The trip to PX-529-X had been uneventful to the point of being boring. Until Menarivi, the Unawai's 'wise and honored elder' had taken John's head in her wizened hands, had smiled a beatific smile at him, and had told him, "You'll be coming into your heritage soon, son." It was all very Stephen King and actually quite creepy. That incident kinda put a damper on their good mood and shortly after, the team beat a hasty retreat, all the while apologizing profoundly that they couldn't stay longer.
Rodney heaved a sigh of relief when all of them were back on Atlantis safely. They weren't talking about what Menarivi had said, not really anyway. John put it off as some weird Alien ritual and when Carson couldn't find anything at all amiss with any of the team members, it seemed that John was right. It had been nothing but the confused chatter of an old, senile woman.
It wasn't until three days later that they realized that something in fact was wrong with John. "Colonel", Rodney greeted, slightly annoyed that John was disturbing him during this really important simulation, a simulation that, as he had told John, needed his full attention.
"Hey Rodney," John grinned, sauntering over to where Rodney sat and leaning down over Rodney's shoulder to see what he was doing.
"Stop that," Rodney hissed. John was too close for comfort, and Rodney hated it when someone crowded him like hat, even if it was John.
John didn't move away, apparently completely unfazed by Rodney's behavior. Instead Rodney could feel John leaning down that bit more, bringing his face almost down to the point where neck met shoulder, and Rodney had to resist the urge to jerk away from him. What the fuck was John doing? When had he gone from simply leaning over Rodney's shoulder to pretty much burying his head in Rodney's neck?
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Rodney asked irritably as John had leaned down over him that much further and was actually sniffing him. When Rodney looked up, there was a hazy look on John's face, his pupils dilated unnaturally.
"You smell nice," John answered, his voice holding a strange undercurrent.
This wasn't good. Not good at all. John was showing irrational behavior and here, in Pegasus that usually meant even worse things than back on Earth. That was mainly because here, the reasons for the irrational behavior were so much more fucked up. "Are you sure you're feeling well, Colonel?" Rodney asked slowly.
John didn't answer; he just proceeded to stare at Rodney's neck, sniffing him. In fact, he looked like he was ready to lick Rodney as well. And wasn't that a creepy thought?
Coming to a decision, Rodney jumped up, intending to bring as much space between John and himself as possible. He didn't like the look on John's face, the hunger, the longing, the outright sexual desire Rodney could read in his features. It was disturbing to see, making Rodney nervous. John had no business looking at him like that. John had no business looking at anyone like that, in Rodney's opinion.
John was staring at him as if he were edible.
"Listen Colonel," Rodney began, raising his hands in the most unthreatening manner possible while never taking his eyes off John, "why don't you back off a bit? I'm sure we can-"
"Mine," John growled and instead of moving away from Rodney, he was coming closer again.
"Okay, okay, John," Rodney said soothingly, changing tactics. Maybe if he used the Colonel's given name, Rodney would be able to get through to him. "How about we go to the infirmary and let Carson have a look at you? I'm sure he'll be able to fix whatever's wrong with you. What do you say?" Rodney asked in his most patient voice. He didn't like the way John's gaze darkened and how John moved in on him even more. "John?" he asked, carefully.
"You're mine," John said, sounding upset now. "I'm not sharing. Carson can't have you. You're mine. My mate."
Okay that went well, Rodney thought, trying to not get hysteric as an almost dangerous gleam entered John's eyes. Rodney wasn't at all amused by John's possessive little display.
"Um, alright," Rodney stammered, trying to think of something to say, something to do that would make John go to the infirmary with him. "You don't have to share me, promise. But I would want to be sure that you are healthy and you know, Carson could check me over as well. In fact, I'm feeling a bit dizzy. Don't you want for your … mate to be healthy?"
It was a risk to go that route, Rodney knew that, but he was improvising and couldn't come up with any other solution to his little problem. John was getting more agitated, possessive and aggressive by the minute. And even though Rodney trusted John implicitly, in John's current condition it was entirely possible that he'd turn violent.
"Alright, we go. But Carson can't have you. You're mine. You're my mate and I need you to be healthy," John moved closer still, leaning forward and sniffing Rodney's neck again. "You smell so nice. And you're warm. Really warm. And you glow, Rodney. Did you know you're glowing? I feel so safe with you. Mine. My mate," John mumbled and Rodney held very still as to not startle him.
"That's really nice, John. And we can have a little private time later, if you want. But we need to go to Carson first. I'm dizzy, remember?" Rodney's heart was beating wildly in his chest, and he just hoped John wouldn't pick up on his nervousness.
