Dinner Plans, a SGA fic
Disclaimer: Hey hey! What do you say? I still don't own SGA!
Author's notes: This is written in response for the John/Teyla thing-a-thon. (Go check out the rest of the great work there too!)
Sheppard’s POV:
I tug at my bow tie, never liking the way it fit around my neck; the only time I’ve ever had to wear one was for my father’s business functions - and those had been plentiful in number, and plentiful in annoyance. Ties, suits and dress shoes have never been comfortable for me; even my dress blues are worn only on the most special of occasions. For the hundredth time since we have stepped in the building, I wonder why we are here.
The ‘here’ in question being a large ballroom in a hotel, on Earth, all drinks paid for courtesy of Sheppard International. A week ago I received a letter in the weekly data burst from my brother Dave, whom I’d only really just began to reconcile with. The letter requested - begged - for me to come ‘home for an investment dinner’ that could secure the best deal the company has ever known. For some reason, he thinks having me here will help convince the investors that his company is worth giving their not-so-hard-earned-money to.
I had wanted to decline but when I spoke to Carter, to my surprise - and utter displeasure - she had thought going would be a good idea. She’d even been the one to suggest taking my team along. I’d stared slack-jawed at her for a moment before huffing - yes, I admit, I huffed - and walking away from her.
Rodney is in the corner near the food table, talking animatedly to a couple of businessmen, hands tumbling over one another as he explains something to the bored-looking men. I watch as he gestures wildly, almost causing his plate, I mean platter, of appetizers to spill all over their expensive-looking Armani suits. Suppressing a sigh, I look for the rest of my team.
Ronon is standing in the middle of the room, looking out of place. Even in a suit he stands out amongst the crowds; I don’t know if it’s his height or the dreadlocks or the glare he has fastened onto his face that has been a permanent resident all night, but no one has dared to go anywhere near him. I know he would rather be anywhere but here - probably out of his suit chasing some bad guys. To be honest, so would I.
He is holding a plate brimming with fancy finger foods, almost rivaling Rodney’s, and I shake my head slightly. Maybe he’s not as miserable as I think as I watch him put a large piece of bread covered in pate in his mouth.
Moving on, my eyes catch the back of the most surprising element in the room: Teyla. I see her mingle between people. She looks stunning in the dark green cocktail dress Keller helped her pick out from magazines delivered by way of DaedalusMail. Her hair is pulled back in one of those fancy buns, some loose tendrils escaping the messy mass at the nape of her neck. Her intensity has drawn the attention of many men, who have gathered in a hub around her, vying for her attentions.
Suddenly, there is something in my chest that I can’t quite name and I don’t like it.
Back on Atlantis, there are no smarmy business men hovering around her and when I watch her, I am the only one doing so.
“What’s going on?” Rodney asks, walking up to my side, pulling me back from my wandering thoughts.
“Nothing,” I answer too quickly.
Rodney, being more astute than he normally is, follows my gaze. “She looks nice out of her usual gear.”
Nice is the understatement of the year but as close as Rodney will get to a compliment. It’s like saying Mount Everest is a hill, while having Rodney defend the need to climb it. Or that the heat of the desert in the middle of the summer is warm, while having Rodney sign up for a marathon through it.
Not that I’m going to tell that to McKay. I grunt noncommittally as I watch Dave walk up to her, a smile that I don’t particularly like passing over his lips. I squint, unable to believe he would approach Teyla. I watch the two of them talk for a few moments, feeling something like rage build in my gut. With each sentence spoken, Dave inches his way closer to Teyla, places a finger on the back of her hand, leans his head closer to hers as he talks.
“Your brother seems awfully friendly.” I can hear the snarkiness in his voice and I am once again reminded of why it is he used to annoy me. I watch for a few more minutes, ignoring Rodney’s murmured babbling about who-only-knows-what and wish, not for the first time, that I was back on Atlantis.
Finally, I have had enough of both Rodney’s incessant cawing in my ear and Dave’s obvious flirtation with Teyla and I can’t take it anymore.
“Excuse me,” I say disingenuously, making my way to Teyla and my brother, glaring at the business men I’d come here to appease.
I hear Dave’s voice as I approach and the hairs on my arm bristle at the tone he is using. “…to say that dress looks absolutely stunning on you.” I’ve heard that tone before; when he’d used it on the countless women he has dated in the past.
Before Teyla answers, she sees me approaching and I smile tightly at her. “John,” she says, her own smile glorious. I hope I’m not overreaching when my brain detects a sense of relief in her voice.
“Hey John,” Dave says, flashing me a grin. “This is a marvelous woman you have here.” I smile tightly, nodding slightly. “So, where did he find you? That is an unusual accent.”
