~ part two ~
~ decisions ~
//......Daniel was struggling, pulling on his wrists. He woke up - at least he thought he was awake - realizing he was in bed. The bedroom lamp was on, and it seemed to be night time. This felt so damn real but he knew that he had to dreaming. He pulled on his wrists again, then focused, realizing they were bound with some sort of silk ties, and the colors were what made him focus. A kaleidoscope of them, as if someone had thrown globs of paint down on a sheet of silk and then cut the thing into strips.Shaking his head in bewilderment as to why he should be so focused on that one thing, he tried to look around. It seemed that no one else was in his room, but someone had obviously tied his wrists to the headboard. He tried focusing again, this time on where the ties were knotted, but they disappeared beyond the head of the mattress.
As he squirmed around, trying to take stock of his situation, and to see if he had missed anything hidden, he realized his legs were free. He pushed up on his knees; not a difficult thing to do since his hands were at least a foot away from the edge of the mattress and he could at least get some leverage. Unfortunately, he couldn't sit down comfortably with his back to the headboard as his hands weren't tied together; they were perhaps shoulder-width apart. He was, however, able to sit down facing the headboard, prop his feet against it, and push while he pulled at his bonds.
Nothing. Damn ties wouldn't budge. Whoever it was that had tied him down had done a good job. He started to believe that maybe this was real, that he was, in reality, tied to his bed. Well, not that he'd mind being tied up. In fact, he found that he rather loved the idea, but since he hadn't asked for it, he was not happy about it.
He considered calling out, but if this was actually a dream, what was the point? Still sitting toward the headboard, he raised his knees to his chest to rest his head.
Sometime later - minutes, seconds, hours, he didn't know - the room darkened gradually as if someone were turning down an adjustable light. Soon after, a man - in strange shadowy silhouette - entered the bedroom, and before Daniel could do anything, he found his ankles grasped by very strong hands and his legs were pulled out underneath him so that he lay on his stomach again.
"Untie me! Who are you? What do you want?"
'Well, duh, Daniel', he thought to himself. 'What do you think they want?'
As if on cue, the voice asked him something similar.
"Want to have a little fun, Daniel?" asked the unknown voice.
Daniel thought, 'No,' but he found himself actually saying, "Yes," then, "No, that's not what I meant!"
"Yes...it is, Daniel." The hand reached into the bedside table and pulled out the phallus and the lube. Daniel panicked - his mind screaming both "Yes" and "No". He began to pant, his heart racing now. He was excited, yet still freaked about what was happening. The fear was oddly stimulating and even though he wasn't sure if he liked it, his body reacted in a time-honored fashion to the arousal.
With no warning, his legs were pulled apart and he felt the lubed tip of the phallus rubbing his sphincter, creating tiny shudders of pleasure through his groin. Then the phallus was pushing inside and whoever held onto it did not wait for him to adjust. "No, wait," he cried out but he was suddenly being fucked slow and deep in a continuous, amazing rhythm. His panting grew shorter as the phallus inside him rubbed his gland.
A hand on his dick startled him, pulling sharply, a little painfully, eliciting a cry from his lips. An amazing shudder went through him as the hand jerked him sharply again. He pulled and pulled at the bonds; not trying to release himself, but in reaction to the pleasure he was receiving. He wanted more. So much more.
The movement of the phallus was suddenly stopped and removed from his body. The loss was keen and acute. The hand on his cock slipped away.
"No!" Daniel cried out, his throat harsh and dry. He wanted him to come back, needed him to come back...to finish him, to bring him off.
"Come back," he called out. "Come back!"......//
Daniel awoke from the dream drenched in sweat. Lying on his stomach, he looked up. His lamp was off. No bonds were tying him to the bed. His fingers, however, were clamped hard onto the sheets and mattress and he slowly released them, wincing at the pain from the sustained grip. He dropped his head back down and breathed deeply, calming his heart down...or trying to. His dick was rock hard and throbbing.
He made a whimpering noise of frustration. "Goddamn it."
It had been the fifth time in six days that he'd had that damned dream. Unfortunately, he was due to go out in the field in less than ten hours. A normal naquada survey. He couldn't stay home. He was part of the team, wasn't he? Even if there was nothing for him to do.
"Shit." He remained on his stomach and willed himself to forget about his erection. His attempt failed, but tired as he was, he did nothing to alleviate it and fell into a troubled, fitful asleep.
The mission had been going okay even if he had nothing to do but make a surface anthropological study. They'd been offworld for two days now and last night he hadn't had the dream. He hoped that tonight, the dream would not come. Not here, not offworld. He entered the tent he shared with Jack, tired as hell, and was so tired in fact that when he removed his clothes and got into his sleeping bag, he didn't care about the idiot regulation that said he wasn't supposed to sleep nude on missions. He turned onto his side and went to sleep, making sure that the small battery light was on so Jack didn't return from his guard duty into a dark tent. Although a considerate thing to do (and Daniel always was), he also did it for self-preservation. Jack had a tendency to step on him in the dark.
Jack had been lying down for about ten minutes when he heard Daniel moaning, his body moving within the sleeping bag. He didn't turn on the light when he sat up. He didn't need it. The planet's large, bright moon now took care of it. He stared down at Daniel as he scooted closer and saw that he was on his stomach. Jack reached out to rub his back, thinking Daniel was having a nightmare, and noticed the placement of Daniel's hands and arms. His fingers were white-knuckling into the sleeping bag. Fearing something unknown was hurting him, Jack pulled back the cover and discovered Daniel was nude. Surprised, and a little irritated at him for not following mission protocol, he reached out once more to comfort him, but paused. He couldn't help but take a moment to stare down at Daniel's body.
