[SH] The First Time

[shepcrew]

This was it, he decided. They'd been together long enough for him to be certain of a few things, and, also? It just felt right.

He had nothing planned save for the where, and the presentation of the where. He decided that several candles on the dresser - the surface of which had been cleared of just about everything - would suffice for lighting. Not too many, because that was over-kill, and besides, he had no idea how candles played a role in those rituals she mentioned and the last thing he wanted was for her to be reminded of that. Somehow, he didn't think it would matter, but still. The thought was there. And he banished it.

The awkward part came when Teyla discovered him smuggling the candles to his room. She raised a brow and he stammered something incoherent and fled for the sanctuary of his room. He had gone for lunch with McKay, and when he had returned, his modest supply of candles had been augmented to provide an artful, yet sensual display, and a bowl sat in the middle of a semi-circle of candles of various sizes on the dresser, with a bottle of scented rose-water and a strange flower that reminded him of a lily on a lilypad. Peeking out from under the bowl was a folded piece of paper, which he snatched up and read eagerly.

The proper Athosian custom for this particular event of courtship requires candles placed in a specific array around the room. The centerpiece of a floating flower is to represent the eternalness of your union, as the flames represent the strength of your passion.

I will be by to light the candles and set the flower when the time comes.

I wish you both the best.

T.

He smiled and pocketed the note. He looked around his room and figured that, incongruous as the candles would be with the rest of the decor, it was somehow fitting. Thanks, Teyla. I owe you one.

Now, all he had to do was wait for Inara to arrive for her visit and reherse the excuse he had to force her to use the guest chambers to freshen up.

...He just wished he wasn't so damned nervous.

Comments

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

So far every time she had stepped through the 'Gate she'd had to stop at the threshold to take a breath and keep from bouncing on through. Not that it would affect how she came through or anything, but it would be horribly undignified. Sending her IDC gave her time to settle herself as much as she could be before stepping across.

These days, even with whatever plans she had made, there was never a certainty how long she'd be able to stay. Rather than cadge clothes off of Elizabeth, Teyla, whoever else was willing to loan her something, she took clothes enough for at least a few days. Although it was almost starting to reach the point where she might as well keep clothes there. Almost. Not quite.

She's also almost to the point of thinking of Atlantis as a second home. Almost, not quite. There's still the slight taste of audacity to it, enough that she doesn't dare say so yet.

Which doesn't stop her from beaming as she steps out of the puddle, all aglow more from the sheer joy of seeing John again than from any cosmetic she could possibly apply. Some of the soldiers may or may not be grinning knowingly, considering the mood she usually leaves their commander in.

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

It's the nervousness that throws him, really. He isn't sure why this is different from all the other times he's done this, but it is. The candles in his room say so. The effort he's gone into for this says so.

And as she steps through the Event Horizon, he manages to keep his composure and not run to her. Instead he closes the distance at a walk, wrapping her up in a hug.

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

She hugs him with a smile that's by now more contented than gleeful, settled, almost, into this strange routine of theirs. And simply happy to see him, grateful to be able to share moments regularly like this. Semi-regularly. But still at their will rather than the universe's.

She does take in some sort of underlying tension in his body, but since it's not the usual sort of work-related tension or the alarm of something having gone wrong somewhere, she lets it go till he's ready to discuss the source.

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

When he finally pulls away to take her hand and head off into the city, he shoots a smirking Lorne a look of death, which contains an order of "Disturb me and die".

Lorne gets the message, and his smirk turns to a smile and a slight nod. He'll make sure everyone gets the message.

They pass into the corridors, and he glances at her. "So, how're things?"

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

"Not so bad as they could be," she smiles back, managing (somehow, still!) to keep herself from skipping along the corridor next to him. "Mal managed to get himself shot again."

Although it was in the shoulder, and Simon fixed it up quick. Her nosewrinkle is more for Mal's complaining and things not going smooth again than anything.

And since she doesn't say anything about her job, John can assume that goes well too and ask or not ask, as his choice.

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

They're strolling now, comfortably, and he nods a greeting to the few people they pass.

"Someone needs to teach him how to duck. Or dodge. Or something," he says with a grin. He looks at her again, the grin fading into a shy sort of smile.

"And how about you? Things going good?" Which would be his way of asking about her job.

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

She laughs softly, not disagreeing. It's been said on the ship before, as well.

"Things go good," she nods, softening to a smile. And things do continue to go well, even if... everything seems lackluster, anymore. The lie of it, as Mal calls it, which never bothered her before, is all the more evident next to the brilliant truth.

