*****

Five Minutes in a Puddle Jumper:

John never thought of himself as a romantic kind of guy. He knew he was charming and he knew he could woo a girl when he wanted to, but romantic... sappy... those were not adjectives he would use to describe himself.

And they were definitely not words he'd use to describe Genius Extraordinaire Dr. Rodney McKay and there were a lot of adjectives that one could use to describe Rodney. He hated acts of sentimentality and mocked those that like to take part in such acts. It was just in Rodney's nature to be that way and John had gotten used to it.

John knew exactly what Rodney would say if he caught John sitting in a chair across from Rodney's bed as John watched him sleep. He'd ask John why he was being ridiculous or why he wasn't in bed with Rodney for which John didn't have a real answer. He couldn't even explain it himself.

There wasn't anything special about watching Rodney sleep. In fact it was a tad bit gross what with the drool and the slight snoring, but John couldn't find it in himself to stop staring. Couldn't muster up the strength to move from his chair, take off his clothes, snuggle close to Rodney and let sleep overtake him.

He'd certainly seen enough excitement in the last few days that merited sleep. John wasn't so sure that Rodney would be too happy with him if he did snuggle up to Rodney. He'd been calm and collective- as much as Rodney could be in a life or death situation and running on drug stimulates and way too much coffee- in front of the others. Barely acknowledged that John had made it out of his little suicide mission alive.

In private, that was a different matter. He'd been explosive, mouth moving a million miles a minute and his hands flapping in the air wildly. He'd called John stupid and an asshole and sorely lacking a self-preservation instinct along with a few more choice insults before stomping off to talk more geek babble with Zelenka.

John had had a feeling that it hadn't been over and he was probably right. Rodney could hold grudges like nobody John ever knew. Could do the silent treatment while speaking a million insults and Rodney was the only person John knew who could be silent while talking.

But Rodney was tired. Rodney hadn't slept in days. Rodney had crashed when they knew Atlantis was more or less safe not bothering to figure out what their new shiny ZPM did for the city and all the things that couldn't work before without it. He'd said he was taking a very long nap and that no one was to bother him unless something was very close to blowing up.

John didn't want to wake him up only to argue with him. He wanted Rodney to get some rest. Wanted Rodney to wake up fully regenerated and maybe a little less worried that everything would go wrong. Wanted to reassure Rodney that though he had done something very stupid to save the city, he wasn't dead. They weren't dead.

It was funny, how much John felt himself caring for Rodney. There was a time when he would have denied because he'd been down that road before and it just led to badness. He'd even had brief flings with alien priestess just to prove to himself that there were better things then Rodney McKay in the galaxy.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Are you even trying?" John asked in an exasperated tone.

"Yes, of course I'm trying. Why wouldn't I be trying?" Rodney said in an incredulous tone.

"Because it doesn't feel like you're trying." John said.

"Yes, well, this isn't exactly my area of expertise. I know it seems almost unlikely that there wouldn't be something that I didn't know..."

"Well if you actually listened to me instead of complained about the injustice..."

"If you ask me there's no reason why I need to learn how to fly a... puddle jumper." Rodney said wincing on puddle jumper.

"There's loads of reasons why you learning how to fly the jumpers is very important. You've got the gene now, Rodney. Because of that you're the only one besides me that can fly it. If I get hurt... again..." John said rubbing his neck.

"If I get hurt there's gotta be someone who can fly it. That means you."

"I'm sure there'll be someone else who can fly it."

"It's just the four of us on the team. Teyla is obviously out and Ford hasn't had the gene therapy. That leaves you."

Rodney grumbled some more and John sighed. He'd seen Dr. Beckett refuse to cooperate when Rodney asked him to turn something on with his brain. Rodney was oddly reminiscent of those few times.

John couldn't believe he was doing this. He could have regulated one of the people under his command to do this. He didn't understand why he'd felt the need to be such a masochist. Time with Rodney usually lead to whining or a slew of insults about all things sundry.

But John had this really weird urge to spend time with Rodney. Time that wasn't regulated to off-world missions and Wraith attacks. And John figured the best way to get it out of his system was to spend time with Rodney because there was no way he could spend time with Rodney and still want to spend time with him.

So far his theory was working.

"Alright, but if I crash this thing and we both die in a fiery inferno then I get full privileges to personally say I told you so."

John sighed and rolled his eyes. He cleared his throat and looked over at Rodney who was sitting in the driver's seat of the puddle jumper.

"It's like running any other Ancient technology. You just think on and it turns on. You just think up and it goes up. You just think fly and it flies."

