Fic - "Focus" - SGA - U
Title: Focus
Author: Kazlynh
Claim: Table 3/Ronon Dex
Prompt: #8 Breathe
Fandom:SGA Rating: U
Word Count: 661
Summary: Ronon’s first meditation…
“Breathe in through your nose… Two… Three… Four… And out through your mouth… Two… Three… Four…”
Sitting cross-legged behind Teyla, Ronon did as she directed.
“And again… Two… Three… Four … And out… Two… Three… Four …”
Ronon followed her directions explicitly, breathing in through his nose and out through his mouth. This really wasn’t what he had expected to be doing... He had thought “meditation” was another form of fighting…
“Draw in calm, soothing air… Two… Three… Four … And feel the tension ebb away as you breathe out… Two… Three… Four …”
Ronon frowned, not feeling any difference at all as he breathed out. He persisted though, not wanting to offend Teyla. He had asked if he could join her, after all. She had seemed surprised but pleased that he was interested; reassuring him when he said he had no idea what to do: assuring him that she would guide him through the meditation.
He breathed in again, then out… Then in…. then out… Then, to his amazement, he found the tension across his shoulders easing. Maybe there was something to this meditation stuff after all.
“Attempt to keep your attention focussed only on your breathing,” Teyla was instructing. “Do not worry if you find your thoughts have wandered: simply return them to your breathing…”
Breathing… Don’t think about your shoulders; think about your breathing…
In… Two… Three… Four …
Out… Two… Three… Four…
In… Two… Three…
Memories of his sparring practice with Sheppard floated into his mind. They had been using staffs. Ronon had ducked under a sweeping blow that would have taken his head off his shoulders. He’d swung round, bringing the staff down in an attempt to sweep Jon’s knees out from under him… Jon had anticipated the move…
If I’d turned the staff, Ronon considered, and brought it up instead of…
Wait… he reminded himself. Breathing…
Don’t think about the sparring; think about your breathing…
Shaking his head, squaring his shoulders, Ronon began again, In… Two… Three… Four …
Out… Two… Three… Four …
In… Two… Three…
His belly gurgled softly, reminding him that he hadn’t had dinner yet, breaking his concentration…
Rodney had mentioned sausages on the dinner menu…
Breathing! Ronon reminded himself, again. Don’t think about sausages; think about your breathing…
In… Two… Three… Four …
Out… Two… Three… Four …
In… Two… Three…
~ * ~
“Sorry…”
Teyla looked at Ronon, smiling at him, “Ronon, you have nothing for which to apologise. The intention of meditation is relaxation… You simply relaxed more completely than was intended…”
Ronon scowled, embarrassed at his reaction to the meditation. “I still feel bad…”
“Do not,” Teyla told him; reminding him, “It was, after all, your very first attempt…”
“I didn’t snore too loudly, did I?”
Teyla chose her words carefully, deciding that a small lie was required to reassure the big Satedan. He had, after all, followed her instruction and it was not his fault that he had fallen asleep. Sleep found almost everyone at some point when first learning to meditate... Finding a smile, she fibbed, “It... did not disturb me greatly…”
“What didn’t disturb you?” Jon asked from behind them.
“Ronon’s snoring,” Teyla supplied.
When Jon’s eyebrows all but disappeared into his hairline, she qualified quickly, “We were meditating!”
“Uh-huh…” Jon commented, obviously not believing her, a small grin spreading across his face.
“I fell asleep,” Ronon admitted, still looking awkward about the whole situation.
“Happens to us all, buddy,” Jon commiserated, patting him gently on the shoulder.
“Really?” Ronon asked, feeling a little better about what had happened. If it had happened to Sheppard then…
“No,” Jon grinned, walking past the two of them. Then he turned, telling them, “I’m heading for dinner if you two love-birds want to join me?”
“Jon!” Teyla shot back in exasperation, knowing that Sheppard wasn’t going to let them forget this any time soon.
Ronon frowned, looking from Jon to Teyla. “Luvbirds?” he asked. “What are luvbirds?”