Fic: Hey Pretty (Teyla/Cadman) NC17
For viciouswishes (for whom I'm delighted to write something): I'd love something with Teyla (femslash or het, your choice), prompt: solar flare
Title: Hey Pretty
Pairing: Teyla/Cadman
Rating: NC17
Timeline: Ep tag for Echoes
Note: The prompt did not lead me to anything to do with solar flares, but to a tag for an ep featuring solar flares. Order now and receive SIX full pages of gratuitous set-up FOR FREE*!!!! Heh.
*I really like set up. In fact, given my druthers, I'd write fic that was just one massive chunk of set up, with random conversations, details, and absolutely no real action or point to it.
*
That they have a post-catastrophic endangerment routine isn't surprising. That it involves alcohol is, but Atlantis is a base in another galaxy and no one gets to leave for downtime, so the IOA had grudgingly agreed to the proposal of a "bar" of sorts, which was then set up across from the mess.
Atlantis is a busy place even when there isn't a crisis, and all the military are dedicated, and all the scientists are workaholics, so the We're Not Dead celebration isn't so much a party occurring at a set time as it is...an open bar, appetizers on chafing dishes, and a one-person on-duty military presence.
People come through when they can, have a drink, crow about the success of their latest ass saving, and then wander back to wherever they're needed. During the twelve hours the shin-dig lasts there are, at any given time, five to ten people in the bar (which remains nameless after McKay and Sheppard were caught campaigning for their respective choices and Weir declared the bar would be called, well, the bar).
Laura Cadman is the on-duty military presence, AKA the Fun Police, after the solar flare is diverted by Team Sheppard. Fun Police duty used to be assigned via a lottery system. Officially it still is, but unofficially Laura's been assigned to it six out of the last eight times on account of her behavior after The Trust tried to blow up Atlantis.
Working with Rodney in such close proximity during a crisis is always good for getting your skin verbally flayed, but he'd been extra nasty and mean to her, no doubt on account of the body sharing thing, and even Sheppard had commented on it. So everyone understood why she'd hightailed it to the bar afterwards, ordered a vodka and cranberry, and tried to drink away the experience. What had gotten her in trouble was that she'd taken advantage of the bartender slipping out for more supplies to commandeer a bottle of vodka for herself, thereby circumventing the three drink maximum.
Mostly because it had led to her tap dancing on the bar and trying to drag three other women up to, "Make like Coyote Ugly!"
So now Laura is usually the one monitoring the room and making sure no one starts any trouble, and when she's not on Fun Police duty she's watched extra carefully by whoever is. She doesn't actually mind because she figures it's due payment for the fact that she came this close to pulling her shirt up and flashing the room, and that she puked on both Lorne and Sheppard (the former when he and a female marine were escorting her to her quarters to sleep it off, and the latter the next day when he showed up far too bright and early to give her a severe dressing down).
Her antics aside that one time, there isn't usually a need for the Fun Police to step in during these extended gatherings. The military personnel have impressive tolerances, and the scientists are smart enough to drink below theirs. All she really does is tell people to cool it when they start getting loud and the debates seem to be turning into actual arguments.
She's also responsible for helping the bartender on duty clean the place up and shut it down at the twelve-hour mark, which is what she's finishing doing when Teyla comes in five minutes before lock up.
"I was hoping to take some of the Athosian mead back to my room," she confides to Laura quietly.
Possession of alcohol outside of the bar is strictly prohibited, and the bartender on duty is Lieutenant Miller, who's an uptight bastard. But he's also been on duty of some kind or other for about eighteen hours straight, so he jumps on Laura's offer to lock up on her own.
"That mead's best when it's warm," Laura tells Teyla after Miller leaves. "Sit, relax, I'll heat up a mug for you to have here, and you can take some back with you."
Teyla smiles, tension evident at the corners of her mouth, and sits at a table much less fluidly than she normally does such things. "Thank you, Lieutenant Cadman."
"Laura. Please."
"Very well, Laura."
Laura was actually stranded offworld during the latest crisis, so her day's been free of painful headaches, hallucinations, and nosebleeds. Teyla wasn't nearly so lucky; if the scuttlebutt's to be trusted, she had it worse than pretty much everyone except the poor guy who actually died.
This room used to be a secondary mess hall for middle-of-the-night self-serve, back before Laura's time, when the expedition was cut off from earth. It's still used as food storage and Laura looks through the cabinets and refrigerator, finding a small box of short-bread cookies, half a package of semi-sweet chocolate chips, and a pint of heavy cream.
While the mead is warming up on one burner, she boils the cream on another. When both are done she pours the cream into a bowl over the chocolate and takes the mead and a mug to Teyla. It takes another trip to bring the rest of the stuff over to the table and she locks the doors before she sits down.
"Chocolate makes most things better," she tells Teyla while she uses a fork to whisk the now-melted chocolate and cream. "Carson says it can help with headaches, too."
Teyla fills her mug with the honeyed mead and cups her hands around it, tipping her head down to inhale the aroma.
"Do you believe you and Dr. Becket will get back together?"
Laura makes a face and shrugs. "We kind of fizzled out pretty fast and there's nothing but friendship there, now."
"I see. Was it because of his and 'Rodney's' kiss?"
"No," Laura snorts. "But he wasn't happy about that, believe me. No, it was something else, actually."
Teyla lifts a curious brow as she takes a deep sip of her mead. The line of her neck is graceful and soft, and her skin is the same color as the thick, sweet mead. Laura's fingers twitch restlessly and she sets the bowl of chocolate aside and busies herself with opening the cookies.
She twirls one of the shortbreads through the chocolate sauce and grins. "Simple, easy, and completely decadent."
The chocolate is Nestles, so it doesn't explode on her tongue the way high-end chocolate would, but it's still lushly delicious and Laura's eyes drift shut for a moment at the first taste of it.
"Try it," she urges Teyla, who looks cautiously interested.
Laura can't help but watch closely as Teyla dips a cookie into the bowl, coating the end with the melted chocolate, and brings it to her mouth. Her eyes widen briefly in surprised pleasure when she tastes it and she makes a warmly satisfied sound. Laura feels her cheeks heat and looks away for a moment to compose herself. When she looks back, Teyla is watching her, expression inscrutable.
