Fic: A Night at the Opera (SGA, Ronon/Elizabeth/Teyla, NC-17) 1/1

[shetiger]

Title: A Night at the Opera
Author: tigerlady
Fandom: Atlantis
Pairing thingie: Elizabeth/Ronon/Teyla (explicit) with a brief bit of John/Rodney (non-explicit)
Rating: NC-17 for het and femslash

Summary: Aliens didn't make them do it. They just encouraged nicely. With a fruit basket.

Notes: This is dedicated to mmmchelle, who planted the idea in my head, though I don't remember exactly when or how. I have no idea if this is even your thing, hon, so feel free to ignore it. Just know that you inspired porn. :)



"Thank you very much, Minister," Elizabeth said, making the tiny bow from the waist that was customary among the Elnori. "I think we're both going to be very satisfied with this agreement."

"As do I, Dr. Weir," Noral said. To her surprise, he reached out and took her right hand between his own warm, slightly wrinkled hands. "Now, I'm not sure if Andra has had a chance to tell you of this custom, but we always celebrate new partnerships with a presentation of the nar shelat. It is the highest artistic achievement of our society."

"Oh! Well, wonderful," she said, instantly envisioning the Kennedy Center, though she thought that whatever the nar shelat was, it would be little like the performances she was used to. "I look forward to it. What do I need to do?"

Noral smiled widely, deep laugh-lines fissuring through his normal genteel expression. "Simply be awed. Oh, and two of your people have agreed to attend you, but if you wish for some of my own people-"

"No, that's fine, Minister," she agreed, though she was slightly taken aback at his phrasing-'attend?'. "My people will be just fine, I'm sure."

Noral chuckled. "Then I hope you enjoy yourself. It will be an auspicious beginning to our friendship."

Elizabeth nodded and smiled, hoping she hadn't just gotten herself invited to some bizarre Pegasus galaxy cannibalistic barbeque.

**********

Elizabeth hadn't packed for anything other than normal trade negotiations, which meant she felt woefully underdressed as she headed to the art house in her standard uniform. She'd redone her makeup and done the best she could with her hair; considering the last-minute invitation, the Elnori would have to be happy with her as she was.

A handsome young man dressed in the black civil servant uniform greeted her at the door. No noisy, expectant crowd mulled in the entrance hall, and Elizabeth was afraid she'd misunderstood the arrangements. But the man smiled and held out his arm with no sign of anything amiss.

"Dr. Weir," he said. "Minister Noral sends his regards. He has already entered his box, but hopes that you will find everything to your liking. If you will follow me?"

He ushered her down a short hall to the final door of the corridor. She caught a glimpse of a deep blue chaise before he caught her attention again.

"Your attendants will be here shortly," he said. "Let them know if you need anything. The performance will begin after your meal."

And then he was closing the door, not quite fast enough to be rude, but quickly enough that she was a bit bewildered by the whole situation. Elizabeth blinked and shook it off with a small laugh.

The room was beautiful. Several Persian-style rugs were piled over a rich ocher glazed-tile floor, and the chaise was situated on top of them. The side walls were nearly bare but for two large, copper-framed mirrors.

The wall facing the couch wasn't a wall at all. Elizabeth walked right up to it, trying to figure out if it was some type of technology. It appeared to be a silvery cloth, like a movie screen. She couldn't tell anything more by staring at it, though.

She made another lap of the room, carefully skirting the pillows piled on the rug in front of the couch. The only other thing in the room was a small round table beside the chaise. She sat down, settling in against the back rest. The seat was so deep that only her feet stuck off the edge, making her feel like a child. She was tempted to take off her shoes and curl up comfortably, but propriety held her in check. Instead, she scooted forward until her feet rested on the floor. She faced the blank screen, vaguely reminded of long waits at doctors' offices.

Not five minutes later, she was startled out of a bored daze by the sound of the door opening.

