Fic: When life gives you... (a Grandview story) Rated G
Title: When life gives you…
Series: Grandview
Rating: G
Word count: 1,927
Warnings: none
Spoilers: None
Disclaimer: Sadly, neither Stargate Atlantis nor her characters belong to me. If they did the show would have never been nor would it ever be canceled.
Nathan is mine, however, so take THAT mgm!!
Summary: All the amusement that had been on John’s face drained in a second. Rodney would even bet that John’s color had paled at least one shade, and he felt a little bit bad for being the one who made that happen, especially since John hadn’t even lost that much of his tan when he was puking his guts up every fifteen minutes.
“LEMONS!?” Rodney shouted in response to John’s most recent craving.
John simply sat on the couch studying his knees and gently shaking his head back and forth.
“Are you kidding?” Rodney asked, lowering his voice a couple of notches.
“I know, Rodney. I can’t help it, my body wants something, I can’t be satisfied until I get it.”
“Is your body aware of the fact that it’s committing high treason?”
John sighed and leaned back into the couch cushions. “I’m probably not getting enough vitamin C, or folic acid or whatever it is in citrus that’s supposed to be good for a developing baby.”
“This is unacceptable! Not only are you craving something that will kill me is no time flat, you expect me to go out and buy it!”
“Hello,” John said and raised his eyebrows so high they were nearly touching his hair line as he pointed to his belly with the index fingers of both hands. “Not like I can just take a quick stroll to the store and get it myself. Not unless I want to be kidnapped by some freaks and locked in a room and have your son cut out of me with a rusty scalpel, and then have him cut open with an equally rusty instrument.” John said, his voice rising with every word until he was nearly shouting and completely out of breath.
Rodney took a deep slow breath and sighed it out. He took a step back and turned away from John. Lam had told him after John’s last appointment that his blood pressure was a little higher than she’d like it, but it didn’t require medication unless it got higher.
The shade of red John’s face had just turned could have been caused by the fact that he hadn’t taken a breath until he’d gotten the entire run-on sentence out, or because his blood pressure was rising. Rodney had a feeling it was the first reason but he wasn’t willing to take that chance.
He had to admit that John had been more than fair about the whole citrus thing, not bringing it anywhere near Rodney, or eating it in Rodney’s presence. Rodney knew John liked the occasional orange, he’d seen him eating one a few times on Atlantis, but never since they’d lived together.
Rodney thought it might be possible that his reaction to John telling him he was craving lemons was slightly over the top. It wasn’t like John had been happy about it himself. Judging by John’s tone and the fact that he hadn’t looked at Rodney when he told him, made Rodney think that maybe John had wanted lemons for awhile and just didn’t want to say anything. That thought only served to make Rodney feel like a huge ass. Not for John not wanting to tell him, of course, John knew he’d have a bad reaction, but because of the way he’d reacted to it. In hindsight, he realized that he shouldn’t have shouted, he should have spoken calmly and given John the reason why his eating any form of citrus would be a horrible idea. It was likely that John wasn’t thinking on that level at the moment.
Rodney sighed again and turned back toward John. John was sitting on the couch looking very much like a kid sitting in the principal’s office whose mother had just been called. His belly had grown a lot in the last month, but then he was 26 weeks now. Rodney’s stomach did a little flip at the thought that the pregnancy was more than half over.
“Look, John,” Rodney said finally and took a couple steps forward. “I’m not really being irrational here-”
“Really? Fooled me,” John interrupted.
Rodney rolled his eyes, more at himself than at John’s comment, he realized he could have started that a little better.
“That’s not what I meant, I know that I shouted and I admit that I shouldn’t have done that. But I am deathly allergic to citrus-”
“I know that, Rodney. You’ve told me that countless times since we met and I only needed to be told once. I respect that and always have, but I really don’t think touching it will kill you, and even if it would, you could easily get a bag boy to get a couple lemons and double bag them in those plastic produce bags and you would never have to touch them. Just bring them home and hand the bag to me.”
“That wasn’t what I meant either, John. Will you give me a minute to get a sentence out?”
“Look who’s talking.”
“John,” Rodney admonished.
John sighed and shook his head slightly. “Sorry, go ahead.”
“Thank you. Now-”
“You’re welcome.” John said through a smirk that he was clearly trying to keep under control.
“John,” Rodney said again, this time the tone was annoyed with a tinge of amusement.
“Sorry.” John said again and nodded at Rodney.
“I’m al-”
“I couldn’t help it.”
“John Sheppard! I am going to tape your mouth shut if you don’t stop.”
John chuckled and waved a hand for Rodney to go ahead.
Rodney sighed. “I’m allergic to citrus,” he said and waited a second to see if John would continue his nerve racking game. When John remained quiet, Rodney continued. “That baby is mine; it stands to reason that there is at least a 50% chance that he is allergic to citrus too. If you eat a lemon and he’s allergic, what do you think would happen to him?”
