WEDNESDAY - EXOTIC LOCALES

[galor5.livejournal.com]

I'm posting this a bit early for me, but I figured it is Wednesday in many places already. :)

Today's theme is Exotic Locales/Locations
(thanks B for the idea;)

Time to send your favorite pairs off on a vacation to some place exotic and fun.

It doesn't matter what fandom or pairing you choose, so long as the prompt (song lyrics, one word, a picture, whatever) is some place that you think the pairing would like to visit.

Please make things easier for the codemonkeys and their pinch-hitters, please code your prompts correctly:

Examples:
~ LOTRIPS; Orlando/Sean B; A weekend in Hawaii
~ TW; Jack/Ianto; The Greek Isles
~ LOTRIPS; Karl/Orlando; The South Island of New Zealand


Also, please make sure that you only have one prompt per comment as it makes it easier for everyone and gives you more chance of getting a fic in return for leaving the prompt :)

You can leave and answer as many prompts as you want to, or even write your own.

If you don't see anything that strikes your fancy writing from the prompts left today, feel free to head on over to the Lonely Prompts page and see what fun you can create from them ;)

Send your writer friends over to join in the fun!!

Comments

[galor5.livejournal.com]

LOTRIPS; Orlando/Sean B; A weekend in Hawaii

[giselleslash.livejournal.com]

Orlando dragged his lips over Sean's neck, across the scratchy line of his jaw. Sean hadn't shaved in a couple days and Orlando loved the burn of his whiskers against his own skin, the way they managed to mark him, brand him, along with all the million and one other ways Sean possessed him.

This was just another.

Orlando kept count. He knew in matters of love one shouldn't keep count of things, but he did. At first it was only to marvel at the growing number, but in time, after dark nights, warm mornings and all the hours between Orlando began to realize he had to keep count. It kept him focused and whole.

If he didn't he'd be filled with this crazy whirling madness of love and desire and things that make you want more than you should. He'd be so full he'd burst into a million and one pieces.

A million and one shards that would glow bright with colors and fire but would never be of any use at all to Sean.

Sean preferred him whole. Mad and crazy in ways that made that low, rumbling laugh of his, that dazzling, brilliant smile surface rather than the sorrow that would rise up instead at the loss of Orlando and the pile of broken pieces he had left behind.

Orlando's nose nudged Sean's ear, pestered and teased.

"Come surfing with me," Orlando's mouth spoke, raspy with sleep but properly pleading and cajoling.

And there it was. The rumbling laugh. The brilliant smile.

Orlando knew he'd be the only one surfing that day but that didn't matter. Not in the slightest, for Sean would be waiting for him back on shore and he'd be, they'd both be, wonderfully, perfectly whole.

[galor5.livejournal.com]

TW; Jack/Ianto; The Greek Isles

TW; Jack/Ianto; The Greek Isles

[emmademarais.livejournal.com]

It's a proper vacation, like they never take, but Gwen all but pushes them out of the Hub, bossing them around like she's always the one in charge and she's ordering them to take two weeks off.

The Greek Isles are gorgeous this time of year - warm and sunny yet since it's past the normal summer vacations and kids are back in school they have a lot of the beaches to themselves wherever they go.

They island hop for a while, enjoying the variety, and then they land on Elafonissos and decide to stay. Jack charms a local into divulging information on the best little hidden beach and even gets a tip on a bungalow they can rent for their final week.

Jack bribes a local boy to be their delivery man, to bring meals and groceries to their cottage, and they're set.

They swim in the sea, crystaline blue, and stretch out on the pale sand breathless afterwards, feeling like this is a slice of heaven, this world away from the world.

They make love slowly here, taking their time as if it's no longer a precious commodity. Jack learns Ianto's body anew and Ianto finally indulges himself by allowing himself to look as much as he's always wanted to look at Jack close up, without embarrassment or shame. His fingertips map every inch of his skin, memorizing him in the dappled shade of their front porch hammock, in the white linens of their shared bed, glistening wet and salty sweet in the ocean.