Teyla and Ronon entered. Elizabeth was more surprised by their outfits than their presence. Teyla was wearing a flowing, split skirt similar to the one Elizabeth had seen her work out in, but her top was little more than a bra. A dark-green velvet push-up bra, at that. Elizabeth forced her eyes away from Teyla's cleavage. She was already fighting a losing battle with a blush when she realized she was staring at Ronon's naked chest-bare skin over hard muscle was a good look for him, especially with the tight, tight, tight leather pants he was wearing.

Teyla stepped forward, smiling gently. "How are you?"

"Fine. Clueless." Elizabeth waved vaguely at the room. "Do you know what's going on? Because I've got to say, this isn't quite what I'm used to."

Ronon chuckled, and Elizabeth relaxed a bit. Teyla squeezed his forearm, and he nodded at both of them before leaving the room.

"Teyla?"

Teyla rounded the couch and sat down beside her. "The Elnori are a very sensual people, Elizabeth. They believe that the only way to live with the constant threat of the Wraith is to live well. To appreciate all that life has to offer. The nar shelat is a way to demonstrate that philosophy, and it is best experienced with trusted friends. I hope that Ronon and I were not too forward in making that assumption."

Elizabeth shook her head. "Of course not. I'm really glad you're here, actually." She sighed and slumped against the side of the couch. "So what happens now? Does it start soon?"

Teyla's smile turned devilish. "The performance itself begins shortly. Until then, we are here to serve you."

Elizabeth sucked in an awkward breath, and she coughed in surprise. "Serve me? Are you joking?"

Teyla shook her head. "It is part of the ceremony. One we will enjoy, I assure you."

Then she started taking off Elizabeth's shoes. Elizabeth stared, trying to decide whether to protest, but she was off-balance. Off-balance-and distracted by Teyla's cleavage as she bent over Elizabeth's foot. Teyla deftly pulled off Elizabeth's sock, running her fingers over Elizabeth's ankle in a way that sent shivers up her spine.

The door opened again. Ronon backed into the room and shut the door. He was carrying a large round tray like a waiter. He set it down on the small table beside the couch, kneeling beside it. The tray was overfull; she saw several platters heaped with what looked like appetizers, a carafe of dark liquid surrounded by three small cups, and a few small bowls that might have been soup or finger bowls. Her stomach growled from the mingling scents reminiscent of Mediterranean spices.

Ronon grinned at her. He had a cloth in his hand, though she wasn't sure where he'd gotten it from. He reached for her hand. "Can I?"

"Um," she said stupidly. Ronon took that as agreement, and he began stroking the warm, wet cloth over her hand and between her fingers. His touch was firm, but gentle enough that the cloth didn't chafe. He dried her hands with another soft cloth, then repeated the process with Teyla before cleaning his own hands. Ronon's motions were mesmerizing: slow, careful, and smooth. When he finished, Elizabeth had to shake off the slight fog that had overtaken her thoughts.

"That's new," she said, groping for something to fill the hard spaces between the three of them. "We didn't do that before the meals during the negotiations."

Teyla nodded. "This is not so much cleanliness, as it is a ritual cleansing," she explained.

Elizabeth accepted that for what it was, without trying to dig deeper. She knew she had a tendency that went beyond professional need to scour people for whatever cultural knowledge they had; she didn't want to treat Teyla that way.

Ronon lifted one of the plates, one that held bread surrounding a pasty yellow dip, and held it out to Teyla. She took a piece of the bread, swiped it through the dip, and then offered it to Elizabeth.

"O-kay," she said, still trying to get into the swing of being waited on, literally hand and foot. "Thank you," she added as she took the bread.

"You are very welcome," Teyla said with a warm smile.

The bread was toasted in a rich oil, and the dip itself was fairly bland. Not quite hummus, but close.

"Do you like it?" Ronon asked, his voice a low rumble from the vicinity of her waist.

