Shore Leave
Author: T.W. Lewis
Title: Shore Leave
Gift for: Carla Henley
Rating: PG
Fandom: Sentinel/Stargate
Pairing: Jim/Blair, Jack/Daniel, John/Rodney
Notes/Warnings: Carla asked for a fic including all three fandoms and the word "Paradigm."
The best place to hide is always in plain sight. Everyone and their cat knew Jack O'Neill was obsessed with fishing, would cajole complete strangers to join him out on the lake. Of course, he made sure only to take said strangers out when he knew the weather would be miserable and the prospects of catching anything abysmally low. That ensured that when the Daedalus arrived with Atlantis personnel for debriefing and shore leave, no one took Jack up on his offer to fish with friends at a cabin up by Mount Rainier except those in the know -- Daniel, Sheppard, and McKay -- giving them the perfect cover to meet up with Ellison and Sandburg for four days with the brass none the wiser.
The cabin was a bit cramped for three couples, but the fishing was fantastic, Ellison's senses ensured no eavesdropping NID agents trying to out them, and though none of them were the sort to engage in swinging or orgies, there was something immensely satisfying about trying to make your lover scream even more desperately than the couple in the next room.
Not to mention, in quieter moments, the bliss of cuddling on the couch, watching a movie or the news without needing to hide what they were.
"...And so far, despite initial misgivings, the British Ministry of Defense reports that the overall reaction to homosexuals serving openly in the military has been positive..."
"See! See!" Rodney shouted as the news anchor switched to the weather forecast. "Now that's what I call a civilized country."
"It's never going to happen here, Rodney," Sheppard sighed.
"Actually, I think it might happen within the next few years," said Daniel.
"I wish," Jack grumbled around the mouth of his beer bottle.
"No, historically speaking, Danny has a point," said Blair. "The worst witch hunts for gays have always occurred in peacetime. When there's a war on, the commanders tend to write off reports of homosexual behavior because they need the men. Between Iraq, the Ori and the Wraith, the military needs every soldier they can get. I'm betting they're watching Britain pretty closely, waiting to see if there's any fallout before they try it here."
"It's more than just the policy, Chief," said Jim. "Even if the laws on the books change, on the ground, people are still going to get harassed, passed up for promotions--"
"Just like women and people of color?" Blair pointed out.
"Yeah, but in our cases it might mean losing our assignments," said Jack. "The SGC, Atlantis, those are real plum posts. If people know I'm queer, Kinsey'll have an easier time convincing the brass I'm a liability the next time he tries to replace me with one of his guys."
"That's so stupid. What we need is a paradigm shift," Rodney grumbled. "Clear out all those stupid American prejudices. I'm sick of having to calculate whether I'm being friendly enough but not too friendly when we run into each other in the mess or when one of us is dying in quarantine."
Sheppard kissed his forehead. "I promise, Rodney, as soon as it's legal, we'll tell Elizabeth."
"Yeah, okay, just..." and the utterly fragile look on Rodney's face hurt to look at. "...let it be soon. That's all I'm asking for."
Jack watched Sheppard kiss away Rodney's fears, wishing his own could be quelled so easily. And then Daniel's thigh shifted under his hand as Daniel leaned over to kiss him, and maybe things would be okay after all.
End.
Title: Shore Leave
Gift for: Carla Henley
Rating: PG
Fandom: Sentinel/Stargate
Pairing: Jim/Blair, Jack/Daniel, John/Rodney
Notes/Warnings: Carla asked for a fic including all three fandoms and the word "Paradigm."
The best place to hide is always in plain sight. Everyone and their cat knew Jack O'Neill was obsessed with fishing, would cajole complete strangers to join him out on the lake. Of course, he made sure only to take said strangers out when he knew the weather would be miserable and the prospects of catching anything abysmally low. That ensured that when the Daedalus arrived with Atlantis personnel for debriefing and shore leave, no one took Jack up on his offer to fish with friends at a cabin up by Mount Rainier except those in the know -- Daniel, Sheppard, and McKay -- giving them the perfect cover to meet up with Ellison and Sandburg for four days with the brass none the wiser.
The cabin was a bit cramped for three couples, but the fishing was fantastic, Ellison's senses ensured no eavesdropping NID agents trying to out them, and though none of them were the sort to engage in swinging or orgies, there was something immensely satisfying about trying to make your lover scream even more desperately than the couple in the next room.
Not to mention, in quieter moments, the bliss of cuddling on the couch, watching a movie or the news without needing to hide what they were.
"...And so far, despite initial misgivings, the British Ministry of Defense reports that the overall reaction to homosexuals serving openly in the military has been positive..."
"See! See!" Rodney shouted as the news anchor switched to the weather forecast. "Now that's what I call a civilized country."
"It's never going to happen here, Rodney," Sheppard sighed.
"Actually, I think it might happen within the next few years," said Daniel.
"I wish," Jack grumbled around the mouth of his beer bottle.
"No, historically speaking, Danny has a point," said Blair. "The worst witch hunts for gays have always occurred in peacetime. When there's a war on, the commanders tend to write off reports of homosexual behavior because they need the men. Between Iraq, the Ori and the Wraith, the military needs every soldier they can get. I'm betting they're watching Britain pretty closely, waiting to see if there's any fallout before they try it here."
"It's more than just the policy, Chief," said Jim. "Even if the laws on the books change, on the ground, people are still going to get harassed, passed up for promotions--"
"Just like women and people of color?" Blair pointed out.
"Yeah, but in our cases it might mean losing our assignments," said Jack. "The SGC, Atlantis, those are real plum posts. If people know I'm queer, Kinsey'll have an easier time convincing the brass I'm a liability the next time he tries to replace me with one of his guys."
"That's so stupid. What we need is a paradigm shift," Rodney grumbled. "Clear out all those stupid American prejudices. I'm sick of having to calculate whether I'm being friendly enough but not too friendly when we run into each other in the mess or when one of us is dying in quarantine."
Sheppard kissed his forehead. "I promise, Rodney, as soon as it's legal, we'll tell Elizabeth."
"Yeah, okay, just..." and the utterly fragile look on Rodney's face hurt to look at. "...let it be soon. That's all I'm asking for."
Jack watched Sheppard kiss away Rodney's fears, wishing his own could be quelled so easily. And then Daniel's thigh shifted under his hand as Daniel leaned over to kiss him, and maybe things would be okay after all.
End.