Monkey Date

[maevebran]

Title: Monkey Date
Author:Maeve Bran
Summarry: Daniel and Buffy have another heart to heart.
Notes:This set just after "Off the Grid" 9.16. Also written for the Ninja Daniel challenge that Michael Shanks has issued at several conventions. This is #11 in the Monkey Business stories The others are here
Disclaimer: I own niether Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Stargate SG1 serries. I am just having some unprofitable fun.
Raiting: FR 18 for sexual situations and language
Word Count:1850


Buffy walked into the infirmary just in time to see Daniel buttoning up his blue base uniform shirt. She concluded that he must have passed his post mission physical despite the gash on his cheek. Buffy was relieved to see him whole and relatively unharmed.

"You don't look that bad." Buffy said by way of a greeting.

"Thanks, but I fear I'll have a nasty bruise on my face in the next day or so." Daniel said as he got up and walked to her side. When he reached her, he put and arm around her shoulder. Buffy looked at him in surprise before smiling. "So how about we go to my lab and talk."

"Sounds good to me." Buffy agreed. She fell into step beside him for he had unconsciously shortened his stride just a little to match hers.

A few minutes later they reached their destination. Daniel automatically made coffee. It was what he did first thing on entering his lab, well second following turning on the lights.

While Daniel busied himself with the coffee, Buffy cleared a spot for herself on one of the stools at the central counter. Once coffee had been placed before her, she knew he was ready to talk. This talk had been delayed for a few days due to an unexpected mission cropping up for SG1.

"So Daniel, why the public display of affection all of a sudden?" Buffy inquired.

"What do you mean?" He responded.

"I mean, why did you walk down the halls of the SGC with you arm around me in broad daylight. not that it is actually daylight but that isn't the point. It is three in the afternoon not three in the morning. Plenty of people saw us." Buffy explained.

"I guess I thought the time was right to let the busybodies on base know that you mean something to me." Daniel answered. "Just what that something is, I don't know but I didn't want any more rumors circulating that I was ashamed of you. This is the first time we've both been on base since I found out about all the gossip and wanted to put it to rest."

Daniel walked over to her and gently kissed her. She tasted like coffee which was hardly a surprise but seemed so very Buffy. She returned the brief kiss.

"MMmm. Welcome home, Dr. Jackson." Buffy said when they broke apart. "I know it was only a few days, but I missed you."

"I missed you too." Daniel said as he started to drink his coffee. "Make any plans for tonight while I was gone?"

"Nope. Other than a patrol at midnight to get the last of the fledgling vampires scheduled to rise, I am completely plan free." Buffy babbled.

"Then would you like to go to dinner with me? It's too late for me to get reservations anywhere but I'm sure we could go to Olive Garden or something." Daniel suggested.

"Sounds good to me. What time?" Buffy asked.

"How about 7? I know it is a popular time but it will give us both time to get cleaned up after work. I'll pick up at your house at 6:45." Daniel replied.

"It's a date." Buffy agreed. "So how was the mission?"

"You know. We came. We tagged some gates. We got in trouble. Sam rigged the DHD to dial out. We dialed home. Routine stuff." Daniel said.

Buffy looked at the clock and noted the time. "Oops. Gotta go. I have a sparing session with some Marines in five minutes."

Daniel walked over to her and kissed her. "Don't go all out with them. They are fragile."

"Don't worry they will be whimpering but other wise fine when I'm done with them." Buffy said before she walked out of the room.

At exactly 6:45 that evening, Daniel walked up to Buffy's door and rang the bell. He was dressed in a dark grey suit with a light grey stripped shirt and a pale paisley tie. He carried a bouquet of peach roses. He had agonized over the flowers not sure what to bring but believing she deserved something. Red roses carried to much meaning about deep and passionate love and while he was sure about the passion but not about the love. White roses were all about the purity of love and that was something he didn't think either of them felt just then. Yellow roses were for friends and while he considered Buffy a friend she was so much more. Peach roses had no such sentiments attached to them so that was what he chose.

Clem answered the door. Or at least Daniel assumed it was Clem.

"Come on in. You must be Daniel. Buffy will be down in a minute. " Clem babbled as he led the way to the sitting room.

"Yeah. I'm Daniel. Daniel Jackson. You must be Clem." Daniel greeted as he extended his hand. He took in the demon with grey wrinklely skin but a friendly nature. Clem was dressed in jeans and a Hawaiian shirt and oddly looked like he fit in to the house. The sitting room had the Medieval meets Modern decor that Buffy's quarters on base had. It also had the collection of crosses and weapons. Oddly it was all very Buffy.

