Part: 3/4
NOTE: This fic has now been changed to an M rated fic.
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Chapter 3
Teyla was ready twenty minutes to eight, and that was after having changed her outfit twice and then tidying her quarters. She knew that her need for distraction in such activity was not only to fill the quiet of her empty quarters whilst Torren was staying with Kanaan.
The irony of the day's turn of events was not lost on her, considering how it had started early this morning when she had been sorting through her things. Since Kanaan had moved out, she had been gradually going through everything she owned, deciding to de-clutter her quarters, and this morning she had set her sights on her small personal items, which had included her jewellery. She was not one to wear much in the way of jewellery, and she had not looked through them for some time. She had looked into the box in order to put away the necklace Kanaan had given her some time ago. It had been living in the drawer by her bed, but upon tidying the drawer out, she was ready to put away the necklace. However, as she had placed it at the bottom of the jewellery box, her fingers had brushed against a far older necklace.
She had not worn it for years, having kept it shut away, even after Rodney had eventually gotten round to removing the technology that had almost brought destruction to the Atlantis expedition. After Rodney had returned the necklace to her, Hakon had altered the inside of the casing to allow her to story keepsakes inside, but even then, she had simply put it away. The necklace had been ready to wear years ago, but it had remained shut away since.
This morning she had pulled it out into the early morning light streaming through her window, and had finally felt that it was time to wear it again. She had turned to her mirror and secured the necklace around her neck, and in doing so, she had understood why she had kept it shut away for so long.
The necklace was linked with so many memories – some of her childhood, of her lost family, then of the day Old Athos was lost and afterwards that the necklace had almost brought the Wraith to Atlantis' doorstep. Though, despite those memories, some which could be said to dull her love of the old necklace, it had been something else that had driven her to ignoring it for so long. Placing the necklace around her neck again this morning, had made her realise that somewhere along the way she had begun to associate the necklace with John. He had been the one to rediscover it for her and as he had secured her lost necklace back around her neck, she had truly felt that he had been sent by the Ancestors to her and her people.
Her faith in the Ancestors had altered considerably since that day, but the synchronicity of that meeting felt no less significant. How strange it had been that her necklace had turned out to be designed to respond to Ancestors and their descendants, and that the person to find her lost necklace had turned out to be one such person. It was as if something primal had drawn her life together with John's at that moment, and as he had given her necklace back to her, part of her own history, she had felt deeply connected to him. That connection had remained strong in the days that had followed, and before the true nature of the necklace had been discovered, John's steadfast faith in her innocence had only made that connection feel stronger.
Yes, this necklace felt greatly linked to John and the natural connection she had felt with him from their first meeting. She had also realised that during her relationship with Kanaan, she had not felt able to wear the necklace because of that association. Now much had changed and she now sought to move past those restrictive feelings. Kanaan was no longer a part of her life, and she needed to accept that John continued to play a vital role in her life, but only as a friend. So, she had finally added her first two keepsakes into the necklace and had worn it today with the view in her mind to set out on the next stage of her life.
It had seemed that her goal had almost immediately come into affect, for at the midday meal, Major Walker had approached her to discuss their sparring sessions, but as he had sat down beside her, she had not missed the fact that his invitations had seemed tinged with more meaning. She had made herself relax and enjoy his attention, wondering if perhaps it was time to consider such offers, especially as she had decided to move forward with her life. It was time that she put aside past infatuations and restrictions on her future. Major Walker was a very kind and intelligent man, and she considered his gentle advances to be very flattering. She had been enjoying his attention and the lack of complication in the undercurrents, when abruptly John had appeared, apparently with the sole intention to send the Major on his way.
She had felt at first that John's protectiveness was faintly endearing, as had Ronon's been the other day when he had done the same thing to Lt Donovan. Yet, then John had sat down at the table with her and his mood had seemed rather dark, and despite all her earlier assertions to 'move on', she had felt the flush of hope yet again in her heart. It had seemed that her intention to set aside her old feelings this morning had been false in some regard, and she had realised that perhaps she had been fooling herself slightly, for in wearing the necklace she had in fact once again been entertaining the possibility of John. Especially now that she was by herself once again. It was a hope that she had denied still existed this morning, but as John had sat down with her, she knew that she still rather foolishly held onto it. That revelation had rather frustrated her and the idea that John would be guarding her, as Ronon was, annoyed her further. Was she ever to move past this?
