Challenge #124 fic: Two Suns and Four Confessions. PG-13. John/Rodney
Title: Two Suns and Four Confessions
Author: velocitygrass
Pairing: John Sheppard/Rodney McKay
Rating: PG-13
Warnings/Content notes: ( skip) None of the standard warnings apply
Spoilers: through season 5
Word count: 1667
Summary: Heat turns John's brain mushy on a mission, and he reveals something he hadn't planned to about himself and Rodney.
Note: Established Relationship. Also available at AO3.
Two Suns and Four Confessions
Even in the little bit of shade they'd found in the ruins the heat was unbearable.
Rodney had been complaining pretty much non-stop since the unexpected rise of two suns, which had rapidly increased the temperature and radiation to a point where it wasn't safe for them to stay directly in sunlight, even to make their way back to the gate.
Even Teyla was getting a bit short-tempered, though that might have been more because of Rodney than the heat.
They were all sweating in what they still wore of their uniforms. Rodney looked red and shiny and his hair clung to his head in ways that reminded John of Rodney after a shower, which reminded him of naked Rodney, which reminded him of sex. Which was a bad idea out here in the middle of nowhere in the presence of Teyla and Ronon.
John and Rodney suspected that they knew about the recent change in their relationship, but they'd never made it official, and even if they had, public sex wasn't something that either of them was into as far as he knew. And even if they were, fucking in front of your teammates was hardly appropriate.
His brain had to be getting mushy with heat for even thinking about this.
He was usually pretty good at concentrating on the mission off-world, but right now they were simply killing time.
They'd only been together for a few months, since returning to the Pegasus galaxy. For some reason Rodney had started to see him in a new light after so many years, and John had run with it. He suspected that Rodney thought it had been the same for him. John hadn't made a point of clarifying it.
He wouldn't be able to say when exactly he'd started thinking of Rodney that way anyway. By the time he'd finally admitted it to himself, he was pretty sure it had gone on for a while.
And really, it didn't matter. They were taking things slow. Well, not in terms of physical intimacy. They'd had sex very quickly after their first kiss. But they weren't openly together because of fraternization rules, and they hadn't even discussed splitting up the team. John didn't feel comfortable with the idea of Rodney out there, relying on a team that didn't know his idiosyncrasies. And he trusted Teyla and Ronon to make the right call for him in situations where he couldn't-even if that call was not strictly by the book. Not to mention that he relied on them when it came to the details of life in the Pegasus galaxy. There was no good solution to splitting up what had become a well-oiled machine, so John wasn't eager to have to make that decision.
But it did sometimes feel as if nothing much had changed between him and Rodney. Obviously, the sex was a big-and great-thing, but it was sometimes difficult for him to see a difference between what was developing between them and a friends with benefits kind of arrangement.
They sometimes kissed or were otherwise physically affectionate when they were alone and neither of them was sleeping with anyone else, but not being out to anyone confined their romantic relationship to essentially their quarters, and since they'd already spent so much time together in the first place, it wasn't a huge change.
Not that John was complaining. It had only been a few months, and even though he and Rodney knew each other very well, sex could make a difference. As could spending so much time together, though they didn't always spend the night, even after having sex.
John wasn't entirely sure where he was even going with his thoughts. Though if it killed some time in the brutal heat, he supposed it was a good thing.
"I feel disgusting," Rodney said. "My whole body is sticking. The sweat alone would be bad enough but the sand just sticks to it like to glue. I feel like I'll never get clean again."
"It's just a few more hours," John said.
"Right, a few more hours for even more sand to gather in unmentionable places," Rodney said, moving one hand on his neck, to wipe away the sweat or the sand, John wasn't sure.
"You'll take a shower and be right as rain," John said. Rodney opened his mouth again, but John pre-empted him. "And I'll make sure there is no sand left anywhere on your body." Everyone suddenly stared at him, and it occurred to John that what he'd just said could be taken the wrong way. Or the right way in this case. And he hadn't even said it in a sarcastic tone.
"You could start now," Ronon said. "Might shut him up for a minute."
"Hey," Rodney said, glaring. "It's far too hot to even think about sex," he added, wiping his face. "Right now, sex is about the furthest thing from my mind."
