I offer fanfic

[minxy]

People have been comment-ficcing cofax7, and really it's being shared with anyone depressed over current United States politics... and frankly, who wouldn't be? Go read comment fic, it helps. There's Teal'c! Whee!

Also, paian has written Slipping, for taselby. I glance through and I see that 1. it is Jack/Daniel and it's going to be sexy and 2. it's paian, so I'm going to adore it. ETA: Turns out 'adore' is an understatement. I may be speechless about this one, I don't know how to tell you to go read it. You just should.

I'm' suppoooosed to be writing a fic for taselby. This isn't it, on account of she specifically requested p0rn, and this isn't p0rn, but I think they've got all the gen stuff out of their system now and are ready to settle down. So I'll dedicate it to all the people I strong armed into signing up for the tealc_ficathon (everyone else: you can sign up, and please do, until the 15th--check it out!) You are beautiful and were extremely gracious about the arm twisting. I also updated my Teal'c Fic Recs Page for you, because the world needs Teal'c fic that much.

Title: Campfirelight, Campfire Stories.
Rating/pairing: G, pre-slash (Cam/Teal'c) if you squint, but the whole team is there.
Season/spoilers: S9 mid-season, sometime after Babylon (mild spoilers for Babylon.)
Alpha/Beta/Omega: rydra_wong. Love her. She makes it all better.
Word count: 1276

“He’s very still, isn’t he?” Cameron spoke in a low voice, musing, so Jackson could ignore him if he wanted. “Zen.”

“Until he’s not.” Daniel had glanced up briefly when Mitchell spoke from his crouch by the fire, flicked his eyes over Teal’c standing on watch at the perimeter, and back down to his journal in a series of staccato beats that might have been dismissive. Cameron still couldn’t read the guy, his attention was so often elsewhere; those famed first contact, diplomatic skills never focused on the newest member of his team.

Teal’c seemed so much warmer by comparison; consistent, someone you could rely on to tell you where you stood, how to fix what you’d screwed up, to look out for you regardless with that unflappable calm.

Jackson was infinitely more alien, as far as Cameron was concerned.

“He’s lived two lifetimes compared to us.” Daniel mused, the scratch of his pen over the journal pages having paused for a moment. Cameron assumed that they were thinking about the same thing, same guy, whatever; but he was always ready to revise assumptions where Jackson was concerned. “Three, if you count the time that he wasn’t sleeping.”

“Ah yes, the kel no’reem school of efficient time management.” Cameron broke a twig and tossed it randomly into the campfire, glancing at Jackson in his peripheral vision as he tried to make himself stop watching Teal’c. Teal’c was calming in a way Daniel wasn’t, and fascinating in ways Cam could barely name. Daniel was… a pretzel; twisted around the journal like it was the center of the universe, could fix everything if only the right words were written. Maybe it could.

Daniel was pursing his lips, hand poised over his journal as he straightened his back for a moment and briefly gave Cameron’s words his attention. “I used to think he was bored with us and just sleeping sitting up.” He pouted again as if revisiting his mistake, but repositioned his hand on the page as Sam’s bootsteps crunched the dry grass around the campfire, and resumed writing in time with her pacing.

“What’s up?” Sam asked easily as she segued gracefully to a seat next to her pack and searched out some purification tablets for the water she’d just brought.

“I forget sometimes that you guys didn’t have a cheatsheet on Jaffa cultural relations when you started.” Cam said, thinking of the Sodan and half wondering if he could have done it cold, with no intel on the Jaffa in general and their honor systems; if they’d seemed truly alien and not just plain folk.

If he were meeting them for the first time in history, trying to convince a Jaffa to turn against everything he knew to help strangers and aliens. That was much more impressive than convincing them to protect themselves, Cam thought; he wished he knew what O’Neill had done to move Teal’c like that.

“Nothing like being the first to make all the mistakes.” Sam said with the hint of a smile under it. He appreciated it, the way she kept reminding him of her fallibility; he wasn’t entirely sure it wasn’t for her own benefit as well.