The man was simply gorgeous, what with his wide, well-muscled back, the sculpted slope of lower back and the inviting shape and curve of his very firm, muscular buttocks and thighs. Jack was snapped out of his reverence by Daniel's sudden change of body motion. He was moaning softly now, crooning almost, as his buttocks clenched and his hips thrust into the bag. Jack had a sudden desire to lean over and thrust his tongue inside him, to make his tongue the reason for Daniel's reactions. He'd turn him over and slide his tongue around and up over his balls, then up the shaft of Daniel's beautiful cock. Jack suddenly wished that Daniel would turn over so he could see his size while erect. He was fairly sure Daniel was a bit longer than he was, but had never once been able to find out. Daniel had always managed to keep that part of his anatomy under control. Jack suddenly needed to find out.
Then....Daniel turned over....wide awake. Startled out of his dream, breathing hard. Jack got a good look. A very good look. Daniel was half-sitting up and he looked up to find Jack staring down at him. Jack smiled gently.
"Nightmare?"
Daniel frowned a little, covering his groin with the bag cover. "Jack?" he asked, confused, then he realized that he wasn't in his bed at home. He'd had that damned bondage dream again. He was also so damned hard he hurt. And Jack had seen how hard. He started to look away but Jack cleared his throat in such a way as to make him look back up at him.
"It's okay. You wanna talk about it?" Jack asked, and reached out and finally touched Daniel, rubbing his arm.
Jack's gentle, comforting touch did it and Daniel gave in. He couldn't take this denial of his anymore and he needed to talk to his best friend about it. He didn't care where they were, either.
Shaking a bit and looking very weary, he said softly, "I need help, Jack. These dreams are killing me."
"Ssshhh," Jack said reassuringly and pulled him into a loose hug. He scooted himself over, pulling his bag closer, and snuggled up to Daniel after he pointedly closed Daniel's bag up over his chest. "It's all right, Daniel. Tell me what's going on."
Looking intensely into Jack's eyes, Daniel knew if anyone was likely to understand, it would be Jack. He cursed himself for not recognizing it long before now. He turned onto his side and propped his head in his hand and Jack did the same. As comfortable as he was going to get, especially since the blood flow to his dick was not receding, Daniel finally told Jack about his dreams. All of them. Jack actually flushed at the extreme eroticism of the things, even though Daniel spoke about them in a clinical, monotone voice, including the ones between himself and Jack. At the end of it all, Daniel also told him what the dreams reminded him of. Shifu's damnable teaching dream.
"You've never told me the extent of that dream, you know," Jack said, sounding worried, not hurt. "I know there's more to it than what you said." Daniel didn't answer him, but he nodded, confirming Jack's suspicion. His eyes, a sudden dark and forbidding blue, also told Jack not to inquire, so Jack moved on. "So you think that kid has something to do with this?"
"He's not really a kid anymore Jack, and no, I don't think he's got anything to do with this, but I do think that his effect on my mind is somehow responsible for my deep desires being...'acted' out this way."
Jack's brow raised. "That's fairly insightful, Daniel."
"Yeah, but it doesn't help me to get rid of them."
Jack took a chance on voicing his thoughts. If Daniel was willing to risk telling him the dreams, then maybe he was willing to listen, too. "Daniel, I think it's also more than just the dreams. What do you think?"
Daniel looked back at him carefully. "Maybe. I haven't examined myself that closely."
"You mind if I tell you what else I think?" he asked, his eyes very serious.
Daniel gave him a reassuring smile. He knew Jack wanted to help. "Go ahead."
Jack gave him a wry grin, then cleared his throat quietly. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings last week when I suggested that what you needed was to get laid." Daniel started to interrupt but Jack silenced him with a finger over his lips. "Let me finish. What you need is to let go. Let yourself feel again."
Daniel stared back at him for the longest time, then nodded in agreement. "But why now?" he asked, gesturing at his head, referring to the dreams.
"You've bottled up your desires too long, Daniel." Jack studied his face for those few silent minutes and after Daniel nodded wordlessly again, he let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding then rubbed Daniel's arm again in further reassurance. "Remember my offer to help?"
Daniel blinked rapidly, then nodded again. "I remember."
"Come with me this weekend."
"Where?"
"To a gentlemen's club in Denver."
Daniel's brow raised a little in surprise, but somehow, he could see Jack in a club like that. Never in a typical one. "That's the place you said you knew about?" and Jack nodded. "You think that's my way out?"
"It was mine, Daniel. It helps to be able to let go in a private, secure place. Even when there's no sex involved."
"And if there could be, who would it be with?"
Jack smiled at him. "That would be up to you, wouldn't it?"
"No, what I mean is, what kind of men? You said it wasn't a...you know."
"It's not. It's a place filled with everyday guys who like the idea of a private club to go to. There are no hustlers. It's very expensive, Daniel. A lot of professionals. You'd fit right in," and he winked at him.
Daniel snorted at Jack's tease, pushing at him in the chest with his fist. The motion caught him up, suddenly feeling Jack's heat on his hand. He withdrew his hand quickly. "So we'll be going there alone?" Daniel asked, wondering just what Jack was inviting him into.
"No, Daniel," he said, a little smile on his lips. "Not just us. Jace and Paul, too."
Daniel's look of surprise was what Jack expected but he somehow expected more of a surprise than Daniel gave him. Daniel merely raised his brow, then seemed to think about it.
"What are you thinking about?"
Daniel had too many questions in his mind. He was very surprised, but he quickly realized that it didn't bother him in the least. In fact, he was rather relieved that his friends would be there. "Okay...How long have the three of you been going and do you go together?"
