A/N: Be warned - this chapter contains sexual situations. And feet fetish. Yes. It simply needed saying.


Chapter 3

Lorne sat in their office, alone. Sheppard was eating a late lunch with Ronon while Lorne had had an early meal with Stackhouse, and was now finishing the things he started before it. It wasn't all that rare anymore. Sheppard never noticed it. By this time, Lorne was sure that Sheppard didn't remember what happened in the Jumper, and Lorne managed to convince him that what happened after the game was nothing more than an unfortunate accident.

Lorne worked very hard to maintain the professional relationship he had with Sheppard. He would accompany Sheppard to McKay's lab, supposedly to see Zelenka, and they would both work from remote terminals while the scientists would buzz around them and occasionally haul them off to touch all sorts of things. He invited Sheppard to his quarters along with Zelenka, McKay, Teyla, Ronon, Keller, Dorsey and Stackhouse for a movie night. He even suggested that they take the periodic personnel review, something that required both their attention, to Carter to see if she had any further insight into team management or promotion issues.

He was rarely alone with Sheppard and when he was he turned the music on and immersed himself in his work. When he had to talk to Sheppard, he was always cheerful and polite. He was determined not to throw away their good working relationship and friendship.

It was hard, especially since memories of Sheppard's touch, his breath across Lorne's skin, his very smell tortured Lorne at night until he gave up and touched himself in the secrecy of his narrow bed. It was also hard because he lived in the same corridor as Sheppard. It was a coincidence that he chose that corridor to push his single bag into after he was beemed down from the Daedalus while the confusion of absorbing a big mass of new people still ruled Atlantis. It was hard because he never knew if he would run into Sheppard whenever he left the room.

Now he sat in the office and reviewed the results of the scientists' latest round at the shooting range, enjoying the warm afternoon breeze through the windows and the solitude. The Beatles were playing something calm that suited the lazy atmosphere when Sheppard walked into the room.

Lorne was about to throw a casual greeting at him when he realized that something was wrong. He got up as Sheppard turned off the music. "Is everything alright, sir?" he asked. Usually when something wasn't right the entire city would know. Usually it involved a lot of screaming, aliens shooting at them from the sky and Earth's own firepower echoing in the hallways.

Sheppard smiled without humor. "Sam just informed me that my father suffered a heart attack. He's dead," he said, heavily. Lorne's gut lurched.

"I'm sorry to hear that," he said, unsure of what to do. He got up and leaned against the side of his table, feeling suddenly clumsy and not knowing what to do with his body.

"So was I," Sheppard said. He moved to lean against the table beside Lorne. Lorne looked at him and saw an unusual stiffness in his shoulders. Sheppard slouched, not stood this stiff. He wasn't pale or bright-eyed, but he looked subdued and distant.

"Are you okay?" Lorne asked, not sure it was his place to initiate such a conversation.

"Funny how people keep asking me that."

"People?"

"Rodney. Sam."

"It's natural. It's also natural not to be okay. I know I wouldn't be if it was me," Lorne said candidly, but he could see that Sheppard was uncomfortable with it so he immediately asked instead, "When are you leaving?"

"In a few hours. I need to fill you in on a few things first."

Lorne placed his hand on Sheppard's, resting between them on the table, and squeezed briefly. "Don't worry about it. I'll handle," he said, smiling slightly.

"You sure?" Sheppard sounded skeptic.

"It's a big city. I'm sure I can find someone whose suicidal tendencies match your own," Lorne said dryly, and Sheppard grinned weakly.

After a few moments of sitting in a surprisingly comfortable silence, Sheppard left.

####

Sheppard was gone for eight weeks, and in that time Lorne filled in for him. He was strangely upset not to see Sheppard in the halls, at the office or even sending him a look from across the mess. He missed it, in a sick kind of way, and dreamt almost every night about Sheppard while he got himself off. Sheppard wasn't the first commander Lorne had that he had fantasized about, but he was someone who Lorne didn't want to get involved with. He found it shameful, but couldn't really stop.

He was lucky that work kept piling, even though Carter reassigned some of Sheppard's duties to herself temporarily (she now did all personnel files review alone, for one). Mission roster, scientists' improvement round at the shooting range, flight lessons for the new marines, Jumpers' maintenance reports, armory reports, attending to the special requests of the military personnel, compiling reports for Earth and more took up most of Lorne's time when he was not off-world.

It was enough to keep him occupied, but not enough to keep him from missing the little coffee breaks he and Sheppard used to take, Sheppard cheating with the music, kicking each other under the table, sharing a sandwich, arguing whose turn it was to refill their coffee pot or one of other numerous things he hadn't even realized they did when they were together.

