darkhavens: text icon: 15 m/m pairings in dk purple, with paler txt darkhavens and even paler txt multifandom ho. (Default)
[personal profile] darkhavens
Author: darkhavens
Title: Discretion - It's Not As Easy As You'd Think, 5/5
Pairing: John Sheppard/Rodney McKay
Fandom: Stargate: Atlantis
Rating: PG-13
Words: 557
Feedback/Concrit: darkhavens @ slashverse.com
Disclaimer: Not mine, never will be. No harm, no foul, no money made.
Summary: Rodney just can't resist touching the goodies.
Notes: Written for [livejournal.com profile] stagesoflove 2006, Round 3, 'Five Rooms', room #5 - The Infirmary, aka 'The Time When They Held Hands For Three Days'.
#1 - The Gate Room, aka 'The ZPM Affair', #2 - The Mess Hall, aka 'The Cookie Incident', #3 - The Ancient Armoury, aka 'The Secret of the Slippery Stuff', #4 - The Sauna, aka 'The Day McKay and The Colonel Got Hot and Sweaty In Public'.
ETA: Thanks to [livejournal.com profile] kitty_poker1 for the ultre-fast last minute read-through. :D

Special note: Thank you to everyone who has left fb to the previous parts. I will be answering it, I promise, I just have to stop chasing my tail first. Thank you!


The Infirmary, aka 'The Time When They Held Hands For Three Days'

The mission is supposed to be an easy one - a planet Teyla has visited relatively recently, before Atlantis rose again.

They're greeted with open arms and smiles of welcome, loaded platters of meat and fruit and jugs of rich red wine, with sticky sweets to follow.

And after they're stuffed to the gills, replete and groaning, they're entertained by pretty dancers - boys and girls in loose pants and flowing sashes, shirts slashed to tantalise with flashes of rib and shadowed curves of spine.

The sun has set and both moons are hanging low in the sky before the elders come to usher them away to the temple halls.

The rest of the team don't need McKay to tell them that the buildings are of Ancient origin, but he tells them anyway - goes into details, and scientific flurries, scurrying from one dust-shrouded pillar to the next. And then he touches one.

The scream is one of shock, not pain, but the Colonel doesn't stop to quantify the difference - he simply lunges.

The second his fingers interlock with Rodney's outstretched digits they both drop like rocks and the pillar goes dark. The elders are loudly apologetic, offering stretcher-bearers - their healthiest young, as hostages - to transport the tightly joined pair back to the Stargate. Teyla lets them help.

The scene in the 'gate room is chaotic. Carson tries to pry the men apart, and manages eventually, with the help of three stone-faced marines. The screams are heartbreaking, the separated hands outstretched and shaking, clenching rhythmically.

Teyla intervenes before they reach the infirmary, convincing Carson that the stress of separation is too much, that Ancient business is at work here, and should be minded.

For three days, they lie in close quarters, hands clasped in silent comfort and connection. Physical contact with one causes reaction in the other - Carson's test results are indecipherable.

Elizabeth works unceasingly to translate the writings on the pillars - it's a slow job. It comes together in tiny fragments, a snippet here, a loaded word or phrase there. The meaning isn't really something that she wants to share, at least not without their permission.

At the end of three days, as Elizabeth is finally decoding the secret of their union, they blink themselves awake.

Nurse Hogan is the only one there to hear, from behind the curtains kept closed for discretion's sake.

"Colonel… John? Are you…?"

"Yeah. Wow. Can you still feel…?"

"No."

There's a shared sigh and then a snowstorm of rustling, and Lisa misses something murmured as they move.

"…amn idiots, the both of us. Are we the only ones who didn’t know?"

The Colonel's chuckle sends ripples down her spine and Lisa wonders how it feels to be the one it's meant for.

"Dammit, Rodney, you kissed me! In front of a roomful of marines! How the hell did I miss the significance of that?"

"Forget the kiss, I saved you a cookie! A good cookie! How did I not know I was in love with y…?"

Lisa doesn't know whether the cut-off is a choke of realisation or a kiss, but she doesn't worry. This little tale is not for sharing, it's hers to treasure.