Jack grinned at him. "Just two questions?"
"More, but they'll get answered and I can wait," he answered with a sarcastic smirk.
Jack smirked back. "Well, a) together, we've been going for three years, and b) we usually go together, but sometimes Jason and Paul go separately or together." Daniel's brow raised in surprise once more.
"You don't ever go by yourself?"
"Not often, but I have."
Daniel paused to consider it all. "So you guys go there to fulfill private fantasies?" He was becoming more intrigued by the idea, and by the reasons Jack would have to go there.
Jack grinned at him again. "Partly, but this isn't the time or place to talk about that. Just promise me that you'll join me this weekend."
"Okay," Daniel said, giving him a real smile at last. "Is there a dress code or..."
Jack gave him an interesting look, one that Daniel couldn't figure out just at the moment. "Your dark grey suit would be perfect. It's a formal club."
Daniel bit his lip and said, "You like that suit, don't you?"
Jack nodded, realizing Daniel was now flirting with him. "It looks very good on you."
"Anything else I need to bring?" Daniel asked, curious.
"Casual clothes and the usual, but I'll tell you more about it when we get home. For now, we need to get some sleep."
Daniel rolled onto his back, wincing as he did so. "I know, Jack, but I won't be able to...for a little while."
Meaning Daniel needed to relieve himself.
Jack looked down into Daniel's face - seeing the loneliness, the heartache, everything the man was, all rolled up into one sad and desperate expression of need - and he suddenly made a decision; a risky but by no means rash decision. He leaned over and cupped Daniel's face with one hand, stroking his cheek with his thumb. Daniel covered Jack's hand with his own and leaned into the caress. His action startled both him and Jack as they'd never crossed that line.
Jack swallowed, hard. "I'm offering help....if you want it."
Daniel squeezed his hand tightly.
"As my friend, Jack?"
Jack leaned down and brushed his lips over Daniel's, touching him in the barest whisper. "Always as your friend, Daniel."
The moment Jack leaned in to kiss him, Daniel felt a warm rush of lust and need so intensely strong it threatened to engulf him and he panicked. He wanted to swallow Jack, to get inside his skin. He wanted pain; he wanted pleasure. He wanted all of it and now, and that scared him.
What's happening to me? he asked himself, then...suddenly....as he took in the gentle and caring look on Jack's face, his hurt, and part of his restraint, let go. As a result, he started to shake, his body vibrating.
Jack saw it, knowing damn well it wasn't the appropriate time or place but he'd given Daniel the go ahead and he couldn't turn his back on him. Not again.
"What are you offering me, Jack?" Daniel asked.
Jack kissed him lightly once more. "What I can offer, for now, isn't much but please, let me help."
Daniel's eyes darkened, focusing on Jack with a force that made Jack just a tiny bit apprehensive at its intensity. When Jack didn't back off, or look way, Daniel decided, To hell with thinking.
"Touch me," he whispered as he cupped the back of Jack's head and pulled him down into a kiss, running his tongue along the edges of Jack's lips. When they parted to let Daniel in, instead of plunging his tongue in Jack's mouth, he waited for Jack's tongue to meet his own. His tongue just barely entered Jack's mouth, tentative and searching. When he felt Jack's tongue touch his own, his need for the man engulfed him and he pulled him into a fervent kiss, thrusting his tongue over and around Jack's. Daniel took his dick in his hand and gasped sharply at its sensitivity as his body jerked at his own touch, but eventually levelled out as Daniel continued to stroke.
Jack felt Daniel's thrumming body through the bag and he wanted crawl inside and feel him. But he knew he couldn't, not here, not now, so instead, he caressed him through the sleeping bag, moving his hand down over his body as their kiss intensified. Daniel made a tiny moaning sound in the back of his throat as their tongues wrestled each other, tasting, finding out all they could. Jack's hand roamed further and finally found Daniel's stroking hand, covering him, moving with him, then slid down to cup his balls through the bag. Daniel moaned again and spread his legs as far as he could within the confines of the bag, pushing his right leg through the zipper until it was free. Daniel thrust upward, wanting more touch from Jack - needing more. Jack gave it to him, squeezing his balls more firmly as Daniel thrust his cock through his fist. When Jack squeezed him again, much more firmly, Daniel's need heightened.
Another tiny moan escaped him as he moved his hand off his dick to pull Jack roughly down on top of him, over the sleeping bag. His exposed leg wrapped around Jack's thigh and held him firmly. He needed Jack and Jack's body heat and used Jack's offer of help to full advantage.
Jack was surprised to say the least, but he couldn't say that he hadn't seen it coming. He had. For a long time. He wanted Daniel as much as Daniel wanted him so he kissed Daniel back, hard, rubbing his body into him, giving Daniel exactly what he needed. Daniel tried not to make any noise as he urged Jack to rub harder against him and the need to make no noise only seemed to spur him on. He grabbed at Jack's arms, his back, around his neck. He needed to touch...to feel. He broke their kiss and whispered harshly against his ear, "I need you," and thrust upward, hard, grinding exquisitely against Jack's groin.
"You're a force of nature, Dr. Jackson," Jack whispered back, breathless, overwhelmed by the man's need, by his own need, then kissed Daniel deeply, trying to smother noises from them both. Daniel's hands came down at his words, clamping hard on his ass, rubbing wildly, sending shocks of pleasure through both of them. Jack's hands reached up and laced tightly through Daniel's hair, forcing his head to arch back slightly as he kissed him harder, thrusting and grinding his hips back down into him. His own desire for Daniel came riding up on him in a huge wave, consuming them both.
