gategrrl

Jack/Daniel slash fic challenge

Here it is -- this is for inapickle

Jack/Daniel slash, of course. No smarm, no mpreg...and hopefully this is a happy ending?

Eyes of the Gods

Sand poured over his sandaled feet. Rivulets of the golden glitter polished his toenails to a sheen, like fine sandpaper. He tightened the robe's hood around his neck to keep the sun off his burned, red skin, and squinched his face in an unmindful gesture to keep his sunglasses from slipping down his nose. Slow water dripped from its tip. The moisture ran in a small rivulet into the slight depression of Sha'uri's grave. Daniel's life had adapted to other climates. Other purposes. Newer failures. None that quite ever outpaced the earlier race of his wife's tragic nonrescue. Although his eyes were dry in the desert air, his body left its own tears for her.

It was hard to love. No, hard to keep that love. Hard to let it go. But memories faded, and he was only human.

A mastage -- no, HIS mastage, the one that had brought Ska'ara and the other militia boys with him, all for the love of a bar of chocolate -- this mastage grunted and pawed at the sand, impatient for a run across the sand, and back to the city. Ska'ara was back now. He no longer fed or cared for the mastages; but this one, he'd kept for himself. Kasuf had.

Daniel glanced up into the sky, and saw the ghosts of the two moons. They were nearly over the pyramid. The pyramid's tip poked up over the sanddune horizon. He took a deep breath and climbed aboard the mastage. The animal rocked as its feet swung into an awkward gate. Used to the rocking motion of camels, Daniel held in his stomach.

He'd said his good-byes in Nagada earlier. His father-in-law had understood his other duty (Sha'uri deserved no less) was one he had to be alone for. That, and the leave-taking in the pyramid. The dual moons were now higher in the sky, and mingling with the stars overhead. For a moment, he felt a child's belief that they followed him, watching him like giant eyes. He shivered in his robes, and gripped the pommel harder. The mastage responded and jogged faster. He couldn't shake the feeling of giant eyes, watching, even as the DHD glowed as he activated Earth's address within the pyramid.

The smells and sounds of the SGC assaulted his senses as they usually did, whenever he came back from a long mission, or a leave on Abydos. It was late, and the nightshift was alert, but quiet. The dead of night, he smiled grimly at the corners of his mouth. It had been early afternoon on Abydos. He'd come back at this hour on purpose. He could think. He could avoid feeling for a while. He could close his eyes and see nothing but the eyelights behind his eyelids, and rest.

The night officer waved him in through to the infirmary for the routine check-up. Janet was there (not surprisingly) and one look from him stilled any friendly banter. Most importantly, flirtatious banter. Her professional persona took over, covering any visible disappointment. At the end of the exam, bloodwork, and other tests (including the ponderous MRI for snake-finding), she cocked her head at him in a mute question. He turned his face away and threw the Abydonian robe over his shoulders. He paused near the doorway. Move on, he told himself. "I can't be a fuck-buddy any longer," he heard himself say. Or was that in his head? So hard to tell. Her face betrayed no emotions, unless a mute bafflement qualified.

"I'm tired," he said. This time, he was sure he spoke into the cold air of the cavelike base. "I need sleep."

The corridors stretched out as he walked along one wall of doors. The elevator moved on, its well-oiled doors closing behind him. He thought of Abydos, and Sha'uri, and for the first time in a long while felt his groin swell with the thought of her. He found his door, opened it, and fell on the bed, rolling onto his back, and stared into the eyes of Abydos. Their afterimage projected onto the ceiling, detailed, drilling holes of observation into his mind. "What do you see," Daniel asked them. "What haven't I done?" He closed his eyes and still they watched him. Dried sweat from Abydos lingered on his skin. He dusted a grain of sand off his forehead. He handled his hard-on, and drifted off into sleep.

The phone rang next to the bed. It rang incessantly. Grumbling, Daniel grasped the receiver and fumbled it to his ear. "Daniel Jackson. Who's this?"

There was a short pause. "For fuck's sake, Daniel, you were supposed to call me when you got into town."

Daniel cleared his throat of morning sand, and to get his vocal chords working in synch with his mind.

