Challenge #99 fic: Bar Acquaintance. John/Rodney. AU. PG-13.
Title: Bar Acquaintance
Author: velocitygrass
Pairing: John Sheppard/Rodney McKay
Rating: PG-13
Warnings/Content notes: ( skip) None of the standard warnings apply
Spoilers: nothing except some glimpses into John's hobbies
Word count: 884
Summary: Rodney's desperate to get laid and tries his luck at a bar...
Note: Also available at AO3.
Bar Acquaintance
"Get lost. Is that clear enough?" the woman said with a raised eyebrow.
"Crystal clear," Rodney said and turned. What a waste this turned out to be. Worse actually. It was bordering on humiliating.
He walked a few steps away, wondering if he should try to approach someone else, when a guy at the bar said, "You might be more successful if you didn't come on quite as strong."
It took Rodney a second to realize that the guy was talking to him. He was nursing a beer and looked very laid-back with his well-worn shirt and jeans, easy smirk, and hair that stuck up ridiculously.
"I simply don't want to waste anyone's time," Rodney said. What he didn't say was that the whole wining and dining or whatever else was expected never really worked for him, and it was desperation to get laid again that had driven him here. "I have it on good authority that this is a place to...well, facilitate a casual acquaintance for the evening."
"Most people just call it a one-night-stand," messy-haired guy said. "And whose authority exactly do you owe this information?" he added, frowning.
"Does it matter?" Rodney asked. "I have seen people leave together after just one drink."
"And there are people who are here for just a drink because they like the atmosphere," messy-haired guy said.
"Right," Rodney said, rolling his eyes. He had absolutely no idea how anyone would think a combination of Johnny Cash and surfboards would make for good ambience.
Messy-haired guy's eyes narrowed.
"Look, I'm not here to insult anyone. If this is your thing, that's fine by me. Who am I to judge someone's tastes no matter how atroci- contrary to mine they are," Rodney corrected himself. The guy had been trying to help after all, and Rodney began to have the impression that this might be his favorite hang-out or something.
"The beer is really good," messy-haired guy said, sounding inviting.
"Well," Rodney considered the merits of stopping his quest for a one-night-stand or at least pausing. Maybe a beer would be a good way to scope out who to approach next. Though if the guy was here for the atmosphere, the beer might be horrible.
"I'll buy," the guy said.
Rodney hadn't expected that. "Uhm, okay." He took the empty seat next to the guy who signalled the bartender and within a minute a beer materialized in front of Rodney. Rodney was cautious when he took the first sip, but at least as far as beer went their tastes seemed to align. "This is great." He didn't hide his surprise.
Messy-haired guy chuckled and looked pleased.
They drank together in silence for a while. Rodney turned to the side, looking at a table where two women chatted.
"They're in a relationship," messy-haired guy said. "With each other."
"Oh," Rodney said, imagining the two women in bed. He turned back toward the bar and caught messy-haired guy rolling his eyes. "What? Don't tell me you never imagined what they'd look like."
"Not my thing," messy-haired guy said.
"So you're a regular boy-scout or what," Rodney said doubtfully. He didn't like to be looked down on for things that everyone did.
"I'm just not into women," messy-haired guy clarified.
"Oh," Rodney said, processing that information. He turned to take a closer look at messy-haired guy. He was well-built with muscular arms, but not a bodybuilder. Fit, but slim.
Messy-haired guy raised an eyebrow. "I didn't notice you checking out any of the guys," he commented.
"I figured I'd avoid the added complication of accidentally hitting on a straight guy," Rodney said.
"But accidentally hitting on a lesbian would be okay?" messy-haired guy asked. "You did note the little rainbow flag at the entrance, didn't you?"
"Honestly, no," Rodney said.
"You're not very observant, are you?" messy-haired guy said.
"I'm exceptionally observant," Rodney disagreed. "Just not when it comes to people or social situations."
Messy-haired guy snorted. "Ideas or things?" he asked.
"Ideas about things," Rodney said. "I'm an astrophysicist and engineer." He found himself sitting straighter and lifting his head.
"And proud if it," messy-haired guy said, smiling. "So you didn't want to hit on guys in case they were straight. What about a guy you know isn't?"
Rodney perked up. Could it really be that easy? He had come in with the expectation to pick someone up. "Your place or mine?"
"Mine's closer," messy-haired guy said.
"You don't even know where I live," Rodney pointed out.
"I live two floors up," messy-haired guy said, pointing at the ceiling.
"Fair enough," Rodney said. "I'm Rodney."
"Wow, you're even willing to exchange names," messy-haired guy said with a smirk.
"Just want you to know what to shout while we're at it," Rodney said confidently.
Messy-haired guy stood up and stepped behind Rodney, leaning forward to whisper in his ear. "If you want to moan my name, it's John."
A good shudder went through Rodney. He got up. "Pay and let's go."
"They'll put it on my tab," messy-haired...John said. "Ready to...acquaint ourselves for the evening?"
"More than ready," Rodney said. He followed John through a backdoor, watching his ass. He couldn't wait. And maybe it wouldn't take acts of desperation to get laid again after this.