"Yes. Carson first," John agreed and to Rodney's horror the next moment John pressed his face against the side of Rodney's neck and licked the skin closest to his lips. "You taste nice as well. Can't wait to taste all of you. Gonna taste you all over. Make you mine. My mate." John gave a little happy sigh that Rodney thought was outright creepy and when John pulled back some, Rodney could see a dreamy look on his face. A moment later, John grinned at Rodney dopily and snuggled closer against him once more.
Rodney tried very hard not to flinch. John was scaring him. He really sounded and looked like he was totally out of it. And yet, Rodney's body reacted to John's closeness. It was just so unfair that the first time Rodney got to feel John's lips on his skin, it was while John was under some sort of alien influence.
But that was how it always went. it was the story of Rodney's life. The ones Rodney was interested in never really liked him back – not as something more than friends anyway. And Rodney would be dammed if he let this go on, whatever John was doing. He wasn't going to take advantage of the fact that John wasn't himself and Rodney just hoped, John wouldn't remember anything of what was just happening here, later.
Pushing John away from himself slowly and carefully, Rodney tried to bring a bit of distance between himself and John's tongue that was licking at his neck. "Infirmary, John," he reminded in the gentlest voice he could muster despite feeling completely terrified. "Come on, the sooner we get it over with, the sooner we can take this … someplace nicer," Rodney said, feeling nauseated by the fact that he was betraying John's trust like that, was deceiving him in a way that could be called outright cruel.
John beamed at him and simply said, "Okay!"
oooooOooooo
"What the hell was that all about?" Rodney snapped at Carson before throwing a nervous glance over to the infirmary bed where John lay in restraints, drugged up to his eyeballs, but still moving in a restless sleep. "He … he leaned over me and sniffed me and then he was going all Neanderthal on me and began to lick me. He licked my neck, Carson. And he called me his mate. Repeatedly. What is wrong with him?"
Carson had only needed to take one look at John before he had him sedated and restrained, sending Rodney to wait outside until he had finished his tests on John. Rodney had waited anxiously in the small private room the nurse had sent him to, but Carson had called him back in before long.
Now Carson was rummaging around in one of the infirmary's cabinets, obviously searching for something while totally ignoring Rodney's outburst. Rodney had just about had enough. "Carson, I am talking to you. I want to know what is going on here. He was licking. My. Neck! What weird disease makes people lick other people's necks? And what if he passed it down to me? I could be starting to act strange and lick people's necks as well. Please tell me you know how to cure this."
"It's not a disease, Rodney," Carson replied in a patient tone and finally turned around to face Rodney. He had a vial in his hands and gestured for Rodney to follow him to John's bed. Rodney looked at him confusedly.
"What do you mean, 'not a disease'?" Rodney asked, irritably. He wanted to know what the fuck was wrong with John. If it wasn't a disease, what was it that made John act like he was on some strange kind of drug?
"I mean, that Colonel Sheppard is not suffering from any disease. In fact, what he is going through is quite natural, for him," Carson said as he walked over to where John was now writhing on the bed as if caught in an especially gruesome dream. "Come over here, Rodney, I need to test a theory," he then demanded and Rodney didn't even think of not following what had clearly been an order.
"You're making no sense, Carson," Rodney complained grumpily. Carson was really starting to annoy him – a lot. "What theory are you talking about? And what is this talk about 'natural for him'? As far as I know sniffing and licking your friends isn't natural behavior for anyone." Why the hell wouldn't Carson tell him anything? Did he have to be so cryptic? Rodney got more and more annoyed with Carson by the minute. He was about to dive into a lengthy rant about how he didn't appreciate to be kept in the dark, when Carson suddenly glared at him, making him reconsider.
"Just do what you're being told Rodney," Carson said, sounding exasperated and the next second he grabbed Rodney's hand and placed it on John's naked forearm. "Here, touch him for a moment, I want to see if-" Carson broke off when John suddenly stilled completely, his breathing evened out and he seemed to slip into a more peaceful sleep.
"It's working," Carson beamed at Rodney, who resisted the urge to just snag his had back and run away, away from the infirmary and John, and Carson's strange behavior. But his curiosity was piqued now and Rodney really wanted, no, needed to know what the hell was going on here.
"What is working, Carson? Why is he reacting to me like that? And what is going on with him anyway? You said it's normal for him. But nothing about how he acted is normal. Why don't you tell me what the hell this is all about? I think I deserve to know why my best friend was reacting to me as if I am some sort of Popsicle he has to defend from the other kids." Rodney was about to lose his patience completely, but Carson didn't seem to be overly impressed by Rodney's antics.
