Inviting Ronon

by T'Mar

URL: http://www.area52hkh.net/ast/tmar/invronon.php
Summary: Rodney invites Ronon to stay with him when they visit Earth. Little does he know that this means something else on Sateda
Info: Sorry about the hermaphrodite thing. I figured not ALL humanoid races in the
universe are like Earth humans, and I just wanted to do something a bit different.

Although Ronon had sworn never to leave the Pegasus Galaxy until every single Wraith was dead, the IOA had insisted on a vacation from it so that the people backing the Atlantis mission could meet the entire front-line team.

Thirty minutes there and thirty minutes back, and there was always the Daedalus if something happened to the intergalactic bridge. John Sheppard had to promise that they'd steal the Daedalus themselves to go back if they had to, and Ronon Dex only agreed because he trusted Sheppard with his life.

He'd never thought that Earth could be so... confining. The corridors of the SGC were dark and dingy; nothing like the airy corridors of the home of the Ancestors.

Apparently Sheppard, McKay and Teyla thought so too, because they were arguing over the merits of hotels with General Landry. "No hotels," Landry said with finality. "Colonel, you can go back to your apartment in Colorado Springs. We never closed out the lease, just in case. Doctor McKay, you can rent a place for a week or two. But you'll have to double up if you want your team out there with you."

"General, they're - "

"Trustworthy, I know," Landry said, looking at both Athosian and Satedan. "But this is still Earth, and the Stargate and everything that goes with it is still classified. We can't take chances on what might be done or said out of simple ignorance. Just look what happened to Teal'c."

Ronon had seen Teal'c in the corridors, but they had never spoken. He was a Jaffa, but didn't have one of those Goh-uld things in his belly. Ronon was used to weirdness from years as a Runner, so he hadn't stared. Much. "What happened to Teal'c?" he asked.

"The NID framed him for murder because they didn't want an alien running around free on Earth. Granted, it was the rogue elements in the NID, or rather the Trust, but there's no guarantee they wouldn't try the same thing with you or Teyla," the general said.

"I call Ronon!" said McKay suddenly.

Sheppard looked at McKay like he was crazy, i.e. his usual 'humour the mad scientist' look. "What do you mean, you call Ronon? Maybe Ronon would like to decide for himself."

"I would be happy to go with you, Colonel," said Teyla. "You can show me one of those ferris wheels."

Sheppard's eyes lit up at the idea. "Just no spending hours shopping like you did in that simulation that time."

"I promise."

"Okay, that's settled. Ronon, you go with McKay."

"Why?"

"He's inviting you, and it's bad manners to turn down an invitation."

There was no way for Ronon to know that Rodney McKay was terrified to be alone with Teyla for more than a few hours. He might do something crazy, like hit on her (even though she wasn't blonde) or say something inappropriate. At least with Ronon inappropriate talk just bounced off of him, and there wasn't much chance of hitting on someone who could kill you with his pinkie finger.

***

The apartment Rodney rented was in an upscale building that had security guards and sign-in books and even flowers in the hallways. What else was he going to do with the money the Air Force and the IOA paid him? He paid extra to have it furnished and stocked (no citrus), so that when they walked in, it was a mere matter of unpacking and relaxing on the sofa.

"Wow, McKay, this the best your planet has to offer? It's nice."

That wasn't a word Rodney had ever thought Ronon would use. "Yeah, it's not bad. There are even nicer places, but there are plenty of places much worse." He looked over at Ronon, and it struck Rodney just how different his teammate looked wearing civilian clothes.

Ronon was wearing a pair of jeans with a khaki T-shirt and black USAF-issue boots and his dreads were tied back. He looked... well, not "normal", but like he might even belong.

"I wonder if they have the Sci-Fi Channel?" Rodney mused to get his mind off of how Ronon looked. He began to switch channels, grinning broadly when the music from "The Outer Limits" ('90s version) blared from the TV.

"This is the box you all watch?" Ronon asked. "Sheppard watches football on this."

"And I like sci-fi," Rodney said. "This is sci-fi."

"I've got a better idea," said Ronon, taking the remote away from Rodney and pressing buttons until the TV turned off. He then turned and without any preamble, straddled Rodney on the couch.

"Wh... what are you doing, Ronon?" Rodney asked as his lap was suddenly filled with a heavy (and sexy) soldier from the Pegasus Galaxy.

