Lorne Fest: Days Off (Evan/Radek, PG)
Title: Days Off
Author: colls
Characters: Evan/Radek
Rating/Words: PG/1,361
Note: Written for the prompt Lorne/Zelenka, previously undiscovered part of the city, booze Beta'd by angelus2hot (thank you).
Summary: Having some free time, Lorne goes in search of a better place to paint and discovers the place is already occupied. There is alcohol and the tease of a story about a bicycle chase involving goats, although the goat thing may or may not remain unresolved.
Days Off
Evan studied the schematic one more time before switching off the console. He had a small sketchpad in his pack, a bottle of water, a radio and a couple power bars.
Whenever he had several hours of down time, he would explore a different part of the city. He had to keep his explorations within reason, of course. There was no wandering off into the bowels of the city alone - that was his rule and he wasn't about to be the one to break it. He was wandering the spires and the open areas, which he considered completely different. It was a beautiful city and most of the areas had fantastic light. An artist's dream. Besides, ever since they'd relocated Atlantis, he'd been searching for a spot that captured the afternoon sun.
The other day he was sitting with a couple other Marines on the balcony off the mess hall, when he had spotted what appeared to be the perfect spot. It sat lower than the surrounding towers, but also a little apart. It was closer to the one of the outer platforms and he would bet the view in towards the city was just as spectacular as the view out to the ocean. If the place was as good as he suspected, he'd haul an easel out there in a couple days.
Evan smiled and nodded to people he passed in the corridors towards the transporter. No one seemed particularly interested in where he was going and he didn't invite conversation. Anytime anyone found out he was hunting light and ambiance for painting, they always looked at him strangely. "An artistic Marine?" they'd ask, incredulously. Like it was a joke or something.
Worse were those that wanted to tag along. Evan was a friendly guy and he was more than happy to engage in social conversation with just about anyone, but even he needed some peace and quiet now and then.
Evan keyed in the transporter closest to where he wanted to go and waited for the device to activate. No matter how many times he used it, the technology always unsettled him slightly. It actually felt no more disorienting than a lurching elevator, but it was the thought that he was actually being dematerialized that unnerved him, if only for a split second.
Exiting the transporter, Evan walked through the corridors towards the southern side of the building. He came across an elaborate set of multiple doors, similar to those leading to the conference room in the control tower. One of these was propped open by what looked suspiciously like a US military issue foot locker.
Dismayed that he wasn't the first to stumble upon this place, Evan peered through the open doorway. He listened carefully for a moment before stepping into the room, so as not to intrude on some illicit tryst. He considered calling out, but decided not to bother. Why would they prop the door open if that's what was going on?
Thoughts of others in the room vanished the moment he saw the view. The room was huge and empty. The south wall was floor to ceiling windows the entire length of the room. Just beyond lay a wide balcony. He glanced at the position of the sun and decided the room was more than perfect. Facing south, the room would have generous morning light as well as the ability to capture the setting sun. And the view of the city landscape was breathtaking. It was perfect.
"Oh…. hello, Major Lorne." So engrossed in the view, Evan hadn't even heard anyone approach. He turned around to see Dr. Radek Zelenka emerging from a small alcove off to the right. "I didn't expect anyone to be patrolling out this way."
Evan glanced down at his jeans and polo shirt. "It's my day off. I thought I'd do a bit of exploring." He tilted his head towards the alcove. "What are you doing in this part of the city?"
Radek shifted his weight uneasily. "Oh.. uh… nothing really. Well, nothing horribly exciting. Just… uh… checking on some equipment."
Evan wasn’t buying it. "The manifest has nothing in this section of the city. No ongoing research projects, no ancient labs."
"Why come to this part of the city? It is just a bunch of empty residential areas. Nothing interesting." Radek evaded the question but knew he'd been found out.
"It faces south. It'll get both morning and afternoon light and has a nice view." Evan decided not to push the scientist, he knew he'd discover what was going on anyway.
"Before the city moved here, this room faced east. No one was interested."
Evan looked around. "Any idea what this room was, anyway? The place is huge."
"I think it was some sort of restaurant." Radek pointed back towards the alcove behind him. "That was the kitchen area."
"Really?" He moved to go check it out when Radek put a hand up to stop him.
"First, I have to ask you to do something for me."
"What is that, Doctor?"
"Don't tell Rodney."
Evan became nervous. "Why? What kind of experiment are you running up here?"
"No experiment. No, this is a tried and true recipe. Nothing experimental about it. Well, perhaps a couple of the ingredients are substitutions, but those aren't experiments any longer."
"Recipe?"
"Major Lorne." Radek smiled. "Have you ever had moonshine?"