“People only remember the first and the best.” Cam said, sitting back off his haunches and relaxing against a pleasant enough rock. “Everyone else is just marking time.”

“Everyone else is the hero of their own story,” Sam said, hands working, organizing, fixing, sorting. “It may not get its own chapter in a history book but stepping on a cricket has profound implications for the cricket.”

“How very Buddhist of you.” Daniel smiled sideways at her, still mostly only showing Cameron the top of his head where he sat.

“I hang out with amateur philosophers,” Sam said, grinning, tongue poised right behind her teeth like she was repressing the urge to stick her tongue out like a kid.

A kid on an alien planet discussing the galactic implications of squashing bugs. Maybe it’s how they stay sane.

“No point in aiming for history books,” Daniel said, pointedly, “That would require disclosure.”

“Not to mention that most people don’t live to see their names in textbooks anyway.” Cameron checked his watch. “But you and Sam still write your research papers, just in case.”

He stood up under Daniel’s suddenly focused attention, and went to call Teal’c to supper.

Not that he needed to; Teal’c would likely have noticed that they had broken out the MREs and silently strode over purposely whenever it suited him, but Cameron liked the camaraderie of gathering together.

He liked the one on one time too, when he didn’t feel like the guy without as much history on the team, and liked the idea that maybe it mattered, putting forth the effort, rather than just calling on the radio.

“Does this feel normal to you, being offworld?” He asked Teal’c after walking up, turning and walking back a few yards in companionable silence. “You’ve been going through the Stargate longer than we have; is it all old hat now?”

“There are many things that are routine about missions through the Stargate,” Teal’c said after a step. “There are many things that remain surprising, even as they become comfortable.”

“Like living on Earth, I suppose; that’s off-world for you.” He walked in Teal’c’s footsteps, so as to make less noise in the dry grass.

“I am accustomed to making myself comfortable in the quarters I am given, on whatever world,” Teal’c said easily, “It is the Taur’i need to continually speak of one’s experiences that I find least ‘normal’; not since my wife and son have I been so continually pressed to tell of my travels.”

Cameron was pretty sure he could hear a smile deep in Teal’c’s voice, and he grinned in response as they made their way back to the others. “Can I help it if I find campfire stories that much more fascinating when you’re telling them?”

“You do not wish to tell your own campfire stories, Colonel Mitchell?” Teal’c asked as they made their way into camp.

“Less relevant in the grand scheme of things, Teal’c. My pie crust recipe isn’t likely to be much help out here in the big, bad universe, story-wise.”

“I don’t know about that,” Sam joined in. “I’d like to know how you charmed all those Sodan, especially when the corn-job plan was…”

“Less than charming?”

“I wasn’t going to say that.” She smiled at him. It was nice to be the same rank; fewer teasing-one’s-superior or inferior issues made for better camaraderie.

“Yes, you were,” he sang back at her, claiming a compass point direction around the fire and settling in, “And that was not my fault.”

“I’d like to know how you learned Mandarin,” Daniel interrupted, as if sensing a conversation redirection. Cam scowled at him. Sam smiled brightly. Oh, they were good.

“Would you like to pipe up with a few personal questions, T? We’ll get a list going,” Cam said dryly.

“I have many questions,” Teal’c stated, and didn’t go on. Cam tilted his head a bit and tried to read his expression.

Fine then, at least Teal’c was going to wait and ask one-on-one, though Cam was privately just a little worried about what a Jaffa interrogation might entail, but that was a thrill for another day.

He caught a flash of light in his peripheral vision as the fire glanced off Jackson’s glasses and realized the man had put down his ubiquitous journal. That had to count for something.

“If I’m telling stories tonight, I get the good MRE,” He announced, “The mac and cheese tastes awful cold.”

Comments

[amnellwyvern.livejournal.com]

This was great! I really love the fireside banter that the team has going on and Cam's internal musings about Teal'c.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

Yup, a wee bit focussed on Teal'c, is our boy. I think Sam is so nice all the time that he doesn't get the discerning feeling that he knows where he stands, and Daniel is so distracted that Cam can't get a lock on him at all... but Teal'c he adores, so it takes up his free time.

