungry, but Daniel shook his head. "I'm not in the mood to go downstairs right now."

"Oh, I ordered dinner sent to the suite, Daniel. If you want something specific though, call up the kitchen and ask."

Daniel shook his head while he sipped his drink. "No, that's okay. Whatever you ordered will probably be fine." He smiled at Jack and received a clout on the arm.

"You know, I still owe you for that smack on the ass," and at his words, Jason and Paul guffawed. He then told them what Daniel did and Daniel - and Jack - received a couple of beaming approvals.

"Oh really," Daniel came back with a complete feeling of justification and not one bit of shame. He looked at Paul and Jason. "Want to know what he said," and he glared at Jack, "the fucking tease," and looked back at the other two, "in the locker room, where I couldn't respond appropriately...?"

"What?" the two asked as Jack tried to appear innocent.

Daniel gave Jack a dangerous stare then looked between him and his other two friends. "Jack asked me if I wanted to use the cabin to have a place to think, instead of coming up here, and I turned him down, saying I'd rather be here, where there's less work to do," and his friends nodded and groaned in agreement. Jack just rolled his eyes. "Well, Mr. Tease here says it's okay, he understands, and then when I turn my back, he walks up behind me and whispers in my ear, "'I can't wait to get you in that feather bed though.'"

Jason and Paul groaned with looks of understanding and sufferance. They'd experienced that bed.

"So, that made me..." and Daniel cleared his throat, "a little...hard...so, on my way out, I smacked him in the ass," and he glared at Jack, "and you deserved it."

"How about we go up there next downtime, Daniel?" Jack countered, neatly side-stepping what Daniel had just said.

Daniel stared open-mouthed at Jack's sudden invitation. Of all the audacity! Then there was Jack smiling that smile, in his smugness...and Daniel growled. "Fucking prick, you've gotta deal. But if you think I'm chopping wood, you can forget it."

Jack only grinned wider and sipped his drink while the other two groaned some more. Jason suddenly finished his drink in one swallow and got up to get another one. As he stood behind Jack, Jack winked at Paul and Daniel and assumed a very wicked gleam in his eye. The two suddenly wondered what he was up to...now.

"I have something to show you two..." and he turned his chair and grabbed Jason by the waistband of his black jeans, and turned the man around to face him...and them. "Or I should say, Jason has something to show you two." Jason stared down at Jack as he held the bottle of JackDaniels by the neck. His face was filled with surprise.

"What?  Now?" and he started to move away but Jack grabbed him around the ass and held him still.

"Now. Come on, don't keep them in suspense."

Jason rolled his eyes. "Jack." Daniel stayed seated but Paul got up and stood next to him. They both looked on with increasing looks of interest as Jack unbuttoned Jason's jeans, then pulled his black button-down shirt out and lifted it up. His navel was now exposed, as was the tiny, slender, gold ring centered inside.

Daniel and Paul's mouths dropped open.

"Jace, when did you get that?" Daniel asked, knowing damn well it wasn't there five days before.

"Tuesday night. You and Jack were busy and I just...got this crazy-assed idea. It's something I've always wanted to do but never got around to it. So, before the light mission on Thursday, I went and got one."

"And?" Paul asked.

"And what?"

"Is it true?"

Jason smiled and slowly nodded. Daniel looked between them, then at Jack. He hadn't done much investigating on the 'modern' reason for doing this, though he knew the technical details and had read up on it. In the past few months, he'd never had the chance to explore it further, and before that, he hadn't given it much thought beyond what he applied it to anthropologically in relation to modern versus ancient methods. But now, seeing it on Jason...he couldn't seem to take his eyes off it. He pulled Jason from Jack's grasp and wrapped his arm around his hips, then without further thought, touched the ring with his finger.

Jason bit his lip and smiled as Daniel looked up. "Did it hurt?"

Jason smiled and shook his head and Daniel noted the light in his eyes as he touched it. Jason's eyes showed he was aroused. He took Daniel's hand and gently placed it over his groin. "Do it again."

Daniel didn't want to remove his arm from around Jason so he leaned in and bit at the ring with his teeth, then smiled when he felt Jason's cock jump, as well as his body. "I just may think about one of these if this is what it always does." His three lovers groaned at the thought. Apparently, the idea of playing with one was just as erotic as wearing one, and he could see that, too. What he wanted to do right now, more than anything, was stick his tongue against that ring.

