for Kyrdwyn
For: kyrdwyn
From: zortified
Request:
Missing scene from "The Return Part I",
First time fic - while off world,
"Conversion" tag,
"Misbegotten" tag
Title: Falling Rain
Words: 1156
Rating: PG
Spoilers: None
Summary: Carson never knew John felt that way.
Author's Notes: written for the beckettsheppard Thing a Thon 2006 ;-)
Carson stared out of the small window at the rain. The air was cool, just enough to give it a sharp, clean scent without going over the edge into actual cold. It made him feel homesick, a little -- even if the grass hut he was standing in was nothing like anything he'd seen back home. The grass was bright purple, blending in with the other local plants with their purple leaves and grasses and soft yellow and white bark and stems.
It made him feel as though he'd stepped into a painting; even as he reached out to touch the hut's wall he couldn't help but shake the feeling that it wasn't real.
"I think it's grown on me," came a soft, sarcastic drawl behind him. Carson jerked his hand back then turned with a smile.
"So you won't mind if we leave you here once they fix the Jumper?"
John scowled. "I wouldn't go that far. Any planet that has flying lizards big enough to pick up and drop a Puddle Jumper isn't what I'd call a good place to build a second home." He leaned back and propped his foot up on his pack; they'd all left their packs scattered on the floor while Rodney and Radek had gone to see what could be done to repair the Jumper.
Neither man had seemed very concerned, despite the location of the stargate -- in orbit around the planet. Without a working ship they wouldn't be able to 'gate home. But the radio had still been working, and if they couldn't effect repairs, a second team would come through and pick them up.
John had barely stopped complaining about the second part of that plan, which involved destroying the Jumper so its technology wouldn't fall into the wrong hands. He'd warned Rodney that he had to fix the Jumper no matter what, and threats involving coffee rations and hikes with heavy packs had been uttered.
If it hadn't been for the rain, Carson assumed John would have gone with them to 'oversee' the repairs. But instead he'd opted to remain in the village with Carson, sitting out the weather in the hut the villagers had lent them.
"They did say such behavior was unusual," Carson reminded him, remembering the way the villagers had apologised -- as though the wild beast's actions had been something they could have controlled.
John smirked. "Yeah, it just thought we were invading it's territory. Either that or we looked like a girl lizard and it wanted to mate with us."
Laughing, Carson turned back towards the window, taking a half-step towards it. The air was growing warmer though the rain itself showed no sign of letting up. He heard laughter and voices from outside, muted by the rain, but a few moments later he saw a young couple running by, holding hands. He watched them go with amusement; some things, he realised, were universal.
"Must be nice," John's voice came from just over his shoulder. Carson
flinched in surprise, as he hadn't heard John walking over, then he
forced himself to relax.
"What do you mean?" he asked, before it occurred to him that perhaps the question was far too personal. "Oh, of course," he said quickly, easily, giving the other man the excuse not to answer. "To have the freedom to...enjoy the company of a pretty lass. Not something we get very much of in Atlantis."
"Yeah." John just looked at him for a moment, eyes dark and showing nothing. Then he seemed to come back to himself and he relaxed, all at once. "Heck, just having the afternoon off would be nice."
Carson gestured at the hut they were trapped in. "We have the afternoon off, though I'll admit I'm not a young, lovely lass." He stopped as he realised what his words would sound like. "Not that I'm... I just meant...." He trailed off as he felt his cheeks blush.
Of course he'd had such thoughts before -- what living, breathing person wouldn't? But he sincerely hadn't meant to sound like he'd been flirting, and he'd never had a chance to find out if John was the sort to mind such things, even as a joke. The American military was so full of strange notions and rules, that Carson, like every other member of the international science contingent, had decided simply not to bother.
The strange, dark look was back in John's eyes and Carson had a moment to worry that he'd stumbled across something he didn't want to know. But it vanished again, quickly, and John gave a laugh. "Not before you've bought me dinner, at least. Geez, Carson, what kind of a guy do you think I am?"
Relieved, Carson teased back, "If I'm the lass, then you should be buying me dinner."
"What, you're not modern and progressive?" John gave him a grin that made Carson wish that they weren't only joking.
He kept his tone light as he replied, "No, afraid not. Very much the traditional romantic, I am."
"So, I should buy you dinner, bring you flowers? Compliment your outfit and say nice things to your mother?"
"For a start, yes." Carson laughed again, glancing back out of the window. It would be nice to be outside, finding a private spot in the gentle rain to be alone with someone. Even for just a kiss or two.
"I like your uniform," John said, in a strange, casual tone. When Carson glanced back, grinning, he saw the dark look just vanishing again from John's eyes.
Confused, Carson felt his laughter fade. "What--?"
John looked away suddenly, and Carson felt a spike of sudden tension. He watched as John knelt and rummaged in one of the packs, then came up with something in his hand. He held it out, and Carson blinked as he recognised the emergency ration bar. He took it, looking at John and feeling utterly bewildered.
He froze at the serious expression he saw on the other man's face. John shrugged, the dark look giving way to something Carson recognised.
"Your mom makes good shortbread," John said, and he dropped his gaze. He shrugged again and Carson knew that the next words out of his mouth would be to laugh away everything he'd just said. Carrying a joke too far, he'd say, and Carson stepped forward, into John's personal space.
If it was a joke, then, well, Carson could claim the same.
But John looked up, and Carson saw that strange, shuttered look -- and saw it for what it was hiding. He smiled, despite his continued confusion. He'd never seen or heard a thing to make him think John felt this way. Never had a clue, and....
John titled his head, ever so slightly, and Carson took the motion as permission and leaned in.
