Ficlet: Survival Techniques
For celli, who thrust a laptop into my arms and said, "Write."
536 words, Rated G. Contains a small spoiler for Episode 4.02: Lifeline.
He's exhausted, crashing from another near-total-annihilation-of-the-entire-city experience, so it explains why he doesn't register John's entrance at first, not until he hears the softly drawled "Rodney" and feels hands curling around his biceps, yanking him up, pinning him against the wall.
"What are you doing, you crazy person?" he splutters, only to fall silent when John leans in, faces inches away from his, his lips twisting into a scowl.
"Colonel?"
"Rodney," he says darkly.
"Am I missing something here?" It's possible he is. It's been a very long-God, how many hours has it been?-and Rodney's aware that he has a bit of a tendency to be an ass when under stress. Or when he's just...himself.
"I heard what you told Sam about me."
"I didn't tell Sam anything about you." He didn't. He barely had a chance to talk to Sam even, not with all the things still remaining unfinished after they landed the city. Landed the city! Which had been flying through space! That thought and the many ways they nearly died derails his brain again, until John presses his thumbs into Rodney's flesh, bringing him back to the present.
"Rodney, I heard you. You told Sam I was a bad kisser."
"I did not!" he protests automatically before John's words register. "Wait, what? I didn't tell Sam anything about kisses. Or you! Or you with the kissing!"
"I heard you. Everyone heard you. Earlier."
"Did you hit your head?"
"The entire control room heard you criticizing my kissing technique."
"I--Oh. Oh." Rodney says, finally understanding what John was referring to, and Jesus. Rodney doesn't have time for this. "Oh please. I wasn't criticizing your kissing technique. I was criticizing your flying technique."
"You implied that I didn't know how to kiss."
"Whatever." He tries to shift out of John's grip, only to be pushed against the wall again. "Come on, let me go. I have work to do. City to put back together and all that."
"I don't think I can let you go that easily, Rodney. Not when you've insulted my honor."
He rolls his eyes. "You'll survive."
John leans in again, breath warm on Rodney's lips. "I think I need to defend myself," he murmurs, the words skittering off Rodney's jaw, sending pinpricks of heat through his entire body.
"Yeah?" Rodney begins, only to cut off when John's lips finally land on his, and oh, warm. Slow. Wet. A soft teasing pressure on his mouth, gently coaxing him open, stealing his words and breath as if they are John's to take.
"Yeah," he whispers when he pulls away. "I can't let a claim like that go unchallenged." He's teasing, but his eyes are serious, studying Rodney, checking him over for cracks, Rodney thinks. Like Rodney's the city, like John will figure out how to fix him if he needs, put him back together with kisses and closeness, and silly jokes, only Rodney doesn't need to be put back together. He survived. They both did. At least for one more day.
"I don't know, Colonel. I might need some further evidence," he says, pulling John back in, and he kisses him again, all the while thinking, we're okay. We're okay.
536 words, Rated G. Contains a small spoiler for Episode 4.02: Lifeline.
He's exhausted, crashing from another near-total-annihilation-of-the-entire-city experience, so it explains why he doesn't register John's entrance at first, not until he hears the softly drawled "Rodney" and feels hands curling around his biceps, yanking him up, pinning him against the wall.
"What are you doing, you crazy person?" he splutters, only to fall silent when John leans in, faces inches away from his, his lips twisting into a scowl.
"Colonel?"
"Rodney," he says darkly.
"Am I missing something here?" It's possible he is. It's been a very long-God, how many hours has it been?-and Rodney's aware that he has a bit of a tendency to be an ass when under stress. Or when he's just...himself.
"I heard what you told Sam about me."
"I didn't tell Sam anything about you." He didn't. He barely had a chance to talk to Sam even, not with all the things still remaining unfinished after they landed the city. Landed the city! Which had been flying through space! That thought and the many ways they nearly died derails his brain again, until John presses his thumbs into Rodney's flesh, bringing him back to the present.
"Rodney, I heard you. You told Sam I was a bad kisser."
"I did not!" he protests automatically before John's words register. "Wait, what? I didn't tell Sam anything about kisses. Or you! Or you with the kissing!"
"I heard you. Everyone heard you. Earlier."
"Did you hit your head?"
"The entire control room heard you criticizing my kissing technique."
"I--Oh. Oh." Rodney says, finally understanding what John was referring to, and Jesus. Rodney doesn't have time for this. "Oh please. I wasn't criticizing your kissing technique. I was criticizing your flying technique."
"You implied that I didn't know how to kiss."
"Whatever." He tries to shift out of John's grip, only to be pushed against the wall again. "Come on, let me go. I have work to do. City to put back together and all that."
"I don't think I can let you go that easily, Rodney. Not when you've insulted my honor."
He rolls his eyes. "You'll survive."
John leans in again, breath warm on Rodney's lips. "I think I need to defend myself," he murmurs, the words skittering off Rodney's jaw, sending pinpricks of heat through his entire body.
"Yeah?" Rodney begins, only to cut off when John's lips finally land on his, and oh, warm. Slow. Wet. A soft teasing pressure on his mouth, gently coaxing him open, stealing his words and breath as if they are John's to take.
"Yeah," he whispers when he pulls away. "I can't let a claim like that go unchallenged." He's teasing, but his eyes are serious, studying Rodney, checking him over for cracks, Rodney thinks. Like Rodney's the city, like John will figure out how to fix him if he needs, put him back together with kisses and closeness, and silly jokes, only Rodney doesn't need to be put back together. He survived. They both did. At least for one more day.
"I don't know, Colonel. I might need some further evidence," he says, pulling John back in, and he kisses him again, all the while thinking, we're okay. We're okay.