All the amusement that had been on John’s face drained in a second. Rodney would even bet that John’s color had paled at least one shade, and he felt a little bit bad for being the one who made that happen, especially since John hadn’t even lost that much of his tan when he was puking his guts up every fifteen minutes.
“I-” John’s voice cracked and he cleared his throat. “I hadn’t thought of that.”
“I figured as much, but it’s not your fault. You’re not used to having to be careful that there is no citrus anywhere near you, but right now you do. I’m just happy you talked to me about it first rather than calling Ronon or someone while I was at work.”
“I uh- I didn’t want to tell you about it because I knew how you’d react. Guess it’s a good thing I did.” John sank further back into the couch cushions, a feat Rodney thought was impossible, and blew out a breath.
“Look, we’ll talk to Lam about this craving, I don’t want you lacking something you need for the baby. Maybe she can get you some vitamin C pills or something. Some way to get you what you need without the citrus.”
John nodded but didn’t say anything.
Rodney wanted to change the subject, he knew John was feeling bad about wanting citrus, especially after Rodney pointed out the fact that citrus could be potentially deadly for their unborn son.
“So uh- what do you think Nathan should be for Halloween?”
John looked up but Rodney couldn’t tell if he felt any better or not.
“Rodney,” he said, “Halloween is next week, you’re just now thinking about what costume to get for your son?”
“Yeah, well, I lost track of time. So what do you think?”
“Lucky for you, and Nathan, I sent a pattern to Teyla. There’s an Athosian woman who can work miracles with thread and a little material.”
“What was it?”
“A lion.”
“A lion?”
“Yup.”
“Why’d you pick that?”
“I didn’t, Nathan did.”
“Nathan did?”
“Yup. I asked him what he wanted to be for Halloween and he said… and I quote… ‘wyon’.
Rodney chuckled and shook his head. “Well, if that’s what he wants, but I really don’t think an Athosian woman will make a very good lion costume.”
“I sent a picture too.”
“That only raises the chances by a fraction.”
“Oh ye of little faith.”
“My faith, or rather lack thereof, has kept me from being disappointed too many times in life.”
“Oh, so-”
“Shut up,” Rodney said and pulled John toward him and kissed him gently on the lips.
~*~
John took the package from Sam when she handed it to him.
“Teyla sent it through today,” she told him.
John turned toward Rodney, who was sitting on the couch with Nathan who had immediately reached for Sam when John had given him a clear view of the guest, and smiled.
John sat beside Rodney. “I guess we’ll see how good this lion costume is,” he said as he pulled the lid off the box.
Rodney handed his squirming son into Sam’s waiting arms and turned his attention back to the box on the coffee table.
John pulled a hood out of the box and held it up. The material was light brown and looked and felt furry and soft. Sewn all around it, except for the hole that Nathan’s face would show through was what looked and felt like hair. It was the most realistic looking Lion mane John had ever seen on a costume. He pulled the body of the costume out next. It was made of the same material, and there were paws sewn onto the ends of the arms, but they could be lifted so Nathan’s hands could come out. There were also paws meant to go over his shoes and those had little paw prints of a darker brown sewn onto the bottom in some sort of non-slip rubbery material.
“Aw damn,” John said and looked at Rodney. “Looks like you were right, an Athosian couldn’t possibly make a very good lion costume.”
“Oh shut up, that’s amazing,” Rodney said as he took the hood off the table. “We can paint his nose black and give him whiskers; he’ll be the cutest kid out there.”
“I’m going too,” John stated without question.
“John, you’re seven months pregnant, you can’t go out.” Sam said matter of factly. “Jack would have a cow if he found out.”
“It’s Halloween, it’s the one night I can go out and no one would think anything. They’ll all think it’s a fake belly, they’ll think I’m dressed up as a pregnant man. It’ll be fine; I just don’t want to miss Nathan’s second Halloween with him in such a cute costume. I’m going too,” he stated again.
Rodney looked at Sam and shrugged. “He’s right you know, no one would think he’s really pregnant, and he does need some fresh air. John has been cooped up in this house with the shades drawn for three months, only allowed to leave to go to the SGC for an exam. John made the motion and I second it.”
“Free,” Nathan said suddenly.
“There you go, Nathan thirds it,” John said with a smile. “You want daddy to go with you and daddy on Halloween?” John asked Nathan.
“Duhduh hoween.” Nathan stated firmly.
Sam sighed and shook her head. “Alright, but I won’t lie if Jack asks.”
“Like he’ll ask you,” Rodney scoffed, “he’d have no reason to unless you give him a reason to.”
Nathan put his hand on Sam’s check and turned her head to face him and as if he knew what the conversation was about he said, “Baby budder in duhduh beddy.”
“Um, Rodney,” John drawled, “I uh, I think it’s time to take him out of daycare for a few months.”
“I agree,” Rodney said nodding quickly, “We wouldn’t want him telling that to his teacher.
TBC…