Title: Midas' Touch

Author: Moonshayde

Season: Eight

Category: Slash, Humor

Spoilers: None

Pairing/Character: Jack/Daniel

Summary: Midas isn't the only one who sets out to get what he wants.

Warnings: minor language

Rating: PG-13

 

 

"You know, the more I think about it, the more I believe that the site on P5J-665 could hold a combination of Roman and Greek architecture. Which, of course, wouldn't be out of the ordinary given the proximity of the two cultures and the fact the Romans 'borrowed' a lot from the Greeks themselves."

 

"Yeah, that's fascinating," Jack muttered, tossing a tennis ball between his two hands. He sat at the edge of his bed, watching Daniel.

 

Daniel nodded and continued to pace in front of him. He flipped the pages of some old book – what was that the fourth one now? – while the others rested in a haphazard pile next to Jack's dresser. He even thought he caught a couple suspicious strays poking out from under his bed. He looked down, frowned, and kicked one of the voluminous tomes aside.

 

"There was even a Persian flare." Daniel said, pausing, his forehead knotting as he thought. Then, as if he were having some conversation that Jack couldn't see or hear, he nodded and agreed with himself. "Yes, yes, that's right. Based on the text we'd found, though, it was definitely a center of Greek control. Or, more accurately, a place belonging to the descendents of the ancient Greeks."

 

Jack stopped tossing the ball. "Oh, those Greeks. They sure know how to party."

 

Daniel turned to him, his forehead still a mess of knots and wrinkles. Jack caught the frustration in Daniel's eyes. Here it came.

 

"Am I boring you?" Daniel asked, crossing his arms and the book over his chest.

 

Jack looked down at his watch. He couldn't even remember how long Daniel had been talking. With a sigh, he glanced up and glared at Daniel. "Boring, no. Annoying, yes."

 

Daniel tilted his head and looked to the side before nodding. He walked to the edge of the bed where Jack was sitting, offered a small, sweet smile before slamming the book closed in front of Jack's nose.

 

Startled, Jack jumped and sneezed, nearly falling off the bed. "What the hell, Daniel?" he asked, coughing and waving the dust away.

 

"Annoying enough for you?"

 

"Just a bit." He coughed again. "You're talking about Greeks and Persians in my bedroom. My bedroom, Daniel."

 

"Oh, right. Your bedroom. For a minute there, I'd forgotten my bearings. Thanks for clearing that up for me."

 

Jack shook his head. "You're a smartass, you know that?"

 

Daniel smiled again, smiled that stupid know-it-all grin of his. He tossed the book onto the pile, nearly toppling it. Then, he grabbed another.

 

Dammit, Jack swore to himself.

 

"Have you ever heard of Midas?"

 

"He does my tires," Jack said. He continued to wear the smirk even though Daniel was obviously not amused. Jack rolled his eyes. "You know, I really don't care, but I have a feeling you're going to tell me anyway."

 

Daniel cleared his throat, slipping into what Jack liked to call "professor mode." He started to flip through the book before he found the right page. The ass. Jack knew it was all for show.

 

"King Midas, King of Phyrgia."

 

"Oh, that Midas," Jack said. "Friend of yours?"

 

"Midas was a good king," Daniel said, ignoring Jack. "And when he found Silenus, old master and foster father of Dionysus, – the god of wine, by the way – he set him up in his court and took good care of him."

 

"Smart man. I would, too, if I wanted to get in with the god of wine."

 

"He wasn't a hedonist for nothing," Daniel muttered. "Anyway, Dionysus was pleased and granted Midas one wish."

 

Jack nodded and sighed, starting to tap his left foot impatiently. Daniel just needed to get to the point already. Screw it. Jack would get to the point for him.

 

"Midas became greedy and everything he touched turned to gold. Wonderful story. Can we get on with it?"

 

Daniel closed the book and crossed his arms again, glaring at him.

 

"Oh, please," Jack said. "Of course I know that story. It's not exactly secret knowledge."

 

"No, but the story itself holds so much cultural value and meaning," Daniel said.

 

Oh, crap. Not with the culture again.

 

"Daniel…"

 

"Midas was king. He had everything. He had family, wealth…his people loved him. But it wasn't enough." Daniel tossed the book to the side and stopped to stand in front of Jack. "He wasn't satisfied and had to have more. He kept searching for that elusive thing that would make him happy, when everything he ever wanted was right in front of him."

 

Subtle. Jack was really going to have to have a talk with Daniel about his choice of words and timing. After pausing for a beat, Jack clapped his hands on his thighs and rose to meet Daniel. "Maybe you should take a lesson from him."

 

"Oh?" Daniel's eyes shone with mischief and determination. "What do you suggest?"

 

With a smirk, Jack gave Daniel a once over before he reached down low and squeezed. Daniel's surprised but pleasure-filled gasp made Jack chuckle with satisfaction.  "Forget Midas' Touch. He has nothing on me."

 

Daniel exhaled slowly and closed his eyes. "Is that a promise?"

 

Jack shook his head and started to unbutton his shirt. Daniel could get him so damn impatient sometimes. "Daniel, you know by now that this myth crap—stuff," he corrected, "doesn't turn me on."

 

Daniel opened his eyes. There, Jack caught a devious twinkle that seemed to match the sly smile that had spread across his face.

 

Dammit, Jack thought. The manipulative con man.

 

Carefully, Daniel started to finish the job that Jack had started. His eyes gleamed with victory. "Who said this was about turning you on in the first place?"

Comments? Email here

 

Return to the Slash Fanfic Page

 

Return to Scribal Traditions (Main Fanfic Page)

Return to the Main Start Page