Mission roster was the hardest. Lorne was good at cross referencing, but there were so many factors to take into account that it went slowly. He got up at the crack of dawn, 0830 AST, showered and went for a run and then sat down to finish that particular obstacle. Intelligence reports, sources, contacts, type of population, the assumed level of technology, terrain and so on were all things he had to consider when choosing which team went to which planet.

The time passed by fast. He put on some nice songs, Zelenka came by and dragged a promise out of him to meet up for lunch and Carter dropped by to discuss some of the low-ranking officers with him.

He was humming along with The Man Come Around, immersed in his work, when hands came to rest on his shoulders and startled him. "Missed me?"

Lorne tensed, an instinctive reaction, but when he heard Sheppard's voice he relaxed and turned around. Lifting an eyebrow, he asked nonchalantly, "Were you gone, sir?"

Sheppard smiled. He looked better, though Lorne noticed a few healing bruises on his face and his brow crinkled. "Long story. I'll tell you all about it after I've had a chance to debrief Sam," Sheppard said in response to his wondering gaze.

"You'll have to wait. She has a meeting with the council members of M4X-972," Lorne said, smiling now that Sheppard was back.

Sheppard rolled his chair away from his desk and took something out from a backpack he had brought with him. "Good. Then I have time to give you your present," he said, smug.

Lorne was curious. It was a well known custom that whenever someone went back to Earth they would bring back presents and necessities for their friends and tons of chocolate for the control room. The last time Lorne was on Earth he bought Sheppard Johnny Cash's America V album. Sheppard was ecstatic.

Sheppard presented him with a rectangular shape wrapped in blue, and Lorne lifted an eyebrow, amused. "The lady at the register insisted on wrapping it," Sheppard said, uncomfortable.

"It's good to have you back, sir," Lorne said, and the words were heartfelt.

"What happened to that similar suicidal tendencies guy you were talking about?" Sheppard asked, but he looked smug at Lorne's words and preened in his seat.

"He didn't cheat with the playlist," Lorne replied, and Sheppard grinned.

"Aw, see? Now you have me blushing. Just open your damn present already," Sheppard nudged him with his foot, and Lorne returned the gesture before opening his present. They used to bother each other with their feet all the time, especially when Sheppard was bored.

Sheppard brought him his favorite aftershave. Sheppard had been with him off-world enough times to see his shaving kit and met him in the hall in the morning after he shaved enough times to know what his favorite aftershave was, but Lorne never expected him to remember it. It wasn't even a special brand, simply something that had a nice clean smell and felt refreshing on the skin.

"Thank you! How did you-"

"You mentioned that you ran out, and I was at the duty free as it was so I figured you'd be happy with it," Sheppard shrugged, once again uncomfortable.

It occurred to Lorne that maybe Sheppard liked that smell as well. He smiled broadly. "Thank you, sir," he said again, putting the green bottle aside. He wouldn't ask how Sheppard's trip was. He figured that if Sheppard wanted to tell him something he would, in his own time.

"So, what did I miss?" Sheppard asked, rolling his chair closer to his work station. He opened his mail and grimaced. Lorne felt pity for him. Eight weeks were a hell of a lot of mails to go through.

He was just opening his mouth to answer Sheppard when the door chimed.

"Yes?" they both called out, and the door opened to reveal Zelenka. He looked at Sheppard and his face lit up.

"Colonel, welcome back! Rodney told me you were back from Earth," Zelenka greeted. "Your presence was sorely missed, especially in the labs. Rodney was…" he faltered and searched for the right words. Lorne already knew all about it because Zelenka always came to him to complain.

"Worried sick?" Sheppard offered, smirking.

"Actually 'obnoxious' was the word I was looking for," Zelenka corrected, and clapped his hands once energetically. "Do you want to join us for a late lunch? I already had Major Lorne promise to join me," he announced.

"Sure. I can't wait to find out what new alien food we're serving now," Sheppard said, readily jumping from his seat and urging Lorne to come too with a wave of his hand.

When they reached the mess hall the rush hour was already over and the good tables on the balcony were once again available. Teyla was already sitting there, as were Dr. Keller, McKay, Ronon and Chuck. The three of them grabbed a tray and joined them, Lorne sitting between Chuck and Zelenka. He didn't usually eat with Sheppard's team and when he did they usually had a big meal with a few other people.

"Colonel Sheppard, the chocolates were great!" Chuck greeted cheerfully, digging into his mashed potatoes and Vigan vegetables with his usual enthusiasm. McKay's eyes widen in alarm.

"You brought the control room chocolates and you didn't save one for me?" he accused angrily. Sheppard smirked at him.

"They were even filled with this delicious hazelnut cream…" Chuck sounded dreamy.

"What!" McKay looked at Chuck like he would strangle him.

"Relax, Rodney. I brought everyone here a piece," Sheppard said exasperatedly and took out a handful of nicely wrapped chocolates from his pocket.

"I knew you wouldn't forget me," McKay exclaimed happily, and with exaggerated care put one of the offered candies on his tray.

