Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters from Stargate Atlantis. If I did own them, John and Rodney would be saving the universe and then knocking boots in celebration.
It wasn't like John didn't know it was coming, but it still tore his heart to shreds when it did. Rodney asked Keller to marry him. What was even worse, Rodney wants John to stand up with him.
"Sheppard?"
"No."
"What? No? Why?"
"No."
Turning and hurrying away, John leaves Rodney gawping behind him. He knows that Rodney will keep after him to answer the questions posed, but for now he's in the clear. At least until he runs into Keller.
"John!"
"..."
"Did Rodney ask you?"
"Yes."
"And?"
"No."
"John-"
"Stop calling me that. We're not friends."
"Jo-Colonel, why?"
"Have a nice day, Doctor Keller."
"Colonel-"
John walks past Keller, ignoring her attempts to keep talking to him. He hadn't answered Rodney and he sure as hell wasn't going to answer her.
Stalking into his quarters, John throws himself down on his bed. He feels like he's coming apart at the seams and he needs to regain control. He knows he doesn't have much time before Rodney will arrive and demand his questions answered and John doesn't know how he'll answer Rodney's questions. He has after all spent the last six years hiding the depth of his feelings for his best friend.
Rolling over, John grabs the bottle of bourbon and one of the glasses he has stashed on the bottom shelf of his nightstand. Pouring himself a couple of fingers, he lifts the glass to his lips to take a drink just as his door swooshes open.
"What is wrong wrong with you?"
"Nothing, Rodney."
"No. No. Not nothing. Something."
"..."
"You walked, no, that's not right. You ran away when I asked you to stand with me, to be my best man. Why?"
"..."
"I thought we were friends, but-"
"We are friends."
"Could of fooled me."
John takes a drink, the bourbon going down smoothly.
"You're drinking? You're drinking something besides beer?"
"Yes, Rodney, I'm having a drink."
"..."
John finishes off his drink and lifts the bottle as he contemplates pouring himself another.
"Are you planning on getting drinking yourself into a stupor? Why are you drinking? Why don't you want to stand with me? Why aren't you happy for me?"
"Maybe just a half a drink more."
"..."
John pours himself another drink as he watches the expressions flash across Rodney's face.
"John."
"Rodney."
"John, what's going on?"
John's mouth twists bitterly.
"John?"
"You're a blind idiot, Rodney."
Rodney gawps at John's remark.
"I won't stand with you as you marry Keller. You should just leave it at that."
John can tell when Rodney finally puts all the pieces together. Raising his glass in a mockery of a toast, he watches as Rodney turns on his heel and leaves.
"Yeah, just a half a drink more."