John only watched his three teammates. Nobody seemed to be surprised about this pretty unambiguous revelation. And Rodney evidently didn't see a point in hiding it after John had practically outed them.
"Actually, that's not true," Rodney continued. "There are things that are not on my mind at all like say crocheting. But you get what I mean."
"I am glad to hear it," Teyla said.
Rodney frowned. "That I don't care about crocheting?"
"That the two of you have finally come to an understanding," Teyla clarified.
"Uhm, yes," Rodney said, looking at John. "I'd say it's great." He gave John a quick smile. Then he suddenly frowned and turned back to Teyla, "Wait, what do you mean 'finally'?"
"This was a long time coming, as you say, was it not?" she asked.
"Uh," Rodney said. "It never really occurred to me until recently. When did you first think John and I might...work as a couple?"
It gave John a little thrill to hear Rodney refer to them as a couple. And he was a bit curious to hear Teyla's answer.
"I believe," she said, obviously trying to recall the exact point, "it was when you saved us all by walking into that energy cloud."
Rodney blinked. Then his eyes widened. "That was six years ago!"
"Yes," Teyla said. "As I said. A long time."
Rodney looked shocked and turned to Ronon, who shrugged. "I thought you two were fucking when we met until Teyla told me you aren't."
Rodney's frown intensified and he turned to John.
"I didn't think we were fucking," John tried to joke.
Rodney gave him a look. "No, seriously. When did you first think about this?" He gestured between them.
"I can't really tell you an exact moment," John hedged.
"Was it before Jennifer?" Rodney asked.
"Yes," John said. Way, way before.
"Was it before Katie?" Rodney asked.
"Yes," John admitted.
Rodney stared at him.
John shifted uncomfortably. "It's not like I've been crying myself to sleep over you, so don't let it get to your head."
Rodney just continued to stare at him.
Eventually Ronon said, "Wow. You managed to shut him up for a full minute."
Teyla covered her laugh with a cough, but John grinned, while Rodney glared at Ronon.
"I am fully capable of not talking if it is not required of me," Rodney said testily.
"Wanna bet?" Ronon said.
"I'll get dibs on the three next special cakes that the mess bakes for you," Rodney said.
"You'll train hand to hand with me every day for a week," Ronon said. "No word until sunset."
Rodney kept his mouth shut, only holding out his hand for Ronon to take it and seal the deal.
John exchanged an amused glance with Teyla. He could see Rodney get into thinking mode. He was probably calculating equations in his head or designing crystal configurations. When he got that way he could stay lost in his mind for hours.
"You're gonna lose that bet," John told Ronon.
"How is that not a win?" Ronon said, grinning.
~~
They settled down in bed after a long refreshing shower.
"Need me to check for sand?" John asked Rodney, smirking.
Rodney didn't react other than turning to his side and fixing his eyes on John. John didn't know what he was trying to do, but the scrutiny was beginning to weird him out.
"You were so pining for me," Rodney eventually said.
"I was not," John protested. Really. He'd hoped that part of their conversation would be forgotten or at least never discussed again. "The thought had crossed my mind. That was all."
But Rodney only grinned. He moved forward to kiss John's cheek and whispered into his ear. "I thought you were kind of hot when I first saw you."
John turned to look at him. Rodney's expression was open, as if he'd revealed a big secret. And maybe he had. So this hadn't come completely out of the blue for him either.
"I didn't think much of it," Rodney continued, "because I have those thoughts sometimes, but I never acted on them with guys until they came on to me, and you didn't. But I guess you could say the thought had crossed my mind too."
John didn't think that it was the same, but he was still touched by the gesture. "Thank you for saying that." Rodney smiled and John cupped his face and kissed him deeply. "Is sex still the furthest thing from your mind?" he asked.
"Not the furthest, but I am pretty beat," Rodney said. "Unless you-"
"No, it was a long day," John agreed. The trip back to the gate had by no means been comfortable, even if it had been bearable after the suns had set.
They settled down beneath the covers to sleep. John enjoyed the cool air of Atlantis and Rodney's soft breathing next to him.
