Title: Jealousy
Author:Morena Donn
Pairing:McKay/Sheppard, 1st time
Rating:PG-13
Spoilers: mild for Season Two
Summary: "Your smile, it has too many teeth, like shark."
Thanks as always to my wonderful beta
brindel.
"I don't believe it, you're jealous of a dead man."
"Don't be ridiculous. Why would I be jealous of one of Ford's Lost Boys?"
"Because he and I were connecting. Working together like you and I used to. Now why did we stop? Oh, that's right. You don't trust me anymore."
John opened his mouth to protest, but Rodney barreled on.
"That's okay. I don't need your trust. I don't need you. You're only good for two things...and would you look at that. I rescued myself. And if I ever suffer for lack of affectionate insults, I can always go see Radek or Carson. And hey! As an added bonus, neither of them has a death wish, so I won't lose years off my own life watching them die. Something, I might add, that is not going to happen again. So, no. Don't really need you. But I do need sleep. Goodnight," and he shoved John out the door.
John was halfway back to his own room when the implications hit him. Watching him die bothered Rodney. A lot. So the scientist *did* need him. He *did* care. Maybe even as much as John cared for him. He turned on his heel and headed back towards Rodney’s quarters, not bothering to hide the goofy grin he felt spreading across his face.
The grin died on its own as John continued to analyze Rodney's words. "Not going to happen again." John was getting awfully damn tired of the near-death experiences himself, but he was the military commander in hostile territory, so it was pretty much a given that they weren't going to stop. So Rodney meant he wasn't going to let John's near death experiences affect him anymore, which meant in turn that Rodney was planning on giving up the whatever-it-was between them. Well, if Rodney thought John would let him get away with that, he had another think coming.
John reached Rodney's quarters, and nearly collided with Radek Zelenka, who flinched and jumped back. "You okay there, Doc?" John asked.
"Fine, fine," Zelenka adjusted his glasses. "You startled me, is all. Your smile, it has too many teeth, like shark. Rodney is in trouble, no?"
"Rodney is in trouble, yes," John replied. "Um, unless you really need him now," he continued, gesturing at the laptop Zelenka was clutching.
"Nothing that will not keep til morning. Try not to tear him into too many pieces. Annoying as he is, we do need him."
"I'm aware of that," John said with a rueful grin. Of course, Zelenka needed Rodney in a different way. At least he'd better, John thought with a flash of jealousy, remembering how the two worked together so seamlessly. Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door, which opened immediately.
"Radek! Come in," Rodney said with a smile which faded as he caught sight of John. "Oh, it's you. I told you, I don't need you. Now go away." Rodney made little shooing motions with his hands, but John ignored him and advanced into the room.
"You don't get to do that," John said, jabbing a finger at Rodney's chest in emphasis.
"Do what, Colonel? Sleep?" Rodney asked uneasily, casting a nervous look at the bed that he had clearly not been occupying. "I don't know what you're talking about," he continued, lifting his chin stubbornly.
"You're the genius, figure it out," John countered, the hand on Rodney’s chest shifting from jabbing to caressing. A hitch in Rodney's breathing told John he *had* figured it out, but he decided to spell it out anyway, just to be sure.
"You don't get to break up with me, at least not *before* we've had the incredible sex."
"Sex? There’s going to be sex?" Rodney’s voice rose, just short of panic, and John could understand that, even while finding it ridiculously cute.
It was a bit sudden, even though they'd been flirting for months, but as Rodney had so helpfully pointed out, they did keep almost dying, so John really saw no point in waiting any longer.
Apparently, neither did Rodney. He stepped closer and slid both hands up under John's shirt. "Are you, ah, sure about this?" he asked, tugging on John's dog tags and holy shit brushing a nipple with his other hand.
"Yes," John gasped.
Rodney looked at him thoughtfully, fingers still idly toying with John's nipples.
"Well, if you're willing to risk your career, I guess I can risk losing a few more years the next time you try to commit suicide," he said, sliding his hands down to John's waist and pulling him forward, into a kiss. John went gladly.
*************
"I'll probably regret asking this, but why are you humming the theme from ‘Jaws’?" Rodney demanded some time later.
John groaned. They'd just had what had to have been the best sex ever, at least from his end, and he didn't want to move, much less talk, but Rodney was propped on his side, clearly expecting an answer, and John didn't want to disappoint him, either.
"'S going through my head," John replied. "Probably 'cause I ran into Zelenka earlier and he said I was smiling like a shark."
"Okay, that makes sense. Wait, you ran into him tonight? When? While you were on your way here?" Rodney sat up. "John, what if he guesses something's going on? Aren't you worried we'll be outed?"
"Nah." John replied, pulling Rodney back down. He really wanted to get some sleep.
Rodney was quiet for a moment, considering. "I guess you're right. We probably shouldn't make out in front of Major Lorne, but Radek knowing should be safe enough. Might be a good idea to tell Teyla and Ronon too, if they haven't figured it out already. Just...try not to get yourself shipped back to Earth. I've kind of gotten used to having you around."
"Are you always this talkative after sex?" John demanded, sounding more put out than he felt. He couldn't say he really minded, not as long as Rodney was breathing on his neck and stroking his back like oh yeah, like that.
"Don't know. I've never paid much attention," Rodney admitted. "I guess you'll just have to stay alive and find out."
"Whatever you say, dear." John said playfully, wriggling around to get more comfortable, and stealing most of the covers in the process.
Rodney snorted. "Should have known you'd be impossible, even in bed," he muttered, taking them back and pulling John closer.
"Shut up and go to sleep," John replied, softening his words with a kiss. To his amazement, Rodney obeyed. John smiled bemusedly. If he'd known a kiss was all it took to make Rodney follow orders, he would have done it a long time ago.