"That's it?" Rodney asked.

"Well, basically."

Rodney rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Well best get started then." Rodney said.

He closed his eyes and it was clear that he was trying to think on at the puddle jumper. John knew it might take a bit. The jumpers responded to John readily, but he'd seen it take awhile for it to work for some of the other people with the gene.

When John felt the familiar hum and vibration of the jumper moving, he smiled.

"Is it... is it hovering?" Rodney asked his hands firmly on the controls.

"Yup... it does that. Gets energy, but you have to work it."

"You mean the controls. As in fly it for real. As in I can't just think about flying it I have to actually use the controls to do so."

"Well it's not like you can just fly it without a little work on your part. Just... listen to it."

"You want me to listen to an inanimate objects?"

"If you just... pay attention to what the jumper wants to do, then you should be able to pull it off." John said.

He knew he sounded insane. He'd gotten looks back when he was teaching lieutenant's how to fly. He couldn't ever really teach anyone about flying and all it's magnificent qualities. He just told them that if it happened, it happened. They usually never let him teach after that.

"Your methods of teaching are outstanding." Rodney said in that dry sarcastic tone he had mastered.

"Just pull up on the controls a bit. The jumper's rigged with inertial dampners..."

"Yes I know, I was the one that told you that."

"So it shouldn't be a problem when you pull up. We should just glide into the air."

"Just glide. Things would go that smoothly?"

"Well, maybe not that smoothly." John said with a grin.

Rodney looked slightly worried, but did as he was told. He pulled up on the controls and the jumper flew into the air, not to high, but high enough. They were in an area that wasn't very populated by trees or plant life and totally void of people.

"Okay, now just, try to fly it in a straight line. It's not that much different then driving a car." John said.

Rodney blanched a little and gulped. He pulled the controls toward him and the jumper flew forward, not totally straight, but pretty close. Close enough for a first time anyway.

"Good. See it's not that hard. Like I said, like driving a car... only without brakes at the bottom."

"Yes, well, driving a car... easy enough."

There was something in Rodney's tone that implied he was keeping something secret.

"McKay?"

"Yes?" Rodney said eyes firmly in the wide space in front of him. He was concentrating way too hard.

"You ever drive a car?"

"Oh, yes, loads of times."

"You know there's actually sweat forming on your forehead. That's how bad you're lying." John said.

"I'm glad you find me so amusing, Major."

"How could you never have driven a car?"

"I tried to learn... once. Look I was pretty young when I went to university. You know, genius and all that. By the time my dad decided it was a good idea to teach me I was already twenty."

John shook his head intent on listening to Rodney's story. Somehow the idea of Rodney never driving a car made him slightly... endearing.

"So he took me out in his car, beauty of a car too. Some old mustang that he treasured with his life. He took me out in it and I..."

"You totaled the car didn't you."

"I wouldn't say totaled. It just... it took a lot of money to fix. So he yelled at me and I just never bothered to learn. I mean I learned some, but I never bothered to get a license or anything like that."

"Well, you know if you ever get us back to Earth..."

"Yes because it'll be all my doing if we get back to Earth..."

"If you get us back to Earth... I'll teach you how to drive. We'll even rent a car on the SGC. You can total it as much as you'd like."

Rodney looked over at John and smiled. Okay so maybe his whole plan about spending time with Rodney would diminish interest wasn't working as well as he planned. He smiled back at Rodney.

"Thank you... that's very... kind of you to offer, Major."

"Yeah, yeah, eyes in front of you please." John said adopting his best 'I don't care, but I really do I just don't want you to know it' voice.

"Oh, yeah right." Rodney said jerkily moving to look forward.

He had that same look of fear on his face as continued to fly the puddle jumper as straight as he could.

John nodded. He'd had a friend, really smart guy back in high school, who couldn't drive for the life of him. He over thought things. He was hesitant. John took to driving like he took to flying... with ease.

"I think I know what your problem is."

"So now I have a problem."

"Look, you over think things. I guess it's just in your nature."

"Yes, well, no one ever gotten mad at me for over thinking things. In fact I've lived a pretty good life over thinking things."

John could feel the jumper moving from side to side without having to pull up any navigational guides. Rodney clearly needed to be calm when operating the jumper's.

"How about we call it a day and I take over the controls."

"Fine." Rodney said moving out of the driver's seat as fast as he could.

John moved into it and easily took over the controls. He'd flown enough puddle jumpers to know exactly how they worked. It was all about precision and ease and letting the jumper do its thing when need be.

