Chapter: 53 - John
Gentle Reminder - Rating: M
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"It is?" She asked him as he sat up from her and there was enough flirtatiousness in her voice for him to almost change his mind.
His eyes dropped down from her eyes to the shape of her nipples through her top and down to her almost entirely flat stomach. He reached out and stroked his hand over her belly lightly. He could hardly believe she had given birth a month ago. She had been steadfastly working out everyday, which he had enjoyed watching when he was in their quarters. As well as her usual training katas she had some form of yoga like postures that he hadn't seen her use before and she was able to hold them for longer each day. Her body had fleshed out into a more healthy shape and her pregnant belly was almost gone. But, he knew she was still not fully recovered and especially not inside where it mattered. As much as he would love to settle back down over her and explore how far they could push their restraint he didn't.
He smiled as he lifted his hand from her stomach. "Don't tempt me." He said with a wink as he climbed to his feet, his body awkwardly responding.
His heart was still hammering away in his chest from the heady mixture of adrenaline from their argument, thrill at all she had confessed and at the need still coursing through his body as he watched her sit up. He was shocked at himself for having gotten so angry at her in their argument, at having pushed her into the argument; he was usually one to avoid such scenes. She looked up at him with a warm soft expression, her eyes slipping down his body to where his arousal would be clearly obvious.
"Teyla!" He protested as he stepped away from her. She was far too tempting at the moment, after all she had said, after how she had responded to his kiss.
She smiled up at him again, trying to appear innocent.
He moved further away. "I'm gonna go have a really cold shower."
John thought she looked a little disappointed, but he smiled at her and headed towards the bathroom door. He needed a little distance right now. The bathroom door shut behind him and he opened the shower compartment and began to pull off his clothes in quick impatient moves.
She had cried and had confessed how scared she had really been to almost lose him and Charin back on that planet. The tall spires of Violet Eyes' ship returned to his mind. He had been so focused on fretting over Kanaan's presence that he hadn't really allowed himself to acknowledge all that had happened. He had lost himself in fearing that Teyla wouldn't want him anymore. Perhaps because if she didn't all that they had lived, survived through, wouldn't have been worth it. He had been thinking of all their hot sweaty nights whilst living in the tent; seeking to prove to him self that she did care for him, that she wanted him for more than simply comfort and protection against the threats they had been surrounded by everyday.
He sighed as he moved towards the shower, but he paused; he didn't want cold water pounding over his body right now, only one area really needed that treatment. He turned to the triangular shaped bath in the corner and decided a quick cold wash would be enough. He set the plug and climbed into the tub, crouching down in the Ancient bath. He leant one elbow on one side and rested his forehead into his palm. His body ached with desire, but he knew it was mixed with relief and adrenaline from the argument. He felt a little weak now, like he had been powering himself all this time with his fretting over Kanaan. All those nights that he had lain awake with Teyla asleep in his arms were all making themselves felt. He had been an idiot he decided; he trusted Teyla and he should have known she wasn't going to change her mind. But, that was always his way with personal matters; to step back and away and let things fall apart. He had almost done the same here.
He opened his eyes and looked down at the end of the bath only to realise that he hadn't started the water; he was sitting in an empty bath. He sent a thought out towards the Ancient taps, but nothing happened; his subconscious was against the whole cold water idea, he had the same problem some mornings when he just wanted to go back to bed. So, he reached out and activated the controls physically and the water began to flow down into the bath, pooling around the plug. He shivered at the whole idea, but he needed something to cool himself down.
The bathroom door slid open and he looked round as Teyla entered. She looked surprised not to see him in the shower he thought and she looked round at the sound of the running water. He smiled at her as she lifted her eyebrows in a silent question and he turned back to the taps as the first edge of the cold water reached his skin. Teyla's hand entered his view as she reached in and turned off the tap, then reached down and pulled out the plug, the small pool of water quickly draining away.
