Mini_nanowrimo 6/30
Episode: The Ark
Obj: 100
Words: 1 186 \o/
Characters: McKay/Sheppard pre-slash or friendship.
John knew he was in trouble a few days after the mission. Rodney and Ronon were talking at the Mess. Well, not really talking. More like Rodney was mocking, and Ronon was letting him.
"So you're claustrophobic too." Said Rodney smugly.
"No, I don't like not being able to defend myself. I can't fight a room." Answered Ronon at the end of his patience, not big to begin.
John just listened to them, amused.
"That's work too, you have a problem with closed room, for me, it's claustrophobia."
"It's not a fear!"
"Yeah, sure, whatever." John decided to intervene before Ronon lose it.
"Hey, Rodney, I have the new Batman, wanna see it later?"
Rodney lost his mocking smile, and looked John like if he didn't realise he was here.
"No."
And just that, a simple no. Rodney took his tray, promised Ronon they'll continue the discussion, and left without another word to John. He asked Ronon if he had any idea of what the problem with Rodney was, but the big guy only smirked, and told him to deal with it alone.
He was busy with the surviving peoples, Rodney was busy with the machine they were trapped into, so he didn't realised before this day that Rodney almost didn't talk to him since they went back to Atlantis.
He tried again at the labs, and Rodney didn't even try to look busy, or make him believe it was in his head. No, when John asked him what he was working on, Rodney just looked him straight in the eyes, didn't say a word, and turn back to his computer. For twenty minutes, he ignored John's prompts, questions, threat, and teasing. John only stopped when Radek had enough of the spectacle and pushed him outside, reminding that some people had work to do and no time to lose on childish actions.
The following briefings had the same results, Rodney only talked to him if forced, and with the less words possible. He almost found it funny, but really, a silent Rodney, that was never a good thing. And to make thing better, it was like every one was on his side, when John didn't even know why he was furious against him to begin.
Elizabeth smiled, Ronon smirked, Radek swore in Czech, Chuck tuttuted (and who really do that? And why did he care? A sort of Canadian solidarity?), Lorne looked at him with pity. Pity!
At least, there was one person who doesn't play this game. And she helped him the last time, so she will help him now, right?
He tried asking Teyla at the gym if she knew something, he received a punch. Another question on why Rodney was so stubborn gave him another. He avoided the next when he asked if it was something he did in the past month. His ass will remember when he asked her why she simply didn't tell him. He forgot his birthday? His stomach. He took a girl he wanted? His knees. Something off-world? Yeah, his face will survive intact.
Twenty hits later, and a back who screamed at him to stole Rodney's mattress, he find that it was his stunt with the shuttle.
"That's stupid. I had to take the risk. Your life depended of it, the lives of a complete populace depended of it! And it's not the first time I do something like that! Not the nose! I'll talk to him, okay! I'll talk to him!"
*
He wasn't shuffling. Nope. If Ronon asked him for a race right now, he could totally do it. Beside the fact that he really had to talk to Rodney. Even if the other man won't.
John didn't bother with knocking; he entered directly and closed the door, hoping for a rant. Silence. Rodney sat back on his bed comfortably, and crossed his arms, expectantly.
John hesitated. It was easier to have a meaningful discussion when Rodney provided all the words, and he only had to listen. He couldn't have his fit like usual, and screamed to him? No, he had to go the silent way. Rodney was still waiting. Right.
"I don't know why you're furious because, really…" Something suddenly told him that repeating what he said to Teyla wasn't a good idea. Maybe the sudden glare.
Many times he opened the mouth, just to close it. His hands kept moving and stopping abruptly, and when did he take this habit?
"I scared you. I get it. I know it's not fun, and I'm sorry, but it's not like if I can swear it'll never happen again! You know it's impossible. You know that sometimes, you'll be the one doing the stupid plan to save everyone. I just…"
He didn't understand why this time it hurt his friend so much he didn't want to talk to him anymore. He said the truth, one day, Rodney will take the risk. It was one of the first things he did when coming to Atlantis, in fact. The two times. Only he died the first time. Will John be childish enough to pout when Rodney will come back of some dangerous heroic action? No, he won't. He'll be afraid on the moment, but really he won't be furious against him for doing what's necessary.
"It's my job. I have to risk my life to protect the others. The team. You. Remember the energy thing? And you with the shield? You took a risky decision to save us. And when you came back for me with this super Wraith?"
Rodney stopped glaring. He stopped watching him. He just looked sad, but he still didn't talk.
He died the first time.
The thought come back. He died the first time. To save them, he gave his life. His first heroic act in Pegasus. And he died. It's only by luck he's still alive. And one day, something big will happen, and one of them will have to do the choice again. He always thought he'll be the one to die for them. But maybe, one day, Rodney will do the necessary thing, will put his life in danger with their usual 90 per cent of risk to die, and this time, he won't be in the ten per cent.
He died the first time.
John had some difficulty to breath. He didn't know what Rodney did while he was thinking, because, the floor looked suddenly more interesting.
Oh.
It's his job to be heroic. He forced himself to lift his head. Rodney was still looking his blankets. It's his job. He slowly approached the bed, trying to remember how to breathe regularly, and sat close to Rodney. He put his hand on Rodney's leg, and whispered, "I'm sorry." He could say nothing else to make it better. No promises. No excuses. Still, Rodney didn't talk.
But he looked at him, his eyes shining, and grasped the hand on his leg. They both bowed their heads, looking their entwined hands, and just stayed there, heads close, not moving.
Eventually, John had to take off his hand. He heard Rodney took a shaky breath.