The door lock disengages with an audible click before the door itself slides open with a hiss. Sheppard strolls in, the frown on his face easing away when he sees them. Laura's not surprised at his appearance. He always does his own final walkthrough of the corridors before turning in, especially on crisis nights, and of course he'd check to make sure this place was closed up tight.
"John," Teyla says easily. "I was hoping some mead would help with the last of this headache."
He nods and then arches a brow at Laura, who brandishes a bottle of water in response to his unasked question. "Though as of five minutes ago I am off-duty, sir," she adds with a cheeky grin. "I was just about to break out the vodka."
"The bar is officially closed, Lieutenant," he reminds her and rolls his eyes. "Don't linger when you're done, Teyla. Patrol's due by in forty and they'll be required to report any personnel in here. Steer clear of the vodka, Cadman. That's an order."
She offers him a sharp salute when he leaves, then returns her attention to the chocolate and cookies. "Eat up before it cools down too much."
They share the rest of the cookies and chocolate in silence, which on Laura's part is in deference to Teyla's headache. She's glad to see that by the time Teyla finishes her mead with a contented sigh she's less tense and moving with less care.
"Thank you for the chocolate and for keeping me company," Teyla says quietly while Laura's clearing the table. "I am...most appreciative."
"Not a problem. Figured you could use a little comfort food." She brings two bottles of mead back to the table with her and hands them to Teyla. "Come on. We really do have to be out of here before the patrol comes by."
Laura shuts down the lights and they head out, walking down the corridor to the transporters.
Once there, Teyla reaches out to the call sensor but pauses before activating it and looks at Laura. "You said that you are off duty?"
"Yeah," Laura says with a nod and struggles to fight back a yawn. She's been up for twenty hours at this point and she's starting to feel it.
Teyla's gaze is narrow and searching, and after a moment she moves her hand the rest of the way to the sensor. "You are tired," Teyla comments. "I should let you rest."
Laura blinks in confusion, apparently having missed something. "Wait, what?"
"I had planned to invite you to share the mead with me," Teyla explains, motioning vaguely with the bottles. "In exchange for your kindness. But if you are tired--"
"No," Laura says a little too quickly. "I mean, not really. I'd like that."
Teyla tilts her head to the side. "If you are sure..."
"Yes, definitely." She grins and Teyla gives her a small smile in return as they enter the transporter.
They go to Teyla's quarters, which are larger and more comfortable than, well, anyone else's, really, and Laura finds herself inexplicably uncomfortable. She sits stiffly on one of several cushioned chairs while Teyla warms a bottle of mead on a fancy heating pad that Rodney rigged up for her.
"Laura, you seem...uneasy," Teyla says delicately. "I hope that you did not feel obligated to join me."
"Oh, no, not at all!" She takes a breath and forces herself to relax on the chair, which is deep and soft and probably the most comfortable thing she's ever sat on. "Sorry if I seem a little tense. It's not the company, really."
Teyla accepts the explanation with a nod and steps over to her bed, where she removes her boots and socks before padding back to the heating pad and testing the temperature of the mead.
"It is ready. No, please, let me," she adds when Laura starts to stand. She brings a small footstool and a handwoven blanket to Laura along with the mead. "Be comfortable here, Laura."
There's a warmth and sincerity to Teyla that regularly puts people at ease. Here, in her space, with the earthen tones and soft lighting, Laura finds it overpowering. "Thank you," she whispers and removes her own shoes and socks, then props her feet on the stool and tucks the blanket around herself.
Teyla hands her a mug of mead with a gentle smile, their fingers brushing in the exchange.
"You were on Calto today, I believe," Teyla says, and settles herself cross-legged on her bed, a blanket over her lap and another mug in her hands. Atlantis came into contact with the Caltonans last year, right after a culling, and offered assistance. They still go back every so often to check on them and help them out when they can. "How is Kasa'l? She and her people are well, I hope?"
Laura talks about the latest visit, and she and Teyla discuss the Caltonans for a while before moving on to other topics. They speak quietly and Teyla refills their mugs until the bottle is empty. The alcohol content of the mead is minimal and Laura isn't buzzed when they start on the second bottle, just warm and relaxed. Everything about this, from the company to the conversation, is nice in a way that not very many things on Atlantis are.
Two mugs into the second bottle of mead Laura happens to glance at her watch; it's the middle of the night and she's been here for two and a half hours.
"I didn't realize the time," she says, unwrapping herself from the ball she'd curled into on the large chair.
Teyla is lying on her side on the bed, propped up on an elbow, but she arches a brow and sits up at Laura's words. "You do not have to leave."
The warm lighting makes Teyla seem more touchable and lush, and Laura swallows dryly and reaches for her boots. "It's been a long day, probably longer for you, what with everything that went on."
She shoves her feet into her boots and tucks the laces inside rather than bothering with lacing and tying them. When she stands up Teyla is about five inches away, and that's a generous estimate. Laura startles and almost falls backwards, but Teyla grasps her elbow and steadies her.
Teyla's hand on her arm gentles when she regains her balance but doesn't leave, and Laura drops her gaze, focusing on their feet, hers in boots, and Teyla's still bare.
"Laura."
"Yeah?" she says without looking up.
The light changes a bit and she knows that Teyla is dipping her head just a moment before her forehead touches Laura's, a soft press of flesh. "I wish you to stay." When Laura doesn't say anything Teyla lets go of her arm and lifts her head. "If you would like," she adds, her voice less inviting and more distant, now.
Laura squeezes her eyes closed and sucks in a breath. "Teyla, you--it's not that--I mean, it's a little bit--"
"You do not keep company with women," Teyla says understandingly and steps away. "I apologize. I did not mean to make you uncomfortable."
"Okay, the thing is," Laura says and rubs at her temples, "I'm part of the American military."
"You are speaking of the regulations prohibiting relations between members of the same sex."
"Exactly."
"Colonel Sheppard explained the regulations to me." Teyla pauses and tilts her head, seemingly carefully considering what to say. "I also understand that there is some...room to maneuver, due to how they are worded, and that discretion is imperative."
Laura blinks. "Wow. Did Sheppard tell you about that, too?" Teyla lifts her brows and Laura shakes her head frantically when she realizes what she's really asked with the question. "No, wait, I don't want to know, because--" Because she's been in Rodney's head and, yeah, she doesn't want to know. She waves her hands in front of her, like she can erase the words and images. "Never mind, pretend I didn't go there."