Teyla looks at me, her smile tightening as she panics. When we came up with her cover story we simply glossed over the details; she was a private contractor like Ronon, specializing in negotiations. Her accent is so familiar to me that I didn’t consider that other people would ask about it.
Before she utters an answer, she looks behind me. “I will be right there, Rodney,” she calls to McKay with a nod of her head. Strange, I think, because I didn’t hear him say anything. Maybe he waved her over.
I turn to face him and see him happily popping mini-quiche in his mouth hungrily, not pausing for breath between each addition. There was no way he called her to him. Nothing comes between him and his food. I learned that the hard way.
“Excuse me,” Teyla says apologetically, walking away in Rodney’s direction.
Once she reaches Rodney, who looks surprised to see her, Dave speaks, “How long have you known her?”
“Over four years,” I answer, trying not to sound too annoyed.
“Why didn’t she come out when Dad died?”
I turn to him slightly, raising my eyebrow.
“It wasn’t the kind of situation I’d want to introduce her to you.”
That caused him to turn to me with a questioning look. “Introduce her to the family? Are the two of you together?”
Numerous McKay-like responses fill my mind, but with a great effort I don't say any them. “No,” I answer simply, as I look away from him.
“So, there is nothing going on between the two of you?”
I didn’t say that, I think. But there is no way I am going to talk to him about my ever-evolving, not quite describable relationship with Teyla. “Why are you so interested?” I ask testily, resisting the urge to put my hands on my hips.
“No reason,” he says, flashing me a smile I can’t quite trust. “Just wondering.”
Rodney’s POV:
I’m not sure what really happened. One second I was popping delicious catered food into my mouth, the next I hear Teyla calling to me from across the room.
When she walks up to me, I see a slight panic in her eyes. “Where am I from?” she asks in a whisper, looking around at the people around us, hoping none of them are listening.
I eye my quiche critically, wondering if Teyla had eaten something that caused her to have amnesia. I study her for a second, narrowing my eyes at her before popping the remains of my quiche into my mouth; oh well, I think, she seems normal.
I frown at her again as she eyes me with her large, dubious orbs. “You’re from Athos,” I say in my usual condescending tone. “In a galaxy far, far away.”
For a moment, I worry that Teyla is going to retaliate by throwing me to the floor, but instead she gives me a disapproving look. “I am aware of that, Rodney. But, I do not believe those back at base would be pleased if I told everyone that.” She looks at Sheppard and Dave. “John’s brother just asked where my accent was from and I did not know what to answer.”
“Sheppard didn’t work out that little detail into your cover story?” I ask with disbelief, sure part of my cocktail sausage flew from my mouth during my exclamation.
She shook her head. “I do not believe that John thought it would be an issue.”
That figures, I think cynically. Leave it to me to have to save Sheppard from his mistakes again. “Well, I guess it’s up to me to solve the problem,” I tell her my thoughts. I wait a beat before continuing. “Again. I don’t understand why he can’t just think up these things on the spot.” Then I look at Teyla, her dress and roll my eyes. “Figures.”
Teyla is getting annoyed, I can tell. I guess Dave’s question unnerved her more than I assumed. This is, I remind myself, the first time she has been anywhere on earth outside of SGC and I find myself feeling strangely protective of her.
She glances at the brothers. Her eyes linger longer on Sheppard - John Sheppard - and I frown at that. She is probably annoyed that he placed her in an embarrassing situation.
Quickly, I scan my vast geographic knowledge before coming up with an answer. “Tanzania,” I say with a smug smile on my face.
“Tanzania,” she repeats, rolling the unfamiliar word in her mouth. “Thank you, Rodney.” With that, she walks away, not to the Sheppard brothers, but to one of the tables set up with food. Maybe she isn’t ready for any more questions that Dave is going to ask her.
I turn my gaze to Sheppard, wondering what was going on. Based on the sour look on his face, I can assume it has something to do with whatever Dave is saying.
Since returning from Earth after his father’s death, Sheppard made little mention of his older brother, only that things were better than they once were. Watching him now, I’m not so sure that is still true.
Ronon’s POV:
People from Earth make me laugh. I am standing in the middle of this room alone. None of the 'sophisticated' business colleagues of Sheppard’s brother has dared to approach me. It doesn’t bother me though; it allows me to watch everyone without pretending to care what these people have to say.
I see Teyla at one of the serving stations, covertly looking over her shoulder at John. Rodney is not far from her, looking at Sheppard as though he is some puzzle he can’t quite figure out. And Sheppard is storming away from his brother towards me.