But his actions were interrupted by the arrival of dinner. As Jack and Paul went for the door, Daniel looked up into Jason's face and Jason pulled him to his feet. He barely brushed his lips against Daniel's, almost in a teasing manner, but as Daniel's hand was still over his groin, he knew Jason wasn't teasing. He was hard as hell.

Daniel kissed him softly. "Dinner?" he asked with a playful smile.

Jason smiled back, his eyes - and aroused state - fighting with his suddenly growling stomach. "Later?" he asked Daniel as he buttoned the top of his jeans.

Daniel nodded. "Later."

Daniel started to move away reluctantly but Jason held him up. "Except for one thing."

"What's that, J?" and Daniel found himself in Jason's arms and his tongue involved in a very long, deep kiss. When Jason let him go, they were interrupted by their stomachs. Laughing, they joined Jack and Paul and arranged the food and drink around the table and dug in.

As they ate and talked, Daniel felt a tension in the air. He thought it was probably just his imagination, but the tension felt sexual and even though there was always sexual tension, this felt higher, and it was more than just his kiss with Jason or Jason's erotic navel ring.

He suddenly realized that it was the atmosphere: Jason's navel ring; the desire Daniel felt low in his belly. Then the food that Jack had ordered: Prime rib; sauteed mushroom heads; baked potatoes with lots of add-ons like sour cream. Lots of buttery sauces and dips. The meal wasn't very fancy but it was good, and loaded with sexual symbolism. If Jack had ordered lobster or oysters to go with the meal, that would have heightened it. Every time Daniel cut into the red meat, then dipped it into the bowls of meat juice and horseradish sauce, the effect in his mouth was highly sensual. He couldn't help but feel as if his arousal was simmering in the background, waiting to be turned up.

He watched his friends as they laughed it up while Jason shared his experience in the shop that pierced his navel for him. Daniel was now certain the sexual tension was building. Even as he responded to something said or asked, he couldn't take his eyes off his friends. They seemed to be silently communicating something to him he wasn't receiving and it confused him. The signals were very brief, with no long looks to tell him anything specific. Whatever it was they were trying to tell him, without 'telling' him, he wasn't getting all of it.

When they'd finished their main course, they took their time with dessert: tiny souffle cups filled with chocolate mousse, chocolate powder and shavings, and whipped cream. Daniel used the dessert time to see if he could pick up on anything else but eating chocolate, with all of its aphrodisiac qualities and blatant sexual innuendo, seemed to make things difficult.

Daniel paused, spoon in mouth, then slowly withdrew it and swallowed the silky chocolate dessert. It suddenly occurred to him that maybe this entire meal was designed specifically for arousal. The idea didn't surprise him, but maybe the question that came to his mind did. So the dinner was a specific aphrodisiac. Okay. But who was he going to have sex with? Correction. Make love with.

Okay. So who? Just as he couldn't decide on whom to spend his life with, he couldn't choose whom to spend the night with, either. Or was he supposed to spend the night with one person? Was that what the looks meant...?

As he focused on eating the remainder of his dessert, scraping the bottom of the souffle cup, Daniel thought that he should probably start the ball rolling by checking out of his room and moving his things into Jack's suite.

Jack's voice suddenly broke his thoughts. "Daniel, why don't you give up your room and bring your things here?"

Daniel stared at him, his mouth dropping open a bit. Jack gave him a double-take and half-smiled.

"What?"

"I was just thinking that."

"Well, great minds and all that," and he gave Daniel one of his wicked grins which brought a fair amount of warming to his groin. Daniel smiled back at him as he rose from the table.

"Yeah, great minds," he said quietly and headed for the door.

His friends rose from the table and started to put the dishes back onto the food cart and he looked at them over his shoulder before leaving the room. They had definitely planned something and damned if he could figure out what it was.

When Daniel returned to the suite, he used his key card to get back inside, and hesitated a moment as he set his clothes carrier and overnight luggage down on the sofa. The living and dining room were empty, but he heard talking and laughter coming from Jack's room. Paul was teasing Jason about where his next ring would go and Jason was telling him there wasn't going to be another one. The door was open and when Daniel walked in, he found his friends in various stages of undress. He realized that he hadn't felt a twinge of being left out and smiled inwardly.

Giving his friends, especially Jack, a small smile, he pointed his thumb behind him and made as if he were going to leave. "You guys want me to come back later or...?"

