Ficlelet: SGA: Checkmate
Title: Checkmate
Pairing: McShep, sorta. Kinda.
Rating: PG for mild swearing
Warnings: I have succumbed to an alarming trend in crackfics. And no, I'm not sure exactly how this happened, but it's supposed to be a bit of a surprise, so quit worrying and just read. It's fun. Also, I know next to nothing about chess, and what I do know I learned from wikipedia.
Part of the Checkmate 'Verse. In fact, the fic that started it all!
Unbeta'd
Teaser: “Colonel Sheppard,” Radek said formally, “You must stop. This backseat playing is unbecoming. And a pain in my ass.”
“Colonel Sheppard,” Radek said formally, “You must stop. This backseat playing is unbecoming. And a pain in my ass.”
John looked up impassively at the mention of his name, stared at Radek unblinkingly, then went back to his contemplation of the chessboard.
“What’s he doing?” Rodney said irritably. “He’s just sitting there.”
“Yes, and every time I make a move he deems unworthy he….” Radek waved his hand vaguely.
John was ignoring the exchange, his eyes slitted.
“He what?”
“You have not noticed the twitching?”
“Playing a game here!”
“Very well, “ Radek sighed, reaching out. He could see Sheppard tense in his peripheral vision, shoved his hands into his hair and let out an explosive breath. “I have not even touched piece!” he cried, frazzled.
John stared at him, hard, then pointedly looked down at the board. Radek followed his example for a few long moments, inhaled sharply and reached out to move an - admittedly - entirely different piece.
Rodney squawked. “You’ve got to be kidding me!!”
“Is valid move, Rodney.”
John reached out and with one careful paw, knocked over Rodney’s king.
“Check, and thanks to Sheppard, also mate.” Radek very carefully did not look over to the cat for confirmation. It would not do to make him purr any louder. “Though I suspect that the Colonel has been dying to knock over a piece for some time.”
Sheppard’s tail swished angrily twice. Radek smiled to himself and rolled one of his pawns absently. It clacked attractively against the tabletop. John’s ears twitched violently and he flopped down casually to lick a paw. Radek rolled the pawn across the table. Sheppard stopped mid-lick to follow it with his eyes.
Rodney looked at the board in shock. “You! But! Dammit!” He slumped, head in hands, gazing at the horror.
John delicately pawed the ivory pawn a few times, making it roll around the table.
Rodney, still contemplating the board, shot out a hand and picked it up, earning a soft pawed swipe from his team leader.
“Shall I get you a nice mousie, you horrible cheater?”
John flowed to his feet and stalked across to Rodney, moving into his personal space and head-butting him in the chest.
“Oh, yes, let’s try and be friends now,” Rodney huffed, even as he stroked down John’s sleek back, then rubbed his ears. John thrust his head joyfully up into Rodney’s hand, purring loudly.
“Yes,” Rodney said affectionately, “You are an awful, awful cheater.” He continued to pet Sheppard, who flopped over to have his belly rubbed, purring like a small, happy engine. “Awful, awful, awful.” Sheppard batted and snapped at his fingers playfully.
“I shall leave you two to hash this out,” Radek said dryly.
“Oh no,” Rodney said, still crooning to the cat, but with a thread of iron in his voice. “You’re going to stay and play us this time,” he dropped the croon. “Right, Radek?”
Sheppard stretched out a paw and sent the white pawn spinning to the other side of the table.
Radek shoved his glasses up his nose and glared at the two of them. “You are both huge pain in my ass.”
Pairing: McShep, sorta. Kinda.
Rating: PG for mild swearing
Warnings: I have succumbed to an alarming trend in crackfics. And no, I'm not sure exactly how this happened, but it's supposed to be a bit of a surprise, so quit worrying and just read. It's fun. Also, I know next to nothing about chess, and what I do know I learned from wikipedia.
Part of the Checkmate 'Verse. In fact, the fic that started it all!
Unbeta'd
Teaser: “Colonel Sheppard,” Radek said formally, “You must stop. This backseat playing is unbecoming. And a pain in my ass.”
“Colonel Sheppard,” Radek said formally, “You must stop. This backseat playing is unbecoming. And a pain in my ass.”
John looked up impassively at the mention of his name, stared at Radek unblinkingly, then went back to his contemplation of the chessboard.
“What’s he doing?” Rodney said irritably. “He’s just sitting there.”
“Yes, and every time I make a move he deems unworthy he….” Radek waved his hand vaguely.
John was ignoring the exchange, his eyes slitted.
“He what?”
“You have not noticed the twitching?”
“Playing a game here!”
“Very well, “ Radek sighed, reaching out. He could see Sheppard tense in his peripheral vision, shoved his hands into his hair and let out an explosive breath. “I have not even touched piece!” he cried, frazzled.
John stared at him, hard, then pointedly looked down at the board. Radek followed his example for a few long moments, inhaled sharply and reached out to move an - admittedly - entirely different piece.
Rodney squawked. “You’ve got to be kidding me!!”
“Is valid move, Rodney.”
John reached out and with one careful paw, knocked over Rodney’s king.
“Check, and thanks to Sheppard, also mate.” Radek very carefully did not look over to the cat for confirmation. It would not do to make him purr any louder. “Though I suspect that the Colonel has been dying to knock over a piece for some time.”
Sheppard’s tail swished angrily twice. Radek smiled to himself and rolled one of his pawns absently. It clacked attractively against the tabletop. John’s ears twitched violently and he flopped down casually to lick a paw. Radek rolled the pawn across the table. Sheppard stopped mid-lick to follow it with his eyes.
Rodney looked at the board in shock. “You! But! Dammit!” He slumped, head in hands, gazing at the horror.
John delicately pawed the ivory pawn a few times, making it roll around the table.
Rodney, still contemplating the board, shot out a hand and picked it up, earning a soft pawed swipe from his team leader.
“Shall I get you a nice mousie, you horrible cheater?”
John flowed to his feet and stalked across to Rodney, moving into his personal space and head-butting him in the chest.
“Oh, yes, let’s try and be friends now,” Rodney huffed, even as he stroked down John’s sleek back, then rubbed his ears. John thrust his head joyfully up into Rodney’s hand, purring loudly.
“Yes,” Rodney said affectionately, “You are an awful, awful cheater.” He continued to pet Sheppard, who flopped over to have his belly rubbed, purring like a small, happy engine. “Awful, awful, awful.” Sheppard batted and snapped at his fingers playfully.
“I shall leave you two to hash this out,” Radek said dryly.
“Oh no,” Rodney said, still crooning to the cat, but with a thread of iron in his voice. “You’re going to stay and play us this time,” he dropped the croon. “Right, Radek?”
Sheppard stretched out a paw and sent the white pawn spinning to the other side of the table.
Radek shoved his glasses up his nose and glared at the two of them. “You are both huge pain in my ass.”