"That's easier said, I'm not used to giving up control of basic body movement," Daniel, out of reflex, tried to take a step forward to compensate. Two steps forward and they nearly sent Vala's body to the ground. This didn't look good. Try as he might, giving up control of the body was hard, more so when this was all new and you didn't have the slightest idea how to: was it like flicking a switch, thinking to yourself, Daniel, give up control, or making a conscious effort? It wasn't like there was a manual. Every instinct told him he'd go tumbling to the ground for real if he did.
You mind not using mental air quotes when you refer to my body? He thought at her. Daniel's consciousness might not be in it, but his body was still him. With any luck, breathing, heart pumping, everything there but him.... unless his body died. He might be trapped here forever. No, don't think of that. They drove each other crazy on the good days.
His fashion sense was fine, but he did have to admit the leather jacket didn't look all that bad. It still made him look more like Jack than anyone else, but maybe that wasn't totally a bad thing. Sometimes. Maybe. Don't ever tell him I said that. Was there something wrong, this looked like a memory but no sound- it came on just then as Vala hovered around the memory. Daniel could only watch in silence as this future him actually disarmed himself with Vala pointing a loaded gun at him, talking her down and trusting her with his life.
So that's what she was thinking of every time she looked at him. Someone who got her, knew what she wanted, which was to fit in, belong. Why didn't he see it? He should know what it felt like, he only left everything behind recently, so why didn't he see it when it was in someone else?
"I... okay, imagine you're in a room. Sound proofed, only one way in and you control the door. That's how I did it," Daniel said after a long moment. Vala was a bundle of contradictions, but he was more willing to trust what she was thinking than what she said: it was harder to lie to yourself in your mind than it was when you put something in words. The option was there if she chose to use it. She didn't have to be kept in the dark. If she didn't want to use it, that was fine, but it wasn't fair to give her no other options. He wouldn't take advantage of her ignorance.
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You mind not using mental air quotes when you refer to my body? He thought at her. Daniel's consciousness might not be in it, but his body was still him. With any luck, breathing, heart pumping, everything there but him.... unless his body died. He might be trapped here forever. No, don't think of that. They drove each other crazy on the good days.
His fashion sense was fine, but he did have to admit the leather jacket didn't look all that bad. It still made him look more like Jack than anyone else, but maybe that wasn't totally a bad thing. Sometimes. Maybe. Don't ever tell him I said that. Was there something wrong, this looked like a memory but no sound- it came on just then as Vala hovered around the memory. Daniel could only watch in silence as this future him actually disarmed himself with Vala pointing a loaded gun at him, talking her down and trusting her with his life.
So that's what she was thinking of every time she looked at him. Someone who got her, knew what she wanted, which was to fit in, belong. Why didn't he see it? He should know what it felt like, he only left everything behind recently, so why didn't he see it when it was in someone else?
"I... okay, imagine you're in a room. Sound proofed, only one way in and you control the door. That's how I did it," Daniel said after a long moment. Vala was a bundle of contradictions, but he was more willing to trust what she was thinking than what she said: it was harder to lie to yourself in your mind than it was when you put something in words. The option was there if she chose to use it. She didn't have to be kept in the dark. If she didn't want to use it, that was fine, but it wasn't fair to give her no other options. He wouldn't take advantage of her ignorance.