His friends groaned, except for Jack, who growled. "Oh noooo. You get your ass over here." Jack was wearing only his boxers and Daniel's eyes went straight for his abdomen, which they always did, no matter what. Every time Jack undressed, be it the gear-up room, their tent offworld, or when they'd been intimate together, Daniel always zeroed in on his abdomen, his navel, and the fine line of hairs that ran down to Jack's groin.

Jack took his hand and pulled Daniel against him. "I think you're overdressed. How about some help getting out of those clothes?" Jack didn't bother waiting for an answer, either, because he started pulling Daniel's plum-colored shirt from his tan trousers. Daniel watched him, watched his hands, content to let Jack undress him. When Paul and Jason were fully undressed, they moved around him and had him lift his feet as they removed his shoes and socks. It was then that Daniel finally figured out what they had planned.

He didn't know what to say, but didn't plan on stopping them. Nothing in the world would make him. He looked deeply into Jack's eyes as Jack's fingers slowly unbuttoned his shirt. He read love, want, need, everything at all once in those dark amber eyes of his. Jack then leaned forward and kissed him as he slid Daniel's shirt off his shoulders. Jack's lips were warm, his tongue eager. Daniel opened his mouth and let him in. As they kissed, he felt two more pairs of lips on his shoulders as fingers deftly opened his trousers and dropped them to his feet. He stepped out of them and found himself being led toward the king-sized bed.

Hands touched his body in firm, constant caresses and he felt Jack breaking the kiss, guiding him onto the bed, onto his back. He moved backward, his expression curious as he looked into the eyes of his friends as they moved onto the bed with him. Jack caught his attention first as he positioned himself between Daniel's feet and looked at him as he kissed his left ankle, making Daniel smile. Jason caught him next as he took his right arm and kissed the inside of his wrist. Daniel was stunned. No one - no one - had ever done that before. Neither had they kissed his ankles for that matter, as Jack had done and was now moving on to his shins, kissing one, then the other. Paul caught his attention next as he kissed the inner left wrist, and moved up toward his elbow. Daniel was transfixed by their actions. They really were making love to him weren't they? All three of them.

Daniel wanted to touch them, to grab and pull and kiss and suckle, but he didn't. He wanted them to keep doing what they were doing, to feel them touch him. Each of his lovers moved slowly toward his torso, and Daniel found the moves highly erotic and maddening. He ached to have their lips on his, on sensitive spots, and they were certainly taking their time.

Daniel was beginning to wonder why his friends still wore their boxers but Jack's lips made him forget just about everything as they began to trace a divine route up the inside of his right thigh. His cock twitched with the need to be caressed, to be sucked. Paul and Jason were licking trails over his collarbone now and as they met in the middle, they kissed, slowly, lazily, with lots of tongue. Daniel watched them, fascinated, his desire climbing skyward as Jack spread his legs wider so he could reach the top of his inner thigh. A moan escaped him and Jace and Paul looked down at him, smiled, and brought their lips to either side of his neck, continuing where they'd left off before they'd kissed. Damn, why weren't they kissing him? Did they know they were driving him insane with want? Sure they did, the delightful bastards. Especially Jack.

Jack's tongue was excruciatingly efficient as it wet a trail to the other thigh, just barely touching the sac of his testes. Daniel wanted to touch himself, to relieve that ache, but Jace and Paul still had hold of his arms as their lips reached his nipples simultaneously. He moaned with relief and want, and moaned again as their kisses became a little more aggressive, turning to tender bites.

Daniel inhaled sharply as he felt Jack's lips moving over his sac, his tongue slowly laving over each ball, before taking them into his mouth. Daniel's breathing changed to panting, gasping, then to small, soft cries as Jack's tongue moved lower and both Jason and Paul pulled Daniel's thighs further apart and raised his legs, giving Jack access.

Jack's tongue moved past his perineum and found his rectum and began a torturous massage of the flexing, inviting ring. Jason and Paul had returned to their caresses over his nipples and collarbone and Daniel was totally overwhelmed, even though his cock hadn't even been touched.

Suddenly, Jack's tongue entered him and began another torture by slowly fucking him. Daniel gasped harshly, finally breaking the silence. "Jack, you'll make me come."

"Oh, we can't have that," Paul whispered, reaching underneath a pillow and handing something to Jason, just before lowering his lips to Daniel's and giving his mouth the same gloriously teasing fuck that Jack was doing to his ass.

