thegrrrl2002: (warm daniel)
thegrrrl2002 ([personal profile] thegrrrl2002) wrote2004-04-20 10:32 am
Entry tags:

Vignette

See my beautiful icon of Daniel being beautiful? Salieri made it. It's beautiful. As is she.

It somehow inspired this odd little Jack/Daniel ficlet. Or vignette.



A Bird in the Hand Gets Tangled in the Sheets

Bird. It had to represent the word "bird", Daniel decides as he strips off his clothes. Which doesn't make any sense--a man living inside a bird.

He slides under the covers carefully, because Jack is already asleep, and has been for hours. It's late. Or early, Daniel thinks as he squints at the clock. Very early. He didn't mean to stay up so long, but the damn bird thing...maybe the bird ate the man?

It makes no sense. He lays on his back, stiff and sore as a result of hunching over his laptop all night. He frowns and rearranges the pillows, tugs on the blankets, trying to relax, hoping the answer will come in his dreams. But when he closes his eyes all he sees are the runes flashing inside his eyelids. Translated runes in blue, untranslated runes in red, maybe-translated in orange. Complete translated phrases are chartreuse. Complete phrases like "When a man takes a wife, he must provide for her, keep her fat and happy and live inside a bird."

He sighs, because he knows that can't be right. Even though he went ahead and color-coded it anyway. It could be a parable, except that most of the tablets he had translated so far encompassed the basic laws of a people long gone from P3X-9944.

Daniel decides to stop dwelling on it so that he can go to sleep.

Shifting onto his side, he edges toward Jack, drawn to his warmth. Jack is still sleeping soundly, curled up in a tight ball. That someone so long could fold himself up in such a way always amuses Daniel. He moves closer and closer, until his chest pressed against Jack's back, then draws his knees up so Jack's ass is firmly ensconced in his lap. Jack is naked. Daniel likes that, likes having all that skin to press up against. He also likes to think that he can still smell his sweat on Jack's body, even though they showered after making love earlier in the evening. As he lays a gentle hand on Jack's hip, he listens to the soothing rhythm of Jack's breathing and begins to relax.

But still, a bird? Figuring it out wasn't going to save the world, and Daniel knows that. Which doesn't keep him from ruminating over the phrase. Could it be "living among the birds"? A way of saying that a man had to keep birds once he got a wife? Maybe she expected fresh eggs every morning for breakfast. Or songbirds. She wanted to listen to songbirds once she was married. Living inside a bird. Dwelling inside a bird. A bird-shaped cottage? In honor of some sort of great bird god?

Daniel's right hip is beginning to ache, probably from a stumble he took while recording images on the walls. He straightens a leg, seeking a comfortable position, reluctant to unwind himself from around Jack. The image of the rune is still in his mind, color-coded in bright, cheery green. Bird. It was definitely "bird".

Bird-brained, that's what Jack would tell him. He smiles and presses a kiss against the nape of Jack's neck. Jack's hair tickles his nose, and he rubs at it with a knuckle, sniffing. He wonders if something is in bloom, if his allergies are acting up. It is definitely springtime despite the chill air. Birds nested in the springtime. Maybe the man was supposed to build a nest for his new wife. Not literally, of course, but a new dwelling, so they could live like birds.

He wonders if they stuffed worms down their children's throats.

Sleep. He's waiting to drift off into sleep, because this isn't important at all. But there are runes and ruins and birds flying his head. And his hip hurts. Just a little achy kind of hurt. He shifts again, easing onto his back, his hand sliding off of Jack's hip. Contemplates getting up to take some aspirin. He scratches his shin with his right foot, thinks it over some more, and decides against it. He wriggles toward Jack again, so that their bodies are touching.

It could simply be a typo. The writer didn't mean to chisel "bird" at all. Perhaps a pretty girl in short robes distracted him, or maybe even a pretty boy in short robes. Carrying a bird.

Or maybe people of P3X-9944 really did live inside giant birds. Warm and cozy, surrounded by feathers, like a living down blanket. Daniel rubs his nose again. A down blanket would probably make him sneeze. He thinks about getting up to take an antihistamine.

He opens his eyes, stares at the ceiling, and wonders if he switched off the coffeepot.

He finds that his hip hurts less if he brings his right knee up. Like a seagull on the beach, one leg tucked up. A giant seagull, large enough--

A hand reaches down between Daniel's legs and grabs hold of his balls, startling him. "Daniel," a gruff voice says, "Do you think you could stop with the moving around?"

Daniel freezes. "Jack? Did I wake you?" Daniel's voice is pitched a touch higher than usual.

"Yes."

A succinct answer, in a low growl. The hand tightens. Daniel allows himself to be pulled onto his side, so that he is face to face with Jack in the dark. "I'm sorry." To demonstrate how sorry he is, Daniel kisses Jack's sleepy lips.

Jack grunts, as if he is considering Daniel's apology. His hand is still between Daniel's legs, and he is caressing Daniel's half-hard dick with his thumb.

Daniel drapes one leg over Jack's hip, leaning into his touch. Hands on Jack's chest, he kisses Jack again, and this time Jack's lips aren't quite so sleepy. "I want to live inside a bird with you," Daniel whispers against his cheek.

After a moment's hesitation, Jack answers. "Okay."

Touched by the fact that Jack understands, Daniel pushes Jack onto his back and stretches out over his body. Jack sighs, either in surrender or contentment or both, spreading his legs and opening his mouth.

Somewhere, a bird begins to sing.
ext_8753: (Default)

[identity profile] vickita.livejournal.com 2004-04-20 09:31 am (UTC)(link)
Somewhere, a bird begins to sing.