[janedavitt.livejournal.com]

Nice give and take going on; love the way the power shifts and balances itself between them.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

Nice to see them working out how they fit, isn't it? I was so relieved to see it come together in the show, finally. And I love how Ben draws Chris into the scene and the way Mitchell is just always aware of Teal'c.

[sid]

I loved Daniel as a pretzel, and Sam as a kid. You write a good Cam voice, too. I guess after an entire season of watching Cam, he finally has a voice that I can readily recognize. Huh.

Amazingly Teal'c-centric, even when the man himself is standing off in the distance. :-)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

Cam is not-so-seekritly obsessed. *g*

[ana-grrl.livejournal.com]

Yay! So nice. I like the banter especially. I am a big fan of banter, whether it's low key or fast and furious (um. and that applies for smut too, oddly enough).

Teal’c would likely have noticed that they had broken out the MREs and silently strode over purposely whenever it suited him, but Cameron liked the camaraderie of gathering together.

Day-am. Yes. Yes he does.

My pie crust recipe isn’t likely to be much help out here in the big, bad universe, story-wise.”

Cameron Mitchell: Soldier. Killer. Pilot. Cook. I love this little tie-in to that ep with the omelette recipe. So cool.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

*glee* I'm glad you liked. I love the stuff you picked out, too. Hee! Cameron likes gestures, I think. If he likes you, you'll know it in the million little things he'll do for you.

[eve11]

Oh, very nice. Loved your Teal'c voice. And the imagery was really wonderful. Plus, now I want to know how Cameron learned Mandarin, too...

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

I actually can't think of an explanation that's more interesting than the mystery, so I didn't go there. Hee!

Teal'c charmed me in this fic. I love the stuff he says.

[aurora-novarum.livejournal.com]

Wow, minxy. That was really great! I loved the casualness and familiarty--and unfamiliarty of them all. The voices for them all was very in character.

How the hell is anyone supposed to write a cool campfire story for you in the tealc_ficathon after that? You can't top that!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

You know, I worried about that, but the plot bunny wouldn't go away and there are soooo many different options for campfires... on a mission, or not, or any fire reminding someone of a campfire, or not, or stories that might be told around a campfire metaphorically speaking, or campfires not having the meaning that they used to...

And the real answer is that someone will write me soft leather, which will make it allllllll good. And I'm seekritly hoping for some lovin' in there somewhere. I know there are at least a few writers who could take soft leather to a really sexy place.

Those prompts for the ficathon totally jump started my Cam/Teal'c muse, though. And I don't even have my assignment, so I just figured I'd post 'em all as they come until I get my assignment, and then I shall focus.

[rydra_wong]

She makes it all better.

Nah, I just poke you with pointy sticks until you dig deeper into the stuff that's already there *g*.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

... and make it better!

Plus, you're careful with the pointy sticks--it's not like I get beaten up after the first draft; the tactfully offered suggestions are... well spaced. *g*

And then the fic is better! Bet. Ter. Yup.

[wraith816.livejournal.com]

*applause*

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

*curtsies*

I promise everything else I'm working on is p0rn.

*loves your icon*

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

Oh, very nice. Such a great give and take between all of them, and the voices were very well done!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

Thank you! I blame you, you know, for helping me get a handle on Cameron's voice.

[jenlev.livejournal.com]

intriguing to see cameron's view of them all. and daniel as more alien than teal'c says a lot about cameron in a very wonderful way.

i love this: "A kid on an alien planet discussing the galactic implications of squashing bugs. Maybe it’s how they stay sane."

delightful how the questions begin and progress towards the end. and how cameron continues to peel back layers of how to navigate his relationships with all three of them. and of course, especially with teal'c. :)

ps. i'm struck by how cameron is building his own place with them all.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

Rydra thinks that sometimes you have to let characters be gen with each other for a while before they get all porny on you, but I think it's important in my head to establish a basic working relationship with the whole team before I get into more intense personal relationships, porny or not. *muses*

I'm glad you like Cam and how he finds his place. I think he's very heirarchical, even though he doesn't need to be the best, and he's very aware of how much SG-1 has done without him; so how he finds his place within that is fascinating. I think it would come from questions, wouldn't it? He's such a fan of them, and now he's becoming aware that they're fallible and have irritating qualities, so breaking down the hero worship and building up his own value within the group...

