eretria: a cup of Assam (team together)
[personal profile] eretria
This one is all [livejournal.com profile] auburnnothenna's. Completely an entirely hers. To quote: "Just remember, it's really mine. Miiiiiiine, precioussssss." Well. She asked me to write her sunburned John. And apparently, writing vignettes is easier than working on stories that are in the sad status of WiP for several months now, so ...

Title: Everybody's free (to wear sunscreen)
Author: [livejournal.com profile] eretria
Disclaimer: No money gained or wanted from/for writing this.
Genre: Gen, team
Spoilers: None
Summary: Everybody's free to wear sunscreen. Only, some people tend to ignore the best advices. Namely if their name is John Sheppard.
Beta-read: [livejournal.com profile] murron


Everybody's free (to wear sunscreen)


"Rodney," John says, and it is not, not at all, not even a little bit of a whine. He knows when he made a mistake, and he doesn't need Rodney walking around him in circles, humming under his breath, and muttering a gleeful "I told you so" again and again.

Okay, so maybe he should have gone for some of Rodney's sunscreen before they walked across the open plains. Ronon had his own stuff, and Teyla smells like Rodney, cocoa butter and all. However, John had decided that he wouldn't need any of Rodney's home-made sunscreen for extra lily white skin. Pansy, he had thought. Actually, he is still thinking it.

Only, Rodney is a smart pansy. And not suffering a sunburn from hell on every bit of his skin that hadn't been covered by clothes.

The light from the villages oil-lamps flickers over Teyla's smooth coffee-and-cream skin as she talks to one of the villages women, indicating John once. John fights the urge to turn away, forces himself to smile instead.

Which is a monumentally bad idea, because his entire face, hot and itchy, feels as though it's a mask that's about to come apart at the seams. He drops his head to his chest and hisses.

Rodney hums. "I t--"

"One more 'I told you so', Rodney, and I'll make you eat your damn sunscreen," John tells the dry grass on the ground between his feet. His hands flex on his knees.

"I was going to get you something to relieve the burning, but if you want to play difficult, fine, not my pr --"

John's hand shoots forward and curls around Rodney's leg. "--oblem," Rodney finishes on a squeak.

"Then do it. But no more talking. No more hints, no more jibes, no more random lobster references, are we clear?" He knows he is being unfair, but, god, Rodney had been unbelievably smug and annoying all the way through the forest and into the village. He ows John for the lack of sympathy. Big time.

Teyla's soft, barely audible steps return. She often reverts back to her Athosian boots, and those make her near perfect at stealth. She has once confessed to him that she thought of their combat boots as loud and cumbersome. Teyla and Rodney speak a few words John didn't understand from where he sat, then Rodney's heavier steps return to John's side. The breeze carries the scent of cocoa butter.

A rustle of fabric suggests that Rodney is crouching in front of John.

"All right. Shall we?"

An odd smell reaches John's nose. Oddly strong, very animal, very much like ... a goat.

John blinks his eyes open and raises his head so he can look at what Rodney holds in his hands. He frowns, once more regretting the facial expression as the skin pulls tight over his bones. In the dim light of the oil-lamps, John sees an earthenware bowl in Rodney's hands, with a milky white content.

"What is that?"

"It is the sour milk product of a nntah, Colonel," Teyla explains from the porch of the house they'll be sleeping in tonight.

Rodney leans forward, adding: "It's a goat. With very long hair, and about the size of a small cow, but believe me, from the smell? It's a goat."

There really is no reason for Rodney to be so gleeful about this, unless ...

"No."

"What?"

"No, McKay. You're not putting that stuff on me."

"Think of it as a spa day," Rodney suggests in a very helpful tone of voice.

"My skin is about to fall off my face, I don't think a spa day would help!"

"Shut up and raise your head."

That gets John's attention, his old ingrained reflexes coming to the front again. He straightens.

"Much better," Rodney comments, and really, John is so very glad that Rodney approves. He'd roll his eyes if even that wouldn't be painful. Damn sunlight.

