The Valentine's Day Meme

[thegrrrl2002]

sef1029 wrote:

In the nature of the day

Happy Valentine's Day to you all, should you choose to recognize the day.

I'm personally of the mind that most fanfic, especially slash, is about women's urgent hope that we can unite the intimacy of true friendship with the passion of a love relationship. So, in that spirit, I have a request/mini-meme for you: in your LJ, post your favorite/best love scene (a few paragraphs or a couple pages) that includes BOTH elements of that mythical perfect relationship: an Awww moment and a Guh! moment. (Any rating, no sex required.) I'd really like to read those sort of scenes right now, and I'm also curious to know which of your scenes you writers most prefer. If you're a reader instead of a writer, you could link to or excerpt your favorite.

Anyone game?

Okay, I'm game. I think this is a fabulous idea, and everyone should do it, okay? SEF even said it was okay to continue it after Valentine's Day. *g* I chose a Jack/Daniel love scene from If A Tree Falls, because I really liked the overall feel to the scene--I felt as though I managed to get across the warmth and familiarity of their relationship. At least I hope I did. I'm not sure the rest of the story worked out as well as I had wanted, but I was happy with this part.



The light in the hall was on. The house was silent--no flickering images from the TV, no music playing.

"Jack?" he said, keeping his voice low as he hung his coat. It was well after midnight. The report had taken him longer than he expected. Sam's visit had broken his concentration, knocked him out of his groove. It was his own fault. He had allowed himself to get agitated again by the day's mission, running it through his mind again and again. He couldn't stop thinking of how Jack looked when he found him by the clearing, dirty and tired and squinting in the bright sun, of Jack fidgeting during the briefing, of how Jack's hands were going to feel on his naked skin. It seemed to take forever to finish the report, but at last, it was over and done with, distributed to the in boxes of Hammond and the team members for their early-morning debriefing. And tomorrow, he and Jack could rejoice in that rare luxury of sleeping in. He looked forward to their three days together--a rare event.

His plans hit a minor snag when he found Jack in the bedroom, the lamp on, an open book under his outstretched arm, sound asleep. His face was half-hidden by the pillow, the dark red blanket pulled up to his hips, leaving exposed the long stretch of his back, right down to the gentle curve of his ass.

Still, it was as if he had come to the end of a long journey. Daniel felt quietly elated as he surveyed the cluttered bedroom--jeans draped over the chair, a handful of change scattered on the chest of drawers, a towel hanging off the edge of the closet door. The curtains were drawn tight, and Jack's displayed medals glinted in the lamplight. And there was Jack himself, alive and well, sprawled across the bed. Everything was as it should be.

Daniel quietly stripped off his clothes, adding them to the pile on the floor. Carefully sliding the book out from under Jack's arm, he closed it, bookmark in place, and laid it on the floor.

Jack twitched, his eyes fluttering open. "Huh. I'm awake," he mumbled, rolling onto his back.

"Go back to sleep," Daniel said, smiling because of the way Jack was blinking at him. Jack had a hint of a smile on his lips despite his grogginess.

Jack reached an arm out. "Come here."

Daniel went to him, tossing his glasses aside as he climbed onto the bed. "Sorry I'm so late."

Jack didn't answer. He just pulled Daniel's head down to his and kissed him with lax, sleepy lips, his tenderness making Daniel's heart ache. When Daniel raised his head Jack's eyes stayed closed, his mouth partly open. Daniel hesitated, because there was always the morning, and Jack was tired and worn down by the mission. But they had so little time together as it was.

He pressed his lips to Jack's shoulder, then kissed his way across Jack's chest, tasting the warm skin with his tongue before gently mouthing a nipple. With a sudden deep breath Jack moved, his chest arching up against Daniel's mouth as his hand went into Daniel's hair. Daniel went back to the nipple, licking and sucking, until Jack was making small, quiet sounds while he twisted against the mattress.

"Sure you don't want to go back to sleep?" Daniel asked, lips brushing against Jack's skin as he spoke.

"I wasn't asleep."

"No?" Daniel pulled the bedcovers away, exposing Jack's naked body. He frowned at the nascent bruise forming on his left side. This was his Jack, the Jack with the bruises and scars and bad knees, the all-too-fragile flesh and bones in contrast with the geared-up commander. But he would never bring that up here, not in bed. That was a subject belonging to another world, one that was far, far away. "Looked as if you were asleep to me," he said, tracing the edge of the bruise with his finger.