"If you are not interested, then you have my apologies."
Teyla takes another step back, her face studiously blank, and Laura finds that she's the slightest bit lost about what to do here. She prefers women to men, always has, and it's not that she's never broken the regs, it's that she's always done it smartly: never on a base, never with another member of the military or anyone remotely attached to the military, and always when she was on full out leave.
Since being assigned to Atlantis Laura has only indulged herself once, and that was when they were back on earth after the Ancients returned, and only because she was overdue for leave and they insisted she take it before she was reassigned.
But she lost Carson due to the restlessness in her that hadn't even been settled by a guy before (and why she thought this time would be different, she doesn't know; she always thinks this time will be different but it never is, and maybe she should bump her Kinsey scale rating from a four to a five). And if she learned anything at all from their sudden return to earth, and all the near-death experiences she's had in Pegasus, it's that the only time is now.
When Laura steps forward and kisses Teyla, there's a moment of surprise before Teyla kisses her back, and Teyla's mouth is wide and generous, full of purpose and determination, and she cups the side of Laura's face before sliding her tongue out and licking at the seam of Laura's lips.
It's cautious and exploratory for a short while until Laura remembers that she's never thrown caution to the wind so much as she's shot it out of a bazooka and into the path of a tornado. She pulls back and laughs, and Teyla smiles widely and chuckles with her, and then Laura is on tiptoes again and this time the kiss is less cautious and more reckless.
Teyla's hands in her hair are strong and firm, that perfect balance between careful and rough that Laura's convinced only women can achieve, and she shudders when she thinks of those wide, sturdy hands on and in other places.
Teyla backs her to the bed and tumbles them both down on it with a sweep of her leg against Laura's calves, and urges Laura further up the bed. Laura kicks her boots off and spreads her legs, and the feel of Teyla against her, hard and tight, with pressure on her clit, makes Laura's cunt spasm. She's already wet, she can tell, and she locks her legs around Teyla's waist, writhing against her until Teyla's breath catches and Laura knows she's working Teyla's clit with the motions, too.
Laura tilts her face, offers her mouth, and Teyla kisses her again, forceful thrusts of her tongue that mimic their grinding pelvises, and Laura whimpers and touches every bit of Teyla she can reach: her muscled back, her powerful arms and, finally, her breasts, which are full and beautiful and make Laura's mouth water. She tries to work the front tie of Teyla's top open, but she's lost her coordination, and Teyla's teeth are worrying a patch of skin at the base of her neck, which is more than a little distracting, and she tugs at it in frustration.
"Off," she pants, her head thrashing to the side when Teyla's tongue drags up the side of her neck. "God, please."
"Yes," Teyla breathes against her neck and kneels up. Laura keeps her legs around Teyla's waist, shamelessly working for every bit of friction she can give and get, which isn't nearly as much as she wants. She stretches her arms above her head and braces hands against the wall to get better leverage, but the angle's all wrong and it's more frustrating than anything.
Teyla smiles at her, wicked and knowing, and reaches for the ties on her shirt with one hand. Her other slides up Laura's thigh, then to the side, until the heel of her hand is right over Laura's clit, grinding down and giving her something to push against.
"Fuck," Laura hisses, but she's laughing again, too, because being here and doing this with Teyla is like doing the impossible, like averting certain disaster or death and living to tell the tale.
The laces on Teyla's shirt loosen with deft tugs of her fingers, and Laura goes up on her elbows to better watch the material part down the middle, her hips still working against the pressure of Teyla's hand on her. Teyla's breasts are large and high, the nipples dark and wide, and as soon as she shrugs the material off her shoulders Laura surges up. She settles high on Teyla's thighs, her cunt snugly fitted against Teyla's pelvis, her hands curling over the tops of Teyla's shoulders, and Teyla's hands settle on Laura's hips.
"Hi," she whispers against Teyla's mouth before she dips her head and rubs her face against those gorgeous breasts. Teyla inhales unevenly, makes a small noise at the back of her throat, and twists her torso so that one of her nipples brushes Laura's lips.
"Laura, please." Her hands come up to Laura's head, cradling it and tilting it into place, and Laura licks around the nipple before sucking it into her mouth, gentle suction that she increases when Teyla's fingers tighten against her scalp. "Oh, yes. Harder," she gasps, and Laura's cheeks hollow when she complies, and, "Your teeth...oh...use them," she asks faintly, and Laura bites gently, scrapes her teeth across it before moving across Teyla's chest and doing it all over again on the other breast.
She works Teyla's breasts with teeth, tongue, lips and fingers, switching back and forth, and Teyla moves one hand to Laura's ass, her grip hard and biting as she encourages Laura to move against her.
"Enough," Teyla finally says roughly and tip forward until Laura is under her again. It's a matter of half a minute before Laura is topless as well and Teyla is licking wet stripes across Laura's entire chest while she opens Laura's BDUs and pushes them and her panties down.
Laura has to actually unwrap her legs from Teyla's waist to lose the last of her clothing and Teyla settles down next to her, tugging Laura onto her side so that they're facing on another. One hand travels along Laura's torso, over her hip and down her thigh, flesh against flesh, and Teyla's fingers push at that spot at the juncture of her pelvis and thigh that feels like it's connected directly to her clit and has her almost pulling away from the intensity of it.
"Oh my god," Laura groans, and the tendons in her neck are standing out with the effort it's taking to endure the touch, let it wreck her.
"You are beautiful," Teyla tells her, voice dark and rasping.
Laura forces her eyes open and stares at Teyla, whose face is damp with sweat, hair tangled from Laura's fingers, lips wet and slightly swollen from kisses. "No, I think that's you," she says with a smile, and her hands go to the waistband of Teyla's pants. "Can I?"
Teyla arches her brows and laughs lowly. "As if I would refuse anything at this moment."
"Really?" Laura grins while she undoes the hidden catch of the pants and then tugs the zipper down. She pushes Teyla onto her back and strips off her pants and flings them aside, then climbs between her legs and pushes them apart. "So you'd let me do this?" she asks and lowers her head.
"I would more than let you," Teyla says thickly, and Laura grins against her inner thigh. "In fact, I would encourage you."