"Of course you did," Ronon muttered to his left, and earned a glare from McKay on his way to hand Teyla a piece as well.

"Thank you, but I do not desire one at the moment. I have received a big jar of a chocolate called Nutella, and I find it delicious," Teyla said, and just to make a point took out what seemed like a bucket of Nutella chocolate and gracefully dipped her knife into it.

McKay's eyes went wide, and the air around him became reverent. Lorne was tempted to laugh. Teyla reached her hand for a jar of olives and took it, and McKay nearly jumped from his seat.

"You're not going to put that in, are you?" he asked anxiously, almost as if Teyla was about to kill a kitten.

Teyla's brow crinkled. "Why would I do that? I am merely passing it on to Jennifer, who requested it from me," she said, voice slow and deliberate the way she always sounded when she did not understand something and suspected she doesn't even want to.

"Oh, good," McKay said, sitting down. Teyla then proceeded to spread the chocolate on a salted cracker, much to his horror.

Zelenka finally burst. "Come on, Rodney. You know how pregnant women are. When my sister was pregnant she used to eat hot corn with sugar," he said, wiping at the corners of his eyes.

"Oh, no. That's just disgusting. I once worked with a Russian who actually liked it. And he wasn't even pregnant, he was a geologist," McKay bit into his sandwich. "I mean, who would want to make a career out of studying rocks?" he asked vehemently around a mouthful of food.

Lorne cough. "I did," he said. McKay looked at him, shocked. As has the others. "I'm a mining engineer," he clarified, amused.

"Really?" Dr. Keller said, amazed.

"My point exactly. Are you a mining engineer now? No. You're an Air Force Major," McKay said. Zelenka and Sheppard were both going to say something, but Lorne beat them to it.

"Tell me, McKay. How many times was your life saved by an X-302?" Lorne asked pleasantly.

McKay looked annoyed. "What? Oh, I don't know. Several?" he asked.

"Good. Most of them probably carried my former team's seal of approval on their side," Lorne said, which shut McKay up for the time being.

"Wow. I mean, a pilot, a mining engineer and a painter. You're a talented man, Major," Dr. Keller said, impressed.

"And he can probably make a mean soufflé," Chuck teased, while both Sheppard's and McKay's eyebrows rose up with surprise. Lorne chuckled.

"No, I'm a disaster in the kitchen. But I can give you one hell of a foot massage," he said, and most of the people around the table suddenly sat up straight.

"Really?" Chuck asked, interested. "Where did you learned to do that?"

"My dad was a physiotherapist, and he also knew how to give a massage. He taught me," Lorne revealed.

"So your mother was an art teacher, your dad was a physiotherapist and you're an… Air Force Major? How did you manage that?" Dr. Keller sounded incredulous.

"I've always liked the sky. Always dreamt about flying. So I joined the Air Force Aca-" Lorne began.

"Yes, yes, this is all nice and good and very boring. I'm more interesting in what I can do to get you to give me a foot massage. I mean seriously, I'm on my feet practically around the clock," McKay interrupted, looking eager.

Lorne smiled, feeling a bit mean. But he had to set his foot down before he'll find a line outside of his office. "I'm sorry, Doc, I'm expensive. I don't think you have something of equal value to offer at the moment," he said, amused.

"We could build you a mini-drones gun," Zelenka offered in a tempting voice.

"Hey! How come I never get offers like this?" Sheppard asked, indignant.

"Oh please. You can't even give a foot massage to a fish, Colonel," McKay leered, and Sheppard glared at him.

"I'm sorry. The only two who are entitled to receive a foot massage are Dr. Keller and Teyla," Lorne intervened pleasantly, just barely holding onto his laughter.

"What! Why them and not us!" McKay demanded, while Dr. Keller smiled excitedly and raised a triumphant hand. Teyla looked confused as to what she has just won.

"Teyla because she's pregnant and Dr. Keller because she's saved my life more than a few times," Lorne explained.

"We saved your life more than a few times. We even did so a month ago, doesn't that count?"

Lorne was thoroughly enjoying this. Arguing with McKay was always fun. "Strictly speaking, your team still owes my team one," he said, and McKay looked crestfallen.

"Wait a mi… Who's counting!" he asked, incredulous. Lorne shrugged.

"He does," he said and pointed at Ronon, at the exact same time as Ronon said, "I am."

Sheppard looked at Ronon sharply. "It's not a competition, Chewie," he berated, and Ronon shrugged. "And besides, what about me? I just brought you your favorite aftershave," he turned to Lorne. Lorne could see how amused he was by the entire exchange.

"Okay. You too, but only because I never thought you'd remember which brand I use," he said easily, caught up in the exchange, and McKay looked like someone who was just told that Christmas is cancelled. Zelenka chuckled somewhere beside him.

