Sleep Tight

Sleep Tight

Word Count: 1690

Rating: NC-17

Pairing: John/Rodney

A tag for "The Tao of Rodney." Spoilers for the episode.

John had a plan. John had a good plan, a working plan, now if he could just get Rodney to cooperate with the plan.

It had been thirty-six hours since Rodney's near death, and he knew for a fact that the man hadn't slept at all. He wasn't sure why - whether Rodney was just so energized by his close brush, or if he was scared, or what, but it didn't really matter. What mattered was that he'd gotten three radio calls in the last fifteen minutes, asking him to do something about it, and Zelenka had seriously sounded like he was going to kill Rodney if someone didn't get him out of the lab.

So John made his way to the labs, passing several scientists who looked hopeful when they saw the direction that he was going. All he could think was what kind of trouble Rodney was causing if he was causing this kind of reaction among his team.

After taking a moment to steel himself, he went in, only to find Rodney berating one of the new scientists for "A sloppy math error. Where did you get your degree? Out of a box of crackerjacks? Now take it back, and do it right, for God's sake." Zelenka shot him a hopeful glance as he came around the console, herding the cowering scientist away from Rodney.

"So, let's say we go get something to eat, what do you say?" he said, dropping one hand on the back of Rodney's neck. Rodney stiffened beneath the casual touch, and John frowned, pulling his hand back.

"I'm busy, Colonel. The new power ratios that I set up are - " his voice trailed off, and he wavered on his feet. John could tell that the exhaustion was catching up, but Rodney simply set his jaw and recovered. "Anyway, no one understands them, not even me, and if we have a hope in hell of keeping them working we need someone to work on them."

Zelenka popped back up. "I told you, Rodney, no one will touch them while you're out of the lab. Now go get some rest, before you start making sloppy error like German. Please, just go."

Rodney took a deep breath as if he was going to argue, but then blew it out, visibly deflating. "Fine, fine. But I'm counting on you to keep the city from blowing up."

"As you always do." Apparently satisfied that Rodney was going to actually leave, Zelenka turned back to what he'd been working on, and Rodney turned to look at John.

"You said something about food?"

John nodded, taking Rodney's arm and leading him out of the lab. "Yep. And then maybe a nap, and then, maybe, you can go back to the lab. Once we're all sure that you're not going to blow us up in your exhaustion."

"Oh, come on, Colonel. What am I, five? I don't need a nap."

"No, what you actually need is about twelve hours of sleep, but I'll leave you alone after a nap." Rodney opened his mouth to argue, and John, after a glance down the hallway to make sure that they were alone, shut him up with by the simple expedient of kissing him.

It was brief, no more than a brush of lip on lip, but when he pulled back, Rodney's face was slack, two points of color high on his cheeks. It worked, though, and he stopped arguing, following John placidly enough.

That changed, though, when they got off the transporter in the living quarters instead of the mess hall. "I thought we were going to get something to eat?"

"We are. I left some food in your room." Usually they were together in John's room, but right now all John could see was Rodney collapsing on his bed, and he didn't think that Rodney's recent memories in there were any better.

Rodney nodded, exhaustion showing in every line of his body. He didn't even argue with the fact that John had opened the door to his quarters, which normally brought him to a fine state, bitching about Atlantis's sluttiness for John.

Once they were in, John went to the small refrigerator that he had in the corner. Pulling out a plate of pasta salad and a beer, he gave them both to Rodney, who settled in at the desk. Taking the fork that John held out, Rodney dug in, making happy sounds as he ate quickly and neatly.

John cracked open the beer, setting it next to Rodney's plate. Rodney gave him the evil eye, but then picked it up and drained a third of it in one long swallow. Setting it back down, he let out a long sigh.

Grinning, he sat down on the side of Rodney's bed, watching as he ate and drank. He was still relieved that Rodney was here, hearty and whole, and for that he could handle watching him eat.

