Week 49: Attention
May. 1st, 2012 10:39 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
altyronsmaker.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
sga_saturdayTitle: Devil's in the Details
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
altyronsmaker
Wordcount: 600
Rating: pg
Pairing(s): John/Rodney
Prompt(s): Week 49: Attention
Notes: It's unbeta'd. Spell checked, sure, but it's just a free association kind of thing, because I'm BLOCKED so bad. Concrit welcome.
Summary: Knowing someone is an investment, an active study of the material presented.
Knowing someone – bone deep knowledge of someone – doesn’t come from the maturation of a growing acquaintance. It’s an investment, an active study of the material presented. No big picture attitude. Rodney’s never been a ‘big picture’ kind of guy. He’s a scientist, an observer and collector of data. He makes hypotheses, gathers the minutiae and puts it all together. The devil, and the secret, Rodney knows, is always in the details. Even when learning people.
The quirk of an eyebrow. A slow blink of self-consciousness as he ducks his head. The shaggy lock of hair that falls over his eye when he hasn’t been to the barber in too many weeks.
It’s the quirk of a trigger finger in that instant just before negotiations go sour. The silent breath of relief when Teyla smoothes over the hitches.
It’s in the click of teeth when his jaw clenches. Another soldier down; one more letter to write; a family whose lives he’ll destroy.
It’s the slouch that Rodney knows is doing irreversible damage to an otherwise perfectly fine back.
It’s the grin. That damned, devil-may-care grin of utter perverse pleasure at getting one over on whoever thinks they’re in command of him.
It’s the wink.
The pat on the shoulder.
The ghost of fingers down his spine as Rodney steps into the event horizon.
The teasing, the banter, the exaggerated drawl of his name when Rodney’s been at work too long.
The aroma of freshly brewed secret stash at 4 in the morning when the answers just won’t come and simulations keep showing failure.
It’s the “You’ll figure it out, McKay,” said with a half-smile and wink.
The slight curve of his mouth that no one else would even notice, but since Rodney’s been paying attention and knows the planes of his face, he sees it and knows that softer expression is just for himself.
“You’re going to get caught one of these days, Colonel.”
“Don’t care.”
And there’s the grin and its occasional companion the shrug.
Rodney sighs and turns back to his computer. “Of course not.” He wants to dismiss the conversation, but he keeps an ear out.
“But I can tell you do.”
Rodney doesn’t have to turn around again; he can hear the smirk in John’s words.
“You’re obvious.”
“You like it.”
And so what if he did?
The sim chimes out another failure, and Rodney closes the screen in disgust and turns to face John. He points at him. “You don’t have to sound so utterly smug about it.”
“True, but would I be me if I didn’t?”
That makes Rodney smile. Because he knows John’s got a point.
It’s been years and years, and Rodney’s studied every nuance and quirk about his friend and team leader. His…John.
“No,” he says, “No, I guess you wouldn’t.”
John winks at him. “You done?”
And there’s that soft expression Rodney knows is his.
“Yeah,” he says.
“Dinner?”
Rodney stares at him in silence for a minute, until John looks up at him in askance. “McKay?”
“I’m not hungry.”
The smile that slides over John’s face is the one nobody else has ever seen. It’s rare and bright and just this side of dirty, and Rodney gets hot all over.
There are details that Rodney knows, that Rodney has studied. Details that tell the truth of who and what Colonel John Sheppard is – in his quarters, in his bed, in his relationship. Details that only Rodney knows. Details Rodney’s not sharing.
Author:
altyronsmakerWordcount: 600
Rating: pg
Pairing(s): John/Rodney
Prompt(s): Week 49: Attention
Notes: It's unbeta'd. Spell checked, sure, but it's just a free association kind of thing, because I'm BLOCKED so bad. Concrit welcome.
Summary: Knowing someone is an investment, an active study of the material presented.
Knowing someone – bone deep knowledge of someone – doesn’t come from the maturation of a growing acquaintance. It’s an investment, an active study of the material presented. No big picture attitude. Rodney’s never been a ‘big picture’ kind of guy. He’s a scientist, an observer and collector of data. He makes hypotheses, gathers the minutiae and puts it all together. The devil, and the secret, Rodney knows, is always in the details. Even when learning people.
The quirk of an eyebrow. A slow blink of self-consciousness as he ducks his head. The shaggy lock of hair that falls over his eye when he hasn’t been to the barber in too many weeks.
It’s the quirk of a trigger finger in that instant just before negotiations go sour. The silent breath of relief when Teyla smoothes over the hitches.
It’s in the click of teeth when his jaw clenches. Another soldier down; one more letter to write; a family whose lives he’ll destroy.
