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TITLE: Partnership
SUMMARY: John and Teyla under fire to gain a treasure of the Ancients.
CATEGORY: gen, action-adventure, drama
RATING: PG-13
NOTES: COMPLETE! More details of the story in Part 1. That's all, folks!
Part 4
Partnership
Part 5
It was late in the evening, although the sun was only just setting.
John found Teyla sitting on a stone bench in the vaulted 'outer room' of the guest quarters to which they'd been assigned in the city's main palace. Elizabeth had given permission for them to remain on-planet overnight for the Combori feast and ceremony that marked the end of their guardianship. They'd head back to Atlantis the morning...or whenever someone official woke up to send them off.
For a bunch of people who'd just been put out of a job by the success of John's team, the Combori were celebrating with an enthusiasm that could still be heard out here - even if the 'guests of honour' were no longer present at the revelries. Rodney's eagerness to study the Combor before anyone in Atlantis got hold of it was obvious enough; and Ronon was off - probably trading war-stories with the monster-sized guy he'd defeated in challenge.
"Mind if I join you?"
"Please."
He sat down, careful to flick the 'tails' of his embroidered vest out of the way as he sat down.
"It suits you," Teyla said, referring to the Combori clothing they'd been gifted with and worn to dinner.
"It's not bad," he admitted. The embroidery was pretty, just not comfortable to sit on. "Although don't expect me to wear this around Atlantis."
Her eyes twinkled in the last light of the sun that spilled over them, radiant gold in a vivid orange sky. "Perhaps the next time you come to the mainland for a feast?"
He was pretty sure she was teasing him, but his answer was serious. "Okay." Then he grinned as her eyes popped.
"I will not allow you to renege the next time there is a fire-feast," she warned, smiling.
"I won't," he promised. "I wore it tonight, didn't I?"
John had felt just a little naked without his tac vest, as well as uncomfortable at being separated from his weapons, but since these people were giving them the device - which Teyla had named a 'combor' in spite of Rodney's protests - and they'd been very insistent about the clothing, John had complied and insisted his team did as well.
At their request, the Combori had provided them with a cast-iron lockbox that took four men to carry in, and Rodney had produced a padlock from a pocket in his tac vest.
And Ronon had managed to incorporate his weapon in his outfit, so John had carried his gun and although there'd been a couple of raised eyebrows, the Combori didn't comment on it.
The clothing wasn't that much of an imposition, John supposed. It was clean - unlike the BDUs in which he'd spent most of the heat of the day - and light and comfortable. A little fancier than he usually wore - trousers, shirt and vest all sported tasteful embroidery - but it looked pretty good on him, if the mirror in their quarters and Teyla's slow smile as he emerged from his room was any indication.
"You look...nice, too." There were other words he could have used. 'Nice' was the safest. Her outfit was 'modest' by Earth standards - long, loose trousers, a high-collared, short-sleeved shirt, and an embroidered vest - not terribly different to what the guys had been given. A Combori woman had arrived and done something to fix her hair up on her head and after the evening, little wisps were falling down around her face and throat.
It was just safer to go with 'nice'.
"Thank you." Somehow, she managed to sound both gracious and amused, and John looked away.
"So," he said, feeling as though he should clear his throat, "do you agree with Combor's estimation of the expedition?"
Teyla was silent a moment. "My people revered the Ancestors - as do the Combori. There are those whose belief will never be shaken."
"I wasn't asking about your people."
Her hesitation gave him pause, and he watched her as she closed her eyes and tilted back her head. "It is as he said. What you have broken, you will mend. What faults you have are offset by your merits. That is the way of all cultures, John, not just those from Earth."
John looked away as a flutter of wings heralded the launch of a flock of pigeon-like creatures from the garden outside. A touch on his wrist - light enough to almost be a caress - turned him back to her.
"Thank you," she said.
"For what?"
Her shrug was wry, and her smile was light. "Everything."
"That's a pretty broad thank you."
"For being an ally and a friend. For being willing to stay and fight even when you could return to Earth." She hesitated, and John seized the silence.
"Anyone would have done the same."
"Then I would be thanking them in your stead," came her simple reply.
"You already said thank you, you know."
"It should be said again," she answered.
John shrugged, a little embarrassed by her gratefulness. It had been easier after Ronon's rescue; the thanks had been spread around. Still, he felt the warm glow of satisfaction in his belly. "There's such a thing as being too grateful, you know."
"I know."
He lifted his hand, caught hers before she could withdraw it and squeezed, just once. "It goes both ways, Teyla." Maybe John wasn't comfortable with expressing his gratefulness to Teyla for sticking around, but he was thankful for her presence on his team and in his life. "And you're welcome."
He was tempted not to let go of her hand, to just let their hands fall to the seat together, but he did. They were team-mates and good friends. They made a good partnership. That was enough.
"You know," he added, trying to lighten the moment, "I expect the same consideration if you're ever in a position to bargain for me. Your life for mine, etcetera."
"That would go without saying."
"Well, I'm saying it. Just in case, you know?"
Teyla laughed, tilting her head back so another wisp slid down to rest against her throat. "I know."
John watched her smile for a moment, then leaned back once more to enjoy the evening.
- fin -
SUMMARY: John and Teyla under fire to gain a treasure of the Ancients.
CATEGORY: gen, action-adventure, drama
RATING: PG-13
NOTES: COMPLETE! More details of the story in Part 1. That's all, folks!
Part 4
Part 5
It was late in the evening, although the sun was only just setting.
John found Teyla sitting on a stone bench in the vaulted 'outer room' of the guest quarters to which they'd been assigned in the city's main palace. Elizabeth had given permission for them to remain on-planet overnight for the Combori feast and ceremony that marked the end of their guardianship. They'd head back to Atlantis the morning...or whenever someone official woke up to send them off.