Once the plate was cleared of food, he stood back up. "Okay, it's time for all good McKays to be in bed." Rodney snorted, but stood up and started to strip off his clothes. Once he was down to boxers, he climbed into bed, but lay there stiffly, eyes wide open. "Come on, Rodney. This works better if you relax and close your eyes."

"I - I can't. Every time I close my eyes, I see that dark space just waiting for me. I didn't tell Elizabeth, but it felt so... so cold. And alone. I can do lonely, but alone? For eternity? I'd go mad. Or worse."

John stood there and watched Rodney watching him for a minute, then sat down in his chair and started to unlace his boots. "Col - John? What are you doing?"

"I'm going to make sure that you know you're not alone." Standing up, John stripped off his t-shirt and dropped his pants, climbing into bed with Rodney and spooning up next to him. "Just relax, Rodney. I've got you."

Rodney sighed, but turned on his side, facing away from John. John wrapped his hand around Rodney's hip and pulled him back, snugging them closely together. Taking a deep breath of his own, he closed his eyes and relaxed, relishing the feeling of Rodney's warmth against him.

He didn't sleep, but he dozed a bit, feeling the way that the tension gradually drained out of Rodney. When he started to make small snuffling sounds, John smiled. Rodney only made those sounds when he was asleep.

It didn't last long, though, before Rodney grew tense and rigid, making small whining noises. John frowned and pulled Rodney closer. "Shh, Rodney, I'm here."

With a startled cry, Rodney flailed and then sat up. "John? John, I was - "

John cut him off, pulling him back down into his embrace. "I know, Rodney. It's okay, I'm here."

But the tension didn't leave Rodney's shoulders, and he shook as if he was suppressing tears. "I can't do this. Just let me go back to my lab."

"No, you need to sleep, buddy. How about we try something?"

Rodney had started to calm, forcing himself to take deep breaths. "I'll try anything at this point."

Carefully, so he didn't fall out of the small bed, John turned and pulled open the nightstand. Pulling out Rodney's lube, he turned back to Rodney, who was watching him over his shoulder. "Uh, John... I hate to break it to you, but I'm really not in the mood."

"I'm sure you're not. I'm honestly not, either. I'm just thinking that it might help ground you."

Rodney blinked slowly. Even his eyelids looked tired. "I guess it's worth a try, anyway."

John helped him take off his boxers, and slid his own off, kicking them off beneath the covers. Opening the container, he dipped out a bit and laid back down, spooned up tight behind Rodney. One finger slid right in, and Rodney sighed. He felt good inside, hot and tight, and John's cock sat up and started to take an interest.

He didn't do much more than get Rodney good and slick before he slid his finger back out. Picking up the lube again, he applied some to his cock, and then encouraged Rodney to lift his leg so that he could get into position. He was still tight, almost painfully so, but John slid in a little ways, and then held still. When Rodney groaned and pushed back slightly, he pushed in a little further.

Finally, he was in all the way, and Rodney tipped his head back, resting it on his chest. He kissed Rodney's forehead and started to move slowly. It was slow and sweet, and just what John had been craving since he'd seen that light surround Rodney. Rodney's breathing was starting to speed up, starting to come a little faster, and John let his hand slide down Rodney's flank and then in front of him to encircle his cock, which was hard.

That got another groan, and Rodney started to move in sync with him, pushing back as he shoved in. It was possibly the slowest sex they'd ever had, but it still felt good, felt right. He shifted slightly, trying to get a little deeper in, and the sounds that got from Rodney were pure sex.

"Oh, oh, god... right there... that's it, that's it..." Rodney muttered under his breath, and John worked that place slowly, focused on getting Rodney to shut off his brain and just relax.

When Rodney started to make the little huffs of air that let him know he was close, John let their pace pick up a little, still sliding his hand over Rodney's cock as he moved. Rodney's hands wrapped around his arm, and started to squeeze. John smiled into his hair and kept moving, until with one last groan, Rodney came all over his hand.

It didn't take more than a couple more strokes for a leisurely orgasm to take over John's body, and he stiffened momentarily, and then relaxed. "Rodney?"

But Rodney was already asleep. Still deep in Rodney's body, John let himself follow.




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