"You invited me," Ronon said, putting his hands on Rodney, *under* Rodney's dorkily-striped shirt.

"Uh... that... that doesn't ans... answer my question, uh..." Rodney stammered.

"I'm having sex with you, what does it feel like?" Ronon replied irritably.

"Uh... why?" Rodney managed to squeak out.

"You invited me. You wanted this, didn't you?"

"Urk," was all Rodney could get out before Ronon kissed him.

Wow. Rodney had kissed quite a few women, plus Carson (although technically that had been Cadman) and one guy back in college, but Ronon simply took possession of his mouth and made him, Rodney McKay, feel hot and safe and turned on and secure all at once. He just opened his mouth and let that smooth, wicked tongue do whatever it wanted.

Finally, when neither of them could breathe, Ronon pulled back. "You like that, McKay? Good for you?"

"Yeah, yeah, of course it's good," Rodney replied, leaning up for more, but Ronon held his face away.

"You really wanted this?" Ronon was asking this in a perfectly normal tone, even as he rubbed his not-inconsiderable erection (still encased in denim) over Rodney's torso.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Rodney realized that Ronon had taken the invitation thing to mean something else, but he wasn't up on the customs of his own home planet, never mind one in another galaxy. And he certainly wasn't going to deny that he totally did want this. His huge teammate had made him want it, desperately. "Yeah, I want it. Please," he added when Ronon didn't move.

Then they were kissing again, or rather Ronon was kissing the life out of him, still rubbing against him in a way that made Rodney wish they'd taken their clothes off before even sitting down.

"Take your clothes off, McKay," Ronon said, and Rodney almost melted at the way his name was used. When Sam Carter used his last name, it was as a way to distance herself or show disapproval. When Ronon did it, it just sounded sexy and hot and somehow intimate.

As Ronon moved away, Rodney fumbled with buttons and zippers and laces until he was stark naked. He didn't once look at Ronon, afraid to see the expression on his teammate's face. But then a hand pushed him back onto the couch, and he had to look up.

Ronon stood there, naked in all his glory. And he was glorious indeed. Rodney just gulped as Ronon stood over him.

"Uh... should we... uh... the... uh, the bedroom... you know...?"

"No. You stay there."

And with that Rodney suddenly had a huge Satedan straddling him again. Normally something like this would have made him claustrophobic, but Ronon only made him feel safe. Strangely enough, he'd never felt anything *but* safe with Ronon; after all, it had been Ronon who had let him down that time when he'd stumbled into the snare meant for the Wraith.

"We... uh, we need..." Rodney swallowed, trying to get the words out. "You know, uh, lubrication. For..."

But Ronon stopped him. "No."

"I've never done this with, well, anyone, but I'm pretty sure lube is a requirement." There. When he knew his facts, he could talk perfectly!

But Ronon once again said, "No."

"Wh..." Rodney began, but he got no further because suddenly a huge hand had grabbed his cock, and Ronon was sinking onto him so quickly that Rodney panicked... until he realized... wait, it didn't feel any different. He tried again, even as the sensations tried to shut down his brain. "This... you... I..."

"Don't know everything about my galaxy, do you, McKay?" asked Ronon, not moving. He was simply looking at Rodney in that way he had that seemed to say, 'You might be with the book-learnin', but I learned through living.'

"What about... I mean, what... what about your galaxy? I mean, the Pegasus Galaxy?"

"Hermaphrodites."

"What?"

"Secondary sexual characteristics."

Rodney hadn't even been sure that Ronon knew words like that. "What?"

Ronon moved now, ignoring him, using one hand to tilt Rodney's head up and away from where he was trying to see what Ronon was talking about, and kissed him. And moved on him, and Rodney forgot everything he'd wanted to ask.

"Oh... oh..." was all Rodney seemed able to get out, and his teammate was absolutely silent except for his harsh breathing.

They moved like that, together, with Ronon doing most of the work, and for once Rodney's mind wasn't working on the problem: he just felt. And felt. And feltfeltfelt... And then Ronon made a strangled, groaning sound and Rodney felt semen hitting his chest, and that was IT. He thrust his hips up, his hands finally moving from their death-grip on the sofa, held onto Ronon's hips, and came in agonizingly pleasurable pulses.

Ronon fell forward, onto him, but since he was taller, most of his weight landed on the back of the sofa.

