sg_wonderland

Summary: I like to think Jack and Daniel are living the good life in DC.

Fandom: Stargate SG-1

Pairing: Jack/Daniel

Rating: PG

Word Count: 1078

Disclaimer: Don’t own ‘em, wish I did, you know who does, yadda, yadda, yadda

Champagne Kisses

Whose idea was it, Jack complained to himself, to have a briefing on a Saturday in DC in December? The traffic was snarled in both directions: desperate workers trying to escape and wide-eyed tourists streaming in for shopping and eating and just seeing the city dressed in its winter finest.

Snow was wonderful on Christmas cards but it was hell on commuting. The season’s first offering was piled up on the sides of the streets with just enough left to cause Jack to drop his speed and hope he didn’t get hit by some idiot.

The first snow was always the worst. People forgot how to drive in it from year to year, they hadn’t gotten worn tires replaced and there were always the newcomers who had never driven in snow. Those were the ones Jack feared; they who blissfully tooled around in their little cars, only to wind up in a snow bank or lodged in the front end of some unfortunate taxicab.

As he always did, Jack had messaged Daniel before leaving the Pentagon. Daniel would stick a couple of beers in the freezer so they were frosty by the time Jack got home.

“Terrible night out there, sir.”

Jack waited as the gate guard flashed a light around his vehicle. “It certainly is, Rob.”

The barrier arm lifted. “Have a good night, sir.”

“You too.” Jack eased the truck past the guardhouse into the freshly plowed neighborhood. One advantage of living in a gated community; even if the HOA fees were obscenely high, the roads and drives were kept cleared.

He rolled up his drive and waited for the garage door to open. Parking beside Daniel’s Jeep, Jack grabbed the ever-present briefcase and loped up the steps, watching the door close before re-setting the alarm behind him. It would take a major emergency to get him back out tonight.

Jack dropped the case and started for the refrigerator when he saw a bottle in the sink, nestled in ice. With a frown, he rolled it around. Champagne.

He began an investigation. There were two steaks resting on a platter, obviously waiting to be cooked. The oven was on and held some type of covered casserole.

Frantically, he scrolled through his memory. What was he forgetting? Daniel’s birthday was July, his was October, so not that. Some kind of first? Date, kiss, sex? Jack was coming up empty.

Grabbing his beer, he set out to find Daniel, silently debating between trying to bluff his way out or just man up and admit he didn’t know what they were celebrating.

He heard Daniel’s voice from the office so he headed that way. Daniel was either on the phone or he was having a fine conversation with himself. Jack draped himself in the doorway and enjoyed the view.

Glasses on the desk, Daniel was rubbing his forehead with the tips of his fingers. “And you should appreciate the fact that I cannot make a decision of that magnitude in the course of a few hours. Plus, I still think you’re withholding information that I need to know.” He glanced up and caught sight of Jack, smiling briefly before launching into another point. Finally, he just gave in. “Listen, just send me something and I’ll look it over. Yes. No, that’s the best you’re going to get until you decide to tell the truth.” He dropped the phone with a frown.

“Okay, that sounds serious.”

Daniel slipped his glasses on and walked over, leaning in for a quick kiss before sliding his arms around Jack’s waist.

“Have I told you how much I like coming home to this every night?” Jack tightened his arms. “You’ve gotten a lot better at this. The hug thing,” he said for clarification. “I thought you were going to have a heart attack when Littlefield hugged you.”

Daniel shifted, clearly embarrassed. “He was naked!”

Jack’s hand slipped down to Daniel’s ass and his smile became wicked. “Those are the best kind.”

“Yes, well…” No one was more aware than Daniel how long it had taken him to be comfortable with Jack’s ‘touchy-feely’ side.

“So, what’s up?”

Daniel sighed into Jack’s shoulder. “Our complicated lives are about to become exponentially more complicated, I’m afraid. Let’s go to the kitchen. This is a conversation for which one or both of us should be holding a drink.”

Jack ended up grilling the steaks while Daniel explained that Georgetown was offering him a faculty position. “The dean has been fairly persistent. And I’m not normally that suspicious but…”

“Why make the offer now?” For the past four months, the Pentagon had been feverishly working out the scenario for making the Stargate public, sometime after the first of the year.

“Listen, I’m a good archaeologist but I’m not that valuable.”

Jack peeked at the steaks while Daniel took the vegetables out of the oven. “You’re the best archaeologist I know!”

Daniel quirked a brow at him. “Talk about damning with faint praise.”

“So you think we’ve got a leak?”

“Has to be. The timing is just too coincidental.”

“I guess there’s no way to figure out how he knows.” Jack contemplated what could be a satisfying search-and-destroy mission. After all, he had all this experience and it sounded like something for which he could make the time.

“It could be anybody. He could know someone on the committee or one of the Joint Chiefs.”

Jack shook his head. “Not one of the JCS. No way do they reveal military secrets.”

“Like I said, you’re probably not going to figure it out.”

Jack plated the steaks and grabbed the champagne. “So that’s why we’re having bubbly.”

“I just saw it at the liquor store and I thought we deserved it. Both of us.” Daniel took the plate and handed him a dishtowel to cover the top of the bottle.

Jack contemplated the bottle. “Are you sure you don’t want me to saber this thing?”

Daniel shook his head; they’d had this argument more than once. “The day the Stargate becomes public but you do it outside. I don’t want you breaking every window in the place.”

Jack skillfully popped the cork, filled the flutes. “It’s a deal.”