"Good to know." She spreads Teyla's legs wider and the scent and heat coming from Teyla's cunt is dizzying and too tempting for her to continue teasing. She dips her tongue inside just briefly and curls it, bringing a small taste of Teyla into her mouth before licking up, her tongue grazing Teyla's clit before she laps at it with a broad, flat tongue once, then twice.
Teyla's thighs tremble around Laura but don't tighten against her head, and she pushes Laura's hair back from her face. Laura lifts her eyes, her tongue still dipping and licking and curling, her face getting wetter and wetter. Teyla's eyes are burning darkly and her mouth is parted, lips dry from the way she's gasping.
Laura slides one finger inside of Teyla, then works her tongue in alongside it, and Teyla's shoulders leave the bed when her back arches. Before she's even had a chance to get used to it, Laura pushes a second finger in and slips her tongue out so that she can suck on Teyla's clit, which is swollen and sensitive.
Teyla shouts and Laura squeezes her eyes shut and shudders because, god, it's so good to do this to Teyla, to make her come undone like this and forget her composure.
"Another?" Laura asks.
"Yes, yes, yes."
A third finger and it's tight but not overly so, and Teyla's wet enough that the slide of all three fingers is mostly smooth and slick, with just enough friction to make it good, great, as Laura knows from experience.
She keeps sucking, varying from lightly to hard, and she's so into what she's doing that it takes both of Teyla's hands to push her mouth away.
"Come up here."
Laura keeps her fingers in Teyla's cunt and lets Teyla pull her up the bed until they're both on their sides again. When Teyla reaches between Laura's legs she growls at the wetness she finds and slips one finger inside. Laura reaches down and grasps Teyla's hand with her free one and maneuvers two more fingers to the entrance of her cunt.
Teyla looks a question at her and Laura nods frantically. "Fuck, yes, please, I can--" She breaks off with garbled noise when Teyla takes her at her word and pushes all three fingers in. She's narrower than Teyla on the inside, and Teyla's fingers are thick and wide, and Laura's internal muscles protest the sudden stretch with a dull ache, but she doesn't care because, god, it's so good, so fucking good.
For a minute Laura can't focus on anything other than the thrust of Teyla's fingers inside of her, can't move except to push down on them and soak up that pleasure. But Teyla twitches her hips and Laura remembers that she still has one hand between the other woman's legs, and she moves them again, synchronizing the thrusts, and when she curls her thumb up to work Teyla's clit, Teyla shudders and shoves her fingers into Laura hard.
"I am sorry," Teyla gasps, her fingers gentling, but Laura makes a wordless sound of encouragement. "Oh, I see, yes, I can--."
Teyla adds a brutal twist of her wrist and the palm of her hand slams against Laura's clit, just this side of too much, and it's perfect.
Laura retains enough of her senses to work Teyla less roughly, following the subtle clues in Teyla's hips and breathing to make it just as perfect for her as it is for Laura. Teyla likes a slow, steady rhythm, and she loves it when Laura buries her fingers all the way inside and presses them against her interior walls while working her clit.
They move closer and closer, legs tangling, the backs of their hands bumping together below their waist, and their breasts touching, nipples grazing nipples, and Laura's panting for air when Teyla takes her mouth again, a forceful, desperate, right-on-the-edge kiss that lacks any kind of grace or elegance.
Teyla comes first, when Laura ignores the jerking of her hips and keeps her fingers buried inside, thumb working her clit mercilessly. Teyla's forehead smacks against Laura's collarbone when she convulses and curls forward at the start of her orgasm, which Laura draws out with practiced fingers until Teyla wrenches back hard enough to entirely dislodge them.
She's prepared to wait for Teyla to at least get her breath back before going on, but Teyla takes only two shaky breaths before her fingers start moving again, her thumb finally--fucking finally--going to Laura's clit and giving it as little mercy as Laura showed her.
Laura's orgasm is a sudden thing, sneaking up and overtaking her with so little warning that she shouts when it happens. Almost immediately she grabs at Teyla's wrist to still her fingers. "Too sensitive, not pleasure," she explains breathlessly, and Teyla makes a soothing noise and slips her fingers out carefully, then gathers her in close.
They wait out the twitching and jerking of aftershocks, Laura's face buried against Teyla's neck, and Teyla's hands caressing Laura with enough firmness that it doesn't bother her over-sensitized skin. Their kisses after are softer, traded between smiles, and when Laura starts to shiver slightly, Teyla drapes a blanket over them.
"You will stay?" she asks, but it's just a formality, they both know it.
"Yep," Laura answers anyway, already falling asleep.
In the morning Laura wakes to the soft shaking of her shoulder. "It is still early," she says quietly, and Laura's watch reads a little after 0900, "but you need to return to your quarters."
"Probably a good idea," Laura says sleepily and sits up in the bed. Teyla sits next to her, freshly showered and dressed, and waits with her until she's awake enough to face the day.
Her clothing is on hangers--Teyla's doing, no doubt--and the wrinkles are hardly noticeable. She dresses with Teyla's assistance, which consists mostly of smoothing material down and leaning in to kiss Laura after each article of clothing is donned.
Her hair is a mess, however, and even brushing it doesn't help. "I look like I've just come from someone's bed," she says.
"I feel fortunate that it was mine," Teyla responds with a secretive smile. "But I understand." She goes into the bathroom and comes out with a small container. "Sit," she says and Laura perches on the footstool so that Teyla can stand behind her and work scented oil into her hair and brush it straight. When she's done she pushes a strand of hair back from Laura's face and nods. "Perfect."
It is, in fact, and Laura stares up at Teyla wordlessly for a long while. "Last night was great," she says. "Do you think we could see each other again?"
Teyla smiles softly. "I do not take people to my bed lightly, Laura. I...like you very much, beyond the physical. I hope that we can see a great deal of one another."
And it's a good thing that Laura already decided to forget about caution because if she hadn't she probably would have panicked at the idea of actually dating Teyla. "I'm on duty later, but maybe we can have lunch tomorrow?"
"Lunch," Teyla agrees, and they smile at each other for a while until Teyla clears her throat and steps back. "You should go to your quarters, and I should not be late for my sparring session with Ronon."
Laura gets to her feet and presses a quick kiss to Teyla's lips before leaving.
On the way to her quarters she passes Sheppard, who glances curiously at her, then back the way she came. Sheppard isn't stupid and she's not surprised to see the look of realization on his face when he looks at her again. He smirks and Laura is almost flustered for a moment, but she's been in Rodney's head, so she gives his upturned collar a pointed look and smirks back.
