LIKE BREATHING OUT AND BREATHING IN

“Jack, I’d appreciate it if you stopped hovering. You must have somewhere else you need to be.”

Jack spread his hands and tried to look innocent. “I’m actually lurking.”

“Not helpful.”

Jack spread his hands again.

“In fact,” Daniel said, with a pointed glare, “there is nothing you can do to help me.”

Jack winced. “There hasn’t actually been established yet. Nobody’s giving up.”

Daniel pushed his glasses up for the twentieth time since Jack had entered the room and turned his attention to his office computer. “Sorry, I should have said: there’s nothing you can do to help me at the moment.”

“I just….”

“Wanted to make sure I’m not having a nervous breakdown?” Daniel didn’t look up. “I’m coping, Jack.” He clicked a few keys. “Better than you are, actually.”

That was true, and it silenced Jack for a few moments.

Daniel eventually looked up. “What?” he half-snarled.

“How are you doing that? The… coping thing?” Jack knew how he’d be feeling if it were him.

Well, no, scratch that. He actually had no idea how he’d be feeling, but he was damn sure he wouldn’t be coping.

Daniel sighed and swiveled his chair around to face Jack. “My brain is intact. Altered, maybe, but all my knowledge and memories are still there. So I can still do my job, the job I attended college all those years to learn how to do. I can study cultures and work on translations and learn new languages. Things I love doing.” He stared at Jack appraisingly. “Whether I stay on SG-1 will largely depend on you, I suppose. And I wonder which way you’re leaning?”

Jack folded his arms and braced his feet apart. 

Daniel sneered. “Yeah, lay it on me. I’ve been expecting it.”

“Shut. Up.”

Daniel looked thoughtful, but unintimidated.

“You’ll have to be re-evaluated. You’ll need to go through hand-to-hand and firearms training again. Your strength and your center of balance have changed. You’ll need to learn to adjust.”

Daniel’s lips parted.

“Yes, I still want you on my team. That clear enough?”

Daniel’s eyebrows did their thing. “That’s… yeah. Okay.”

Jack tightened his lips. “Don’t assume I’m a Neanderthal. You….”

“Know you better than that.” Daniel smiled and then closed his eyes. His fists clenched on his desk.

“Startin’ on that nervous breakdown?” Jack asked gently.

“I will take you with me,” Daniel said tightly. “Don’t think I won’t.” He opened his eyes and stared at nothing.

“I’m right here.”

Daniel nodded and didn’t look at him.

“Right here, Daniel. Not goin’ anywhere,” Jack said forcefully.

“You didn’t sign on for this,” Daniel said, almost in a whisper.

“I’ll cope.”

Daniel snorted daintily and sniffed.

Jack moved around the desk so that he was facing the doorway, and lowered his voice. “I’m bi. You’re gorgeous. I’m in love with you. Don’t go looking for problems where there aren’t any.”

Daniel sniffed again and swept a hand through his newly long, wavy hair. “So I should go on birth control?”

Jack patted his shoulder, casually, for the cameras. “If you want to cook for me without any shoes on, I’m okay with that. But, yeah, the other part we should probably take a pass on.” He tried to keep his tone as light and casual as the pat.

Daniel blinked up at him from behind too-large eyeglasses. “Probably?”

Jack smiled and began backing towards the doorway. “We can discuss it some time, if you want.”

Daniel gaped.

Jack grinned.

“You can forget it!” Daniel shuddered dramatically.

Jack spread his hands and tried to look innocent.

Daniel glared, but the flush high on his cheekbones let Jack know that he was pleased.

“So. Same old, same old, then? Guess I’ll mosey.” Jack rubbed his hands together.

Daniel just looked at him, and the eyes hadn’t changed even if the lashes were longer.

“What?”

Daniel swung his chair away. 

Jack admired the soft, round curve of his cheek, and the dimple that currently adorned it. “Daniel?” he prompted.

Daniel waved a slender hand dismissively.

“Okay. Later.”

As Jack walked away, Daniel’s pleasant alto trailed after him.

“And you can forget about me cooking for you, too.”

Jack just smiled and kept walking.