AN: So I've decided that most of my other unfinished stories are going on hiatus, until I have a LOT of time to catch up. For now, I have been writing TONS of one-shots and such, and thanks to my Sci-geek hubby I've now gotten into Farscape and Doctor Who, so...you can guess what fandoms I've started writing for now!
This new series of one-shots will span all of my favorite shows: Stargate: Atlantis, Farscape, Doctor Who, NCIS & NCIS:LA to name a few. It's called the Body & Soul Series because, well, each one-shot will deal with a different person and either a physical or emotional aspect.
First up, of course, is John Sheppard!
Hope you enjoy!
Stargate: Atlantis
John Sheppard
He had the most interesting hands.
Seated beside him, she could see them so closely as they rested on the conference room table. His palms were calloused but still soft enough to be pleasant whenever he grasped her hand in his. The backs of his hands were rougher, his knuckles chapped and a few of them even cracked and scabbed over. His nails were pale crescents on the ends of his fingers, their tips bitten short during frequent bouts of anxiety, but they also were oddly shiny for a man who avoided manicures like the plague. She wondered if it were genetic, if his mother – or even his father – had been graced with naturally good nails, and skin and hair as well.
Those hands had done so much these past five years – they had held weapons to fight their enemies, borne the coffins of too many good people, including that of a close friend, and more recently they had cradled the swaddled body of her infant son – and she imagined that she could see each of those events etched into the scars on his skin.
She was aware that she was staring at them now, and even more aware that he had noticed. She could see the amused smile out of the corner of her eye, but she could not bring herself to meet his gaze. Her cheeks burning, she instead shifted to look at the bespectacled expedition leader, who was still droning on about their latest trade agreement. She had not meant to gawk, but every small detail about the man sitting next to her intrigued her so that she found herself lost in thought about each one. She hoped that he did not take her scrutiny the wrong way, as if she were trying to find fault with him when nothing could be farther from the truth.
She caught movement just outside her field of vision, down and to the right. Her eyes dropped to see his hands unclasp, and his left one slowly skimmed across the table, the fingers extending as he gently covered and then enfolded her own hand within his warm grasp. Surprised, she looked up at his face. Her heart skipped a beat as his lips curled up in a secret smile, his hazel eyes sparkling.
His fingers, clutching hers, squeezed her hand tightly. It was just once, but for her it was enough. It told her everything she needed to know.
Smiling softly, she squeezed back.
Keep an eye out for the next one!