.End
Title: Hey Pretty
Pairing: Teyla/Cadman
Rating: NC17
Timeline: Ep tag for Echoes
Note: The prompt did not lead me to anything to do with solar flares, but to a tag for an ep featuring solar flares. Order now and receive SIX full pages of gratuitous set-up FOR FREE*!!!! Heh.
*I really like set up. In fact, given my druthers, I'd write fic that was just one massive chunk of set up, with random conversations, details, and absolutely no real action or point to it.
*
That they have a post-catastrophic endangerment routine isn't surprising. That it involves alcohol is, but Atlantis is a base in another galaxy and no one gets to leave for downtime, so the IOA had grudgingly agreed to the proposal of a "bar" of sorts, which was then set up across from the mess.
Atlantis is a busy place even when there isn't a crisis, and all the military are dedicated, and all the scientists are workaholics, so the We're Not Dead celebration isn't so much a party occurring at a set time as it is...an open bar, appetizers on chafing dishes, and a one-person on-duty military presence.
People come through when they can, have a drink, crow about the success of their latest ass saving, and then wander back to wherever they're needed. During the twelve hours the shin-dig lasts there are, at any given time, five to ten people in the bar (which remains nameless after McKay and Sheppard were caught campaigning for their respective choices and Weir declared the bar would be called, well, the bar).
Laura Cadman is the on-duty military presence, AKA the Fun Police, after the solar flare is diverted by Team Sheppard. Fun Police duty used to be assigned via a lottery system. Officially it still is, but unofficially Laura's been assigned to it six out of the last eight times on account of her behavior after The Trust tried to blow up Atlantis.
Working with Rodney in such close proximity during a crisis is always good for getting your skin verbally flayed, but he'd been extra nasty and mean to her, no doubt on account of the body sharing thing, and even Sheppard had commented on it. So everyone understood why she'd hightailed it to the bar afterwards, ordered a vodka and cranberry, and tried to drink away the experience. What had gotten her in trouble was that she'd taken advantage of the bartender slipping out for more supplies to commandeer a bottle of vodka for herself, thereby circumventing the three drink maximum.
Mostly because it had led to her tap dancing on the bar and trying to drag three other women up to, "Make like Coyote Ugly!"
So now Laura is usually the one monitoring the room and making sure no one starts any trouble, and when she's not on Fun Police duty she's watched extra carefully by whoever is. She doesn't actually mind because she figures it's due payment for the fact that she came this close to pulling her shirt up and flashing the room, and that she puked on both Lorne and Sheppard (the former when he and a female marine were escorting her to her quarters to sleep it off, and the latter the next day when he showed up far too bright and early to give her a severe dressing down).
Her antics aside that one time, there isn't usually a need for the Fun Police to step in during these extended gatherings. The military personnel have impressive tolerances, and the scientists are smart enough to drink below theirs. All she really does is tell people to cool it when they start getting loud and the debates seem to be turning into actual arguments.
She's also responsible for helping the bartender on duty clean the place up and shut it down at the twelve-hour mark, which is what she's finishing doing when Teyla comes in five minutes before lock up.
"I was hoping to take some of the Athosian mead back to my room," she confides to Laura quietly.
Possession of alcohol outside of the bar is strictly prohibited, and the bartender on duty is Lieutenant Miller, who's an uptight bastard. But he's also been on duty of some kind or other for about eighteen hours straight, so he jumps on Laura's offer to lock up on her own.
"That mead's best when it's warm," Laura tells Teyla after Miller leaves. "Sit, relax, I'll heat up a mug for you to have here, and you can take some back with you."
Teyla smiles, tension evident at the corners of her mouth, and sits at a table much less fluidly than she normally does such things. "Thank you, Lieutenant Cadman."
"Laura. Please."
"Very well, Laura."
Laura was actually stranded offworld during the latest crisis, so her day's been free of painful headaches, hallucinations, and nosebleeds. Teyla wasn't nearly so lucky; if the scuttlebutt's to be trusted, she had it worse than pretty much everyone except the poor guy who actually died.
This room used to be a secondary mess hall for middle-of-the-night self-serve, back before Laura's time, when the expedition was cut off from earth. It's still used as food storage and Laura looks through the cabinets and refrigerator, finding a small box of short-bread cookies, half a package of semi-sweet chocolate chips, and a pint of heavy cream.
While the mead is warming up on one burner, she boils the cream on another. When both are done she pours the cream into a bowl over the chocolate and takes the mead and a mug to Teyla. It takes another trip to bring the rest of the stuff over to the table and she locks the doors before she sits down.
"Chocolate makes most things better," she tells Teyla while she uses a fork to whisk the now-melted chocolate and cream. "Carson says it can help with headaches, too."
Teyla fills her mug with the honeyed mead and cups her hands around it, tipping her head down to inhale the aroma.
"Do you believe you and Dr. Becket will get back together?"
Laura makes a face and shrugs. "We kind of fizzled out pretty fast and there's nothing but friendship there, now."
"I see. Was it because of his and 'Rodney's' kiss?"
"No," Laura snorts. "But he wasn't happy about that, believe me. No, it was something else, actually."
Teyla lifts a curious brow as she takes a deep sip of her mead. The line of her neck is graceful and soft, and her skin is the same color as the thick, sweet mead. Laura's fingers twitch restlessly and she sets the bowl of chocolate aside and busies herself with opening the cookies.
She twirls one of the shortbreads through the chocolate sauce and grins. "Simple, easy, and completely decadent."
The chocolate is Nestles, so it doesn't explode on her tongue the way high-end chocolate would, but it's still lushly delicious and Laura's eyes drift shut for a moment at the first taste of it.
"Try it," she urges Teyla, who looks cautiously interested.
Laura can't help but watch closely as Teyla dips a cookie into the bowl, coating the end with the melted chocolate, and brings it to her mouth. Her eyes widen briefly in surprised pleasure when she tastes it and she makes a warmly satisfied sound. Laura feels her cheeks heat and looks away for a moment to compose herself. When she looks back, Teyla is watching her, expression inscrutable.
The door lock disengages with an audible click before the door itself slides open with a hiss. Sheppard strolls in, the frown on his face easing away when he sees them. Laura's not surprised at his appearance. He always does his own final walkthrough of the corridors before turning in, especially on crisis nights, and of course he'd check to make sure this place was closed up tight.
