Title: Kiss cam
Author:
velocitygrassPairing: John Sheppard/Rodney McKay
Rating: PG
Warnings/Content notes: (
skip) None of the standard warnings apply
Spoilers: through season 5
Word count: 834
Summary: John followed his look to the screen in the stadium and startled as he saw himself and Rodney surrounded by a gaudy pink heart background.
Note: Also available
at AO3.
Kiss cam
"Not even you could tell me that this game is anything but terrible," Rodney told him.
John hesitated for a moment. "Well, terrible is a strong-"
"Oh, shut up," Rodney said, dismissing him with the same sour mood that had prompted John to suggest a team outing the first place. The split between Keller and Rodney had been amicable and mutual by both accounts, but that didn't seem to change Rodney's handling of the whole thing. Or maybe it would have been a lot worse if she had dumped him.
"The food's great," John tried, but Rodney only glared at him.
"If you don't want your wings, I'll take 'em," Ronon said, reaching past John to get at Rodney's food, but Rodney flicked at Ronon's hands and moved the box out of the way.
"Hands off! It's enough that I'm miserable. I don't need to be hungry too," Rodney groused.
"At least the weather's great, and you're out with your team, not running for your life. That has to count for something," John said.
Rodney's look told John that he was really reaching here, but John felt that Rodney appreciated the effort, even if it was fruitless.
Before he could attempt something else, Teyla turned to them. "What is a 'kiss cam'?"
Rodney groaned in annoyance. "It's an immature diversion, trying to appeal to crowd dynamics and- Oh, no. You have got to be kidding me."
John followed his look to the screen in the stadium and startled as he saw himself and Rodney surrounded by a gaudy pink heart background.
The corners of Rodney's mouth were turned down as if this was just the lemon on the shit cake that had been his week-or really the months they were stuck on Earth not knowing if or when they'd return.
"We don't have to do this," John told him quietly. Around them people were chanting at them to kiss, and John was pretty sure there'd be booing if they didn't, but he didn't care and Rodney certainly didn't either.
To John's surprise, Rodney spat out, "Fuck this," then turned to John, pulled him in by the lapels of his shirt and kissed him.
The crowd cheered, but John was really too surprised to even react. It was only when Rodney stopped pressing his mouth against John's so forcefully and started moving his lips that John felt as if this wasn't merely letting out frustration but a real kiss. He had no idea what Rodney was thinking and more importantly what his intentions were, but his words still hung in John's ears.
Fuck this
So John stopped thinking and kissed back. He could feel Rodney hesitate for a moment before he deepened the kiss, opening up for John, inviting him in. John leaned in, his tongue seeking out Rodney's tentatively. His hands moved to Rodney's face, holding him, deepening the connection that started to make his whole body vibrate.
John was vaguely aware of another cheer erupting. But they kept kissing and kissing until they eventually slowed down and moved apart, mouths still open, lips red and shiny.
They looked at each other for a long moment.
"Let's go," Rodney said, grabbing John by the wrist.
"Wha?" John said, his brain not quite processing what was happening.
"Do you honestly want to finish watching this terrible game when we could be having sex?" Rodney asked.
John blinked.
"Unless that's not what you want," Rodney added, his expression turning challenging. "If you're straight or hung up on military rules or impotent, please tell me now. I don't even care anymore."
John frowned at the last. He had no idea how Rodney would even come up with the idea. But then John realized that it was Rodney's frustration talking. Still he felt the need to tell Rodney that he had no problems in that area-at all.
Before he could open his mouth, though, Rodney added more softly. "Actually that's not true. I do care. But if there's one thing the whole Jennifer fiasco showed me, it's that there's no point in dragging things out endlessly. So just hit me with it."
He looked so resigned that John wanted to hug him. John had questions about what Rodney really wanted, whether this was just a rebound thing, a convenient fuck or more, but in the end those questions had been some of the reasons that John himself had dragged this on endlessly without ever telling Rodney how he felt. It was time to just go for it.
So he took Rodney's hand and got up. "Let's go!" he said with a smile.
Rodney's eyes widened. "Really?" His expression was so full of hope and happiness that John had the feeling this wasn't just because the breakup with Keller and that it wasn't entirely new either.
John's smile turned into a grin. "Or would you rather watch this terrible game?"
Rodney's look turned determined as he got up as well and pulled John with him.