Finally, after what seemed like a long time, Rodney let out a deep breath. "Whoa."

That seemed to be the catalyst for movement, because Ronon moved off of him and collapsed sideways, his head on the arm of the sofa. "Haven't done that for years."

"No kidding." For once in his life Rodney wasn't particularly in the mood to talk. "Let's go in the bedroom."

"And sleep," Ronon added.

"Yeah, for like a few years."

***

Rodney woke with quite startling suddenness a few hours later, almost panicking at the feel of someone's arm around him. Then he remembered and calmed down. He'd very seldom gotten to actually *sleep* with someone he'd had sex with, and it was a good feeling. He snuggled further under the duvet and under Ronon's arm, the heat all along his back warming him right to his heart.

Then he heard a low chuckle. "Forget who you were with, McKay?"

"Just not used to it," Rodney replied.

"Me neither. Good, isn't it?"

"Yeah."

They lay there in companionable silence for a while, just drifting, until Rodney remembered exactly what Ronon had said just before... before the sex. "Secondary sexual characteristics?!" he squeaked.

"On some planets in my galaxy," Ronon answered, amusement in his voice.

"Athos?" asked Rodney, suddenly worried.

"Hm, don't know."

"Why haven't we heard about this before?"

"It's normal to us. We think the Ancestors planned it that way."

Now Rodney was thinking. "Nah-uh. I doubt that. If I had to guess, I'd say the Wraith altered your people to increase the chances of breeding more food for themselves. Because that's what we're talking about, right? People with both male and female reproductive organs?"

"Some people. But it doesn't change what we are."

"Oh, no, no, you're quite clearly male," Rodney said. "Very male, I have some of the evidence still on me." At this, Ronon held him tighter, and Rodney hung onto him too. "And your females have, erm, penises?"

"Some."

"This is interesting."

"No medical tests," Ronon said, and started to let go, as if he thought Rodney might get out a scanner and start waving it at him.

Rodney hung on for dear life. "I won't! I promise!"

"Good." Ronon settled down again. "Your people aren't like this."

It wasn't a question, but Rodney answered it anyway. "No."

"But I can fuck you anyway, right?"

Rodney shivered, but in a good way. "Yeah. You can."

"Good. Now go to sleep, McKay. You'll need rest."

Although his head was spinning with the possibilities in Ronon's tone, Rodney managed to fall asleep pretty quickly. It had been a long time since he'd been able to sleep without worrying about something.

***

Rodney woke up to a finger in his ass, which was surprising but not scary. He just spread his legs further, giving consent and approval as Ronon stretched him... wait. "What's that?"

"Dunno. Found it in the bathroom," Ronon said, holding the tub close to Rodney's face so he could see it without moving. It was Vaseline. Rodney startled momentarily, then caught himself. It didn't matter if you weren't using condoms in the first place, did it? He wriggled a little, and Ronon went back to the task of stretching and opening him. As he got used to it, it actually began to feel good. Weird, very weird, but good too.

"I think I'm good," Rodney said when he began to wish for more. "Do it now."

"Not like this. You come here," Ronon said, moving against the headboard, his impressive erection looking somewhat daunting from Rodney's perspective. He pulled Rodney against him, back to chest, and urged him down, allowing Rodney to become used to the penetration.

It burned at first, and all Rodney's enthusiasm waned as his muscles were stretched in a way they'd never been before. But he wasn't giving up, because doing this with Ronon just seemed somehow right and necessary. He persevered until his ass was flush against Ronon's hips and thighs, then he took a deep breath, and he could feel the muscles cooperate. "Oh, wow."

"Good?" asked Ronon even as his hand covered Rodney's penis, which had deflated during the pain.

"It's... I've never done this before. Didn't even know I wanted to." Rodney knew Ronon would try to get up, but he hung on by grabbing part of a thigh in each hand. "No, I want to. I really, really do. It feels good. It just hurt when we started."

"Hurting's no good," said Ronon, but Rodney hastened to reassure him.

"I'm pretty sure it always hurts the first time, whether you're a man or a woman. It feels good now." Rodney moved a little, and the sliding of Ronon's cock inside him *did* feel good. "Oooh." He paused, his erection beginning to return. "See? Nothing to worry about."