"John," Teyla says easily. "I was hoping some mead would help with the last of this headache."
He nods and then arches a brow at Laura, who brandishes a bottle of water in response to his unasked question. "Though as of five minutes ago I am off-duty, sir," she adds with a cheeky grin. "I was just about to break out the vodka."
"The bar is officially closed, Lieutenant," he reminds her and rolls his eyes. "Don't linger when you're done, Teyla. Patrol's due by in forty and they'll be required to report any personnel in here. Steer clear of the vodka, Cadman. That's an order."
She offers him a sharp salute when he leaves, then returns her attention to the chocolate and cookies. "Eat up before it cools down too much."
They share the rest of the cookies and chocolate in silence, which on Laura's part is in deference to Teyla's headache. She's glad to see that by the time Teyla finishes her mead with a contented sigh she's less tense and moving with less care.
"Thank you for the chocolate and for keeping me company," Teyla says quietly while Laura's clearing the table. "I am...most appreciative."
"Not a problem. Figured you could use a little comfort food." She brings two bottles of mead back to the table with her and hands them to Teyla. "Come on. We really do have to be out of here before the patrol comes by."
Laura shuts down the lights and they head out, walking down the corridor to the transporters.
Once there, Teyla reaches out to the call sensor but pauses before activating it and looks at Laura. "You said that you are off duty?"
"Yeah," Laura says with a nod and struggles to fight back a yawn. She's been up for twenty hours at this point and she's starting to feel it.
Teyla's gaze is narrow and searching, and after a moment she moves her hand the rest of the way to the sensor. "You are tired," Teyla comments. "I should let you rest."
Laura blinks in confusion, apparently having missed something. "Wait, what?"
"I had planned to invite you to share the mead with me," Teyla explains, motioning vaguely with the bottles. "In exchange for your kindness. But if you are tired--"
"No," Laura says a little too quickly. "I mean, not really. I'd like that."
Teyla tilts her head to the side. "If you are sure..."
"Yes, definitely." She grins and Teyla gives her a small smile in return as they enter the transporter.
They go to Teyla's quarters, which are larger and more comfortable than, well, anyone else's, really, and Laura finds herself inexplicably uncomfortable. She sits stiffly on one of several cushioned chairs while Teyla warms a bottle of mead on a fancy heating pad that Rodney rigged up for her.
"Laura, you seem...uneasy," Teyla says delicately. "I hope that you did not feel obligated to join me."
"Oh, no, not at all!" She takes a breath and forces herself to relax on the chair, which is deep and soft and probably the most comfortable thing she's ever sat on. "Sorry if I seem a little tense. It's not the company, really."
Teyla accepts the explanation with a nod and steps over to her bed, where she removes her boots and socks before padding back to the heating pad and testing the temperature of the mead.
"It is ready. No, please, let me," she adds when Laura starts to stand. She brings a small footstool and a handwoven blanket to Laura along with the mead. "Be comfortable here, Laura."
There's a warmth and sincerity to Teyla that regularly puts people at ease. Here, in her space, with the earthen tones and soft lighting, Laura finds it overpowering. "Thank you," she whispers and removes her own shoes and socks, then props her feet on the stool and tucks the blanket around herself.
Teyla hands her a mug of mead with a gentle smile, their fingers brushing in the exchange.
"You were on Calto today, I believe," Teyla says, and settles herself cross-legged on her bed, a blanket over her lap and another mug in her hands. Atlantis came into contact with the Caltonans last year, right after a culling, and offered assistance. They still go back every so often to check on them and help them out when they can. "How is Kasa'l? She and her people are well, I hope?"
Laura talks about the latest visit, and she and Teyla discuss the Caltonans for a while before moving on to other topics. They speak quietly and Teyla refills their mugs until the bottle is empty. The alcohol content of the mead is minimal and Laura isn't buzzed when they start on the second bottle, just warm and relaxed. Everything about this, from the company to the conversation, is nice in a way that not very many things on Atlantis are.
Two mugs into the second bottle of mead Laura happens to glance at her watch; it's the middle of the night and she's been here for two and a half hours.
"I didn't realize the time," she says, unwrapping herself from the ball she'd curled into on the large chair.
Teyla is lying on her side on the bed, propped up on an elbow, but she arches a brow and sits up at Laura's words. "You do not have to leave."
The warm lighting makes Teyla seem more touchable and lush, and Laura swallows dryly and reaches for her boots. "It's been a long day, probably longer for you, what with everything that went on."
She shoves her feet into her boots and tucks the laces inside rather than bothering with lacing and tying them. When she stands up Teyla is about five inches away, and that's a generous estimate. Laura startles and almost falls backwards, but Teyla grasps her elbow and steadies her.
Teyla's hand on her arm gentles when she regains her balance but doesn't leave, and Laura drops her gaze, focusing on their feet, hers in boots, and Teyla's still bare.
"Laura."
"Yeah?" she says without looking up.
The light changes a bit and she knows that Teyla is dipping her head just a moment before her forehead touches Laura's, a soft press of flesh. "I wish you to stay." When Laura doesn't say anything Teyla lets go of her arm and lifts her head. "If you would like," she adds, her voice less inviting and more distant, now.
Laura squeezes her eyes closed and sucks in a breath. "Teyla, you--it's not that--I mean, it's a little bit--"
"You do not keep company with women," Teyla says understandingly and steps away. "I apologize. I did not mean to make you uncomfortable."
"Okay, the thing is," Laura says and rubs at her temples, "I'm part of the American military."
"You are speaking of the regulations prohibiting relations between members of the same sex."
"Exactly."
"Colonel Sheppard explained the regulations to me." Teyla pauses and tilts her head, seemingly carefully considering what to say. "I also understand that there is some...room to maneuver, due to how they are worded, and that discretion is imperative."
Laura blinks. "Wow. Did Sheppard tell you about that, too?" Teyla lifts her brows and Laura shakes her head frantically when she realizes what she's really asked with the question. "No, wait, I don't want to know, because--" Because she's been in Rodney's head and, yeah, she doesn't want to know. She waves her hands in front of her, like she can erase the words and images. "Never mind, pretend I didn't go there."
"If you are not interested, then you have my apologies."