Daniel searched for a topic that he could discuss with Clem but was saved when Buffy chose that moment to make her appearance. She was wearing a short red leather skirt and a white button down the front dress shirt. Her feet were clad in black leather boots with four inch spike heels. The boots came up to mid calf. She was carrying a black leather coat over her arms.

Daniel stood up but his mouth was hanging slightly open. He hadn't seen Buffy in civvies that many times but she had never before shown a penchant for leather.

"Wow. Buffy. You look fantastic." Daniel replied as he moved to kiss her cheek. "Here these are for you." Daniel thrust the flowers to her.

Buffy looked down at the flowers and burst out crying. Daniel looked at her bewildered, then put his arms around her. "Shh. It's ok I can throw the flowers out."

That snapped Buffy out of it. "You'd better not. I love them."

"Then what's the problem?" Daniel asked puzzled as to why, if she liked the flowers, was she crying.

"No one has ever brought me flowers before. I heard that after Mom died Spike had brought flowers by with no note but my well meaning friends bullied him in to throwing them away. But that is the only time except the dead roses that Angelus sent as a taunt to me. I am deeply touched." Buffy said as she wiped away the tears. Daniel handed her a clean white linen handkerchief. She turned to Clem, "Could you put these in a vase for me and place it here on the entry table?"

"Sure." Clem answered as he took the flowers. "You two had better get going."

Daniel extended his arm to Buffy and she took it. Together the exited the house.

Once they settled in his Jeep, Daniel asked the question on his mind. "No one else has ever brought you flowers? Really?"

"Really. Angel and Spike probably would have eventually but I think the fight against evil drove the old fashion manners they had been raised with out of their minds. Angel had been Liam, an eighteenth century Irish cloth merchant's son and Spike had been William, a nineteenth century minor nobleman's son. Both were inclined to old fashioned ness. Riley was a military man masquerading as a college student. The Immortal was some what jaded. I think it just didn't occur to him. So yeah. No flowers for Buffy." Buffy explained.

Daniel was stunned as they pulled into the nearly full parking lot. He chose not to say anything until they were seated at a table in the back of the busy restaurant. After they ordered and their wine had arrived, Daniel returned the conversation to Buffy's past.

"Not to harp on the subject, but you should have had someone bring you flowers long before this. If I ever run into this Immortal or Riley, they will be getting a piece of my mind. As would Angel and Spike. None of them treated you as you deserved. Not that I have either," Daniel admitted. "But that is going to change."

Buffy looked at him with watery eyes and said softly, “You’re are doing pretty good."

"Not good enough," he said. "We've been together for a couple weeks and this is the first I've actually taken you out. That just isn't right."

Buffy reached over and put her hand on his. "This is more than all right. Daniel don't worry about it. I have never expected to have a normal relationship. The slaying gig kind of prevents that. Not to mention the whole SGC thing. So don't worry I don't expect allot of heart and flowers and stuff. I do expect you to be there for me no matter what. Other than that I don't need much."

"You've got my word to be there for you. No matter what." Daniel agreed solemnly. "But that still doesn't mean that I don't feel guilty for not being a conventional boyfriend." Daniel paused before quietly adding, "Not that I was ever good at being one."

"What do you mean?" Buffy asked, curious about his past. She knew some from reading his basic file when she was recruited to the SGC but by in large he was still a mystery. Yes he had told her a lot about his years at the SGC but before that she didn't know about.

The salads and bread sticks had arrived so they busied themselves with getting food. Daniel was grateful that he had been given a reprieve for a while before answering Buffy's question.

Once the salad had been dished out, he answered, “I’ve had two major relationships in my life and both ended spectacularly."

"So you've mentioned. I think I have had as disastrous relationships too." Buffy said.

"What I meant is I'd like to try to break that cycle with you." Daniel admitted sheepishly. "But I know it won't be easy. I just don't know what you expect from me."

Buffy paused in eating her salad and placed her hand on his. “My relationships have never been normal so I don't know what to expect either. I just know that I enjoy being with you. You treat me like an equal and some one you respect. I like that. I like that a lot. So all I can say is keep going like you have and we'll see where this goes."

Daniel perked up to find out that she didn't have many expectations from him. "I think I can handle that. Just as long as you tell me if you need something more from me latter."

"It's a deal." Buffy agreed with a smile. They turned their attention back to their food and the conversation back to their day, or at least the version they could talk about in a public place, and people they knew. It was an enjoyable meal for both as they relaxed know their relationship might not be normal but it did work for them.