Fic - John/Rodney; Jumper
Jumper (John/Rodney PG)
He's tiny and scared, curled up tight and watching the world that's the street outside through bright, wide eyes. -700
Set in my unfinished bookstore AU. For aesc, since it's her birthday and I'm a fan of her work :)
John sees him on a Sunday, two days before he's driving Elizabeth back and four days before Rodney's birthday. He's tiny and scared, curled up tight and watching the world that's the street outside through bright, wide eyes. John knows that if he continues walking, the pup will be gone before John's even rounded the corner, so he steps inside the small shop and in fifteen minutes, he's out on the street again, a leash in one hand and a puppy tucked safely under the other.
He's grinning like an idiot, already attached to the small dog that he can practically fit into his palm and he knows Rodney probably can. When he reaches work, Ronon takes the dog from him and for a moment John worries that by handing him over the dog disappeared from this universe, until a small face peers at him from over Ronon's fingers and with calculated care starts gnawing on Ronon's thumb. Lorne laughs loudly, eyes sparkling with amusement that a creature so small has the guts to bite Ronon when everyone else put serious thought into even standing too close.
Elizabeth looks at him disapprovingly when he tells her he bought a pet, starts talking about how this isn't the right time, about his responsibilities and work hours until Ronon steps inside the office, dog in tow, and it takes stronger women than Elizabeth to resist the small face that sniffs the outreached hand before licking it with a tiny, pink tongue.
John just beams.
*
John brings him to see Rodney on Thursday, affectionately calling him Jumper, even when he pisses on John's carpets or gnaws on John's (and on one memorable occasion, Laura's) shoes or runs off to leave John behind in a panic frenzy. Jumper always comes back though, or someone John has begged, bribed or blackmailed finds him, huddled at a corner as car zoom past.
The bookstore is a long walk from John's apartment, but he knows better than to bring a fully charged Jumper into a bookstore, so he walks the distance patiently and finds himself enjoying it as Jumper yips bravely at the cars, or as Jumper has his nose stuck to the ground with his tail up in the air like a white flag. There's a cold breeze, but Jumper insists on a fast pace and John doesn't mind, even as a light drizzle of rain starts. By the time they reach Atlantis Books, John's hair is slick and stuck to the sides of his head and Jumper is stopping every few minutes to try and shake the water off. John lets Jumper enter first, closes the door behind him and watches as Rodney steps out from behind the curtain at the sound of the bell.
"John? I thought you weren't coming back until tomorrow." Rodney says, frowning at his watch as though he's had his nose buried in a book for the entire week John's been gone and has forgotten the time. "Wait, isn't today my --"
Something in John's stomach twists painfully at the fact that Rodney has to ask, that Rodney isn't keeping track like he doesn't expect anyone else to either. "Happy birthday," John says, grinning wide and lets Jumper's leash go. Jumper bounds over to Rodney, yipping and yapping.
"You bought me a dog?" Rodney asks, voice unnaturally high and John likes there's the slightest twitch as Rodney fights the urge to kneel down and pet Jumper.
"Yep," John says, proudly, as Jumper starts gnawing on Rodney's left shoe.
Later, much later, when Jumper's curled up on a cushion Rodney found from god-knows-where, John doesn't fail to notice Rodney's silly smile as he picks up the shredded remains of a book as he talks. "It is actually much better this way than in it's original form. Jumper did the world a favour, he should be awarded some kind of medal. Hey, do you think we could train him to bite the really stupid customers? Of course, you'll have to get him housebroken first."
John doesn't reply, merely spreads himself out more pointedly on the couch and when Rodney joins him, all solid warmth beside him, it takes a while before they do anything but watch Jumper sleep.
He's tiny and scared, curled up tight and watching the world that's the street outside through bright, wide eyes. -700
Set in my unfinished bookstore AU. For aesc, since it's her birthday and I'm a fan of her work :)
John sees him on a Sunday, two days before he's driving Elizabeth back and four days before Rodney's birthday. He's tiny and scared, curled up tight and watching the world that's the street outside through bright, wide eyes. John knows that if he continues walking, the pup will be gone before John's even rounded the corner, so he steps inside the small shop and in fifteen minutes, he's out on the street again, a leash in one hand and a puppy tucked safely under the other.
He's grinning like an idiot, already attached to the small dog that he can practically fit into his palm and he knows Rodney probably can. When he reaches work, Ronon takes the dog from him and for a moment John worries that by handing him over the dog disappeared from this universe, until a small face peers at him from over Ronon's fingers and with calculated care starts gnawing on Ronon's thumb. Lorne laughs loudly, eyes sparkling with amusement that a creature so small has the guts to bite Ronon when everyone else put serious thought into even standing too close.
Elizabeth looks at him disapprovingly when he tells her he bought a pet, starts talking about how this isn't the right time, about his responsibilities and work hours until Ronon steps inside the office, dog in tow, and it takes stronger women than Elizabeth to resist the small face that sniffs the outreached hand before licking it with a tiny, pink tongue.
John just beams.
*
John brings him to see Rodney on Thursday, affectionately calling him Jumper, even when he pisses on John's carpets or gnaws on John's (and on one memorable occasion, Laura's) shoes or runs off to leave John behind in a panic frenzy. Jumper always comes back though, or someone John has begged, bribed or blackmailed finds him, huddled at a corner as car zoom past.
The bookstore is a long walk from John's apartment, but he knows better than to bring a fully charged Jumper into a bookstore, so he walks the distance patiently and finds himself enjoying it as Jumper yips bravely at the cars, or as Jumper has his nose stuck to the ground with his tail up in the air like a white flag. There's a cold breeze, but Jumper insists on a fast pace and John doesn't mind, even as a light drizzle of rain starts. By the time they reach Atlantis Books, John's hair is slick and stuck to the sides of his head and Jumper is stopping every few minutes to try and shake the water off. John lets Jumper enter first, closes the door behind him and watches as Rodney steps out from behind the curtain at the sound of the bell.
"John? I thought you weren't coming back until tomorrow." Rodney says, frowning at his watch as though he's had his nose buried in a book for the entire week John's been gone and has forgotten the time. "Wait, isn't today my --"
Something in John's stomach twists painfully at the fact that Rodney has to ask, that Rodney isn't keeping track like he doesn't expect anyone else to either. "Happy birthday," John says, grinning wide and lets Jumper's leash go. Jumper bounds over to Rodney, yipping and yapping.
"You bought me a dog?" Rodney asks, voice unnaturally high and John likes there's the slightest twitch as Rodney fights the urge to kneel down and pet Jumper.
"Yep," John says, proudly, as Jumper starts gnawing on Rodney's left shoe.
Later, much later, when Jumper's curled up on a cushion Rodney found from god-knows-where, John doesn't fail to notice Rodney's silly smile as he picks up the shredded remains of a book as he talks. "It is actually much better this way than in it's original form. Jumper did the world a favour, he should be awarded some kind of medal. Hey, do you think we could train him to bite the really stupid customers? Of course, you'll have to get him housebroken first."
John doesn't reply, merely spreads himself out more pointedly on the couch and when Rodney joins him, all solid warmth beside him, it takes a while before they do anything but watch Jumper sleep.