Author's note:
This is a series written in the style of the Stages of Love drabble challenge over on Live Journal – Attraction, Romance, Passion, Intimacy and Commitment. There is a drabble/vignette for each stage. I didn't get the first one written in time to join the challenge, so I decided to post them here.
I love the Teyla/Lorne pairing, but there are so very few stories out there for them that I thought I'd try and write some myself. This is my first ever fic, and is un-beta'd as I don't really know anyone in the fandom so all feedback will be welcomed. I know it's not exactly ground-breaking writing, but hope that you enjoy reading it.
I've seen lots of stories where Lorne's first name is Marcus, Mark or Marc so I decided to go with the last one – but I still call him Lorne most of the time. The title is in reference to the Buzzcocks song that is eating my brain...
Attraction
The first clue that he receives that this may not be the average crush is during a meeting off world. He is watching her negotiating for access to a shrine that the local people have set up to worship the Ancients. McKay suspects that the shrine contains some Ancient technology that could be useful to Atlantis, and is desperate for access to it. Colonel Sheppard wisely decided to send Teyla to ask permission, with Lorne tagging along in case negotiations took a nasty turn.
He gazes at her, mesmerised by the changing expressions on her face, mirroring the nature of the negotiations. From nervousness to exasperation and frustration, and eventually to relief and delight, the emotions are subtly displayed. Only someone who had studied her for a long time would see through the armour that she raises and be able to be a witness to her thoughts and feelings.
As if sensing that she has his attention, Teyla turns to look at him. They exchange a brief smile before she addresses the village's spokesperson once more. "Major Lorne and I are extremely grateful for this opportunity to visit your shrine to the Ancestors. We will tell our people of the good news and return within the hour." They say their goodbyes before heading back to the gate to return to Atlantis.
When they are a safe distance from the village, Teyla lets out a relieved laugh. Lorne thinks that it's one of the most beautiful sounds he's ever heard. His mind wonders what other sounds she could make that would amaze him, and his body begins to respond instinctively.
"Is there something wrong, Major Lorne?" She stops walking and watches his flushed face intently. He wonders just how many of his bones she would break if he told her the truth, or worse still, if he showed her exactly what he wanted to do to her every time they were alone.
Instead, he continues walking, calling back to her. "No, nothings wrong, just wanna get back to Atlantis, that's all." He hears her jogging to catch up with him, and is forced to stop walking when she grabs his arm and spins him round to face her. He focuses his attention on a tree in the distance behind her until he can feel the heat recede from his face. When he finally looks at her, he stops breathing. There are a range of emotions clear to see, but not the ones he was expecting. Concern and unease are not there, but attraction and desire are.
He doesn't know who leaned in first, all he knows is that he's kissing Teyla Emmagen in the middle of a field on a strange planet as though his life depended on it. And she's kissing him back.
Romance
I know that Lorne doesn't normally wear red, but nobody turns a shade of blue when they're embarrassed ...
She stares him, with a mixture of disbelief and suspicion. He can feel his face flush, and rushes to explain his actions. "You see, back home ... I mean on Earth ... a man gives flowers to a woman that he cares about ... so, that's why I picked these up today..."
By now even the tips of ears match the red of the shirt he is wearing, and Teyla decides to take pity on him. "Marc, I understand the sentiment, it is a custom that I am well familiar with. I do not, however, understand why you chose to give me the anjeer flower..." her eyes drift over to the light pink floral arrangement, whose shape remind Lorne of trumpet lilies. "... when they begin to decay, they release a rather unpleasant smell ..." Lorne's mind drifts back to the planet he had visited earlier that day and finally makes the connection between the vast beds of these flowers, the faint lingering smell of horse manure and what Teyla has just said.
He slumps down heavily on her bed, throwing the flowers to the floor and resting his head in his hands. He thinks he should apologise but the words fail to reach his tongue as Teyla's thighs come into close proximity with his head. He strains his neck to look up at her face, and is rewarded with a quirk of the eyebrow that he's become very fond of.
"Believe me when I say Marc, that I understand your intention and am very appreciative of the gesture."
"Oh yeah ... just how appreciative?" For a split second he wonders if she's about to hit him for showing such cheek when she is trying to convey her feelings, a rare occurrence for her. Instead Teyla gently pushes him back on the bed and lowers herself onto him. The last coherent thought running through Marc Lorne's mind is that he needs to throw out those flowers when he leaves her room in the morning.
Passion
"Do you have anything to add Major?" Lorne struggles to tear his eyes away from the beautiful woman sitting opposite him and turn his head in the direction of the voice. "No Dr. Weir, I think that Dr. Zelenka covered it all." Elizabeth looks at him curiously for a moment, but decides to let whatever thought she had pass. "Very well, thank you all for your time."
