Title: Things I Learned On My Summer Vacation
Fandom: Stargate SG-1
Character(s): Ensemble (Daniel/Vala)
Word Count: 894
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Teal'c is good at keeping secrets. Just not quite as good as everyone else might think.
Notes: Spoilers up to episode 10:20 - Unending.
Teal'c is good at keeping secrets. Even now, Cameron's mostly guessing when he laughs at Teal'c's jokes (and then praying, because Teal'c isn't the kind of guy you want to laugh at when he's being serious). And normally Cameron would say that a man's secrets are his own, except this time they're his secrets, too, and he doesn't understand Sam's technojargon enough to be seriously worried about the possibility of collapsing timelines or whatever it was she seemed so worried about.
And it's not like Teal'c doesn't tell them anything. But Cameron hasn't quite catalogued all the various eyebrow raises yet, so it's hard to tell how much of it should be taken at face value.
For example, he's pretty sure Teal'c is joking when he tells him he'd look good in Vala's pink negligee. If nothing else, he doesn't think pink is really his colour.
He plays that one close to the chest, though, just in case.
-
"Oh, come on." Vala pouts as she follows Teal'c into the corridor, running a little to catch up. "Just a hint. A nod. A smile. Just close your eyes and point."
Teal'c says nothing, and she rolls her eyes, tugging on his arm to get him to face her.
"Please? Something interesting must have happened on fifty years on that ship. I'd be dying to tell someone, if it were me."
"I am not you."
"Was it Mitchell? I'll bet it was Mitchell. I met his parents, you know. They were very nice. They gave me pie."
He starts forward again, and she sighs.
"Was it Sam? I didn't think I'd really be her type, but fifty years on a spaceship has got to be pretty lonely - hey!" She steps in front of him as he rounds the next corner, and he raises an eyebrow.
"I believe Daniel Jackson said something to me about a translation he is currently working on. Perhaps he may require your assistance."
She studies him for a moment, and then smiles. "Is that a clue? Did I finally crack him? I knew he couldn't resist me forever."
Teal'c remains silent, and she holds his gaze.
"I believe you own a pink negligee, do you not?"
She frowns for a second. "Was that a hint? Was it you?"
"I am not at liberty to say." His face is impassive, and he turns away again. He doesn't stay to wait for her answer, and she has to shout after him.
"What if I promise to wear it again?"
-
"Colonel Carter, you of all people -"
"I know," she interrupts him, shaking her head. "You can't tell us what happened. I just thought -"
"Even the smallest amount of knowledge could have dire repercussions," he says, looking across the table at her. "You were the one who informed me of the potential consequences."
"You're right." It would be unfair to say she's ever hated science, but at times like this, it comes close. "I just can't help being curious."
"Such curiosity is natural," he says, and she smiles, picking up her fork. They've almost finished their meals when he speaks again. "Have you ever considered learning a musical instrument?"
"A musical instrument?" She isn't sure if they're still talking about the same thing; if she had to guess, she'd say it's unlikely.
"Indeed. I believe you once mentioned it to me."
-
When Vala manages to slip something into a conversation with Cameron about pink lingerie, he looks panicked for a moment and quickly makes an excuse to leave.
Probably not him, then.
-
"I'm just saying, I can't imagine how much information it would have been possible to learn on fifty years aboard that ship. If we had access to just a fraction of that -"
"Daniel Jackson." Teal'c looks as if his patience is being sorely tested, and Daniel shrugs. It was worth a shot, at any rate.
"I know. I'm sorry. I just -"
"It would not be in our best interests for me to impart this knowledge."
"You're right. I'll stop asking."
"I would greatly appreciate it."
The silence is punctuated by a few stray notes, a tune Daniel can't quite place. He glances at Teal'c. "Is that music?"
"I believe it is a cello."
"Oh." It's not quite the strangest thing to have happened at the SGC, but it's probably close. "Well, then."
When Teal'c makes a move to leave, Daniel stands, stepping in front of him.
Teal'c raises an eyebrow. "I promised Colonel Mitchell I would spar with him this afternoon."
"I know. I'm sure you did. It's just that Vala's around here somewhere, and it would really help me if -"
"You are wary of her company," Teal'c says, and Daniel frowns.
"Well, not wary, exactly -"
"Are you not attracted to her?"
Daniel thinks it's the first time Teal'c has ever commented on his love life, Sha're aside, and it gives him pause. "Are you - did something happen between us on that ship?"
"I could not say."
Daniel barely notices when Teal'c leaves.
-
The next time Vala insists he take her to dinner, Daniel's about to refuse when he remembers the conversation with Teal'c.
He nods, instead, and tries to pretend he isn't looking forward to it.
-
He was expecting some sort of reaction when Vala walked out of his room wearing nothing but a negligee.
Still, he thinks Cameron's was a little excessive.