Bit Of All Right

by Julie

URL: http://www.area52hkh.net/asj/julie/bitright.php
Summary: Before Rising, John and Rodney ease a little loneliness

It was the end of another long day. John had been making shuttle runs between McMurdo and the research outpost for most of it. Mostly he had just ferried equipment out, but one of his earlier runs that morning had brought one of the scientists back with him. He was supposed to double check some equipment that had come into the base today and oversee its transport back to the outpost tomorrow. He didn't talk much on the flight, just the odd complaint.

He gave the impression of being an arrogant prick, but John couldn't shake the feeling that that was what he wanted people to see. Since the Colonel subscribed to the "children should be seen and not heard" theory of child rearing, John had spent a lot of time at base functions while growing up watching people. Figuring out what made them tick. A skill that came in handy with every new school he attended. People always wanted something. Usually they wanted to take something that would make them feel better about themselves. On rare occasions, they wanted to give something that would make them feel good about themselves. Lately, more often than not, what John wanted was to be left alone. It wasn't that he didn't like people. He did, but more and more he was finding he didn't have the patience to put up with all the inconsequential bullshit. It was one of the things he liked best about Antarctica. Everybody kept their head down and did their job. There was just enough socializing to keep from going crazy, but not enough to make him wish for privacy.

Of course, it played hell with his sex life. That was one area where John preferred not to fly solo, but you did what you had to do. He was the odd man out down here and that wasn't going to change.

After restarting the same paragraph for the seventh time, John threw the book down on his bed. It didn't make sense that he couldn't stop thinking about his obnoxious and annoying passenger from this morning. He wasn't John's type at all. He was short and soft and annoying and arrogant. Had he mentioned annoying? Yet he was intelligent and a smart ass and while John didn't fool himself for a second that arrogant, obnoxious, annoying prick was all a front, he also knew that there was more to the guy than met the eye. Like an iceberg maybe. Yeah, and look how well that worked out for the Titanic.

He quickly changed into his workout clothes, grabbed his bag with extra clothes, towels and shower stuff and headed out for the gym. He didn't like running on the indoor track, but he found that he could hit a good pace on the treadmill and zone out till it was time to cool down.

He nearly made it. One more turn, a quick warm up and then well on his way to a runners high and exhaustion. But who had he run into, literally, just as he was making that turn? The short, soft, arrogant, intriguing scientist who wouldn't let him read his goddamned book.

"Ah, Major, there you are. I wanted to go over the schedule for tomorrow."

"Schedule? We leave at 0900, after your equipment has been stowed securely, which you are in charge of. I fly you, and your equipment, back to the research outpost. The equipment is unloaded and I fly back here. Do we really need to synchronize watches for that?" *That's it, John, show him who's got the... who IS... who is the bigger prick.*

"Well, when you put it like that, I suppose not. So, you're going to the gym?"

"Very observant. Now if you'll excuse me."

"Would you like some company?"

John stopped and turned around. He gave the other man an appraising look and felt compelled to point out the obvious. "You're not wearing workout clothes and you don't have a gym bag with you."

"No, but perhaps we could talk while you work out."

John thought of himself as a good person. He tried to do the right thing regardless of the situation. He had gotten in trouble more than once over it, but he really thought he had more in the plus column than the minus column. So why was God or fate or the universe screwing with him tonight? He was trying to be good.

"I don't usually hold conversations while I run."

"You should. It's actually a very effective training technique." At the incredulous look on John's face, he continued, "Just because I'm not a muscle bound Neanderthal, doesn't mean I'm ignorant of proper physical fitness requirements."

It struck John once more that there was more to this man than he let other people see. John wanted to be the one to see beyond the wall, if only for tonight. He was going back to that research station tomorrow. They probably wouldn't see each other again except in passing. John was just so damn lonely. He recognized that in the other man.

"Okay. You can keep me company while I work out."

"I thought you were going to run."

"I was, but the run I had in mind wouldn't be conducive to conversation. Besides, you can spot me on the weights." He turned to complete his walk to the gym.

"Did I mention I have asthma?"