Elizabeth resisted the urge to swipe at her mouth to check for crumbs. "Yes, it's very good."

He held up another dish. "Try this one."

She reached for one of the pieces in the bowl-something dark and roundish, reminding her of a date-but he moved the bowl away from her hand and towards Teyla. Teyla fished out the fruit, and Elizabeth carefully took it from her. It was similar to a candied fig-very sweet, but with a floral spiciness lurking under the honey.

They worked their way through several more foods in that way, Ronon always serving Teyla who served Elizabeth, until she couldn't stand it anymore.

"Aren't you two going to eat anything?"

"That is not what we are here for," Teyla said, "unless of course you wish us to do so."

"Of all the ridiculous...Aren't you hungry?"

Ronon leaned back, a sharkish grin crossing his face. "Famished," he said.

"Well eat, then!" Elizabeth waved at the tray, amused and exasperated both. Instead of falling on the food like she imagined he would, however, he waited for Teyla to slide to her knees next to him. She plucked one of the candied figs from the bowl, and held it out.

Elizabeth stared as Ronon slurped it straight from Teyla's fingers. Teyla cupped Ronon's chin as he chewed, rubbing her thumb across his bottom lip. He flicked his tongue across it. She pulled away, and Ronon swiped his index finger through one of the spicy dips. Teyla sucked it from his finger. They traded several more...bites, each as messy, each as intimate. Elizabeth couldn't make herself look away from their easy sensuality. If this was what the Elnori thought of as sharing, then Ronon and Teyla were exemplary advocates.

"Is the performance going to start soon?" Elizabeth asked, though she felt like the performance in front of her would be difficult to match.

Ronon snatched a piece of crunchy fruit from Teyla with a toss of his head, and bit down noisily. "Yep," he said. "We should get started."

"Started? I thought we'd already started.

"He means prepare for the viewing." Teyla shot him a chiding look, but Elizabeth could tell she was enjoying the game they were playing. If Elizabeth hadn't trusted both of them with her life and well-being so many times before, she'd have called a halt to the whole thing a while ago. But she did trust them, and despite her slight discomfort at being continually surprised, she was enjoying herself.

Ronon handed Teyla a cloth, and she began to wipe Elizabeth's hands clean as Ronon had done earlier. She then wiped Ronon's hands and finally her own.

"Lean back and relax," Teyla told her, pushing lightly on Elizabeth's shoulder. Elizabeth smiled and let herself be guided, arching her eyebrow as Teyla took her hand within her own. They were coated in some kind of massage oil, though nothing that smelled strongly as far as she could tell. Elizabeth giggled at the absurdity and sheer playfulness of the whole situation.

Then she groaned and threw her head back as Ronon started rubbing her feet.

"Oh, that's fantastic," she said, any shame she might have had out the window. It had been years since she'd had a foot rub, let alone a good foot rub, and Ronon had incredible hands. "Please, just like that."

She opened her eyes to find Teyla smiling at her fondly. Teyla's hands were also strong and sure as she worked the tight muscles of Elizabeth's palm. Within a few minutes, Elizabeth was a puddle of blissed-out goo, and she was pretty sure she was smiling like she was three seconds away from drooling.

Elizabeth lost track of how long they massaged her, but when they pulled back she was nearly asleep. She shook her head, trying to wake up enough to pay attention to the main event. The lights in the room had dimmed, and panel on the wall was glowing. It reminded her of an Earth movie theater.

The screen rippled and cleared so it was like looking through the fine mesh of a screened-in porch. Elizabeth squinted, trying to get some sense of what she was seeing. There was a plain white platform situated in the middle of a room, though the walls were odd. Large black rectangles, almost like dark windows, faced out of each of them.

"Wait," she said, an idea dawning. "Is this a one-way mirror?"

Teyla tilted her head to the side as she pondered the question. "I do not believe that it is a mirror. The technology is unknown the my people. We will be able to see, hear, even smell what is happening on the other side, yet the artists will know nothing of us."