"Not yet, anyway," Jason added in that deep, sultry tone he had when he was highly aroused and surprise hit Daniel as Jason's hands were on his cock and he moaned loudly through Paul's mouth. Something slightly cool was placed around the base of his cock just as Jason's mouth descended over the head, laving the silky, hot skin. Daniel suddenly knew what Jason had done, and the feel of it was new, different, and damn, he liked it. A cock ring. He'd never worn one before now. He considered them all the time, but it was just something...he never got around to using. He now knew why they'd kept their boxers on. They had a surprise for him.

Boy, did they.

Jason's mouth descended, Paul's tongue and busy hands kept up their caresses, and Jack's tongue and hands drove him mad with need. Their attentions, however, never sped up. They remained slow, almost drowsy, building Daniel's body and mind to fever pitch.

Mercifully or not (Daniel couldn't make up his mind which), Jack's tongue finally left him, just as Jason's mouth moved off his dick. He heard them kissing, then felt them kissing up a trail over his abdomen as Paul broke their kiss and moved off the bed to remove his shorts. Jack and Jason quickly followed. As they did, Daniel reached down and touched himself with both hands, stroking as he felt around the cock ring. It was an amazing, tight feeling. The more he stroked, the harder his dick got as the ring prevented blood flow from leaving.

His lovers climbed back on the bed, watching him stroke himself, then Jack reached under the other pillow and pulled out the lube. Daniel was filled with further surprise and intense want as they prepared each other's asses, leaving their dicks alone. On hands and knees, over his legs or beside him, fingers probed and stretched, and watching them made him stroke and pull at his cock. Jack then reached out with a well-lubed hand and replaced Daniel's with his own, stroking, squeezing, massaging the glans. Daniel groaned with lust as he watched him.

"Jack," he whispered, and Jack leaned down and pressed his lips to Daniel's ear.

"Time to make love to all of us, Daniel," he whispered, nibbling on his ear, as he lay down next to him, his hands caressing his chest, his fingers pinching his nipples. Daniel closed his eyes at the thought of it. No wonder they were all wearing rings. He opened his eyes when he felt someone climbing over him and found Paul straddling him. Daniel eyes widened and he grabbed Paul around the waist, loving more and more this plan of theirs. His hands moved over Paul's thighs as his lover bent forward and kissed him while Jason lay on his other side and held his cock as Paul gradually lowered onto him. Daniel groaned again as Paul's hot body surrounded his cock.

"Oh God, Paul," Daniel whispered, gaining a smile from Paul as his friend leaned forward.

"You feel good, Daniel," and he dove his tongue into his mouth, luxuriating in his taste.

Daniel closed his arms around Paul's back and began to thrust upward in the same slow movements they'd used on him, making Paul moan into his throat. Again and again, Daniel met Paul's downward movements while their friend's hands massaged and caressed them. Daniel felt his own balls tightening and that glorious warmth of impending orgasm suffusing his groin. His eyes half-closed over the extended feeling, knowing the ring wouldn't let him come, and he enjoyed it, wanting more. He suddenly thrust harder and Paul broke the kiss, panting with need and want, grabbing the headboard over his head. Paul's eyes closed then and Daniel smiled mischievously as he suddenly pulled out of Paul, leaving him in a high state of arousal.

"Daniel?" Paul asked with a disapproving groan.

"Paul, I want you to wait. Lie beside me?" Daniel asked in a whisper. Not needing to ask why as he loved how Daniel found new ways to make love, Paul slowly pulled off him. Daniel turned to focus his intent stare on Jason. "Jason, your turn." Paul moved away, his hands caressing Jason as Daniel guided Paul next to him. Without a word, Jack applied more lube to Daniel's cock and Jason climbed on top of him and gently lowered himself fully.

"Yes, Jace."  Growling, Daniel didn't wait and pulled Jason into a fervent kiss as he thrust his hips upward, eliciting the same sounds from Jason as he had from Paul.

"Goddamn it, Daniel," Jason hissed as he broke their kiss, and just as Paul had done, he grabbed the headboard over their heads and held on as Daniel took control of the excruciatingly slow thrusting. Jack suddenly broke Daniel's concentration as he whispered into his ear, making Daniel smile wickedly. He held Jason's hips firmly and pulled out of him, making Jason growl at him.

"Daniel!"

Daniel held Jason on top of him, looked over at Paul, gave him that wicked smile, then looked up at Jason. "Paul, I want you to fuck Jason...over me," and Daniel saw the approval and dark need reflecting back from Jason's dark eyes and when he looked back at Paul, Paul had the same look. Paul leaned over and kissed Jason gently, with tongue.

"You want?" he asked him.

