New Fic: Village Idiot
Village Idiot
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Rated: PG
Category: Gen. Humor. Carson Focus and POV.
Season: Any, but likely early.
Spoilers: None.
Summary: Every village has an idiot. And that’s not always a bad thing.
Word Count: 425
Note: Written for the random word prompt of “accept.”
---
I swallow, then look straight at the village elder and nod.
“I accept.”
I hear John lose it behind me.
“Doc! You can’t!”
“I have to,” I say, knowing it’s the truth.
I’m the one who somehow broke the local law, and I’m the only one that can get us out of this jam. Turns out the punishment for my offence is a fight with the local bully. Joy.
Sheppard protests more, but I ignore him. Rodney, miraculously, remains silent.
The lines are drawn (literally - they make a box in the dust of the street) and we are put in our respective corners. How this, of all things, is so universal I’ll never know.
A man starts a countdown and then shouts.
It’s obviously a cue to start.
I put up my fists, like they taught me in my one day of boxing class as a lad, and step forward.
My opponent does the same, then stops and blinks a few times, like he’s dizzy.
A moment later, he pitches forward and hits the ground hard.
I almost feel bad for him as blood oozes from a bitten lip.
Almost.
After all, he’s the one who ran into me. This whole thing is his fault.
John and Rodney start yelling behind me. The village elder seems mystified, but gestures to me as the winner of the fight. As such, I turn to my friends and smile. We are all free to go about our business.
“Let’s get out of here,” I say.
Rodney nods. “Seconded.”
Sheppard doesn’t say anything, but heads out on the double, with Rodney and I following close behind.
It’s not until we’re back on Atlantis that John gives me a look.
“So,” he begins, “how’d you do it, Doc?”
I shrug and try to look innocent.
“Don’t know what you’re talking about,” I answer.
“Oh, come on,” says Sheppard. “I know a drugged man when I see one.”
I try not to smile, but fail miserably.
Then I shrug again.
“Well, a knowledge of medicine is a useful thing, Colonel.”
John sighs. “I know what you did, Beckett. I just don’t know how. Like, when.”
Finally, Rodney returns to his usual self and speaks up.
“Oh, please,” he moans. “He drugged the wine or whatever that was. Whoever thought a pre-fight toast was a good idea is an idiot.”
For once, I don’t dispute Rodney’s statement.
Because despite all his faults, Rodney does have a way of getting right to the point.
And I’m just glad that village had an idiot.
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Rated: PG
Category: Gen. Humor. Carson Focus and POV.
Season: Any, but likely early.
Spoilers: None.
Summary: Every village has an idiot. And that’s not always a bad thing.
Word Count: 425
Note: Written for the random word prompt of “accept.”
---
I swallow, then look straight at the village elder and nod.
“I accept.”
I hear John lose it behind me.
“Doc! You can’t!”
“I have to,” I say, knowing it’s the truth.
I’m the one who somehow broke the local law, and I’m the only one that can get us out of this jam. Turns out the punishment for my offence is a fight with the local bully. Joy.
Sheppard protests more, but I ignore him. Rodney, miraculously, remains silent.
The lines are drawn (literally - they make a box in the dust of the street) and we are put in our respective corners. How this, of all things, is so universal I’ll never know.
A man starts a countdown and then shouts.
It’s obviously a cue to start.
I put up my fists, like they taught me in my one day of boxing class as a lad, and step forward.
My opponent does the same, then stops and blinks a few times, like he’s dizzy.
A moment later, he pitches forward and hits the ground hard.
I almost feel bad for him as blood oozes from a bitten lip.
Almost.
After all, he’s the one who ran into me. This whole thing is his fault.
John and Rodney start yelling behind me. The village elder seems mystified, but gestures to me as the winner of the fight. As such, I turn to my friends and smile. We are all free to go about our business.
“Let’s get out of here,” I say.
Rodney nods. “Seconded.”
Sheppard doesn’t say anything, but heads out on the double, with Rodney and I following close behind.
It’s not until we’re back on Atlantis that John gives me a look.
“So,” he begins, “how’d you do it, Doc?”
I shrug and try to look innocent.
“Don’t know what you’re talking about,” I answer.
“Oh, come on,” says Sheppard. “I know a drugged man when I see one.”
I try not to smile, but fail miserably.
Then I shrug again.
“Well, a knowledge of medicine is a useful thing, Colonel.”
John sighs. “I know what you did, Beckett. I just don’t know how. Like, when.”
Finally, Rodney returns to his usual self and speaks up.
“Oh, please,” he moans. “He drugged the wine or whatever that was. Whoever thought a pre-fight toast was a good idea is an idiot.”
For once, I don’t dispute Rodney’s statement.
Because despite all his faults, Rodney does have a way of getting right to the point.
And I’m just glad that village had an idiot.