For a bunch of people who'd just been put out of a job by the success of John's team, the Combori were celebrating with an enthusiasm that could still be heard out here - even if the 'guests of honour' were no longer present at the revelries. Rodney's eagerness to study the Combor before anyone in Atlantis got hold of it was obvious enough; and Ronon was off - probably trading war-stories with the monster-sized guy he'd defeated in challenge.
"Mind if I join you?"
"Please."
He sat down, careful to flick the 'tails' of his embroidered vest out of the way as he sat down.
"It suits you," Teyla said, referring to the Combori clothing they'd been gifted with and worn to dinner.
"It's not bad," he admitted. The embroidery was pretty, just not comfortable to sit on. "Although don't expect me to wear this around Atlantis."
Her eyes twinkled in the last light of the sun that spilled over them, radiant gold in a vivid orange sky. "Perhaps the next time you come to the mainland for a feast?"
He was pretty sure she was teasing him, but his answer was serious. "Okay." Then he grinned as her eyes popped.
"I will not allow you to renege the next time there is a fire-feast," she warned, smiling.
"I won't," he promised. "I wore it tonight, didn't I?"
John had felt just a little naked without his tac vest, as well as uncomfortable at being separated from his weapons, but since these people were giving them the device - which Teyla had named a 'combor' in spite of Rodney's protests - and they'd been very insistent about the clothing, John had complied and insisted his team did as well.
At their request, the Combori had provided them with a cast-iron lockbox that took four men to carry in, and Rodney had produced a padlock from a pocket in his tac vest.
And Ronon had managed to incorporate his weapon in his outfit, so John had carried his gun and although there'd been a couple of raised eyebrows, the Combori didn't comment on it.
The clothing wasn't that much of an imposition, John supposed. It was clean - unlike the BDUs in which he'd spent most of the heat of the day - and light and comfortable. A little fancier than he usually wore - trousers, shirt and vest all sported tasteful embroidery - but it looked pretty good on him, if the mirror in their quarters and Teyla's slow smile as he emerged from his room was any indication.
"You look...nice, too." There were other words he could have used. 'Nice' was the safest. Her outfit was 'modest' by Earth standards - long, loose trousers, a high-collared, short-sleeved shirt, and an embroidered vest - not terribly different to what the guys had been given. A Combori woman had arrived and done something to fix her hair up on her head and after the evening, little wisps were falling down around her face and throat.
It was just safer to go with 'nice'.
"Thank you." Somehow, she managed to sound both gracious and amused, and John looked away.
"So," he said, feeling as though he should clear his throat, "do you agree with Combor's estimation of the expedition?"
Teyla was silent a moment. "My people revered the Ancestors - as do the Combori. There are those whose belief will never be shaken."
"I wasn't asking about your people."
Her hesitation gave him pause, and he watched her as she closed her eyes and tilted back her head. "It is as he said. What you have broken, you will mend. What faults you have are offset by your merits. That is the way of all cultures, John, not just those from Earth."
John looked away as a flutter of wings heralded the launch of a flock of pigeon-like creatures from the garden outside. A touch on his wrist - light enough to almost be a caress - turned him back to her.
"Thank you," she said.
"For what?"
Her shrug was wry, and her smile was light. "Everything."
"That's a pretty broad thank you."
"For being an ally and a friend. For being willing to stay and fight even when you could return to Earth." She hesitated, and John seized the silence.
"Anyone would have done the same."
"Then I would be thanking them in your stead," came her simple reply.
"You already said thank you, you know."
"It should be said again," she answered.
John shrugged, a little embarrassed by her gratefulness. It had been easier after Ronon's rescue; the thanks had been spread around. Still, he felt the warm glow of satisfaction in his belly. "There's such a thing as being too grateful, you know."
"I know."
He lifted his hand, caught hers before she could withdraw it and squeezed, just once. "It goes both ways, Teyla." Maybe John wasn't comfortable with expressing his gratefulness to Teyla for sticking around, but he was thankful for her presence on his team and in his life. "And you're welcome."
He was tempted not to let go of her hand, to just let their hands fall to the seat together, but he did. They were team-mates and good friends. They made a good partnership. That was enough.
"You know," he added, trying to lighten the moment, "I expect the same consideration if you're ever in a position to bargain for me. Your life for mine, etcetera."
"That would go without saying."
"Well, I'm saying it. Just in case, you know?"
Teyla laughed, tilting her head back so another wisp slid down to rest against her throat. "I know."
John watched her smile for a moment, then leaned back once more to enjoy the evening.
- fin -
no subject
Does 'Combor' mean something, like... if it's translated, or did you come up with it off the top of your head?
I love this epiligue... Your description of John's outfit... I could just picture it. :D
no subject
Thank you!
no subject
no subject
*hugs*
no subject
Wonderful story, thank you!
no subject
Thank you so much for the feedback!
no subject
Best line:
"It is as he said. What you have broken, you will mend. What faults you have are offset by your merits. That is the way of all cultures, John, not just those from Earth."
no subject
I'd heard good things about both 'Revelations' and 'Taking Flight,' but being flat broke, I've never been able to actually read them.
no subject
Does 'Combor' mean something, like... if it's translated, or did you come up with it off the top of your head?
I love this epiligue... Your description of John's outfit... I could just picture it. :D
no subject
Thank you!
no subject
no subject
*hugs*
no subject
Wonderful story, thank you!
no subject
Thank you so much for the feedback!
no subject
Best line:
"It is as he said. What you have broken, you will mend. What faults you have are offset by your merits. That is the way of all cultures, John, not just those from Earth."
no subject
I'd heard good things about both 'Revelations' and 'Taking Flight,' but being flat broke, I've never been able to actually read them.