"The artists-"

The artists arrived in the middle of her question, a man and a woman approaching from opposite sides of the platform. They were both wearing long robes that shone like silk: the woman a peacock blue that set off the flame of her hair, the man a deep forest green that complimented his dark complexion. They bowed to each other and to each of the windows, then stepped up onto the platform. They knelt facing each other and linked hands. A quiet murmur rose between them until Elizabeth could make out of few words in Ancient.

"A prayer?" she asked Teyla.

Teyla nodded. "They ask for the Ancestors' blessing."

"For their performance?"

"For the conception of a child."

"What?" Elizabeth turned back to the couple, who were now standing and removing each other's robes. She jerked her head back to Teyla, but not before she had confirmation that both the man and woman were very beautiful people. "You don't seriously mean that they're going to have sex in front of us!"

"How else would they make a baby?" Ronon asked without looking away from the screen.

Teyla smiled indulgently and squeezed Elizabeth's hand. "I know that it is unusual, especially from what I know of your culture, but they truly believe that this is a good thing. The Elnori celebrate life and joy with the nar shelat. Pleasure in all its forms-between two men, a man and a woman, even in groups. But we are very highly honored tonight because these two wish to conceive, and they are allowing us to witness that. Possibly even to help, for they believe that our energy in witnessing the act makes the conception easier."

Elizabeth slumped against the backrest. Her eyes drifted to the screen-window, really-despite her best efforts. The couple were stroking each other's faces, smiling at each other. They didn't act aware that there were people watching them.

"How long have you known about this?" she asked Teyla, feeling slightly betrayed at being kept in the dark.

"I learned some of it yesterday when the minister's assistant approached us about the possibility of attending you, but I did not learn the details until earlier this afternoon."

Elizabeth nodded. "Well, I've suffered through worse, I suppose."

Teyla grinned at her. Elizabeth imagined she'd suffered through far worse as well in her own negotiations. This was far from torture. Yes, it was a little embarrassing-it was live porn, after all-but the couple were clearly enjoying themselves. They were moving slowly, indulging in comforting touches. She caught Ronon looking up at her speculatively.

"What?"

"There's enough oil for a full body massage."

"Um." Never in her adult life had Elizabeth met anyone who could knock her off-balance as easily as Ronon did. And she didn't even think he did it on purpose-not all of the time, anyway. Normally she would have smiled and said 'no thank you', but her mind got stuck imagining the feel of his and Teyla's hands working out her tension as they had done before. She tried not to blush. "I'm afraid I didn't pack a towel. Thank you anyway."

His eyebrows shot up. Her reasoning probably made no sense to him, but he nodded easily and turned back to watching the performance. The couple had started a very interesting massage. Elizabeth tried not to picture herself doing those same motions, or having them done to her.

She looked over to Teyla to ask her a question, but it got stuck in her throat, leaving only a guttural gasp in its place. Ronon had leaned against Teyla's knees, and was looking up at her with naked adoration. Teyla was smiling, always smiling, as she gently traced his face and lips with her index finger.

Elizabeth turned back to the porn, mind racing. She wished she could leave, let them have this fantasy night to enjoy between them, but she needed to stay for the sake of the treaty. She knew that they would stop if she asked them-but she didn't really want them to do so.

She peeked at them again. Ronon was sucking Teyla's finger between his full lips, and Teyla was staring back at Elizabeth with such heat that the sudden rise of her own lust made her shiver.

"We are here for you," Teyla murmured. "Whatever you wish, or do not wish. This is their custom."

Elizabeth shook her head, fighting desire. "There are limits..."

"We're not on Atlantis," Ronon said. "Do what you want to do for a change."

"Ronon," Teyla chided. "Elizabeth, we want you. If you want us, simply say so. Otherwise, we will do our best to please you in other ways. You still have not had the desert."