And he felt a little bit more like they were in a real relationship than the day before.
Author: velocitygrass
Pairing: John Sheppard/Rodney McKay
Rating: PG-13
Warnings/Content notes: ( skip) None of the standard warnings apply
Spoilers: through season 5
Word count: 1667
Summary: Heat turns John's brain mushy on a mission, and he reveals something he hadn't planned to about himself and Rodney.
Note: Established Relationship. Also available at AO3.
Two Suns and Four Confessions
Even in the little bit of shade they'd found in the ruins the heat was unbearable.
Rodney had been complaining pretty much non-stop since the unexpected rise of two suns, which had rapidly increased the temperature and radiation to a point where it wasn't safe for them to stay directly in sunlight, even to make their way back to the gate.
Even Teyla was getting a bit short-tempered, though that might have been more because of Rodney than the heat.
They were all sweating in what they still wore of their uniforms. Rodney looked red and shiny and his hair clung to his head in ways that reminded John of Rodney after a shower, which reminded him of naked Rodney, which reminded him of sex. Which was a bad idea out here in the middle of nowhere in the presence of Teyla and Ronon.
John and Rodney suspected that they knew about the recent change in their relationship, but they'd never made it official, and even if they had, public sex wasn't something that either of them was into as far as he knew. And even if they were, fucking in front of your teammates was hardly appropriate.
His brain had to be getting mushy with heat for even thinking about this.
He was usually pretty good at concentrating on the mission off-world, but right now they were simply killing time.
They'd only been together for a few months, since returning to the Pegasus galaxy. For some reason Rodney had started to see him in a new light after so many years, and John had run with it. He suspected that Rodney thought it had been the same for him. John hadn't made a point of clarifying it.
He wouldn't be able to say when exactly he'd started thinking of Rodney that way anyway. By the time he'd finally admitted it to himself, he was pretty sure it had gone on for a while.
And really, it didn't matter. They were taking things slow. Well, not in terms of physical intimacy. They'd had sex very quickly after their first kiss. But they weren't openly together because of fraternization rules, and they hadn't even discussed splitting up the team. John didn't feel comfortable with the idea of Rodney out there, relying on a team that didn't know his idiosyncrasies. And he trusted Teyla and Ronon to make the right call for him in situations where he couldn't-even if that call was not strictly by the book. Not to mention that he relied on them when it came to the details of life in the Pegasus galaxy. There was no good solution to splitting up what had become a well-oiled machine, so John wasn't eager to have to make that decision.
But it did sometimes feel as if nothing much had changed between him and Rodney. Obviously, the sex was a big-and great-thing, but it was sometimes difficult for him to see a difference between what was developing between them and a friends with benefits kind of arrangement.
They sometimes kissed or were otherwise physically affectionate when they were alone and neither of them was sleeping with anyone else, but not being out to anyone confined their romantic relationship to essentially their quarters, and since they'd already spent so much time together in the first place, it wasn't a huge change.
Not that John was complaining. It had only been a few months, and even though he and Rodney knew each other very well, sex could make a difference. As could spending so much time together, though they didn't always spend the night, even after having sex.
John wasn't entirely sure where he was even going with his thoughts. Though if it killed some time in the brutal heat, he supposed it was a good thing.
"I feel disgusting," Rodney said. "My whole body is sticking. The sweat alone would be bad enough but the sand just sticks to it like to glue. I feel like I'll never get clean again."
"It's just a few more hours," John said.
"Right, a few more hours for even more sand to gather in unmentionable places," Rodney said, moving one hand on his neck, to wipe away the sweat or the sand, John wasn't sure.
"You'll take a shower and be right as rain," John said. Rodney opened his mouth again, but John pre-empted him. "And I'll make sure there is no sand left anywhere on your body." Everyone suddenly stared at him, and it occurred to John that what he'd just said could be taken the wrong way. Or the right way in this case. And he hadn't even said it in a sarcastic tone.
"You could start now," Ronon said. "Might shut him up for a minute."
"Hey," Rodney said, glaring. "It's far too hot to even think about sex," he added, wiping his face. "Right now, sex is about the furthest thing from my mind."