"Now, keep your eyes closed."

"I swear to you, McKay --"

"You will make me eat the sunscreen, my boots and will take away all my chocolate as well as my cookie privileges, yes, Colonel. No need to wrack your brain for more creative threats."

Rodney doesn't speak anymore after that. He gets to work, careful and slow. A dab of the cool, cream-like goat's milk to John’s nose, a brush over his cheekbones and forehead, another on his chin. More brushing touches; careful, fleeting and unbelievably soothing. The sour-milk stuff smells awful, and John keeps complaining about it, but it really does work wonders on his abused skin. The coolness is a blessing.

John loses himself in the pleasant cool and the hypnotic sweep of Rodney's fingers on his face. Somewhere behind them, Ronon and Teyla are talking. Teyla's sudden laugh is silvery in the balmy evening air.

It's in that very moment that Rodney sits back, saying: "There."

Teyla is still laughing. So is Ronon, his bass almost drowning out the sound of Teyla's lighter voice.

"Well done, Rodney," she says, her voice vibrating with mirth.

Something unpleasant settles in John's stomach. "McKay?" John opens his eyes slowly. Sees Rodney trying hard to look perfectly innocent, only he can't fight the bouncing.

"McKay?" He can narrow his eyes now, if only marginally. Rodney is unfazed by it. Bastard.

"Yes, Colonel?"

"Give me your mirror."

"You should talk to Heightmeyer about your vanity issues, Co--"

"Now," John thunders.

Rodney reaches into the top pocket of his tac-vest, producing a small, handheld mirror with a flourish. "There you go, princess."

John glares at Rodney, snatches the mirror from his fingers. Ronon and Teyla are laughing louder now. Even Rodney has started sniggering.

John knows why when he looks into the mirror. He smells like a goat and looks like a Cherokee on the warpath.

He will kill Rodney. In many creative ways.

For now, he snatches the bowl from Rodney, pushes his entire hand inside , then shoves his sour-milk smeared hand into Rodney's unsuspecting face. Rodney is so startled he shrieks almost half a minute later.

John grins at him, all teeth.

Behind them, Teyla's laugh rises into the night sky.


fin

Date: 2007-03-02 08:09 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] auburnnothenna.livejournal.com
Mine, mine, mine. Even sour milk and a red lobster sunburn can't make let go of John or stop being happy at Teyla and Ronon laughing at him.

I need to say again: MINE.

Oh, and: MINE!

Date: 2007-03-02 10:37 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] eretria.livejournal.com
Almost anything for you, wifey.

Of course, yours. All yours. It has a tattoo saying: Property of the wifey. Can't you see it?
It also came tied with a ribbon and delivered at your doorstep.
As you can see, I did not hide John in my office. Well, not for long, anyway.

Date: 2007-03-02 10:41 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] auburnnothenna.livejournal.com
I still think you had your hussy hands all over him. But I'm willing to share. I figure your hands were being directed by my half of our brain.

Date: 2007-03-02 10:44 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] eretria.livejournal.com
So that means if I direct your hands now, you will push Rodney back in my direction? He never arrived here when you sent him 4 weeks ago, and really, what kind of bad plane service is that?

Date: 2007-03-02 10:50 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] auburnnothenna.livejournal.com
Uhm. I might have sent him parcel post. Right now, he may be on a ship or a shipping container or a container of sheep. Or Shep. But if I sees him, I'll seize him, and push him back in your direction.

Date: 2007-03-02 11:11 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] eretria.livejournal.com
Really, really, wifey? Because, the nights have been so loooooooooonely. See, I even had to make you write me snippets. All compensation, I tells you.

Date: 2007-03-02 10:30 pm (UTC)
ext_1720: two kittens with a heart between them (Default)
From: [identity profile] ladycat777.livejournal.com
Oh my god this is precious! Rodney being this kind of dork -- the kind John is, but he isn't -- is fabulous!