"Yes," Jason whispered in reply, his voice deep and husky. They kissed again, then parted as Paul got up and crawled in behind him. Jack sat up and poured more lube into one hand and with the other, took Paul's face and kissed him while he prepared his cock. Separating, Paul positioned his cock and plunged himself into Jason's ass. Daniel watched Jason's eyes close and he kissed him feverishly as he reached between them and removed Jason's cock ring.

"Feel good, baby?" Daniel asked Jason as he stroked, watching Jason as he quickly adjusted to Paul's dick.

"Yes," he whispered, gaining an encouraging moan from Paul.

Jack wasn't idle, either. He removed Paul's cock ring, whispering, "Time for more, Paul," and he slid two lubed fingers into Paul's ass.

"Ah God, Jack," Paul gasped as he thrust deeply into Jason. Jason reacted by pulling from Daniel's kiss with a loud gasp, his fingers gripping the headboard tightly as Daniel began to jerk him faster.

"Paul!" Jason urged loudly.

"Yes, Jace?" Paul asked, his eyes half-closed as he wallowed in the double sensations he was getting from his dick and Jack's fingers.

"Fuck me," Jason gasped...and he got his wish.

Jack thrust his fingers quickly into Paul, encouraging him to move and Paul did. "God," he moaned as he thrust hard and fast.

"Yes, yes," Jason replied, flexing his grip on the headboard at his own dual sensation from Paul and Daniel. "Oh God!" he cried out then and Daniel knew he was close.

"Yes, yes, that's it, Jace," Daniel whispered as he stared into Jason's dark eyes while his hand, still between them, rapidly stroked. Then louder, he said, "Come for me, Paul. Make Jace come with you," his voice a harsh plea, seeing the man's orgasm was imminent as Paul rocked them all with his thrusting.

Jack continued to fuck Paul with his fingers, whispering to him as he felt Paul's ass contract. "That's it! Come on, Paul, come for me," and took hold of his jaw, turned his face to him, and kissed him hard.

Suddenly both men cried out and if it hadn't been for Daniel's and Jack's cock rings, they'd have come with them. Their lovers shook through their tremors, their bodies rigid but shaking. Daniel continued to kiss Jason well after he'd stopped coming, holding him through his shudders just as Jack kissed Paul. When they were calm, Paul put his arm around Jason's waist as he laid over him, then rolled them both off Daniel to lie next to him.

Jack's attention was now on Daniel. He slid an arm under his waist, a hand under his head, and laid over him. Slowly, seductively, he pulled Daniel into a searing kiss and Daniel growled deep into his throat, kissing back with extraordinary need. They caressed each other continuously, winding each other up and Daniel growled again as he rolled them to the side and after breaking their kiss, he pushed Jack gently onto his stomach, then spooned over him.

Jack wondered what Daniel was up to until he lay over him. He groaned with sudden need and spread his legs as Daniel gently placed a pillow under his hips, then removed Jack's cock ring very carefully. Daniel entered him excruciatingly slowly and when he was balls-deep, he removed his own cock ring and began to thrust in very short, sensuous strokes, taking his time. Jack grasped the sheets over his head, panting heavily, and felt Daniel lacing his fingers with his own. He tightened his fingers, letting Daniel know he loved what he was doing...and wanted more.

Daniel took in the smell of Jack's skin, his arousal, as he kissed behind his ear, over his neck and shoulders. He felt hands on him then; Jason's and Paul's, caressing his back, his ass; caressing Jack as well. The touch of other hands intensified the feel of his own skin against Jack's: the feel of his thighs over the back of Jack's; the feel of his abdomen over the small of his back; the feel of his chest rubbing over Jack's shoulder blades; every sense of his skin was heightened and the feel of his throbbing cock moving inside his hot body made Daniel moan against his lover's neck, biting and licking the salty, sweaty skin.

Daniel suddenly slowed his thrusts and altered them. With a swiveling of his hips combined with a hard thrust, he brought out continuous moans from Jack's throat. One after another after another, he circled his hips then thrust hard. They both felt their orgasm closing in and Jack tightened his fingers around Daniel's and growled demandingly.

"Daniel...fast, hard," he managed through his harsh panting, his brow soaked with sweat.

"Yes," Daniel gasped and rose up, placing a hand under them to curl his fingers around Jack's cock. He moved with hard, rapid skill, biting against Jack's shoulder, gasping out a cry of warning as the tension filled his balls. Jack's shout was muffled as he bit into the sheet and came in long spurts over Daniel's fingers while Daniel came explosively inside him. They waited out the spasms that tore through them and Daniel's body jerked as Jack's convulsing muscles squeezed the rest of his orgasm from him.

