Some Things Never Change
By: dvshipper
CATEGORY: Established Relationship
WARNINGS: None
AUTHOR’S NOTES: Thanks to taraleesg1, the most awesomest beta ever! Based on the Brad Paisley song “I’m Still a Guy”.
AUTHOR’S WEBSITE:
http://dvshipper.livejournal.com/
Vala was lying on the top of Daniel’s cluttered work surface, with the sink, reading a magazine. Oddly enough, it was an art magazine. Daniel would have never guessed that was what she’d be reading when he came back from getting coffee. Legs swinging, pigtails flipping, gum smacking, she looked the picture of cuteness. Not being able to resist, he asked what she was reading, just to see what she’d say.
“It’s some fine art magazine that Teal’c gave me to study a bit about your culture and history. I have to say they’re some lovely paintings in here. Take this one for example,” Vala pointed to a painting of a majestic buck in a forest-like meadow. “Doesn’t it remind you of that Disney movie, Bambi?”
Daniel agreed it was a beautiful piece of art. However, he didn’t think about Bambi. What immediately popped to mind were the antlers mounted on the wall of Jack’s cabin. “Not quite, but okay. Which others did you like?” Daniel asked, sounding interested, which he was.
“This one here, of the lake. It looks like it could almost
be here in
“Uh…sure,” Daniel lied, thinking it really reminded him of
bass fishing with
Vala was happy that Daniel took interest in what she was reading. Of course, he didn’t know that when she heard him coming down the hall she’d hidden the issue of Cosmo she had really been reading. One particular article was talking about all the annoying ways women try to change their boyfriends/husbands. Vala knew she had always been trying to change him, and in some ways she had succeeded. However, she always kept in mind that he was still a guy no matter how much she coaxed him into new things.
“Oh, and this one is French, whatever that is,” Vala informed Daniel, pointing to a portrait of a nude woman lounging on a couch.
“
“Do you have anything nice to say about these, Daniel? At all?” Vala asked, a little agitated that he didn’t seem to appreciate these paintings at all. Closing the cover of the magazine and swinging her legs over the side of the table, Vala came face to face with Daniel.
“The woman who’s looking at them is beautiful?” Daniel asked, smiling, seeing if that would pass for an answer. Though she was a little wonko, he’d do anything for her. Everyone called him whipped from their first date forward. He held her purse when they went shopping, if she had a little dog he’d probably walk it. Hell, he’d even ride a bull for the crazy alien. But he didn’t mind being whipped, that was all part of their relationship. She was more than enough in return.
“That innocent look doesn’t work on me, Daniel Jackson,” Vala raised a warning eyebrow. “I was actually in here for something else. Will you take me to a movie?”
“Which one?” Daniel was amazed at how fast she could change the subject without missing a beat. Though not really up for a movie he was sure she wouldn’t relent until he said yes. At least it could be something he wanted to see.
“Forgetting Sarah Marshall; it looked rather funny,” Vala said with a big, anticipating smile. Daniel gave a small nod. “Good, the next one starts at three. We’ll be just in time for the previews!”
Daniel loved that little sound she made when he agreed to something. Somewhere between a squeak and a squeal was the only way he could describe it. Feeling her arms around his neck, he squeezed her to his chest in a loving embrace. It hadn’t been but a second and she was out the door to get her coat. Daniel sighed and headed toward his quarters to get his stuff.
* * * *
It wasn’t long before they were on their way to the movie theatre, passing the security gate in Daniel’s car. Vala felt a little jolt of excitement because it wasn’t often that they went anywhere off base. That little bit of adrenaline could also be from Daniel holding her hand. Not many guys would do that, or so Vala was led to believe by movies and television. Long ago, Vala had realized that Daniel was different from other guys; much different.
The car was silent, yet comfortable. Thinking he was pretty romantic, Daniel let go of Vala’s grasp and popped in the CD that Sam had made for him at his request. The song started to play and Daniel returned his hand to Vala’s. Her look was curious, mostly because he knew she’d never heard this song before. “Though someone else wrote it, it’s perfect. Just listen to the lyrics,” Daniel told her softly before Brad Paisley’s voice came through the speakers.
Vala grinned as the singer started describing a woman. The description fit her perfectly and her heart was swelling knowing that was how Daniel felt. Their conversations weren’t always deep so she knew this was his way of pouring his heart out to her. When the song said that “she’s everything I ever wanted and everything I need” a tear of happiness dropped from Vala’s eye. Trying to keep her emotions from bursting, she squeezed Daniel’s hand tightly. What got her even more was that he squeezed back.
“Would you really lay down your own life for me?” Vala asked with her lips curved up in a smile.
“Absolutely,” Daniel replied without hesitation. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that he’d do anything for her. Those thoughts would have to be put aside though because they needed to find a place to park in the crowded parking lot of the theatre.
After getting tickets, popcorn, and soda, the couple made their way into the dark theatre. There were a fair amount of seats filled, even though it was a weekday afternoon. Vala had mentioned wanting to sit in one of the rows in the very front, so they made their way along the dimly lit path. There were some empty seats in the middle of the row 5th from the base of the screen and Vala indicated that was where she wanted to sit. Of course, being in the middle meant having to climb over people to get there.