I can hear it.

::blisses out::
ext_1204: (Default)

Man, this is sweet!

[identity profile] kylielee1000.livejournal.com 2004-04-20 10:59 am (UTC)(link)
Sweet in a way that is not meant to imply saccharine-ness, but something simpler.

I like here how the bird is associated with domesticity, with love, and nesting. And finally, with simple togetherness.

[identity profile] mmmchelle.livejournal.com 2004-04-20 11:53 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, this was just charming. Daniel's ruminations about the damn birds were utterly in character. I felt like I was in his head, except he probably wasn't chuckling and I most definitely was. Thank you for this. It brightened my day.

[identity profile] gigitrek.livejournal.com 2004-04-20 01:20 pm (UTC)(link)
Very tweet. (Hey, I spent a lot of time coming up with that one.)

I agree, pondering the linguistic application of birds is very Daniel-like. And getting it anyway is very Jack-like. So well done.

[identity profile] kelly-girl.livejournal.com 2004-04-20 03:42 pm (UTC)(link)
Awww, I liked this and Daniel was very in character that these thoughts kept running through his head. Loved Jack too.

[identity profile] barkley.livejournal.com 2004-04-20 04:19 pm (UTC)(link)
"I want to live inside a bird with you," Daniel whispers against his cheek.

After a moment's hesitation, Jack answers. "Okay."


I like!

[identity profile] destina.livejournal.com 2004-04-20 04:32 pm (UTC)(link)
"I want to live inside a bird with you," Daniel whispers against his cheek.

After a moment's hesitation, Jack answers. "Okay."


LOL! See, I love that. Because Jack gets it. Sort of. And even if he doesn't? It doesn't matter. Awww.

Happy, now. :-)

[identity profile] tripoli8.livejournal.com 2004-04-20 09:07 pm (UTC)(link)
I hope you don't mind me friending you. I loved the vignette; I *loved* Jack's reaction to the bird thing.

[identity profile] stephicozar.livejournal.com 2004-04-21 04:31 am (UTC)(link)
Awwww, how perfect was that? Loved every bit of it. I found it very in character and endearing for both of them.

I hope you don't mind me adding you!

[identity profile] ningyouhime.livejournal.com 2004-04-21 06:33 am (UTC)(link)
::waves and friends you::

Wonderful as always. Thank you. =D

[identity profile] thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com 2004-04-21 06:49 am (UTC)(link)
So glad I could make you blissy! thank you!

Re: Man, this is sweet!

[identity profile] thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com 2004-04-21 06:52 am (UTC)(link)
Aww, thank you, sweetie! You are too kind.

I like to think of them as nesting together.

[identity profile] thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com 2004-04-21 06:54 am (UTC)(link)
Chelle! Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it. I think we've all had these kind of nights. Even me, and I usually sleep like a log.

[identity profile] thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com 2004-04-21 06:55 am (UTC)(link)
LOL, Gigi! Your icon is killing me. It's marvelous. Thank you for the laugh.

Tweet? ::groans:: That's worthy of Jack.

And thank you for the kind words. You're tweet, yourself.

[identity profile] thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com 2004-04-21 06:57 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you, Kelly_girl! I feel like I'm finally getting a grip on Daniel's character. He's been a bit of a challenge for me. But he certainly does seem like the type who just can't give up on a puzzle.

[identity profile] thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com 2004-04-21 07:08 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed.

[identity profile] thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com 2004-04-21 07:10 am (UTC)(link)
Oh! I made you smiley. My work here is done.

I figure Jack is a big-picture kind of guy, so he sort of gets it. He's hazy on the details, but he knows what's in Daniel's heart.

Thank you! And thank you for the rec. I'm very flattered.

[identity profile] thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com 2004-04-21 07:12 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you, tempe! I'm very tickled that you enjoyed this. And I friended you back.

[identity profile] thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com 2004-04-21 07:55 am (UTC)(link)
::waves and friends back::

Thank you! You're very sweet. I'm glad you enjoyed.

[identity profile] thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com 2004-04-21 07:59 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you! I'm very flattered. Grinning, here. Friending you right back.

And I totally dig that icon. I can *so* relate.

[identity profile] gypsy86.livejournal.com 2004-04-21 08:49 am (UTC)(link)
despite having only seen a scattering of SG1 episodes, I laughed my ass of reading this. Cause I have had nights like that. Not more than a week ago, in fact. All you want is to get to sleep and your brain missed the memo and you just can't get it to disconnect, no matter how hard you try. Very realistic.
ext_12460: acquired from fanpop.com (lookedlikethis by Daughtershade)

[identity profile] akite.livejournal.com 2004-04-21 08:52 am (UTC)(link)
I saw a link to this on Destina's journal and recognized the name. I remember you from when I read Enterprise slash. Hi! I liked this one too, so sweet in a non-sacchrine way. Plus it gives me a chance to use my Daniel icon. ::g::

[identity profile] thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com 2004-04-21 06:03 pm (UTC)(link)
Ain't it the truth? It's almost like the brain goes on overdrive because there's nothing to distract it.

Glad you enjoyed it, dearie!

[identity profile] thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com 2004-04-21 06:06 pm (UTC)(link)
Hey! How ya doing?! Love the icon. Biceps. Yum.

Thanks so much for the kind words, I'm glad you enjoyed!

Niiiiiiiice....

[identity profile] carolyn-claire.livejournal.com 2004-04-22 09:25 pm (UTC)(link)
That's a great Daniel voice you have, there, and an endearing Jack, and a lovely little moment. ::applauds::

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