Ronon urged him up then, and with Ronon's help they began a rhythm that was good for both of them. The Satedan had to let go of his cock in order to hold onto him, but it didn't matter. He could feel his prostate being rubbed at intermittent intervals, and it wouldn't take much of that to make him go over the edge.

Which it didn't. Even when Ronon pulled him down firmly, gasped and groaned and emptied himself into Rodney, Rodney could still feel the nudges inside him. That was all it took, and Rodney's own cock spurted, his semen spattering across their legs and the bed as he came, right on the heels of the man fucking him.

***

This time they sat against the headboard, Rodney in between Ronon's legs with his back against Ronon's stomach, head pillowed on his chest. "Almost can't believe how good that was," Rodney said.

"Yeah, it was good," his teammate agreed. "I'm glad you invited me. If I'd gone with Sheppard I'd probably be watching football now."

"Hmmm... this is more fun."

"Yeah."

"You knew what to do," Rodney said. "You've done it before."

"Not to a man," Ronon said. "Not that way. But my wife liked it sometimes."

This startled Rodney. "You were married? On Sateda?"

"It was a long time ago. She's dead now."

"Taken by the Wraith?"

"Not fed on. Killed in an explosion when they came. She wouldn't..." And here Ronon's voice faltered. "She wouldn't go through the Gate. I tried to save her..." His breath hitched.

Normally Rodney was very blunt and thus seemed uncaring. But he knew from personal experience what it felt like to try to save someone and to have them die anyway. "It's all on them. The Wraith. It's not on you, Ronon. It's not."

Ronon took a breath as though wanting to disagree, then let it out. "It was a long time ago. Eight years. It's over."

"You still love her," Rodney said, turning and looking into his face.

Ronon kissed him instead of answering.

***

Rodney should have known that someone in the Air Force would take it upon themselves to inform his sister that he was back. For three days they had seen no one and done nothing except have phenomenal sex. A lot of really phenomenal sex. Ronon still hadn't opened up anymore, and Rodney could tell he probably never would. But a little at a time was fine, too.

They were lying on the couch together watching The Outer Limits ('90s version) when the apartment phone rang. Rodney'd hardly noticed that the apartment even had a phone.

"McKay," he said, snagging the phone from the table near his head.

"Doctor McKay, this is Stargate Command. I have a call for you from your sister."

Trust them to know the phone number when he didn't. "Yeah, okay, put it through."

Rodney put the phone down for a second and sat up slightly. "It's my sister." He grabbed it again when he was comfortable. "Jeannie?"

"Hi, Mer. So, were you going to tell me you were back? I had to be told by someone from the Air Force."

Rodney had become so used to not talking to his sister that that habit, coupled with this newfound... whatever... with Ronon, had resulted in him completely forgetting that he'd promised to call. And to bring Madison something from Toys-'R'-Us this time. "Sorry," he said, actually sounding contrite. He'd just gotten a relationship back with Jeannie and he didn't want to mess it up. "I've only been back a few days. We came through the intergalactic bridge so we can stay a bit longer instead of having to go back on the Daedalus. I was gonna call you, Jeannie, I swear."

"Well, I mentioned you to the relatives when they called and they're having some kind of... thing... this Friday. You're expected to be there."

"Oh, no no no, Jeannie, no way."

"Rodney, they're all we have left."

"They hate me."

"They do not hate you! They want to see you."

"Just to berate me about my choices in life."

"Which you can't tell them the truth about."

"Now you're getting it."

"Please come, Mer. It would mean a lot to me."

Rodney took a deep breath. He'd forgotten how persuasive his sister could be. "Fine. Can I bring someone?"

"Who?"

"You'll see. Don't worry, it's someone you know. Bye." And Rodney hung up after hearing his sister's mumbled goodbye.

"Who hates you?" asked Ronon.

"My stupid relatives. My father's brother and his wife." Rodney went into a rant about how his accomplishments, no matter how brilliant, had never been appreciated. How his relatives fixated on the fact that he hadn't found a 'nice girl' and settled down, taken a job close by, bought a house and had two point whatever kids. "You know what really gets me, though? They adore Jeannie, and she quit school to have a baby and marry whatshisname!"

Rodney was getting really worked up, and Ronon pulled him against his chest. "Hey."

"What?!"

"We've faced replicators. We've faced the Wraith. You've blown up a solar system."

Rodney stopped struggling because Ronon would not let him free until he'd made his point. "It was uninhabited!"