"Yeah, right. Anyhow. Get your morning Joe, clear your head, I'll see you in the commissary."

"Right Jack."

"Damn right. Why the hell you don't want me with you on Abydos..." Jack paused on the other end. "...it was bad, huh? When is it not," he answered himself. "You still should have gotten your ass on the phone. One hour. Eats. Then office. Then OUT."

Daniel sighed as the line clicked off.

Teal'c joined him in the hallway leading to the commissary. Unlike Jack, he said nothing. But a large hand covered Daniel's shoulder for a moment, so fast he only felt the heat left over, and his muscles relaxed enough that he caught Teal'c smiling in the direction of the pipes. Once inside, the abundance (though not the quality and variety) of the food within made Daniel adjust to coming back to the Earth once again. Three weeks of Abydonian food made him eye the Air Force food with suspicion. There was no telling what would send him to the racing to the toilet this time.

Teal'c landed a plate piled high with fruit, toast, and a mug of black coffee still wisping steam off the top, in front of him. The two made eye contact. Daniel nodded, and headed for a table. Teal'c was not far behind with his own mile-high plate of fruit. And a bagel with cream cheese. And scrambled eggs. Daniel hid his wince as Teal'c dug in. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the coffee. Fruit - it was a distraction.

A heavy ceramic mug clunked and shook the table. A chair scraped on the polished cement floor. A familiar scent pushed past the odor of the strong military issue coffee. "Hey Jack," he said, not opening his eyes.

"So," Jack said, through a mouthful of something mushy, (oatmeal, from the sound of it) "How was my good buddy Ska'ara? Kasuf doing well, too?"

Daniel opened his eyes this time, and glanced at the clock on the wall. "You're a half-hour early."

Teal'c sat back. He was half-way through his breakfast. A steaming cup of his own brand of green tea sat in front of him. His friends' morning habits were rubbing off on him. His blissful expression as he sipped it betrayed his comfort with the routine. Jack glanced at him with a hint of amusement. The big man wasn't much into morning chatter. Neither was Daniel. He waited until Daniel sucked down a second cup of Joe.

"So," Jack continued, "As I understand it, Abydos is in midwinter right now. Or that would be...(he calculated for a few moments) near to the rainy season, right? I hope the cisterns have been repaired. Do they need any supplies for that? A portable concrete mixer, or cement? Maybe some bricks?"

Daniel concentrated on his cup, and nibbled at a chunk of cantaloupe on a fork. He half-glared at Jack, then continued ignoring him.

Jack and Teal'c glanced at each others' plates. They traded a cluster of grapes, and a lump of scrambled eggs. "Where's Carter?" asked Jack.

"Major Carter is still at Area 51, O'Neill. General Hammond wants to be sure that all items brought back are properly accounted for." Teal'c sipped more of his tea.

Jack nodded as he chewed his eggs. "That's right. And you wouldn't come fishing with me. What've you been up to?"

Daniel was in glower-mode. Jack kicked him under the table.

"Visiting," said Teal'c. "My leave ended two days earlier than Daniel Jackson's."

"Not enough excitement?"

It was Teal'c's turn to glower. "Too much of it. The Land of Light has many celebrations."

"Partied too hearty," interpreted Jack. "Wow, didn't think that was possible, big guy."

"I am finished. O'Neill, Daniel Jackson, I will see you later. Dr. Fraiser has ordered me to the infirmary." Teal'cs old glacial frown flashed onto his face. He disposed of his plate and left.

Jack went back to finishing off his food. Daniel had made some progress. "Done?"

Daniel nodded.

They got rid of their plates. Daniel kept the mug in his hand, and refilled it. Jack herded him out of the room with slight pressures and sneaky moves, all the way to the elevator, and into it.

"You promised, eh!" said Jack, waving his finger. "No appendicitis, no emergency, no-thing to get in the way. You are going fishing."

Daniel stared at him stony faced. "Jack, I'm not in the mood for being mosquito-bait."

"No problem. The Garden, then."

Daniel avoided answering by sticking the mug up to his mouth and taking a long draught.