After that revelation to herself, John had proceeded to quiz her on her status with Major Walker and other men, and suddenly the hope had eagerly jumped forward again. He had even commented on her necklace, jewellery not being something men usually focused on, but John had today.
She had known John for years now and she considered herself able to read him quite well, yet today what she thought she saw may have been wrong, as perhaps she had been projecting what she had wanted to hear onto his comments. Then he had surprised her further by inviting her to join him on his evening run. Since that point, she had been replaying their conversation over and over, seeking to understand if he had been asking what she hoped he had. He had teased her about Major Walker's 'sculpting lesson', yet had then gone and asked her to join him for his run. Did that mean that it was his equivalent to a 'sculpting lesson' as he had interpreted it, or was he simply wishing to spend time with her as a friend? It was very confusing and the question had haunted her all the rest of the day.
She sat now, ready twenty minutes, lost in her thoughts and questions, her shoes on and her jacket ready by her side. She was perhaps even more confused by the time she glanced at the clock and saw that it was finally eight o'clock. The chimes rang a moment later.
She rose, pressing down her clothes suddenly worrying that she looked presentable in her workout clothes. As she moved to the door, she breathed calmly to centre herself, and reminded herself that if nothing else she would still enjoy an evening in John's company.
She waved her hand over the door sensor and the doors parted to reveal John outside. He was dressed as he had always been in the days of their sparring together. He wore black workout trousers and a dark short-sleeved top, and all the years since they had last sparred suddenly became very apparent. Though she saw him frequently around the gym, and had even spied on a sparring match between him and Ronon once, she had not shared this kind of activity with him in a long time. Those considerations aside, it was a pleasant experience to be able to share this with him again, regardless as to any deeper meanings. She always enjoyed his company.
"Hello, John," she greeted him and he smiled back.
"You ready?" He asked.
"Yes, though I was not sure if I would need a jacket tonight," she asked as she headed back to where it lay with her water bottle.
"Seems pretty balmy out there still," he replied which she had guessed by the fact that he wore only the short-sleeved top.
"I will brave it then," she replied as she collected her water, deactivated the lights, and headed out of her open door to join John waiting out in the corridor.
"Quiet in there without Torren," John commented as her doors slid shut behind her.
"I am not quite used to it yet," she admitted as they headed down the corridor.
"When's he back next?" John asked.
"The day after tomorrow," she replied. "I will be spending the day with my people anyway, for it will be the Summer Festival, so it seemed best for him to remain with Kanaan until then."
"Ah, yeah, the big Summer Festival, I remember those," he mused as they entered a transporter. The doors closed behind them, sealing them into the small space and John reached towards the transporter display. "You got a favourite pier?" He asked.
She turned to the display herself. "No, though perhaps one that is not too exposed to the ocean's breeze," she suggested since no doubt the air would cool further during their run.
"We could start here, head round here, and finish there?" He asked, gesturing out the route on the display.
"Sounds good," she replied and he triggered the transporter. The light flared brightly, through which she felt a very definite sensation throughout her body, and she still did not know which word would best described the feeling. The doors opened and they headed out into the empty building, moving towards the nearby staircase that would take them down to the ground level of the pier.
"As I recall of your first Summer Festival, it is surprising that you remember any of it," she remarked to him with a teasing smile.
"Ruus wine has one hell of a kick," he replied with a smile of his own.
"Especially with the amount you and Aiden drank during that first festival."
"Hey, I wasn't the only one who drank a lot, remember Rodney? We had to carry him to bed and that was at ten o'clock," he replied.
She chuckled at the memory, though it was always sad to thing of Aiden as they still did not know what had happened to him. "To be fair, Rodney did not drink all that much."
They had reached the base of the staircase and stepped out through a high arched opening out into the warm night air.
"I'm just annoyed I missed the dancing," he replied.
"You did watch the dancing, you just do not remember it," she laughed at him as they headed towards a low wall that would be a good place to stretch and warm up.
She stretched her arms high up above her head, looking up towards the darkening sky, the stars shining overhead. "I do hope that Aiden is out there somewhere," she pondered through her held breath.
John stood up straight from where he had been touching his toes. "He's out there somewhere."
She suspected John would say as much even if he secretly thought otherwise, and she found that she too felt that it was important to believe that their lost friend and teammate was still out there somewhere. As if to stop believing that would endanger him in some way. She dropped her arms and twisted from side to side, her body loosening.
