Fic: "Countdown", SGA, John/Rodney, G
Okay, so this is horribly embarrassing... The plan was to post this on Christmas Eve, but as I've said, I suffered from terrible writer's block and it appears mid February... *sheepish* I am so sorry. I just hope you like it anyway, mckaysmonkey!! (Even if it's totally out of season!)
Title: Countdown
Fandom: SGA
Rating/Word count: G, 973 words
For mckaysmonkey, who requested SGA, John/Rodney, Advent calendar
There is always a lot of trepidation when the Daedalus makes its last scheduled run to Atlantis before the Holidays. Everyone hurries to get their bounty, may it be the authorized care packages or the special deliveries of gifts that have been ordered in time. John checks the slip on his package and he's pleased that most of what he requested made it; not everyone will be so lucky. John might be real bad at expressing his feelings when it counts, but he's always been proud of his ability to find thoughtful and personalized gifts that are, with little exceptions, always a hit.
Right now? John has gifts for when the All-Encompassing-Fixed-Holiday-That-Isn't-Called-Christmas-But-Is will come around, he has pop corn for movie night and he also has a surprise for his Team. He'd ordered an Advent calendar for Torren - those that are hiding little chocolates behind squirrels, rabbits and other way too cheerful animals - but John hadn't realized that the calendars came as a 3-pack.
"Here," John says that night, just before they start The Fifth Element for the zillionth time. He hands out the calendars and plops down on the sofa near Rodney.
Rodney frowns for a moment and then laughs.
"Really? Wow, I've always wanted one of these," he says with no irony at all, which takes John aback. He was expecting being told that it was a stupid idea because Advent calendars are for children, though at the same time he had been certain that Rodney would keep his for the chocolates alone.
"You've never had one?" John asks.
"Nah," Rodney says with a twirling hand gestures as he observes the thin box closely. "Strict diet and no sugar for me, ever."
Which sucks royally for a kid, John thinks, and not for the first time he has an uncharitable-borderline-violent thought for Rodney's parents. That little fact might also start to explain why Rodney has no limit now when it comes to sweets.
"What is it, John?" Teyla asks, obviously puzzled.
Ronon sniffs his box, immediately finds the trick and starts punching open the little doors to get to the chocolate, to Rodney's outrage.
"Ronon!" Rodney cries out, though the big guy manages to eat at least two if not three chocolates. "No no no no! That's not how you do it! Each door is for a day!"
"That's right," John says when Ronon raises a sceptical eyebrow and swats at Rodney who is trying to rescue his box. "It's a little something to make kids wait patiently until Christmas. You get one chocolate a day, opening the door."
"A countdown, basically," Rodney adds. "With chocolate, and obviously it makes it the best type of countdown device ever."
"The little number indicates the day you can open the door?" Teyla asks.
"Exactly."
"Okay," Ronon says with a shrug, accepting the principle without question.
"Normally, you start it on the first of December and open the last door on Christmas Eve. Since we're already a couple of days into the month, or we'd be on Earth, you can get the first 3 doors," Rodney explains.
Ronon has already taken his, though he dutifully replaces the chocolates in the doors he's opened too soon by the ones he should have taken, while Teyla thanks John with a pleased smile and puts her calendar aside, saying she'll share with her family later. Meanwhile, Rodney opens the little doors with delicate care and gives the first chocolate to John.
"Thanks," he tells Rodney as he plops the chocolate in his mouth. It's cheap stuff, too sweet, but it's still chocolate.
"No, thank you," Rodney replies, genuine, and John should not feel so pleased with himself.
***
When John decided to give the calendars to the Team, he'd honestly thought that Rodney's would be gone in a couple of days. It's not like Rodney has a history of restraint with chocolate
The initial care shown at movie night holds, though, as Rodney opens a little door dutifully each morning. John knows because he's seen the calendar propped on his bedside table and Rodney punching out a chocolate just before they left for an early briefing. It's oddly endearing and John finds himself noticing that Rodney's almost smiling even before his first coffee most of the month, which is unheard of.
Unfortunately the ritual has a predictable expiration date. When John swings by Rodney's quarter on Christmas morning, making sure he's up and won't be late to go to Teyla's for the scheduled gift opening, he sees how Rodney looks forlornly at the now empty calendar.
"Well that was fun while it lasted," Rodney says with a little sigh.
John already misses the secretive morning smiles that he knew he had helped to put on Rodney's face, and, without thinking more than that, he leans into Rodney's space and gives him a small peck on the lips. Honestly, John's as shocked by the action as Rodney seems to be. Not in a bad way, mind you, it makes an awful lot of sense and John realizes he'd wanted to do something like that for a while now.
"We'll find something else to start your day nicely?" John suggests, hoping Rodney wants this too.
"Oh," Rodney says, before giving him a bright smile. "Yes, yes I would like that very much. Best Advent calendar ever, if that's what it was a countdown for."
It's tempting to lean in again, but if they start kissing for real, John doesn't know if he's going to be able to stop.
