Hey, hey! Okay, guys, just some information.
I am not a native English speaker and while I do not have many problems understanding written English I am still working on writing myself. This fanfiction, for example, is the first story I have actually finished writing in English. That is why I would appreciate any constructive criticism about tenses and punctuation and structure and so on. Of course, I would also like to know what you think about my writing style and the fanfiction itself, since this is the first time I wrote something about Todd, too.
Now, have fun!
Not for the first time in his life was Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard angry with himself. But then, it was not as if he had had a choice. The team comes first and they were not only his team but his friends, too.
Sighing, he recalled the last hours. Higgins team had discovered some ancient ruins, but was not able to classify the information written on them. Weir had told him and his team just that there were fragments of Wraith symbols. Well, who could translate them better than a Wraith? And who could handle their old friend better than his team?
It was something along those lines that had brought him in this situation. Since Todd had already been on Atlantis for some data exchange, or whatever the scientists called it, they had taken him along.
However, obviously Higgins team forgot to warn them about the local population. Those people were not as technologically advanced as they were, especially compared to the ancient technology, but by now Sheppard knew that catapults and poisoned arrows were common among folks like these and could do some serious damage.
They attacked the moment they noticed that his team had a Wraith in tow. Under heavy fire he had screamed to his people to take the injured and run to Higgins' Jumper, no matter what. He had just planned on waiting for Todd; then he would follow them. Because the team comes first and since Todd was part of this mission, he was also part of the team.
The Wraith seemed pretty pissed off that he was used as a target or maybe it was just the starvation or even more likely was it the usual bad mood. Anyway, he fed on some poor suckers that got in his way and appeared totally unimpressed by the arrows they shot at him, while Sheppard more or less gracefully tried to dodge them. He was not exactly successful; at least one hit him directly and pierced through his clothes.
At that time he nevertheless felt sorry for Todd's victims, but he was well aware, that on Atlantis the Wraith had no chance to get his hands on someone, literally, and neither was he allowed to just go his own way. Now, however, he almost envied those men.
Okay, that was exaggerated; after all, Sheppard knew the pain that came with the feeding process well enough. But then, he could not actually call this position one he wanted to be in.
The two of them may have managed to reach the Jumper, but on their way to the gate he had just for once not been able to avoid a giant burning boulder thrown at them. Sheppard blamed the arrow in his leg; the rush of adrenaline had delayed the effect of the toxin, but suddenly he had not been able to move even one muscle and his mind went blank for a moment.
It was bound to happen: the Jumper fell – right into the ocean over which they had to fly in order to get to the Gate. This way at least the fire from the boulder at the front section of the jumper had been extinguished.
Still, when the already from the attack splintering glass crashed under the pressure of the water, they had to flee into the rear. Although he could not find the leak in here and Todd was not that good at ancient technology, there had to be a hole somewhere, because the water rose further.
He really hoped that McKay would hurry up and find them soon; he knew what it was like to sit in a sinking Jumper, the water up to his throat. And Sheppard really did not want to die in the arms of a Wraith, not like this, anyway.
The poisoned arrow took full effect. He was paralyzed from the neck downwards and Todd had to hold him over water. This really was awkward. He did not especially aim at physical contact; he had never, not with Nancy or his family or friends. He also was no one to cuddle with and he rarely gave hugs and now he had to lean onto a Wraith.
At first they had both sat, or in his case hung, in opposite seats; Todd fighting against the toxin in his system and Sheppard thinking about a way to stay alive a little longer. He assumed that problem was solved when the other one began to move after almost an hour or so.
He really had believed the Wraith wanted to end this now; getting some last energy before trying to break the door to the front open and swimming to the surface. He knew Wraith were good swimmer and was all the more surprised when Todd did not feed on him but lifted him up.
At first Sheppard had no idea what was going on; the strange expression in the Wraith's eyes and this crooked smile that showed far too many teeth were no help at all to figure it out. And it was not exactly easy to stand there like this. Todd had taken his dripping wet kind-of-leather coat off and his skin obviously became somewhat slick when it came in contact with water. God, that was just creepy.
He nearly slipped through the Wraith's arms and his soaked clothes pulled him down, or at least that was it, what he liked to persuade himself with. Sheppard did not want to be this weak; not around his team and not around Todd. But he could not even do anything against the other one when he put his arms around his neck and drew him close, so that now his head rested against Todd's shoulder.
He was so close he smelt Todd. He could not really describe it, a deep and calming scent, but it mostly reminded him of forest. He smelt like damp earth and fallen leaves, like sweet air and a little bit like the salty water they stood in.
Thinking about that he began to freeze, the feeling in his body came ever so slowly back and the water was not exactly what he would call warm. But Todd did not say anything and Sheppard was grateful for that as this all was embarrassing enough for him.
So they stood in silence for nearly another hour. He tried to suppress the chattering of his teeth and focus instead on something else. He ended up listening to Todd's breaths somewhere above his head, feeling the slow up and down of his chest and the Wraith's heartbeat through the thin shirt he wore. He really hoped that it was the stress that made him drowsy.
And then his shivering worsened; by now the water again reached far over his hips, but that was not the only thing he noticed. Sheppard narrowed his eyes, "Todd?"
The movement on his back stopped for a moment, long enough to prove that it was indeed the Wraith, before the other one continued to draw circles. Feeling actually warmer, Sheppard thought it could be worse and relaxed. Todd could come up with the idea of feeding on him or even carrying him bridal style.