AN: another short one, but really, when does Ronon ever need a lot of explaining? He's a pretty simple guy, kinda like Shep. LOL anyway, enjoy!

Careful Hands

4

Ronon

It had been weeks since the wolf attack, but now Sheppard stood facing a being of equal ferocity and intensity. They circled one another silently, watching carefully, their eyes locked on one another's face. Sheppard counted each breath slowly, feeling the weight of the weapons in his hands as if for the first time. Suddenly, he rushed forward to meet his foe, who spun cleanly to the side and then swung out at Sheppard. The force of the hit knocked him off-balance, and he fell to one knee. Before he could fully recover there was another blow, this one across his left shoulder, and suddenly he was on his back and staring up at the ceiling.

Ronon Dex stood over him, his hand outstretched and a grin on his face.

"You okay?" The Satedan asked.

Sheppard groaned in reply, though he did take Ronon's hand and let him drag him to his feet.

"You always gotta hit so hard?" Sheppard whined as he brushed himself off. He was grateful for the mats, as they absorbed most of the impact, but he still got knocked around a lot more than he liked to admit.

"I'm goin' easy on you, Sheppard," Ronon replied. "Can't help it if you're a baby."

"I'm not a baby," Sheppard frowned before taking a gulp of water from the bottle he'd brought with him. "It's just that you're bigger than me, and it really hurts when you smack me in the back with these things." He swung the bantos rods in his hands for emphasis.

Ronon shrugged. "That's the point. It's supposed to hurt so that you learn to not get hit with them next time."

"Well..." Sheppard trailed off, realizing that Ronon had him there. "Still. It sucks."

"That mean you're quitting?"

He tossed his water bottle back onto a chair and shook his head. "Not a chance."

His friend grinned. "Hoped not."

They sparred together for a long while, Sheppard eventually getting the rhythm of their hits and managing to evade nearly every attack Ronon threw at him. He watched their sticks bang together, the noise echoing off the rafters as they ducked and spun around only to rush forward to meet again. Theirs was a careful dance, learned in spare moments and days off over the past five years, each one studying the other for their weaknesses not to hurt them, but to help them improve. Ronon had to admit that Sheppard was slowly getting better; his hits were harder and more confident, and he was usually able to duck out of the way of Ronon's sticks before they came into contact with flesh.

Usually, anyway.

"Sheppard, you okay?" He asked again, looking down at the man on the ground at his feet.

A particularly hard hit had caught Sheppard in the chest, knocking the wind from his lungs, and he'd fallen to the mat, gasping. Stars exploded behind his eyes, threatening him with unconsciousness, but they dissipated as he slowly regained his breath. Finally, he nodded.

"Yeah, but I think I've had enough for today."

In these past five years, Ronon had knocked him down a lot. But each time, whenever he looked up he would see a hand out in front of him, waiting for him to reach up to take it. This time was no different.

Sheppard opened his eyes and saw Ronon's calloused hand there as usual. He could see a small white scar running across the larger man's thumb, and wondered idly how, and when, he'd gotten it. He thought about asking him, but then decided not to. Some scars didn't come with stories, and he figured that it was probably the case with this one as well. Reaching up, he took Ronon's hand and waited to be hoisted up onto his feet yet again.

"You wanna go see Keller?"

Sheppard grinned wryly. "Nah. She'll just lecture us on being careful and stick a Band-aid on me somewhere. She's got enough work to do today anyway, with the Daedalus' crew rotation."

Ronon shrugged, as if the explanation was good enough for him. "So now what?"

"Shower, then Mess Hall?" Sheppard suggested.

"Sounds like a plan."

"Meet you in twenty."

Ronon nodded. "Kay."

Once again, Sheppard felt Ronon's hand on him, though it was in a much less gentle fashion this time. With a grin, Ronon said, "See ya," and then slapped Sheppard heartily on the back before walking away.

Next Chapter...is a surprise! lol