Once clear of the mountain and its cameras, guards, and oppressive underground chilliness, both men relaxed. Daniel a fraction more, Jack a whole lot more.

Daniel cranked his neck around, looking up to the sky as the triangular shape of the mountain receded. Jack glanced back into the rear view mirror. A full moon hovered over the mountain, shining in the daylight like a great silvery eye.

"I'm still tired, Jack. Gatelag." Daniel had paled at the sight of the moon. His mind jumbled, and he stared out through the front window of the truck. For some reason, his thoughts centered on Diana, goddess of the moon, and her hunt. With two moons, the Abydonians had adapted their moon stories to two minor goddesses chasing and hunting each other, until Ra settled their differences. But his mind focused on the result of Diana's story, and the bad luck of the man caught watching her.

Jack's truck turned a corner. "As dumb as the name is," he said, "this is where we're going for the afternoon. I brought a blanket, some drinks and a cooler with lunch in it."

There was no getting away from the eye. It followed, it saw, and like any true god, did nothing except watch as its subjects achieved nothing. A thin curtain of clouds high up in the atmosphere gathered in long thin stripes. Just like prison bars, Daniel thought. Another mountain blocked the moon, and he slumped further back into the seat. Jack pulled into a parking space. All of his supplies were packed small and efficiently (of course), and Daniel was given a pack loaded with the blanket and water. Jack hoisted a backpack with a cooler in it onto his back, grunted, and started walking. Jack paid at the kiosk, waved off the map, and started briskly walking.

"Do you know where you're going?" Daniel asked. He'd been to the Garden a few times. It was full of trails, rock formations, and a memory here and there of quick sex with Janet. He hoped Jack wasn't leading him to any of those spots. Instead of Janet, he saw Sha'uri, felt Sha'uri and felt guilty for feeling little besides friendship for the doctor. He didn't want those memories connected with Jack. With anyone.

Jack's pace stayed constant, and Daniel kept up easily. It was the fast pace they reached when on another planet, and the nearest settlements were farther than a few miles. At least here the distance was shorter, and the weight on his back was lighter. Neither of them were breathing hard, unlike the few other tourists meandering around. Jack led him past several outcroppings. Usually one to notice the geology, the hints of life, and the beauty of a place (when he wasn't distracted by a new culture buried under layers of dust), Daniel merely grunted at Jack's running commentary.

"Here." Jack shrugged his pack off and set it on the ground. Daniel stood as patient as a pack horse as Jack unloaded the blanket from his pack. He hadn't removed it. Dead tired. He was dead tired. Jack ignored his passivity and set their small temporary camp up. No tent, of course. Garden of the Gods closed at eight pm. It was early morning, however, and they had plenty of time. Jack nudged him with a finger poke and a point to the ground, where he'd set up a plumped up pack-pillow. "See?" Jack said. "All the comforts of home. Pillow, blanket, food, someone to talk to."

"No hockey game." Daniel tossed his empty pack on the ground next to the blanket and took the proffered spot. He closed his eyes as his head sunk into the pack (ignored the zippers and clips) and tucked his hands under his head.

"Tisn't the season, you know that."

When Daniel opened his eyes again, the sun was full up and the shadows were a deep blue of midday. He felt rested, much more even keeled than earlier.

Jack handed him a bottle of water. He drank until most of the bottle was gone. His back was stiff from the hard ground, and he rubbed a sore spot on his side from a rock that poked up under the blanket. Dust from a brief breeze made him sneeze. Without a word, Jack opened up the cooler. He pulled out a couple of foam boxes. Skewered lemon chicken, basmati rice, hummous, toasted pita bread slices, baba ganoush...a wealth of Persian food from one of their favorite take-out restaurants. Jack pulled out a couple of imported beers from another, smaller cooler. Daniel popped the cap off with Jack's bottle opening reproduction church key. The visual pun made him crack a small smile, as it always did when he saw it. He handed it off to Jack, who opened his bottle with practiced flourish, flipped the key in his hand like a baton, and slipped it back into a pocket of his backpack. They ate.

Trash packed up and the last traces of food devoured, the two men sat back and watched the color show as shadows moved, clouds reformed and shifted, and mental coils unwound.