Elizabeth swallowed. She could hear the couple in the background beginning to moan and pant, but she couldn't look away from Teyla. She opened her mouth to say no, to tell them that it was a bad, bad, very bad idea, but what came out was "why not both?"

Ronon chuckled, a deep, dirty laugh that seemed to vibrate right into her groin.

Teyla's eyes flicked towards him, a sloe-eyed cat sizing up her prey. Or possibly the competition. As one they moved, and Elizabeth had never felt so glad to feel stalked in all her life. Teyla reached her first. Elizabeth groaned as Teyla's soft lips met hers, as Teyla's breasts pressed into her own. She'd always enjoyed the way kissing a woman was different than kissing a man: still passionate, yet with a yielding equality, as if each mouth were perfectly molded for the other. Teyla sucked at her lower lip while she pulled away, and Elizabeth groaned.

She opened her eyes to find Ronon right in front of her eyes. Her heart sped at the way he looked at her, all masculine want and hunger. He cupped her cheek, gently tracing over the thin skin with his thumb.

"Is this okay?" he whispered.

Elizabeth smiled. He'd surprised her again, though she should have known he'd be gentle. "It's just fine."

Ronon smiled back, then tipped her face upwards as he slowly moved to her. His beard tickled and scratched, but his lips were soft and teasing. Frustrated, she sank her hand into his thick hair and pulled him to her. He kissed her hard and fierce, but instead of satisfying her, she just wanted more. She pressed into him, almost frantic with the need to feel his big, muscled body against her.

"Elizabeth," Teyla whispered, right into her ear, and then sucked the lobe into her mouth.

Elizabeth broke away from Ronon with a gasp, shivers running down her spine. His lips were wet, his eyes half-lidded and dark as he stared at her. Teyla worked her hand in between them, stroking across Ronon's chest and up Elizabeth's throat. She drifted down Elizabeth's jaw to nuzzle at her neck.

Ronon kissed her again, then moved back so he could mouth her nipple through her shirt. Elizabeth groaned into Teyla's mouth. She wasn't even naked yet, and she was more aroused than she'd been in ages. Elizabeth ran her hands across Teyla's smooth skin, curving across her muscled back and sliding forward over velvet to cup those beautiful breasts. Teyla was the one whimpering now, and Elizabeth decided that it was about time she started doing some attending of her own.

She pushed up on her hands, pressing back into the couch so she could get a little room. Ronon and Teyla got the picture and moved back so that she wasn't buried under their weight. She stripped off her shirt, wishing she'd chosen other than the practical beige bra she'd picked out this morning. So instead of dwelling on that, she took it off.

"Oh, yeah," Ronon breathed, his eyes glued to her chest.

Elizabeth gave into the urge to show off, their admiration making her feel wanton and alive. She arched her back, stretching her arms up above her head. Ronon palmed her breasts, rolling her nipples under his thumbs, and Elizabeth pushed into his touch. It felt so good.

Teyla mouthed Ronon's shoulder, then pushed her top up and over her head, letting it drop behind the couch. Ronon looked completely torn, like a puppy being offered too many toys, so Elizabeth acted for him. Teyla's nipples were puckered and high, and they seemed to get even harder as Elizabeth lightly brushed the pads of her fingers over them.

Elizabeth rose to her knees. Ronon wrapped a strong, supporting arm around her waist, his hand sneaking down to knead her ass. Then he pinched, and she squeaked. His grin was completely unrepentant.

"Just for that, mister," Elizabeth said, turning away from him. She winked at Teyla, who smiled slyly back at her before the expression was lost in their kiss. They held each other, breasts pressed tightly together, hands roaming over bare skin. Teyla kissed like she did everything: concentrated, skilled, and with a whole lot of heat behind her every move.

Ronon moved away, but Elizabeth was lost in Teyla's mouth, in her little hums and sighs. Teyla hooked her fingers in Elizabeth's hair as she mouthed along Elizabeth's jaw with small bites. Elizabeth gasped and let Teyla take control.

