[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

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

He flies them out over the mainland, showing her that everything's still in place and that all is well. Then he's circling back around to head out over the water. The HUD brings up a schematic of the planet and he picks a good spot, then gives her hand a gentle squeeze.

He turns to look over at her and winks. Then he's taking the Jumper down, skimming the water before engaging the shield and gracefully carving through the surface and submerging them.

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

She smiles softly at the sight of the mainland, a smile that's almost as much contentment at the sight of home as John's is, not that she's aware of it.

She squeezes gently back, glancing over at him with a grin and then a little laugh of delight as they go under the water.

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

"We'll go poke around a little deeper, but we won't be able to stay under for long." And the HUD pops up again as he scans for signs of life.

"Not sure where exactly Rodney's whale lives, but it seems to like coming around when he's in trouble."

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

"So, near-constantly around, then," she says, scanning for it with a slight smile.

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

He laughs. "Yep. Pretty much."

A dot on the HUD pulses, and he corrects the course to head towards it. "I think we found it."

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

She laughs, and leans forward a little even though they can't see anything yet. "We'll have to tell him we said hello..."

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

The get closer and John brings up the lights to combat the lack of it at this depth. It's only a few more minutes, since the thing is moving towards them, too.

"Yep, that's McKay's whale."

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

"Hello, whale." She brings up her free hand and waves at it, smiling softly. Content and happy.

Not as though it can hear her or would understand her if it did, but she's happy, and is inclined to share the happiness with anyone within reach. Which includes the whale.

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

The Jumper slows to a stop, and the creature comes close, as if to say hi back. The waves it makes as it swims past and around them rocks the craft gently.

John smiles. "I think that's supposed to be a hug or something."

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

That gets her laughing. "Aww..." For all she knows it might be, but the idea is so adorable.

"It's a sweet whale. However did McKay manage to make friends with it..."

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

"Well," he starts, as the whale heads off and they resume their flight through the ocean. "A while back, we did some repairs on one of the Jumpers. McKay went out on the test flight with one of the Marines to make sure it was okay."

He maneuvers them through a school of brightly coloured fish. "Something went wrong and the Jumper crashed into the ocean. We were having a hell of a time finding him here on the mainland, but when Zalenka and I finally got down here, we noticed a whale circling around the crash. We decided to check it out, and lo and behold, it was hovering above the crashed Jumper."

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

"That's amazing..." she smiles softly, watching it. And then watching the fish swim around, caught up in the wonder of being down here, looking around at everything.

"And clever," she notes, glancing back in the direction with speculative respect and perhaps a bit of gratitude for it. "Well, good for Rodney, making friends with the locals."

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

He grins. "Yeah. Seems they're the only ones he has no problems making nice with. I suspect it's the language barrier."

A slight shrug. "And Katie seems to put up with him."

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

"Mmm-hmm..." Inara has her own theories about that, really, having something to do with what she's observed of McKay and what much less she's observed of Katie.

"He has his good points," she admits, squeezing his hand lightly for, well, no real reason. And makes an amused little face. "Even if he still calls me your Semi-Ascended Temple Priestess."

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

He raises their joined hands and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. "You are my Semi-Ascended Temple Priestess," he says playfully, winking at her.

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

Somehow, while McKay can call her that and it only gets him a wry smile and a bit of an eyeroll, when John says that she blushes bright pink and smiles shyly.

And maybe pokes him gently in the chest. "Then that makes you my Heroic Champion, I guess."

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

"Always," he replies with a grin and another kiss for her knuckles.

They poke around the deep for a bit before he brings them back up into atmosphere, and they trip around the planet before he brings it in for her favourite approach to the city.

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

The city, of course, is beautiful. And every time they come in on the approach it feels a little more like home. She watches with just as much wide-eyed anticipation (and sneaking a few sidelong smiles John's way) as the first time.

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

He might just be returning those side-long smiles, regardless of whether or not they manage to sneak a peek at the same time. If they do, his smile just grows wider.

He takes it in slow, and then they're coming up and over the Control Tower, the roof retracting for them as they return and park.

As the Jumper settles into its niche and shuts down, John sighs happily, giving the control board a gentle, affectionate pat.

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

Boys and their ships. Except Inara was the same way (even when it wasn't really her shuttle she'd eyed Mal for flying her poorly) and so both John and the Jumper get a look of fond amusement and a gentle pet. John, more than the Jumper, for the latter.

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

He grins at her, then consults his watch. Hrm. Almost time for sunset. Did they really fly for that long? He always lost track of time during joyrides.

"So...time to get cleaned up for dinner," he states simply. Timing is critical in this...

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

"Ooh, the mysterious dinner surprise..." Not even a hint? No? Probably not. But she does love surprises, and is practically glowing at this one, the way John's all secretive and anxious about it.

"Is there anything in particular I should be doing or wearing, other than 'something nice?'"

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

He smiles. "Yes."

Then he considers the question, giving her a critical once-over. "I suppose saying something formal and nice doesn't help you much?" He smiles and gives her hand a squeeze. "Just...be my Semi-Ascended Temple Priestess," he says softly. "That'll be enough."

[sevenvirtues.livejournal.com]

"I think I can manage that," she says softly back, tilting her head a bit and brushing her cheek over the back of his hand, brushing a kiss over his knuckles. Her eyes never leave his, soft and loving as her gaze is.

[shepcrew.livejournal.com]

He knows that they can potentially stay there for the next life-time, just sitting there looking at each other and playing cute with the hand holding. Unfortunately, as much as he'd really,really love to, mother nature waits for no man, neither do his plans.

So, he gestures with his head in the direction of the lowered ramp and says, "Shall we, then?"