"I don't understand any of it," Ronon complained. "Mining engineering, foot massage… your world is strange."

"Want me to give you one too?" Lorne suggested.

"Whadidtchu-" McKay spluttered, glaring at Ronon. Ronon looked back at him passively before turning to Lorne once again.

"Think I'll pass," he said.

"Good," Dr. Keller cried, and shooed Zelenka from his chair with a friendly wave of a hand. "I'm definitely not going to skip this up. And you can even start now, I'm free!" she added cheerfully, setting her legs in Lorne's lap.

"You know, I'm beginning to think that knowing how to give a foot massage can be an advantage in certain areas," Chuck said, eyeing the eager Dr. Keller who was just having her shoes removed by Lorne.

"No shit, Sherlock," McKay muttered resentfully. Sheppard and Teyla burst out laughing.

####

Lorne didn't give Sheppard that foot massage he had promised him. Not that day. He gave Dr. Keller one and had her moaning with such abandon that some of the scientists thought someone was watching porn, or so Zelenka told him later. Teyla was next, eager to see what had Dr. Keller so excited, and was groaning appreciatively when Lorne massaged her sore feet while Dr. Keller sat boneless and sated beside her and made incoherent sounds.

By the time he was finished with Teyla, Carterwas finished with her meeting and came to check on Sheppard and Lorne went back to his office and finally finished the damn mission roster, only to change it once more. Major Nelson, who was supposed to head off-world with his team to check on Eldred's people and see how they were handling their newfound freedom, got electrocuted by one of the Ancient gadgets. It turned out that the gadget was designed to subdue Wraith, and Nelson assured Lorne that he did indeed felt very much subdued and had to be taken off the mission.

Sheppard volunteered his team, minus Teyla. It was a simple mission, he said. Bouncing back to normal after meeting the Replicators yet again (something Lorne still couldn't quite wrap his mind around), and the people there liked Ronon very much.

Sheppard returned three hours early dirty, leaning heavily on Ronon and McKay and bleeding from a nasty gash that ran from his left shoulder to his collarbone. Lorne was just passing through Carter's office to pick up those personnel files he had left with her when the gate was activated and Sheppard limped in.

Carter hurried down, Lorne hot on her tail. "What happened?" she asked, concerned.

"Medical team to the gate room stat!" Lorne ordered into his earpiece.

"Catacomb collapsed," Sheppard groaned. McKay at his side seemed a bit red from the effort of supporting Sheppard so Lorne took over him, trying his best not to jostle Sheppard's hurt area. McKay gave him a thankful nod.

"Mara said that they felt unusual vibrations from the section of the city that was buried underground so we went to check what caused it. The Colonel stepped on some part that was structurally weak and it collapsed under his feet. Took us an hour to get him out," McKay said, still panting for breath.

"Why didn't you dial Atlantis for backup?" Carter demanded angrily. Sheppard was beginning to wobble, and both Lorne's and Ronon's arms shot up to stabilize him.

"Oh, you know. There was all this blood, and he was cursing and shouting commands, and Eldred said that they had some people trained in rescuing stranded kids and…" McKay faltered under Carter's unwavering gaze. "No, no, we should've contacted Atlantis, you're right," he amended, castigated.

"No, it was my fault. I ordered them to get me out and not wait for the…" Sheppard began, but just that moment the medical team arrived and was loading him on the gurney. "Oh god! That hurt!" he said through clenched teeth as the movement caused his wound to open and ooze fresh blood, and Lorne winced in sympathy.

"So much for bouncing back nicely," Sheppard muttered, breathing harshly through his nose in an attempt to ease the pain. The medical team wheeled him off to the infirmary without waiting for further instructions.

####

At approximately 2500 the following day Lorne finally picked up the courage to go visit Sheppard in the infirmary. It wasn't all that late, not considering that New Lantea had 28 hours to its day as opposed to the original Lantea that had only 27. Everyone already got used to it by now, which was exactly why he chose that time to visit Sheppard. People would still be around, still be awake and doing their respective jobs or researches. What's more, the infirmary was a very public place. Its doors were always open to other people and people always dropped by.

He figured that it would be the perfect place to give Sheppard that foot massage he had so foolishly promised him. He knew that Sheppard wouldn't forget about it and he thought that doing it in a public place would help their restraint more than being in Lorne's or Sheppard's quarters. He also hoped that his anger at himself for landing in this kind of situation in the first place would help him keep his head on the task at hand.

And they would need it. Sheppard was about to receive a foot massage, an experience that left most people feeling like they had an orgasm if done right, and he was going to receive it from the person he had a crush on. And Lorne…

Lorne thought that feet were erotic. Maybe he had a kind of kinky fetish, maybe other people felt that too, but he found people's feet erotic. And touching Sheppard's feet was bound to get a physical response out of him as well. Especially since the entire night before Lorne was tortured by the anticipation of hearing the sounds Sheppard would make, deep and strong from low in his throat, and he couldn't force his mind away.