Cam is redefining the team in fantastic ways.

[or-mabinogi.livejournal.com]

Hee. That was cool. I love fics (short or long) that just show the team being a team, even if they are still trying to figure each other out. Or in this case, Mitchell trying to figure out everyone else. It really made sense and fit with what you see on the show. It works for me.

Love the "How very Buddhist of you" line. *g*

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

I misspelled Buddhist in the first draft. Hee!

[stellahobbit.livejournal.com]

Mmm, nice. I like these little flashes of Cameron being intrigued by Teal'c.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

I think there are a million facets of Cameron's fascination with Teal'c. Fanboy, hero-worship, idol, intrigue, respect, fascination, adoration, worship, deep and abiding love...

*ahem*

[minnow1212.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's lovely. I love this everday sort of fic.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

Oh thanks! I'm glad you liked it. Character moments are few and far between, I think.

[paian]

So many lovely observations in this!

Jackson was infinitely more alien, as far as Cameron was concerned -- neat. And then Cameron makes a few forays into exploring Teal'c's alienness -- what it feels like for Earth to be offworld, what it feels like to be experienced in interplanetary exploration (still new to Mitchell). Lots of different kinds of exploring going on.

There's a cool, edged sort of piquancy to Daniel in this that I don't see much in fics and I really like. And a sense of Carter subtly colluding with Daniel, just the sort of subliminal dynamic that Mitchell would perceive.

Favorite moment is Teal'c saying "I have many questions" and leaving it at that. A simple statement that hints at much more, and works as a response to Mitchell's flippant (but subtextually loaded) question without actually answering it.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

You know what's funny is that this was the kind of fic that was not planned out beforehand, so it went where the voices and the conversation took them, but I really didn't know what the point was or where it was going to end... as a result, there were at least three false endings, and every time either my beta or I mused that maybe a little more? Teal'c would do something so cool. Like tell Cam he was more inquisitive than Ry'ac, or announce that he had questions, period, or something like that.

I'm glad you liked the relationships as Cam perceived them too. I think Daniel has had a hard season with the Vala stuff; it's hit him everywhere it really matters, Daniel-wise, and he hasn't got the energy to forge a new friendship the way he might have at another time... and I don't know how anyone could meet him when he's licking his wounds like that and not see some self-absorbtion. Maybe if you're Sam you can remember what a sweetheart he can be, but he can also be an asshole, even though I think he's probably not aware of it at the moment.

Now I'm home I really must catch up on my Stargate.

[sugargroupie.livejournal.com]

Oh, I love this. I can hear them all so clearly, and I love how Cam can't help but notice not only the distance between himself and Daniel, but the ways in which the other man holds himself off. Plus, his equal footing with Sam gives Cameron some leverage, but he mostly just appreciates her friendship. And just, YES, to Cam and Teal'c. *g*

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

Thank you! This one was allll about the voices and relationships. I'm thrilled that you think they worked.

[kernezelda]

This is a nice moment of quiet and peace on an alien world. I like how Cam is exploring his team, finding different facets to examine in each. You've captured his voice well.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

Being a Stargate fan only come recently to Farscape, Cam's voice was the one that was hardest for me to grasp. I think Farscape viewing might have helped, though, now I can hear the Southern lilt in my head. I'm glad I got his voice down. Rydra helped, though. *g*

[50mm.livejournal.com]

Oh I really like this. I like how Mitchell hasn't gotten a handle on Daniel (which is how I see it on the show), how he feels more alien to Cam than Teal'c. I like his easy friendship with Sam.

and of course Cam's giant Teal'c crush, with him anticipating the 'private interrogation' *eg*

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

Such a fangrrl, that Cameron. *glee* Yeah, I think Daniel is really in his own world, possibly without meaning to be, and Sam is nice and wonderful, but not discerning. Teal'c is guy who will answer your questions and tell you if you're wrong in the same way Cam would, so you always know where you stand with him and that's got to be refreshing for Cam. Hee! Thanks.