"Oh, it's quite clear what is happening, Rodney, if you know what to look for," Carson explained, emptying the contents of the vial he had fetched earlier into the IV dripping into John's arm. "I remembered having read about behavior such as John's back in my times as a student. When he called you his 'mate', I was fairly certain I knew what to test for. And I was right; John has creature blood. He's a veela. A male veela. And if I am not mistaken, you are his partner. His mate. It's rather fascinating to watch, actually. I'd never thought I'd ever get to see a male veela. They were thought to be extinct." Carson seemed to talk more to himself now than to Rodney, a wistful look on his face.
Panic was blooming in Rodney's chest. Had everyone lost their minds now? "A male veela? Are you kidding me? Male veelas are practically a myth; their actual existence has never been proven by the scientific community. Veelas are female and blond and beautiful, they are not dark-haired Air Force Colonels with a knack for math and a bad taste in music. And oh, come to think of it, they actually did die out and are gone. You've got to have something wrong here, Carson," Rodney snapped, barely restraining himself not to outright yell at Carson and wake John in the process.
"Oh but that's not quite right, Rodney," Carson said mildly, completely ignoring Rodney's ongoing agitation. "Reliable data shows that there have been male veela throughout all centuries. They were rare, that's true, seeing as they were something like 'Veela Royalty'. Only the fact that they were thought of as extinct before the discovery of the DNA test for creature blood is the reason why they are still labeled as 'existence not proven'. But John here just changed that."
The fond smile Carson gave John made Rodney want to strangle him. He had no business looking at John like that. John was no freak Carson could use to make himself a name in the scientific community. He was John, just John, not some freaky mythical creature. Wasn't he?
"He's not some kind of guinea pig," Rodney snapped, unaccountably disturbed by the way Carson brushed a damp strand of hair from John's forehead and then proceeded to wipe John's face with a cloth. "And don't touch him, dammit. You're not supposed to touch my-"
Rodney broke off abruptly, heart racing as he realized what he had been about to say. Oh no. No, no, no. He had not picked up whatever creepy … thing John had. No way.
Carson raised his eyebrows, grinning at Rodney knowingly, before he patted Rodney's arm. "Your mate, you wanted to say, right? It's okay, Rodney. Don't worry. That's perfectly normal as well. John is at the beginning of his luring and mating cycle and you're reacting to a chemical that is distributed by skin contact. It just proves that you're his mate. Otherwise you wouldn't be affected at all."
Horrified, Rodney snatched his hand back from where it had still been resting on John's forearm without Rodney really noticing. It had just felt so natural to be connected to John that way. But suddenly his skin seemed to burn where he had touched John. "What the hell did you do that for, Carson?" Rodney gasped, "Why did you let me touch him when you knew that I would get … infected? Do you think I want to go crazy just as John did? God knows what will happen once he is awake again. How could you endanger my health like that? You don't even know if he really is a male veela, like you insist he must be. What if you're wrong? Oh god, you've allowed me get infected with some sort of weird alien virus, I just know it." Rodney gasped. His hands were sweaty now, his heart still racing like a jackhammer and he felt a little dizzy.
"Rodney, lad," Carson said, sounding exasperated now, "I made no mistake. He is a male veela. I did the DNA check, the special one that tests for all creature markers. You know, if the last remaining lycanthropes hadn't pushed to get that anti creature-discrimination law in effect that forbids the regular testing for those markers, we'd found out what John is way earlier. And just so you know, it's considered a great honor to be the mate of a veela." Carson lectured, and Rodney wondered if he could maybe sneak out when Carson wasn't looking. Make a run for it, hide in his quarters until John was cured and the effect of that weird drug John was producing had worn off.
But first of all, Rodney needed to set some things straight. Namely, he would not let himself get pressured, nor would he let John be influenced in any way, to pursue a relationship that neither of them really wanted. Just because some damn … virus, or whatever it was, dictated it. John was so out of it, he didn't know, hadn't known what he was doing. The fallout from this would be too great.
Even if Rodney had sometimes, in the safety of his own room tried to imagine what it would be like to be with John that way, Rodney would never want for it to happen under these conditions. He'd rather keep John's camaraderie, his friendship, his respect, than using him for a short lived romp between the sheets John didn't actually want. He was sick after all.