She knows now - she knew before they did - and that's enough to keep her warm on cold nights.


on 2006-06-13 11:21 pm (UTC)
spikedluv: (mcshep_mcshep_velocitygrass)
Posted by [personal profile] spikedluv
Oh, man, so sweet! This was a great series of stories! I enjoyed them a lot. *g*

on 2006-06-13 11:22 pm (UTC)
ext_10275: (Default)
Posted by [identity profile] aphelant.livejournal.com
*squee!*

on 2006-06-13 11:40 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] justabi.livejournal.com
I'm so glad that they weren't together yet in the rest. I loved this. *happy sigh*

on 2006-06-13 11:49 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] rivetedfangirl.livejournal.com
::giggle:: I love your Clueless!John&Rodney. I just read through them all, and at 4 I was really wondering what kind of clue-by-four would be needed to get their attention. ^_^_^ Thanks for making me freak out the dogs w/ unstoppable giggles.

on 2006-06-13 11:54 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] joannindiw.livejournal.com
waited til you were done posting - this was so hilarious and fun and the ending..! Very, very good.

on 2006-06-14 12:22 am (UTC)
tabaqui: (geeksbyliterati)
Posted by [personal profile] tabaqui
*worships*
Yes!!!
*bounce*
:)
Yay!!
Lovely stuff!

on 2006-06-14 12:31 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] chaps1870.livejournal.com
Very nice. Subtle, yet all there in the telling. :)

on 2006-06-14 01:00 am (UTC)
ext_975: photo of a woof (lick)
Posted by [identity profile] springwoof.livejournal.com
aaawwww!!

very, very sweet, but not diabetically so. just sweet enough!

on 2006-06-14 01:03 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] adafrog.livejournal.com
I totally loved this series! This one was so sweet. I loved the mechanism-the ancient pillars.
And so so cute that they finally figured it out. *dies of the cute*

on 2006-06-14 02:00 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] melagan.livejournal.com
I've enjoyed this little series so very much.

HOWL!!!

on 2006-06-14 03:42 am (UTC)
ext_834: (All Hail The Genius)
Posted by [identity profile] krysalys.livejournal.com
Yup, clueless the both'a them. *snicker* But not any more, thanks to the glorious ten thousand year old Ancient doohickey! *snortle*
So much love for this series, hon. Thank you.
----}-@

on 2006-06-14 04:00 am (UTC)
ext_2456: (SGA McShep_holdme)
Posted by [identity profile] nakedwesley.livejournal.com
I've really enjoyed this series. I need to go back now and read all of them together.

on 2006-06-14 08:05 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] looking4tarzan.livejournal.com
bless
the ancients had to hit them with a clue bus!

on 2006-06-14 08:11 am (UTC)
ext_3270: Animated LiveJournal Because... (Default)
Posted by [identity profile] sorchasilver.livejournal.com
A perfect sweet ending to a great series. Thank you for writing.

on 2006-06-14 08:15 am (UTC)
ext_6732: (mizz_destiny-McShep)
Posted by [identity profile] kitty-poker1.livejournal.com
Awwww. Perfect ending to the series. Sweet but not cavity-inducing and so completely satisfying. A triumph, love!

*smooch*

on 2006-06-14 08:49 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] hull1984.livejournal.com
I've loved this series and this part was no exception. A lovely way to end it. I'm just a bit sad now that it's over...

Thank you.

on 2006-06-14 04:12 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] princess-s.livejournal.com
Awwwww! Bless!!!

*wipes tear from eye*

on 2006-06-15 12:45 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] percysowner.livejournal.com
This is a lovely story, very sweet. I enjoyed the fact that everybody knew before John and Rodney.

on 2006-06-15 12:48 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] alistra.livejournal.com
*coughcough* (http://alistra.livejournal.com/204143.html)

on 2006-06-15 04:07 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] bakarti.livejournal.com
Pefect. Just perfect.

on 2006-06-15 04:08 pm (UTC)
aurora: (SGA JohnRodney Cuteness)
Posted by [personal profile] aurora
Awwww, these were sweet. And awesome. And funny. This is a great challenge.

on 2006-06-15 08:41 pm (UTC)
ext_11979: (Summer flip flops by eyesthatslay)
Posted by [identity profile] suki-blue.livejournal.com
Oh, oh oh oh oh, oh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I adore.

on 2006-07-15 02:42 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] literati.livejournal.com
damn cute!

::melts in the awww::

on 2006-07-21 08:14 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] batmanvinnie.livejournal.com
*laughs*
for the longest time, I thought they were actually together, but hiding it.
Man, it was so much fun, and totally fits with them living in such an enclosed environment. In places like that, rumors spread like wildfire.

on 2006-08-14 09:28 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] darkhavens.livejournal.com
Until that very last part, I didn't know if John and Rodney were together or not! My muses can be evil beasts, not telling me half of what i need to know. *g*

Thanks!

on 2006-08-12 05:56 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] morena-donn.livejournal.com
That was wonderful. What a perfect ending to a sweet little series.

on 2006-08-14 07:08 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] darkhavens.livejournal.com
Thank you! I had great fun writing it, and right up until that last part, I wasn't sure if they were actually together or not. My muse can be an evil beast. *g*

on 2008-03-11 01:20 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] sasha-feather.livejournal.com
Very cute!

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