Having watched the interaction between Dave and Teyla, I have a feeling I know what is coming. Still, I’m not going to bring up the subject first. “Something wrong, Sheppard?” I ask, feigning ignorance.
“Yeah. My brother is too curious,” he says, not looking at Dave. “Can you believe he wanted to know about her?”
Somehow, I manage to suppress my smile. I wonder if he ever notices how protective he is of Teyla. “And?”
That deflates him. “Well, don’t you think it was overstepping his bounds? I mean, Teyla is my--”
“Teammate?” I suggest.
He shoots me a look that same look he did when I told him I thought he and Teyla would get together that day when Carson died.
I just grin.
For some reason, I find their relationship amusing. It has been entertaining to watch the intricate mating dance they have been a part of since I have known them. Not that either of them have moved their relationship past anything other than the annoying 'will they get together or won’t they?' stage they have been in, but occasionally, there is a little spark of hope.
This looks like it may be one of those times.
Teyla’s POV:
I cannot believe it.
How did I not realize this before?
I am in love with John Sheppard.
I have been aware of the attraction since the day he walked into my tent and charmed me that first night back on Athos. I have met many men in my life and only he was successful in doing so. Through time, the attraction evolved into friendship. Later, it took a turn for the worse, when I gave up hope that something would develop between us and began a relationship with Kanaan.
After the horrific ordeal with Michael and the tragic death of my lover, John stepped in. He was sincere the day he said the baby was going to have a family on Atlantis; John often plays the role of my son’s father. There have been dark days over the past year, times when I blame myself for what happened to my people, but John is like sunshine to my soul. One conversation with him can change my outlook on the day.
However, it was not until his brother showed an interest in me that the idea that I do not want another man’s attention entered my mind.
I want John to flash me flirty smiles.
I want John to charm me every day for the rest of my life.
I want John to want me.
I take a calming breath as I make a decision that will undoubtedly change the course of our relationship. It goes against everything I was taught growing up, more evidence of how John and the people of Earth have affected me.
Before I can talk myself out of telling him how I feel, I make my way to the center of the room where he is standing. My legs feel as though they are moving in slow motion, giving my mind time to question my actions.
The two men see me approaching. I paste a smile on my face that I hope does not reveal how nervous I am. “John, may I speak with you for a moment?” I ask and my voice quivers slightly. I curse it.
John looks confused at my request while Ronon’s eyes twinkle. I suspect he knows exactly what I plan to do; Ronon has always been an engineer in mine and John’s relationship, he has often played the bridge connecting both of us when it has been difficult for us and we have drifted apart and for that, I am eternally grateful. John says something to Ronon, but I am not paying attention to his words. All I can hear is the roaring of my blood in my ears. I am not accustomed to feeling nervous.
When he reaches my side, I begin walking to the secluded part of the room where Rodney and I spoke earlier. I notice that Rodney is watching us carefully. I flash him my most convincing smile and continue walking.
Once we are in the corner, I turn to John, who looks worried. I take a moment to study his handsome face. Before I start to speak, he begins to talk. “Teyla, I’m sorry if my brother did anything to make you uncomfortable. He’s just… that’s just the way he is.”
Relief fills me as I realize that he is jealous of his brother’s interest in me. It makes me feel empowered to know that we are feeling the same way. My words are slow and measured as I attempt to allude to how I feel without saying it blatantly. “John, I did not mind the way your brother spoke to me.”
John’s eyes widen as he misinterprets my words. I notice him clenching his fists. “Oh, ok,” he says, deceptively calm, and I feel my heart thud against my rib cage. He is far too good at hiding his emotions. “In that case, I’m sure he would love to talk with you again. I take it Rodney fixed our little problem? I should have thought of that, saved you from-”
“John,” I say, touching his arm in an attempt to interrupt his rambling. “When Dave spoke with me I realized something.” He snaps his mouth shut with a comical click and I almost laugh at his actions. “I am interested in the attention of one Sheppard.” He frowns and I see panic fill his hazel eyes. “And he is not the one.”
As he processes my words, a tentative smile emerges on his face. “Really?” he asks.
I nod with a grin of my own. We lean towards each other, reaching for a kiss I have waited years for. When our lips meet, my eyes close, as I savor the feelings of our kiss. It is neither passionate nor demanding and yet the warmth that spreads through my veins burns with intensity. There is an uncertainty there that shouldn’t be but it adds only to the innocence of our kiss. I sigh and with a soft pop, we separate.
John lays his forehead on my own, his eyes searching mine, the smile on his lips one I have never seen
before. He touches his lips to my nose and smiles.
“I should have taken you to meet my brother a long time ago,” he says playfully.