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For the New Year and new beginnings with old friends. Oh, and for both ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
magnavox_23's Coming-out-a-thon and ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
jackdanielpromptfic's Image Prompt of the Week.
THRESHOLD
“Hello.”
Jack’s jaw dropped. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“Happy New Year to you, too.”
Jack stood back and waved Daniel inside. “Don’t you think you should have called first instead of just showing up on my doorstep?”
“What for?”
“In case I was out? People do that you know. Washington is fairly well known for its parties.”
Daniel ignored him, walking into the living room and leaving his suitcase in the entryway.
Jack glared at it.
“You never go out on New Year’s. Too many idiots. Got any champagne?”
“Oh, I’m sorry, did you want something to drink?”
Daniel just grinned at him. “What do you think?”
Jack stalked into the kitchen and bent down to pull open the door of his wine fridge. The only other time he’d opened it was when he asked, “What the hell is this?” on the day he was given the tour of his new ‘home’. Of course there was champagne inside. Paul Davis intended to earn his new promotion, and an appropriate selection of wines for the general’s ‘home’ wouldn’t be something he’d overlook.
Daniel wandered in, hands in pockets.
“Asti or Brut?”
“I don’t care. You’ll probably like the Brut better.”
“I’d probably like another whiskey better.” Jack closed the fridge door. “See if you can find something to drink this out of.” He heard cupboard doors opening and shutting behind him as he worked on uncorking the wine.
“So… I was offworld when it happened.”
Jack froze for a second. “I was a little surprised I didn’t hear from you when you got back.”
“Yeah,” Daniel said slowly. He put two champagne glasses down on the counter next to Jack.
“Yeah?” Jack asked, gripping the cork in one hand and twisting the bottle with the other. The cork came loose with a dull pop. He poured into one of the glasses, filling it halfway.
“I decided to give you a little time.”
Jack breathed carefully. “You already know how I feel.” He filled the other glass halfway, and went back to top up the first.
Daniel took the full glass. “This isn’t exactly the moment you’ve been waiting for.”
“It’s closer than I thought I’d ever see in my lifetime.” Jack picked up the other glass and looked Daniel in the eye, only to find him looking back with such sad understanding that Jack’s heart gave a sickening thud. “Is that why you’re here?”
“I thought it was worth celebrating.”
“It is,” Jack agreed without hesitation. “It’s a start.”
Daniel raised his glass. “To the future?”
Jack nodded. “To good things.”
They clinked glasses and drank. And talked about other things, and drank some more and toasted to absent and departed friends.
When the bottle was empty they went into the bedroom, where Jack discovered for what might have been the fiftieth time that making love with Daniel was never awkward, no matter how much time had passed, no matter what words had been spoken, no matter how much it hurt to know they always had to part again. But somehow it was a little bit different this time, and Jack heard himself saying, “Maybe….”
Daniel stroked his cheek tenderly.
Midnight came as Jack was drifting off to sleep, and he heard the sound of the bells from the Presbyterian church half a mile away bringing in the new year. Pealing, and re-pealing the glad tidings. Daniel shifted in his arms and Jack held him tighter. Just maybe….
magnavox_23's Coming-out-a-thon and jackdanielpromptfic's Image Prompt of the Week.THRESHOLD
“Hello.”
Jack’s jaw dropped. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“Happy New Year to you, too.”
Jack stood back and waved Daniel inside. “Don’t you think you should have called first instead of just showing up on my doorstep?”
“What for?”
“In case I was out? People do that you know. Washington is fairly well known for its parties.”
Daniel ignored him, walking into the living room and leaving his suitcase in the entryway.
Jack glared at it.
“You never go out on New Year’s. Too many idiots. Got any champagne?”
“Oh, I’m sorry, did you want something to drink?”
Daniel just grinned at him. “What do you think?”
Jack stalked into the kitchen and bent down to pull open the door of his wine fridge. The only other time he’d opened it was when he asked, “What the hell is this?” on the day he was given the tour of his new ‘home’. Of course there was champagne inside. Paul Davis intended to earn his new promotion, and an appropriate selection of wines for the general’s ‘home’ wouldn’t be something he’d overlook.
Daniel wandered in, hands in pockets.
“Asti or Brut?”
“I don’t care. You’ll probably like the Brut better.”
“I’d probably like another whiskey better.” Jack closed the fridge door. “See if you can find something to drink this out of.” He heard cupboard doors opening and shutting behind him as he worked on uncorking the wine.
“So… I was offworld when it happened.”
Jack froze for a second. “I was a little surprised I didn’t hear from you when you got back.”
“Yeah,” Daniel said slowly. He put two champagne glasses down on the counter next to Jack.
“Yeah?” Jack asked, gripping the cork in one hand and twisting the bottle with the other. The cork came loose with a dull pop. He poured into one of the glasses, filling it halfway.
“I decided to give you a little time.”
Jack breathed carefully. “You already know how I feel.” He filled the other glass halfway, and went back to top up the first.
Daniel took the full glass. “This isn’t exactly the moment you’ve been waiting for.”
“It’s closer than I thought I’d ever see in my lifetime.” Jack picked up the other glass and looked Daniel in the eye, only to find him looking back with such sad understanding that Jack’s heart gave a sickening thud. “Is that why you’re here?”
“I thought it was worth celebrating.”
“It is,” Jack agreed without hesitation. “It’s a start.”
Daniel raised his glass. “To the future?”
Jack nodded. “To good things.”
They clinked glasses and drank. And talked about other things, and drank some more and toasted to absent and departed friends.
When the bottle was empty they went into the bedroom, where Jack discovered for what might have been the fiftieth time that making love with Daniel was never awkward, no matter how much time had passed, no matter what words had been spoken, no matter how much it hurt to know they always had to part again. But somehow it was a little bit different this time, and Jack heard himself saying, “Maybe….”
Daniel stroked his cheek tenderly.
Midnight came as Jack was drifting off to sleep, and he heard the sound of the bells from the Presbyterian church half a mile away bringing in the new year. Pealing, and re-pealing the glad tidings. Daniel shifted in his arms and Jack held him tighter. Just maybe….