John smiled as he saw the gym was empty. He hadn't expected anyone here this late, but it was nice to have it confirmed. Especially with the scientist in tow. It occurred to John that maybe he didn't play for the home team, but then again he knew a lot of "straight" guys who were more than happy to be on the receiving end of a blow job or an equal participant in a hand job. An orgasm was an orgasm. It didn't really matter how you got there.

An hour later, John was drenched in sweat. He had pushed harder than he had planned to once he realized the now talkative scientist was watching everything he did very closely. He could even see his eyes darken with lust during the bench press. He had taken off his shirt by then. It was just so darn hot in there.

He stretched and said, "I'm going to take a shower before I head back to my quarters."

Moving closer, he leaned into the shorter man and said, "Care to join me?"

"Shower or quarters?"

"Either. Both." Blue eyes locked with green.

"What do you want?"

"You."

"I mean...."

"Whatever you're willing to give. Or take." Just to see, John leaned in and pressed his lips against the other man's. Soft and yet strong, not entirely what John was expecting. The other men John had kissed had seemed to be trying to prove something. The women had been soft and yielding, seemingly happy to let him lead. This was perfect. He yielded, but he didn't back down. He made his own demands while acquiescing to John's. A balanced equation. And when the math was as complicated as this, that was always a pleasant surprise.

"Can we take this somewhere a little more private?"

"Yeah. I'll go get the shower started. You can leave your clothes in the locker room. Don't be long."

Since modesty was something the military considered an unnecessary luxury, the shower room was just a bunch of shower heads evenly spaced throughout the tiled room. John turned them all on, hot but not scalding. He was rinsing the shampoo out of his hair when his friend joined him.

"Took you long enough."

"You actually did need to shower."

"There was that."

"Do you really want to talk now?"

"Not really."

"Good." Lips met. There was little that was gentle in this kiss. The need to be closer, the need to taste and possess and be possessed in return, the need to make the loneliness abate took precedence over tenderness.

John found himself backed against the wall.

"Put your hands on the pipe for the shower head."

"What?"

Apparently deciding that actions speak louder than words, he moved John's arms up until they were fully extended and placed his hands on the pipe above his head.

"Don't move until I'm finished." He kissed him again before he could say anything. By the time he started moving down his body, John was incapable of coherent speech. He could not have told anyone where the scientist's hands were because they seemed to be everywhere at once. And his mouth. He'd found an especially sensitive spot on John's hip that he never knew existed before. His hand was gliding over John's cock. Strong and rough, smooth and steady, they both lost themselves to the sensation of contact.

Suddenly, John felt the other hand on his ass, kneading, searching, finding. He gasped at the intrusion of one finger, moving to accommodate it. A minute, a second, an eternity later a second finger joined the first. Between the fingers up his ass, the hand on his dick and the mouth working that sensitive spot, John reached the edge of the known universe and flew.

The first coherent thought when he landed and opened his eyes was that he had to get that smug smile off the son of a bitch's face. Fortunately, he knew several fun ways to accomplish that task.

John returned that favor and maneuvered his friend against the tile wall. Pressing against him, on still hard cock trapped tightly between them, he whispered in his ear, "So good."

"Suck me." A command. A plea.

"As you wish."

John sank to his knees. He loved this part. So vulnerable. So trusting. He inhaled deeply and rubbed his forehead against the soft belly before him, his cheek against the hard cock that was right there. So sweet. If he could have, he would have purred with contentment.

The hands kneading his hair were insistent though and John turned his head, licking up one side and down the other, avoiding the head entirely. He nuzzled the area where balls and shaft met. He looked up and wondered why lasers weren't blue. Grinning mischievously, he closed his eyes and took him into his mouth.

Focusing his considerable powers of concentration, John quickly brought him to the brink of orgasm. He then pulled back, trying to see if he could find an equally sensitive spot on this man's hips. The groans of frustration were music to his ears. When he thought his friend was ready, he turned his attention back to his cock. He brought him to the edge of orgasm two, three more times.

"Please. Oh, god, that is so good. Please, let me come, please."

John took pity on him this time around and when he got to the edge, pushed him over, taking everything he had to give and then some.

"We could continue this in my quarters if you'd like."

"As pleasant as that would be, Major, I do have work to do. Thank you for being such entertaining company."

"My pleasure."

"Yes, it was, wasn't it."

John briefly wondered what Miss Manners would say about punching a guy out when you could still taste his come.