A couple hours later, Evan was sharing a power bar with Radek while listening a story about using his cousin’s bicylce to chase down a goat that had gotten loose. The story was hilarious and Evan was laughing so hard his sides hurt.
There was no furniture in the room, so both men were sitting on the floor, leaning up against the wall in Radek's 'kitchen'.
"Why are we sitting in here when the view is out there?" Evan asked, slurring slightly.
Radek lifted the beaker they'd been sharing. "Because the still is in here."
"Ah. That's right." Evan nodded heavily, his eyes seemed to have trouble staying open.
"Perhaps we should go get some fresh air, Major." Radek stood up and leaned down to gather Evan to his feet. Putting his arm around Radek's shoulders, Evan allowed him to help him stand.
Once vertical, Radek moved to release Evan but Evan maintained his grip, not wanting to let go right away. Both men stood still for a moment, hands on hips and shoulders like two awkward teenagers at a school dance.
Evan wondered how Radek's eyes had gotten so blue.
Radek cleared his throat and broke the gaze. "I think perhaps I should get you back to your quarters, Major."
Evan grinned. "Shouldn't you be inviting me to your quarters, not inviting yourself to mine?" Realizing he had said that out loud, his eyes widened and he blushed slightly. "Uh… I didn't mean… that's not to say…."
Radek reached up and kissed Evan. It wasn't a soft kiss, but it wasn't too firm of a kiss either. In fact, it was a little on the sloppy side -- like drunken kisses tend to be. Evan leaned in returning the kiss and was reaching to draw the other man in closer when Radek backed away.
"What I meant, Major, is that I should make sure you make it back okay. Maybe get you some water and a couple aspirins." Radek began gathering their belongings.
Studying his feet, Evan muttered softly. "I wouldn't mind you maybe staying for a bit, Doctor."
Radek smiled and adjusted his glasses. He handed Evan his pack. "Maybe when you haven't had quite so much to drink."
“Really?” Evan grinned broadly, nearly dropping the pack and stumbled towards the door. "I'll hold you to that."
Radek smiled and shook his head slightly, as if prepared to dismiss Evan's declarations. They began walking towards the transporter. Evan carefully navigated stepping over the foot locker.
"You are pretty drunk, Major."
"Yeah, about that. Why aren't you as drunk as I am?"
"Don't try to outdrink a Czech. I was raised on Vodka."
"And goats."
They both burst out laughing. Evan was definitely looking forward to his next day off.
*****end*****
Crossposted to the archive
Author: colls
Characters: Evan/Radek
Rating/Words: PG/1,361
Note: Written for the prompt Lorne/Zelenka, previously undiscovered part of the city, booze Beta'd by angelus2hot (thank you).
Summary: Having some free time, Lorne goes in search of a better place to paint and discovers the place is already occupied. There is alcohol and the tease of a story about a bicycle chase involving goats, although the goat thing may or may not remain unresolved.
Days Off
Evan studied the schematic one more time before switching off the console. He had a small sketchpad in his pack, a bottle of water, a radio and a couple power bars.
Whenever he had several hours of down time, he would explore a different part of the city. He had to keep his explorations within reason, of course. There was no wandering off into the bowels of the city alone - that was his rule and he wasn't about to be the one to break it. He was wandering the spires and the open areas, which he considered completely different. It was a beautiful city and most of the areas had fantastic light. An artist's dream. Besides, ever since they'd relocated Atlantis, he'd been searching for a spot that captured the afternoon sun.
The other day he was sitting with a couple other Marines on the balcony off the mess hall, when he had spotted what appeared to be the perfect spot. It sat lower than the surrounding towers, but also a little apart. It was closer to the one of the outer platforms and he would bet the view in towards the city was just as spectacular as the view out to the ocean. If the place was as good as he suspected, he'd haul an easel out there in a couple days.
Evan smiled and nodded to people he passed in the corridors towards the transporter. No one seemed particularly interested in where he was going and he didn't invite conversation. Anytime anyone found out he was hunting light and ambiance for painting, they always looked at him strangely. "An artistic Marine?" they'd ask, incredulously. Like it was a joke or something.
Worse were those that wanted to tag along. Evan was a friendly guy and he was more than happy to engage in social conversation with just about anyone, but even he needed some peace and quiet now and then.
Evan keyed in the transporter closest to where he wanted to go and waited for the device to activate. No matter how many times he used it, the technology always unsettled him slightly. It actually felt no more disorienting than a lurching elevator, but it was the thought that he was actually being dematerialized that unnerved him, if only for a split second.
Exiting the transporter, Evan walked through the corridors towards the southern side of the building. He came across an elaborate set of multiple doors, similar to those leading to the conference room in the control tower. One of these was propped open by what looked suspiciously like a US military issue foot locker.