Well, and she'll think of something. In the meantime it isn't exactly a difficult profession, for her. Just... not as enthralling as it used to be.

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

"That's good." He's glad she's got work, even if he isn't thrilled about what it is.

It's possibly evident now that they aren't going to his room to drop off her stuff like they usually do.

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

And she does give him a bit of a curious sideways glance, although she does figure that it's not out of the realm of probability that he's fixed up some sort of surprise. Because that would be cute and adorable and entirely in character for him.

Either that or he hasn't had a chance to clean up or something, which is also probable.

She doesn't ask, though, or at least not yet. Instead she asks, since it's usually one of the first things she makes sure of: "And how are things on Atlantis? Everyone well?"

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

"Everyone's good. Things are about as smooth as they could possibly be in the Pegasus Galaxy, so things are par for the course." Off-handed shrug. "McKay went and blew up one of his smaller science experiments in my room. Repair crews have cleaned most of it up, but the paint's still too fresh smelling for anyone to stay in it for very long."

They're in the guest-wing now, and the room they head to has a few of his things, presumably the stuff that survived the little mishap.

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

Ah-ha. Well, that explains that, and she wrinkles her nose a little. "I don't want to know, do I," she sighs, amused. "I hope you took it out of him in... I don't know, you could restrict his coffee or something."

She's teasing, of course. Initial accusations of Ascension aside, she does like McKay.

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

"No, you probably don't. Hell, I'm not even sure what happened, and I was there." He grins. "And he's got sparring practice with Ronon and Teyla every day for the next two months, along with being on every mission team that goes to a planet that had children."

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

She laughs. McKay and small children, there's an image. "That ought to teach him to play with science experiments in other people's spaces. He could use the sparring practice anyway."

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

"Yes he can. It's funny to watch. We can go take a peek tomorrow, if you're interested, maybe drum up some sympathy for him?"

He lets go of her hand and sits on the edge of the bed in such a way that he bounces a little, leaving her free to move around and get settled.

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

"If I haven't, I think I can refrain from laughing," she smiles, setting her stuff down, settling in as she does. As she's gotten used to.

Although the little squirm of delight hasn't gone away entirely, and may put a bit of a twirl to the way she turns around.

And then she does go and settle herself in his lap, one arm lightly draped over his shoulders. "Have I said I missed you yet?"

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

His arms slide around her waist and he nose-nuzzles. "Nope. Not yet. And I don't think I've said it, either."

He kisses her lightly. "I missed you."

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

She lets the kiss linger for a moment before sighing, smiling. "I missed you." It's one of the things she's found herself saying every time she comes back.

And of course, saying I love you before she leaves, every time. Just one of those things.

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

One of those things to give a nice consistency to an ever changing 'verse. And it makes sure that they never part without reaffirming their feelings.

He sits and enjoys the closeness a little longer before smiling and kissing her again. "You and I need to take a trip to see Katie. We got to take them to this new planet and I found the neatest thing."

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

"Ooh?" She did like the botanist, although she was still somewhat at a loss as to how she and McKay had managed to communicate their mutual affection to each other.

Still. And Katie did have some of the most fascinating plants. Inara still hoped that one day they would find something that Kaylee could grow on Serenity.

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

"You have to see it," he says, not giving an inch to her curiosity. "C'mon."

He gently nudges her off his lap, giving her a quick hug and a twirl before taking her by the hand and leading her down to the botany department.

"Oh! And I hope you brought something nice to wear. I have a surprise for dinner," he says with a wink. That way if she didn't, she had a bit of time to snag something from one of the other women.

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

She follows him with a grin and maybe a little bit of a bounce, giving him a silly John look. "I brought something nice to wear." Of course she did. Then again pretty much her entire wardrobe is made up of somethings nice.

She beams at him though, because, yay surprise!

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

He beams back at her, ignoring the looks from the people they pass. Everyone knew when Inara visited, including the new people that came through every so often.

"Good." He hopes she likes it, the surprise. He owes a lot of people a lot of money for this one, and it'd be a shame if it was wasted.

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

It was hard not to notice, given the change in his mood. Inara, for her part, sort of manages not to bounce alongside him, nodding politely and smiling to the few people she's managed to get to know who pass her.

But her curiosity is increasing, too. And she keeps giving him mock-suspicious looks, as though she can stare him into telling her.

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

He won't be stared into anything, unfortunately, and he gives her hand a squeeze as he winks at her.

He takes the short route to the botany department, though, so this little mystery can be solved quickly.

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

She squeezes his hand lightly back, wrinkling her nose playfully at him as they enter, and looking around for Katie once they're there.