It’s the slouch that Rodney knows is doing irreversible damage to an otherwise perfectly fine back.
It’s the grin. That damned, devil-may-care grin of utter perverse pleasure at getting one over on whoever thinks they’re in command of him.
It’s the wink.
The pat on the shoulder.
The ghost of fingers down his spine as Rodney steps into the event horizon.
The teasing, the banter, the exaggerated drawl of his name when Rodney’s been at work too long.
The aroma of freshly brewed secret stash at 4 in the morning when the answers just won’t come and simulations keep showing failure.
It’s the “You’ll figure it out, McKay,” said with a half-smile and wink.
The slight curve of his mouth that no one else would even notice, but since Rodney’s been paying attention and knows the planes of his face, he sees it and knows that softer expression is just for himself.
“You’re going to get caught one of these days, Colonel.”
“Don’t care.”
And there’s the grin and its occasional companion the shrug.
Rodney sighs and turns back to his computer. “Of course not.” He wants to dismiss the conversation, but he keeps an ear out.
“But I can tell you do.”
Rodney doesn’t have to turn around again; he can hear the smirk in John’s words.
“You’re obvious.”
“You like it.”
And so what if he did?
The sim chimes out another failure, and Rodney closes the screen in disgust and turns to face John. He points at him. “You don’t have to sound so utterly smug about it.”
“True, but would I be me if I didn’t?”
That makes Rodney smile. Because he knows John’s got a point.
It’s been years and years, and Rodney’s studied every nuance and quirk about his friend and team leader. His…John.
“No,” he says, “No, I guess you wouldn’t.”
John winks at him. “You done?”
And there’s that soft expression Rodney knows is his.
“Yeah,” he says.
“Dinner?”
Rodney stares at him in silence for a minute, until John looks up at him in askance. “McKay?”
“I’m not hungry.”
The smile that slides over John’s face is the one nobody else has ever seen. It’s rare and bright and just this side of dirty, and Rodney gets hot all over.
There are details that Rodney knows, that Rodney has studied. Details that tell the truth of who and what Colonel John Sheppard is – in his quarters, in his bed, in his relationship. Details that only Rodney knows. Details Rodney’s not sharing.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2012-05-01 10:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-05-03 07:12 pm (UTC)Whew!
Thanks for reading and the little hearts. ♥
no subject
Date: 2012-05-01 11:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-05-03 07:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-05-02 12:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-05-03 07:14 pm (UTC)Awwww
Date: 2012-05-02 12:09 am (UTC)Re: Awwww
Date: 2012-05-03 07:19 pm (UTC)so glad it worked, and wasn't icky like the other stuff. *hugs*
no subject
Date: 2012-05-02 04:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-05-03 07:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-05-02 04:39 am (UTC)especially the way it unfolds, the way all those little details add up. So very John and so very Rodney.
no subject
Date: 2012-05-03 07:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-05-02 08:26 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-05-03 07:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-05-02 09:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-05-03 07:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-05-02 11:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-05-03 07:26 pm (UTC)Thanks for reading and I'm glad you liked it. :D
no subject
Date: 2012-05-02 12:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-05-03 07:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-05-02 04:18 pm (UTC)Thank you!
no subject
Date: 2012-05-03 07:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-05-02 08:26 pm (UTC)And concrit: seriously nothing in the structure interrupted my enjoyment of the story.
no subject
Date: 2012-05-03 07:29 pm (UTC)And 'thank goodness!' I was afraid it was too...I don't know...odd, but that's how it was playing out in my head. I'm glad it worked as is.
no subject
Date: 2012-05-02 09:55 pm (UTC)So, take that, chieftan's daughters and Ancient priestesses! Only Dr. Mckay REALLY knows John, body and soul. Loved it! :)
no subject
Date: 2012-05-03 07:30 pm (UTC)Thanks for reading and commenting. I'm glad you liked it.
no subject
Date: 2012-05-02 10:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-05-03 07:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-05-03 06:07 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-05-03 07:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-05-03 08:23 am (UTC)Kimber
no subject
Date: 2012-05-03 07:35 pm (UTC)Thanks for reading and commenting. :)
no subject
Date: 2012-05-04 01:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-05-05 05:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-05-15 11:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-05-18 01:53 am (UTC)Being in Rodney's head, or rather with Rodney in my head, I think he was infected with my skepticism and ignorance about those moments reflected back on him. I think he's so focused on what those reflected moments say about John that he can't see that John's noticing and studying him as well. If that makes sense.
It's a failing on my part that I don't ever notice people noticing me, so that's where that aspect of Rodney came from.
anyway! Thanks so much for reading.
no subject
Date: 2012-05-22 04:19 am (UTC)