Of course there will be weevils when they go home, but for now, they sink into each other with abandon: two lovers entwined without a care in the world.

[galor5.livejournal.com]

LOTRIPS; Karl/Orlando; The South Island of New Zealand

[galor5.livejournal.com]

LOTRIPS; Orlando/Viggo; Antartica

[windycitygirly.livejournal.com]

"How about Belize?"

"Antartica."

"Or Thailand?"

"Antartica."

"Or Bahrain?"

Viggo gave Orlando the are you fucking out of your mind? look. Yeah, a Muslim country probably wouldn't too kindly upon a pair of dudes hanging out day after day...

"OK, how about... I dunno, Hawaii?"

"I thought you wanted an adventure."

"Yes, but I also want to keep my fingers and toes, not to mention other extremeties."

"You'll be covered up head to toe in snow gear. No worries about your ass falling off from frost bite."

"Maybe I didn't make myself clear. I want to have an adventure, and get laid."

"...Well, that changes things." Viggo's scowl showed signs of acquiescence. One more push.

"And I'd like tan. With no tan lines."

Without looking at Orlando, Viggo stretched out his hand, prompting Orlando to hand over travel brochures.

[katbcoll.livejournal.com]

RPS, Steve/Chris, Bali

[medie]

TDK/Superman Returns, Bruce/Clark, Themyscira

TDK/Superman Returns, Bruce/Clark, Themyscira; PG

[aravistarkheena.livejournal.com]

Prompt: TDK/Superman Returns, Bruce/Clark, Themyscira
Rating: PG
Warnings: Silliness


“Soooo,” Superman ventured as he eyed the spears that the large group of very angry women were pointing at his and Batman’s chests. “They hate us because we’re men?”

“Seems like it,” Batman conceded with a slight nod. One of the women seemed to take that poor because she thrust her spear even closer to Bruce’s chest and growled, menacingly at him. Batman leaned back away from the spear and lifted his hands even higher over his head.

“What if we tell them we’re gay?” Superman proffered, eyeing the nearest woman with concern.

“I’m not entirely convinced that will help,” Batman admitted.

“As a rule, in the future, I think we should both avoid any and all uncharted islands,” Superman suggested.

“Deal, now grab me and let’s get the hell out of here,” Batman ordered.

Superman caught him up under the shoulders and they took off into the air, spears flying and women screaming in their wake.

[tiptoe39.livejournal.com]

Heroes, Matt/Mohinder, visiting the relatives in India

[tiptoe39.livejournal.com]

Heroes, Peter/Nathan, high above the ocean

heroes, peter/nathan, high above the ocean

[wellowned.livejournal.com]

nathan envies peter's ability to float. it must be their personalities that govern their abilities as well, he figures, considering how he's always been the one to steam ahead, the go-getter. the ambitious one in life. whereas peter, the dreamer, can keep up but chooses instead to lay on his back and hover, the ocean crashing beneath them and the stars above their heads.

nathan's been shooting like a rocket through the sky and he's never been able to take the time to see the sights along the way, when there's no one below to marvel at these two men in the sky, no wings, just an ability to fly. nathan feels like a shark does, always having to be in motion and unable to just coast and see. he's afraid to stop for fear that he'll sink like a stone.

"don't think so hard, nathan." peter's voice sounds like it's a mile away and it's only when he figures he's roughly above him that nathan even thinks to just... stop rushing. he stops, and plummets until he makes contact with bone and flesh. panicked, he can't seem to turn on his ability...

but it's alright, they've stopped dropping and peter's holding them both up, flat on their backs.

"just relax, big brother. leave the driving to me."

[tiptoe39.livejournal.com]

Heroes, Sylar/Luke, the Grand Canyon

[takhallus.livejournal.com]

Luke couldn’t work out if Sylar was mad or not. That was the thing with him, he was always kinda mad, even when he was getting his dick sucked, even after he’d just killed someone. Luke tried to remember the last thing he’d said to him, what could have set him off this time. He thought he had pleased him today, he’d been good this morning, done everything he’d been told. He hadn’t whined or complained, but still he was getting the silent treatment. Resting his head on the door frame he tried to get some sleep, hoping that when he woke Sylar would be in a better mood.

