Post Secret ficlet by Lucia Zephyr
Feb. 12th, 2006 03:14 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
lucia-tanaka.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
sga_flashficFor this postcard
The first time it happened was right after he'd gotten his skin back, post-retrovirus incident. He was still having trouble re-learning his own skin, even with Teyla's help. It was late and he wasn't tired yet, so he walked to the labs to check in on the CSO.
The door whooshed open and Rodney shoved something in his desk, slamming the drawer shut. "Colonel."
John put on his best smile and sauntered over. "What're you working on, Rodney?"
And Rodney fumbled around on his laptop, muttering about energy readings, very vague and ambling along. John let it slide for now.
---
The second time, he couldn't help but ask. It was the next day, around the same time. The slamming sound was back, but little pieces of thin metal were scattered over Rodney's desk still, along with a soldering iron that was smoking slightly.
John picked up the iron, turning it carefully over in his hands. "What're you up to, McKay?"
"None of your business- what are you doing here?" Rodney snapped, snatching the tool away.
John flinched. "Just checking in before bed."
Rodney looked up at him, annoyed look gone, looking regretful. "Oh, ah... Yes, makes sense you're having trouble sleeping," he murmured quietly.
"I didn't say that, McKay." John frowned at the odd behavior.
"It's two in the morning, Colonel." Rodney pointed to the digital clock on the wall. Huh, so it was.
"Well, I better..." John hooked a finger over his shoulder, walking backwards to the door.
Rodney nodded. "Goodnight, Colonel."
-
The third day, Rodney was waiting for him. It felt silly to go back to the lab again after the conversation last night, but he was drawn there, curious if Rodney would get that awkward, unreadable expression on his face again.
He had his feet propped up on the desk, leaning back in his chair, looking especially confident about something. "Evening, Colonel."
"What, not hiding away your arts and craft project this time?" John quipped, leaning on the other side of the desk, looking around the area.
"Finished it." Rodney put his feet down and leaned down under his desk. He came up again with something covered with an oil cloth like the ones that had covered the consoles in Atlantis when they'd first arrived. He placed it gently on the desk and sat back, looking anxious again. John raised an eyebrow, silent inquiry. Rodney nodded, wringing his hands, equally silent consent.
John tugged the top of cloth. It slid off the object smoothly and John let it fall to the floor, gaze settling on the object, now uncovered.
It was a miniture ferris wheel, glinting brightly where the light hit it. Spokes, circles, and carriages, even some curling pieces on the side for decor. John swallowed thickly and set one finger on it, the top, and pushed. The wheel spun perfectly for a few seconds, momentum carrying it. "Rodney..." John breathed, staring at the wonderful toy- a present, he realized belatedly, for him.
"You always say it to the natives, you know. You like ferris wheels," Rodney's voice was soft, near a whisper. There was something very private about it, very inclusive. "Since it'd be a bit obvious, building a life-size..." he trailed off, shrugging.
"I love it." John spun the little wheel again, enrapt. "It's amazing." He smiled up at Rodney, so wide it felt almost painful.
Rodney just smiled back.
Pales in comparison to the artwork it's based off though.
The first time it happened was right after he'd gotten his skin back, post-retrovirus incident. He was still having trouble re-learning his own skin, even with Teyla's help. It was late and he wasn't tired yet, so he walked to the labs to check in on the CSO.
The door whooshed open and Rodney shoved something in his desk, slamming the drawer shut. "Colonel."
John put on his best smile and sauntered over. "What're you working on, Rodney?"
And Rodney fumbled around on his laptop, muttering about energy readings, very vague and ambling along. John let it slide for now.
---
The second time, he couldn't help but ask. It was the next day, around the same time. The slamming sound was back, but little pieces of thin metal were scattered over Rodney's desk still, along with a soldering iron that was smoking slightly.
John picked up the iron, turning it carefully over in his hands. "What're you up to, McKay?"
"None of your business- what are you doing here?" Rodney snapped, snatching the tool away.
John flinched. "Just checking in before bed."
Rodney looked up at him, annoyed look gone, looking regretful. "Oh, ah... Yes, makes sense you're having trouble sleeping," he murmured quietly.
"I didn't say that, McKay." John frowned at the odd behavior.
"It's two in the morning, Colonel." Rodney pointed to the digital clock on the wall. Huh, so it was.
"Well, I better..." John hooked a finger over his shoulder, walking backwards to the door.
Rodney nodded. "Goodnight, Colonel."
-
The third day, Rodney was waiting for him. It felt silly to go back to the lab again after the conversation last night, but he was drawn there, curious if Rodney would get that awkward, unreadable expression on his face again.
He had his feet propped up on the desk, leaning back in his chair, looking especially confident about something. "Evening, Colonel."
"What, not hiding away your arts and craft project this time?" John quipped, leaning on the other side of the desk, looking around the area.
"Finished it." Rodney put his feet down and leaned down under his desk. He came up again with something covered with an oil cloth like the ones that had covered the consoles in Atlantis when they'd first arrived. He placed it gently on the desk and sat back, looking anxious again. John raised an eyebrow, silent inquiry. Rodney nodded, wringing his hands, equally silent consent.
John tugged the top of cloth. It slid off the object smoothly and John let it fall to the floor, gaze settling on the object, now uncovered.
It was a miniture ferris wheel, glinting brightly where the light hit it. Spokes, circles, and carriages, even some curling pieces on the side for decor. John swallowed thickly and set one finger on it, the top, and pushed. The wheel spun perfectly for a few seconds, momentum carrying it. "Rodney..." John breathed, staring at the wonderful toy- a present, he realized belatedly, for him.
"You always say it to the natives, you know. You like ferris wheels," Rodney's voice was soft, near a whisper. There was something very private about it, very inclusive. "Since it'd be a bit obvious, building a life-size..." he trailed off, shrugging.
"I love it." John spun the little wheel again, enrapt. "It's amazing." He smiled up at Rodney, so wide it felt almost painful.
Rodney just smiled back.
Pales in comparison to the artwork it's based off though.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2006-02-12 09:22 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-02-12 09:30 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-02-12 09:30 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-02-12 09:31 pm (UTC)"There was something very private about it, very inclusive."
awww, you can just imagine them, all alone in the lab, whispering, just for them.
Lovely.. thank you for sharing.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-02-12 09:40 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-02-12 10:04 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-02-12 10:11 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-02-12 10:33 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-02-12 10:41 pm (UTC)So I have this manip...
Date: 2006-02-12 11:27 pm (UTC)This fanfic was so sweet made me want to share, I dedicate to you John and the ferris wheel.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-02-12 11:36 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-02-13 12:57 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-02-13 01:09 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-02-13 03:29 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-02-13 02:10 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-02-13 02:43 pm (UTC)For reals.
*sigh*