Dismayed that he wasn't the first to stumble upon this place, Evan peered through the open doorway. He listened carefully for a moment before stepping into the room, so as not to intrude on some illicit tryst. He considered calling out, but decided not to bother. Why would they prop the door open if that's what was going on?
Thoughts of others in the room vanished the moment he saw the view. The room was huge and empty. The south wall was floor to ceiling windows the entire length of the room. Just beyond lay a wide balcony. He glanced at the position of the sun and decided the room was more than perfect. Facing south, the room would have generous morning light as well as the ability to capture the setting sun. And the view of the city landscape was breathtaking. It was perfect.
"Oh…. hello, Major Lorne." So engrossed in the view, Evan hadn't even heard anyone approach. He turned around to see Dr. Radek Zelenka emerging from a small alcove off to the right. "I didn't expect anyone to be patrolling out this way."
Evan glanced down at his jeans and polo shirt. "It's my day off. I thought I'd do a bit of exploring." He tilted his head towards the alcove. "What are you doing in this part of the city?"
Radek shifted his weight uneasily. "Oh.. uh… nothing really. Well, nothing horribly exciting. Just… uh… checking on some equipment."
Evan wasn’t buying it. "The manifest has nothing in this section of the city. No ongoing research projects, no ancient labs."
"Why come to this part of the city? It is just a bunch of empty residential areas. Nothing interesting." Radek evaded the question but knew he'd been found out.
"It faces south. It'll get both morning and afternoon light and has a nice view." Evan decided not to push the scientist, he knew he'd discover what was going on anyway.
"Before the city moved here, this room faced east. No one was interested."
Evan looked around. "Any idea what this room was, anyway? The place is huge."
"I think it was some sort of restaurant." Radek pointed back towards the alcove behind him. "That was the kitchen area."
"Really?" He moved to go check it out when Radek put a hand up to stop him.
"First, I have to ask you to do something for me."
"What is that, Doctor?"
"Don't tell Rodney."
Evan became nervous. "Why? What kind of experiment are you running up here?"
"No experiment. No, this is a tried and true recipe. Nothing experimental about it. Well, perhaps a couple of the ingredients are substitutions, but those aren't experiments any longer."
"Recipe?"
"Major Lorne." Radek smiled. "Have you ever had moonshine?"
A couple hours later, Evan was sharing a power bar with Radek while listening a story about using his cousin’s bicylce to chase down a goat that had gotten loose. The story was hilarious and Evan was laughing so hard his sides hurt.
There was no furniture in the room, so both men were sitting on the floor, leaning up against the wall in Radek's 'kitchen'.
"Why are we sitting in here when the view is out there?" Evan asked, slurring slightly.
Radek lifted the beaker they'd been sharing. "Because the still is in here."
"Ah. That's right." Evan nodded heavily, his eyes seemed to have trouble staying open.
"Perhaps we should go get some fresh air, Major." Radek stood up and leaned down to gather Evan to his feet. Putting his arm around Radek's shoulders, Evan allowed him to help him stand.
Once vertical, Radek moved to release Evan but Evan maintained his grip, not wanting to let go right away. Both men stood still for a moment, hands on hips and shoulders like two awkward teenagers at a school dance.
Evan wondered how Radek's eyes had gotten so blue.
Radek cleared his throat and broke the gaze. "I think perhaps I should get you back to your quarters, Major."
Evan grinned. "Shouldn't you be inviting me to your quarters, not inviting yourself to mine?" Realizing he had said that out loud, his eyes widened and he blushed slightly. "Uh… I didn't mean… that's not to say…."
Radek reached up and kissed Evan. It wasn't a soft kiss, but it wasn't too firm of a kiss either. In fact, it was a little on the sloppy side -- like drunken kisses tend to be. Evan leaned in returning the kiss and was reaching to draw the other man in closer when Radek backed away.
"What I meant, Major, is that I should make sure you make it back okay. Maybe get you some water and a couple aspirins." Radek began gathering their belongings.
Studying his feet, Evan muttered softly. "I wouldn't mind you maybe staying for a bit, Doctor."
Radek smiled and adjusted his glasses. He handed Evan his pack. "Maybe when you haven't had quite so much to drink."
“Really?” Evan grinned broadly, nearly dropping the pack and stumbled towards the door. "I'll hold you to that."
Radek smiled and shook his head slightly, as if prepared to dismiss Evan's declarations. They began walking towards the transporter. Evan carefully navigated stepping over the foot locker.
"You are pretty drunk, Major."
"Yeah, about that. Why aren't you as drunk as I am?"
"Don't try to outdrink a Czech. I was raised on Vodka."
"And goats."
They both burst out laughing. Evan was definitely looking forward to his next day off.
*****end*****
Crossposted to the archive