When he blinked awake he saw trees cast in a surreal artificial light and realised they were in a parking lot. “Sylar? Where are we?”

“Just follow me quickly or we’ll miss it.”

Luke jumped out the car and jogged after him as he walked purposefully into the trees. There was hardly a light to see by except for the milk-hued moon which hung large in the sky and Luke nearly fell a few times as he struggled to keep up. Suddenly Sylar stopped dead and Luke careered into him, grabbing his hips to stop himself. Sylar turned and sighed, holding out his hand and striding off again when Luke took it.

When they finally came out of the trees Sylar settled himself down on the ground, pulling Luke down to sit between his legs. Luke lifted his head and gasped as Sylar chuckled to himself, cuddling him in the cold morning air. In front of him the Grand Canyon began to fill with yellow light, the rock thrown into dramatic relief by the receding shadows. Luke stared at the majesty of it, squeezing Sylar’s thighs softly in place of words.

“So is it everything you thought it would be?”

“I can’t believe you remembered.” Seeing the Grand Canyon at sunrise was one of the things Luke had rambled about wanting to do before he died, never thinking for a second that Sylar was actually listening to him.

Sylar held him tighter, one hand on his gently rising and falling chest and one holding Luke’s hand, stroking his long fingers absently. “Beautiful, just beautiful.” He said, hoping Luke would think he was talking about the view.

[bwhouwant2b.livejournal.com]

Blood Ties, Henry/author's choice, "I can give you the world"

[darkmagic-luvr.livejournal.com]

SPN/Firefly, Sam/River, Sihnon

[havenward.livejournal.com]

Couldn't help but play after seeing your icon :grins: I hope this works... As a note, all the guild headquarters are on Sihnon, according to the RPG.

Sam takes the steps out of the Hunter's Guild headquarters slowly, chewing on the inside of his cheek. He'd had the dream again last night, the one that feels just like before... the girl in the sea of stars, hand outstretched before being engulfed in a sea of blue flame. But she didn't burn.

And he always wakes with her voice in his head. "I can see you..." Like a whisper and a promise.

It had felt closer somehow this time. He'd stood on Impala's bridge and stared down at the ocean of light below and the stars above. It left him unsettled, unease settling under his skin, and he hadn't moved til Dean stuck a fresh cup of coffee under his nose.

So he'd gone looking, discreetly of course. And he'd found her easy enough. Sam sure as hell hopes he didn't raise any flags doing it - neither of them can afford that sort of attention.

He stops halfway down the steps, looking out across the other guild houses. At the temple in the distance, gong ringing softly throughout the city. He's surprised to realize he's already made up his mind to help her, to find her.

Now he just has to find a way to convince Dean...

[aurilly.livejournal.com]

Heroes, Mohinder/Elle, Morocco

[aurilly.livejournal.com]

Lois & Clark, Lois/Clark, Rome

The Right Spot (Lois/Clark)

[aravistarkheena.livejournal.com]

The air was warm and thick with moisture, Clark had left the door to the balcony open when they had slipped back into the room earlier in the evening. The loud chimes of ringing bells mixed in with the sounds of the city drifted into the room.

Lois nuzzled Clark’s shoulder and pressed a soft kiss to the skin of his bicep as she snuggled closer to her lover.

Clark’s mouth curled into a slow, self-satisfied smiled and he tightened his arm around Lois’ torso in a hug.

“What’s with the smirk, Smallville?” Lois asked teasingly and Clark’s smile broadened.

“Just thinking,” Clark answered cryptically and the smile still hovered around his mouth.

“About what?” Lois drawled.

“Mmmmm,” Clark hummed and rolled over, propping himself on his forearms above her. She lifted and expectant eyebrow at him.