There was nothing like flying through the stargate though. The jumper just took over, smoothly gliding through the stargate like it didn't need John. Made John feel special and obsolete all at once.

They made it to the jumper bay without any questions asked. Just a weirdly quite day in Atlantis with no off-world teams and no Wraith threats. Almost seemed surreally normal.

"You really enjoy flying." Rodney asked when John parked the jumper in its spot and turned it off.

"Yeah, well I like flying period. Sometimes I miss the feel of a chopper though, but the jumpers are pretty cool."

"Yes, well, they're Ancient technology so I guess I'd have to go with your assessment of 'pretty cool'."

John smiled and got up to walk out of the jumper and try and make the best of his day off.

"Major."

John turned to look back out Rodney who had slide out of his seat and was walking toward John, curious and uncertain look on his face. He was wringing his hands when he stopped in front of John.

"Yes?"

"I... I can see where me learning how to operate the jumper would be... beneficial to the team in the long run. And, for a few minutes there, I was actually... enjoying having the jumper under my control. So I wouldn't be adverse to..."

"You wanna go out again don't you?"

"Well, like I was saying I wouldn't be adverse..."

John grinned at Rodney's nervous behavior, a part of his brain registering how cute it was that Rodney was this nervous about asking John to take him out again when it had been John's idea in the first place. John stepped a little closer to him, placing his hand on Rodney's shoulder and smiled.

"Rodney I would be glad to take you out again. Like I said it would be good for you to know how to fly it if I ever got hurt again." John said with a smile.

Rodney let out a nervous smile and looked at John through his lashes.

"Right, well, I'm a very busy person so..."

John couldn't honestly say he was listening to Rodney at that moment. He noticed things about Rodney, things he'd been suppressing ever since he met Rodney cause those things led to feelings and John really couldn't allow himself to have any feelings for Rodney.

It had been Rodney's mouth. It was the first thing that John had noticed about Rodney. Always moving a mile a minute and John had never met anyone that had a crooked mouth before and for some reason it fascinated him.

It made John want to take Rodney flying despite how utterly annoying Rodney could be. Made John want Rodney to insult him because Rodney may have the greatest mind in two galaxies, but his mouth always seemed to move faster than his brain quick with insults and complaints.

And John was watching that mouth right now with great interest as it spewed forth more knowledge about how Rodney wasn't really capable with things that went really fast, but he wanted to be and John couldn't help it that he'd pulled Rodney forward, hands gripping tight on his forearms. Couldn't really help it when he leaned forward and kissed that mouth that had been featured in a few of his fantasies since coming to the Pegasus Galaxy.

At first Rodney had been still and John was about to pull away and hope he could get out of it with some sort of weird screwy explanation when Rodney's hands tentatively wrapped around John's waist. Lips moved against lips. Tongues battled with each other. It was passionate and overwhelming and just a little bit sloppy and John loved the feel of Rodney's lips against his own just a little too much.

Loved the feel of Rodney's weight against his body. Loved the feel of Rodney's hands moving up and down his back and sides, gently caressing him as they kissed. John had a feeling he could probably get lost in kissing Rodney.

And that was when John pulled away. Stepped back at least four steps like he'd been burned.

"Um... we'll just... pretend that that..."

Rodney's jaw set and he glared at John. His arms folded across his chest and he rolled his eyes.

"Yes of course lets just pretend that that never happened. I get the drift." Rodney said pushing past John and out of the jumper.

And John felt, that despite stopping himself for falling at the moment, it would only be a matter of time.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

John's actions to delay the inevitable, or at least what he felt was the inevitable, had been the total opposite of a puddle jumper going through the stargate. He'd been bumbling and awkward. He'd avoided Rodney when they were in Atlantis and tried to treat him with nothing but professionalism when they were on missions. There'd been a few kinks in that plan. Mostly when Rodney's life had been in danger which had been a lot not so surprisingly.

He'd try to be cool about it, but usually something inside him was screaming and going crazy. It was enough to make John want to throw something at someone really hard. But then there'd been Chaya. Sweet alien priestess Chaya who was simple yet understood John and was completely enamored with the idea of not being alone so much that she let herself believe she was enamored with John and John believed he was enamored with her.

But she lacked. Of course she lacked because John had Rodney on the brain and he knew it was sick to actually get some sort of pleasure at seeing Rodney jealous with him and Chaya.

John guessed that's why he'd been punished on Dagan, having to see Alina flirt kind of shamelessly with Rodney, John's only consolation being that Rodney hadn't even noticed. And okay they should have kept it that way because they lost a ZPM because of it, but John was all too happy that Rodney hadn't taken part in anything with the natives. He really shouldn't have gotten a sick thrill from Rodney calling her a whole bunch of expletives though.