"I'm not his mate. He is not gay and I'm not going to allow you to let him do something he will regret when he is not being driven by his … hormones … or whatever it is, any more. He'll hate himself when he's back to normal. And I don't care if anyone thinks it's an honor to be the mate of a veela, I just want for John to get better. I'm not his … anything. Well, that's not true. I'm his friend and that is why I will look out for his best interests, since you, as his friend and his doctor, are not doing it. Shouldn't it be your job to protect him? Even from himself? What happens if it gets around that John has been with me in a … sexual way? He could get court-martialed if that comes out. Are you trying to ruin his life by letting his creature side get the best of him? Isn't there anything you can do? Give him something so it goes away? Since he clearly isn't in his right mind." Rodney was desperate for Carson to understand that this whole mate thing just wasn't a viable option.
But Carson didn't react the way Rodney had hoped he would. In fact he reacted completely opposite. Carson took hold of Rodney's arm and led him over to the bed next to John's, gesturing for him to sit down. There was something in his gaze Rodney couldn't quite decipher, but as Rodney looked, Carson's features softened and he smiled at Rodney good-naturedly.
"Rodney, there is nothing you have to worry about. I already told Colonel Carter about the change in John's status. As a veela, his relationship with his mate is outside all regulations. In fact, I believe Colonel Carter has already arranged for a room where you and John can be undisturbed for mating. He's not going to get any better until he's completed his mating cycle – with you. It's what comes naturally to him, now. And you don't have to worry about taking advantage, or him taking advantage of you," Carson's grin turned slightly teasing. "There has to be mutual attraction before the luring and mating cycle starts. Otherwise the potential mate is completely unresponsive to the lure and therefore not compatible for mating. Rodney, don't you see it? John is as much in love with you as you are in love with him. He's just hidden it. And for good reasons, as you pointed out, earlier. Now, be a good lad and calm down. You're just going to upset John with your behavior. Lie down, have a nap, and once John is awake again, the two of you can go and have your honeymoon."
"Honeymoon?" Rodney squeaked, not caring how he sounded. "How can you say such a thing? I'm not … I don't … I've never been-" Rodney broke off, the heat in his cheeks telling him that he must have blushed like mad, once more.
"Never been in a relationship with a man, I know that, Rodney. But not for lack of trying. So it's not as if this is a hardship for you. I told you it doesn't work that way. And look at it like this: once the two of you are mated, John won't go around attracting others any more. Because that's actually what was happening – his lure was slowly becoming stronger as John was coming into his heritage. We've all been very lucky none of the people who reacted to his lure were his mate. The poor lad never really saw it coming. It's not been a conscious thing to do for him. So please don't blame him. He'll be all yours in just a few short hours," Carson said with an indulgent smile and Rodney blinked at him confusedly.
"I don't understand? How is that supposed to reassure me? Yes he's been territorial and outright jealous, but won't that change once he's … satisfied the needs of his creature side? Once he's ... completed his cycle, or whatever you called it? He'll be completely horrified and never talk to me again. I just know it. I've never had any luck when it came to relationships," Rodney admitted, miserable. It was true, no-one stayed long with him, no matter how hard he tried to make the relationship work. Somehow he always managed to mess things up. "He'll move on, and I'll be left with nothing but a broken heart and the memories of what I can't have." Rodney hated how his voice broke on the last words, making one last attempt to save himself pain. His words had barely been above a whisper but Carson had heard them anyway, and suddenly Rodney felt humiliated and ashamed at having lost control like that.
"Och, Rodney," Carson sighed and there was compassion in his voice and Rodney hated him for it. He didn't need pity. Not from anyone, not even Carson. "John won't move on. Veelas are monogamous. They mate for life. Don't you know how special it is to gain a veela's love? It's not just about the lure – a pretty face and a charming smile can go a long way – but about finding the one person that fits. And John has found that person in you. Now, if you don't want to have a nap, maybe you should go and sit with your mate, he'll feel less threatened if you're beside him when he wakes," Carson patted Rodney's shoulder and smiled at him, a happy smile this time and something in Rodney unknotted. Then Carson left them alone, left Rodney alone with his thoughts.
Veelas mated for life. Carson pretty much had promised him John at his side for the rest of his life. And wasn't that an awesome thought? No-one had ever promised him anything for life. Not that Rodney would have believed them if they did. But this? Rodney decided to dare believe that he'd be lucky just this once.
Grinning happily, Rodney slid from the bed and pulled one of the visitor's chairs closer to John's bed. Then he sat down and slipped his own hand in John's restrained one. He'd have to ask Carson about freeing John from those cuffs as soon as possible. But for now, Rodney was content to sit there and watch John sleep. He had a feeling that this time, all would turn out for the best.