“I was thinking of how beautiful your skin looks, painted gold by the sun set,” he husked and kissed her just under her ear.

“You charmer you,” she said with a light sarcastic edge to her voice, but the warm sensation of flattery fluttered around in her chest as Clark kissed his way down her neck.

“I was also thinking of how your voice sounds when I lick you in just the right spot,” he whispered against Lois’ breast before he flicked his tongue over her nipple and delicate stroke.

She tried hard not to squirm under him, but it was difficult. She was still wet and still sensitive from their previous bout of lovemaking. The thing about orgasms was the old rule about ‘if one is good, two is better’ always applied.

Lois took a shaky breath and lifted her hands to Clark’s head, tangling her fingers through his hair. She used her grip to lift his head. His lips were wet and his eyes were half hooded when he looked up at her.

He smirked.

“Wasn’t that the right spot?” he asked innocently, knowing full well what she was thinking.

Lois sat up, sliding partially out from under Clark. She pressed her back to the head board and wrapped both legs around Clark’s neck.

“You’ve got about ten seconds to find the right spot, Smallville, or you’re fired,” she ordered and he laughed against her thigh.

It took him less than three.

[aurilly.livejournal.com]

Chronicles of Narnia, Edmund/Lucy, Calormene

(no porn, please! just brother and sister)

Family Trips [Narnia,Gen,Edmund POV, G]

[chibifukurou]

Edmund doesn't particularly like Calormene but he's careful to never let their oh so gracious hosts know that. Not that anyone but Lucy would listen if he voiced his discomfort. Peter is to busy being High-King and Susan is obsessed with finding a good husband among these dusky skinned men she finds so attractive.

Of the four of them he and Lucy are the most connected with Aslan's country. Whether it's because their the youngest and least obsessed with bettering themselves or because they've spent the most time with Aslan himself Edmund can't say and tries not to contemplate. He doesn't what to think about what will happen to Narnia if Peter and Susan have their way and merge with Calormene, what will it do to their people to suddenly be subjected to rules used to govern the Calormen's almost completely human populace.

Will they give up their loyalty to Aslan in order to survive? That is another question neither he or Lucy wants answered so they make sure that they are never asked.

They go out and act far more forward than would be acceptable from a Calormenian citizen, particularly Calormenian royalty. They have "accidents". They tell embarrassing stories about Susan. They even start philosophical discussions about religion with the High Priests to make sure that no priest would bless a union between their nations.

Soon it becomes an amusing and never spoken of game to see who can disrupt the negotiations in the most amusing and completely unassuming manner. Even Edward has to admit that the incident involving tearing Susan's skirts, shaved ice, and liberal prayers to Aslan was a stroke of genius on Lucy's part, though he still thinks his duel with a man he supposedly didn't know was a prince and Susan's suitor and the subsequent loss of the fellow's ability to have children was more effective.

Either way the games kept their families trips to Calormene from being a completely boring and nerve racking waist of time. After all it is always good to try something new and spend time with your family while traveling.

[aurilly.livejournal.com]

Heroes, Adam/Mohinder, weekend in Monte Carlo

[hobbit-eyes.livejournal.com]

(You are spoiling me with the Madam prompts, you really are.)

Mohinder had insisted on their holiday to Monte Carlo being a proper trip, with all the sight-seeing that entailed. Having been flown in on a jet on the Friday night, the two of them had woken up tangled in white sheets to bright sunlight pouring in from their veranda. Adam had been all too happy just to stay there and order up croissants, but Mohinder had been up in seconds, pulling on a dressing gown and searching through guidebooks for the best places to visit. Adam had patiently listened to him speak for a few minutes, before throwing a pillow at him.

They had already seen the Monaco Cathedral, and visited the Prince's palace. There, Adam had surprised Mohinder by taking his hand and pulling him away from the tour group and showing him a secret passageway, which led to bedrooms not on the visitor's route. It turned out Adam had been there before, in the days of Florestran I - and his wife, Maria Caroline Gibert de Lametz. Mohinder had had it in mind to be slightly grumpy about this, before Adam went out of his way to ensure he had an entirely new pleasant memory of these rooms to take away with him.