The air was warm, yet there was a refreshing sharpness to the light breeze around them. She jogged on the spot briefly and then stretched out her legs, John doing the same beside her. She drew in a deep breath of the air, filling her lungs, and she sent out a silent prayer for Aiden, as she did each time she thought of him.
"He's probably taking out most of the Hives by himself," John suggested.
"I hope that he does, it will save much work for us," she joked in reply, aware that both of them were not voicing so many dark and worried thoughts for their lost friend.
John had been stretching his arms over his head, and now turned to her. "Ready?" He asked.
Teyla let go of her right heel, by which she had been stretching the front of her thigh. "Yes, let us go," she replied as she shook out her legs.
They both turned towards the edge of the pier and set off at a light trot of a pace as they warmed up. As they neared the outer edge of the pier, they turned and headed along the long flat path that lined the outer edges of the pier. It was perfect for running, so much so that Teyla had to wonder whether the Ancestors themselves had not used it for exercise.
John ran on her left, between her and the edge of the pier, and she looked out past him to the darkness of the water, the ocean calm enough tonight. The moonlight and starlight reflected in the rippling water, and despite the fact that she was exercising she found herself feeling relaxed and at ease.
Their speed increased without discussion, their bodies warmer, and their years of working together allowing them to find a pace with each other silently.
Running with some speed now there was no breath for conversation, but she did not mind. Running beside John, shoulder to shoulder, she simply focused on the night and her breath. Beside her John's breathing was loud as her own as they reached the end of the pier and turned, following the flat path circling around the end of the pier.
To their right the shorter towers of the pier stood tall over them, but on this pier there were also structures to their left. Set at the very end, massive fin like structures protruded out of the water. Teyla looked up at the closest fin on this pier, its construction narrow, but sturdy and tall. As she and John ran past it, its thin shadow covered them, but in no time they ran out into the moonlight again.
Teyla knew that she had excellent speed and stamina, but they still slowed their pace occasionally to allow them some relief. She was greatly impressed by John's clearly increased stamina – his years of regular running with Ronon clearly of great benefit to him.
Past the fins, they turned back towards the towers set near the end of the pier, and John indicated to where they could pause. She welcomed the chance to rest herself so they turned their direction towards the spot he had pointed out. As they neared, she could see that the ground level rose up into a series of platforms, rather like large steps, leading towards the feet of the buildings. When they eventually reached the foot of the platforms, they stopped, both of them breathing loud and fast. Teyla bent forward and set her hands above her knees as she worked to steady her breathing.
"Your stamina and speed have significantly increased, John," she remarked, hoping he would not find the comment condescending.
He pulled a smug face. "Thank you," he said, making her smile at the realisation of how a man would take such a comment. "But, I still can't keep up with Ronon," he added as he turned to the platform before them, set his hands on it, which was about level with his shoulders, and pulled himself up onto the raised area. "You got to check out the view from over here."
He crouched down on the platform and reached down to help her up, and she accepted the assistance. The platform was smooth and flat under her hand and then her shoes as she stood up beside him. The platform ran around the buildings and John lead the way along it, heading back the way they had come. She followed him, her breathing slowing now, along the platform, through occasional shadows of the buildings now to their left. Almost back to the centre of the end of the pier, John finally stopped and looked out towards the fins at the end of the pier.
"He we go, check this out," he said as he sat down on the platform, his legs hanging over the edge.
She sat down beside him, the light night breeze dancing around her legs as she hung them over the edge alongside his. The metal under her backside was a touch cold, but it would warm up in no time, she hoped. She settled beside him, close enough that their elbows brushed and she looked straight ahead.
The view was indeed beautiful, as from this position they were looking directly out towards the ocean, through the corridor formed by two massive fins standing like sentries on each side, outlining the distant dark horizon of water. The light of the city mixed with the moon and starlight over the structures and the water before them.
"Oh, it is beautiful," she whispered into the night. "I cannot believe I have not sat here before."
"I've found some great places along the piers. You need loads of breaks when running with Ronon."
She smiled round at him. "I hope that my company is not too boring for you in comparison."
He pulled a face. "As if, besides Ronon's not really one for sitting and enjoying the view, so it's nice to have someone to share it with," he replied. His words struck a cord with her and she smiled.