John looked up at her questioningly, only to watch her move closer, hitch up her trousers slightly and she lifted one leg up over the side of the bath. He automatically reached out to steady her as she stepped into the bath beside him. He noticed she was barefooted as she stepped into the bath. He opened his mouth to ask what she was doing, but she crouched down in the bath next to him, her front towards his side, her back against the opposite side of the bath against which he was leaning. He moved to turn towards her, but she stopped him as she leant herself against his shoulder and slid her arms around him; one hand sliding over his shoulders and the other slid across his collarbones, catching briefly in his dog tags that he had forgotten to remove.
She pressed her front against his arm and hip and her warmth poured into him, her touch over his naked skin adding to the pooling of blood in his groin. He turned his head towards her and opened his mouth to speak to her again, but her dampened hand from pulling out the plug slid down his chest. His breath caught in anticipation.
"You don't have to do this." He managed to whisper to her.
She smiled at him as her hand circled down his stomach, his muscles twitching at her sliding touch. She leant in even closer to him, her lips sliding past him mouth, to nuzzle his cheek.
"We take care of each other, John. It is what we do." She said.
He smiled at the comment, so close to something he had said not so long ago to Murphy.
He nuzzled at Teyla's cheek in return. "You don't need to take care of me." He whispered.
Her fingers reached his erection and his whole body jerked in response and he let out a small involuntary groan. Her cool fingers danced lightly along his length, only building the tension further and he turned his lips away from her cheek to let out a straggled breath. He felt her smile against his cheek as her hand finally surrounded him and he groaned again.
"Of course I do, John." She whispered to him as she slid her lips from his cheek to his ear. Her hand lying over his back caressed across the top of his shoulders, up his neck and into his hair. He tipped his head back slightly enjoying her fingers massaging his scalp. "Just relax, John." She breathed right into his ear and he chuckled, though it actually sounded more like another groan as she quickened her hand over him.
The lure of true satisfaction ahead from her hand, from her body almost wrapped around him was almost enough to make him do as she asked, but the tightly wound tension in him from his arousal and not wanting this to end made him hold back. He turned his mouth to hers again, capturing her lips in his and he drove his tongue into her mouth, wrapping his closest arm to her back and around her, pulling her flat against his side. She murmured into his mouth in a way that made him growl in response. She broke her lips away from him and licked across his cheek again.
"Relax, John." She whispered again, her breathy voice nearing his ear. Her tone was as smooth as her hand sliding over him, though his own body wanted nothing more than to jerk through her touch, to find the satisfaction that he had been missing so much with her. He groaned as she squeezed him slightly more as she licked his earlobe into her hot mouth. "Let me take care of you for a change, John." She breathed into his ear again, sending tingles of pleasure down his throat. Her free hand caressed down from his hair, making her way down his back.
He opened his eyes, that had been tightly closed, and looked round at her feeling both highly aroused and mellow under her touch. She was so beautiful, her golden skin so tempting where it disappeared into her top. She had been covering up more lately and he had so feared she was loosing interest in him, but in truth he guessed it had been so as not to tempt him. She needed only to breathe and he was tempted. He leant away from the side of the bath tub and reached across his body, over her moving arm, to stroke down her throat to the neckline of her top. The material was soft, not strongly shaped, so he pulled on the neck line and revealed her bra beneath. She arched her back encouraging the material away from her and he pulled part of the bra down to reveal one breast. He cupped it a little more roughly than he had intended, but it had been so long since he had felt he could touch her this way. She groaned and he looked up to her eyes, checking he was not hurting her. Her lips formed a wide smile as she rubbed herself further into his hand and he returned his attention to her full breast, gently caressing around her nipple.
She began to stroke him more forcefully, the pressure building in his belly he moved to lean back against the other side of the bath, but she pulled him back towards her, with her arm around his back. So, he rested back towards her, into her embrace, feeling surrounded by her. Her arm caressed over his shoulders, her hand lingering around his neck and then she trailed her fingers down his spine to the dip of his lower back. She slid her lips from his cheek to his temple and back to his ear again. He was groaning now as she worked him, varying the rhythm and rolling her fingers around him, caressing him as she brought him closer. He turned his mouth to her again and licked her throat, biting gently as he gently massaged her breast in his hand. He had missed being able to taste her so freely, missed this smell of her so close, her heat, her tongue and her touch. He lifted his head up from her throat and closed his eyes simply enjoying her touch.
