Frozen on the Air - Lost - Miles/Daniel
Title: Frozen on the Air
Pairing: Miles/Daniel
Word Count: 1050
Rating: light R
Warning: implied character death
A/N: Queen astra2104 requested 'ice' as her theme.
Summary: "The island moves and the ocean freezes."
The island moves and the ocean freezes.
A white sheet starts as a dot in the centre of the island and spreads - out and out and out. White frost coats every tree branch and the sand on the beach is hidden under a thin layer of snow. In an eye blink Miles finds himself shivering. The white still spreads.
Out over the sea, further than his vision can roam. The waves turn white and freeze in their foamy crests and the Zodiac, barely a dot by now, is stopped in its tracks. In the distance, Miles can see as Daniel takes a hesitant step out of the boat: standing on the ice. Walking on water.
From tropical heaven to white wonderland in mere seconds. Miles looks towards Charlotte in blind confusion. "What the fuck?" he asks.
That's the politest way he can think of putting it.
*
The novelty wears off pretty damn quickly: it's not cool any more, it's just cold. Cold enough to make them shiver and long for warmer clothes. Sawyer barks orders and that just makes it so much worse. Who put him in charge anyway? What idiot thought that was a good idea?
"We'll stick together," Charlotte says, curling beside them. Miles moves an arm around her shoulders - never thought he'd be able to do that without receiving a slap for it - and then Daniel's as well. "Just the three of us."
Dan nods, burying himself against Miles's side. He's a wriggly kind of guy, Miles has realised after sharing tents and blankets and body heat with him since the freeze. He can't really say that he's too surprised by that.
"Yeah," he agrees, casting a dark glance towards Sawyer, Juliet and the others. "Just the three of us."
*
"I'm worried about him," Charlotte whispers one night when Daniel is sleeping fitfully. "He was unstable enough even before all this shit happened."
"There's nothing we can do."
"It's got to be affecting him worse than the rest of us. He's forgetting stuff more than ever, can't come up with the right words more often than not, and I think he'd sodding stay outside half the time if we let him."
"There's nothing we can do."
"There's got to be something."
"There isn't," Miles snaps. He shouldn't speak to her like that. He really ought to know better. "There just isn't, okay? Stop looking for a way out of this."
"Screw you," Charlotte mutters. She rolls over, back to him.
He doesn't apologise. Later he thinks maybe he should have.
*
Four months later and she's gone, faded away like she was never there. Sometimes when Miles looks into Daniel's eyes he wonders if he even remembers her at all. He'll say her name to him and there's faint recognition - but nothing else.
No pain, no sorrow, no broken hearts.
Probably better like that, he thinks. It's best to spare Daniel the pain.
'cause that's what it becomes for him after that, life on this island. Sparing Daniel. Looking out for him. At first it's because she's there - hissing in his ear and threatening him with all sorts if he doesn't make sure Daniel's okay. When even her ghost leaves, though, he's still there. He's still doing it. He's still looking after him.
It's just something to do, right?
Something to keep himself occupied.
But that doesn't really explain why he finds himself pressed tight against Daniel's back in their tent, hand reaching around his body to jack him off fast. Angry movements leave his hand burning with friction - he bites hard at the back of Daniel's neck to warn him to stay quiet when he comes.
So much for the three of us, he thinks when Daniel lies against him, panting for lost air.
*
His jaw clenches when he notices Daniel sitting next to Sawyer at the fire - and, yeah, that's jealousy. The emotion that makes him want to walk over there and shove Sawyer into the flames, the burning heat that makes his fist curl, the gnawing feeling in the pit of his stomach that won't go away.
And it's stupid.
Stupid.
Stupid enough that he finds himself cornering Sawyer - much as you can corner anyone on an island - before they go to bed that night. Daniel's already settled so Miles keeps his voice down: "Stay away from him, okay?"
Sawyer's eyebrows quirk. "Stay away from who?"
"Daniel. He doesn't-" Miles stops and huffs angry air through his nose. The breath forms white mist. "Just stay away from him, alright?"
"Sure thing," Sawyer agrees - he sounds faintly bemused.
Miles decides to interpret 'bemused' as 'scared off': he feels faintly triumphant when he slinks into his tent where Daniel is already asleep.
*
They wake up under their many layers of covers with a thin sheen of sweat coating their bodies. Miles's mouth feels dry and he grumpily wipes a hand over his forehead. It comes away damp. "What the fuck?" he mutters. Daniel stirs and rolls over to face him, blinking groggily as he tries to wake up. "Stay here."
He crawls out from under the covers, raises the tarp that provides their doors and-
Holy shit.
He looks around in frozen disbelief: the island is suddenly, unexpectedly green. The beach is sandy and white again and the waves… The waves are moving, lapping back and forth lazily as if they'd never stopped at all. Across the beach he can see Juliet emerging from the shelter she shares with Sawyer. He catches her eye but she doesn't look like she has any more of a clue what's going on that he does.
Doesn't matter, he decides.
He tucks his head back inside their tent. "Daniel, get the hell out here," he snaps. "Hurry up."
Like it's going to disappear again. Like there will be another finger snap and the world will whiten. There's a black splodge on the horizon: it looks like their freighter but it's been months since they saw it blow up right before their eyes.
Daniel comes out behind him - "What?" he asks, looking around slowly. "Where'd the snow go?"
"You tell me," Miles says. "You're supposed to be the scientist."
Daniel blinks owlishly. Miles doesn't think he cares about the why too much anyway. As long as that goddamn ice stays gone, he thinks he'll be happy. He closes his eyes and raises his face to the soft, warm sun: when Daniel cautiously reaches out to hold his hand, Miles doesn't react - but he doesn't pull away either.