"Nah." Jack pulled one leg up, and slid it back down on the opposite side of Daniel's body. "I was reading. And waiting for you." He stretched, then spread his legs wide.

"With your eyes closed?" Daniel watched Jack's half-hard cock twitch. He ran his hand down Jack's thigh, then stroked up toward his groin.

"Uh," Jack grunted.

Daniel cocked his head. "Sorry, I didn't quite catch that." He cupped Jack's balls, wrinkled and hairy, holding them in the palm of his hand.

"What?"

"What?" Daniel echoed.

"Daniel," Jack said, a warning in his voice, but he slid his hips closer to Daniel as he spoke.

Daniel wrapped his fingers around Jack's cock and squeezed. It grew hard in his hand, awake and alive. He grew excited in return, his own cock swelling and aching to be touched. "Okay, yeah," he said, distracted, all teasing forgotten. "Can you grab the--thank you."

He took the lube and bent down over Jack's outstretched body, kissing and licking as he rubbed Jack's cock. It thickened even further, growing smooth and hot in his hand, the skin stretching tight until it felt like satin. He pushed Jack's legs even further apart so that he could slide his tongue along the crease where leg met hip, Jack's balls soft against his cheek. Pushing Jack's legs up, he sought the area behind Jack's balls, then licked upward, sucking each sac into his mouth. He heard the low sound from deep within Jack's throat, the one that sent shivers down his spine and straight to his cock. He loved it when Jack, so open and vulnerable, took such pleasure in his touch. This was his Jack, the one no else could have.

With a little lube, he was able to slide his forefinger inside Jack, and a moment later, a second finger could slip into the tight space. It was a real charge to watch his fingers disappear as he moved them in and out, touching Jack intimately, making him moan and twist his hips. Daniel wrapped an arm around Jack's thigh, holding him steady before he licked the length of his now-hard red cock. Jack murmured encouragement, as if Daniel needed any, and Daniel sucked the shaft into his mouth.

"Oh, yeah, that's it." Jack's hips surged up off the bed, then pushed back down onto Daniel's fingers.

Daniel smiled around the shaft. He knew this was just what Jack liked, to be penetrated, to be sucked, to have everything at once. He liked it too--the feel of the hard cock sliding along his lips, his fingers tucked up into Jack's ass, where he could feel every muscle twitch.

Jack's breath quickened, his movements growing more frantic. Daniel let the cock slide out of his mouth, and worked with just his fingers. He wanted to take his time and make this good, really good. He knew just where to reach deep inside to make Jack gasp out loud, to make Jack dig his heels into the bed. He moved up over Jack's body, sucking on a nipple before stretching over Jack's body to find his mouth. His fingers still stroked inside as they kissed, his tongue pushing inside Jack's mouth in time with his fingers. Jack clutched at his shoulder and groaned into his mouth.

"Oh, jeeze, Daniel," he panted, biting at Daniel's chin.

"You like this," Daniel said.

"Fuck yeah. I needed this--" He kissed Daniel's neck, wet, open-mouthed kisses. Daniel could feel the heat coming off his body as it moved beneath him. "Finish me off," Jack pleaded, hooking a leg around Daniel's waist. "Please, Daniel, do it."

Daniel kissed him one more time, then scooted back down to Jack's cock. Despite Jack's plea, he couldn't resist one more tease, a soft kiss to the broad head, a few gentle licks, playing with him, using a light touch because he knew how to play Jack just right, how to make Jack mutter curses and grumble. But Daniel's fingers were growing numb from being squeezed by the tight muscle, so he gave in and sucked hard, keeping a steady pace until Jack shouted, filling his mouth with the sharp taste of his come. Jack came hard, muscles straining as he let loose with little breathless gasps of pleasure. When Jack came, he never failed to sound surprised and delighted, almost as if he hadn't known it could be so good. It was sweet, it was incredibly erotic, and Daniel always wanted to do it all over again once he finished.

He withdrew his fingers, kissed Jack's spent cock, and stretching out along side Jack. His own cock was ready and waiting, especially at the sight of Jack lying there, chest heaving, arms spread wide, eyes half-open, his hair sticking out in tufts. Spent, and as smug as could be.

"God damn, you're good at that," Jack said.

"My pleasure," Daniel said. He nuzzled Jack's cheek. "And what do I get in return?" He poked Jack's hip with his cock.

"My undying gratitude?"

"That's not exactly what I had in mind."

"Awe and admiration?"

