Warnings; None
by
Mrs. Gumby
They sat huddled together between the roots of a tree that went up forever. Its trunk was at least fifty feet around, and the moss that grew at its base was as deep as a wheat field. Even the drops of rain were enormous, just one proving large enough to soak them like a pair of cartoon mice.
A bird fluttered to the ground before them and began picking at the forest floor; a tiny bird by this world�s standards. To Jack and Daniel it was the size of a horse. Fortunately it was only interested in seeds. It filled its beak, then soared endlessly upwards to the skyscraper trees. They watched it go, then a drop of rain water fell, soaking them. They huddled a little closer.
�Come on, Carter, fix the damn Gate, will ya?� muttered Jack. Carter was on Earth and well out of hearing range, as was Teal�c and everyone else. They were alone, though not badly off. They were wet, but the weather was warm, and so far nothing had taken more than a passing interest in them.
Daniel rested his head on Jack�s shoulder. �She�ll fix it,� he said quietly. Jack turned his head to rest his lips against the wet brown hair.
�Yeah, she will,� said Jack. �Tired?�
�A little.�
Jack smiled. He and Daniel were playing a game in the forest. It was a quiet game, based on feelings as deep as the great wood they sat in. They were pretending each didn�t realize the other was in love. It was a silly game, but they were enjoying this moment too much. There was no need to hurry, no need to scream it to the skies. They each knew, and that was better than any drama.
A rain drop splashed them. Daniel raised his head. His glasses were wet and steamy, and covered with tiny specks of dirt. He grinned. �We need to find shelter. It�s getting dark.�
Jack gently touched Daniel�s face, pretending to wipe away a bit of dirt. �Yeah you�re right. First we have to leave a note for the saps who come to rescue us.�
Daniel wanted to kiss him, but not yet. The game was still too much fun. Instead he pretended to pick a bit of leaf from Jack�s hair. �Okay. I�ll see if I can find a shelter.�
�Don�t go far, I don�t want you getting carried away by a squirrel.�
�Implying I am a nut?�
�A big old walnut. Be careful.�
��Kay.� Daniel said, then reluctantly separated from Jack. He stood up, then leapt to grab hold of the top of the root and hoist himself over it. Jack pulled out his bowie knife and began clearing away some bark on the immense tree.
Daniel was gone less than ten minutes before Jack heard him scramble onto the tree root. As Jack looked up, the younger man was peering down with a grin on his face.
�You will not believe what I have found.�
Jack finished clearing the bark, then carved a bluntly simple message; �� Thataway. J&D.�
�Very nice,� said Daniel. He was perched on the tree root like an imp.
�I thought so.� Jack shoved the huge knife back into its boot sheath. �What did you find?�
�Come see.�
�It�s not a tomb is it?�
�Almost as good.�
Jack climbed over the tree root, then waited for Daniel to hop down beside him. He followed Daniel to the far side of the tree, and looked as he pointed to something, grinning. It was a door. Jack looked towards his companion for confirmation, and Daniel laughed. He took Jack by the arm and said softly; �Come see.�
He opened the simple wooden door, and led Jack into a small cabin, dug beneath the tree. The floor was paved with smooth river stones, and covered with woven mats of grass and scented herbs. A fireplace was set into one wall, made of the same stones as the floor, and flanked by two wooden chairs. They were rustically made of logs and sticks, and covered with blankets woven of soft white rabbit fur. A low fire whispered in the grate, heating the pot of water Daniel had set above it and roasting a leg of what smelled like lamb.
The gentle glow of the fire filled the room with a soft orange light, illuminating the only ornate piece of furniture in the room; a bed. It was of a light-coloured wood, the posts carved to look like gnomes or dwarfs. The headboard was carved to look like a flowering tree, and the top blanket was of woven rabbit hair. The pillows were covered in a rough linen of a natural white. The back of the rabbit blanket was also of linen. The bed itself however had no mattress. It was a deep box, filled with the grey down of some enormous bird. It was, quite literally, a feather bed.
Daniel shut the door and barred it against the dark as Jack surveyed the room. As Daniel moved to check the roasting lamb and simmering pot of vegetables, Jack asked; �What if the owners return?�
Daniel shook his head. � I don�t think there is an owner any more. I found a couple animals in pens. They were nearly starved to death. I opened the feed bins for them, then left the gates open so they can leave and forage when that runs out. They didn�t get that thin in the course of a few hours. I got this stuff out of a cold storage shed in the back.�
Jack walked up behind Daniel and looked down at the meat. It was still mostly frozen. �That�s going to take a while,� he said softly. �Maybe we should rest til it�s cooked.�
Daniel smiled slightly. �Then I�ll put the veggies aside til the meat is almost cooked. Don�t want them to get mushy.�
He set the pot on the stone floor, then stood up. He turned to face Jack. He was standing close, smiling that little impish grin. Daniel had a feeling their game was coming to an end.
�We should get out of these wet clothes,� he said quietly. �Let them dry by the fire.�
Jack removed his jacket and hung it over the back of one of the chairs. Daniel did the same, then took off his boots and socks. He watched Jack strip off his t-shirt, then lowered his gaze to the floor, suddenly feeling shy and a little nervous. Then Jack was beside him again, warm and close. Daniel swallowed, then made himself look up into the dark brown eyes. Jack gently touched his face.