The first two beers emptied, Jack handed out another round. "Talk." he said.

"The elders have the cistern problem in control. They haven't needed our help in a long time. They can take care of themselves. Everything else is fine. Ska'ara is recovering as well as can be expected. The local matchmakers are already onto him. Kasuf is...Kasuf." At this Daniel smiled unabashedly. "He staged a two day party when I came back, and a round of tours at some of the schools that have been set up while I've been gone. They've done so much. They're amazing."

"And you went to see Sha'uri," Jack said. Daniel nodded. Jack's beer was almost gone. "I went to see Charlie. Talked to Sarah. Whole lot of anniversaries going 'round these past three weeks."

"Yeah, I guess so." Daniel placed his hand on Jack's for a moment. "I'd've had you come along with me to Abydos, but --"

"You'd rather wallow in guilt. Look, we can go back to the car if you want."

"I told Janet I couldn't do the ... the sex any longer. All I see now is Sha'uri. And much as I like her, I don't want to be the one she gets in trouble over."

"It happens. Though I can't say I'm not unhappy to hear this."

"Sorry about that Jack. I didn't mean to let it drag out for this long, but sometimes --"

"-- you need to feel a woman to remember what it feels like, if it feels like how you loved the last time you loved a woman." Jack swallowed more beer and finished his. "Since we're into truth today. Sarah and I had more than a little talk about the old days."

Daniel watched him carefully. "And?"

Jack picked up a plastic fork that missed the clean-up and flung a small rock. It shot up into the air and gracefully arced before smashing into a larger rock. "There you go. Flew high, came down, and, it's never going to happen again. Don't worry, we didn't part in hate or anything like that. Just don't tell Carter anything, it might give her ideas." Jack winked at Daniel. "Lookit that."

Daniel followed Jack's pointed finger with his eyes. It was the moon, now brighter in the darker sky, positioned over the humorously named Kissing Camels.

"You'll have to give me some time, Jack."

"I'll be retiring in a few years, you know, and you won't have to worry about me getting booted out of the SGC."

"That's not what I meant."

"I know," Jack said. "I'm a lot like you, Daniel. I'm hard to kill. But you've put me through a lot of that shit too, all by your little self. So, when you feel it safe to actually say the words, I'll be here. You know that. And then you'll be able to hear it from me."

Daniel couldn't take his eyes off the moon for a while. Jack's warm hand placed itself on his shoulder, then shifted over to the other shoulder, until Jack had his arm around his shoulders. "Great technique, Jack," Daniel said. But he didn't complain, and he didn't shrug off the contact. Instead, he pressed into Jack just enough.

Jack's hand tightened for a moment. "That's all I need to know," he said.

And for a brief moment in time, Daniel felt a whisper of air in his ear, and lips on his lobe, and he turned, and (a brief moment in time stretched out into hours of remembered sensation later) he felt gentle lips on his own, and a nuzzle on his cheek. So unlike Sha'uri in feel. So unlike Janet with emotion. So fully like Jack in intimacy.

Jack's hand slid down his back to his waist, stayed there for bit. But some folks wandering by - the first ones they'd seen this far off the "beaten path" in an hour or so - and Jack moved away with practiced grace and practical movements of repacking what was left over back into the packs.

"Ready for the hike back?" he said. "It's getting close to seven, and the park closes soon."

Daniel nodded. They folded the blanket up, sorted out the packs, shook the stiffness out of joints, and started the walk. They sauntered on the pathways, taking their time, making small talk, talking of their vacations. At the car, as Daniel opened the truck door, he said, "Thank you."

Jack, already behind the wheel, smiled at him. "Hey, let's go to that diner. You know. The one Ma'Chello charged all those lunches at that time?" He smiled broadly at Daniel's wince. "Hey, the one time I get to have a taste of what being inside Daniel Jackson is like --"

"Shut-up, Jack, just...." But he was smiling too, and let the thought drift into nothingness. He stepped into the truck. Above him in the skies of Earth and Abydos, the eyes might still be watching him. Watch him they would. He would be watching Jack. And in watching Jack, he knew the love was there. If he wanted it. And he did.

Finis