As the rest of the room's occupants rise to leave, Lorne's attention drifts back to Teyla once more. She is still seated, her eyes locked on the piece of paper in front her. Only when they are alone does she finally look up. He can't help but gasp when he sees the hunger in her eyes, and realises that she was struggling just as much as he was to pay any attention during the meeting. His team had been away, visiting a planet familiar to the Athosians who's inhabitants had requested help with a newly discovered Ancient relic. It had taken Zelenka a total of four days to decide that the relic had no use whatsoever to Atlantis, resulting in an extremely grumpy and tired Major Lorne leading his team back through the gate.
He had dreamt about her constantly during that time, longing to have her beside him, above him and below him on the bed of straw that he'd been given to sleep on. From the look she's giving him, he assumes that she's missed him just as much. "Your room, now." She rises immediately, walking swiftly out of the room. He stays where he is for a moment, giving her time to reach her room without making it obvious to the entire city that he's following her.
By the time he reaches the living quarters he has broken out into a light jog. When he enters her room he realises that she must have run all the way here, because she's had enough time to undress and is lying on her bed, naked and propped up on one elbow. Her pose reminds Lorne of the stack of magazines he used to keep under his mattress.
Before he knows what he's doing, he's on top of her and she's pulling down his trousers and boxers. He can't remember the last time he had sex with most of his clothes on, or when the woman he was with did neither expect nor want foreplay. They move together as though it's the last time they'll ever have sex, though they both know that it isn't. They know that they won't be getting much sleep that night, or for the nights to come.
Intimacy
Have no idea whether the living quarters in Atlantis are ensuite ...
She can't shake the image from her mind – the fear and pain in the young boy's eyes as the aged white hand clutched his chest. Teyla had never felt so powerless, as she watched from the cloaked puddle jumper just metres away from the Wraith and his victim. Now she was back on Atlantis, feeling no more safe than she had done on that planet.
When she enters Lorne's room, he's having a shower, having just returned from a mission himself. She undresses and enters the bathroom. He's surprised to see her and is about to crack a joke before he sees the grief and exhaustion on her face. He reaches out and pulls her flush against him, her head resting familiarly on his shoulder and his arms wrapping tightly around her slim waist. They sway slightly under the stream of water, dancing to a melody that only they hear. His arms tighten around her as a sob escapes from her lips.
When her silent tears stop and he hears her breathing returning to normal, he reaches behind him to switch off the water. Grabbing the towel he left nearby, he slowly and carefully rubs her body dry. She waits for him to dry himself before taking his hand and leading him back into the bedroom. As he climbs into the bed next to her and wraps his arm around her once more, she sighs and kisses his neck. He thinks that he hears her whisper the words "Thank you" but isn't sure. Within minutes she is asleep, and he thinks that maybe he didn't do such a bad job at comforting her after all.
Commitment
Spoilers for Coup d'Etat, very sappy ...
Teyla can't help pacing as she waits for someone or something to materialise from the wormhole. Sheppard regards her curiously but says nothing, as the reason behind her restlessness slowly dawns on him. After what seems like an age, Ronon appears, clutching the sagging body of Major Marc Lorne as he struggles to walk on a broken ankle. Teyla gasps as her eyes take in the countless number of cuts and bruises on his face, clearly visible even from the balcony above the gateroom.
Sheppard jumps deftly out of the way as Teyla races down the stairs to where the two men have stopped, waiting for the medical team to arrive. She comes to a halt just before them, unsure of what to say or do. When Lorne finally looks up from the floor, she makes up her mind. Gently taking his head in her hands she kisses him, slowly but passionately, trying to convey just how much she has missed him. Most of the other occupants of the room avert their eyes, feeling intrusive at witnessing such an intimate moment between the lovers, their relationship a secret until now.
Sheppard wonders idly how long they've been together, and concludes that it must have started after the last debacle with the Genii, since Teyla hadn't seemed overly upset by Lorne's supposed death. He'd certainly noticed the change in her behaviour these past two months that Lorne's been missing. Ronon looks the most uncomfortable person in the room, still keeping Lorne upright as he uses all of his strength to hold the woman he loves.
Finally she lets him go, as Dr. Beckett's hand rests on her shoulder and the gurney comes to a halt next to them. It is only when he is lying down on it and ready to be taken to the infirmary that Lorne notices the very slight bulge of her belly, something that only he would observe. He looks up at her, and the smile on her face tells him all he needs to know. He is now even more grateful to the rescue team, for they have returned him not only to the love of his life, but also to his unborn child.