Jealousy
I was going to post something for unamaga for the Happy McShep fest, but alas, I was swamped with work. this is a little moment that would have taken place in the universe of that unfinished fic.
The newly arrived Dr. Steven David Knowles had already made an impression on the Atlantis crew. Every expedition member who had run into him had nothing but good things to say about him. Every time John entered the mess hall, one or more of his marines were asking if he’d heard about the new doc and how awesome he was on missions. If not his marines, then the scientists who were practically gushing about how handsome and brilliant and articulate and respectful he was. All John could do was stare blankly at them and say, “Yes. I’m glad to hear that the new doc is fitting in so well.”
Then he ran away, only it was more like strolling, because no way in hell on God’s little blue planet in this galaxy was John going to show how much he hated Dr. Stevn David Knowles. So, on one particular running away - or casual stroll from the mess - John decided to head down to the labs to see Rodney, only to catch sight of Dr. Steven David Knowles leaving said labs with a sunny smile and a jaunty step.
No one leaves Rodney’s labs smiling, much less stepping jauntily. This was bad. This was very bad. John had to find out what was going on.
“Hey Rodney, what’s shakin’?” He asked as he strolled into the lab. Casually. Carefully lighting his fingers over the tables beside him, cruising for something cool to play with.
“I was just telling Dr. Knowles about the new power consumption parameters I’d managed to-” Rodney blinked and waved his hand. “Never mind. You’d never understand it. Anyway, I was just talking shop with Steven.”
“Steven?” This was worse than John thought. Rodney couldn’t remember Zelenka’s name for the entire first year they’d been on Atlantis, and now he has Dr. Steven David Knowles’ first name memorized?
“Yeah. You know, I like that guy.” Rodney’s smile filtered through to his voice. “Well, I mean…He’s not nearly as respectful of my obviously superior intellect as I’d like him to be, and he’s far too smug about his own less than stellar capabilities here in Pegasus, but despite all that, he’s a good guy. Fun to hang with, quiet, says ‘yes’ a lot and generally doesn’t make a nuisance of himself.”
John quirked an eyebrow. “Really?”
“Well, of course really. Have you ever, in the last nearly five years, heard me say such a thing? No. So of course I mean it.”
John pulled a face and nodded. “Nice praise from you, considering you think “Oh thank god you didn’t destroy the city with your feeble attempts, moron” is complimentary.”
“Oh I do not.”
John chuckled. “Yeah, Rodney, you do.”
“Really?” Rodney seemed to consider it for a moment, face twisted up into a frown. Then he shook it off. “Doesn’t matter, anyway.” He closed a couple of the laptops, then headed to the door. “Oh! Was there something you wanted? I was actually supposed to meet Steven for lunch in the mess.”
John snapped. One second, he’s a rational, calm United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, the next, he’s just a guy who’s had just about enough of hearing the name “Dr. Steven David Knowles” from everyone and especially from Rodney.
He stood up slowly, face blank, steps sure and determined. He stopped in Rodney’s space, looking into Rodney’s curious blue eyes. “John?”
John caught Rodney’s chin in his hand, and turned his face, first to the left then to the right, eyes roving over skin and lips and eyes. “Yeah. I think you’re gonna be missing your lunch date, Rodney?”
“What? Why?”
“Because you have other plans,” John said, eyes focused on Rodney’s mouth. And then, being sure to give Rodney time to back away, should he want to or even think about it, John leaned in to kiss him.
It started out tentative, because John wasn’t even really sure he wanted to do this himself. All he did know was that Dr. Steven David Knowles as not going to be having lunch with Dr. Meredith Rodney McKay.
But then Rodney made this sound in the back of his throat, needy and relieved and John just had to drink it down, so he opened his mouth over Rodney’s and slid his tongue along the seam of Rodney’s lips.
Rodney gasped, letting John in, and it was over. He may not have thought he wanted it, but right then and there, tasting the coffee and chocolate flavor of Rodney’s mouth, John felt like he’d figured something very important out. It wasn’t that Dr. Steven David Knowles was a bad guy, he just wasn’t allowed near Rodney any more.
With a final bite on Rodney’s bottom lip, John pulled away slowly, and Rodney blinked up at him. Several emotions flickered through his dazed blue eyes, then the irritation set in, and John thought he was in trouble. The words that came out of Rodney’s mouth shocked him into a laugh.