Long, rapid puffs of breath blew through Daniel's nose in place of his moans and he rubbed frantically, his fingers tightening on Jack's ass. A tiny gasping noise sounded in the back of his throat and Daniel suddenly came hard, his body shuddering violently. Jack returned the tight embrace, his breathing harsh as he started to shake as he came inside his boxers. When his body settled back down, he gave Daniel a gentle kiss.
"I think you let go, Daniel."
His breathing still quite shaky, he whispered softly against his mouth. "Yes...I did. I really needed that, Jack. Thank you."
"You're very welcome. You okay?"
Daniel let out another, less shaky breath. "For now, yes. How did you know what I needed aside from the obvious?"
Jack smiled at him. "I'm your friend. I knew. This time, I wasn't afraid to be there."
Daniel knew what he meant and he pulled Jack down into a strong hug. Their troublesome days were passed and would never come again. Daniel reluctantly let him go and Jack rolled off and onto his back. Before they fell asleep, Daniel reached over and laid his hand on Jack's shoulder. Jack turned his head slightly to indicate he wasn't asleep yet.
"I'm looking forward to this weekend."
Jack, keeping his eyes closed, smiled, then turned his head away. Daniel was finally able to rest without suffering another disturbing dream.
The next morning, Daniel woke to find Jack up and getting dressed. He gave him a hesitant look...wondering if Jack now regretted what had happened. But Jack smiled at him. His eyes were warm.
"Hey," Jack said quietly.
"Hey."
"How you feeling? You okay?"
"I'm fine," Daniel said, his throat clearing the cobwebs out. Jack gave him a look. "No, really, Jack. I'm fine." He got up and began to dress.
"You sure about that?" Jack asked, seemingly the one who was now hesitant. Daniel walked up him and rubbed his nose against Jack's, mindful of the tent flap being open a little.
"I'm just fine, Jack."
Jack smiled, then gave him an affectionate slap on the hip. "Good."
.
A little while later, Daniel was rolling up the sleeping bag just within the doorway of the tent when he saw Jack coming up to him from outside. He cast a sly smile at him.
"I think my sleeping bag is history, don't you?"
Jack gave him a mischievous grin, his eyes sparkling. "So are my shorts." Daniel snorted and gave Jack a brief smile before Jack assumed his 'Colonel' look. "Yes, I think you've got an infestation of some sort." He removed his zat from his side holster, tossed his shorts onto the bag and eliminated the evidence quickly. When the others came to see what the zat noise was about, Daniel looked at them with perfectly honed innocence.
"Bugs invaded the ripped lining of my sleeping bag. I'm not risking quarantine over stupid bugs so...zap!"
The accompanying team, SG-11, swallowed that excuse, as well as Sam and Teal'c, and didn't think further of it as they returned to their morning duties.
Jack looked over at Daniel as Daniel got out his notebook and pens from his pack. Daniel seemed eerily calm but Jack had a strange idea that he was faking it. Daniel had been so good at it and Jack wasn't sure if he was back to doing it again.
"You okay?" he asked for the third time that morning.
"Jaaack," Daniel replied in a quiet tone, making sure no one but Jack heard him, and looked up at him from his squatting position. "I'm just fine."
"Okay, okay, just checking. So, no more disturbing dreams or anything?"
Daniel smiled as he gathered his things and stood up from his pack. "No, nary a dream I could remember." As he started past Jack, he added, "Although I now have this insane urge to follow you home and fuck your brains out," and he moved on without a backward glance. He wore a smug smile on his face.
Jack watched him walk off, processing whether or not he'd heard Daniel correctly. When he decided he had, he smiled and got on with their work for the day.
That Friday came around quickly. Daniel was feeling much better about his life. He felt strangely energized. Although the dreams hadn't stopped, they had become less disjointed and strange. Except for maybe that scene about getting blown in the control room. That was a bit much.
He was changing into his civilian clothes when Jack and Jason entered their shared gear-up room.
"Jace, Jack."
"Hey, Daniel."
"Hi, Daniel."
"Daniel, you ready to leave tonight?" Jason asked.
Daniel cast a quick glance at Jason. "Tonight?"
Jason shoved Jack in the back. "I thought you told him."
"Watch it, flyboy, I thought I did."
"I'll show you 'flyboy'."
Jack sniggered.
Daniel frowned at him. "Isn't it too late?"
"Uh, no," Jack replied opening his locker. "We don't usually get there until 7:30 or so. Can you be ready by six?"
Daniel gave them both a huge smile. "I think I can manage. I can't wait to see you guys in suits."
. .
35 minutes later, Daniel was just finishing up getting ready. Clean shaven, smelling faintly of musk oil, with his short auburn hair just a tiny bit damp, he waited anxiously in his living room, fidgeting with his kohl-grey silk tie. He looked at himself in the mirror for the fifth time, hoping he looked okay. The dark leather shoes were fine, as well as his dark charcoal suit and pale grey silk shirt. He thought he looked good, smart, and had even opted for wearing his contacts this time. He checked to make sure he had his wallet and keys, then double-checked the contents of his hand luggage bag.
Lights briefly flashed through his living room window, telling him the guys had arrived. Setting the alarm, he grabbed his bag, double checked for his keys once more, then left his house and walked to the car. Jason and Jack got out, staring at Daniel and when he saw them, he stopped dead in his tracks.
