Stargate Atlantis: Back to Basics
“The thing about sex,” Captain Jack Harkness explained. “Is that you people always assume it complicates things. I think it simplifies them.”
John Sheppard eyed him suspiciously over his midnight snack, probably wondering how they’d gotten on the subject. Daedalus’ mess hall was deserted, except for the two of them–everyone else, including the rest of the Torchwood team, having already gone to bed–so there was no one to rescue him from the conversation, which suited Jack just fine. “Well, sure, I’ve had my share of one night stands–”
Jack shook his head. “That’s not what I mean.”
Sheppard’s eyes narrowed. “Then what do you mean?”
In answer, Jack leaned across the table, took the other man’s face in both hands and kissed him. At first, John reacted like most “straight” twentieth-century military men–not at all–but before long his curiosity got the better of him and he tentatively started to respond. Jack had been counting on it.
Of course, as soon as he let him go, Sheppard darted a quick glance around the mess hall, presumably to make sure they were still alone, and then shot him a dirty look.
“You see?” Jack stated, smiling wryly. “Simple.”
“Not really,” John hedged, dropping his eyes to his mug.
“I never said there weren’t complications,” Jack clarified. “Just that me kissing you wasn’t one of them. In fact, I’d bet that whatever ‘complication’ you’re thinking about has a lot more to do with someone you’d like to be having sex with, but aren’t.”
He knew he was right the minute the other man started to fidget in his seat, so decided to press his point. “Or maybe what’s complicated is what society tells you that you should feel about sex. That being in a sexual relationship with someone you love will make you unable to make rational judgments in dangerous situations if they’re involved, never mind the fact that you’re probably already pretty irrational where they’re concerned. They tell you that you can’t be attracted to or have feelings for more than one person, or more than one gender, and if you do then you’re betraying your partners. Sex itself isn’t complicated–what’s complicated is all the rules you’re supposed to apply to it.” He couldn’t help a trace of bitterness that crept into his voice on that last part, and winced–usually he was able to hide it better than that.
“So if you’re so sure of that, why aren’t you sleeping with your team?” John shot back, a smugly satisfied tone in his voice that suggested he thought he’d made a hit.
Jack shot him a dangerously smoldering look in return. “Who says I’m not?”
That took the other man aback. “All four of them?”
Jack shrugged. “No. They’re not ready for that. But that’s the complication, not the sex itself.” He set his cup down and leaned back to study the man across from him. “I’d be willing to bet that if you actually slept with that person or persons you’re thinking of right now, and then refused to feel guilty about it, it would make not just your relationship, but your life a whole lot simpler.”
“Easy for you to say,” Sheppard grumbled into his coffee cup.
“Shouldn’t you boys be in bed?” an amused female voice broke in suddenly from behind Jack.
Sheppard just about jumped out of his seat, almost knocking over his coffee cup in the process and seeming to choke on the mouthful he’d just taken. Intrigued by and highly suspicious of the guilty expression that had sprung onto the Lieutenant Colonel’s face and the way he seemed determined not to meet the newcomer’s eyes, Jack glanced back to see who had joined them. He grinned broadly at a sight he’d almost been expecting: that of Doctor Elizabeth Weir. Enter complication, he thought smugly to himself.
“Good timing. I was just trying to convince Colonel Sheppard of the same thing,” Jack drawled with a slow, seductive smile. Though she was free to assume otherwise, the empty chair at the table was not what he had in mind when he concluded with, “Why don’t you join us?”