“Well, hell, Colonel. If I’d known this, the last five years would have been a lot more interesting.”
The newly arrived Dr. Steven David Knowles had already made an impression on the Atlantis crew. Every expedition member who had run into him had nothing but good things to say about him. Every time John entered the mess hall, one or more of his marines were asking if he’d heard about the new doc and how awesome he was on missions. If not his marines, then the scientists who were practically gushing about how handsome and brilliant and articulate and respectful he was. All John could do was stare blankly at them and say, “Yes. I’m glad to hear that the new doc is fitting in so well.”
Then he ran away, only it was more like strolling, because no way in hell on God’s little blue planet in this galaxy was John going to show how much he hated Dr. Stevn David Knowles. So, on one particular running away - or casual stroll from the mess - John decided to head down to the labs to see Rodney, only to catch sight of Dr. Steven David Knowles leaving said labs with a sunny smile and a jaunty step.
No one leaves Rodney’s labs smiling, much less stepping jauntily. This was bad. This was very bad. John had to find out what was going on.
“Hey Rodney, what’s shakin’?” He asked as he strolled into the lab. Casually. Carefully lighting his fingers over the tables beside him, cruising for something cool to play with.
“I was just telling Dr. Knowles about the new power consumption parameters I’d managed to-” Rodney blinked and waved his hand. “Never mind. You’d never understand it. Anyway, I was just talking shop with Steven.”
“Steven?” This was worse than John thought. Rodney couldn’t remember Zelenka’s name for the entire first year they’d been on Atlantis, and now he has Dr. Steven David Knowles’ first name memorized?
“Yeah. You know, I like that guy.” Rodney’s smile filtered through to his voice. “Well, I mean…He’s not nearly as respectful of my obviously superior intellect as I’d like him to be, and he’s far too smug about his own less than stellar capabilities here in Pegasus, but despite all that, he’s a good guy. Fun to hang with, quiet, says ‘yes’ a lot and generally doesn’t make a nuisance of himself.”
John quirked an eyebrow. “Really?”
“Well, of course really. Have you ever, in the last nearly five years, heard me say such a thing? No. So of course I mean it.”
John pulled a face and nodded. “Nice praise from you, considering you think “Oh thank god you didn’t destroy the city with your feeble attempts, moron” is complimentary.”
“Oh I do not.”
John chuckled. “Yeah, Rodney, you do.”
“Really?” Rodney seemed to consider it for a moment, face twisted up into a frown. Then he shook it off. “Doesn’t matter, anyway.” He closed a couple of the laptops, then headed to the door. “Oh! Was there something you wanted? I was actually supposed to meet Steven for lunch in the mess.”
John snapped. One second, he’s a rational, calm United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, the next, he’s just a guy who’s had just about enough of hearing the name “Dr. Steven David Knowles” from everyone and especially from Rodney.
He stood up slowly, face blank, steps sure and determined. He stopped in Rodney’s space, looking into Rodney’s curious blue eyes. “John?”
John caught Rodney’s chin in his hand, and turned his face, first to the left then to the right, eyes roving over skin and lips and eyes. “Yeah. I think you’re gonna be missing your lunch date, Rodney?”
“What? Why?”
“Because you have other plans,” John said, eyes focused on Rodney’s mouth. And then, being sure to give Rodney time to back away, should he want to or even think about it, John leaned in to kiss him.
It started out tentative, because John wasn’t even really sure he wanted to do this himself. All he did know was that Dr. Steven David Knowles as not going to be having lunch with Dr. Meredith Rodney McKay.
But then Rodney made this sound in the back of his throat, needy and relieved and John just had to drink it down, so he opened his mouth over Rodney’s and slid his tongue along the seam of Rodney’s lips.
Rodney gasped, letting John in, and it was over. He may not have thought he wanted it, but right then and there, tasting the coffee and chocolate flavor of Rodney’s mouth, John felt like he’d figured something very important out. It wasn’t that Dr. Steven David Knowles was a bad guy, he just wasn’t allowed near Rodney any more.
With a final bite on Rodney’s bottom lip, John pulled away slowly, and Rodney blinked up at him. Several emotions flickered through his dazed blue eyes, then the irritation set in, and John thought he was in trouble. The words that came out of Rodney’s mouth shocked him into a laugh.
“Well, hell, Colonel. If I’d known this, the last five years would have been a lot more interesting.”