Better Than You
An apology fic for akroorka.
"Rodney, trust me. You'll enjoy your date with John. He's a nice guy." Lindstrom told him exasperatedly.
Rodney looked over at him, a 'yeah right' expression on his face. Lindstrom sighed and shook his head, "Rodney not everyone is like Wendy." Lindstrom looked up sharply at Rodney's snort and saw the mocking expression in his eyes. "Or Mark or Denise or Calvin or . . . or any of your past relationships."
Rodney just rolled his eyes and shrugged. "Rooodneeeey!"
"Fine, fine, I'll be there for the blind date you set up for me."
"Good!"
Rodney waited at the table that Lindstrom had reserved for him and his date in a nice restaurant in Colorado Springs. He tapped the table with the tip of his finger, his date was late. He looked out the window at the romantic view. He sneered, wondering what the hell Lindstrom thought he was doing. He didn't need anyone. He had had his dreams broken so bad; so many times by different partners he was just tired of all the romance. Someone cleared his throat gently and he looked up, his pissy mood erased when he looked into gorgeous hazel eyes. He looked his date up and down and smiled in approval, all the while wondering why this man was on a blind date. "I take it that you're John Sheppard?"
An easy smile slipped across John Sheppard's face, "Yes, I am. Sorry I'm late."
"Well sit down. I'm hungry and I'd like to order soon." Rodney muttered.
John just smirked at him and sat down. After they ordered, they began to talk. John cleared his throat, "Umm, this is my first date with another guy."
"Really? You just come out of the closet?" Rodney inquired.
"No, I wanted to fly and the best way to do that was to join the Air Force." John shrugged and let the unspoken implications set in.
"So what changed?"
"I'm resigned." John chuckled sadly, "Actually I was forced to resign. They didn't want someone who didn't obey orders."
Rodney leaned forward, curiosity shining in his eyes. "So what orders did you disobey?"
Regret shone in John's eyes, "I was told to return to base and leave a bunch of men stranded behind enemy lines. I flew my chopper in anyway."
Rodney just nodded, knowing that this was a subject best left alone. "So you decided to explore your sexuality once you left the Air Force."
"Yeah." John shrugged, "So if I hesitate, it is just because I'm taking it slow. I don't want to hurt you."
Rodney looked at him, saw his sincerity and burst out in laughter. "Sheppard, I have loved someone and had them leave me. I've had more than one of my past relationships fuck me over in so many different ways, it is not even funny. I have had high hopes for a relationship and then had them completely shattered by lies and broken promises." Rodney chuckled bitterly, "Sheppard, you may not be able to see it but there is nothing you can do that someone else has already done. There's nothing that I have not experienced. So if you're worried that's fine but my hearts been broken by better than you."
John smiled slowly and nodded his head. They continued to talk and get to know each other. Rodney soon discovered that John was going back to university to get his PH.D in Applied Mathematics and Aerodynamics. When dinner came to a close and John dropped Rodney off at his apartment. Rodney turned to him and asked, "Do you want to come up?"
"Sure."
They walked up towards Rodney's apartment, talking about various mathematical proofs that they had read. Rodney was waving his hands and stabbing at the air to enunciate his points and John just smiled. He waited as Rodney unlocked his door and they went in. As soon as the door was shut Rodney moved in on John and took his mouth in a fierce kiss. He ran his fingers through John's hair. He had been waiting to do this all night when he originally saw the artfully tousled silky brown strands. John responded enthusiastically, his hands slipping under Rodney's shirt to touch bare skin.
The peel of the doorbell interrupted them and Rodney stepped back with an angry groan. He whirled around and yanked the door open and was greeted by the sight of two men with military bearings standing outside his door. "What the hell has gone wrong now," he muttered under his breath and then barked. "What do you want?"
"Dr. McKay, your needed back at the SGC, they found something." He was told in a low voice. "Also we were told to give you this to encourage you to come back to headquarters."
Rodney reached for the round object but as he took it from the marine's hands its slick surface caused it to slip from his fingers and it fell to the floor, "Shit!"
The object rolled toward John and he knelt down and reached for it. The minute his hands touched the object, it glowed and a hologram of a woman appeared. She began to speak and John let go in shock and it shut off. He looked up at Rodney, "Umm, did I do that?"
The two marines stared at John in disbelief and Rodney, Rodney just smiled at John in delight and whispered gleefully, "John, I think we're going to have a beautiful working relationship."
"Huh?"
Owari