Any One You Walk Away From by penknife (PG-13)

[da-angel729.livejournal.com]

Show: Stargate SG-1
Rec Category: Jack and Teal'c Friendship
Characters: Jack O'Neill, Teal'c, Daniel Jackson, Sam Carter
Category: Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Angst
Warning: Discussion of torture
Author on LJ: penknife
Author's Website: Penknife at Archive of Our Own
Link: Any One You Walk Away From

Why This Must Be Read: I'm so excited about this fic I had to rec it immediately-which means you're getting an extra rec from me this month-I had four but now you're getting five.

Posted just today, "Any One You Walk Away From" is a gorgeous episode tag to "The Serpent's Venom" with a dash of teamy goodness alongside the outstanding Jack and Teal'c friendship. penknife is one of my favorite authors, and writes a wonderfully competent and insightful Jack in this piece.

In this story, Teal'c is struggling to overcome the torture he endured in the episode. And he's denying that he needs help, so Jack just lets him know he's there when he's ready. And when they do talk a little about it (the part I've excerpted), it's a gorgeous conversation because Jack's talking about his own experiences, too. There are seriously not enough words for me to explain how wonderful Jack and Teal'c are in this fic (Daniel and Sam are awesome, too, even with their small screentime, don't worry).

And the team rallying around each other (and Daniel not even being fazed or surprised by a middle-of-the-night call from Jack about a Goa'uld defeat victory party) and helping Teal'c in their own ways is nicely done, too. Go read it!

"There would have been worse to come," Teal'c says. "Apophis has many reasons to hate me." He looks momentarily pleased by that. "I knew I could endure a few days with Terok before he handed me over to Apophis. But to suffer at Apophis's hands until he chose to let me die ..." He shakes his head. "He is not my god," he says. "And still I was afraid."

"So you're ..." Jack begins, and then remembers not to say human. "Flesh and blood," he says instead. "Who knew?"

Teal'c's mouth twitches, not quite a smile. "That I knew already," he says. "But that does not mean I appreciate the reminder. And I resent it that I must carry more of their scars."

"They'll fade," Jack says. "You know how this goes."

"All too well," Teal'c says.

"Come home with me," Jack says. He searches for the right words to persuade Teal'c that it's not weakness to let go of things for a few hours. "That's what ..." He hesitates, but all those hours they spent in the X-301 waiting to run out of air or freeze to death have to be good for something. "What a brother would say, right?"

Teal'c smiles just a little, the ghost of a better smile that Jack hopes he'll see again soon. "It is," he admits.

"So, come on. It'll do you good to get some fresh air. I'll even cook breakfast in the morning."

"I have sampled your cooking in the past, O'Neill," Teal'c says skeptically.

"Hey, any meal you can walk away from," Jack says.

Teal'c raises an eyebrow. "Any meal you can walk away from?"

Jack shrugs. "Is a good one. They say. Well, they don't exactly say that, but ..."

"Indeed," Teal'c says, although the raised eyebrow remains.

Comments

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I second, third, and fourth this rec! Loved this fic.

And now I'll have to find a different category to rec it in, heh. :)

[frostfox.livejournal.com]

Excellent rec, thank you.

Teamy goodness, how I love thee.

FF