Parallels

by Sistine

URL: http://www.area52hkh.net/ass/sistine/parallel.php
Summary: Jack and Daniel finally realise something about their relationship while watching 'Torchwood'.
Info: I've recently become a Torchwood fan and while watching the season 2 episode 'Meat', I realised that there were a few parallels between the show's main characters and SG-1.

"Daniel!"

"What?"

Jack kept his eyes on the television screen as he called back, "Can you give me your opinion on this?"

With a sigh, Daniel put his knife down and ventured out of the kitchen through the apartment into the living room. "On what?"

"This. I want your opinion on who the lead is in love with." Jack pressed 'play' and let the show progress.

Daniel resigned himself to watching television rather than cooking dinner. He didn't often get to Washington to see Jack and he wanted to make the most of the time together, however Jack didn't like cooking so Daniel had volunteered.

"You expect me to be able to tell from one episode?" Daniel griped at the end, giving himself time to think. "What show is this?"

"Torchwood. Mitchell recommended it, said something about checking out the aliens on it," Jack replied. He was beginning to get his own idea of why Mitchell had given him the discs. "It gives me something to watch in the evenings. So, what do you think?"

Daniel thought there were some interesting parallels between the show and the triangle between him, Jack and Sam, but he wasn't about to point that out -- directly. However, he could subtly give Jack a hint. He sighed and then said, "Based on the episode, I would say that Jack and Ianto have something going but they don't seem to be classed as a couple by their friends. Jack seems to be very protective of Ianto, despite the fact that Ianto can take care of himself, which indicates some deep feelings there. However, Jack also wants Gwen, who wants him as well, and Ianto knows it."

"Yep, that's pretty much what I thought too." When he had first started watching Torchwood, he had been struck by the similarity between his situation and the one Captain Jack was in. Loving two people, one man and one woman, but loving them differently, knowing that they could never have the woman and therefore 'dallying' with the man. He and Daniel had been sleeping together casually since soon after Sha're had died - seven years, Jack realised. They didn't go out much, even when they had both been living in the same town, preferring to just hang out together or comfort each other with sex. Occasionally, they would sleep with other people but they always gravitated back to each other. "I think he knows, though, that Ianto is better for him than Gwen is."

"Very true," Daniel agreed, referring both to the show and to real life. Ianto was much calmer than Captain Jack, providing a balance, which is what Daniel had always provided for his Jack.

Making a decision, Jack moved his hand slightly and placed it on Daniel's, which was resting on the younger man's leg. "And I think that however much he might think that he wants Gwen, it's Ianto he loves and goes home to."

Daniel looked at the hand covering his and then up at Jack's sincere brown eyes. "Are you trying to tell me something?" His heart skipped a beat at the implication of what Jack had said.

"Yeah." Jack entwined his fingers with Daniel's. "We've wasted a lot of time skirting around our feelings because neither one of us wanted to admit we were in love again. But we are - well, I am - and I think it's time you made an honest man out of me."

Daniel grinned both at the proclamation and the last sentence. "Shall I get down on one knee and propose then?" He had waited a long time to hear those words from Jack. On his part, he had known he was in love with Jack for several years; obviously, it had taken quite a bit longer for the older man to realise the same thing.

"Well, if I tried, I would never get back up again," Jack half-joked, not wanting to admit that he was getting older.

Still grinning, Daniel leaned in and kissed Jack with a tender passion. He didn't mind that Jack was attracted to Sam - he had long ago learned to live with it because he knew that Jack would never do anything about it. What mattered was what Jack had just implied - that it was Daniel he always came home to. "We don't need the ceremony," he murmured against Jack's lips.

"No, we don't," Jack agreed; in some respects, they were already very much like a married couple. It was enough to know that they loved each other. And if Daniel liked Jack's ageing body, then he wasn't going to complain. "Bed?"

"Please." Food was forgotten about as the two men headed towards the bedroom to truly make love with each other. Everything else could wait.