"I already have that," Daniel told him. Impatient, he pushed Jack's hips, rolling him over onto his side, ignoring Jack's indignant response.

"Hey, hey, don't I even get a moment to bask here?"

"No," Daniel said. "Not until I do." He tucked in behind Jack, grabbing the lube, applied it liberally, then pushed inside of Jack, moaning as he slid deep inside the slick space. Jack bore down on him, pushing back. Soon Daniel was snug up against his ass, his knees pushed up behind Jack's knees, chest pressed against Jack's back. He wrapped an arm around Jack's waist and held on, because Jack was hot and tight and it was good, so damn good, to finally be here, to finally be close enough.

He heard Jack yawn. "Don't--don't let me keep you up," Daniel whispered with a smile, his cheek against Jack's back.

"Just waiting for you to get started. Feel free to, any time. Oh--wait, are you already in there?" He wriggled his ass, sending a shiver of pleasure through Daniel's body. "I couldn't tell--"

"Oh, fuck, Jack," Daniel gasped. "You wise-ass." Daniel slapped Jack's hip, but Jack's laughter was contagious, because he was happy, because everything was so damn good. He pushed himself up on an elbow and thrust into Jack's body, still shaking with laughter. He thought maybe he should be gentle, but he couldn't help himself, not after wanting so badly. Not after losing Jack on some other world, even if for only a few hours.

Jack seemed to understand. He brought his knees up, and reached behind to press his hand against Daniel's ass, encouraging him, sliding a finger down between sweaty cheeks. Daniel thrust into him with quick, jerky movements, fingers clutching Jack's hip. He sucked the side of Jack's neck, mouthing his jaw, biting his shoulder until it was wet and slick. "Oh god," he whispered, holding Jack tighter. So amazing that Jack would let him do this, he loved Jack so much, and he was going to come, he was so close, so full of love, and he couldn't get deep enough no matter how hard he pushed. "Oh god, Jack, oh god, please--"

It was always like this with Jack--a wild, desperate moment just before he came, when he thought his heart might shatter from the beauty of it all.

Comments

[mmmchelle.livejournal.com]

I've been thinking about this story, so you're posting this story is a lovely coincidence. I was thinking about it because of late you've been saying, 'I don't do angsty; I do happy.' Sweetie, this story is angsty. Lovely, very lovely, but angsty. /g/

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

I achieved angst? Woo! I did struggle quite a bit with this fic. I must have re-wrote that last bit with Jack a miilion times. Not to mention the opening scene. So thank you, it really tickles me that you like this story.

And I'm just going to sit here and stare at your icon for a while, okay? Everytime 'geeky' and 'gay' pop up, I smile. It's so damn perfect!

[mmmchelle.livejournal.com]

I'm just going to sit here and stare at your icon for a while, okay?

I've been doing the exact same thing. I'm thrilled with the way it came out. But I owe it all to your cap. I had been looking for a good "I love my geeky gay show" cap for a while, but I hadn't found the right one. Then you posted this.

Then I got the idea to make it a gif. And then I started playing with the gradients. /g/

I'm in love with Image Ready.

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

I love the gradients. And the image itself wasn't very high quality, but you made it look y great. So geeky and gay. ::dies::

[mmmchelle.livejournal.com]

you made it look y great.

Gradient maps. I don't know if you can use them in Gimp, but I like to copy the image, sharpen it, set the copy to screen as the blending mode and then copy the screened layer. In between the screened layers I put gradient maps. In this case, and in the Rodney icon above ( that was pretty much all I did to those images, because I didn't want to take anything away from the expressiveness of DH's face), I put a very dark blue to dark blue gradient map set to exclusion and a black to white one set to color. I think I may have done one or both of those things in the hand porn icon, too.

It tones down the color without washing it out completely and gives you a nice image for adding gradients and photo filters to. Although I usually lighten the entire image by upping the brightness and lowering the contrast, and then darken the blacks and neutrals, before I add the gradients.

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

Oh cool! I've never set the gradients in between screened layers like that, but it makes perfect sense. Thank you! I want to go and try it now, and then work on my beach fic, but I still have a my house(apartment?)guest. Not that I don't adore her completely, it's just that I feel the call of the fandom fun. *g*

[mmmchelle.livejournal.com]

Can you do gradient maps in GIMP? Instead of just putting in the gradient, it maps the gradient onto the image, so if you use a black and white gradient you get a black and white image. Using the gradient map also helps boost the quality of the image, I find.