Lorne approached the infirmary from the control tower transporter. He spotted Sheppard's bed surrounded by the privacy curtain and his courage nearly failed. He would honestly rather infiltrate a Wraith Hive ship than doing this, but he may never get another opportunity as safe as this.

Peaking around the privacy curtain, Lorne saw Sheppard lying on his bed and looking at the other edge of the screen with strange intensity. His shoulder was bandaged with white gauze strips held in place with white plaster.

Lorne moved the portable privacy screen a few inches so that he could pass without brushing against the medical equipment lining the walls, and startled Sheppard out of whatever it was he was doing. But when Sheppard saw who it was he smiled and put a finger to his lips just when Lorne was about to apologize. He motioned Lorne closer and made the military signal that meant 'duck', patting the edge of his bed.

Wondering but obedient, Lorne sat on the edge of the bed. Sheppard made another military signal, 'I hear', and pointed at the edge of the curtain he was studying before Lorne interrupted him, whispering, "They've been at it for some time now, but they just got to the good part."

Lorne concentrated, and could make out quiet voices. There were three of them, three unfamiliar nurses probably.

"…at least as smart as McKay, and not as obnoxious or hysteric as him. He knows almost all there is to know about Ancient technology and he treats women with such high respect!" one nurse said.

"I agree and besides, I like that fuzzy hair of his, and his Czech accent is kind of cute," someone else was saying. They were talking about Zelenka, Lorne realized, and lifted his eyebrow questioningly at Sheppard. Sheppard merely smirked at him.

"Okay. Best person to get stuck with in a stranded Jumper," a third nurse said.

"Colonel Sheppard, of course. He can fly these things like they're an extension of his arm, and he has the strongest ATA gene around. Or Major Lorne. He looked like a natural the second he got one in the sky."

"But they can't fix them," another one argued.

"McKay can. And he has the gene."

"And he panics, and he snaps, and he'll treat you badly. At least Sheppard or Lorne will cuddle you if you're scared." Lorne looked at Sheppard, confused. Who was it that he or Sheppard were supposed to cuddle on a stranded Jumper? Sheppard simply grinned.

"Fine. Best person to get stuck with at all, then."

"No, you have to define it. Like, best person to get stuck with on a Wraith ship with no means of escape is Ronon."

"Yeah. And best person to be stuck with on a planet without a gate is Sheppard."

"I still think that the best person to be stuck with when around any kind of Ancient technology is McKay."

"What about Carter?"

"She's cool. By McKay has the advantage of experience so I'd still choose him."

"Yes. We got that alright," the other two giggled. Lorne looked at Sheppard, disbelieving. They've been at it for some time now, he said? Just how much can you possibly gossip?

"Okay. Here's a different one. Nicest person to get stranded with on a deserted planet?"

"Lorne," the other two chorused immediately, and Sheppard gave Lorne's hip a nudge with his foot and wriggled his eyebrows. Lorne nearly burst out laughing. So he was the nicest? Interesting.

"Yes, definitely Lorne. He's always so caring and nice, and he's got tons of interesting stories from when he was at the SGC."

"Fine. That's agreed. Most resourceful man?"

"Ronon," one of them replied, and the others made a surprised sound at her. "Well, think about it. He had to be resourceful to survive seven years as a Runner, didn't he?"

"Sure, okay. I can see that. But still, I've had more successful conversations with my begonia."

"Yeah. Though Teyla is as resourceful as him, I believe."

"So Ronon's the most resourceful. How about… the person you wouldn't want to get stuck with, under no circumstances?"

"McKay." Said the nurse who had something against McKay promptly. Sheppard gave the curtain a disdainful glare, and Lorne smiled. Despite outwards appearance, he was close friends with McKay.

"Stop that. He's not that bad. I can think of people much worse." So could Lorne, for that matter. He knew McKay by now, and he knew the man was very capable under duress.

"Yeah? Like who?"

"Kavanagh."

"Okay. I can't really argue with that," one of the others made a disgusted sound. "I still can't believe that he actually…" apparently there was some hand waving going on at the other side on the curtain because a few seconds later the other two cried in disgust.

"Oh, I did not want to know that! On we move! Here's the icing on the cake. You're stranded on a planet and no one in Atlantis knows where you are. You're going to spend the rest of your life there. Who would you prefer to be stuck with, and why?"

"Come on, you mean whose babies I would like to have." Lorne was interested, despite himself.

"Fine. Whose would you like to have?"

"Don't laugh, but I think Colonel Steven Caldwell is nice and a good person. I wouldn't mind having his children," said the nurse who liked McKay. Lorne and Sheppard shared a stunned look. Out of all the people in Atlantis the nurse could fall for she chose Caldwell?