It was shortly after that that John had said to hell with it and whatever military rules he'd been trying to live by or whatever suppression he'd been dealing with because with three Wraith hive ships on there way and Rodney panicking so badly he 'passed out' numerous times, they just didn't seem to matter.

Rodney had gone on and on about how being at death's doorstep wasn't exactly the great foundations of a lasting relationship, but caved as soon as the prospect of great sex had been put on the table. Because according to Rodney, great sex was a good way to forget about their near death situation for at least an hour. John couldn't disagree with him.

John looked over at Rodney as he made a weird snorting noise in his sleep. Rodney's hand batted in front of him and he was instantly awake, muttering something that suspiciously sounded like city coordinates. He shot straight up and looked around wildly, eyes setting on John and he looked confused.

"What are you doing in here? And why are you sitting in a chair instead of sleeping. You must be tired." Rodney said, voice still sleepy sounding.

"Just got done assigning assignments to my people on patrolling the city. Colonel Caldwell was looking over my shoulder the whole time."

"Yes, well, it doesn't explain why you're sitting in that chair."

"I was watching you sleep." John said before he could stop himself.

Rodney looked even more confused.

"Why would you do something silly like that?"

"Because I like watching you sleep. It's very..."

"Weird and also slightly stalkerish."

John sighed. Rodney was not one for sappy shows of affection.

"Well, don't just sit there in that chair. It looks very uncomfortable. I'm developing back injury just looking at you." Rodney said as he patted his bed.

It was a known fact that Atlantis beds were way to small for two people. He and Rodney had managed before, but that had been after sex and it was usually because John had been lying half on top of Rodney at the time.

Of course John wasn't about to argue with a sleepy Rodney. He was kind of tired himself. He sighed and pulled off his shoes and pants and slid into the bed next to Rodney who was lying on his side. He curled up as close as he could to Rodney's back, arm slung around Rodney's waist and chin resting on Rodney's shoulder.

"You still mad at me."

"In excess."

"You know I did it to save Atlantis. I needed to do it otherwise the Wraith would have..."

"Yes, yes I'm very well aware of what would have happened had you not attempted your little harebrained scheme. I'm very glad it worked and that you didn't have to die horribly in the process."

"But you're still mad."

"Of course I'm still mad. You can't just have great sex with someone for two weeks and expecting them not to grow some sort of... attachment. And let's not forget all the flirting and dancing around we did before that. So when one gets attached to someone they get understandably upset when that someone goes on a stupid suicide mission."

"Attached? How romantic of you Rodney."

"Oh please if you want romance you're going to the wrong person, Major."

"I'll just settle for you calling me John."

John heard Rodney sigh and felt him twist around so they were facing each other.

"John..."

"Yes."

"This... this thing that we've sort of... developed. It's not just an outcry because you thought we were going to die, right. I mean... it extends even though we're not dead and not in any threat of being dead... right?"

John sighed. Rodney... was unbelievably cute when he was being nervous and using such big words to describe something as simple as a relationship. He kissed him gently on the forehead and pulled him close.

"Of course it does. Like you said we've been dancing around this for awhile."

"Then of course that kiss in the jumper."

"How could I forget that."

"I just wasn't sure. I mean you took off with just a 'so long, Rodney'."

"Did you expect me to go into a long drawn out goodbye with the time constraints."

"I was hoping for something a little more... personal."

"If I had gotten personal... I wouldn't have been able to do it. You know I'm attached to you too Rodney. A lot more attached than you may think."

"Oh well that's good. Because I'm very attached to you too."

"And next time I go on a suicide mission I'll get more personal."

"There's not going to be a next time. Now more suicide missions for you. I don't think my blood pressure could take it."

"Well you'll just have to do everything within your power to keep Atlantis safe without me having to do suicide missions."

"If that's what it takes to keep your scrawny ass from trouble then I guess I'll just have to take one for the team."

Rodney snuggled up close to John and let out a sleepy sigh. John could tell he was drifting off to sleep. John kissed him again on the temple and didn't even want to say anything about the scrawny ass comment as Rodney's arm flung over his waist and Rodney's legs entangled with his own.

Rodney may not be sappy, but John liked him just the way he was.