Holy shit, Daniel murmured to himself. Jack wore his dark grey suit with matching tie. The shirt he had on underneath was a dark teal. It set off his looks extremely well. Jason's black suit and tie were amazing, but he had on a dark crimson shirt. Damn, the man looked good in red. Daniel thought Jason was the only man he knew who really did look good in red. Jack, on the other hand, looked very good in dark green or blue. Air Force blue, specifically. Forest or emerald green, for that. The three of them eyed each other appreciatively. Daniel thought his friends looked handsome as hell and....by God, if they weren't completely...well...edible. He hadn't used that word in reference to anyone in a long while and it wasn't too big a surprise for him to use it in relation to his friends. Considering their gaze on him, Daniel suddenly felt very good about himself.
"You guys look great," Daniel told them as they continued to stare at him as he got closer to the car.
Jack and Jason both swallowed. "Are you sure we have to be somewhere....right now?" Jack asked no one in particular.
"I second that," Jason whispered. "You look gorgeous, Daniel."
"Thanks, Jace." Daniel smiled at him, sensing a heat rising in his belly at the sound of Jason's voice saying those words. He suddenly wanted to hear it again...in bed...whispered in his ear. He cleared his throat as he realized Jason was staring back, wondering why Daniel was staring at him. Daniel fixed a look on Jack. "Hey."
"You look..." and Jack cleared his throat, "...worth a million, Daniel." The smile that lit up Daniel's face said it all.
Driving down a long roadway, neatly landscaped on either side, Daniel watched the scenery move quickly by as he mused over what the evening - the weekend - held for him. They turned down another road, this one paved with stone: a private drive. Daniel watched with curiosity as they passed the tall firs that lined the drive. Soon it widened, ending at high, sophisticated double iron gates. Jason, who was driving, pulled out an electronic access card, lowered his window, then slid it through an access port and punched a set of numbers on the available key pad. Daniel heard a click and a hum and soon the gate's two sides opened inward.
"This is rather elaborate. I thought you were kidding," Daniel commented as they drove down another road lined with trees.
"No, Daniel, I wasn't kidding," Jack told him. "I also wasn't kidding about their security being almost as tight as the mountain. A lot of rich folks require privacy."
Daniel nodded. "To protect themselves from homophobes."
Jack nodded. "Exactly, and to keep away from the riff-raff and bullshit you'd find at a typical club."
Jason nodded as well. "Like hustlers, private detectives, et cetera."
The trees lining the drive suddenly opened up to reveal an immense lawn and a large, beautifully crafted building in the distance.
Daniel's mouth dropped. "This isn't a club, Jack. This is a fucking estate. Who the hell lives here?"
"No one...well, that's not true. It's run by a few individuals who take care of the estate. Don't worry, Daniel. I had the place checked out a long time ago."
Daniel blinked with yet another surprise. "How long have you been a member of this..um...Gentlemen's Club, Jack?"
"Six years."
Jason watched Daniel's astonished expression through the rearview mirror. He smirked and cast a sly smile at Jack who was wearing his own brand of smug grin. He so loved pulling the rug out from Daniel's expectations of him. As for Daniel, he sat back, thinking of Jack's answer, realizing that Jack would have started going there just after returning from Abydos. He shook his head, thinking that along with this revelation of Jack's, there was sure to be others. He sincerely hoped they wouldn't floor him like this one, but...knowing Jack as well as he knew he did...the surprises would likely knock him on his ass.
The building itself, from the front, was shaped like a wide 'U', with immaculate landscaped gardens. A few fountains dotted the front where the drive ended in a large circular turnaround and Jason stopped the car at the wide front entrance. After Jason handed the keys to his car to a staff member, they entered the building. Daniel found himself awed by the old wooden architecture and obviously handcrafted design.
"You sure a man named Maximilian De Winter doesn't live here?" he asked, getting a snicker from Jack.
"Although, if we call you 'Danny', don't take offense," Jason said, sniggering afterward. Daniel pushed him in the back as he walked behind him toward the front desk.
A tall man in a plain but elegant suit waited at the desk as Jack, then Jason, signed the register, and lastly, Daniel was asked to sign in the space provided for a guest.
"We can give you a tour of it tomorrow. I'm beat. For now, we need to relax. Come on," Jack said with a sly wink, then he and Jason led him down a wide hallway and then up a magnificent flight of stairs to the second floor. Walking down a very wide short corridor, Jack stopped at a set of double doors, slid his own access card through the port on the left side of the doors, and walked into the room.
The room was immense, the wood colors a blend of old oak, walnut and mahogany. The fabrics of the room and furniture blended well in pearls, champagnes, and a dusky teal color. The room was obviously a type of living room. Directly across from the door were two sets of large bay windows with extended windows on either side. The view outside was of a grand landscape of lawn and a forest path. There seemed to be a small river beyond the tree line. A long oval dining table set in front of the windows, about three feet away. Four chairs were placed at what would have been corners if the table had been square. The table was obviously oak, and at least seventy years old, judging from its craftsmanship. Its legs curved in what would have been a typical lion design, only there were no distinctive carvings and no claw feet. Regardless, the table, covered with an elegant densely woven lace, was a work of art. Daniel looked around the room, noticing other pieces of furniture with similarly shaped wooden arms and legs. The long sofa was low with a deep seat and tall back. The individual chairs around the room, including the dining chairs, were the same. Metal furnishings, including the lighting fixtures in the ceiling, seemed to be made of brass and copper.
"Wow," was all Daniel said. Jason and Jack smirked, just as Daniel heard a noise. Daniel turned round and from one of the doors to the right of the large living room came Paul Davis. From what Daniel noticed behind Paul, he'd just come out from a bedroom.
"Hey!" Daniel said, giving him a warm smile. Paul walked right up, took his hand in greeting, then gave him a hug and an affectionate slap on the back. He pulled back, keeping his hand in Daniel's.
"How are you doing, Daniel?"
Daniel rolled his eyes. "I'm fine, and if you guys don't stop asking me that..."
