FanFic100: #026 Teammates
Some things, she thinks, are just too good to be true. For example the sight that presents itself to her right now. When she heard the sounds of fighting coming from the room, she’d risked a peek and been rewarded with something you don’t get to see much even in Atlantis: Three seriously hot guys beating the crap out of each other, and having fun at that. And because they were so intent on what they are doing, they didn’t see her sneaking in.
Now she’s sitting in a corner by the window, her knees drawn to her chest and her eyes fixed on Colonel Sheppard, Major Lorne and Ronon Dex moving over the mats. Feet are flying through the air as Sheppard and Lorne both have a go at Ronon, but in one fluid motion he manages to bring Sheppard down with grabbing his foot and spinning him around and sending Lorne to the floor by breaking his balance with pushing the leg that was already in the air just a little higher.
Both men land on the floor and a smug grin appears on Ronon’s face. He helps both of them up and immediately, they get into fighting stance again. She can see a short look passing between Sheppard and Lorne and is curious to see what that was just about. Without another delay, Sheppard goes for Ronon’s throat with the edge of his hand. Ronon sidesteps the attack and Lorne uses this moment to grab Ronon’s arm and let the big man’s momentum do the rest.
He actually manages to bring Ronon down, but the Satedan is fast enough to drag Lorne down to the ground with him. Only his fast reaction saves the Major from being pinned down by Ronon as he rolls away at the right moment. No words are passed at that and Sheppard and Lorne simply high-five each other. Well done, indeed… letting Sheppard play the decoy and the Major go in for the kill.
They go on like this for another seemingly endless amount of time, usually two against one, effortlessly changing places and constellations. T-shirts are wet and sweat is making their faces shine. Sheppard is very openly smug when he manages to score a hit and looks sexy as hell when he’s shaking the sweat out of his hair. Ronon and his dark looks and powerful moves are attractive as well. But it’s Major Lorne that has somehow managed to captivate her.
Both Sheppard and Ronon are conventionally handsome - tall, well-muscled, openly self-confident - but only Major Lorne has the certain something that catches her attention. He’s not as tall as the other two, but he can stand his ground very well, making good use of his smaller stature. He’s got a great body, at least from what she can see through the soaked t-shirt, but he does have disadvantages against the other two. However, he manages to counterbalance them very well. His moves are very economical and exact, most probably because he knows that he can’t match Ronon in strength and Sheppard in height anyway.
He’s also not letting on that he knows how good he is, like the other two. No teeth-flashing smiles or smug grins from this guy when he brings Sheppard or Ronon down. No, all the Major lets shine through are the hints of raising at the corners of his mouth or the slight tightening of the corners of his eyes. It makes her want to find the thing that cracks his reserve during a hand-to-hand combat exercise and see him flash a full out grin, just for once.
She’s so fixed on watching this trio - and one of them just a little closer than the other two - that at first she doesn’t realize that they have finally seen they’ve got an audience. Only when Sheppard clears his throat she blinks a little and focuses her attention back on Atlantis’ military CO. “Never thought you were the timid kind of girl, Lieutenant.” Timid?
“Um… excuse me, sir?” Sheppard shrugs.
“Well, I take it you wanted to ask one of us for some individual hand-to-hand exercise.” Wha… she looks at Ronon and Major Lorne. Ronon’s face as he takes up his water bottle and sprays part of the contend over his head says very clearly what he’d think of her - a female soldier known for the pride she takes in wearing a Marine’s uniform - if she tried to get out of this now.
Major Lorne, though, takes a sip from his bottle and surprises her with cracking a little cocky grin and… volunteering, “You can start with me, Lieutenant. I promise I won’t go too hard on you.” That… bastard. He knows he just struck a very sensitive chord. There’s no way she can get around this now… and no way she wants to get around this.
Okay, fine… obviously they don’t want it any other way. Determined, she gets up. “I appreciate that, sir. That’s why I won’t go too hard on you.” That earns her mocking appreciative whistles and exclamations from the guys. Pah. They obviously still haven’t learned never to underestimate a Marine’s pride.
However, the Major knows better than to back down now, and as they get into fighting stance, it occurs to her that she’s about to get up close and personal with the guy she just ogled the whole time. A certain kind of giddiness and anticipation wells up inside of her, and it only intensifies when she sees a glint in his eyes that tells her he’s looking forward to this little fighting match as much as she is. She just has this feeling… that this is definitely going to be an encounter worth remembering.