"Yes, it is," she replied as she looked back out to the fins and through them to the ocean beyond. She ran her eyes up from the water, up one of the massive fins. From the central area of the city, it was easy to forget how large and impressive the outlying structures of the city were.
"It is easy to forget sometimes how magnificent this city is," she said quietly. He made a sound of agreement beside her as he settled more comfortably, leaning back slightly on his hands.
"And how old it is," he added.
She nodded at his point. "The Ancients were truly an amazing people," she reflected. "Despite the faults that we sometimes find with them." There was a tendency among those from Earth to find points of criticism with things, people, or theories. The Ancestors, the Ancients, had made mistakes like any people, but their accomplishments were astounding. She looked from one fin to another. "I still find it amazing to be living in the fabled City of the Ancestors."
"Back on Earth, almost everyone knows the stories about Atlantis - about a mythical city that was lost under the ocean," John replied with a thoughtful tone like hers. "No one would believe that it's true, let alone that Atlantis is still in one piece."
"And if your people had not arrived here, it may have been lost to the ocean forever, the shield failing and no one to save it," she considered.
She turned, looking across the width of the pier, then round back to the buildings stood over them at end of the pier. Even though they were far shorter than the massive central tower, they were still grand tall constructions. She twisted further to look up at the tallest of them, the moonlight shining off the top of their heights. It was enjoyable to sit so far out from the central area of the city where most lived and worked. Out here, it felt like the ocean was all around you, and the constant sound of its waves was louder. It felt like she was removed from the concerns of duty shifts, deadlines, and worries. There was just the ocean and the city. And John.
She turned, her gaze dropping from the towers, to John seated quietly beside her. He was already watching her and she shared a soft smile with him. Their gazes held, the comfort of each other's presence clear, and she watched his eyes drop down to her throat to where she still wore her necklace. His eyes lifted back up to hers and they shared yet another smile.
He was very quiet, and his eye contact was gentle but direct. The mixture of shadow and half-light was very flattering on his already handsome features, and, despite the vastness of the pier on which they sat, that they were entirely alone out here created a sense of an intimate space around them.
He shifted ever so slightly, sitting further forward beside her and no longer resting back against his hands set on the cool metal under them. She glanced away as he shifted, and wondered if she was again projecting onto the moment what she wished to see.
She looked back towards him, his scent drifting to her senses and she noted that despite their fast run, he still smelt wonderful.
She met his eyes again, and as she did, his fingers gently touched against her cheek. The surprise and delight lit her up inside, her senses registered every tiny moment of his soft gentle caress against her skin.
It was not a touch of a friend, nor the touch of someone simply brushing her hair from her cheek. This touch was soft, caressing, and light with his insecurity of how it would be received by her, but there was no sense of caution or regret as she looked up at him.
Suddenly the universe felt different, and her heart broke open with pleasure, with a wish granted like no other before.
She smiled at him and she leant her cheek further against his touch, and that touch increased as more of his fingers caressed against her skin.
He smiled in turn and it seemed that in that instant that he too relaxed into the moment. That sense of deeper connection with him now felt not only justified, but also felt so much stronger.
She reached up and touched her hand to the warm skin of his forearm, revelling in the simple, yet glorious freedom to touch him. She glanced down at his arm and watched her own fingers slid up the thick muscle that shifted under her touch as he turned his hand and slid his palm against her cheek. He turned beside her, his body closing in towards her, and she looked back up to him, her cheek warm in his hand as lips reached hers.
She pressed her mouth to his warm lips pressing softly against hers. She slid her hand from his arm, catching the front of his shirt, as she reached up with her other hand to slid around his neck and up into his hair, holding him in turn to her kiss.
They held the kiss as long as possible before the need for air forced them to part and their lips broke from each other's, both pouring out their breath against the other.
His lips immediately grazed against hers though, his in breath against her sensitive lower lip, and she angled her mouth against his, brushing his lips in turn as she slid her hand down from his hair. His skin was warm against her fingertips as she cupped the side of his jaw in her fingers and their lips pressed together once more.
His hand that had been a faint pressure against her back, now pressed warm against her, sliding around her back, encouraging her round into his body. She turned towards him, lifting her legs from where they had hung over the edge of their platform as she shifted onto her left hip and she tucked her feet up back behind her so that she could turn towards him. His arm slid fully around her as he too turned further towards her, and they embraced as much as they could whilst seated at the edge of the platform. The warmth, the scent, and the feel of him all around her, poured into her skin, into her being.