In a good mood from that pleasant afternoon very well spent, Adam even acquiesced to accompany Mohinder to the opera. Though as the singing wore on, Adam got steadily more and more shifty, at times ignoring the stage completely and staring at the mouldings. Finally, Mohinder couldn't torture him any more.

"Want to get out of here?" he whispered.

Adam, to his credit, faked a very good face of surprised concern. "Oh - if you're enjoying it -"

"I don't even know what they're singing about," Mohinder admitted.

"Oh, thank the good Lord. Come on, I know just where to go."

Adam had led Mohinder out of the opera house and flagged down a car to take them straight to Le Grand Casino.

(FIC CONTINUED HERE (http://hobbit-eyes.livejournal.com/180943.html#cutid3) DUE TO GETTING CARRIED AWAY.)

[havenward.livejournal.com]

AtS/RPS/Leverage, Lindsey/Chris/Eliot, Manila

[medjai-trowa.livejournal.com]

Evil! *snicker*

[havenward.livejournal.com]

Leverage, vampire!Eliot/Nate, Okinawa

No 'fic

[never-says-die.livejournal.com]

Oooooh, I used to live there! If this wasn't shanonrita's 'verse, I'd totally do that. Coolness!

[havenward.livejournal.com]

RPS, pirate!Kane/merchant!Carlson, Tortuga

[havenward.livejournal.com]

Leverage, werewolf!Eliot/Nate or solo, Ulan Batur

[havenward.livejournal.com]

RPS/Firefly, companion!Christian Kane/author's choice, Osiris

[ravensword.livejournal.com]

He's uncomfortable there, but it doesn't show. He's too well trained, too refined to let his true feelings show through the veneer of socially acceptable grace.

He smiles demurely, blushes appropriately, laughs gently as his client speaks to those around them. Never to him. He's not there to be entertained. He's there to look nice, to adorn the woman's arm.

He's there so that later, he might massage the tension from her limbs and caress her, touch her in ways none of these man dares...and then, come morning, when the sun has risen over Osiris, he'll leave her, return to the ship, to things far more real than this, to his captain's strong arms, to the places where plastic smiles are replaced with the real thing and the whispered words in the dark are promises of better things to come.

[havenward.livejournal.com]

AtS/Leverage, Lindsey/Eliot, Tel Aviv

[medjai-trowa.livejournal.com]

Lindsey frowned and argued more forcefully with the man in charge of the jail, pointing out that he was one of triplets, and that his brother, Christian couldn't possibly be the one responsible for whatever it was that had happened.

No, he agreed, it had probably not been a good idea for him to use the passport of a man that authorities wanted to question about certain missing items and a whole lot of people in hospital, but then, they hadn't expected the plane to have to make an emergency landing at Sde Dov either.

The man considered this, considered the size of the bribe Lindsey had presented him with and shrugged. "Mistakes happen," he agreed cheerfully.

Twenty minutes later, the pair were back on the street, minus one lot of luggage and, if the older man wasn't careful minus his brother as well. He hurried after the Lindsey who was stalking away down the street.

"I'm sorry, ok!" he protested, dodging other pedestrians.

Lindsey stopped abruptly, causing the older man to run into him. "Next time, Eliot," he growled, "Just do like I tell you and use Christian's passport?"

[havenward.livejournal.com]

Leverage, Eliot/Hardison, Hardison chases Eliot to Dubai

On Top of the World

[asimaiyat.livejournal.com]

(a pic for reference... (http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/00/14/f7/cf/dubai.jpg)

On his way home for the evening, Eliot gets a text message:

"Can't wait to see you! It's Room 316, right?"

It can only be one person. And it can't be good, can it?