John only watched his three teammates. Nobody seemed to be surprised about this pretty unambiguous revelation. And Rodney evidently didn't see a point in hiding it after John had practically outed them.
"Actually, that's not true," Rodney continued. "There are things that are not on my mind at all like say crocheting. But you get what I mean."
"I am glad to hear it," Teyla said.
Rodney frowned. "That I don't care about crocheting?"
"That the two of you have finally come to an understanding," Teyla clarified.
"Uhm, yes," Rodney said, looking at John. "I'd say it's great." He gave John a quick smile. Then he suddenly frowned and turned back to Teyla, "Wait, what do you mean 'finally'?"
"This was a long time coming, as you say, was it not?" she asked.
"Uh," Rodney said. "It never really occurred to me until recently. When did you first think John and I might...work as a couple?"
It gave John a little thrill to hear Rodney refer to them as a couple. And he was a bit curious to hear Teyla's answer.
"I believe," she said, obviously trying to recall the exact point, "it was when you saved us all by walking into that energy cloud."
Rodney blinked. Then his eyes widened. "That was six years ago!"
"Yes," Teyla said. "As I said. A long time."
Rodney looked shocked and turned to Ronon, who shrugged. "I thought you two were fucking when we met until Teyla told me you aren't."
Rodney's frown intensified and he turned to John.
"I didn't think we were fucking," John tried to joke.
Rodney gave him a look. "No, seriously. When did you first think about this?" He gestured between them.
"I can't really tell you an exact moment," John hedged.
"Was it before Jennifer?" Rodney asked.
"Yes," John said. Way, way before.
"Was it before Katie?" Rodney asked.
"Yes," John admitted.
Rodney stared at him.
John shifted uncomfortably. "It's not like I've been crying myself to sleep over you, so don't let it get to your head."
Rodney just continued to stare at him.
Eventually Ronon said, "Wow. You managed to shut him up for a full minute."
Teyla covered her laugh with a cough, but John grinned, while Rodney glared at Ronon.
"I am fully capable of not talking if it is not required of me," Rodney said testily.
"Wanna bet?" Ronon said.
"I'll get dibs on the three next special cakes that the mess bakes for you," Rodney said.
"You'll train hand to hand with me every day for a week," Ronon said. "No word until sunset."
Rodney kept his mouth shut, only holding out his hand for Ronon to take it and seal the deal.
John exchanged an amused glance with Teyla. He could see Rodney get into thinking mode. He was probably calculating equations in his head or designing crystal configurations. When he got that way he could stay lost in his mind for hours.
"You're gonna lose that bet," John told Ronon.
"How is that not a win?" Ronon said, grinning.
~~
They settled down in bed after a long refreshing shower.
"Need me to check for sand?" John asked Rodney, smirking.
Rodney didn't react other than turning to his side and fixing his eyes on John. John didn't know what he was trying to do, but the scrutiny was beginning to weird him out.
"You were so pining for me," Rodney eventually said.
"I was not," John protested. Really. He'd hoped that part of their conversation would be forgotten or at least never discussed again. "The thought had crossed my mind. That was all."
But Rodney only grinned. He moved forward to kiss John's cheek and whispered into his ear. "I thought you were kind of hot when I first saw you."
John turned to look at him. Rodney's expression was open, as if he'd revealed a big secret. And maybe he had. So this hadn't come completely out of the blue for him either.
"I didn't think much of it," Rodney continued, "because I have those thoughts sometimes, but I never acted on them with guys until they came on to me, and you didn't. But I guess you could say the thought had crossed my mind too."
John didn't think that it was the same, but he was still touched by the gesture. "Thank you for saying that." Rodney smiled and John cupped his face and kissed him deeply. "Is sex still the furthest thing from your mind?" he asked.
"Not the furthest, but I am pretty beat," Rodney said. "Unless you-"
"No, it was a long day," John agreed. The trip back to the gate had by no means been comfortable, even if it had been bearable after the suns had set.
They settled down beneath the covers to sleep. John enjoyed the cool air of Atlantis and Rodney's soft breathing next to him.
And he felt a little bit more like they were in a real relationship than the day before.