"You can do this, McKay. You can do anything."

Very shocked, Rodney squirmed until he could roll around and look at his teammate. "I can?"

"Of course you can. And you know it. So, just for once, don't whine about it."

"Fine. On one condition."

Ronon smiled in that dangerous way he had. "Of course I'll come with you."

***

Standing outside his uncle's house frightened Rodney more than facing a ten thousand year-old Wraith. At least he'd had a gun then. Although he probably had more reasons to want to kill his uncle than the Wraith, relatively speaking. No pun intended.

He just started laughing at that thought and was about to take a step backwards when he encountered a large obstacle. "You can do this, McKay," Ronon said, standing right behind him, preventing his escape.

"No," said Rodney. "They hate me. And boy will they have some choice words for you."

"It makes no sense for them to hate you and then insist that you come to their home," Ronon pointed out.

"That's family for you. Force people you hate to visit you so you can enjoy hating them up close." He sighed as he finally rang the doorbell. "I honestly thought I'd never see them again. I was happy about that. Between you and Jeannie, though..."

He didn't get any further before the door opened and his aunt was standing there. She broke out in a grimace that Rodney was sure was supposed to be a smile. "Meredith!" She turned without giving Rodney a chance to speak and called, "Liam! It's Mer!"

Her face changed, though, when she looked a little further and found a tall, dreadlocked, dangerous looking guy right behind her nephew. She frowned, turning it on Rodney.

"I brought a friend," Rodney said, feeling out of his depth, something that only happened around these people. And Samantha Carter.

"Come in, then," his aunt said, and led the way into the living room, where his uncle, cousins and their broods were ensconced.

Everyone seemed happy to see him, but Rodney held himself aloof as he was greeted by people he hadn't seen in more than half a decade. The awkward silence that greeted Ronon at his introduction, however, was telling.

Two more chairs were brought in, and Rodney sat down, Ronon following. Rodney had been interrogated by the Air Force, by the IOA, by aliens on various worlds and by a crazed weapons expert hopped up on Wraith drugs. None of them had anything on relatives when it came to in-depth questioning, though. It was politer, but more vicious in its undertone. What made it worse was that it wasn't directed at him.

However, Ronon had survived seven years being hunted by an implacable (or so they thought) enemy. Ronon, for better or worse, took things at face value unless instructed otherwise. And here he seemed to be having the time of his life fielding questions from Rodney's family.

"So, Ronon, where are you from?" This was a well-scrubbed, bright-eyed woman who looked like she'd be more at home reading the weather.

"Sateda."

"Where's that?"

Rodney jumped in. "It's a small island in, uh, Polynesia." The look he got for that one made him know he'd pay for it later.

"How did you two meet?"

Ronon actually grinned at that one, a frightening sight. "McKay was upside- down."

"What?"

"Well, I stumbled into a, er..." Rodney trailed off. 'Wraith trap' probably wouldn't work.

"Snare. For game," Ronon said, and Rodney knew he was highly amused although the scary grin had faded.

"He got me down," Rodney said.

"Yes, I did," Ronon replied, and suddenly it was as though there were no relatives in the room at all. Ronon's expression changed as he looked at Rodney, amusement coupled with something else, something that made Rodney warm inside.

"And when did you meet?" asked a male cousin. He had similar features to Rodney and Jeannie, but his hair was lighter. His question didn't have any tinge of nastiness in it at all.

"Hm, two years ago, give or take," Rodney said, managing to drag his attention away from the man next to him.

"Long two years," Ronon added, and Rodney was riveted again.

"Yes, two very long years. But you know what? I wouldn't change anything. Well, except for... uh, they don't want to know about that." Being stuck in a sunken jumper. Being shot in the ass with an arrow. Being hooked on Wraith enzyme. Almost dying in a volcanic eruption. Being stuck in a cocoon. He couldn't explain, or even obfuscate about it.

"How dare you!" his uncle, Liam, suddenly said, standing up and looming over Rodney.

But something in Ronon's look had made Rodney realize that this was just petty. Relatives' petty interests were nothing when you put them up against saving his planet from space vampires. And the space vampires themselves were nothing when you put them up against the safety and security provided by the man beside him. Rodney had shot a Wraith for Sheppard. He could stand up to his uncle for Ronon.

"Oh, how dare I what?" he asked as he stood up as well, disdain clear on his face and in his tone.