Teyla takes another step back, her face studiously blank, and Laura finds that she's the slightest bit lost about what to do here. She prefers women to men, always has, and it's not that she's never broken the regs, it's that she's always done it smartly: never on a base, never with another member of the military or anyone remotely attached to the military, and always when she was on full out leave.
Since being assigned to Atlantis Laura has only indulged herself once, and that was when they were back on earth after the Ancients returned, and only because she was overdue for leave and they insisted she take it before she was reassigned.
But she lost Carson due to the restlessness in her that hadn't even been settled by a guy before (and why she thought this time would be different, she doesn't know; she always thinks this time will be different but it never is, and maybe she should bump her Kinsey scale rating from a four to a five). And if she learned anything at all from their sudden return to earth, and all the near-death experiences she's had in Pegasus, it's that the only time is now.
When Laura steps forward and kisses Teyla, there's a moment of surprise before Teyla kisses her back, and Teyla's mouth is wide and generous, full of purpose and determination, and she cups the side of Laura's face before sliding her tongue out and licking at the seam of Laura's lips.
It's cautious and exploratory for a short while until Laura remembers that she's never thrown caution to the wind so much as she's shot it out of a bazooka and into the path of a tornado. She pulls back and laughs, and Teyla smiles widely and chuckles with her, and then Laura is on tiptoes again and this time the kiss is less cautious and more reckless.
Teyla's hands in her hair are strong and firm, that perfect balance between careful and rough that Laura's convinced only women can achieve, and she shudders when she thinks of those wide, sturdy hands on and in other places.
Teyla backs her to the bed and tumbles them both down on it with a sweep of her leg against Laura's calves, and urges Laura further up the bed. Laura kicks her boots off and spreads her legs, and the feel of Teyla against her, hard and tight, with pressure on her clit, makes Laura's cunt spasm. She's already wet, she can tell, and she locks her legs around Teyla's waist, writhing against her until Teyla's breath catches and Laura knows she's working Teyla's clit with the motions, too.
Laura tilts her face, offers her mouth, and Teyla kisses her again, forceful thrusts of her tongue that mimic their grinding pelvises, and Laura whimpers and touches every bit of Teyla she can reach: her muscled back, her powerful arms and, finally, her breasts, which are full and beautiful and make Laura's mouth water. She tries to work the front tie of Teyla's top open, but she's lost her coordination, and Teyla's teeth are worrying a patch of skin at the base of her neck, which is more than a little distracting, and she tugs at it in frustration.
"Off," she pants, her head thrashing to the side when Teyla's tongue drags up the side of her neck. "God, please."
"Yes," Teyla breathes against her neck and kneels up. Laura keeps her legs around Teyla's waist, shamelessly working for every bit of friction she can give and get, which isn't nearly as much as she wants. She stretches her arms above her head and braces hands against the wall to get better leverage, but the angle's all wrong and it's more frustrating than anything.
Teyla smiles at her, wicked and knowing, and reaches for the ties on her shirt with one hand. Her other slides up Laura's thigh, then to the side, until the heel of her hand is right over Laura's clit, grinding down and giving her something to push against.
"Fuck," Laura hisses, but she's laughing again, too, because being here and doing this with Teyla is like doing the impossible, like averting certain disaster or death and living to tell the tale.
The laces on Teyla's shirt loosen with deft tugs of her fingers, and Laura goes up on her elbows to better watch the material part down the middle, her hips still working against the pressure of Teyla's hand on her. Teyla's breasts are large and high, the nipples dark and wide, and as soon as she shrugs the material off her shoulders Laura surges up. She settles high on Teyla's thighs, her cunt snugly fitted against Teyla's pelvis, her hands curling over the tops of Teyla's shoulders, and Teyla's hands settle on Laura's hips.
"Hi," she whispers against Teyla's mouth before she dips her head and rubs her face against those gorgeous breasts. Teyla inhales unevenly, makes a small noise at the back of her throat, and twists her torso so that one of her nipples brushes Laura's lips.
"Laura, please." Her hands come up to Laura's head, cradling it and tilting it into place, and Laura licks around the nipple before sucking it into her mouth, gentle suction that she increases when Teyla's fingers tighten against her scalp. "Oh, yes. Harder," she gasps, and Laura's cheeks hollow when she complies, and, "Your teeth...oh...use them," she asks faintly, and Laura bites gently, scrapes her teeth across it before moving across Teyla's chest and doing it all over again on the other breast.
She works Teyla's breasts with teeth, tongue, lips and fingers, switching back and forth, and Teyla moves one hand to Laura's ass, her grip hard and biting as she encourages Laura to move against her.
"Enough," Teyla finally says roughly and tip forward until Laura is under her again. It's a matter of half a minute before Laura is topless as well and Teyla is licking wet stripes across Laura's entire chest while she opens Laura's BDUs and pushes them and her panties down.
Laura has to actually unwrap her legs from Teyla's waist to lose the last of her clothing and Teyla settles down next to her, tugging Laura onto her side so that they're facing on another. One hand travels along Laura's torso, over her hip and down her thigh, flesh against flesh, and Teyla's fingers push at that spot at the juncture of her pelvis and thigh that feels like it's connected directly to her clit and has her almost pulling away from the intensity of it.
"Oh my god," Laura groans, and the tendons in her neck are standing out with the effort it's taking to endure the touch, let it wreck her.
"You are beautiful," Teyla tells her, voice dark and rasping.
Laura forces her eyes open and stares at Teyla, whose face is damp with sweat, hair tangled from Laura's fingers, lips wet and slightly swollen from kisses. "No, I think that's you," she says with a smile, and her hands go to the waistband of Teyla's pants. "Can I?"
Teyla arches her brows and laughs lowly. "As if I would refuse anything at this moment."
"Really?" Laura grins while she undoes the hidden catch of the pants and then tugs the zipper down. She pushes Teyla onto her back and strips off her pants and flings them aside, then climbs between her legs and pushes them apart. "So you'd let me do this?" she asks and lowers her head.
"I would more than let you," Teyla says thickly, and Laura grins against her inner thigh. "In fact, I would encourage you."
"Good to know." She spreads Teyla's legs wider and the scent and heat coming from Teyla's cunt is dizzying and too tempting for her to continue teasing. She dips her tongue inside just briefly and curls it, bringing a small taste of Teyla into her mouth before licking up, her tongue grazing Teyla's clit before she laps at it with a broad, flat tongue once, then twice.