The two of them were finally aware that Jason's and Paul's hands were still on them, softly stroking, gently pushing them onto their sides. Daniel's arms closed around Jack's waist and as per usual whenever he came hard, Jack had only the strength to fold his arms over Daniel's and not move. At least not for the next hundred years...or so it felt. He simply wanted to bask in the post-coital high, loving the fact that Daniel gave it to him.

Daniel didn't let him bask however, as he pulled Jack onto his back and kissed him deeply. After what seemed like several minutes, Daniel pulled out of the kiss and opened his eyes, smiling down at Jack, then looked across at his other lovers. Paul lay spooned behind Jason and they both watched their friends, their own post-coital bliss still apparent in their eyes. Daniel reached over and tugged on Jason's arm.

"C'mere."

He pulled Jason over and gave him a long kiss, then gently broke away and pulled Paul forward for his. When Daniel moved away from Paul, Jack turned his head and moved back, leaning into Daniel's damp body. He tightened his hold on Daniel's arms as he looked into his eyes. Nothing needed to be said. Daniel understood him very well. This was special. Daniel kissed him softly, then more firmly, loving the taste of his lover, his oldest friend. He licked his lips as he pulled back, settling his head on Jack's shoulder. He had only one question.

"Have you guys ever done this before?"

Collectively, they shook their heads 'no'.  Daniel smiled, very flattered, knowing what it meant. They'd done this only for him.

Five months later

Daniel stood in front of the kitchen sink, peeling the russet potatoes he planned to cut up for fries. It was a Saturday afternoon and his mind and body were still sore. SG-1 had returned a week ago today after having been MIA for two weeks. Jason and Paul had been frantic to say the least. SG-1 had risked their lives...again, trying to help Thor save his planet...again. Daniel liked seeing the li'l grey guy, but enough was enough. He just hoped the replicators were finally stopped. He really did not want to feel that kind of pain again.

When Thor dropped SG-1 into the conference room, only slightly healed because the Asgard tech had been damaged by the replicators, the looks on Hammond's and Paul's faces were priceless. Hammond looked fatherly, and Daniel was sure he saw the man's eyes water. Paul could barely contain the emotion behind his own eyes, and when the word began to travel and echo down the corridor, it spread like the plague. Personnel clamored to welcome them home. Jason had come bolting through the door, his emotion obvious. Daniel remembered seeing the awful pain behind his eyes, as well as behind Paul's. Jason had hugged him and Jack in front of everyone, then without missing a beat, covered it up by hugging both Sam and Teal'c. He got a warning look from Jack but ignored it and assumed his military demeanor once more - barely. Because of the circumstances, everyone's happy reactions were excused. Daniel smiled at the memory, remembering how he couldn't keep the tears from falling. He'd been so happy to see Jason and Paul he'd thought he'd weep in front of everyone. Instead, tears leaked from the sides of his eyes and no one seemed to hold it against him.

Strange how it seemed to take a near-catastrophe to change things just a bit. But only just a bit. SG-1 had been given a month's leave, mostly to recover from the stress. They all had wounds but they would be just fine. Daniel knew it would be a while before he could sleep through the night without having nightmares about those damned artificial creatures, but at least he had someone there beside him in his bed, to hold and comfort him.

He thought back to the last eight months, frankly surprised at how much things had changed in his life in less than a year's time. He wasn't the same person, and yet, he was. He sometimes felt a bit strange because of it all, but never guilt over letting go of Shau're. She'd said she wanted him happy and loved, and for a while, he wouldn't allow it, feeling as if he'd betray her somehow. But he'd been forced to give in, to follow his heart, thanks to Shifu, and though that path had been difficult to find, he finally had. So now, he was happy. He was truly happy.

Daniel picked up the next potato for peeling when he felt two hands come around his waist. He smiled, then laughed as the hands lifted his shirt to expose and find skin. Lips caressed his neck, arousing him just as the fingers of one hand located the ring in his navel and teased it. Daniel moaned and tried to pretend to focus on what he was doing, but the other hand reached down and rubbed over his jeans-covered groin, causing his cock to stiffen appreciably. Daniel dropped the vegetable and the peeler into the sink, turned his head to find his lover's lips, and gave in to the feeling his body and heart demanded.

~ end ~

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