Daniel went ahead of her, carrying the popcorn and the drink. Being the ever thoughtful boyfriend, he figured if she tripped on anyone’s shoes, she’d fall into him instead of the floor. Getting by a young couple and a single guy, Daniel set the drink down in a cup holder. Everything was fine until he heard Vala let out a rather powerful “Hey!” SMACK! Vala slapped the guy she had just stepped over.
“What?” Daniel asked, extremely concerned at what was going on. At least she hadn’t gone all kung-fu-pirate on him, yet.
“He just grabbed my ass!” Vala was very upset. Though men had grabbed her before, she was very beautiful, this time was different. She was having a very nice day with her boyfriend and this guy came along like an idiot, messing it up.
At her response, Daniel felt an urge that he couldn’t control. Something at the very core of his nature and found himself walking rather quickly to the guy. Getting past Vala, who had edged further away after slapping the guy, Daniel stood right in front of the offender of his girlfriend. Before the guy could do anything to defend himself, Daniel pulled up his right fist and clocked him right across the nose. At that, Offender Guy seemed angry and pushed Daniel over the next row of chairs.
Vala, with reflexes that could best a cat, smashed Offender Guy’s foot with her heel. Seeing it had distracted him slightly, which she figured it would, she kneed him in the groin with a practiced power, making him double over. At that, her knee made contact with his nose. He appeared to be defeated before Daniel could even get up.
Seeing what Vala had accomplished while he was awkwardly splayed over the seats, Daniel was proud yet still concerned. That concern turned to humor however when Vala grabbed the guy by the ear and led him out of the theatre all the while giving him a lecture about respecting women. Laughing a little, Daniel pulled himself back up into their row and sat down with the popcorn, knowing Vala didn’t need any help handling the situation. Usually it was the boyfriend who pulled the other guy into the hall. Oddly enough, he couldn’t shake the protective feeling in his gut being fed by adrenaline. However, if he went out there to help her, she might get mad which was never good.
Vala returned, a few minutes later with a frustrated but victorious expression. “What did I miss?” she whispered into Daniel’s ear, giving him goose-bumps and quelling his adrenaline, at least the protective kind.
“Just some previews,” Daniel replied, getting an ‘elaborate’ glance from Vala. “The Rocker, Get Smart, and The Love Guru.”
“That last one is probably one we don’t need to see,” Vala told him with a wink. Snuggling up next to Daniel and grabbing some popcorn, she settled in for the movie. Somehow, Vala knew it would be better than the turn things had taken earlier. Plus, she didn’t mind if Daniel grabbed her ass and there was always the possibility of that.
* * * *
After laughing at all the stupid jokes and plot points of
the movie, Daniel and Vala found themselves in the commissary of the SGC at
dinner. In a rare occasion, all of SG-1 plus Dr. Lam were there to eat
together. In typical high school style, Sam, Carolyn, and Vala were at one end
of the table and Teal’c,
“You know, Vala, Daniel sure has changed since you two started going out,” Sam commented between bites of mashed potatoes. It was obvious that he changed for the better because he seemed to always have a smile on his face.
“Yeah, I guess so. He actually speaks now, instead of caveman grunts and eyebrow movements,” Vala giggled, seeing the things that were now different about Daniel. They got along, he didn’t kick her out hardly, and not as many screaming matches. “But some things never change.”
“Like what?” Carolyn asked, curious in her white doctor’s coat.
“The other night I suggested that he give me a backrub. Nothing sexy, I just had a hard day is all. Not fifteen minutes and he was getting grabby. Normally, I definitely wouldn’t mind, but after the day I had just had, I certainly wasn’t in the mood,” Vala told the women around her. It wasn’t often enough that they had some good girl talk.
“Oh yeah? And did he get the message?” Sam asked, knowing that Daniel didn’t listen sometimes until he was told at least five times.
“After I smacked him up a little,” Vala replied with a mischievous grin. Apparently, Daniel had overheard them because he turned to join the conversation.
“What can I say? I’m still a guy,” Daniel told the group with an innocent shrug. Kissing Vala on the cheek, he returned to the discussion with the guys, feeling satisfied he’d put in his two cents.
“I just don’t get some of these guys, man,”
“I cannot, ColonelMitchell,” Teal’c responded, showing his disapproval. In his opinion, men had no business getting facials or manicures.
“I know I’m a bit sun lacking but I would never get one of those spray on tans. See what happened to that guy in administration? All orange,” Daniel told the ‘horror’ story. He sure was glad none of his friends were like that.
“And you know with all that lotion they got on they can’t
even grip a tackle box,”
“Indeed,” Teal’c replied, stuffing a few grapes in his mouth.
Daniel shook his head, thinking of the absurdity of it all. Of everything that Vala had wanted him to change about himself he was very relieved that his eyebrows or the color of his hair was never one of them. Some guys, they just don’t get it.
Vala turned to Daniel, giving him a loving grin. With her hand on his knee beneath the table, she silently thanked him for actually having courage to be a real man for her. Though she could always take care of herself, there was something romantic about how Daniel could turn from nerdy linguist to buff protector in a matter of seconds. At the end of the day, he was still a guy and his gender-oriented tendencies were still there. It wasn’t something to be forgiven though, because Vala loved Daniel for that.
**
The End **
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