"If we're allowed anyone from the Stargate program then I'd choose Colonel Cameron Mitchell."

"Totally understandable." The first nurse agreed vehemently.

"Not fair. I don't even know him! If I'd have to choose I think I would choose Colonel Sheppard. Now he's sexy," the last nurse said defiantly. Sheppard's eyes lit up and he smiled smugly at Lorne.

"Sheppard? God no. He's sleeping with McKay, everyone knows that." Lorne, who still looked at Sheppard's smug gaze, froze. As did Sheppard.

"What? Of course he isn't. Come on, he's military. They kick people out for things like that!"

"And who's going to kick him out? He's the ranking military officer in Atlantis, Carter notwithstanding, and we're in another galaxy. It's not like he has some petty general picking at his every move. Besides, he and McKay are together all the time and it's not like McKay is such a wonderful person to be around. What other reason could there be for it?"

"He's not gay, and neither is McKay!"

"Because you have the hots for McKay?"

"Because McKay was going to propose to Katie Brown before he broke up with her, he even showed her the ring. And Sheppard practically patented dating Ancient woman," the one who liked McKay said angrily.

"I still think that he's seeing McKay and just so you know, everyone else thinks the same."

"Think the same about what?" Lorne could recognize Dr. Biro's voice everywhere. She apparently just started the night shift. He thanked god that she didn't hear the conversation because sometimes she had a problem with putting a stop to her mouth.

"Nothing, Dr. Biro," said the nurse who liked McKay with anger in her voice still. "Here, let me show you the results of the test we ran on…" the voices faded, and according to the sound of footsteps moving away the conversation just broke.

Lorne and Sheppard remained uncomfortably frozen and quiet. Lorne could see that Sheppard was both angry and embarrassed, his hands twisting with savage force in his blankets.

Lorne didn't know what to say. He thought that the best way to deal with it was to carry on like it never happened. He hoped that by doing that Sheppard would understand that Lorne knew better than to believe such silly gossip.

"Remember that foo-" he began, but Sheppard's hand shot to his arm and squeezed hard. His eyes were hard and his mouth was set in an angry line.

"That's not true," he said, voice tight.

Lorne knew. Of course Lorne knew. He knew who Sheppard 'had the hots for' and he knew McKay and knew that he was a good friend to Sheppard, but that was as far as it went. "I know," he said, quietly.

"Do you? Because 'everyone else' seems to think that we are," Sheppard quoted bitterly. He sat straighter in his bed and looked as though the only thing that kept him from getting up, going after those nurses and doing god knows what was the IV hooked to his arm.

Lorne took a deep breath. "Look, sir. I don't care about things like that. Maybe I shouldn't admit that to you, but I just don't. You're welcome to do anything you like with anyone you like," he said, and raised his hand when Sheppard opened his mouth to argue. "That said, I know that you and McKay are not sleeping together. Believe me that I do. I know that McKay's not like that and you…" Lorne hesitated, but he was a good liar. "You were married. What other proof can anyone ask for?" he concluded.

For a moment, Sheppard seemed like he was going to say something. He looked at Lorne with unreadable eyes and his mouth opened slightly as if speech would burst from him at any second. Lorne wondered what he was going to say, and prayed that he wouldn't say it. He feared that Sheppard was going to say something about his alleged straightness, and he thought that none of them could deal with it at the moment.

Finally Sheppard bowed his head and released his hold on Lorne's arm. "That's good to hear, I suppose," he said dejectedly. Lorne knew that he put Sheppard in a tight spot, forcing him to admit to being heterosexual in front of his male crush, but he had no choice. They were threading dangerous ground even as it was.

Lorne cleared his throat self-consciously. "I actually came here to give you that promised foot massage," he said, scrunching up every last bit of cheerfulness he could manage. Given recent developments maybe a foot massage wouldn't be such a disastrous idea.

Sheppard perked up. "Really?" he asked, interested.

"Sure. You're going to get a foot massage from the guy who was just pronounced unanimously as the nicest guy in Atlantis," Lorne smiled, sliding to sit at the foot of the bed.

"Seems like a leitmotif with you, Major," Sheppard teased and Lorne chuckled, remembering that miserable mission report.

"You want your foot massage or not?" he threatened in jest. Sheppard wriggled his toes at him from under the blanket.

"Can't pass that out after what you did to Dr. Keller. You know, if this was Earth you would have been arrested for inappropriate actions in public," Sheppard replied amiably.

Lorne snorted. Inappropriate? What happened with Keller should've been given an adult-only rating. "You're in a public place right now," Lorne pointed out, leaving his own reasons for wanting to perform this while Sheppard was in the infirmary. "As long as you won't moan too loudly no one will have to know."

In response, Sheppard kicked him.

Lorne sat at the foot of the bed and uncovered Sheppard's feet.