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TITLE: Five Minutes in a Puddle Jumper
AUTHOR: Clockstopper
RATING: PG
PAIRING: John/Rodney
DISTRIBUTION: Currently playing on LJ. You want just ask! Tell me where my baby's going though.
DISCLAIMER: The Characters in this story are not mine. I wish they were, but they aren't. They belong to the good folks at SciFi and Robert Copper and Brad Wright. Those guys are geniuses not me.
SPOILERS: Childhood's End and Siege all three parts
WARNING: Language
*****

Five Minutes in a Puddle Jumper:

John never thought of himself as a romantic kind of guy. He knew he was charming and he knew he could woo a girl when he wanted to, but romantic... sappy... those were not adjectives he would use to describe himself.

And they were definitely not words he'd use to describe Genius Extraordinaire Dr. Rodney McKay and there were a lot of adjectives that one could use to describe Rodney. He hated acts of sentimentality and mocked those that like to take part in such acts. It was just in Rodney's nature to be that way and John had gotten used to it.

John knew exactly what Rodney would say if he caught John sitting in a chair across from Rodney's bed as John watched him sleep. He'd ask John why he was being ridiculous or why he wasn't in bed with Rodney for which John didn't have a real answer. He couldn't even explain it himself.

There wasn't anything special about watching Rodney sleep. In fact it was a tad bit gross what with the drool and the slight snoring, but John couldn't find it in himself to stop staring. Couldn't muster up the strength to move from his chair, take off his clothes, snuggle close to Rodney and let sleep overtake him.

He'd certainly seen enough excitement in the last few days that merited sleep. John wasn't so sure that Rodney would be too happy with him if he did snuggle up to Rodney. He'd been calm and collective- as much as Rodney could be in a life or death situation and running on drug stimulates and way too much coffee- in front of the others. Barely acknowledged that John had made it out of his little suicide mission alive.

In private, that was a different matter. He'd been explosive, mouth moving a million miles a minute and his hands flapping in the air wildly. He'd called John stupid and an asshole and sorely lacking a self-preservation instinct along with a few more choice insults before stomping off to talk more geek babble with Zelenka.

John had had a feeling that it hadn't been over and he was probably right. Rodney could hold grudges like nobody John ever knew. Could do the silent treatment while speaking a million insults and Rodney was the only person John knew who could be silent while talking.

But Rodney was tired. Rodney hadn't slept in days. Rodney had crashed when they knew Atlantis was more or less safe not bothering to figure out what their new shiny ZPM did for the city and all the things that couldn't work before without it. He'd said he was taking a very long nap and that no one was to bother him unless something was very close to blowing up.

John didn't want to wake him up only to argue with him. He wanted Rodney to get some rest. Wanted Rodney to wake up fully regenerated and maybe a little less worried that everything would go wrong. Wanted to reassure Rodney that though he had done something very stupid to save the city, he wasn't dead. They weren't dead.

It was funny, how much John felt himself caring for Rodney. There was a time when he would have denied because he'd been down that road before and it just led to badness. He'd even had brief flings with alien priestess just to prove to himself that there were better things then Rodney McKay in the galaxy.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Are you even trying?" John asked in an exasperated tone.

"Yes, of course I'm trying. Why wouldn't I be trying?" Rodney said in an incredulous tone.

"Because it doesn't feel like you're trying." John said.

"Yes, well, this isn't exactly my area of expertise. I know it seems almost unlikely that there wouldn't be something that I didn't know..."

"Well if you actually listened to me instead of complained about the injustice..."

"If you ask me there's no reason why I need to learn how to fly a... puddle jumper." Rodney said wincing on puddle jumper.

"There's loads of reasons why you learning how to fly the jumpers is very important. You've got the gene now, Rodney. Because of that you're the only one besides me that can fly it. If I get hurt... again..." John said rubbing his neck.

"If I get hurt there's gotta be someone who can fly it. That means you."

"I'm sure there'll be someone else who can fly it."

"It's just the four of us on the team. Teyla is obviously out and Ford hasn't had the gene therapy. That leaves you."

Rodney grumbled some more and John sighed. He'd seen Dr. Beckett refuse to cooperate when Rodney asked him to turn something on with his brain. Rodney was oddly reminiscent of those few times.

John couldn't believe he was doing this. He could have regulated one of the people under his command to do this. He didn't understand why he'd felt the need to be such a masochist. Time with Rodney usually lead to whining or a slew of insults about all things sundry.

But John had this really weird urge to spend time with Rodney. Time that wasn't regulated to off-world missions and Wraith attacks. And John figured the best way to get it out of his system was to spend time with Rodney because there was no way he could spend time with Rodney and still want to spend time with him.

So far his theory was working.

"Alright, but if I crash this thing and we both die in a fiery inferno then I get full privileges to personally say I told you so."

