Title: Time Flies

Author: libratraveller

Pairing: John/Rodney

Summary: While staying on another world, John and Rodney discover a machine that changes John and forces Rodney to realize his feelings.

Author's Note: This took many months to write and I'm quite proud of it.

The black bird flew through the wind, dive bombing towards a building with an open window. He flew inside almost dancing through the smoke that permeated the room. The lighting was low, so few noticed the bird and the music disguised any sound he might of made. By the bar sat a dark haired man in strange clothes. He seductively smoked a pipe while gazing at the man beside him.

"You know Rodney, this place ain't so bad." The man put his pipe down and picked up his drink.

"Says the man with the buzz." Rodney refused to drink anything as he was convinced that it would impair his judgment, and that would be a bad thing for someone on another planet. "Look John, just stop staring at me, like that."

John looked befuddled. "Staring like how?"

"Like you plan to eat me, but first cover me in chocolate sauce, whipped cream with a cherry on top." Rodney looked cute when he was indignant.

"Now that sounds like a plan." John innocently replied.

The bird still went unnoticed. He stretched his wings while he sat up in the rafters.

"Oh ha ha. Just, you know, stop. So, how long are we planning on staying here?" Rodney looked around the crowded room, staring at the few couples that dare dance to the loud arcane sounds they called music.

"Oh I'd say a couple days, maybe three. The negotiations should be done by then. They don't really need us, but a chance to relax is always nice." John slouched in his stool looking for all the world like he'd fall off, but somehow he managed to keep his balance.

"Is that what we're doing here… relaxing? I thought we were supposed to glean information from the people in here." Rodney snuck glances at the other people sitting at the bar and the tables farther in the room.

"Oh please, what could we possibly learn from people in a bar." Stretching John exaggeratedly looked around the room. "Nobody suspicious to me, they all seem normal enough."

"Fine fine. You go tell Elizabeth that we gained nothing while we were here and all you did was get drunk." Rodney turned around on his stool putting his back to John.

"Am not drunk, how dare you accuse me of being drunk? I have barely sipped my drink. So not drunk." As if to further make his point, he guzzled the rest of his drink. John then stood up and tried to walk away, but he started tilting back towards the bar.

"You can't be serious." Rodney watched as John weaved his way through the room, barely staying on his feet. He ran to catch up with him.

"Okay, maybe I am a little tipsy." John stopped as Rodney caught up to him.

"Yeah yeah, let's just get out of here." Rodney wrapped his arm around John's waist and guided him to the door.

The bird swooped down and followed them out.

"Hey, um Rod, is there a bird after us, or am I imagining things?" Being honest with himself that he was drunk, it was a possibility.

Rodney looked up and saw the black bird tracking them. "No, there is definitely a bird following us."

"Oh good, I think." John appeared surprised, but decided to dismiss the bird.

Rodney on the other hand had been afraid of birds ever since he saw that Hitchcock movie. "Hurry up, our rooms aren't that far." They stumbled down the street until they found the cabin they were sharing for the night.

Inside the room, Rodney locked the door and made sure all the windows were shut. John sat down on the single bed, unsuccessfully trying to take off his boots. "Help?" he finally asked. Rodney sighed and undid John's laces, tugging off the boots. John immediately lied down on the bed, causing Rodney to sigh again as he attempted to move the lump that was once John, underneath the covers. Then he took off his own boots and got under the covers after turning off the lights.

That night Rodney dreamed of birds attacking him. John dreamed of making out with Rodney. The bird dreamed of mice.