The kiss was warm and soft, like the sound of the rain outside.
the end
From: zortified
Request:
Missing scene from "The Return Part I",
First time fic - while off world,
"Conversion" tag,
"Misbegotten" tag
Title: Falling Rain
Words: 1156
Rating: PG
Spoilers: None
Summary: Carson never knew John felt that way.
Author's Notes: written for the beckettsheppard Thing a Thon 2006 ;-)
Carson stared out of the small window at the rain. The air was cool, just enough to give it a sharp, clean scent without going over the edge into actual cold. It made him feel homesick, a little -- even if the grass hut he was standing in was nothing like anything he'd seen back home. The grass was bright purple, blending in with the other local plants with their purple leaves and grasses and soft yellow and white bark and stems.
It made him feel as though he'd stepped into a painting; even as he reached out to touch the hut's wall he couldn't help but shake the feeling that it wasn't real.
"I think it's grown on me," came a soft, sarcastic drawl behind him. Carson jerked his hand back then turned with a smile.
"So you won't mind if we leave you here once they fix the Jumper?"
John scowled. "I wouldn't go that far. Any planet that has flying lizards big enough to pick up and drop a Puddle Jumper isn't what I'd call a good place to build a second home." He leaned back and propped his foot up on his pack; they'd all left their packs scattered on the floor while Rodney and Radek had gone to see what could be done to repair the Jumper.
Neither man had seemed very concerned, despite the location of the stargate -- in orbit around the planet. Without a working ship they wouldn't be able to 'gate home. But the radio had still been working, and if they couldn't effect repairs, a second team would come through and pick them up.
John had barely stopped complaining about the second part of that plan, which involved destroying the Jumper so its technology wouldn't fall into the wrong hands. He'd warned Rodney that he had to fix the Jumper no matter what, and threats involving coffee rations and hikes with heavy packs had been uttered.
If it hadn't been for the rain, Carson assumed John would have gone with them to 'oversee' the repairs. But instead he'd opted to remain in the village with Carson, sitting out the weather in the hut the villagers had lent them.
"They did say such behavior was unusual," Carson reminded him, remembering the way the villagers had apologised -- as though the wild beast's actions had been something they could have controlled.
John smirked. "Yeah, it just thought we were invading it's territory. Either that or we looked like a girl lizard and it wanted to mate with us."
Laughing, Carson turned back towards the window, taking a half-step towards it. The air was growing warmer though the rain itself showed no sign of letting up. He heard laughter and voices from outside, muted by the rain, but a few moments later he saw a young couple running by, holding hands. He watched them go with amusement; some things, he realised, were universal.
"Must be nice," John's voice came from just over his shoulder. Carson
flinched in surprise, as he hadn't heard John walking over, then he
forced himself to relax.
"What do you mean?" he asked, before it occurred to him that perhaps the question was far too personal. "Oh, of course," he said quickly, easily, giving the other man the excuse not to answer. "To have the freedom to...enjoy the company of a pretty lass. Not something we get very much of in Atlantis."
"Yeah." John just looked at him for a moment, eyes dark and showing nothing. Then he seemed to come back to himself and he relaxed, all at once. "Heck, just having the afternoon off would be nice."
Carson gestured at the hut they were trapped in. "We have the afternoon off, though I'll admit I'm not a young, lovely lass." He stopped as he realised what his words would sound like. "Not that I'm... I just meant...." He trailed off as he felt his cheeks blush.
Of course he'd had such thoughts before -- what living, breathing person wouldn't? But he sincerely hadn't meant to sound like he'd been flirting, and he'd never had a chance to find out if John was the sort to mind such things, even as a joke. The American military was so full of strange notions and rules, that Carson, like every other member of the international science contingent, had decided simply not to bother.
The strange, dark look was back in John's eyes and Carson had a moment to worry that he'd stumbled across something he didn't want to know. But it vanished again, quickly, and John gave a laugh. "Not before you've bought me dinner, at least. Geez, Carson, what kind of a guy do you think I am?"
Relieved, Carson teased back, "If I'm the lass, then you should be buying me dinner."
"What, you're not modern and progressive?" John gave him a grin that made Carson wish that they weren't only joking.
He kept his tone light as he replied, "No, afraid not. Very much the traditional romantic, I am."
"So, I should buy you dinner, bring you flowers? Compliment your outfit and say nice things to your mother?"
"For a start, yes." Carson laughed again, glancing back out of the window. It would be nice to be outside, finding a private spot in the gentle rain to be alone with someone. Even for just a kiss or two.
"I like your uniform," John said, in a strange, casual tone. When Carson glanced back, grinning, he saw the dark look just vanishing again from John's eyes.
Confused, Carson felt his laughter fade. "What--?"
John looked away suddenly, and Carson felt a spike of sudden tension. He watched as John knelt and rummaged in one of the packs, then came up with something in his hand. He held it out, and Carson blinked as he recognised the emergency ration bar. He took it, looking at John and feeling utterly bewildered.
He froze at the serious expression he saw on the other man's face. John shrugged, the dark look giving way to something Carson recognised.
"Your mom makes good shortbread," John said, and he dropped his gaze. He shrugged again and Carson knew that the next words out of his mouth would be to laugh away everything he'd just said. Carrying a joke too far, he'd say, and Carson stepped forward, into John's personal space.
If it was a joke, then, well, Carson could claim the same.
But John looked up, and Carson saw that strange, shuttered look -- and saw it for what it was hiding. He smiled, despite his continued confusion. He'd never seen or heard a thing to make him think John felt this way. Never had a clue, and....
John titled his head, ever so slightly, and Carson took the motion as permission and leaned in.
The kiss was warm and soft, like the sound of the rain outside.
the end