Pairing: Miles/Daniel
Word Count: 1050
Rating: light R
Warning: implied character death
A/N: Queen astra2104 requested 'ice' as her theme.
Summary: "The island moves and the ocean freezes."
The island moves and the ocean freezes.
A white sheet starts as a dot in the centre of the island and spreads - out and out and out. White frost coats every tree branch and the sand on the beach is hidden under a thin layer of snow. In an eye blink Miles finds himself shivering. The white still spreads.
Out over the sea, further than his vision can roam. The waves turn white and freeze in their foamy crests and the Zodiac, barely a dot by now, is stopped in its tracks. In the distance, Miles can see as Daniel takes a hesitant step out of the boat: standing on the ice. Walking on water.
From tropical heaven to white wonderland in mere seconds. Miles looks towards Charlotte in blind confusion. "What the fuck?" he asks.
That's the politest way he can think of putting it.
*
The novelty wears off pretty damn quickly: it's not cool any more, it's just cold. Cold enough to make them shiver and long for warmer clothes. Sawyer barks orders and that just makes it so much worse. Who put him in charge anyway? What idiot thought that was a good idea?
"We'll stick together," Charlotte says, curling beside them. Miles moves an arm around her shoulders - never thought he'd be able to do that without receiving a slap for it - and then Daniel's as well. "Just the three of us."
Dan nods, burying himself against Miles's side. He's a wriggly kind of guy, Miles has realised after sharing tents and blankets and body heat with him since the freeze. He can't really say that he's too surprised by that.
"Yeah," he agrees, casting a dark glance towards Sawyer, Juliet and the others. "Just the three of us."
*
"I'm worried about him," Charlotte whispers one night when Daniel is sleeping fitfully. "He was unstable enough even before all this shit happened."
"There's nothing we can do."
"It's got to be affecting him worse than the rest of us. He's forgetting stuff more than ever, can't come up with the right words more often than not, and I think he'd sodding stay outside half the time if we let him."
"There's nothing we can do."
"There's got to be something."
"There isn't," Miles snaps. He shouldn't speak to her like that. He really ought to know better. "There just isn't, okay? Stop looking for a way out of this."
"Screw you," Charlotte mutters. She rolls over, back to him.
He doesn't apologise. Later he thinks maybe he should have.
*
Four months later and she's gone, faded away like she was never there. Sometimes when Miles looks into Daniel's eyes he wonders if he even remembers her at all. He'll say her name to him and there's faint recognition - but nothing else.
No pain, no sorrow, no broken hearts.
Probably better like that, he thinks. It's best to spare Daniel the pain.
'cause that's what it becomes for him after that, life on this island. Sparing Daniel. Looking out for him. At first it's because she's there - hissing in his ear and threatening him with all sorts if he doesn't make sure Daniel's okay. When even her ghost leaves, though, he's still there. He's still doing it. He's still looking after him.
It's just something to do, right?
Something to keep himself occupied.
But that doesn't really explain why he finds himself pressed tight against Daniel's back in their tent, hand reaching around his body to jack him off fast. Angry movements leave his hand burning with friction - he bites hard at the back of Daniel's neck to warn him to stay quiet when he comes.
So much for the three of us, he thinks when Daniel lies against him, panting for lost air.
*
His jaw clenches when he notices Daniel sitting next to Sawyer at the fire - and, yeah, that's jealousy. The emotion that makes him want to walk over there and shove Sawyer into the flames, the burning heat that makes his fist curl, the gnawing feeling in the pit of his stomach that won't go away.
And it's stupid.
Stupid.
Stupid enough that he finds himself cornering Sawyer - much as you can corner anyone on an island - before they go to bed that night. Daniel's already settled so Miles keeps his voice down: "Stay away from him, okay?"
Sawyer's eyebrows quirk. "Stay away from who?"
"Daniel. He doesn't-" Miles stops and huffs angry air through his nose. The breath forms white mist. "Just stay away from him, alright?"
"Sure thing," Sawyer agrees - he sounds faintly bemused.
Miles decides to interpret 'bemused' as 'scared off': he feels faintly triumphant when he slinks into his tent where Daniel is already asleep.
*
They wake up under their many layers of covers with a thin sheen of sweat coating their bodies. Miles's mouth feels dry and he grumpily wipes a hand over his forehead. It comes away damp. "What the fuck?" he mutters. Daniel stirs and rolls over to face him, blinking groggily as he tries to wake up. "Stay here."
He crawls out from under the covers, raises the tarp that provides their doors and-
Holy shit.
He looks around in frozen disbelief: the island is suddenly, unexpectedly green. The beach is sandy and white again and the waves… The waves are moving, lapping back and forth lazily as if they'd never stopped at all. Across the beach he can see Juliet emerging from the shelter she shares with Sawyer. He catches her eye but she doesn't look like she has any more of a clue what's going on that he does.
Doesn't matter, he decides.
He tucks his head back inside their tent. "Daniel, get the hell out here," he snaps. "Hurry up."
Like it's going to disappear again. Like there will be another finger snap and the world will whiten. There's a black splodge on the horizon: it looks like their freighter but it's been months since they saw it blow up right before their eyes.
Daniel comes out behind him - "What?" he asks, looking around slowly. "Where'd the snow go?"
"You tell me," Miles says. "You're supposed to be the scientist."
Daniel blinks owlishly. Miles doesn't think he cares about the why too much anyway. As long as that goddamn ice stays gone, he thinks he'll be happy. He closes his eyes and raises his face to the soft, warm sun: when Daniel cautiously reaches out to hold his hand, Miles doesn't react - but he doesn't pull away either.