When she opened her eyes again, Ronon was lounged along the length of the chaise, his head at the foot, wearing nothing but his small, secretive smile. He was as utterly masculinely beautiful as she'd imagined-well-muscled, but not overly so, his strength perfectly suited to his frame. Her eyes skittered away the scars on his chest and she found herself staring at his hard, bobbing cock.

"He is amazing, isn't he?" Teyla murmured.

"Mmm, very." Elizabeth was enjoying the playful bond with Teyla almost as much as what they were doing. She thought that Ronon alone might have overwhelmed her with his intensity, but with Teyla everything was fun and light.

Ronon quirked an eyebrow at them. "You just going to watch?" he asked as he reached for his cock.

"While that idea has merit..." Elizabeth let her body finish her statement. She straddled his thigh and draped herself across his chest. His cock pressed into her hip. Her pants needed to come off, but at the moment she was too busy exploring how responsive his nipples were to worry about that fact. Ronon grunted as she flicked her tongue, and he cupped the back of her head and breathed out raggedly when she started sucking. Elizabeth smiled, holding him gently between her teeth, very satisfied with her results. She had just moved to his other side when Teyla's hands settled on her hips.

"Do not mind me," Teyla said, and then began opening Elizabeth's pants. Elizabeth carefully lifted herself as Teyla deftly worked both her pants and panties down past her hips. She settled back down against Ronon, and the feel of skin on skin was a zinging shock through her whole body.

"Elizabeth," Ronon said, pulling her up for a deep, possessing kiss. Right then, she couldn't remember if he'd ever said her name before, but she'd certainly never heard him say it like that, full of need and supplication.

"Teyla," he said, in much the same way, when they parted. Elizabeth shifted to the side so that Teyla, now naked as well, could join them. Ronon wrapped his arms around Teyla, burying his face in her neck in what looked more like a desperate hug than a passionate clench.

Elizabeth swallowed hard as she realized that this probably meant more to him than a playful romp. But before emotion could overtake her arousal, they were kissing again, fondling each other in a well-practiced manner. Ronon blindly reached out, searching for her, and Elizabeth caught his hand, pressing a kiss to his palm.

His playful grin was back when he looked up at her, however, and Elizabeth returned it in full. She pressed closer to Teyla, rubbing her thigh between Teyla's, pressing up into her moist warmth. Teyla tossed her head back, long hair cascading over her shoulder as she ground down into Elizabeth's leg.

Ronon slid off the couch, kneeling before them once again. He pulled Teyla's hips forward, then pushed her top leg back, opening her up. Elizabeth got the picture. She traced her fingers over the swell of Teyla's ass, teasing down along the crease of her thigh and forward through her hair. She sank her index finger into hot, wet heat the moment Ronon dipped his head.

Teyla groaned-loudly. She twisted enough that she could clutch at Elizabeth's forearm, her strong fingers digging in as she panted and writhed with their touches. Elizabeth pushed a second finger in, thrusting as best as she could with her wrist awkwardly bent.

Elizabeth felt the flutters start before Teyla started crying out, wordless, repeated sounds that matched the rhythm of the contractions around Elizabeth's fingers. With one last high-pitched shout, Teyla went completely stiff, all her muscles clenched tight except for the wild quiver inside her. After a few seconds she relaxed, a limp weight in Elizabeth's arms. Ronon sat back, and Elizabeth gently pulled her fingers away. Teyla rolled onto her back.

"Thank you," she murmured, her smile so sated it almost looked drugged. Elizabeth laughed and kissed her gently.

"Elizabeth. What do you want?" Ronon asked, still on the floor. "That, or we could-"

She looked over to see him holding up a condom package. Just like that, she needed him inside her, right that very second.