She kissed his cheek softly. "You like that don't you, John." She said her voice deep and sultry.
He wanted to answer with some witty reply, to give her a sexy smile in return, but he was completely incapable of anything like that and could only nod as he opened his eyes again. She smiled at him, not in a way that said she was amused at him or enjoying her power over him, but in a way that made him feel loved and wanted. He let out a heavy breath of emotion around his building pleasure.
"I love you so much." He told her. She smiled again, though this time he could see some amusement there. He managed to smile this time at his own apparent love-lust, but he meant it. He loved her so much and he would have even if she had left him to go back to Kanaan he realised. Maybe he had loved her longer than he had realised. For a moment as his orgasm began to build in his lower back, the tightness contracting in his groin, he had a flashing memory of following her through the forest of Old Athos towards the caves with the Wraith paintings. He had followed her even then, through the dappled sunlight streaking through the trees to highlight her golden red hair.
She tightened her hand around him even further and he couldn't hold himself back any longer. He opened his eyes from his memory and looked down at himself in her hand and he thrust into her hold. Her mouth covered his ear again, her tongue sliding over him, wet and hot to swirl down to his earlobe once more and she bit down gently. He moaned loudly almost on the precipice as he grabbed both edges of the bathtub in his hands.
"John." She gasped into his ear, her nails biting into his lower back, scratching his skin and he finally abandoned all control.
He shouted out with his release, the sound echoing around the small room and he threw his head back, his body flexing involuntarily as he ground himself out through her hand. Her breath was hot on his throat, her teeth sliding against his skin. With one final loud groan, that he was sure he would be embarrassed at later, his body finally relaxed and he slumped down.
She pulled him once again into her embrace, her arms surrounding him. He panted against her, his cheek pressed against her breast and he closed his eyes as the all-pervading warmth poured throughout his body.
A deep sense of relaxation and sleepiness dulled his senses to reality around him as he just breathed, feeling the satisfaction of his body and Teyla's body against him. Her body moved slightly and he just went with the movement. The taps turned on and a warm damp cloth touched against him as she washed him down, and then she lightly wiped all of his body, cooling him down.
By the time she had finished he was feeling a little more conscious and he pulled his cheek away from her breast, feeling a little weird at sitting in an empty bath naked while she was still full dressed. Her hands slid over him and he turned into her embrace fully this time, pressing his chest to hers. She sighed happily against him, her hands wandering over his back, her touch soothing and satisfying. He felt more satisfied than he had for a long time; for now he knew he had nothing to worry about, that she wasn't going to leave him and that she really did seem to love him.
Her hand wandered back up into his hair and he wondered if he would ever be able to have her touch him that way again without him thinking about what had just happened.
"Do you feel better now?" She asked with a smile in her voice.
He pulled back from her and had to clear his dried throat before he could answer her. "Oh, yes." He replied and she smiled wider, her hand sliding round to cup his jaw.
"Why don't you go rest for awhile?" She suggested. "I am sure the paperwork can wait." She added with a knowing look.
He felt a flush at how transparent he had been, but he didn't really have any energy to try and cover that up anymore. Besides there was no need to anymore.
"I'm sorry again about all that." He offered aware of how deep and sleepy his voice sounded.
She seemed happy enough. "We are both sorry, so I suggest we put it all behind us." She replied before she turned her body, reaching out for one of the towels. He watched her turn, one of her breasts still exposed and he reached out and gently pulled the front of her dampened top back into place. She turned back towards him with one of the soft fluffy white towels. He ignored the offered towel and pulled her back into his embrace, kissing her gently but thoroughly. The towel was settled over his shoulders before her hands slid into his hair again. He broke their kiss and brushed his lips gently over hers as he drew in her scent again. She murmured a happy sound in response.
"I think I might have fallen for you that first day, you know." He whispered to her. "When we went walking through that forest back on Old Athos." He told her as he pulled back enough to look at her.
Her hands settled on the towel over his back and she began rubbing it over him, drying him off. "I remember." She replied. "You complained most of the way." She added as she grinned at him.
"I didn't." He responded with a smile of his own. "Well, how else was I going to get you to look round and talk to me?" He added.
