Plugged Into Real
By: Abby Ebon
Summary: a SGA/Andromeda, Harper/Rodney, "Stairway to Heaven", prompt, from comment_fic.
Harper's plugged into the Andromeda, in the back of his head he knows that, and knows that it means he can't be looking up information on Atlantis, what is now known as the ancient heart of Dylan's beloved Commonwealth – and find a man in tidy uniform, with messy hair, and narrow eyes looking up at him with a raised eyebrow, as if Harper has a lot of nerve to trespass and he's seen plain as – well, something that isn't data and micro-information, which is what Harper's plugged in mind and body looks like. If that sort of thing can look like anything… to anyone….which it can't – or isn't supposed to. This is supposed to be the equivalent of looking at old, boring vids, just something to pass the time.
"You're naked, are you aware of that?" Is what he hears instead, blunt blue eyes drag over his body, keenly taking, this is the sort of man that can no more help being intelligent then Harper can. In another time and place, Harper might have had the sort of life that this man looks to have, any bit of information at his finger tips, a cruel cutting tongue with wit and intellect.
"Y-yes, but, uh – you aren't supposed to see me?" It's a lame excuse, and frankly falls a bit flat when the man scoffs, rolls his eyes skyward, and asks…
"Would you like some clothes?" As a matter of fact, Harper would, but this man is kind of rude and Harper bites his lip so he won't say that – because, well, for a lot of reasons really, but he wants to make a good impression. When this man 'Rodney' says the tag on his shirt, stands and goes to a closet and grabs a like-looking uniform, and Harper puts it on, wondering if this is the sort of man that can make the virtual world remember and obey him, and Harper is sort of in awe of him, then, and – yes – he swims in Rodney's clothes, but Rodney is probably Earth-raised, like Harper, back when that wasn't a bad beginning to a horror vid. Harper just stares at Rodney, wide eyed and twitchy, and when Rodney looks point-blank back at him, Harper begins to worry that along the way in getting plugged in, something went very, very wrong.
"You don't seem very surprised to see me." Harper says, because maybe – hopefully – that'll explain why he's interacting with a vid instead of just watching it play out in front of his eyes. Not that he really minds this, because Rodney is damned attractive in the way he carries himself, he shines with knowledge, and it demands bowing and awe, and Harper doesn't mind being intimidated in the least. It's a good-sort of exciting. Harmless, maybe.
"When you do what I do, and work with who I do – it's hard to be surprised by naked men manifesting in your rooms. What's your name? Then we can go see Elizabeth and see if there is some sort of reasonable excuse for all of this. I don't suppose you remember alien experiments?" Harper only shakes his head, a quirkily smile on his lips, because this has to be the most engaging vid characterization in a long time, and someone much have really loved this man and admired and obsessed over him, maybe, and Harper can imagine why. He's quirky and wares his brain on his sleeve, something that could have gotten Harper killed a long time ago if he didn't learn better quickly.
"Seamus Harper, and no, no alien experiments recently, Trance was only trying to help, really. I think." As he isn't sure, he'll leave that open - but he really can't say more then that, because it just occurred to him he might really be …back in time, as opposed to plugged into a virtual full experience video of "history as it was" and, wow, how is he going back to being Harper-plugged-into-Andromeda-ancient-ship? More worrisome, are there two Harpers now? One here-here, and one back –er – forward there in the ship? If not, and this is key now – how long until Dylan goes looking for Harper and finds out that he isn't there but is…somehow here? Harper's head hurts now.
"Trance? A friend of yours, I presume. Come along, Harper…?" Rodney reaches back to take his hand, absentmindedly, as if it really shouldn't matter to Harper that it's warm and steady and there is a pulse there. Harper can hear his heart beating in his ears, and he has no idea what he's going to do until he's pressed up against Rodney in the hall, dry chapped lips on warm firm ones, a tongue begging for just a taste of that warmth and brilliance Rodney carries so easily. Harper pulls an away, a little, and breaths with his wide eyes looking into Rodney's and he can't help but say…
"You're real." Rodney will argue later that it was logical, but it doesn't change that he used the hypo-needle to knock the kid out, and promptly found himself with a lap full of Harper. He didn't really mind it, either.