"Up here, now," she ordered, grabbing the package out of his hands. Teyla curled up at the foot of the couch, leaving Ronon room to sit with his legs out. Elizabeth ripped open the package. Before she put it on him, though, she took one long, lingering taste of his cock. He didn't cry out, but she could see his fingers clutch at nothing. She pulled off, got the condom on, and then straddled his wide thighs. She steadied his cock, then sank down.

And wow, maybe a little more foreplay would have been a good idea, because he was big, and she was out of practice. The stretch faded quickly, though. Elizabeth opened her eyes, a moan forced out of her as the sensation turned better than fantastic. Ronon breathed shallowly, tiny open-mouthed pants, his eyes locked on her face as he waited.

So she moved.

She'd been right-his intensity was almost overwhelming, his eyes boring into hers as his cock slid inside her. But Elizabeth had never been scared of much, so she met his need with her own passion, moving faster, letting him support her hips with his hands but keeping control. Finally Ronon dropped his head against the backrest, his eyes drifting shut.

She moved faster, finding just the right angle to drive herself crazy. Over and over, till she lost track of everything around her but the feel of him inside her and his shoulders under her sweaty palms. She was almost, almost, almost, and then she ground down, light throbbing under her eyelids as she came, the force of it strangling the sound from her throat.

Vaguely she was aware of Ronon moving her as he thrust up a few more times, sending more shocking waves through her. He moaned, a deep rumbling cry, and then she felt him come, small rhythmic pulses that she was sensitized for.

They slumped together, panting, for a good minute, then she climbed off of him, much less gracefully than she'd climbed on. She chuckled tiredly and Ronon smiled at her. He got up and did something with the condom, but Elizabeth was more intent on collapsing with Teyla.

"That was incredibly beautiful," Teyla told her as they settled in together. "Thank you for sharing with us."

"Mmm, I think I should be thanking you." Elizabeth caught a glimpse of the performing couple beyond Teyla's hair. They appeared to be finished, languidly stroking and cuddling in the manner of people in love. That seemed more intimate than what she'd seen earlier, so she focused on Teyla again. "I bet you two are amazing together, as well."

Teyla ran her index finger along Elizabeth's cheek, then kissed her gently. "You shall have to see us together, then."

Elizabeth's heart skipped, wondering exactly how much Teyla was offering, but then Ronon clambered onto the couch, stretching out behind them, and she decided that she didn't need to worry about it right then.

Instead, she sighed happily and snuggled down between two warm bodies. She definitely needed to add something special to the supply order on the Daedalus' next run. Perhaps Minister Noral would like a nice, twenty-year scotch.

**************

Elsewhere in the city:

John snuggled in closer to Rodney's chest-or tried to, anyway. His cheek and mouth were already smashed up against Rodney's hot skin as much as they could be. He probably looked like a complete idiot, with his eyes closed and a dopey grin across half his face, but then again, nobody was around to see him. Nobody around anywhere except for Rodney, who was busy running his fingers through John's hair.

"This is nice," he murmured to Rodney's nipple.

"Mmm, yes, very," not-Rodney's-nipple replied. "We really owe Teyla and Ronon. What do you think, a fruit basket?"

John snickered, producing a really obnoxious snorting noise, since one of his nostrils was smashed, too. "Nah, too hard to ship. Cheese wheel, definitely."

They chuckled together before settling back into slothful bliss. "They didn't seem very broken up about the prospect, all things considered," Rodney said after a moment. "Maybe we could get by with just a card? A nice 'thank you for taking one for the team' note?"

"Mmm, they weren't, were they? Best leave it alone. After all, they'll probably be cranky after a night stuck at the opera."

"Eh, opera wouldn't be so bad." Rodney tapped John's neck with a finger. "It was probably something truly horrid like ballet."

John nodded sleepily, his stubble rasping across Rodney's chest hair. "Probably. Anyway, they'll know better next time."

Rodney yawned, and John happily followed him into sleep soon after.