John sighed and rolled his eyes. He cleared his throat and looked over at Rodney who was sitting in the driver's seat of the puddle jumper.

"It's like running any other Ancient technology. You just think on and it turns on. You just think up and it goes up. You just think fly and it flies."

"That's it?" Rodney asked.

"Well, basically."

Rodney rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Well best get started then." Rodney said.

He closed his eyes and it was clear that he was trying to think on at the puddle jumper. John knew it might take a bit. The jumpers responded to John readily, but he'd seen it take awhile for it to work for some of the other people with the gene.

When John felt the familiar hum and vibration of the jumper moving, he smiled.

"Is it... is it hovering?" Rodney asked his hands firmly on the controls.

"Yup... it does that. Gets energy, but you have to work it."

"You mean the controls. As in fly it for real. As in I can't just think about flying it I have to actually use the controls to do so."

"Well it's not like you can just fly it without a little work on your part. Just... listen to it."

"You want me to listen to an inanimate objects?"

"If you just... pay attention to what the jumper wants to do, then you should be able to pull it off." John said.

He knew he sounded insane. He'd gotten looks back when he was teaching lieutenant's how to fly. He couldn't ever really teach anyone about flying and all it's magnificent qualities. He just told them that if it happened, it happened. They usually never let him teach after that.

"Your methods of teaching are outstanding." Rodney said in that dry sarcastic tone he had mastered.

"Just pull up on the controls a bit. The jumper's rigged with inertial dampners..."

"Yes I know, I was the one that told you that."

"So it shouldn't be a problem when you pull up. We should just glide into the air."

"Just glide. Things would go that smoothly?"

"Well, maybe not that smoothly." John said with a grin.

Rodney looked slightly worried, but did as he was told. He pulled up on the controls and the jumper flew into the air, not to high, but high enough. They were in an area that wasn't very populated by trees or plant life and totally void of people.

"Okay, now just, try to fly it in a straight line. It's not that much different then driving a car." John said.

Rodney blanched a little and gulped. He pulled the controls toward him and the jumper flew forward, not totally straight, but pretty close. Close enough for a first time anyway.

"Good. See it's not that hard. Like I said, like driving a car... only without brakes at the bottom."

"Yes, well, driving a car... easy enough."

There was something in Rodney's tone that implied he was keeping something secret.

"McKay?"

"Yes?" Rodney said eyes firmly in the wide space in front of him. He was concentrating way too hard.

"You ever drive a car?"

"Oh, yes, loads of times."

"You know there's actually sweat forming on your forehead. That's how bad you're lying." John said.

"I'm glad you find me so amusing, Major."

"How could you never have driven a car?"

"I tried to learn... once. Look I was pretty young when I went to university. You know, genius and all that. By the time my dad decided it was a good idea to teach me I was already twenty."

John shook his head intent on listening to Rodney's story. Somehow the idea of Rodney never driving a car made him slightly... endearing.

"So he took me out in his car, beauty of a car too. Some old mustang that he treasured with his life. He took me out in it and I..."

"You totaled the car didn't you."

"I wouldn't say totaled. It just... it took a lot of money to fix. So he yelled at me and I just never bothered to learn. I mean I learned some, but I never bothered to get a license or anything like that."

"Well, you know if you ever get us back to Earth..."

"Yes because it'll be all my doing if we get back to Earth..."

"If you get us back to Earth... I'll teach you how to drive. We'll even rent a car on the SGC. You can total it as much as you'd like."

Rodney looked over at John and smiled. Okay so maybe his whole plan about spending time with Rodney would diminish interest wasn't working as well as he planned. He smiled back at Rodney.

"Thank you... that's very... kind of you to offer, Major."

"Yeah, yeah, eyes in front of you please." John said adopting his best 'I don't care, but I really do I just don't want you to know it' voice.

"Oh, yeah right." Rodney said jerkily moving to look forward.

He had that same look of fear on his face as continued to fly the puddle jumper as straight as he could.

John nodded. He'd had a friend, really smart guy back in high school, who couldn't drive for the life of him. He over thought things. He was hesitant. John took to driving like he took to flying... with ease.

"I think I know what your problem is."

"So now I have a problem."

"Look, you over think things. I guess it's just in your nature."

"Yes, well, no one ever gotten mad at me for over thinking things. In fact I've lived a pretty good life over thinking things."

John could feel the jumper moving from side to side without having to pull up any navigational guides. Rodney clearly needed to be calm when operating the jumper's.

"How about we call it a day and I take over the controls."

"Fine." Rodney said moving out of the driver's seat as fast as he could.