She stopped her drying of his back. "I talked to you." She protested.
"Sure, but for I all I knew you could have been leading me to some ritual killing somewhere in the middle of the forest." He added changing tactics.
She lifted an eyebrow as she resumed drying him, pulling back to slide the towel down his front. He liked the way she was watching what she was doing with a little more interest than was necessary. "Yet, you still followed." She said.
"Of course. I was enjoying the view." He replied and she laughed at his meaning.
He grinned at the slight blush to her cheeks; how could she be blushing over that after what they had just shared? She pushed the towel into his hands before she reached his groin and he gave her a disappointed look. She grinned again as she moved to stand up. "That would explain why you fell over so frequently on that walk then." She said as she set one hand on his shoulder, stood up and stepped out of the bath. He reached up to support her elbow again with one hand.
"I only fell over a couple of times." He protested thoroughly enjoying their banter. The memories of those first days in this galaxy were not pleasant, but meeting Teyla had been the one good part. He stood up in the bath, his legs complaining at how long he had been kneeling in the bath. He dried the rest of himself off quickly as he watched her waiting by the doorway. Thinking back to those memories of meeting her; they seemed so long ago and he had been so much younger then, not just in age, but in experience. So much had happened and so much had changed between him and Teyla.
He climbed out of the bath and threw the towel vaguely over the towel rail. Teyla reached for it, pulling it free to shake it out and then hung it back properly over the rail. He smiled at her look as he pulled his boxers back on. It seemed that there were some things that would always be the same across any galaxy he mused as he gave her an apologetic shrug; he would have sorted the towel later, if he had noticed. She smiled and headed out of the bathroom.
The air felt cooler out here and he moved quickly to pull on a t-shirt and his most comfortably pair of jeans. He looked over to the desk where his very real work did need to be done, but decided he could do it later. Teyla had apparently seen his look from where she was changing out of her water dampened clothes.
"Have a rest John." She indicated the bed and he suspected she was aware at how little he had been sleeping. Though, right now, he felt like he could properly fall asleep. "We don't need to pick Charin up from Jennifer for another hour."
He looked over at the bed and decided he could do with a lie down if nothing else. "Do you want to join me?" He asked looking back at her. "Just to cuddle up." He added at her smiling look. She paused a minute and he found himself holding his breath, which was stupid, but he wanted her curled up with him and for some reason it was important to him right now.
She nodded and headed over to the bed and he followed her feeling oddly grateful. "You don't have to." He found himself adding.
She pulled back the top blanket. "I don't want to stop you from resting properly." Oh, she definitely knew about his lack of sleep.
He climbed up onto the bed, once more glorying in the softness of the mattress; it just didn't get old. She climbed onto the bed next to him and they pulled the top blanket over them as they snuggled down together. He wrapped his arms around her and let out a very happy sigh. "Mattress; good. Warm woman; good." He muttered as he settled back against the pillows, feeling a little weird that he was fully dressed on the bed. She chuckled as she rested against his side, her cheek falling onto his chest, her hand sliding over his cotton t-shirt.
"Thank you for…you know…in the bath." He said softly and she wrapped her top leg over his.
"Anytime." She uttered against his shirt.
He smiled at that, though he had to wonder if it was an honest offer. He was really going to look forward to when she was all healed up, but for now he could finally stop his foolish worries and really start enjoying being back in Atlantis with her and Charin. He squeezed her briefly before they lapsed into silence.
John's body grew even warmer and heavier, the deep satisfaction still glowing throughout his body. He began to dream though he could still hear Teyla breathing against him, feel her body moving occasionally against his. The dreams were calmer this time, full of pleasure, peace and potential. Then a heavy deep weight pulled him into his first proper deep sleep he had had in over a year and a half.
He woke some time later, lying on his front, his cheek on his hand and he opened his eyes and looked out at the quarters. The lighting was subdued and he saw Teyla sitting on one of the chairs with Charin on her lap. He watched them for a few minutes processing that it felt much later in the afternoon and that his body felt as if he had been run over by something. He struggled up onto his elbow and stretched out his neck and back.
"You are awake." Teyla said as she smiled across the room.