Their lips sliding against one another's again, the kiss suddenly became deeper, and the intimacy was profound and the pleasure astonishing. She met his tongue with her own, exploring his mouth and lips as he did hers, but always the kiss felt soft and loving in a way that swelled her heart with emotion. His hand slid around the back of her neck, holding her to him gently, supporting her as their kiss continued. Her mind was lost, completely unaware of how long the kiss lasted, for all she was aware of was John against her.
The passion began to rise somewhere through the kisses, the intimacy deepening and the emotion turning towards a stirring and tempting passion. Her attraction to John, that had been clear from the first moment she had seen him, and her love for him, which had grown over the years, were both so familiar to her and finally she was able to express them freely. However, she had not expected the passion so immediately, but then five and a half years was hardly immediate. It was a passion that rose from the kiss. It was a deepening of the affection and attraction she already felt for him, and now it burned brightly. It lulled her further against him, seeking out the comfort and presence of his body against hers. It was not a passion full of desperation, as she had experienced before with a lover, it instead rose naturally and was finally, completely, uncomplicated.
The metal of the pier no longer felt cold to her as she laid back, still held tightly in his embrace, the world tilting around her, but she felt steady for she held tightly onto him, the kisses flowing from one to another without concern or pause.
Their mouths parted only so that he could pull her top from her and she reached down to grasp the hem of his shirt, pulling it up over his head before their mouths met again. During that brief moment apart, she saw the moonlight shining over his skin above her, and as he pressed his lips to her cheek, she slid her hands over his strong bare shoulders.
She ran her hands down his back, holding him to her as his hand slid down her side, pushing down her trousers and she lifted her hips from the pier under her. The air was faintly cool against her bared skin, but he remained within her embrace, lifting away only minutely to help her kick her legs free of her clothing and he pulled the material away from her feet. The material passed over her as he dropped it onto the increasing pile of their clothing alongside them.
His body leant further over hers once more, his mouth and hand sliding up her side, as she slid her hands down his sides. She pushed at the last of his clothing, sliding her hands down the natural line of his back, following him under the material of his trousers to grip his hips and backside. The strength of him, the swells of muscle and taut sinew, pulled her further into the blissful state they shared. Together they pushed down his trousers and underwear beneath, and once removed they too passed over her to complete the pile of their clothing.
Free of everything, with nothing but skin to touch and kiss, she lost herself in the feel of his hands; one under her, the other caressing long strokes and circles from her thigh to her hip, and then up over her belly to circle over her breasts. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders as they pressed together once again chest to chest. Naked skin to naked skin, his chest hair and strong lines of muscle against the soft curves of her breasts, they sought out the kiss again. His mouth lingered against hers, his body settling down over hers, her legs around him.
She parted her lips from his, lifting her head from the support of his hand, to kiss his shoulder and to watch her hands running down the full length of his naked back bathed in moon and starlight.
His breath was hot against her ear and he whispered of her name. She closed her eyes, relaxing her head back into his hand, his fingers in her hair, as he pressed small kisses to the side of her throat. The sensations all filled her, flowing through her entirely, and she felt every part a woman, her body alive and simply in love.
His kisses trailed down the side of her neck to her shoulder, for his lips to then slide down along her collarbone to the dip at the base of her throat. She tilted her head back as his mouth slid up the centre of her throat, his tongue licking up under her chin and over its height until his lips found hers again.
She gasped into the kiss, her legs lifting around his hips, as she slid her hands up into his hair. Her body called for him deeply now, to resolve a separation that was no longer tolerable. As she kissed him deeply, she rubbed her entire body against his, teasing her chest against his chest, and her belly against his arousal pressed between them.
He murmured into the kiss, the sound deep and primal in his throat and it called to her further. Sighing out a long loud breath, she turned her mouth to his cheek, licking at his skin as she ran her hands back down his long strong back. His touch shifted under her as one of his hands, warm and gentle, slid out and round to the outside of her breast, then glided so gently down her side, his hand squeezing between their tightly pressed bellies.
She closed her eyes tightly at the first intimate touch of his arousing fingers against her core, and as she rubbed herself against him, their entire bodies caressing against one another. Her sigh was mixed with his, and she opened her eyes again to the beautiful sight of him, his eyes meeting hers. As he pressed his touch deeper into her, she ran her hands up his body, up to his shoulders, and up his neck to cup his jaw. She pressed her lips to his again as he shifted against her slightly, and she pulled her mouth from his, watching her own fingers sliding along the darkened shadows of his jaw and then up into his hair. She gasped with the first press of his manhood against her and she tightened her hold on him, parting her legs around him, and pulled his mouth back down to hers.
