Title: "Love Is..."

Status: OneShot

Fandom: Stargate Atlantis

Characters/Pairing: John Sheppard, Rodney McKay

Disclaimer: Not mine, just playing; no copyright infringement intended.

Rating: K

Genre: pre-slash, humor

Warnings: unbeta'ed, missing scene from S04E14 "Harmony"

Summary: Even emotionally stunted guys can talk about feelings... No really, trust me, they do, sort of, kinda :)

Love Is...

"So you promise not to come between me and John?"

Harmony's face was stern and her chin lifted in a childish attempt at looking the part of regal queen-to-be.

Though the only thing Rodney saw was the fake halo slipping sideways to reveal the little hellion she truly was in the gleaming of her dark eyes.

"I wouldn't want him gift-wrapped, for Chrissake!"

"Then you're an idiot."

Rodney felt his blood pressure rise, "I'll have you know that I'm a genius!"

Harmony sniffed unladylike before she took a delicate bite out of her (stolen) granola bar, "So you claim, but that only means your mistakes are proportional to your intellect... Or should I say your ego?"

Rodney, as a grown adult, didn't flee, of course not. He only took a page out of Sheppard's book and beat a hasty retreat.

XXX

"Her Highness ordered me not to come between you two," Rodney announced without preamble as soon as he stepped outside of the cave. "I'm sure she has the cake ready and a priest in stand-by for the ceremony. Just wait until we're back in the castle."

Sheppard's focus was elsewhere, on the forest and its potential dangers, but Rodney felt the quick flicker of his attention when he glanced over.

"Too late."

"Eh?"

"Well, obviously, you've called dibs, buddy."

A newsflash couldn't have been more matter-of-fact in tone, and damn the man for saying it with that goofy grin and waggling eyebrow of his that translated into 'Duh' and 'What kind of genius are you?'

"I do?" Rodney cleared his throat, flushing because, wow, that had sounded squeaky. "I mean – I did?!"

Great, panic was so much better. He needed a desk, his head had a sudden craving for one.

Sheppard risked another glance before returning to guard duty, looking less certain, "I just thought, since we're dating -"

"We are what?!"

"We race cars, play chess, virtual golf and Ancient Sims, have movie nights and save each others lives on a regular basis with stupidly brilliant plans – I call that intense bonding; hell of a way to court me, Rodney, you got it in one."

"I..."

Rodney tried to come up with evidence that dating had been the furthest thing from his mind at any given time in the past, but a quick calculation later his brain gleefully informed him that he was pretty much occupied with two things only: work and John.

His stomach growled, and he didn't really notice how he accepted the cookie Sheppard handed him; it was his favorite flavor too (chocolate chips). Which was only right, since Harmony had stolen all of his.

"Huh, we really do, sort of, I mean... Wow."

"Very sexy."

Rodney chocked, realizing that eating right now would be detrimental to his health.

"What?!"

"The adrenaline fueled part," Sheppard clarified. "But you are too."

"Huh." Rodney preened, just a little bit. Take that, Jeannie! "Thanks. I mean, you too, sort of – maybe, you know."

"I do know, Rodney."

"All the saints amongst the stars! I cannot bear this any longer!" Harmony rushed out of the cave like a silk clad cannon-ball. "Stop that at once or I will have you beheaded! Let us go forth!"

Both men stared after her.

"Well, back to duty. We talk about this later."

Once it was spelled out to him no one could ever accuse Rodney of not getting with the program. Now or never, now or never, now or -

"Talking is overrated."

"Rodney, you really are a genius."

[Love is being stupid together. - Paul Valery]

The End