(fic) Survival of the Fittest (Stargate Atlantis, Ronon/Rodney, PG-13)
Title: Survival of the Fittest
Author: Margie
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Pairing: Ronon Dex/Rodney McKay
Spoilers: None
*Warnings*: None
Word Count: 892
Summary: Of the four of them, Rodney was the weakest when it came to survival skills.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. And I'm totally not making a profit.
Author's Note: Thanks to ladycat777 for the audience/beta.
My prompt was - Ronon Dex/Rodney McKay: Hypothermia/huddling for warmth - "No way to say goodbye"
~~
“H-hypothermia,” McKay stuttered.
Ronon rolled his eyes as he spread the second blanket out before helping McKay onto the small nest he'd made. He'd offered to stay while Sheppard and Teyla hiked back to the Gate to retrieve a jumper and Beckett. There was no way McKay could make the hike himself, and the blizzard outside would make it impossible for even Ronon to carry McKay the entire way.
He shook his head, watching as McKay shivered and shook as he huddled atop the blankets. Ronon sighed. McKay didn't have hypothermia, though it was an illness Ronon was well familiar with as McKay had brought it up on every winter planet they'd ever visited. No, McKay didn't have hypothermia, but he was freezing.
Ronon brushed his fingers against the exposed skin at McKay's neck. It was as cold as ice, and his clothing wasn't much better. Even the blankets were starting to get soaked as McKay tried to burrow into them.
“C-c-cold.”
Ronon nodded as he took his jacket off and set it out of harm's way before kneeling down beside him. “I know.” He started working on McKay's clothes, pulling at the wet material while fighting off McKay's weak protests.
“I s-said, I'm cold.”
“I heard you,” Ronon said. The fire he'd built using the Athosian fire starter Teyla had gifted each of them with was burning strong and steady beside them.
It didn't take long for Ronon to strip McKay of everything but his shorts. Violent shudders wracked McKay's body every few seconds, making Ronon wince in sympathy. There'd been several nights when he'd been just as bad off... trapped on a winter planet while hiding from the wraith, except he hadn't had anyone there to warm him or watch his back while he recovered.
Ronon pulled off his shirt, but debated leaving his pants on. In the end, he took them off as well, knowing that sharing his body heat with McKay was the fastest way to warm him. He kept his gun close at hand, just in case any stray animals or enemies happened to find their cave before the others returned.
He pulled McKay to him, big hands roaming McKay's back as he tried to warm him.
“Ronon?”
McKay's eyes were glazed, glassy. Ronon worried that it meant he was beginning to turn feverish but his skin was still ice cold to the touch.
“Yeah?”
McKay mumbled something Ronon couldn't understand, shuddering and moving even further into Ronon's embrace.
“McKay?” Ronon's hands never stopped moving, trying to rub back some warmth into whatever patch of skin he could reach. “Rodney?”
But McKay didn't answer, though his shudders turned into light shivers and his breathing evened out. Ronon took a deep breath, relaxing for the first time since he'd brushed his fingers against the icy coolness of Rodney's skin. It'd be hours before the others returned, but at least it seemed that they were over the worst of it.
He rolled them a little closer to the fire, but kept his eyes on the entrance of the cave. He reached for his jacket, draping it over the both of them as he settled down to watch for the others.
McKay's cheek was resting against the curve of Ronon's shoulder, a few wisps of his thinning hair brushing Ronon's jaw. It was soft and it smelled like clean snow and old wood. Rodney had been lost in the forest for almost a full day before they'd found him. Ronon's jaw clenched as he remembered their search. They had all been worried, though none of them had voiced their concerns aloud.
Of the four of them, Rodney was the weakest when it came to survival skills. Ronon knew, though, that like him, Rodney had a strong sense of survival. That he would do what needed to be done to stay alive until the others could find him. In that, they were a lot alike.
The snow had lightened to a fine dusting by the time Rodney stirred against him. Ronon's arms tightened automatically at the movement.
“Ronon?” Rodney's voice sounded high and tight.
“Yeah?” Ronon inclined his head so he could see Rodney's face. He could see color starting to bloom on Rodney's cheeks.
“We're naked.”
“You were cold.” Ronon answered. “And only I'm naked. You still have your shorts on.”
“I was cold. And you're naked.” Rodney repeated, quirking an eyebrow. “You're also, uhm, -- “ Rodney made a vague gesture toward Ronon's groin.
Ronon grinned. He shrugged, the slight shift of his body making his erection rub lightly against Rodney's belly. “Yeah.”
Rodney's look was searching, confusion darkening the blue of his eyes as he stared up at Ronon. Rodney's mouth was slightly parted, as if he meant to say something, ask a question, but the words had stalled in his throat.
Ronon laughed and Rodney's mouth turned down into a scowl. Before he could launch into one of his tirades, Ronon kissed him. It was a quick, soft kiss, not meant to be demanding or overly passionate. But it gave Ronon a taste of Rodney's mouth, a feel of his lips.
“You're a survivor,” Ronon said.
For a moment Rodney's look turned even more questioning, but then his chin lifted defiantly and he said, “Of course I am.”