He kissed her softly, his lips grazing over hers as he pushed into her slowly, and as she closed her eyes and dropped her head back, his breath was warm over her cheek and jaw. He shifted further within her embrace, settling himself deeply into her and they were finally together. The tears of the moment flowed into a sigh of passion as he first retreated and stroked back into her.
She touched as much of him as she could; running her hands around his neck, over his shoulders, his arms, and his back. She grazed her nails into his flesh as he moved, rocking them together under the stars. She kissed his cheeks, his lips, and his throat, and biting his shoulder as the passion rose sharper, drawing her breath from her, but she moaned through it, allowing herself to lose herself entirely into the experience of him.
She pressed her feet against the back of his thighs, rocking with him, clutching at his sides and at his hips. She gripped tight full handfuls of his backside as they moved, as they thrust and kissed, and groaned together.
His mouth pressed against hers, his breath full of whispered words; words of love, of promises, and revealed fantasies. She spoke to him in moans of her own; his name, her love for him, and finally as the pleasure peaked she cried out.
She gripped him tighter to her, holding them locked together as her entire body felt as if it was set free, as if it drifted up into the stars, entirely free in a sea of blissful pleasure. Her only anchor was John, his body over, around, and within her, rooting her to him, and she felt her senses return, her entire body filled with warmth and peace. But, that peace, that release had not yet reached him, and she could feel the vibration within his body, the tension seeking to be released.
She pressed her body against his, slid her lips across his cheek to his ear, and she breathed out his name and his entire body tensed against her, his head tilting back for a moment as he drew in a sharp short breath. She watched the most glorious sight of him, his eyes dark upon her and their passion bringing him to the impending moment of his release. Then he thrust deeply once more into her, his head dropped down to press against hers, and he groaned out with a deep passionate cry. She held him tightly, her own warmth still settling, holding them together, and his hands slid under her, tightly embracing her in turn.
She rode out his shudders with him, her hands sliding over him, feeling her own pleasure continuing as she shared the moment, and absorbed the last of the passionate spell that had enfolded around them.
Then with long sighs of pleasure and relaxation, both of their bodies grew heavier, and she rested completely down against the support of the pier, his comforting weight settling more fully over her. Their arms around each other they lay together, the moon and stars above, as they both simply breathed.
She dozed in the comforting cocoon of his body over her, his warmth all around her, his breathing a constant in her sleepy comfort. At some point he shifted, his body sliding against hers and his weight lifted from her slightly, drawing her from her dozing.
She opened her eyes, aware abruptly of the night's cool air along her sides, and over her legs and arms; anywhere where she was not covered by John's warmth. She blinked up at the stars over John's shoulder and she slid her hands over his back, feeling the growing chill to his skin.
"You're gonna get cold," he murmured against her shoulder before he lifted up from her slightly, settling onto his elbows above her. His face came fully into view as he did and she ran her hands up his neck. He leant down and she met his mouth with hers. The kiss was soft and gentle, but short. He pulled back to look down at her with a frown. "You're getting cold," he repeated.
"We are on the end of a pier," she smiled up at him and he chuckled down at her, the two of them processing exactly where they were and what had happened so spontaneously between them.
"Yes, we are," he chuckled again as he looked away from her to the platform around them and the buildings towering above. His hands were still under her shoulders, and she felt them moving subtly against her skin in a subtle caress. A light frown touched his smiling features again as he looked up at the buildings. "Hope no one was looking out of a window," he joked, looking back down at her.
She ran her hands over his shoulders as she glanced back up at the buildings over them herself and she smiled at the small amount of light that lit this far out along the pier. "No one will be around this late," she reassured him.
He leant back down over her and she drew in a breath as she lifted her lips towards his again.
"I just wouldn't want Walker getting an eye full," he replied teasingly above her lips.
She chuckled at that, pulling her lips away from his before they kissed properly. "So you did chase him off for that reason," she replied, the joy at the knowledge making her feel even happier.
