*****
Title: Steadfast
Author: Josephine
Email: Lovellama@aol.com
Rating: G
Codes: J/r
Category: Unrequited love, schmaltz
Summary: Daniel and his rock.
A/N: From a thread on the Our Stargate -- All Team, All the Time! forum on Delphi Forums. Thanks to Ana for the beta and title. Spoilers Evolution II
~~~~~
I rest here on Daniel's desk, watching him as he sits not two feet away, pouring over texts, flipping through his field notebook. Watching, adoring the way his teeth come out to worry his lower lip, the way he frowns over a particularly difficult passage, the satisfied smile he gets when he figures it out.
My favorite time is when he picks me up and tosses me from hand to hand as he thinks. His hands, not too big, not too small, cradle me gently, but I remember the time they weren't so gentle.
Not much ever happened in my part of the jungle, just the sun rising in the morning, the rain falling in the afternoon, and the sun setting in the evening. The odd animal wandered around every so often, but all in all it was a rather boring existence, eon after eon.
Until that day, when I heard something large crashing through the underbrush. It was him, Daniel, being chased by others of his kind.
I had never thought much about humans before; I had heard about these creatures, of course, long before I actually saw one, though none as close as Daniel. They seemed to be a wild, uncouth, volatile lot. But for some reason, when Daniel burst into my clearing, all my previous prejudices crumbled like schist and I could only stare in shock as he fell against the tree I lay next to, chest heaving under a tight sleeveless t-shirt, dirty, sweaty, and so oddly compelling. My world had been turned upside down by this human, I yearned to be closer to him.
When he picked me up to defend himself, I was ready to do battle for him, to protect him against anyone or anything that would dare to harm him. When Daniel dropped me as he recognized the newcomer, I felt myself grow hot in rage. Who was this Jack, and why had Daniel deserted me, me, who would have protected him from his attackers?
Then Daniel glanced down and saw me, and picked me up once more. How I got here is rather mundane, the important thing is I AM here, with Daniel.
His hands soften against me as he thinks, turning from a casual touch to a gentle caress. I fit perfectly in his palm, and I luxuriate in the feel, gladly absorbing the warmth from his skin; I would give it back to him tenfold if I could.
I am a long way from home, thousands of miles from the bedrock that I broke off from ages ago. But I am happy, and content, for I am with Daniel.
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