Challenge #89 ficlet: Vulnerable. G.
Title: Vulnerable
Author: velocitygrass
Pairing: John Sheppard/Rodney McKay pre-slash/friendship
Rating: G
Warnings/Content notes: ( skip) None that I'm aware of
Spoilers: Hide and Seek
Word count: 487 words
Summary: Coda to "Hide and Seek"
Vulnerable
John walked quietly into the lab. McKay didn't even notice him. He was leaning over the personal shield, some instrument in hands.
"Can you fix it?" John asked when he'd come close enough. He grinned when McKay started badly, nearly dropping the instrument.
"Major!" McKay said, narrowing his eyes in annoyance. "Shouldn't you use your powers of stealth to supervise your men?"
John shrugged. "Wouldn't work. They actually pay attention to their surroundings."
McKay glared at him and turned back to the shield.
"So can you fix it?" John asked again.
"I'll never find out if someone keeps disturbing me," McKay said, without even turning to him.
John heard the dismissal loud and clear. He sighed. "Well, keep at it. It would be great to have some of those or even just one."
He was almost to the door when McKay said almost hesitantly, "Major." John turned back to him. "I...I don't think I'll be able to fix the shield," McKay said, not meeting John's eyes.
It was too bad, but then John hadn't really had a lot of hope after the kind of energy the thing had to withstand. He was glad that it had held long enough to save Rodney. He was really glad about that. "It's okay. It did...it did more than enough."
McKay looked up at him, seeming small and vulnerable.
"You did good, McKay," John heard himself say. McKay's mouth opened up, then closed again. He looked doubtful. "Really good," John added with a pointed look.
McKay stared at him for a moment, then one side of his mouth curved up into a smile. "I only...I had the shield and..."
"You saved us," John said with feeling. "You saved us all."
McKay took a breath and sat up a bit straighter, smiling proudly now. "I did, didn't I?"
"Don't let it get to your head," John said. No matter how vulnerable he seemed at any given moment, McKay was always just one step away from arrogant.
McKay deflated slightly.
"But don't forget it either," John added.
"I won't," McKay said, giving him a soft smile now.
John smiled back. They looked at each other for a long moment, then John dropped his gaze and turned. McKay didn't say anything, as John left. John knew that he'd keep working on the shield a bit more before giving up. He was stubborn that way.
And he was also very brave. John didn't think that McKay even knew how brave he'd been today. Being brave wasn't about saving everyone's life. It was about trying even though you were afraid.
Next time Rodney wouldn't have a shield that rendered him invulnerable. But John knew in his heart that Rodney would still do what he needed to do.
He also knew that Rodney hadn't realized that about himself yet. He hoped that someday he would. And that he'd be there to see it.
Author: velocitygrass
Pairing: John Sheppard/Rodney McKay pre-slash/friendship
Rating: G
Warnings/Content notes: ( skip) None that I'm aware of
Spoilers: Hide and Seek
Word count: 487 words
Summary: Coda to "Hide and Seek"
Vulnerable
John walked quietly into the lab. McKay didn't even notice him. He was leaning over the personal shield, some instrument in hands.
"Can you fix it?" John asked when he'd come close enough. He grinned when McKay started badly, nearly dropping the instrument.
"Major!" McKay said, narrowing his eyes in annoyance. "Shouldn't you use your powers of stealth to supervise your men?"
John shrugged. "Wouldn't work. They actually pay attention to their surroundings."
McKay glared at him and turned back to the shield.
"So can you fix it?" John asked again.
"I'll never find out if someone keeps disturbing me," McKay said, without even turning to him.
John heard the dismissal loud and clear. He sighed. "Well, keep at it. It would be great to have some of those or even just one."
He was almost to the door when McKay said almost hesitantly, "Major." John turned back to him. "I...I don't think I'll be able to fix the shield," McKay said, not meeting John's eyes.
It was too bad, but then John hadn't really had a lot of hope after the kind of energy the thing had to withstand. He was glad that it had held long enough to save Rodney. He was really glad about that. "It's okay. It did...it did more than enough."
McKay looked up at him, seeming small and vulnerable.
"You did good, McKay," John heard himself say. McKay's mouth opened up, then closed again. He looked doubtful. "Really good," John added with a pointed look.
McKay stared at him for a moment, then one side of his mouth curved up into a smile. "I only...I had the shield and..."
"You saved us," John said with feeling. "You saved us all."
McKay took a breath and sat up a bit straighter, smiling proudly now. "I did, didn't I?"
"Don't let it get to your head," John said. No matter how vulnerable he seemed at any given moment, McKay was always just one step away from arrogant.
McKay deflated slightly.
"But don't forget it either," John added.
"I won't," McKay said, giving him a soft smile now.
John smiled back. They looked at each other for a long moment, then John dropped his gaze and turned. McKay didn't say anything, as John left. John knew that he'd keep working on the shield a bit more before giving up. He was stubborn that way.
And he was also very brave. John didn't think that McKay even knew how brave he'd been today. Being brave wasn't about saving everyone's life. It was about trying even though you were afraid.
Next time Rodney wouldn't have a shield that rendered him invulnerable. But John knew in his heart that Rodney would still do what he needed to do.
He also knew that Rodney hadn't realized that about himself yet. He hoped that someday he would. And that he'd be there to see it.