Sheppard had large feet, but they were more elongated than wide. His arch was wide and his toes were long, each knuckle represented separately instead of being squished into each other. His nails were more long than broad and the back of his foot was hairless but strewn with tendons. Lorne swallowed.

"Like my foot?" Sheppard teased, not even knowing just how close he was to the truth. Lorne swallowed again, reaching for his pocket for the special oil he had borrowed from Teyla.

"Sure. Can I take a picture?" he joked lamely. He then looked at Sheppard and said, "I'm going to start with a simple, light touch. Just to see where you're more sensitive, mapping your foot and such," he said, and his voice refused to go higher than a low resonance.

"I know. I've seen you do that with Keller and Teyla," Sheppard agreed, settling more comfortably in his bed.

Lorne, of course, knew that. The difference was that when he gave Keller and Teyla their massage he wasn't nearly as aroused as he was now. This was a bad idea, but it was too late to stop now.

Lorne applied some of the oil on his hands and got them thoroughly slick. He then spilled a minimal amount on Sheppard's foot and smeared in with a light touch. Properly oiled, he could now begin.

He began with skimming his thumbs on the heel of Sheppard's left foot, where the pad was soft and pliant under his touch. He was getting the feel of the interior muscles and delicate bones, checking where the nerves were most responsive and where they were over-sensitive. Sheppard made a content sound and closed his eyes, and Lorne continued.

His fingers gently felt the bridge of Sheppard's foot, his touch light but sure, and Sheppard gasped. Then Lorne's fingers moved on to the flat edge of Sheppard's bridge, caressing until his fingers reached Sheppard's front pads and the underside of his toes. Sheppard actually moaned when Lorne's finger traveled up the underside of the biggest toe, and shifted in his place.

Lorne forced himself to remain calm, despite the fact that most of Sheppard's foot seemed like an erogenous zone. He slid his index finger into the space between Sheppard's fingers and moved up to skim the rigid tendons on the back, and Sheppard gave a low groan that made Lorne harden in an instant in his pants. Crap.

Adjusting his position on the bed, Lorne began to prepare the foot by holding the soft heel and pressing the foot down, and then up, stretching it. Then, feeling a bit self-conscious, he slide his hands up along Sheppard's furred legs until the heels of his hands were holding Sheppard's heel, and gently shook the foot to relax it.

Lorne then began to actually massage the foot with longs strokes, his thumbs sliding from the outer side and into the arch in a smooth motion, moving in tiny circles that glided towards Sheppard's toes. Sheppard, after Lorne's touch became less teasing on his skin, was quiet and content, adjusting to the touch and watching with interest as Lorne worked.

By the time Lorne moved on to Sheppard's right foot Sheppard's head was resting against his pillow and his breathing was shallow. He seemed to be enjoying himself, and Lorne thought that it might just turned to be uneventful now that Sheppard was in control and not surprised by his touch.

After the initial warm-up, Lorne began to massage Sheppard's right foot. His hands were unaccustomed to the movements, not having preformed them in years before that day, so he decided to change his technique to avoid them seizing.

He hooked the lower pads of his thumb against Sheppard's foot and leaned his weight into it, pressing and slipping down and then distancing his thumbs and pulling back up with his entire hand from root to tip. He did it slowly, again and again, his entire body bobbing up and down.

When he was done with that particular move he looked up and found Sheppard watching him with wide eyes that had gone nearly black. It was the kind of look men would wear when a strip-dancer would settle in their lap, the kind of aroused disbelief that something like that just happened. He swallowed. He had no idea what he had done, but something in that movement must've turned Sheppard on, and Lorne couldn't bring himself to look away. It was moments like this that were dangerous, mainly because they spiked with no warning between the two of them.

Lorne continued moving his fingers, all the while staring into Sheppard's intense eyes. There was something dangerous about him, like something had loosened, and Lorne was both fascinated and aroused by it.

Deliberately, Lorne moved his thumb up and on the underside of Sheppard's big toe. He felt like the child who knows he shouldn't touch a burning match but is still too fascinated with the fire to listen. Lorne knew that Sheppard was more sensitive there, but he wanted to see what would happen.

Sheppard's eyes fluttered shut and his brow creased in and upwards. When Lorne repeated that movement Sheppard's breath hitched noisily through his nose, and when Lorne circled the front pads he heard Sheppard moan. It wasn't loud, it was a breathy kind of moan, one that was private and erotic and got Lorne to look up at Sheppard with curiosity.

Sheppard's skin was flushed and alive, his brow creased and his lips parted. He was breathing fast and Lorne found that he was matching his own breathing to Sheppard's as he continued, dropping the pace and increasing the depth of his strokes while using that technique that got Sheppard so unbalanced, using the weight of his body to give him leverage and strength.

Lorne allowed himself to work all the way to Sheppard's ankle and calf, and Sheppard offered him an easier access by angling his leg. Sheppard's hands were fisting the thin sheet on the mattress and he was making those soft sounds and breathy moans, quiet and just for Lorne.

