The Games People Play Chapter 7--When She Lets Her Hair Down
Title: When She Lets Her Hair Down
Author: Lionchilde
Summary: AU Daniel gets to see a new side of Vala.
Rating: G
Length: Around 1200 words
Category: Fluff
Pairings/Charaters: Daniel/Vala
A/N: The Games People Play Part 7. The series follows current cannon to the end of 10x09, Company of Thieves. Written for fic101.
When She Lets Her Hair Down
The coughing fit started before she even reached the door. Waiting in the hallway, Daniel winced and wondered if Robitussin might have been a better choice than the Tupperware container of chicken soup he was holding. Vala's hacking finally tapered off, and she opened the door.
Her hair was tousled and she was dressed in some bright blue frog pajamas that he recognized as Sam's. The color was a stark contrast to the vivid red of her nose, but he firmly resisted the smile that tugged at his lips.
"Nice PJs," he offered.
"Sam said they'd be more comfortable than anything I had," she explained as she moved aside to let him in.
He nodded and bent to kiss her, but she quickly turned her face away. "Bad idea, darling," she said.
"Right," he sighed, making his way into her quarters. "Well…I brought you some chicken soup."
Vala sighed, gesturing toward the table, where several similar containers were already stacked. "You're the third person to bring me chicken soup, Daniel. Would you care to explain the significance?"
"It's…um…an old wives' tale," Daniel began as he carried the soup over to the table. "Or a folk remedy, I guess. Or…maybe more of a tradition. I think essentially it's the idea that it's warm and comforting."
"Like the pajamas?" Vala frowned. "Oh--hold on--"
Daniel turned in time to see her rush toward the loveseat, where she grabbed a handful of tissues from the box on the cushion. She sneezed violently several times, then let out a groan and flopped down amid the pile of blankets and pillows.
"Oh, this is just awful," she moaned. "I'm sure Carolyn's wrong. It's much more serious than a cold. I'm all stuffed up, I ache from head to toe, my throat feels like sandpaper, and every time I cough or sneeze it makes my head pound."
"Sounds like a cold to me," Daniel smiled as he walked over to her. He nudged the blankets carefully out of the way and lowered himself onto the cushion, then slid his arm around her. Drawing her gently against his chest, he pressed his lips into her hair and ran a hand over the tense muscles of her back.
"Thank you for that observation, darling," Vala said testily. She rolled her eyes and shoved him away with a whine. "Daniel, I'm sick! Will you get off of me!"
Daniel frowned, his mouth popping open. "Well, I was just trying to make you feel better!" he huffed.
"I'd feel better if I didn't have someone smothering me while I don't feel well," she grumbled.
Daniel rolled his eyes but said nothing, reaching for the remote control. He supposed that at least it was a positive sign that she would let herself be grouchy and childish with him. Flipping absently through the channels, he hoped that if he appeared to have his attention focused elsewhere, she would be less apt to pick a fight. Before he could settle on something to watch, though, she edged closer and started snuggling into his side.
Letting out a long sigh, he slid his arm around her again. He almost expected to be pushed away, but her arm wound around him, and she rested her head against his shoulder. Another spasm of coughing shook her, and he turned with a worried frown.
"Did Carolyn give you anything for that?" he asked.
"Mmm, but it just tastes so awful," she replied, pouting. "Why does medicine always taste terrible?"
"I don't know," he admitted.
"My throat's so tight and raw, Daniel," she complained.
"Might help if you stop talking for a while," he pointed out.
"Oh, very funny," she rolled her eyes.
"I'm serious," he protested.
"I'm sure you are," Vala sighed.
"Look, the more you talk, the more you irritate your throat…"
"What I really need is a popsicle," she interrupted.
"A popsicle?" he repeated, running a hand over his face in exasperation.
"To make my throat stop hurting!" she nodded, then turned a pleading look on him.
"You've got all this soup," he reminded her.
"But it's hot. I can't eat anything hot, Daniel, it hurts when I swallow!" she insisted.
Daniel raised his eyes to the ceiling and sighed. "Okay, okay. I'll go down to the commissary and get you a popsicle," he said, getting up again.
"Thank you, darling," she coughed as he left.