Date: 2007-03-02 10:33 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] eretria.livejournal.com
*squishes you* Thank you!

I think Rodney would have taken such good care to make sure John looked like a proper native American on the warpath ...
;o)

Date: 2007-03-02 10:32 pm (UTC)
aurora: (Default)
From: [personal profile] aurora
GLEE!!

I am filled with team!love right now.

Date: 2007-03-02 10:34 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] eretria.livejournal.com
I'm just not sure if John is ...

Date: 2007-03-02 10:44 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] thisissirius.livejournal.com
Oh, love!

This is exactly how it wold have hapened and Team!love! John will totally get his own back one day. He can be comforted in that fact :D

Date: 2007-03-02 10:45 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] eretria.livejournal.com
Believe me, he is plotting cruel and unusual revenge already. Even Rodney would be scared and impressed if he could read John's mind.
Thank you!

Date: 2007-03-04 08:12 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] thisissirius.livejournal.com
I'm guessing more impressed than scared, although I'm sure he'd be irritated that all that intelligence is going to waste on something as irrelevant as revenge =)

Unusual Revenge? This sounds ominous, but also very very welcome.

Date: 2007-03-04 07:25 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ch1pper.livejournal.com
Icon love! Is it snurchable?

Date: 2007-03-04 08:10 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] thisissirius.livejournal.com
It is indeed. Snurch away :D

Date: 2007-03-02 11:23 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mecurtin.livejournal.com
Post this on my new community!!1! i.e. [livejournal.com profile] team_sga. *pimps*

Too bad John didn't get sunburned while wearing cut-off jeans and sleaping on his front, so that Rodney absolutely had to smear the yogurt all . . . the way .. . up . . . his thighs.

Too bad.

Date: 2007-03-05 01:47 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] eretria.livejournal.com
Meep. Another community? I already have problems keeping track of the ones I am a member of ... But, hey, feel free to link the story, if you want.

Also? *snort* Murron suggested John getting burned while surfing. You people have such one track minds, don't you? ;o)

Date: 2007-03-03 12:01 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] melagan.livejournal.com
Should this make me this gleeful? Oh Yeah /g/

Date: 2007-03-05 01:51 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] eretria.livejournal.com
It should definitely make you gleeful. I know Auburn was. ;o)

Date: 2007-03-03 07:24 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] teaphile.livejournal.com
Love.

Sneaky Rodney and laughing Teyla will get me every time.

Date: 2007-03-05 01:52 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] eretria.livejournal.com
Teyla absolutely doesn't laugh enough on the show. I think there's a wicked sense of humour hiding in her, and it should surface more often.

Glad you enjyoed, and thank you for commenting!

Date: 2007-03-03 03:19 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sheafrotherdon.livejournal.com
hahaha! This is so lovely - especially Rodney's unbearable smugness and John's gritted teeth response. Wonderful!

Date: 2007-03-05 01:54 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] eretria.livejournal.com
Thank you! Can't you just see John plotting horrible and creative revenge on Rodney behind that grin? ;o)

Date: 2007-03-03 06:29 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ozsaur.livejournal.com
I can't make myself feel to sorry for John, he kind of deserves every 'I told you so' he got. Still, I'm sure he'll get his revenge on the team eventually! Very cute and very funny.

Date: 2007-03-05 01:56 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] eretria.livejournal.com
Of course he deserves it, the silly boy. Despite his many quirks, Rodney really does know best when it comes to sunburns.
But, John is plotting already. It's a long drawn-out plan that will require lots of preparation.
Glad you enjoyed the story!

Date: 2007-03-05 01:56 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] eretria.livejournal.com
Thank you!

Date: 2007-03-05 12:01 am (UTC)
ext_1246: (Default)
From: [identity profile] dossier.livejournal.com
LOL glad that Auburn allowed you to share!

Date: 2007-03-05 01:57 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] eretria.livejournal.com
Me, too. ;o) Thanks for commenting!

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