Mixed Signals

by devra

URL: http://www.area52hkh.net/asd/devra1/msignals.php
Summary: Communication isn't always one of Jack's strong points

"You hit me." Daniel's hand is cupped over his right eye, so it's hidden from view, but he's giving me an eyeful out of just the left one.

"You kissed me."

"You had your arm around my shoulder. Excuse me, if I misinterpreted your signals."

"I always touch you."

"And this time I touched you and what do I get for my efforts?" he lowers his hand and I grimace when presented with my handiwork.

"Ouch."

He stomps into my kitchen and I'm so close on his heels, I nearly get decked when Daniel flings open the freezer door. I duck and step backwards, while Daniel roots through my frozen foods. A bag of broccoli, so old it's really a block of ice encased in plastic, is gripped in his hand when he hurls the door closed.

His foot snags the rung of a kitchen chair, then slides it out and he sits. Daniel makes sure I get the full, Technicolor view of his already closing eye before holding the bag of broccoli in place.

"Look, I'm-"

"Stupid?"

"Sorry. I was going to say I was sorry."

The items on the table jump when he slams his palm against the wood. "Sorry for what? I'm still conscious? I'm still here? Sorry I kissed you?"

With one eye out of commission, and his other eye closing in sympathy for its mate, I take a step closer. Then another. I'm an arm's length from him before he opens his good eye. "Why did you kiss me, Daniel?"

"Why did you put your arm around me?"

"It seemed-" I shrug.

"Natural?"

He spits the word at me like a curse. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that 'natural' and 'fuck you' could sound anything alike. I counter. "You were sitting so close to me."

The bag of frozen veggies gets flung across the table, taking down the ketchup bottle and a paper plate containing the last remaining French fries from dinner. He points into the living room, towards the couch. "I was sitting there." Daniel's finger waves towards the very right hand end of the couch, by the arm. "And you were sitting there." His hands are flying, grasping for words. "I had my glasses off. I was relaxing. Listening to the CD you put on. R. E. L. A. X. I. N. G."

I swear the middle of the couch still has my ass indent. "Yeah?"

"I never moved, Jack. And I don't think we need Sam here to explain physics to you."

"Carter?"

"Sam. Physics. Two things occupying the same space at the same time."

"We weren't that close."

"Why were we close at all?"

"Now you're objecting to being close?"

"No!" Daniel clamps his lips shut and I know he's counting to ten in one of his languages. I get to eight in English before he exhales loudly. "I'm not objecting to being close. Hell, I kissed you. So we know where I stand on the subject."

"Oh, yeah," I forget I was the objecting person.

"But you? You were close enough to be in my pants and your arm was around my shoulders."

"Was not." I know I sound like a six year old, but I can't help it. "My arm was resting on the back of the couch." I glide my hand through the air. "Along the top part."

"You were playing with my hair."

"Was not." Was I? You would think I would remember that. Then again I really don't remember moving from my spot on the couch to pasting myself up against Daniel, so who am I to argue?

"Were too." Okay, now we both sound like we're six years old. He's up and past me before I can even process the fact that he's standing. Daniel grabs, his glasses, his coat and has one hand on the doorknob before I find my voice.

"Don't go."

"Why should I stay?"

"I don't know." I'm at least honest. "I just know that I don't want you to leave." I walk to the couch and drop down at the very far end. "I won't move."

Daniel hangs his coat on the doorknob and sits on the recliner, his glasses hanging from his fingers.

I get the hint.

He's made his point.

Look, but don't touch.

Damn, I screwed up. Big time. Guess he wouldn't believe the reason I hit him was because he kissed me first? Nah. No way. At this time, the only thing I'm positive of is that Fraiser's gonna kill me when she sees his shiner.

~the end~