[freakspawn.livejournal.com]

I just loved and adored this. How come Teal'c can completely steal the whole scene with barely a word!

I feel like you've captured Cam's take on everyone perfectly, and the way you have them reacting to each other seems so true to the show. This was excellent!

ps I'd like to add that I love the abundance of Cam/T icons in all the responses :D

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

I know! Is Teal'c not the coolest guy EVER? I loved the stuff he said, and he managed to hold the attention of the entire little ficlet without me having to do a thing... then walk up and say something marvelous. It was great fun to write.

Thanks for the compliments, and oh my yes, the Cam/Teal'c icons. I do adore my flist; they bring me such pretty things.

[katie-m.livejournal.com]

Oh, I liked this. I like how thoughtful Cam is, in his way, things like That was much more impressive than convincing them to protect themselves, Cam thought; he wished he knew what O’Neill had done to move Teal’c like that. He wants to know, so badly.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

He does. In the same way he'll read every report, do all the research. We had a lot of discussions about this, my beta and I... because Cam isn't going to go all introspective on you, isn't going to soul-search, but he wants to know how things went down; just, you know, in case he ever needs to talk Teal'c into doing something improbable.

[coke-monkey.livejournal.com]

More???

Looks under desk...{pout}

This was really great! The dialogue was wonderful...as were the characterizations.

Thanks for sharing!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

Thank you for coming and reading!

[trika.livejournal.com]

I love this story. Just the four of them getting some time to learn about each other.

“I have many questions,” Teal’c stated... I'm sure he does. And he will choose them very carefully. Can't wait to find out what there are....

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

Me TOO. Glad you liked. *hugs*

pssst... working on the one-on-one questions. *g*

[duck-wrangler.livejournal.com]

Minxy - Getting to this a little late, but what a lovely piece it is! Nice banter between the gang.... nice focus on Cam/Teal'c.... just a delightful bit, thanks for sharing! - Elle

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

Hi Elle! When did you join LJ? Have you been around for ages and I didn't realize?

(please forgive the stressed out girl, she has not been sleeping well)

Regardless, allow me to vaguely point at my layout on the left over there *points vaguely leftish* where you will find links to uber-recs posts and all my stories.

*hugs* You know, there's really no reason to label this anything other than gen, but it is so totally pre-slash. It just is. My beta thinks that sometimes you have to write your pairing a little gen just to let them get it out of their systems. Seems to have worked, since my next story was really NC-17 Cam/Teal'c. Heh.

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

::waves at Minxy::

Just wanted to let you know that I've recced (http://community.livejournal.com/stargateficrec/813914.html) this sweet little fic of yours. :)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

Oh, you sweetheart. Thank you so much for remembering this little story! There's nothing quite like the surprise of that! Wow!

[gigerisgod.livejournal.com]

God, I love this. The interaction between each one of them is perfect, especially Cam and Teal'c. Cam is practically infatuated with Teal'c in an adorable way. And I love how the team here is interested in hearing about Cam's stories:

“I’d like to know how you charmed all those Sodan, especially when the corn-job plan was…”

“Less than charming?”

“I’d like to know how you learned Mandarin,”

Reading this was really great fun!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

Oh thank you! Cam was so new to the team and it was so interesting to consider the first impressions they made. This fic will always ring as very early in Cam's interaction with them to me.

Glad you had so much fun reading, that's a great compliment.

[zats-clear.livejournal.com]

What a wonderful story! I love Cam as new guy, whether he is ineptly getting them almost killed, being an obvious fanboy or just the new player on the winning team who hopes to someday hit one out of the park...

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

What lovely feedback. This is very New!Guy Cam, isn't it? I bet the interactions now would be so different at a quiet night by the fire, but you wouldn't have Cam's drive to Understand the same way.

Thank you so much for commenting.