Assumptions
by
Bluespirit

Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Pairing: Sheppard/McKay
Rating: PG-13
Summary: A little tag scene for The Long Goodbye.
Spoilers: Duet, The Long Goodbye
Word count: 777

Disclaimer: The following story is a work of fiction. The characters and universe are the property of Stargate (II) Productions, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, Gekko Productions and the Sci-Fi Channel. This fic is meant solely for entertainment purposes and no copyright infringement is intended.

Notes:
For Xanthe.  

"I saw you, you know," Rodney said as soon as the door to his quarters closed behind them. His tone was almost teasing but it fell a little short and the thin, crooked line of his mouth and the tautness of his back screamed another emotion all together.

John stood still and watched him move about the room, going through the usual end of day routine but with a jerkiness to his movements that reflected his agitation. "Saw me what?" he asked lightly.

"Oh, like you don't know!" Rodney muttered, sitting on the bed and kicking off his shoes. His words were biting but with an underlying tone that sounded almost forlorn.

"No, Rodney," John said evenly, "I don't know." He'd just got the all clear from Beckett to leave the infirmary and had been hoping for an evening alone with Rodney, doing what they did best together - bickering (also known as foreplay), hot sex and then a good night's sleep mashed together like peanut butter and chocolate. Unfortunately it didn't look like things were shaping up the way he'd planned. 

Rodney stood up and walked over to John but he didn't quite make eye contact, despite the pugnacious tilt of his chin. "You were checking out his ass! God, could you have been anymore obvious? I mean, I know things are a little more easy going here but I really think the Air Force would have something to say about you ogling a superior officer like that!"

John laughed, he couldn't help himself. "Caldwell? You think I was checking out Caldwell's ass? When did you last eat? Did you hit your head or something?"

"Oh, don't even try and deny it. I know what I saw… Lt. Colonel Libido strikes again. I'm surprised you didn't just kiss him!" Rodney's face twisted and he turned away sharply. 

So that was it. It wasn't about Caldwell's ass at all, hell there was nothing going on with Caldwell's ass, Caldwell's ass did not enter into the equation - not in John's universe anyway. It was about him kissing Elizabeth. Not that he'd actually kissed Elizabeth - Thalan had been the one kissing Elizabeth, well kissing *Phoebus*, just that he'd been in John's body at the time. Damn, it gave him a headache just thinking about it. He'd been trapped inside his own body, fighting to take back control because this was *his* body god damn it, and at that point the kiss had been the least of his worries. But he knew how Rodney felt, in fact he knew *exactly* because he'd had to watch Rodney - watch *Cadman* - kiss Carson. And hadn't that just been a kick in the guts - and he and Rodney hadn't even got together then. So yeah, he could understand what Rodney was feeling but Rodney, in his usual Rodneylike way, couldn't just come out and *say* it. Luckily John had become pretty damn fluent in McKayspeak over the past few months. 

"It's okay, Rodney," John said, moving to stand behind him and putting his hands on tense shoulders. "It didn't mean anything. You know that I wasn't in control of what I was doing. It wasn't *me*." He felt bunched muscles ease fractionally and rubbed soothingly, more of the tension bleeding away beneath his palms.

"Yes, well, I know that *really*," Rodney harrumphed, his body finally losing its tightness. "Of course I do. I mean, you'd have to be an idiot to give this up - I am a handsome man after all - and despite the contradiction of your hair…."

John chuckled fondly. "Exactly. I'm not an idiot." He leant in and dropped a kiss below Rodney's ear, the place he knew turned him to mush. Yeah, it was a dirty trick but he knew when to push an advantage.

Rodney moaned, tilting his head to give better access. "Now that's just not fair…." 

John wrapped his arms around Rodney's waist. "Complainin'?" He licked at Rodney's neck and blew a stream of warm breath over the soft curve of his ear.

"Not - not at all," Rodney sighed, his body relaxing, and turned within John's arms. "No complaints here…." He smiled and touched their lips together in a too-brief kiss. "But I'd better not catch you checking out Caldwell's ass again, okay?" he added with a stern look.

John understood exactly what Rodney wasn't saying and grinned. "Okay, Rodney." He slipped his hands down and cupped Rodney's ass firmly, the sweet fullness fitting his palms perfectly. "I promise - this is the only ass for me." 

John swallowed Rodney's snorting laughter with a kiss.


The end

Additional notes:
I got the idea for this fic after seeing this cap from 'The Long Goodbye' & noticing how John seemed to be checking out old Col. Snakehips' bottom. It just begged the question - what if Rodney had seen too? *g* 
Though then the story did get a little more serious than I'd originally planned. Muses. *sigh* What can you do, eh?

Thanks to the fabulous Walter's Girls for their ass-istance. ;-)

Friendly feedback is most welcome.

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