John moved into it and easily took over the controls. He'd flown enough puddle jumpers to know exactly how they worked. It was all about precision and ease and letting the jumper do its thing when need be.

There was nothing like flying through the stargate though. The jumper just took over, smoothly gliding through the stargate like it didn't need John. Made John feel special and obsolete all at once.

They made it to the jumper bay without any questions asked. Just a weirdly quite day in Atlantis with no off-world teams and no Wraith threats. Almost seemed surreally normal.

"You really enjoy flying." Rodney asked when John parked the jumper in its spot and turned it off.

"Yeah, well I like flying period. Sometimes I miss the feel of a chopper though, but the jumpers are pretty cool."

"Yes, well, they're Ancient technology so I guess I'd have to go with your assessment of 'pretty cool'."

John smiled and got up to walk out of the jumper and try and make the best of his day off.

"Major."

John turned to look back out Rodney who had slide out of his seat and was walking toward John, curious and uncertain look on his face. He was wringing his hands when he stopped in front of John.

"Yes?"

"I... I can see where me learning how to operate the jumper would be... beneficial to the team in the long run. And, for a few minutes there, I was actually... enjoying having the jumper under my control. So I wouldn't be adverse to..."

"You wanna go out again don't you?"

"Well, like I was saying I wouldn't be adverse..."

John grinned at Rodney's nervous behavior, a part of his brain registering how cute it was that Rodney was this nervous about asking John to take him out again when it had been John's idea in the first place. John stepped a little closer to him, placing his hand on Rodney's shoulder and smiled.

"Rodney I would be glad to take you out again. Like I said it would be good for you to know how to fly it if I ever got hurt again." John said with a smile.

Rodney let out a nervous smile and looked at John through his lashes.

"Right, well, I'm a very busy person so..."

John couldn't honestly say he was listening to Rodney at that moment. He noticed things about Rodney, things he'd been suppressing ever since he met Rodney cause those things led to feelings and John really couldn't allow himself to have any feelings for Rodney.

It had been Rodney's mouth. It was the first thing that John had noticed about Rodney. Always moving a mile a minute and John had never met anyone that had a crooked mouth before and for some reason it fascinated him.

It made John want to take Rodney flying despite how utterly annoying Rodney could be. Made John want Rodney to insult him because Rodney may have the greatest mind in two galaxies, but his mouth always seemed to move faster than his brain quick with insults and complaints.

And John was watching that mouth right now with great interest as it spewed forth more knowledge about how Rodney wasn't really capable with things that went really fast, but he wanted to be and John couldn't help it that he'd pulled Rodney forward, hands gripping tight on his forearms. Couldn't really help it when he leaned forward and kissed that mouth that had been featured in a few of his fantasies since coming to the Pegasus Galaxy.

At first Rodney had been still and John was about to pull away and hope he could get out of it with some sort of weird screwy explanation when Rodney's hands tentatively wrapped around John's waist. Lips moved against lips. Tongues battled with each other. It was passionate and overwhelming and just a little bit sloppy and John loved the feel of Rodney's lips against his own just a little too much.

Loved the feel of Rodney's weight against his body. Loved the feel of Rodney's hands moving up and down his back and sides, gently caressing him as they kissed. John had a feeling he could probably get lost in kissing Rodney.

And that was when John pulled away. Stepped back at least four steps like he'd been burned.

"Um... we'll just... pretend that that..."

Rodney's jaw set and he glared at John. His arms folded across his chest and he rolled his eyes.

"Yes of course lets just pretend that that never happened. I get the drift." Rodney said pushing past John and out of the jumper.

And John felt, that despite stopping himself for falling at the moment, it would only be a matter of time.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

John's actions to delay the inevitable, or at least what he felt was the inevitable, had been the total opposite of a puddle jumper going through the stargate. He'd been bumbling and awkward. He'd avoided Rodney when they were in Atlantis and tried to treat him with nothing but professionalism when they were on missions. There'd been a few kinks in that plan. Mostly when Rodney's life had been in danger which had been a lot not so surprisingly.

He'd try to be cool about it, but usually something inside him was screaming and going crazy. It was enough to make John want to throw something at someone really hard. But then there'd been Chaya. Sweet alien priestess Chaya who was simple yet understood John and was completely enamored with the idea of not being alone so much that she let herself believe she was enamored with John and John believed he was enamored with her.

But she lacked. Of course she lacked because John had Rodney on the brain and he knew it was sick to actually get some sort of pleasure at seeing Rodney jealous with him and Chaya.