John starts to walk backward for the door and winks. "I aim to please. Now let's go before we're late and Torren hunts us down."
Rodney's still grinning and John can't help to think that yes, he's still got it. Best present ever (and that goes for him, too).
Title: Countdown
Fandom: SGA
Rating/Word count: G, 973 words
For mckaysmonkey, who requested SGA, John/Rodney, Advent calendar
There is always a lot of trepidation when the Daedalus makes its last scheduled run to Atlantis before the Holidays. Everyone hurries to get their bounty, may it be the authorized care packages or the special deliveries of gifts that have been ordered in time. John checks the slip on his package and he's pleased that most of what he requested made it; not everyone will be so lucky. John might be real bad at expressing his feelings when it counts, but he's always been proud of his ability to find thoughtful and personalized gifts that are, with little exceptions, always a hit.
Right now? John has gifts for when the All-Encompassing-Fixed-Holiday-That-Isn't-Called-Christmas-But-Is will come around, he has pop corn for movie night and he also has a surprise for his Team. He'd ordered an Advent calendar for Torren - those that are hiding little chocolates behind squirrels, rabbits and other way too cheerful animals - but John hadn't realized that the calendars came as a 3-pack.
"Here," John says that night, just before they start The Fifth Element for the zillionth time. He hands out the calendars and plops down on the sofa near Rodney.
Rodney frowns for a moment and then laughs.
"Really? Wow, I've always wanted one of these," he says with no irony at all, which takes John aback. He was expecting being told that it was a stupid idea because Advent calendars are for children, though at the same time he had been certain that Rodney would keep his for the chocolates alone.
"You've never had one?" John asks.
"Nah," Rodney says with a twirling hand gestures as he observes the thin box closely. "Strict diet and no sugar for me, ever."
Which sucks royally for a kid, John thinks, and not for the first time he has an uncharitable-borderline-violent thought for Rodney's parents. That little fact might also start to explain why Rodney has no limit now when it comes to sweets.
"What is it, John?" Teyla asks, obviously puzzled.
Ronon sniffs his box, immediately finds the trick and starts punching open the little doors to get to the chocolate, to Rodney's outrage.
"Ronon!" Rodney cries out, though the big guy manages to eat at least two if not three chocolates. "No no no no! That's not how you do it! Each door is for a day!"
"That's right," John says when Ronon raises a sceptical eyebrow and swats at Rodney who is trying to rescue his box. "It's a little something to make kids wait patiently until Christmas. You get one chocolate a day, opening the door."
"A countdown, basically," Rodney adds. "With chocolate, and obviously it makes it the best type of countdown device ever."
"The little number indicates the day you can open the door?" Teyla asks.
"Exactly."
"Okay," Ronon says with a shrug, accepting the principle without question.
"Normally, you start it on the first of December and open the last door on Christmas Eve. Since we're already a couple of days into the month, or we'd be on Earth, you can get the first 3 doors," Rodney explains.
Ronon has already taken his, though he dutifully replaces the chocolates in the doors he's opened too soon by the ones he should have taken, while Teyla thanks John with a pleased smile and puts her calendar aside, saying she'll share with her family later. Meanwhile, Rodney opens the little doors with delicate care and gives the first chocolate to John.
"Thanks," he tells Rodney as he plops the chocolate in his mouth. It's cheap stuff, too sweet, but it's still chocolate.
"No, thank you," Rodney replies, genuine, and John should not feel so pleased with himself.
***
When John decided to give the calendars to the Team, he'd honestly thought that Rodney's would be gone in a couple of days. It's not like Rodney has a history of restraint with chocolate
The initial care shown at movie night holds, though, as Rodney opens a little door dutifully each morning. John knows because he's seen the calendar propped on his bedside table and Rodney punching out a chocolate just before they left for an early briefing. It's oddly endearing and John finds himself noticing that Rodney's almost smiling even before his first coffee most of the month, which is unheard of.
Unfortunately the ritual has a predictable expiration date. When John swings by Rodney's quarter on Christmas morning, making sure he's up and won't be late to go to Teyla's for the scheduled gift opening, he sees how Rodney looks forlornly at the now empty calendar.
"Well that was fun while it lasted," Rodney says with a little sigh.
John already misses the secretive morning smiles that he knew he had helped to put on Rodney's face, and, without thinking more than that, he leans into Rodney's space and gives him a small peck on the lips. Honestly, John's as shocked by the action as Rodney seems to be. Not in a bad way, mind you, it makes an awful lot of sense and John realizes he'd wanted to do something like that for a while now.
"We'll find something else to start your day nicely?" John suggests, hoping Rodney wants this too.
"Oh," Rodney says, before giving him a bright smile. "Yes, yes I would like that very much. Best Advent calendar ever, if that's what it was a countdown for."
It's tempting to lean in again, but if they start kissing for real, John doesn't know if he's going to be able to stop.
John starts to walk backward for the door and winks. "I aim to please. Now let's go before we're late and Torren hunts us down."
Rodney's still grinning and John can't help to think that yes, he's still got it. Best present ever (and that goes for him, too).