�I�m not going to make you do anything you�re not comfortable with,� he said.
The game was definitely drawing to a close. He removed his own t-shirt and draped it over the chair. Then he opened the heavy belt on his pants and let them fall to the floor. Avoiding looking at Jack, he left them on the floor and stepped naked over to the bed. He pulled back the cover and slid into the down. He pulled the cover up, then looked over at Jack.
He watched him take off his own pants, then moved the cover back for him to get into bed. Daniel took his glasses off and set them beside the bed, feeling Jack get in beside him. He rolled towards him and into his arms, settling against his chest.
�I love you,� Daniel said quietly.
Jack nuzzled softly at his hair. �I know.�
Daniel laughed quietly, then looked up at him. �Why, I don�t know.�
�Cause like most things in your life, I�m old and dusty.�
Daniel laughed again. He stroked Jack�s hair, then lowered his head and cautiously gave a kiss. He settled against him and kissed him again, this time parting his lips to taste him. He stroked his hand down his chest, then moved his hand over to his strong arm, feeling the cords and sinews of his long forearm.
He cleared his throat nervously. �Maybe we shouldn�t get too carried away. I�d hate for Carter and Teal�c to walk in on us.�
�They can wait outside.�
�After they walk in on us.�
Jack nibbled on his ear. �Nervous?�
�Hmmmm�.. maybe. Uh�. Have you ever done this before?�
�Chewed on your ear?�
�Slept with a man.�
�Shhhh. I�m in denial. Have you?�
�Yeah. But not since college.�
�I always knew college was bad for you.� He kissed Daniel�s throat, gently pushing him onto his back.
�Jaa-aack��
�We�re not going to get caught by Carter. It could be days before the Gate gets fixed.�
�You�re worse than a teenager.�
�But far more devious.� Jack reached across Daniel and thrust his hand into his jacket pocket. He pulled out a small box and opened it up. He took out a dark chocolate, then put it between his teeth.
�You are devious,� said Daniel. He leaned forward and pressed his lips against Jack�s, biting into the chocolate.
�I got my �Devious� badge in the Boy Scouts.�
�You weren�t in the Boy Scouts.�
Jack raised another chocolate. �By the end of this box of chocolates, I�ll have you believing everything I say.�
�I�ll believe everything you say so long as you keep feeding me chocolate.�
�Good. This one�s rum filled.�
Daniel leaned forward and bit it, a thin trickle of brandy running down Jack�s wrist. Jack ate the other half of the chocolate, while Daniel lowered his head to lick the brandy off of Jack�s arm. He trailed his tongue over the smooth, tanned skin, nibbling lightly at the defined muscles. He then kissed Jack�s throat.
�I think you�re overcoming my inhibitions.�
�Good. Here.� Jack offered Daniel another chocolate. He held it above Daniel�s head, forcing him the stretch to get it. As the younger man nipped at the chocolate, Jack used his free hand to stroke Daniel�s lithe body. A drip of rum fell onto Jack�s chest, unheeded by either.
The soft down they lay upon began to stick to their bodies as they ate the chocolates. They paid no attention to it as they kissed and caressed each other. The spot of rum on Jack�s chest had sprouted grey fluff, as had other places where the sticky liquid had dripped. Daniel had the stuff in his hair, and as they began to sweat, the down rose up to coat both of them.
The chocolate ran out, but by now Daniel didn�t care if everyone at the Base was out looking for them. He pressed close to Jack, kissing him as he ran his hands over the older man�s shoulders. He kissed him firmly, affectionately, then reached up to pull a feather out of his mouth.
�I�m turning into a chicken.�
�You�d make a cute chicken. Quit talkin�.�
�Yes sir! Shall I salute now?�
Jack pulled him close and kissed him, stirring up more down with the sudden movement. The feathers had spilled out onto the floor and were drifting in the warm air. The two men however were oblivious, having other things to keep them occupied. Even when Daniel�s breathing took on a definite wheeze, they didn�t stop. However, making love in a box of fluff was problematic; only slightly less difficult than sex in a lake. Jack however, like any good military man, was determined to find a solution.
They almost had their technique perfected when there was a knock at the door. Daniel immediately dove under the cover, wheezing loudly. Jack stood up in a cloud of fluff, irritated with the information. He yanked on his damp pants and walked to the door, trailing grey feathers.
He pulled the door open, and Carter actually backed up a step when she saw him. Her first thought was that this was some sort of local creature. Then as she looked closer, she realized it was Jack, but suffering from some horrid disease. The entire room behind him was filled with the stuff; it was on the floor, the furniture, even hanging in the air. Jack had the stuff plastered to nearly every square inch of his body.
�Carter,� he said as though nothing particularly strange was occurring. �Gate fixed?�
The bed behind him began to have a familiar sounding asthma attack. Unable to tolerate his hiding place any longer, Daniel sat up, looking like a humanoid bunny-rabbit.
�Yes, it�s fixed. Uh� are you all right?�
�Never better. Why?� Down wafted off of his face as he spoke.
�Well� good. Fine. I�ll just wait out here until you get dressed then.�
�Okay.� Jack closed the door and turned to look at the little room in it�s shroud of fluff. Daniel was fumbling in his pocket for his inhaler.
�Y�think she suspects anything?� he asked.