The hotel has about a million floors, and Eliot's on the top one, in a room paid for by the mobbed-up highroller who hired him as a temporary bodyguard. For the night, it's his alone. Or, it was going to be. It's a nice room, with a view to kill for. Appropriately enough. A little balcony that you can stand on and look out over the rooftops and the treetops all the way out to the blue, blue water, and just forget about everything that has happened and everything that might have happened. People have always come to the desert to forget, right? The Foreign Legion? Beau Geste?

Forgetting is not so easy, however, on the world's longest elevator ride. Of course it's a fancy elevator, but there's not much to look at and only one thing to think about. Hardison. How isn't really the question that you ask about someone like him, but there's still why? People like them do not just drop by to catch up on old times. You don't talk about old times, at least before the statute of limitations is up.

Which means some kind of unfinished business. Something with a future. Eliot hasn't thought about any kind of future in a long time, and when he does, it's a little fuzzy. But Alec is there, and they're doing something together that doesn't require either of them to shut down the part of your brain that puts what you're doing into any kind of wider context.

When the longest elevator ride in the world is finally over, he opens the door to his room (silently, carefully) and is not surprised to see Alec standing by the window, looking maybe a little thinner than before, hands clasped behind his back.

"It sure is something, huh?" The hacker jumps, as if he expected to actually hear the door open before he found himself in a conversation. Had it really been that long? He turned around.

"You're living the sweet life, aren't you? Got a little sunburn on your nose, but other than that..." Hardison couldn't finish the sentence without his face breaking into a grin that said fuck playing it cool.

The grin was contagious, although on Eliot it looked like more of a smirk. "I hate sunburn. I hate sand in my eyes. And I hate realizing that all people, I've been missing you."

"So what you mean to say is, of all the hotels in all the cities in all the world..."

"That's Casablanca, not Dubai. It's a different continent, smartass."

"I'm just sayin', you know...?"

This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship?"

"Pretty much exactly."

[havenward.livejournal.com]

Serenity, River (solo), the Black

[darkmagic-luvr.livejournal.com]

Sometimes the black wasn't nearly as black. Sitting in the cockpit of Serenity, when all of the crew were dead asleep, River could feel the black inside of her, shifting in her stomach, sending adrenaline through her veins. She would close her eyes and the ship would be inside her, pulsing gently, making her spine crawl. She would arch it to decrees the pressure and the feeling, but that wouldn't do anything but send the feeling to another part of her.

Staring out into the black through half closed eyes, she could hear the voices of every person on the ship. Their feelings crawling over her skin. Mal would be dreaming of cows. little souls, big world and he was the only one thinking normal things. Jayne was thinking about sex and guns, sometimes both at the same time, sending shockwaves through her hips. Wash and Zoë didn't seem to ever sleep, their lust rolling off each other, thick as molasses and smooth as engine grease.

River would pull her dress off over her head just to feel the black, but sometimes the feelings were too much and she would squirm in her co-pilots chair, the one she hadn't officially claimed yet. Her fingers would join in her efforts to ease the tension and she would whimper in the silence.

She would look out into the black, the humming of Serenity in her core, the feelings of the crew inside the ship, and she would feel them all inside her.

Until it was just her and the black.

[havenward.livejournal.com]

RPS, Ackles/Padalecki, vacationing quietly in Cyprus

[ravensword.livejournal.com]

It took a lot to win them this. It took both of them leaving from different places, and hours on a plane alone. It took different cabs to the hotel and registering under fake names and family who understood and made it seem like they had never left the states if anyone came poking around.

Still, as Jared rolled over in the king size bed, and the warmth of the sun spilled over him from the open balcony doors, he decided the work was worth the view.

Oh, sure, the ocean and the sand were fine, but the sight of Jensen, leaning on the door frame, his skin glowing in the early morning sun, his hair on fire with light, all relaxed and wearing nothing but a battered pair of boxers...that's what made Jared smile.

Jensen turned, smiling softly. "Morning."