"Sorry," Paul chuckled, and at Daniel's words, reminding him there were others in the room, he let go of Daniel and moved to Jack and gave him the same hand clasp and hug, then Jason. "How are *you* two guys doing?" he asked, getting them to laugh and Daniel to roll his eyes again, only with a smile on his lips.
"We'll give him the tour tomorrow, Paul. You planning on turning in or do you feel up to some cards and dinner?" Jack asked, removing his jacket and hanging over the back of a dining chair.
"I'm feeling rather jet-lagged. Had a hell of a day you *don't* want to know about. I'll just stay up here for the evening. I took the liberty of ordering dinner up so we should have a cart delivered--"
A knock came to the open door at that moment.
"Ah, here we are. I'm starved," Paul said, moving to the door and taking the cart from the room's waiter. He slipped him a folded bill and the young man gave him a nodding bow, then left, closing the door behind him. Daniel smiled. At least the staff appeared to be well-trained. Off-handedly, he couldn't help but wonder what their lives were like working here.
The food tray was rather large, with the typical second shelf underneath the long draped table cloth. Paul began serving himself a plate of a type of rice dish. He flashed Jack a smile. "You feel like eating regular food or pizza?" he asked as he moved to other dishes, taking off their covers and placing their contents on his plate.
Jack nudged him in the ribs. "Very funny, smartass." Paul sniggered. The smell of the food made Daniel suddenly aware that he was hungry and he stood by, looking at the different foods Paul was revealing.
Jack suddenly picked up Daniel's bag and set it inside one of the doors that edged along the huge room; this one next to the left bay window.
"There are only three bedrooms, Daniel, so I hope you don't mind sharing," and Jack cast Jason a look which Daniel didn't see as he was looking at the room. Jason looked at Jack, then gave a slight nod. His eyes seemed filled with a dark emotion that was meant as a message to Jack. Jack seemed to send it back.
"No, I don't mind," Daniel replied, and was about to ask who he'd be sharing with when he caught the last of Jack and Jason's silent exchange. He looked over at Paul, but Paul wasn't watching. Jack and Jason then looked over at him and smiled, then went about checking out the food. Jason removed his jacket and so did Daniel, doing as Jack had done and setting them on the backs of their chairs. Paul's jacket was probably in his room, Daniel thought, as he moved around the dining cart, choosing his food. He looked admiringly at Paul. The man could make himself immediately at home anywhere. Paul's crisp white shirt was unbuttoned just past his neck, his tie long since removed. The sleeves were rolled up to mid-forearm. Daniel decided to do the same after setting his plate down on the table, then noticed that Jack and Jason had already done so as well.
They settled down to eat and talked a little bit of shop but mostly left it outside the room. After their meal was mostly finished, Daniel let the others talk while he lost himself in thought, sipping on a glass of wine as he examined the last few weeks, his intimacy with Jack, and now the reason he was with his friends now. Paul's voice snapped him out of his drifting thoughts.
"Hmmm? What? I'm sorry, Paul. I was thinking."
The others smiled at him, and didn't say anything, but Daniel knew what they were thinking. It was Jack's old tease to Daniel: "When are you not thinking?"
"I asked," Paul repeated, pretending irritation when it was obvious that he had none, "are you comfortable being here with us?"
Daniel took another sip of wine. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be? You guys are my best friends."
"What I mean is, can we talk to you about...well...you? How you're doing? Jack said you were having....nightmares....but he wouldn't say what they were about exactly except that they were sexual. You know us, Daniel. We can't wait to shrink your head." He gave Daniel a teasing, but gentle, sincere smile, along with a brief, gentle squeeze on his shoulder, letting him know they were more concerned for him than anything else.
Daniel felt a flush rising in his cheeks and quickly suppressed it. It did not, however, go unnoticed.
"Daniel, I didn't mean to break a confidence," Jack said quickly. "I only said you'd been having nightmares that weren't your ordinary run-of-the-mill nightmares."
"It's okay, Jack," Daniel said, his voice echoing inside the glass as he took another sip. He eyed all of them carefully and suddenly came to the realization that they really were worried about him. As such, they'd been talking. The three of them, Daniel knew, were dreadful gossips when they got together so lord only knew what they were saying about him - not that he thought that it was bad, just embarrassing. "Okay, guys," and he gestured with one hand, in a 'give me' motion. "Let's have it."
He was, as he expected, asked about his dreams, so he told them as he'd told Jack, in explicit detail, but he added even more than he had told Jack that night offworld. Each of them flushed at the intense eroticism of his descriptions; even Jack, who had heard it all before. Daniel described them as if he were describing a memory, and as he did so, he looked into his wine glass as if the dark red of the liquid helped him focus on his choice of words.
The discussion strangely moved to Daniel's life on Abydos. He'd off-handedly mentioned a dream where he was being fucked in the desert and that triggered the talk of Abydos and, unfortunately, Shau're. Paul had carefully asked him how it was that he held himself together while Shau're was gone.
Daniel stilled his body, then rose from the table and walked the short distance to the window and looked out at the night-illuminated lawns, his arms folding over his chest in his familiar self-protective hug. Jack and Jason wanted to smack Paul for bringing up Shau're and they gave him disapproving scowls.
Daniel felt a sudden flux of conflicting emotions. Happiness, guilt, loss, grief; sexual yearning, need, and lust. He asked himself only one question: Would Shau're want me to be happy - would she? He knew the answer was yes. He knew that she'd understood his sexual needs and bisexual desires. She understood that he'd chosen to give most of them up for her. Now, he was free to experience them again, even when his desires had changed. He was just beginning to articulate it in his mind when he heard Paul's apologetic tone. They'd obviously mis-read Daniel's silent musing.
