Name Calling

by Cowardly Lion

URL: http://www.area52hkh.net/asc/clion/namecall.php
Summary: What's in a name? John would kind of like to know what Rodney would say.

John flopped onto his back, jiggling the bed. His heart was pounding, and little beads of sweat trickled through his hair line and along the creases of his joints. He drifted on a post orgasmic high, listening to the small sounds of lingering pleasure from his partner, face down on the mattress next to him.

Something had been niggling at John for months now. Maybe this would be a good time to broach the subject, while Rodney was blissed out and mellow - well, as mellow as Rodney ever got - from their lovemaking. Even with that, John figured it would be safer to go with an indirect approach, though he couldn't decide whether he was guided by tactics or cowardice.

He ran his knuckles down Rodney's sweat-slick back. "You know, Rodney, if you ever want to call me a pet name, I wouldn't mind."

He felt Rodney go perfectly still, then the muscles under his hand tensed as Rodney propped himself up on his forearms and turned to look at John.

"Pet name?" Rodney looked as though John had just offered him a big fatal slice of lemon meringue pie.

Well, crap. This was so not the reaction John had hoped for. Now he was really reluctant to admit to what he wanted. "Well, yeah, you know, I just meant that it would be okay. If you wanted to. You wouldn't have to worry about me making fun of you or anything."

"Yes, because every time I come, I have to hold back cries of "do me, now, snugglebunny!" or "ride me hard, wild stallion!" Rodney waved one hand and rolled his eyes.

Jesus. Rodney brought sarcasm to lethal levels. Hurt, John folded his arms across his chest. "I just meant that if you wanted to show a little affection, it would be okay."

"Look, I'm not going to start calling you Huggles McCuddlikins and practice writing "Mrs. Rodney Sheppard" in my notebook. I had your dick up my ass, not a personality transplant. Shove over, you're hogging the bed and I'm hot."

Miffed, John rolled onto his side, his back to Rodney, and wrapped his arms around himself. He hated opening up, making himself vulnerable, for this very reason. John stared at his Johnny Cash poster, letting the familiar figure soothe him. So he wanted a little affection, a little romance, was that so bad? It's not like he was asking for flowers and holding hands in the park, for Christ's sake. He just wanted to know that the guy he was having sex with actually cared about him. The closest Rodney ever got to using a pet name was the few times he had said John instead of Sheppard.

A heavy silence settled over them like a wet wool blanket - uncomfortable, difficult to breathe through, and a little scratchy in places.

"Oh my God." As pleasant as ever, Rodney broke the silence. "You're moping now, aren't you?"

John shrugged his upper shoulder.

"Fine. I'll call you Crabby McGrumpypants, then, how about that?"

"Just drop it, Rodney."

"Why the hell are you moping just because I don't want-" Rodney halted abruptly, then let out a long breathy "oh" that sounded very much one he had made earlier albeit under very different circumstances.

The bed jounced as Rodney moved to spoon up behind John. Rodney's upper hand draped across John's hip. His other hand was between them, the forearm pressed to John's back.

"You were using reverse psychology on me." That was Rodney's revelation voice. "You weren't offering to let me, you were asking me to. You want me to call you pet names." Rodney snugged his legs up against the back of John's legs. Rodney's hand slid along John's flank and around his ribs to pull John into a hug and take hold of John's hand. "You knucklehead. If you want something, ask me, okay? I'm the first to admit that I'm not that good at subtle."

"That's an understatement." John's tension eased as they slipped back into their usual routine. Knowing that Rodney wasn't judging him made feel even better.

"I'm just not an endearments kind of guy, okay? The best you're going to get is...is..."

John smiled. "Knucklehead?"

Rodney snorted. John couldn't see Rodney's face, but he could hear the smile in Rodney's voice. "Yes. Knucklehead. Or Mr. Mensa or terms of that nature." There was a pause, then Rodney's voice turned serious and tentative. "You know, it, um, it occurs to me that there is something which I - which we - have not said."

John's heartbeat sped up as did his breathing and he felt Rodney's body doing the same. John tried to take deeper breaths through his mouth to slow them. He knew what Rodney was talking about, and he was right. Neither of them had said it yet. John had always thought he would be the one to get around to it first. Eventually. As always, Rodney managed to surprise him.

"Okay, here goes." Rodney took a deep breath, presumably to steady himself, but it didn't quite stop the nervous babbling. "I love you, John. I would say from the bottom of my heart, but I never quite got the whole equating emotions with internal organs thing."

"Rodney."

"I mean sure, the heart's one of the most important because if it stops, even for a minute, you're dead. But speaking on a relative scale, it's one of the smallest organs in the body. Now, the liver, on the other hand, is several times larger, so one would think it would have more value as a symbolic- "

"Rodney!"

"Um. Yes?"

Careful to stay within the curve of Rodney's arms, John rolled onto his back. Rodney stayed on his side, but raised himself up on one elbow so that he could look at John. It took a few moments to get their legs re-arranged, though their legs ended up tangled together with one of Rodney's legs thrown across both of John's. John slowly ran his fingers down Rodney's jaw. Rodney looked worried.

"I love you too, Rodney."

"Seriously? For real?" Rodney sounded relieved but uncertain.

John leaned up to kiss him softly on the lips. "From the bottom of my liver."

Rodney's grin was bright enough to light the room. "Sweet!"

Finis.

Author's Note: I really appreciate feedback. Also, check out my J/D friendship fic under Catsmeow at The Alphagate http://www.thealphagate.com/viewuser.php?uid=381