Jared held out his hand and Jensen came, climbing up onto the bed and laying out over Jared's body, kissing his way up chest and neck to Jared's mouth. "Mmmm...you've been up a while." He tasted like toothpaste and his hair was damp.

"Watching you sleep...watching the sun come up..." Jensen sighed contentedly and laid his head on Jared's shoulder, covering him like a blanket. "Thinking we shouldn't leave this room all day long."

Jared likes that suggestion, even better because this time it doesn't feel like hiding...it feels like warm bodies and lazy days and sex until neither one of them could walk.

Definitely worth the work.

[magnavox-23.livejournal.com]

Stargate SG-1, Jack/Daniel, Ireland.

Stargate SG-1, Jack/Daniel, Ireland

[mailroomy.livejournal.com]

On the second day of their trip, they left Belfast and the many people from Jack's Ops past, one of whom was also an excellent guide through Belfast's muraled walls (Bobby had taken one look at Daniel and found a kindred history-loving soul; and the rest of the day was spent with Jack discovering this side of Bobby the Butcher he had never known before).

City gave way to greenery, gray clouds overhead dropping breezy drizzle across the windshield of their rented car.

"We're going to visit Old Bull," Jack said, eyes firmly on quiet country roads. "Tired?"

"No. Just enjoying the view." This was the land of Jack's ancestors, Daniel thought. Ireland ran thick in Jack's blood even more so than Egypt in Daniel's. Cold, compared to Daniel's desert. Gray skies compared to blue skies devoid of rain clouds. Dazzling emerald green compared to royal gold of the sands he loved so much.

---

Old Bull, Daniel finally found, wasn't a country pub and definitely wasn't a bovine of any sort.

"It's been a long time since I've been here," Jack said, walking towards the stately old tree. "I've always been fascinated by this one, ever since my dad told me stories about it, even before I know where Ireland is on the map."

They stood next to each other quite a way from the tree, Daniel swore he felt something that made him less brave, a little uncertain. Other times, what he wouldn't do to approach this veritable piece of history and touch it. "It's weird, even after all that we've done through the gate," he heard Jack said, "I still believe in fairy thorns. Even after Thor, Oma, alien technologies and dead false gods." They both chuckled at Jack's Teal'c impersonation.

"Who's to say that fairies aren't aliens after all?" Daniel hedged. Irish lore wasn't his forte, but there really was nothing to keep him away from researching it. And which team was it that stumbled into some transplanted Irish culture a few weeks back?

---

It was nearing twilight when they climbed back into the car. They had stood there for a long time. Jack, for once, did most of the talking, telling Daniel everything he had learnt about Irish fairy thorns, myths and urban legends, ley-lines, magnetism, radiation, possible scientific explanations to fairy lights (Sam would know, they'd ask her).

The whole conversation was a blur for Daniel, especially after Jack said, "Y'know, I'm surprised myself. Didn't think I'd still remember all these fairy and Irish history stuff after so long. I was really hooked on it, too. I had my 'Irish spell' around fourth or fifth grade. Dad ran out of Irish stories to tell, and I became a card-carrying library member. Not just one, but two! Two libraries. Days and days of reading about Ireland.

"Would you believe it? Maybe we're not so different after all, Danny. Maybe... well, you know..." the pause had been long and uneasy, Jack had shifted from foot to foot, and Daniel had found himself fixated on a certain mark on the tree. Jack had cursed a bit before going off on another tangent: the first time he saw Old Bull.

---

The sky darkened, turned into the deepest blue. The stars were achingly bright from where he stood, next to the car, outside an inn, some ways away.

Tomorrow, they'll be going to County Tyrone, ancestral land of the O'Neills. Jack had promised to take him to Beaghmore ("The stone circle, Danny, you'll be glad to see those old rocks"). Jack had also promised to tell him all about the Sons of Niall ("Hah! Finally! Something I know more than you")

Daniel chuckled at how proud Jack sounded, "The O'Neills. Strongest of all Irish families. High Kings of Ireland."

"And now I know where your bossiness comes from," Daniel laughed.