Challenge fic
Here it is! Hope you all enjoy it! It was a lot of fun writing it!
Disclaimer - Like I own anything! You’re out of your everlovin mind if you think I do!
Pairing - Ronon/Jen
Spoilers - Late season 4? Maybe season 5ish.
Rating - K+
Episodes - (206) Trinity, (413) Quarantine (420) Kindred II
Summary - In response to a challenge on One Sweet Love community. Ronon teaches Jen about some Satedan music.
"Let’s go," Ronon’s deep voice startled Jen from her research. His dark eyes twinkled at her jump.
"Go where?" Jen asked when her heart rate slowed to a more normal rhythm.
"I need to get off Atlantis. And you need a day off. Tomorrow or the next day you’ll find a way to help Beckett. Today, you need fun."
Jen was tempted. "So what do you have in mind?"
"I thought that you’d enjoy a day shopping at an outdoor market. Fresh air, good food, new people." Ronon knew that Jen was tempted. "Come on. I want you to meet some of the people there."
Jen was definitely intrigued. "How do I dress? It won’t be sweltering there will it?"
"If I said yes, would you wear those shorts that I really like on you?"
Jen swatted his shoulder ineffectually. "I’ll wear them if you wear that one shirt!" Jen negotiated.
"Done!" Ronon smiled broadly.
"So which planet are we on?" Jen looked around the market curiously. "And why this market as opposed to the hundreds of others on any other world?" Fortunately it was sweltering. Jen wasn’t sure what she would have done if she had to wear a full uniform.
"We’re on Manaria. This particular market has a very exclusive niche. After the attack on Sateda, a lot of people took cover in shelters. When they saw the devastation, a lot of them came here. They’ve been keeping the Satedan culture alive. I only found them after I came to Atlantis."
Jen was floored by the implications. He was basically taking her home to meet his family. At least those that were left. And all of a sudden, she was touched. She decided that she would have to work it so Ronon could come home with her to Chippewa Falls, even if she had to stand on a few heads of the IOA members. "Let’s go and see what this market has to offer."
They spent the day wandering around. They had some spiced meat something that was delicious for lunch. Ronon bought her several lengths of cloth to make into clothes and extra touches around her quarters. The satchel Ronon carried got more and more full. "You said they were keeping the Satedan culture alive. Is there anything you are contributing? I mean, these people know you. They didn’t seem incredibly surprised to see you today." Jen’s curiosity rose to the front.
"I come here a couple of days a month and teach some of them in military tactics. Just like the Marines back home."
They rounded a corner and Ronon stopped at one stall. There were stringed instruments of various shapes and sizes. Ronon reached out and reverently touched one in particular.
"Once, I knew how to play this. It’s a minska I started taking lessons when I was eight years old. Mother made me. There were always more interesting things to do, but Mother insisted. Eventually, I actually forced some skill into these fingers." Ronon was so far away in his memories.
"Let’s buy this too. You can’t spend all your extra time running around Atlantis and training unsuspecting marines. I’d love to hear you play."
Ronon laughed. "I hardly think that I’d be any good anymore. It’s been ten years since I’ve even held one."
"Still, I’d love to hear what your music sounds like. I’ve been wondering."
"We had lots of kinds. I always preferred a kind Colonel Carter refers to as rock and there is a little jazz thrown in. I always liked the chaotic nature of that style of music. The minska is suited to the jazz variations of the music."
Over the next weeks, Jen saw less than usual of Ronon. He took to ‘accidentally’ injuring himself again to see her in the infirmary. He refused to allow her to hear him practice. Finally! One day, Ronon practically plowed her down in the hallway to the infirmary. "Come by tonight after your shift. I want to play for you."
It wasn’t until after seven that evening before she was done in the infirmary. In Ronon’s rooms, the lights were subdued in favor of the sunset streaming in. "I’m glad you’re here. Don’t know if I would play for anyone else but you. Don’t know if I could share Sateda with anyone else."
Ronon sat in the chair opposite Jen and started to play a soulful melody. He was completely immersed in the music. His eyes were closed in concentration. The music was filled with love, sadness and finally joy. It wrapped around her heart and squeezed just so. It brought tears to Jen’s eyes.
"What are the tears for?" Ronon cut the music short.
"That was so beautiful. What was it called?" Jen moved over to sit on Ronon’s lap. The sun had long since set and the room was lit by lanterns placed throughout.
Ronon reached up and wiped the moisture from her eyes. "Actually, I haven’t named that song yet."
Jen was astonished. "You wrote that? As in recently?" When Ronon just smirked Jen jabbed his shoulder. "I can’t believe I actually fell for that! Really, what’s it called?"
"Seriously, I did just recently write it. Just not that recently. For so long, all I focused on was surviving and killing wraith. Now, there is so much more in my life and the music is coming out again."
"Then, I’m glad we bought the minska. Music like that needs to be played. It’s about you, isn’t it." It was a statement. Not a question.
"Parts of me, yeah. The better parts maybe."
"So when did you start writing it?" Jen’s curiosity was starting to get the better of her.
"It was after we were stuck together in the infirmary. I started moving forward with my life after I met you. I’ve lost way too much not to grab hold of what’s been put in front of me."
Jen simply leaned in for a sweet soulful kiss. "Thank you for sharing this with me." She kissed him again. "I love the music." Another kiss, this one was slower. "Play another one for me," Jen demanded as she got up and moved back to her original chair.