Jack was looking out his kitchen window when the phone started ringing. He glanced at the open beer bottle in his hand and took another swallow before turning to look at the phone, knowing full well who was calling and why. He knew he had to answer it eventually, had to give into the weird waiting games they played; he'd lose, just like usual. The only consolation was that he always lost, and it was now a game simply to keep up the pretense of playing. With a sigh he picked up the receiver on the sixth ring, possibly a new speed record in capitulation. "O'Neill," he said, maintaining the form of gamesmanship. "You shot me." Daniel sounded oddly amused under the accusation. Jack shrugged and lifted the beer bottle again. He could hear the sounds of traffic, Daniel's car a low hum under his voice. "You… um." He winced, searching for words for his opening gambit. "You had Anubis in you," he pointed out. Possibly, it was the lamest play he had, even if it was the truth. "You shot me!" The amusement was gone, but Daniel didn't sound terribly pissed off. He wouldn't. "I didn't want to!" He really didn't. "This is because you didn't get to shoot me back, isn't it?" "A little." He could practically see Daniel's smile. Oh yeah, a little shooting between friends—all part of the game, really. "You were shooting up my gateroom," Jack reminded him, putting the beer down and pressing his advantage. The sound of Daniel's car stopped. "Your gateroom?" he asked, the casualness of the question so blatant it was like a hammer. "My command, my gateroom," Jack said, pleased that he didn't sound defensive. "Ah." It was quiet, and Jack could just imagine Daniel totaling up all sorts of things that Jack might now think of as his. General O'Neill had a lot of things Colonel O'Neill hadn't. "Where are you?" Jack asked, deflecting. His advantage had evaporated on him somehow. "Your driveway." Jack moved to the door and peered out to see Daniel sitting in his car. They waved at each other and Jack turned away. "Coming in? Got beer." Daniel laughed quietly, possibly with real humor. "What else?" "Wine. Dinner. New uniforms…" Bribery might make his defeat this time a little more palatable. Daniel wasn't infallible and it was fun to watch him crumble a little sometimes. Daniel laughed at him, the sound real and honest. "And that's supposed to drag me in?" "You drove here," Jack said with a grin. "And I know what you like." "Wine and uniforms?" "Yeah." "You shot me." The emphasis on the last word this time, humor and games over. Jack closed his eyes. "Yeah." "Jack?" "Daniel." "Thank you." |