“What is this about?” Rodney spits furiously, muscling his way into the transporter next to John and slamming his hand down on the console, locking it up before John can touch a destination.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” John says airily.
Rodney sneers, “Oh really? So you’re telling me you haven’t been avoiding me like the plague and locking me out of your room for the past two days? Really? I would be so relieved to know I was just losing my mind and all of those things weren’t actually happening, because I could have sworn that we were mature adults, and all that?” He waves his arms wildly between them, red faced. “Really seems very twelve years old to me.”
“Fine,” John says, smiling tensely, “you’re losing your mind. Happy?”
“No,” Rodney says. He steps closer, reaching out to touch John’s arm. When John jerks away and steps back against the wall to avoid another touch, his eyes cloud over with new hurt. “What happened? What did I do?”
John shoots a glance at the transporter console, but it’s still locked up tight, and he can’t reach past Rodney to undo it without touching him again – something he’s not willing to risk. So he crosses his arms over his chest defensively instead and affects his most insolent slouch.
“I’m pretty sure I don’t have to explain it to you.”
Rodney looks at him for a minute, the corner of his mouth tipped down sadly. Then, he dips his head and stares at his wringing hands, body language suddenly changing from confrontational to nervous. “Katie’s never been involved in anything before, okay? She…she stays in Atlantis most of the time, or goes to planets that have already been cleared,” he mumbles quietly. “And us? We’ve nearly – well, you more than me, and you should really work on that because it’s not good for my heart, and –”
“McKay,” John warns.
“Right, yes.” Rodney’s shoulders rise around his ears protectively. “We get shot at and punched and taken captive and – everything the Pegasus Galaxy can throw at us, really – nearly every week. It’s what we do. But Katie only sees the lab, John, and – she was scared, okay? I just wanted to help.”
John’s quiet for a long time. So long that Rodney starts to fidget and almost dejectedly raises his hand to enable the transporter again.
“If you’re ever not there when I wake up again,” John mutters, and leans in to wrap his arms around Rodney’s tense shoulders. He feels the explosive sigh of relief Rodney lets out against his neck, the too-tight way Rodney squeezes him when they manage a proper hug, and it’s settling in a way that even having his memory back wasn’t.
Rodney murmurs, “I promise,” and that’s the end of that.
no subject
“What is this about?” Rodney spits furiously, muscling his way into the transporter next to John and slamming his hand down on the console, locking it up before John can touch a destination.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” John says airily.
Rodney sneers, “Oh really? So you’re telling me you haven’t been avoiding me like the plague and locking me out of your room for the past two days? Really? I would be so relieved to know I was just losing my mind and all of those things weren’t actually happening, because I could have sworn that we were mature adults, and all that?” He waves his arms wildly between them, red faced. “Really seems very twelve years old to me.”
“Fine,” John says, smiling tensely, “you’re losing your mind. Happy?”
“No,” Rodney says. He steps closer, reaching out to touch John’s arm. When John jerks away and steps back against the wall to avoid another touch, his eyes cloud over with new hurt. “What happened? What did I do?”
John shoots a glance at the transporter console, but it’s still locked up tight, and he can’t reach past Rodney to undo it without touching him again – something he’s not willing to risk. So he crosses his arms over his chest defensively instead and affects his most insolent slouch.
“I’m pretty sure I don’t have to explain it to you.”
Rodney looks at him for a minute, the corner of his mouth tipped down sadly. Then, he dips his head and stares at his wringing hands, body language suddenly changing from confrontational to nervous. “Katie’s never been involved in anything before, okay? She…she stays in Atlantis most of the time, or goes to planets that have already been cleared,” he mumbles quietly. “And us? We’ve nearly – well, you more than me, and you should really work on that because it’s not good for my heart, and –”
“McKay,” John warns.
“Right, yes.” Rodney’s shoulders rise around his ears protectively. “We get shot at and punched and taken captive and – everything the Pegasus Galaxy can throw at us, really – nearly every week. It’s what we do. But Katie only sees the lab, John, and – she was scared, okay? I just wanted to help.”
John’s quiet for a long time. So long that Rodney starts to fidget and almost dejectedly raises his hand to enable the transporter again.
“If you’re ever not there when I wake up again,” John mutters, and leans in to wrap his arms around Rodney’s tense shoulders. He feels the explosive sigh of relief Rodney lets out against his neck, the too-tight way Rodney squeezes him when they manage a proper hug, and it’s settling in a way that even having his memory back wasn’t.
Rodney murmurs, “I promise,” and that’s the end of that.