Teyla's thighs tremble around Laura but don't tighten against her head, and she pushes Laura's hair back from her face. Laura lifts her eyes, her tongue still dipping and licking and curling, her face getting wetter and wetter. Teyla's eyes are burning darkly and her mouth is parted, lips dry from the way she's gasping.
Laura slides one finger inside of Teyla, then works her tongue in alongside it, and Teyla's shoulders leave the bed when her back arches. Before she's even had a chance to get used to it, Laura pushes a second finger in and slips her tongue out so that she can suck on Teyla's clit, which is swollen and sensitive.
Teyla shouts and Laura squeezes her eyes shut and shudders because, god, it's so good to do this to Teyla, to make her come undone like this and forget her composure.
"Another?" Laura asks.
"Yes, yes, yes."
A third finger and it's tight but not overly so, and Teyla's wet enough that the slide of all three fingers is mostly smooth and slick, with just enough friction to make it good, great, as Laura knows from experience.
She keeps sucking, varying from lightly to hard, and she's so into what she's doing that it takes both of Teyla's hands to push her mouth away.
"Come up here."
Laura keeps her fingers in Teyla's cunt and lets Teyla pull her up the bed until they're both on their sides again. When Teyla reaches between Laura's legs she growls at the wetness she finds and slips one finger inside. Laura reaches down and grasps Teyla's hand with her free one and maneuvers two more fingers to the entrance of her cunt.
Teyla looks a question at her and Laura nods frantically. "Fuck, yes, please, I can--" She breaks off with garbled noise when Teyla takes her at her word and pushes all three fingers in. She's narrower than Teyla on the inside, and Teyla's fingers are thick and wide, and Laura's internal muscles protest the sudden stretch with a dull ache, but she doesn't care because, god, it's so good, so fucking good.
For a minute Laura can't focus on anything other than the thrust of Teyla's fingers inside of her, can't move except to push down on them and soak up that pleasure. But Teyla twitches her hips and Laura remembers that she still has one hand between the other woman's legs, and she moves them again, synchronizing the thrusts, and when she curls her thumb up to work Teyla's clit, Teyla shudders and shoves her fingers into Laura hard.
"I am sorry," Teyla gasps, her fingers gentling, but Laura makes a wordless sound of encouragement. "Oh, I see, yes, I can--."
Teyla adds a brutal twist of her wrist and the palm of her hand slams against Laura's clit, just this side of too much, and it's perfect.
Laura retains enough of her senses to work Teyla less roughly, following the subtle clues in Teyla's hips and breathing to make it just as perfect for her as it is for Laura. Teyla likes a slow, steady rhythm, and she loves it when Laura buries her fingers all the way inside and presses them against her interior walls while working her clit.
They move closer and closer, legs tangling, the backs of their hands bumping together below their waist, and their breasts touching, nipples grazing nipples, and Laura's panting for air when Teyla takes her mouth again, a forceful, desperate, right-on-the-edge kiss that lacks any kind of grace or elegance.
Teyla comes first, when Laura ignores the jerking of her hips and keeps her fingers buried inside, thumb working her clit mercilessly. Teyla's forehead smacks against Laura's collarbone when she convulses and curls forward at the start of her orgasm, which Laura draws out with practiced fingers until Teyla wrenches back hard enough to entirely dislodge them.
She's prepared to wait for Teyla to at least get her breath back before going on, but Teyla takes only two shaky breaths before her fingers start moving again, her thumb finally--fucking finally--going to Laura's clit and giving it as little mercy as Laura showed her.
Laura's orgasm is a sudden thing, sneaking up and overtaking her with so little warning that she shouts when it happens. Almost immediately she grabs at Teyla's wrist to still her fingers. "Too sensitive, not pleasure," she explains breathlessly, and Teyla makes a soothing noise and slips her fingers out carefully, then gathers her in close.
They wait out the twitching and jerking of aftershocks, Laura's face buried against Teyla's neck, and Teyla's hands caressing Laura with enough firmness that it doesn't bother her over-sensitized skin. Their kisses after are softer, traded between smiles, and when Laura starts to shiver slightly, Teyla drapes a blanket over them.
"You will stay?" she asks, but it's just a formality, they both know it.
"Yep," Laura answers anyway, already falling asleep.
In the morning Laura wakes to the soft shaking of her shoulder. "It is still early," she says quietly, and Laura's watch reads a little after 0900, "but you need to return to your quarters."
"Probably a good idea," Laura says sleepily and sits up in the bed. Teyla sits next to her, freshly showered and dressed, and waits with her until she's awake enough to face the day.
Her clothing is on hangers--Teyla's doing, no doubt--and the wrinkles are hardly noticeable. She dresses with Teyla's assistance, which consists mostly of smoothing material down and leaning in to kiss Laura after each article of clothing is donned.
Her hair is a mess, however, and even brushing it doesn't help. "I look like I've just come from someone's bed," she says.
"I feel fortunate that it was mine," Teyla responds with a secretive smile. "But I understand." She goes into the bathroom and comes out with a small container. "Sit," she says and Laura perches on the footstool so that Teyla can stand behind her and work scented oil into her hair and brush it straight. When she's done she pushes a strand of hair back from Laura's face and nods. "Perfect."
It is, in fact, and Laura stares up at Teyla wordlessly for a long while. "Last night was great," she says. "Do you think we could see each other again?"
Teyla smiles softly. "I do not take people to my bed lightly, Laura. I...like you very much, beyond the physical. I hope that we can see a great deal of one another."
And it's a good thing that Laura already decided to forget about caution because if she hadn't she probably would have panicked at the idea of actually dating Teyla. "I'm on duty later, but maybe we can have lunch tomorrow?"
"Lunch," Teyla agrees, and they smile at each other for a while until Teyla clears her throat and steps back. "You should go to your quarters, and I should not be late for my sparring session with Ronon."
Laura gets to her feet and presses a quick kiss to Teyla's lips before leaving.
On the way to her quarters she passes Sheppard, who glances curiously at her, then back the way she came. Sheppard isn't stupid and she's not surprised to see the look of realization on his face when he looks at her again. He smirks and Laura is almost flustered for a moment, but she's been in Rodney's head, so she gives his upturned collar a pointed look and smirks back.
.End