"Damn straight," John replied with a grin as he shifted, pulling his hands out from under her gently and lifting up from her. She dropped her hands from him as he pulled back, though his hands remained on her as he moved over her left leg to sit beside her. She sat up with him, though her body resisted for a moment, reluctant to move. She sat up carefully, stretching her back as she did, and one of John's hands slid around her back to 'help' her sit up. It felt very liberating to be sitting entirely naked out in the open, the night air over her skin, and John beside her.
She set her hands back to his skin, sliding her arms around his shoulders and he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against his chest. She sighed into the embrace and his hands caressed up and down her back, his mouth turning to rest against the side of her neck.
"You're not seeing anyone else are you?" He asked against her, sounding a little worried as if the thought had just occurred to him. "Because you looked like you were interested in Walker and his 'sculpting class'."
She smiled against his skin before she pulled back, and he seemed rather reluctant to pull back from their embrace, but he did and his dark eyes met hers. She ran her hands down over his shoulders to his upper chest. He was most beautifully formed under his clothes as what she was familiar with above them.
"If I had known of your interest I would not have even entertained such advances from Major Walker," she told him and she could see some relief in his eyes though he simply nodded. "And no, I am not seeing anyone else."
He smiled at that. "Good," he replied, leaning back in towards her and she met his kiss. His lips were wonderfully warm, as was his body against hers in the increasing chill of the night.
They pulled back and she once again dropped her gaze to his chest and shoulders, but as she did, her fingers running from his collarbones to the dip at the base of his throat, she realised something was missing from her. She reached to her own upper chest, flattening her hand where her necklace had been.
"My necklace," she said worriedly, pulling from him enough to look around at the platform under them. "Where is my necklace?"
"It's okay," John replied instantly, his hands warm on her arm and back. "I took it off, it's under the pile," he added, pulling one hand from her and leaning against her as he reached towards the pile of their clothing. She looked round and watched as he lifted the pile to reveal her necklace sat safely underneath. Relief and surprise made her grin as she watched John pick it up as he set the pile of clothes down right beside them.
"When did you take it off me?" She asked amused, for she truly could not remember him having done so.
He grinned at her as he turned the necklace in his hands, opening it up. "I'm good with my hands," he told her with a wink.
She chuckled at him, believing him entirely, and she would have made a comment in return, but he was leaning back towards her with her necklace. She held still as, in a repetition of that very first time, John set her necklace around her neck for her, his fingers brushing against the back of her neck as he secured it in place. The echo of that moment, that she had only been recalling this morning, thrilled and stirred her emotions strongly. She lifted her eyes up to his as he pulled his hands slowly away from the clasp at the back of her neck, just as he had done last time, only this time he actually stroked his fingers against her skin as he did so.
Teyla reached up between his hands, which were lingering on her skin, to touch the necklace as she had done the time before.
"Thank you," she whispered to him, and she was unsure if he understood exactly for how much she was thanking him.
He smiled in reply, his eyes dropping to her throat. "As big a memory as past time was, I prefer you like this," he told her quietly, his voice deep. She smiled at his meaning as she glanced down at herself, aware that she was entirely naked except for her necklace. His fingers trailed down from her shoulders, with a soft and delicate touch, tracing around her breasts and down her sides.
She reached out in return, and soft traced her hands up his bare chest, running her fingers through his light amount of chest hair. She looked back up to his face.
"I would have to say, that I prefer you like this as well," she told him with an appreciative smile.
He grinned back at her with a touch of self-consciousness, and she smiled further to know the he liked her compliment.
A gentle but cold breeze gusted around them, and she realised that he had been sitting between her and the usual breeze, likely on purpose to shield her from the cold. However, the wind was changing and as much as she enjoyed sitting with him like this, she preferred the idea of doing so inside now. She saw in his expression that he had reached the same conclusion and his hands briefly squeezed her sides before he turned his attention to their pile of clothing.
Teyla however, kept her eyes on him for a moment longer. "Would you like to stay in my quarters tonight?" She asked him.
He looked back at her from their clothes, the moonlight glowing over his shoulders and back. She met his eyes through the half-light and he smiled at her.
"Teyla," he said softly with a serious expression, but with a sparkle in his eyes. "The answer to that question is always going to be 'yes'."
She smiled in return, her heart full, as she leant towards him again and their clothes forgotten once more, his arms slid back around her. Their lips met and she squeezed her eyes closed, his warmth keeping the night at bay, and she wondered if perhaps she ought to thank Major Walker for his unintentional part in bringing her and John together.
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TBC