Before the Genii attack:
After Harmony had become queen their trading agreements had become nearly secured. Harmony had requested... Or should he say 'demanded' that when it came to their negotiations and picking up the shipments, she wanted him there personally. She claimed it was to make sure that those who retrieved the cargo weren't rogue Genii in Atlantian disguises and that the only way she could know for sure it was truly them was by the two people she knew the faces of. Harmony made it quite clear that she still thought John was a traitor and that he wasn't welcome anymore, much to her sister Flora's dismay, so only he remained.
Carter, who hadn't known how bratty and annoying it was to be around Harmony, or how the little teen would look at him like he was her knight in shining armor, had just agreed to the condition as if it was nothing. Carter just shrugged and agreed that her request was logical and was quite cunning for the young royal. This setup even continued once Woolsey took charge. He just sighed and complained a lot but there was nothing to be done. They needed those shipments and his presents there had been the only way to get them.
Rodney had ignored Harmony and her crush on him over the years. He'd roll his eyes and snark at her but she only took it as a challenge of witty banter. He'd scowl and yell at the other Atlantis personnel to hurry up with bringing the goods through the gate, all the while Harmony would, in turn, yell at her own minions to help in order to appease him.
"Can't you go any faster, Major?!" Rodney snapped with annoyance.
Harmony had kept looking him over making him feel self-conscious and awkward under the small girl's observing stare. He just wanted to leave.
Major Lorne who was setting down another crate at the gate just eyed him down making Rodney shift uneasily, playing with his fingers.
"You could be helping you know."
"Yes, well -" Rodney stated, eyes darting toward the heavy boxes. His mind reeling with responses to get him out of that.
"He is observing you! As every leader should!" Queen Harmony replied for him, earning her a raised eyebrow from Rodney.
She turned and looked at him, giving her sweetest smile she reserved only to her favourite people. "A proper leader and King knows how to make their underlings work at optimal efficiency. You are very good at this, Doctor."
"Uh... Thanks?"
Lorne snorted then tried covering it with a forced cough once Harmony gave him a death glare that threatened she could have his head.
And that was about how their usual meetings would go. Harmony and Rodney would sit around yelling at people. As the years passed and Harmony grew older she started getting bolder. Putting her hand on his if he sat close enough, which he awkwardly shifted away. Sometimes she would pull him down to her short height to give him a peck to the cheek. He would just roll his eyes and ignore her. He was sure her feelings for him were just a crush that would go away just as quickly as hers to Sheppard, but it didn't seem to be going anywhere to his reluctance.
Even Flora had gotten to the point of concern for her sister. To the point of pulling him aside and nearly begging for him to do something to let her down easy and get her off of her delusion so she could find someone her age to get to know and eventually marry so, the village could have a King, securing the throne's legacy. He, however, didn't know what more to do. He had been hard on her constantly but she only seemed to enjoy each other's challenging behaviour. He also kept referring to their age difference, but she kept saying she thought nothing of it. That it didn't matter to her. He couldn't figure what more to do to dissuade her. He didn't want to push his luck and get her to be annoyed enough to think him too a traitor and shut down any trading agreements or worse, threaten for his head on the chopping block. Besides, he secretly enjoyed her constant attention and flattering compliments. It was quite an ego builder and he never turned down a good ego boost. He just never let it show to anyone how much her flattery meant to him. Feigning for the outward appearance of frustration while he glowed with satisfaction and pride on the inside.
Eventually, being in her company only got easier as time passed. Jennifer, in the end, left him for Ronon. Dex was young and time only made him more strong and muscular, like he could be on a cover for a bodybuilder magazine. While time only made Rodney worse for wear. His hair thinning and starting to show signs of a few strands of grey. More often now he barely had any time out of the lab since he had no one to go home to. So his personal hygiene had gotten questionable. His hair messy most times, stubble on his chin, he lost some weight too when he was often too absorbed in something to remember to eat properly. Choosing coffee, power bars, and MRE's over the cafeteria. It didn't bother him too much. He didn't like being in the cafeteria anymore. He would always see Jennifer's smiling face with Ronon's arm draped over her shoulders. Laughing with the gang at their table, which made Rodney's stomach lurch ill and he found himself not hungry anymore.
Rodney had expected now that Harmony was a fine young woman and he was starting to get old and weary that she would find plenty of young good looking men to be her new hero. Her army had plenty of strong knights after all.
However, he was surprised to see she still only had eyes for him. As her eyes gazed over him, scanning over every inch of him after he had stepped through the gate, he suddenly felt like he should have made more of an effort to have fixed his hair and taken a shower before he had arrived. His hand instinctively went through his hair making it worse.
She just smiled, her eyes staring into his. "You look nice, Doctor. Fuzzy is a good look for you."