Lorne was entranced. It was a thrill milking those reactions out of Sheppard and he enjoyed the way Sheppard's body writhe and shifted under his fingers. His strokes became long, slow and teasing, pressing the places where muscles and nerves were clustered together. Every stroke was in the sole purpose of drawing out the next sound, the next inordinacy in Sheppard's breath. Every time Sheppard shifted on the bed or made a muffled sound at the back of his throat Lorne's blood ran faster, his cock became fuller and harder and in his belly the sensations coiled with more intensity. Lorne's clothes were now clumsy against his skin from perspiration, and the blankets covering Sheppard had long since been thrown on the floor, his flushed skin shining with a fine sheen of sweat.

Lorne reached Sheppard's arch and began a slow, languid pressure up and down, just between the delicate bones that defined it, using his body. He altered between teasing caresses from a single finger and a deeper, massaging touch. With each gentle caress Sheppard's body gave a tiny jerk and his whimpers became more urgent, until Lorne ceased all activity. After allowing Sheppard some rest he touched a single finger to the arch, tracking its surface, and Sheppard lost control, crying out in a voice that was strangled and ragged.

"Oh, God! Ev-" Sheppard broke off and bit his lower lip hard.

Lorne wasn't a fool. His name wasn't that long, he could recognize the first two syllables of it. And hearing it coming unbidden from Sheppard's mouth in that deep voice made the coiling sensations in Lorne's belly migrate south and he could feel the heady beginning of an orgasm.

Lorne bit the inside of his cheek hard enough that the coppery taste of blood flooded his mouth, and forced himself to think of Wraith and death. He hated himself for it, but it served its purpose and his head cleared somewhat from the cobwebs of erotica. Suddenly the infirmary lights overhead were too bright, the room was too hot and Lorne's position on the bed was too awkward to be comfortable.

"You okay?" he asked Sheppard, voice so low it was barely audible. He didn't think his throat could produce something more in his current condition. His pants were a large, hot and wet tent and his self-restraint was fried.

"I…" Sheppard's voice was also a whisper, his eyes were still closed but his tongue darted out to wet his lips frequently.

Lorne was appalled by what he had done, appalled that he had betrayed Sheppard's trust like that. And yet he was still more aroused than he could ever remember being. He had to put a stop to it.

Lorne scrunched every bit of resolve, reminded himself of everything that he had to lose, and forced some normality into his voice. "Your feet are very sensitive," he began, voice still soft. Sheppard snorted deliriously. "More so than Teyla's or Keller's," Lorne said, in response.

Sheppard seemed beyond speech at the moment, hands twisted so hard in his sheet that Lorne feared he might tear it apart. He gently began the final relaxation, massaging the entire foot with broad, professional sweeps of his fingers and bending it up and down.

"Some people just can't take so many sensations at once. You're not the first," Lorne added, still quietly. He took an infirmary towel and wiped the oil from both his hands and Sheppard's feet.

Sheppard seemed to be struggling to regain coherent thought. He took a deep breath through his nose and released it slowly, and then opened his eyes. They were still black with merely a smoky ring of color surrounding them, but they didn't have that unfocused quality of someone who was gone to pleasure.

"Thank you. That was…" he faltered, and Lorne smiled. He held the towel strategically over his groin and balled his hands to press his nails into the flesh of his palms.

"I know. Rest well, sir," he said, looking past Sheppard at the edges of the privacy curtain. He then turned around and walked away.

When Lorne rounded the corner he began to run. He slammed into a transporter and frantically pressed the dot that symbolized the exit point nearest to his quarters.

Once he was inside his quarters he slammed his fist on the crystals and leaned against the door, hand already fumbling with the buttons of his pants. He took himself in his hand and that was all it took for him to come, haunted by blackened eyes and throaty groans. He shot hot semen on himself and the floor, gasping at the intensity of his orgasm.

Lorne slid down the door and onto the floor, having no strength to clean the mess he just made. He bent his knees and put his head between them, wondering how it could've gotten this far. Why did things go so out of control?

He suspected that he knew why. Seeing Sheppard willing and protective back at the Jumper set free thoughts that he never allowed himself to think or dwell upon. And it felt like goddamn permission to drink after being tied to a pole in the desert for three days. Because Sheppard wanted it and Lorne was always responding to him, wanting it too. He wanted to see how passion looked on Sheppard, and its look was so stunning that Lorne couldn't bring himself to stop.

There was something heady in the knowledge that it was Lorne who could put such an expression on the face of a man as private and self-controlled as Sheppard, and before he knew it he was drunk.

He never got drunk, on principle.


A/N: And again - to all of you who're skilled masseurs, I haven't a clue about it. YouTube's clips helped a lot, though. :)