But, yeah, I love to layer copies of the original image (or altered versions with those damn radios taken out) with gradients and photo filters. It can lead to some cool effects.

I'm sorry your guest is getting in the way of your fandom fun, because I want you to be writing too.

/whispers/ I've been working on the soulbond fic. John and Rodney are not happy that Elizabeth wants them to stop having sex. /weg/

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

I'm sneaking in some computer time. *g* Shhh!

Although my girlfriend, who is only a casual Stargate viewer, does agree that Jack and Daniel are very married. So funny to get confirmation from a non-slasher type person.

I can do gradient maps in GIMP--after you mentioned it, I hunted down some instructions. My current default icon from BIS is done that way. But I never layered them using screens. That's pretty cool!

I've been working on the soulbond fic.

Squeeee! I can't wait. *g*

I've got them on the beach, myself. It's my personal challenge to write a romantic fic where they don't touch each other. And still try and make it interesting.

[mmmchelle.livejournal.com]

My current default icon from BIS is done that way.

And I just left you a comment telling you how much I like it.

I never layered them using screens. That's pretty cool!

It is. I'd love to claim credit for it, but it's one of those tricks I picked up reading tutorials. However, the idea of using a dark blue and setting it to exclusion was mine. /g/ I first did it with the Elizabeth icon, and thought it was kind of neat. Now it's a favorite trick.

It's my personal challenge to write a romantic fic where they don't touch each other. And still try and make it interesting.

That's quite a challenge. /eg/ But I have confidence in you.

It'll be hitting my inbox soon, right?

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

It'll be hitting my inbox soon, right?

Probably later today. Not that I work on these things at work or anything. *g*

[mmmchelle.livejournal.com]

Yay!!

I haven't been making anywhere near that kind of progress on anything.

[tripoli8.livejournal.com]

No joke, when I read this scene, I finished the story and then went and read everything on your site. Yow.

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

Eeep! That's so sweet! Although now you must know all my pet words and phrases. Maybe someday I'll learn new words to use. *g*

You are too kind, really.

[sef1029.livejournal.com]

I love this! There is certainly passion and friendship here, but also peace and happiness and laughter. It's beautiful, and I love the way you set up the scene, with Daniel "coming home to" Jack after another difficult and dangerous day. It's perfect. Thank you so much for sharing!

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

Thank you, and thank you for the lovely meme.

I like to think they find solace in each other. And that they can laugh in bed, too.

[skater-g8r.livejournal.com]

oh! GUH!! GUH!! O.O
I loved the whole story, and I agree theres a touch of angst in there, which really gets to me, and Jack so worn out and all like he is!!, oh god!! ::melts::

OOh! SG night tonight Wheeeeeeee!!!!!!! 8-))

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

Sweetie! Thank you. I think Daniel worries about Jack, a lot.

Oh, and I'm so jealous you get to watch SG1 tonight. You guys are so way ahead of us!

[http://users.livejournal.com/oceana_/]

I just reread If A Tree Falls last week, and despite the repitition, the scene doesn't lose any of its hotness.
It's kind of ironic that the only way to epress me feelings for this fic(and your fic in general) is to quote you:"she thought her heart might shatter from the beauty of it all.

(this is the moment where I'm always tempted to throw in a totally inappropriate "Write more! Write more!" even though you do write a lot. Sorry, I'm an addict, it's what we do. *g*)

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

You're so sweet, you made me feel all warm and wibbly. Thank you. And I almost edited that line out when I was working on this fic, because I was worried that it was too over the top. *g* But Daniel just loves Jack so much, doesn't he?

[troyswann.livejournal.com]

suh-weet.

vulnerable Jack. And that image of the field and the bright sun--lost and found--that really pinned the whole thing for me.

suh-weet.

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I so love vulnerable Jack. Because I think that's how Daniel sees him. He knows how precious life is.

[malnpudl.livejournal.com]

Ahh, lovely. Comfort and heat and happiness... theirs, and mine too.

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

Thank you, I so wanted the comfort to be there, and I'm glad it was effective.

[gigitrek.livejournal.com]

I love that scene. I also really love the Tucker/Reed first time in "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark." And the Sheppard/McKay in your latest. So many great stories...

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

Thank you, you sweet thing, you! Especially about "Dark". Actually, I kind of liked that scene, too. Even when I didn't like the fic. *g*

[sffan.livejournal.com]

Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice.

Guh.

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

::giggles::

Thank you, what a lovely thing for you to say! *g*