A smile. That's Jack's reward for performing a particularly impressive (in his opinion) piece of computer engineering. No word of thanks or congratulations, just a brief smile and what could be a faint inclination of the head.

The sad thing is that he doesn't really mind that much. He's largely given up hope of escaping this place, and the smile is the most positive reaction he's got out of Mega thus far in this whole goddamn mess of a project- and hey, Mega looks a lot less forbidding when his face isn't in his three default modes of 'blank', 'pissed' or 'smirking'.

Jacks decides to pretend that he never thought that.

Instead, he turns back to the monitor. He's still got some spark left in him, still some fight, and he's sure that there's something in here that he can use. He refuses to let himself grow complacent. They work in silence until the sky outside has been dark for several hours and the guards come to take Jack away. They part without acknowledging each other.

The next day, Mega wears gloves.

Not just any gloves, mind you; leather ones. Black, smooth leather, emphasizing his strong hands and prominent tendons in his wrists, visible as a small sliver between the gloves and the uniform when he stretches his arms.

All day Jack sneaks glances at the smooth leather, anticipating the occasional slight reveal of flesh, and hates himself for it.

~*~*~

Mega wears the gloves the day after, and the day after that, and so on. On the fourth day, when Jack is about to be escorted back to his quarters, Mega stops the guards and tells them that there's still more work to be done today, and that he will escort Jack back to his quarters himself when they are done. The guards are understandably nervous about such an order, but a cold stare sends them scurrying.

And work they do. It is well into the night when Mega stand up, stretches and tells Jack that it's time to sleep. They are halfway to Jack's quarters when Mega makes his move, shoving Jack into the wall and holding him there by his wrists. This should surprise Jack, but it doesn't- he's seen the way Mega looks at him; devours him with his eyes. He relaxes as much as he can, and waits.

Mega kisses him, of course; no words, no messing about, just pushes their mouths together and tries to suck out Jack's tongue. He doesn't quite manage it, but it's a close thing, and when he pulls away Jack is somewhat weak at the knees. Distantly, the smart-alec part of his mind thinks, 'So this is the part where he drags me to his room and we have wild sex, then'- except they don't. Mega takes him back to his own cell and locks him in, all without speaking a word.

Jack is still achingly hard, and it's really not fair that Mega's just gone and left him like this, so he slips into bed and fantasizes with one hand wrapped around his cock. He imagines Dal's hands and Luke's mouth, but what does it for him is Mega pinning him down, wearing those black leather gloves.

~*~*~

Two days later Mega is still wearing those damnable gloves and Jack feels a sudden tightness in his abdomen when the guards are informed that they will be working late again. His heart rate quickens when Mega locks the door.

The Techno approaches him slowly; his footsteps are measured and his breathing even, but his eyes burn. Jack, already standing, is backed against the wall. Right now he is acutely aware that Mega is taller than him, looming, undressing him with his eyes.

When they finally kiss, it is a relief: there's been so much tension of the not-looking, not-speaking kind, and it feels like a knot is being suddenly loosened in Jack's chest; all the unsaid desire expressed through touch.

Mega's lips are rough and chapped, and his voice is husky when he pulls away long enough to say:

"Undress."

So Jack does. Shoes, socks, shirt, trousers, underwear, until he stands before Mega naked and self-conscious. Mega stares at him with something like hunger in his face and he fights the urge to back away, cover himself; slowly realising that he is in way over his head. Then Mega, still fully-clothed, takes him by the jaw and kisses him again, and the situation improves somewhat. Mainly because the erection now pressing into his thigh reassures him that Mega is much more interested in the proceedings than his calm expression and unhurried breathing would suggest.

When Mega makes a grab for Jack's own cock, crushing their mouths together again, the hazy thought of 'We're not going to make it to a bed' surfaces, and he's right. Mega presses him further against the wall, holding his wrists in gloved hands, restraining him as they press and rub against each other somewhat clumsily. It's all rather school-boyish, but the dizzying rush of sensation and adrenaline overcomes embarrassment.

Dimly, Jack hears the creak of leather, and an idea occurs to him. It's a stupid idea, really, but he follows through on it anyway. He wriggles his arms until Mega gives him some freedom, then takes one of Mega's wrists and brings it down to his mouth. His eyes are closed, but he can feel Mega's eyes on him as he flicks his tongue out over the smooth leather, senses filled with the musky scent and slightly bitter taste.

When he slowly withdraws his tongue, he's too embarrassed to even look Mega in the eye. God, what a stupid thing to do - but Mega's breathing is ragged, coming in harsh pants, and maybe Jack's smarter than he gave himself credit for.

It ends quickly after that - they rut against each other for a few more minutes, teenage boys without experience or finesse, and when it's over they clean up and Mega escorts Jack to his quarters in silence. Jack would speak, would ask why, but his tongue feel heavy and thick in his mouth, so he casts his eyes downwards and keeps his peace.

The next day, Mega wears no gloves and Jack does not stare. It is over and done with, and the entire affair took less than a week.