The sound of it melted his irritation, and he nodded, hurrying out. Maybe a popsicle would be good for her; if not it would at least keep her from talking for a while, he thought as he went. That idea, however, went out the window as soon as he returned and presented her with the frozen treat she'd asked for.
Vala's brow puckered. "I wanted a red one," she told him.
"All they had was grape," he said apologetically. "It'll still help your throat."
"But I don't like those. It's Mitchell who likes the grape ones. I like cherry," she reminded him, pouting.
Daniel closed his eyes. "Vala, I love you, but I am not going out to the store to get you a cherry popsicle."
"Why not?" she demanded.
"Because!" he snapped.
Vala opened her mouth to retort, but twisted her head instead, diving for another handful of Kleenex. The sneeze seemed to trigger more coughing, which ended in her flopping sideways on the couch. "Never mind," she wheezed. "Of course you love me, darling."
Daniel hung his head. "I'll be back as soon as I can."
***
She didn't answer when he knocked the second time, so Daniel carefully eased the door open and slid inside. He heard the snoring before he saw her and stifled a laugh. Quietly setting the brown paper bag on the table, he unpacked the tissues and cough drops, fished out the book of crossword puzzles he'd picked up at the check-out counter, and then stowed the soup and popsicles in her mini-fridge.
When she hadn't woken up by the time he finished, he made his way back to her and stood watching for a minute. She had fallen asleep in the same position she'd been in when he left. Her slippered feet were still on the floor, and her upper body was draped across the cushions with the top of her head crammed uncomfortably up against the arm of the loveseat.
A fond smile spread across Daniel's lips, and he shook his head, bending to pick her up. She stirred in his arms, giving him a sleepily confused look. He freed a hand to brush her cheek and gave her forehead a reassuring kiss.
"You're gonna get a stiff neck," he mumured, but she had already settled her head on his chest and drifted back to sleep.
Grinning to himself, Daniel carried her to the bed and pulled back the covers. Her brow creased fretfully as he set her down, but she only coughed a few times and didn't wake. He froze, holding himself completely still until she seemed to relax again, then carefully pulled the blankets back up around her. Before he left, he brought one of the Kleenex boxes and set it on the bed where she'd find it if she woke and needed it.
"'Night, Vala," he whispered finally, pressing his lips to her forehead.
Author: Lionchilde
Summary: AU Daniel gets to see a new side of Vala.
Rating: G
Length: Around 1200 words
Category: Fluff
Pairings/Charaters: Daniel/Vala
A/N: The Games People Play Part 7. The series follows current cannon to the end of 10x09, Company of Thieves. Written for fic101.
When She Lets Her Hair Down
The coughing fit started before she even reached the door. Waiting in the hallway, Daniel winced and wondered if Robitussin might have been a better choice than the Tupperware container of chicken soup he was holding. Vala's hacking finally tapered off, and she opened the door.
Her hair was tousled and she was dressed in some bright blue frog pajamas that he recognized as Sam's. The color was a stark contrast to the vivid red of her nose, but he firmly resisted the smile that tugged at his lips.
"Nice PJs," he offered.
"Sam said they'd be more comfortable than anything I had," she explained as she moved aside to let him in.
He nodded and bent to kiss her, but she quickly turned her face away. "Bad idea, darling," she said.
"Right," he sighed, making his way into her quarters. "Well…I brought you some chicken soup."
Vala sighed, gesturing toward the table, where several similar containers were already stacked. "You're the third person to bring me chicken soup, Daniel. Would you care to explain the significance?"
"It's…um…an old wives' tale," Daniel began as he carried the soup over to the table. "Or a folk remedy, I guess. Or…maybe more of a tradition. I think essentially it's the idea that it's warm and comforting."
"Like the pajamas?" Vala frowned. "Oh--hold on--"
Daniel turned in time to see her rush toward the loveseat, where she grabbed a handful of tissues from the box on the cushion. She sneezed violently several times, then let out a groan and flopped down amid the pile of blankets and pillows.
"Oh, this is just awful," she moaned. "I'm sure Carolyn's wrong. It's much more serious than a cold. I'm all stuffed up, I ache from head to toe, my throat feels like sandpaper, and every time I cough or sneeze it makes my head pound."
"Sounds like a cold to me," Daniel smiled as he walked over to her. He nudged the blankets carefully out of the way and lowered himself onto the cushion, then slid his arm around her. Drawing her gently against his chest, he pressed his lips into her hair and ran a hand over the tense muscles of her back.