And Ronon laughed.
THE END.
Author: Margie
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Pairing: Ronon Dex/Rodney McKay
Spoilers: None
*Warnings*: None
Word Count: 892
Summary: Of the four of them, Rodney was the weakest when it came to survival skills.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. And I'm totally not making a profit.
Author's Note: Thanks to ladycat777 for the audience/beta.
My prompt was - Ronon Dex/Rodney McKay: Hypothermia/huddling for warmth - "No way to say goodbye"
~~
“H-hypothermia,” McKay stuttered.
Ronon rolled his eyes as he spread the second blanket out before helping McKay onto the small nest he'd made. He'd offered to stay while Sheppard and Teyla hiked back to the Gate to retrieve a jumper and Beckett. There was no way McKay could make the hike himself, and the blizzard outside would make it impossible for even Ronon to carry McKay the entire way.
He shook his head, watching as McKay shivered and shook as he huddled atop the blankets. Ronon sighed. McKay didn't have hypothermia, though it was an illness Ronon was well familiar with as McKay had brought it up on every winter planet they'd ever visited. No, McKay didn't have hypothermia, but he was freezing.
Ronon brushed his fingers against the exposed skin at McKay's neck. It was as cold as ice, and his clothing wasn't much better. Even the blankets were starting to get soaked as McKay tried to burrow into them.
“C-c-cold.”
Ronon nodded as he took his jacket off and set it out of harm's way before kneeling down beside him. “I know.” He started working on McKay's clothes, pulling at the wet material while fighting off McKay's weak protests.
“I s-said, I'm cold.”
“I heard you,” Ronon said. The fire he'd built using the Athosian fire starter Teyla had gifted each of them with was burning strong and steady beside them.
It didn't take long for Ronon to strip McKay of everything but his shorts. Violent shudders wracked McKay's body every few seconds, making Ronon wince in sympathy. There'd been several nights when he'd been just as bad off... trapped on a winter planet while hiding from the wraith, except he hadn't had anyone there to warm him or watch his back while he recovered.
Ronon pulled off his shirt, but debated leaving his pants on. In the end, he took them off as well, knowing that sharing his body heat with McKay was the fastest way to warm him. He kept his gun close at hand, just in case any stray animals or enemies happened to find their cave before the others returned.
He pulled McKay to him, big hands roaming McKay's back as he tried to warm him.
“Ronon?”
McKay's eyes were glazed, glassy. Ronon worried that it meant he was beginning to turn feverish but his skin was still ice cold to the touch.
“Yeah?”
McKay mumbled something Ronon couldn't understand, shuddering and moving even further into Ronon's embrace.
“McKay?” Ronon's hands never stopped moving, trying to rub back some warmth into whatever patch of skin he could reach. “Rodney?”
But McKay didn't answer, though his shudders turned into light shivers and his breathing evened out. Ronon took a deep breath, relaxing for the first time since he'd brushed his fingers against the icy coolness of Rodney's skin. It'd be hours before the others returned, but at least it seemed that they were over the worst of it.
He rolled them a little closer to the fire, but kept his eyes on the entrance of the cave. He reached for his jacket, draping it over the both of them as he settled down to watch for the others.
McKay's cheek was resting against the curve of Ronon's shoulder, a few wisps of his thinning hair brushing Ronon's jaw. It was soft and it smelled like clean snow and old wood. Rodney had been lost in the forest for almost a full day before they'd found him. Ronon's jaw clenched as he remembered their search. They had all been worried, though none of them had voiced their concerns aloud.
Of the four of them, Rodney was the weakest when it came to survival skills. Ronon knew, though, that like him, Rodney had a strong sense of survival. That he would do what needed to be done to stay alive until the others could find him. In that, they were a lot alike.
The snow had lightened to a fine dusting by the time Rodney stirred against him. Ronon's arms tightened automatically at the movement.
“Ronon?” Rodney's voice sounded high and tight.
“Yeah?” Ronon inclined his head so he could see Rodney's face. He could see color starting to bloom on Rodney's cheeks.
“We're naked.”
“You were cold.” Ronon answered. “And only I'm naked. You still have your shorts on.”
“I was cold. And you're naked.” Rodney repeated, quirking an eyebrow. “You're also, uhm, -- “ Rodney made a vague gesture toward Ronon's groin.
Ronon grinned. He shrugged, the slight shift of his body making his erection rub lightly against Rodney's belly. “Yeah.”
Rodney's look was searching, confusion darkening the blue of his eyes as he stared up at Ronon. Rodney's mouth was slightly parted, as if he meant to say something, ask a question, but the words had stalled in his throat.
Ronon laughed and Rodney's mouth turned down into a scowl. Before he could launch into one of his tirades, Ronon kissed him. It was a quick, soft kiss, not meant to be demanding or overly passionate. But it gave Ronon a taste of Rodney's mouth, a feel of his lips.
“You're a survivor,” Ronon said.
For a moment Rodney's look turned even more questioning, but then his chin lifted defiantly and he said, “Of course I am.”
And Ronon laughed.
THE END.