Jack was lighting up the candles when the doorbell rang. He grinned. Right on time. The colonel took a moment to glance around the kitchen—table dressed up with a fine cloth, two settings with the fine china, gleaming silverware, two rose-scented candles, and a bottle of red wine in a cooler—before he sauntered out to the hall and opened the door.
"Hello, Daniel," Jack greeted warmly, letting the archeologist in. Daniel smiled at him, and glanced around his shoulders into the kitchen. He raised an eyebrow.
"The occasion?" the younger man inquired.
"I felt like it," Jack replied with a smile. Daniel rolled his eyes fondly.
"Of course," he muttered dryly. But the moment he entered the kitchen, he paused. "Is that…rose?"
"I've always like the smell of roses," Jack remarked, passing Daniel to draw out his chair.
"Oh, Jack, I'm—" Daniel sneezed, "allergic."
Jack stared in incredulity. "To rose-scented candles?"
"To scented candles in general," Daniel clarified, and sneezed again. He managed to look apologetic, even as his eyes began to water.
"Oh, Daniel," Jack sighed exasperatedly. "Go wait in back."
Daniel beat a hasty retreat. Jack looked over the kitchen—table dressed with a fine cloth, two settings with fine china, gleaming silverware, two rose-scented candles, and a bottle of red wine in a cooler—before sighing. He blew out the candles, and began to move the dinner to the porch table.