Author: velocitygrass
Pairing: John Sheppard/Rodney McKay
Rating: PG-13
Warnings/Content notes: ( skip) None of the standard warnings apply
Spoilers: nothing except some glimpses into John's hobbies
Word count: 884
Summary: Rodney's desperate to get laid and tries his luck at a bar...
Note: Also available at AO3.
Bar Acquaintance
"Get lost. Is that clear enough?" the woman said with a raised eyebrow.
"Crystal clear," Rodney said and turned. What a waste this turned out to be. Worse actually. It was bordering on humiliating.
He walked a few steps away, wondering if he should try to approach someone else, when a guy at the bar said, "You might be more successful if you didn't come on quite as strong."
It took Rodney a second to realize that the guy was talking to him. He was nursing a beer and looked very laid-back with his well-worn shirt and jeans, easy smirk, and hair that stuck up ridiculously.
"I simply don't want to waste anyone's time," Rodney said. What he didn't say was that the whole wining and dining or whatever else was expected never really worked for him, and it was desperation to get laid again that had driven him here. "I have it on good authority that this is a place to...well, facilitate a casual acquaintance for the evening."
"Most people just call it a one-night-stand," messy-haired guy said. "And whose authority exactly do you owe this information?" he added, frowning.
"Does it matter?" Rodney asked. "I have seen people leave together after just one drink."
"And there are people who are here for just a drink because they like the atmosphere," messy-haired guy said.
"Right," Rodney said, rolling his eyes. He had absolutely no idea how anyone would think a combination of Johnny Cash and surfboards would make for good ambience.
Messy-haired guy's eyes narrowed.
"Look, I'm not here to insult anyone. If this is your thing, that's fine by me. Who am I to judge someone's tastes no matter how atroci- contrary to mine they are," Rodney corrected himself. The guy had been trying to help after all, and Rodney began to have the impression that this might be his favorite hang-out or something.
"The beer is really good," messy-haired guy said, sounding inviting.
"Well," Rodney considered the merits of stopping his quest for a one-night-stand or at least pausing. Maybe a beer would be a good way to scope out who to approach next. Though if the guy was here for the atmosphere, the beer might be horrible.
"I'll buy," the guy said.
Rodney hadn't expected that. "Uhm, okay." He took the empty seat next to the guy who signalled the bartender and within a minute a beer materialized in front of Rodney. Rodney was cautious when he took the first sip, but at least as far as beer went their tastes seemed to align. "This is great." He didn't hide his surprise.
Messy-haired guy chuckled and looked pleased.
They drank together in silence for a while. Rodney turned to the side, looking at a table where two women chatted.
"They're in a relationship," messy-haired guy said. "With each other."
"Oh," Rodney said, imagining the two women in bed. He turned back toward the bar and caught messy-haired guy rolling his eyes. "What? Don't tell me you never imagined what they'd look like."
"Not my thing," messy-haired guy said.
"So you're a regular boy-scout or what," Rodney said doubtfully. He didn't like to be looked down on for things that everyone did.
"I'm just not into women," messy-haired guy clarified.
"Oh," Rodney said, processing that information. He turned to take a closer look at messy-haired guy. He was well-built with muscular arms, but not a bodybuilder. Fit, but slim.
Messy-haired guy raised an eyebrow. "I didn't notice you checking out any of the guys," he commented.
"I figured I'd avoid the added complication of accidentally hitting on a straight guy," Rodney said.
"But accidentally hitting on a lesbian would be okay?" messy-haired guy asked. "You did note the little rainbow flag at the entrance, didn't you?"
"Honestly, no," Rodney said.
"You're not very observant, are you?" messy-haired guy said.
"I'm exceptionally observant," Rodney disagreed. "Just not when it comes to people or social situations."
Messy-haired guy snorted. "Ideas or things?" he asked.
"Ideas about things," Rodney said. "I'm an astrophysicist and engineer." He found himself sitting straighter and lifting his head.
"And proud if it," messy-haired guy said, smiling. "So you didn't want to hit on guys in case they were straight. What about a guy you know isn't?"
Rodney perked up. Could it really be that easy? He had come in with the expectation to pick someone up. "Your place or mine?"
"Mine's closer," messy-haired guy said.
"You don't even know where I live," Rodney pointed out.
"I live two floors up," messy-haired guy said, pointing at the ceiling.
"Fair enough," Rodney said. "I'm Rodney."
"Wow, you're even willing to exchange names," messy-haired guy said with a smirk.
"Just want you to know what to shout while we're at it," Rodney said confidently.
Messy-haired guy stood up and stepped behind Rodney, leaning forward to whisper in his ear. "If you want to moan my name, it's John."
A good shudder went through Rodney. He got up. "Pay and let's go."
"They'll put it on my tab," messy-haired...John said. "Ready to...acquaint ourselves for the evening?"
"More than ready," Rodney said. He followed John through a backdoor, watching his ass. He couldn't wait. And maybe it wouldn't take acts of desperation to get laid again after this.