"Thank you for that observation, darling," Vala said testily. She rolled her eyes and shoved him away with a whine. "Daniel, I'm sick! Will you get off of me!"
Daniel frowned, his mouth popping open. "Well, I was just trying to make you feel better!" he huffed.
"I'd feel better if I didn't have someone smothering me while I don't feel well," she grumbled.
Daniel rolled his eyes but said nothing, reaching for the remote control. He supposed that at least it was a positive sign that she would let herself be grouchy and childish with him. Flipping absently through the channels, he hoped that if he appeared to have his attention focused elsewhere, she would be less apt to pick a fight. Before he could settle on something to watch, though, she edged closer and started snuggling into his side.
Letting out a long sigh, he slid his arm around her again. He almost expected to be pushed away, but her arm wound around him, and she rested her head against his shoulder. Another spasm of coughing shook her, and he turned with a worried frown.
"Did Carolyn give you anything for that?" he asked.
"Mmm, but it just tastes so awful," she replied, pouting. "Why does medicine always taste terrible?"
"I don't know," he admitted.
"My throat's so tight and raw, Daniel," she complained.
"Might help if you stop talking for a while," he pointed out.
"Oh, very funny," she rolled her eyes.
"I'm serious," he protested.
"I'm sure you are," Vala sighed.
"Look, the more you talk, the more you irritate your throat…"
"What I really need is a popsicle," she interrupted.
"A popsicle?" he repeated, running a hand over his face in exasperation.
"To make my throat stop hurting!" she nodded, then turned a pleading look on him.
"You've got all this soup," he reminded her.
"But it's hot. I can't eat anything hot, Daniel, it hurts when I swallow!" she insisted.
Daniel raised his eyes to the ceiling and sighed. "Okay, okay. I'll go down to the commissary and get you a popsicle," he said, getting up again.
"Thank you, darling," she coughed as he left.
The sound of it melted his irritation, and he nodded, hurrying out. Maybe a popsicle would be good for her; if not it would at least keep her from talking for a while, he thought as he went. That idea, however, went out the window as soon as he returned and presented her with the frozen treat she'd asked for.
Vala's brow puckered. "I wanted a red one," she told him.
"All they had was grape," he said apologetically. "It'll still help your throat."
"But I don't like those. It's Mitchell who likes the grape ones. I like cherry," she reminded him, pouting.
Daniel closed his eyes. "Vala, I love you, but I am not going out to the store to get you a cherry popsicle."
"Why not?" she demanded.
"Because!" he snapped.
Vala opened her mouth to retort, but twisted her head instead, diving for another handful of Kleenex. The sneeze seemed to trigger more coughing, which ended in her flopping sideways on the couch. "Never mind," she wheezed. "Of course you love me, darling."
Daniel hung his head. "I'll be back as soon as I can."
***
She didn't answer when he knocked the second time, so Daniel carefully eased the door open and slid inside. He heard the snoring before he saw her and stifled a laugh. Quietly setting the brown paper bag on the table, he unpacked the tissues and cough drops, fished out the book of crossword puzzles he'd picked up at the check-out counter, and then stowed the soup and popsicles in her mini-fridge.
When she hadn't woken up by the time he finished, he made his way back to her and stood watching for a minute. She had fallen asleep in the same position she'd been in when he left. Her slippered feet were still on the floor, and her upper body was draped across the cushions with the top of her head crammed uncomfortably up against the arm of the loveseat.
A fond smile spread across Daniel's lips, and he shook his head, bending to pick her up. She stirred in his arms, giving him a sleepily confused look. He freed a hand to brush her cheek and gave her forehead a reassuring kiss.
"You're gonna get a stiff neck," he mumured, but she had already settled her head on his chest and drifted back to sleep.
Grinning to himself, Daniel carried her to the bed and pulled back the covers. Her brow creased fretfully as he set her down, but she only coughed a few times and didn't wake. He froze, holding himself completely still until she seemed to relax again, then carefully pulled the blankets back up around her. Before he left, he brought one of the Kleenex boxes and set it on the bed where she'd find it if she woke and needed it.
"'Night, Vala," he whispered finally, pressing his lips to her forehead.