"Do you still have Batman?"
John smiled.
Obj: 100
Words: 1 186 \o/
Characters: McKay/Sheppard pre-slash or friendship.
John knew he was in trouble a few days after the mission. Rodney and Ronon were talking at the Mess. Well, not really talking. More like Rodney was mocking, and Ronon was letting him.
"So you're claustrophobic too." Said Rodney smugly.
"No, I don't like not being able to defend myself. I can't fight a room." Answered Ronon at the end of his patience, not big to begin.
John just listened to them, amused.
"That's work too, you have a problem with closed room, for me, it's claustrophobia."
"It's not a fear!"
"Yeah, sure, whatever." John decided to intervene before Ronon lose it.
"Hey, Rodney, I have the new Batman, wanna see it later?"
Rodney lost his mocking smile, and looked John like if he didn't realise he was here.
"No."
And just that, a simple no. Rodney took his tray, promised Ronon they'll continue the discussion, and left without another word to John. He asked Ronon if he had any idea of what the problem with Rodney was, but the big guy only smirked, and told him to deal with it alone.
He was busy with the surviving peoples, Rodney was busy with the machine they were trapped into, so he didn't realised before this day that Rodney almost didn't talk to him since they went back to Atlantis.
He tried again at the labs, and Rodney didn't even try to look busy, or make him believe it was in his head. No, when John asked him what he was working on, Rodney just looked him straight in the eyes, didn't say a word, and turn back to his computer. For twenty minutes, he ignored John's prompts, questions, threat, and teasing. John only stopped when Radek had enough of the spectacle and pushed him outside, reminding that some people had work to do and no time to lose on childish actions.
The following briefings had the same results, Rodney only talked to him if forced, and with the less words possible. He almost found it funny, but really, a silent Rodney, that was never a good thing. And to make thing better, it was like every one was on his side, when John didn't even know why he was furious against him to begin.
Elizabeth smiled, Ronon smirked, Radek swore in Czech, Chuck tuttuted (and who really do that? And why did he care? A sort of Canadian solidarity?), Lorne looked at him with pity. Pity!
At least, there was one person who doesn't play this game. And she helped him the last time, so she will help him now, right?
He tried asking Teyla at the gym if she knew something, he received a punch. Another question on why Rodney was so stubborn gave him another. He avoided the next when he asked if it was something he did in the past month. His ass will remember when he asked her why she simply didn't tell him. He forgot his birthday? His stomach. He took a girl he wanted? His knees. Something off-world? Yeah, his face will survive intact.
Twenty hits later, and a back who screamed at him to stole Rodney's mattress, he find that it was his stunt with the shuttle.
"That's stupid. I had to take the risk. Your life depended of it, the lives of a complete populace depended of it! And it's not the first time I do something like that! Not the nose! I'll talk to him, okay! I'll talk to him!"
*
He wasn't shuffling. Nope. If Ronon asked him for a race right now, he could totally do it. Beside the fact that he really had to talk to Rodney. Even if the other man won't.
John didn't bother with knocking; he entered directly and closed the door, hoping for a rant. Silence. Rodney sat back on his bed comfortably, and crossed his arms, expectantly.
John hesitated. It was easier to have a meaningful discussion when Rodney provided all the words, and he only had to listen. He couldn't have his fit like usual, and screamed to him? No, he had to go the silent way. Rodney was still waiting. Right.
"I don't know why you're furious because, really…" Something suddenly told him that repeating what he said to Teyla wasn't a good idea. Maybe the sudden glare.
Many times he opened the mouth, just to close it. His hands kept moving and stopping abruptly, and when did he take this habit?
"I scared you. I get it. I know it's not fun, and I'm sorry, but it's not like if I can swear it'll never happen again! You know it's impossible. You know that sometimes, you'll be the one doing the stupid plan to save everyone. I just…"
He didn't understand why this time it hurt his friend so much he didn't want to talk to him anymore. He said the truth, one day, Rodney will take the risk. It was one of the first things he did when coming to Atlantis, in fact. The two times. Only he died the first time. Will John be childish enough to pout when Rodney will come back of some dangerous heroic action? No, he won't. He'll be afraid on the moment, but really he won't be furious against him for doing what's necessary.
"It's my job. I have to risk my life to protect the others. The team. You. Remember the energy thing? And you with the shield? You took a risky decision to save us. And when you came back for me with this super Wraith?"
Rodney stopped glaring. He stopped watching him. He just looked sad, but he still didn't talk.
He died the first time.
The thought come back. He died the first time. To save them, he gave his life. His first heroic act in Pegasus. And he died. It's only by luck he's still alive. And one day, something big will happen, and one of them will have to do the choice again. He always thought he'll be the one to die for them. But maybe, one day, Rodney will do the necessary thing, will put his life in danger with their usual 90 per cent of risk to die, and this time, he won't be in the ten per cent.
He died the first time.
John had some difficulty to breath. He didn't know what Rodney did while he was thinking, because, the floor looked suddenly more interesting.
Oh.
It's his job to be heroic. He forced himself to lift his head. Rodney was still looking his blankets. It's his job. He slowly approached the bed, trying to remember how to breathe regularly, and sat close to Rodney. He put his hand on Rodney's leg, and whispered, "I'm sorry." He could say nothing else to make it better. No promises. No excuses. Still, Rodney didn't talk.
But he looked at him, his eyes shining, and grasped the hand on his leg. They both bowed their heads, looking their entwined hands, and just stayed there, heads close, not moving.
Eventually, John had to take off his hand. He heard Rodney took a shaky breath.
"Do you still have Batman?"
John smiled.