He blushed then looked away trying to think of something to change the discussion, taking notice of the forest grounds covered in snow, it was the Winter season on this world. He put his hands on his arms, rubbing them through the thin fabric of his uniform."Cold isn't it?" He looked to Evan. "Do we have any emergency suits if a snowstorm hits? Wouldn't want to catch any alien diseases while we're cold. I've been there done that already." Major Lorne just rolled his eyes walking past. "Aren't you cold?"
"I'm quite fine actually. Maybe if you moved around and actually helped this time you'll get your blood flowing and get comfortable."
Then Loren was gone heading through the forest to the village.
Rodney sighed and then noticed the warm presents of arms wrapped around him. He looked down at the short woman. "What are you doing?" He asked confused.
"You said you were cold. My training with Nolar taught me how to keep warm in dire situations."
Rodney rolled his eyes and walked on ahead, getting out of her armlock. She frowned but quickly caught up with his stride.
Rodney looked around wondering why the shipment wasn't already at the gate but before he could ask, the Queen seemed to have read his eyes.
"It's been too cold for the people to safely venture forth for over a day and night to travel through the forests on foot to deliver your shipments."
He pointed his finger shaking it. "Yeah? Well, we're doing it. You mean they were too lazy don't you!"
She smirked, her eyes lighting up. "Well, at least we get to trek through the forest together like old times."
He gazed back at her. He truly wouldn't be surprised if she had ordered her peasants to take the day off just for this. She had that sneaky two-timed face she used that time she would play against him and Sheppard.
Loren and his team were already far ahead. Apparently, they wanted to be as far from Rodney's constant complaining and the Queen's constant blunt trekking tips as much as possible. Fed up with annoyance they had turned off their earpiece communicators, so they could no longer hear the two tattle on each other about various things from missing power bars, to pushing. They were too far and wouldn't have heard the slippery snowy ground give way, or the snap of a tree branch that couldn't support the weight of both people who had tried to grab onto it as they fell into one of the many pits of Larris's forest, or the sounds of splashes of water that the pair had fallen into.
Rodney lifted his head out of the nerve-shocking cold water, gasping with newfound alertness. He looked around wildly as the sounds of the icy river filled his eardrums. He didn't see Harmony anywhere above the rushing waters. He sucked in a big lung full of air and dived back down. He looked about the bubbly water and saw the body of Harmony twisting and turning in a current. He swam to her and grabbed her tossed about flailing body. Then swam up breaking the surface with a gasp. He struggled and as he held her, swimming against the current to a little ridge. He placed up in the little outcrop and heaved himself up. He laid back arms spread out panting. He looked over next to him seeing Harmony gasping and shaking with cold. She was looking at him with amazement.
"You.. You saved me.. Again.." Her eyes had a soft look to them.
Rodney shrugged. "Would do that for anyone." He closed his eyes waiting for his breathing to steady. Though if Sheppard were here, he'd have done it for me. He thought to himself.
"Truly noble and selfless." Harmony replied softly. Rodney glowed at the praise.
When he opened his eyes he saw her above his face. She was looking down at him with love. He frowned. Before he could make a snarky comment about getting out of his face she leaned down and kissed his lips softly.
Rodney closed his eyes and hummed at the feeling, opening his lips slightly to give her more access. He kissed her back to which if his eyes were open he would have seen the shock pass Harmony's eyes for a moment until they continued.
Rodney hadn't been kissed in a while, and he had been feeling lonely since Jennifer left him. He was enjoying this feeling, of being looked at with love and affection.
Suddenly, Rodney's eyes sprang open once he came back to reality and realize who was kissing him. He wanted to back out of it but he was already laying against the ground.
Once Harmony realized he had stopped she pulled away from him. Looking into his eyes lovingly, smiling in her cute young manipulative way.
"Doctor.. Do you remember our conversation years ago?"
He looked around confused. "Which one?" She leaned closer to his face once again, dangerously close, making his fingers twitch and dance about at his sides nervously.
She spoke calmly and quietly. "I asked you what love was and what it felt like."
Rodney stared at her not realizing he wasn't breathing.
"Wha- What about it?" Rodney started to feel warm, the snow surrounding them and their wet clothes not registering to him.
She placed her hand on the side of his face, running a thumb across his cheek. A strange feeling fluttered in his stomach.
Then she said it. The words he always longed to hear from someone that wouldn't leave him, or break his heart. The person who would be with him until the end, and he knew she would be that person. She had waited this long for him, had seen him at his worst personality, had listened to all the constant people telling her he'd never fall for her, that age and planets had separated them, and yet still she had waited patiently. He was arrogant, petty, bad with people, he knew but she saw the good in him like no one else could.
She said the small simple words that melted his heart against the snowy landscape that had surrounded them and gave in to her warmth.
She said. "I love you."