"Shit. I screwed up. I'm sorry, Daniel. If you gentlemen will excuse me, I'll go hide in my room for a while," and he laid his napkin down and started to get up. Daniel turned suddenly and held his hand out, gesturing Paul to sit down.
"No, just...sit your ass back down, Paul. I'm not upset that you asked. Frankly, I'm getting pissed off at people walking on eggshells every time Shau're's name is brought up," he said in a rather loud voice, then took a deep breath and sat down on the window seat, facing them, his arms still crossed over his chest. Paul slowly sat back down, relieved. "Look," Daniel began. "I'll always miss Shau're because I did love her. Very much. It took me a long time to accept that I'd probably never get her back but I still held out that hope. Our life, the things said and done between us...well, look guys. She knew I was bisexual. I told her. It came as a bit of a shock to me when she told me that most of the men on Abydos were as well." His friends eyes shot up in surprise.
Jack's especially. "You mean Skaa'ra is?" Daniel nodded, giving Jack a slow smile, knowing Jack was putting a few things together. Jack's eyes widened considerably when he had. "You mean he...that all that time he was smiling at me, paying attention, following me around...that it wasn't just because I was some sort of older brother or mentor or something??....that it was because he...??"
Daniel's grin widened as Jack's jaw dropped. "Holy shit." Jack was literally dumbfounded.
"He may have looked like a kid, Jack, but on Abydos, he was the equivalent of an eighteen year-old, not a fourteen year-old like he looked."
"So he was..." and he gulped. "Active?"
Daniel snorted puffs of amused laughter through his nose and shook his head in disbelief that Jack was so damn naïve about the handsome young Abydonian. "Yes, Jack. He was very active."
"Holy Christ," Jack said, a hand going over his face.
Daniel couldn't resist and decided to tell him a little more. "In fact, he thought you liked him when you gave him your lighter." Jack's posture straightened and he shot Daniel another surprised look.
"What?"
"Don't worry, Jack. I straightened him out after you left." Daniel didn't have the heart to expand on that. Skaa'ra had never believed Daniel.
"So...now we're...fine?" he asked hesitantly. Daniel shook his head again and openly laughed.
"Oh sure, Jack. You're fine. Although, since he's older, and taller, you might want to watch out the next time you see him."
Jason and Paul could tell that Daniel was teasing Jack, and Jack knew he was too, but the thought of a young man he still thought of as a surrogate son coming onto him made his stomach flutter...and not in a good way.
Turning Jack's thoughts from Skaa'ra - and done having his little payback fun - Daniel returned the conversation to Shau're.
"Anyway, finding out about the men on Abydos somehow made things a little worse for me. I've never been a multiple relationship person. She was the only one I was going to be with," and he took a slow sip from his wine. "Naturally, I was torn up for a while after she died. Then I got the chance to re-bond with Skaa'ra after we rescued him from that trial and brought him home."
"Is that why you were gone for two days?" Jack asked quietly.
Daniel nodded. "We shared all of our memories of her, good and bad - Shau're had a hell of temper, and she was shy around me at first, but after a while, she was fine. Skaa'ra and I shared, then Kasuf joined in. We all have good memories. It was kind of a two-day wake," and Daniel turned on the window seat, looking back out of the window. "I think I let her go then...said goodbye. Visited her grave. Kasuf erected a marker so I could do that."
Jack and the others smiled. "That was nice of him," he said gently.
"Yeah." Daniel turned back around. "I could have gone back to a social life but not at the risk of the reputation of the SGC."
"Daniel," his friends said simultaneously.
"That's not fair, Daniel," Jack told him. "You grab your life while you can, and to hell with everyone else. You need to live the way you want - within reason - because we could all be gone tomorrow."
"Is that why you started coming here?" Daniel asked.
Jack nodded.
"He's right, Daniel. It's why we're all here," Paul said, and Jason agreed.
"I've gone without for a while. It just seemed easier not to risk embarrassing Hammond. You know, if I were to go offbase to find someone, and then be seen by someone from the base and have the word get back to Hammond. I don't give a shit about rumour-mongers and the like, but I do care about coloring his command. I don't think of my life as bad, but the homophobes do and they wouldn't hesitate using me as cannon fodder. It was just easier for me to...abstain. Besides, I've never really done casual."
"Daniel, there's nothing wrong with it if it's what you want or need at the time," Jack put in. "It's just...well, it's up to you, I guess. I'm just sayin'. You're not planning on...abstaining, are you?"
Daniel turned and gave Jack a sly grin. "No, Jack. I still don't get the casual thing but God help anyone I know."
"I remember, Daniel," Jack said with a grin, remember the intensity with which Daniel demanded his release. Jack still got a hard-on thinking about it.
"With us, Daniel," Paul smiled and elaborated, "it's not so much strangers, as it is no commitments. We can't be tied down with anyone, so...it's better if it's just between us three," and he cleared his throat. "Now four...if you're willing."
Jack and Jason nodded and Daniel could tell they were serious. He sat back down at the table, while Paul and Jason got up and cleared it off.
"So, what you're saying is that you sleep with each other and no one else?" Daniel asked, somehow having it in his mind that they came here to sleep with others.
"Mostly," Jason answered as he placed a serving dish on the food cart.
Daniel thought about that and then saw Jack eyeing him, and remembered what happened off-world. "So...I'm guessing..." and he cleared his throat, voicing his concerns the moment he thought them, "...hoping, actually, that you don't just get together here at the club. That it's at home, too?"
Jack smiled at him. "Yes, Daniel. Home, too. But it's careful, as you'd expect."