He blinked as he sat up further, his body slowly waking. He hated falling deeply asleep in the middle of the day; he always felt slightly disorientated when he woke up. "How long was I asleep?" He asked.
"Four hours." She replied as she stood up with Charin.
"Four hours?!" John asked.
She nodded as she neared him. "It is dinner time."
"Dinner time?" Okay he was sounding like a broken record now, but he still hadn't woken up properly.
She smiled at him as he swung his legs over the side of the bed. "Would you like to go to the mess hall for dinner? Jennifer said that she and Rodney would be meeting Ronon and Carson there about this time."
He rolled his head on his neck and considered it. They hadn't been spending all that much time with their friends outside of their visits and he kind of missed those group meals. "Sure, sounds good." He replied.
"I have just fed Charin, so she should be happy enough to accompany us." She pulled out the carry crib from behind the chairs and set it up on a chair.
"I'll carry her." John offered quickly, wanting to hold his daughter; he hadn't seen her all day. Teyla smiled up at him as he approached.
"Should you not put some more clothes on first?" She asked.
He looked down to see he was still barefoot and his shirt had clearly been slept in. "Good idea." He replied with a smile. He headed into the bathroom quickly, pausing in the doorway to wink back at Teyla. He pulled on a clean shirt, jacket and his boots. All ready to go he headed over to where Charin sat in her reclining seat, watching the soft toys hanging over her. He crouched down over her.
"Hello, Munchkin." He said and Charin smiled brightly, her arms waving up at him to be picked up. He couldn't help the burst of happiness such a simple thing brought out in him. He freed her from the safety belt and lifted her up in his hands. She was growing fast. "How about we go see what all your Aunts and Uncles are up to, huh?" He asked her as he turned to find Teyla watching him with a soft smile. She had the carry crib and Charin's bag so they headed out into the city.
John walked with Charin in one arm, pausing to let her look at a couple of things while Teyla walked on ahead. Several personnel who passed had to stop to look at Charin and John proudly let everyone smile at her and say how cute she was. It took them twice the time to get to the mess hall than normal, but throughout it John felt comfortable around everyone, hardly feeling defensive or edgy. Progress he realised; something to finally mention to Murphy.
They entered the mess hall to see that it was only half full and that their friends were already around a table. John could hear Rodney's complaining from across the room.
"I told Zelenka that, but he didn't believe me." He was muttering.
"Of course not, Rodney." Carson replied. He was sitting opposite Keller and beside him Ronon was munching his way through a massively full plate. Carson was the first to noticed them approaching. "Hallo, there." He called out brightly.
"Hello, Carson." Teyla replied, having reached the table first. "We were hoping to join you all."
"Of course." Carson said as he and Keller both turned and reached for more chairs from nearby tables. John reached the table just as the third extra chair was set for Charin's carry crib. John sat down next to it keeping Charin in his arms. Carson leant towards him to look down at Charin. "There you are my little one, how are you?" He asked.
"She's doing very well." John replied proudly. He noticed Carson had finished his meal. "You want to hold her?" He offered.
"I would love to." Carson replied immediately as he wiped his hands on his napkin and reached for Charin. John passed his daughter carefully over to Carson before he stood up again to go select his dinner.
Teyla was already in the line, so he joined her. "What we got?"
"There is a very nice looking vegetable stew, fried chicken or a pie, the contents of which I am unsure." She replied.
"No green bread then?" He asked.
She laughed and nudged him gently in his side. They chose their food, complete with pudding and hot drinks; luxuries in which John was still taking great pleasure. They returned to the table and took their seats.
"What were you saying about Zelenka?" John asked Rodney.
Keller rolled her eyes and Carson groaned. "No, Colonel, please!" Keller begged him.
He smiled at her before turning to Rodney.
"You wouldn't believe it…" Rodney started, but John tuned most of it out. He was too pleased at the fact that he was happily sitting in the mess hall without feeling too uncomfortable. Not that he hadn't chosen the most strategic seat, so that he was facing most of the room; he would have chosen that seat anyway. Besides, sitting with the potted plants behind you wasn't the same as having your back against a corner. Progress.
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TBC