John guessed that's why he'd been punished on Dagan, having to see Alina flirt kind of shamelessly with Rodney, John's only consolation being that Rodney hadn't even noticed. And okay they should have kept it that way because they lost a ZPM because of it, but John was all too happy that Rodney hadn't taken part in anything with the natives. He really shouldn't have gotten a sick thrill from Rodney calling her a whole bunch of expletives though.

It was shortly after that that John had said to hell with it and whatever military rules he'd been trying to live by or whatever suppression he'd been dealing with because with three Wraith hive ships on there way and Rodney panicking so badly he 'passed out' numerous times, they just didn't seem to matter.

Rodney had gone on and on about how being at death's doorstep wasn't exactly the great foundations of a lasting relationship, but caved as soon as the prospect of great sex had been put on the table. Because according to Rodney, great sex was a good way to forget about their near death situation for at least an hour. John couldn't disagree with him.

John looked over at Rodney as he made a weird snorting noise in his sleep. Rodney's hand batted in front of him and he was instantly awake, muttering something that suspiciously sounded like city coordinates. He shot straight up and looked around wildly, eyes setting on John and he looked confused.

"What are you doing in here? And why are you sitting in a chair instead of sleeping. You must be tired." Rodney said, voice still sleepy sounding.

"Just got done assigning assignments to my people on patrolling the city. Colonel Caldwell was looking over my shoulder the whole time."

"Yes, well, it doesn't explain why you're sitting in that chair."

"I was watching you sleep." John said before he could stop himself.

Rodney looked even more confused.

"Why would you do something silly like that?"

"Because I like watching you sleep. It's very..."

"Weird and also slightly stalkerish."

John sighed. Rodney was not one for sappy shows of affection.

"Well, don't just sit there in that chair. It looks very uncomfortable. I'm developing back injury just looking at you." Rodney said as he patted his bed.

It was a known fact that Atlantis beds were way to small for two people. He and Rodney had managed before, but that had been after sex and it was usually because John had been lying half on top of Rodney at the time.

Of course John wasn't about to argue with a sleepy Rodney. He was kind of tired himself. He sighed and pulled off his shoes and pants and slid into the bed next to Rodney who was lying on his side. He curled up as close as he could to Rodney's back, arm slung around Rodney's waist and chin resting on Rodney's shoulder.

"You still mad at me."

"In excess."

"You know I did it to save Atlantis. I needed to do it otherwise the Wraith would have..."

"Yes, yes I'm very well aware of what would have happened had you not attempted your little harebrained scheme. I'm very glad it worked and that you didn't have to die horribly in the process."

"But you're still mad."

"Of course I'm still mad. You can't just have great sex with someone for two weeks and expecting them not to grow some sort of... attachment. And let's not forget all the flirting and dancing around we did before that. So when one gets attached to someone they get understandably upset when that someone goes on a stupid suicide mission."

"Attached? How romantic of you Rodney."

"Oh please if you want romance you're going to the wrong person, Major."

"I'll just settle for you calling me John."

John heard Rodney sigh and felt him twist around so they were facing each other.

"John..."

"Yes."

"This... this thing that we've sort of... developed. It's not just an outcry because you thought we were going to die, right. I mean... it extends even though we're not dead and not in any threat of being dead... right?"

John sighed. Rodney... was unbelievably cute when he was being nervous and using such big words to describe something as simple as a relationship. He kissed him gently on the forehead and pulled him close.

"Of course it does. Like you said we've been dancing around this for awhile."

"Then of course that kiss in the jumper."

"How could I forget that."

"I just wasn't sure. I mean you took off with just a 'so long, Rodney'."

"Did you expect me to go into a long drawn out goodbye with the time constraints."

"I was hoping for something a little more... personal."

"If I had gotten personal... I wouldn't have been able to do it. You know I'm attached to you too Rodney. A lot more attached than you may think."

"Oh well that's good. Because I'm very attached to you too."

"And next time I go on a suicide mission I'll get more personal."

"There's not going to be a next time. Now more suicide missions for you. I don't think my blood pressure could take it."

"Well you'll just have to do everything within your power to keep Atlantis safe without me having to do suicide missions."

"If that's what it takes to keep your scrawny ass from trouble then I guess I'll just have to take one for the team."

Rodney snuggled up close to John and let out a sleepy sigh. John could tell he was drifting off to sleep. John kissed him again on the temple and didn't even want to say anything about the scrawny ass comment as Rodney's arm flung over his waist and Rodney's legs entangled with his own.

Rodney may not be sappy, but John liked him just the way he was.

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