Daniel looked at the others, who nodded, confirming what Jack said. Then something else occurred to Daniel. "But...Paul, what about you?"
Jason looked at Paul with a tiny, sympathetic smile, and Paul returned it before looking back to Daniel. "I...usually wait, but if I absolutely need something, I have a friend to go to."
Daniel fidgeted suddenly, feeling oddly possessive. He knew Paul had his own circle of friends in D.C. For some reason, he felt...excluded somehow and he knew it was silly. He wanted to ask Paul who it was, but he left it alone. He took a sip from his wine, not aiming the next question at anyone specific.
"So, whose room am I sharing?" Daniel asked then, watching his friends, suddenly realizing just how 'real' everything was becoming. It hadn't seemed so until he'd come here. Even his intimacy with Jack had an ethereal quality to it.
"Mine," Jason said, giving him a smile. Daniel smiled back and realized that his cheeks were warming. Jason had never had that kind of effect on him before but now that he was allowing himself to see his friends differently, the associated feelings that usually came with those thoughts were now surfacing with sudden force.
Daniel cleared his throat and didn't say anything, also finding it ludicrous that he should be suddenly shy around his friends. He'd never been shy in his life, except in his early teens, so he swallowed the embarrassment he was feeling. He watched as Jason and Paul sat back down, then Jack pulled out a deck of cards and began shuffling. The four of them played round after round of Gin, no one bothering to keep score, though they somehow managed to keep track of who won. Eventually Daniel tired of the game. Feeling restless, he got up, unrolled his sleeves, buttoned up and replaced his tie.
"Daniel?"
"I'm gonna go for a stroll. I won't go out of the building, Jack, so stop your worrying."
"I'm not worried, Daniel. You're more or less safe here. Sexual predators I think you can handle." He smirked, giving Daniel a teasing glance.
Daniel gave him one back as he put his jacket back on. "What makes you think they'd be safe from me?" he asked in a purposely husky tone, and when their jaws had dropped sufficiently, Daniel smiled wolfishly. He made sure he had his guest key card and wallet, gave them all an absolutely filthy wink and slipped out the door.
The three of them stared at each other....dumbfounded in reaction to his voice and to his implications. They sat more or less motionless, staring at their cards.
"You realize we're in deep shit, don't you?" Paul swallowed, asking the other two.
"Yeah, we are," Jason said, folding his cards and placing them face down. He took a long swallow from his beer then he looked over at Jack.
Jack looked back, grinning mischievously. "I already knew we were."
Jason and Paul realized that he knew something they didn't and sat up straight. "Spill," Paul demanded quietly.
"I'm not sayin' anything. It's privileged."
"Jack, if you weren't going to, you wouldn't have made that allusion, so spill," Paul demanded again.
"Not even if you tied me to the bed," Jack said, grinning back at him.
Jason sniggered, then gave Jack an evil leer. "Is that a dare, Jack?"
Daniel walked downstairs, taking in his surroundings. His body felt strangely excited, as if he was anticipating something yet to come, something unknown but pleasant. Walking into the main dining room, he took in the decor, the staff milling around unobtrusively. The room was quite large, having several different types of eating arrangements, from a few long dining tables, to a buffet-type table, to cozy small tables for two. A bar was set up and he got himself a snifter of cognac, thanking the bartender, then nodded a few hellos to members of the club that were still mingling after their dinners. About ten or so men were in the room, mostly in pairs or threes. Daniel looked at them, assessing as he'd come to do - a trick Jack had taught him to do that came naturally now.
He didn't have a problem with being there alone. It felt natural to him, but as he walked from room to room with his snifter of liquor, the fact that he was alone began to weigh on him, making him feel more obvious, more exposed. He entered a room that could be described only as a spacious library-cum-den. Inside were more men, talking, laughing, flirting. Most were paired off, and a few were sitting in luxurious chairs, alone, reading. Daniel nodded to them, more attracted to the wall of books than the men in the chairs. He felt more than a few of them were watching him, just as they'd done in the dining room and the other smaller reading rooms he'd moved through. He pulled down a book, looking at its old leather binding, not really paying attention to the title or author. He examined it idly, then set it back.
His thoughts were now scattered; fragments of his offworld intimacy with Jack kept coming back to him, as well as remembering the look of Jack and Jason in suits and how he'd watched all three of his friends during dinner. Daniel wandered over to the window to take in the limited view as his thoughts kept returning to certain looks he'd received from Jason and Paul.
He found that he really was attracted to them, just as he was to Jack. A warmth was spreading inside his belly, coming from somewhere deep. He felt the stares from men around him more acutely now and he suddenly felt like he was on display. He hadn't cared for it too much in his past, and at the SGC, he'd dismissed it. But here, it excited him. It was sexually exposing and he had a fleeting image of being groped by a stranger...and not necessarily in the dark. The sensation it caused deep inside, both arousing and scary, made his skin tingle.
He turned away from the window and looked across the room, catching the eyes of an extremely handsome dark-haired man watching him. He smiled as he walked past, raising his snifter slightly in a toasting gesture of 'good night' and the young gentleman returned it. Daniel returned his glass to the bar and headed back to the suite. As he found his way back to the main staircase, he looked over his shoulder, toward the library entrance. No one was there, but he had a feeling that the young man had watched him leave, and as Daniel got to the top of the stairs, he thought about what it would be like to fuck that man he'd just seen. The images that came to him, of being half-dressed, fucking on a bed or against a wall, made him half-erect by the time he'd reached his suite's door. He paused for a moment as he looked over his shoulder, half-hoping to see that young man coming toward him. But there was no one there.