"Flaunting your gay lover in front of your family. In front of decent people!"

"Flaunting? My gay lover? Decent people?!"

They were startled by a commotion at the door, and Jeannie came in, Caleb right behind, holding Madison. "Hey, everyone."

Once again there were greetings and 'how are yous', and Caleb put Maddy down. Maddy made a beeline for Rodney, grabbing onto him the way she had the last time. "Did you bring me a present?"

"Yes. I'll get it for you later, okay?"

"Okay."

Madison moved on to Ronon (skirting, Rodney noticed with some satisfaction, their uncle). "Who are you?"

"Ronon Dex," said Ronon, looking at this tiny child. He could probably hold her in one hand.

"He's a friend of mine," said Rodney.

"Is he good?"

"Yeah, he's a very good guy. Ronon, tell her what a good guy you are."

"I'm a good guy," Ronon told Maddy solemnly, upon which Maddy climbed onto his lap and sat there, looking quite comfy.

It was only now that Jeannie got away from the throng of relatives and noticed who else was in the room. "Ronon?"

Ronon stood up, bringing Madison with him, which she seemed fine with. "Hello, Jean," he said. "It's good to see you."

"You too, Ronon," Jeannie replied, looking amused at how Madison was balanced on one arm and had her arms clasped around his neck. It was adorable.

"Put her down," said their uncle.

"Uncle Liam..." began Jeannie.

"You can't be condoning this, letting Rodney bring his gay lover to our family gatherings as though... as though it's *normal*!" Liam yelled. Without waiting for Jeannie to reply, he turned back to Ronon. "I said put her down!"

"No!" wailed Maddy.

Ronon just continued to hold her. He looked down at Rodney's uncle. "Make me."

"Maddy, get down," Liam ordered, obviously knowing full well that he'd never be able to make Ronon do anything.

Madison began to cry. "No, I like him!" She grasped Ronon's neck tighter, and Rodney began to wonder how his teammate could still breathe.

The cousins were all clustered around now, confused, because Madison didn't *want* to get down, Rodney was turning red with anger, and Ronon looked ready to take on an armada.

Strangely enough, it was Caleb who cut through the hysteria. "That's my daughter," he said.

Ronon began to loosen his hold, but then they all saw that Caleb was addressing not Ronon, but Jeannie's uncle.

"Jean and I will decide what's best for Madison," Caleb said. "I don't know Ronon, but Maddy wouldn't go to someone who wasn't trustworthy. I'll thank you to stay out of our business."

Liam, used to his position as de facto family patriarch, wouldn't let it drop. "You're happy your brother-in-law's gay lover is holding your daughter?"

Caleb did not even dignify that with a reply. He looked at Jeannie, then at Rodney and Ronon in turn. "I think we could have a better meal at a restaurant, don't you guys agree?"

"Absolutely," said Ronon. And he walked out, ignoring the bigoted uncle and everyone else by extension, still carrying Rodney's niece.

"I wish you'd proven my assertions about you wrong," Rodney told his uncle. He, too, left without waiting for anything to be said. Jeannie just followed, somewhat dumbstruck at what had happened.

***

They ended up at a small family restaurant determined to have good time, although a restaurant was almost completely outside of Ronon's experience. Money was not in use in the Pegasus Galaxy that any of them had seen; trading was the norm. Watching the waitress blush when Ronon actually smiled at her was very amusing, though.

Jeannie waited until Madison was engrossed in her food at the other end of the table and then asked *the* question. "Are you two really lovers?"

"Yes," they answered together.

"Didn't see that coming," she mused.

"Nor did we," Rodney said. "It seems to work, although it hasn't been very long." He didn't elaborate, and Jeannie didn't ask for details.

Caleb asked about Ronon's background, and the genuine interest and curiosity in his tone as opposed to the relatives' prurient interrogation let Rodney explain what Ronon meant every so often when he spoke (a little) about his time as a runner.

Rodney sat through the meal feeling something that was pretty foreign to him: happiness. He honestly felt happy. He didn't have a single thing to worry or complain about right here, right now. It wasn't a feeling he'd often had in his life.

He was accepted by his sister, her husband and their child. That in itself was a reason to be happy. He had a really hot, sexy lover. That was a huge reason. And he'd stood up to his relatives even just by refusing to let them guilt him over his lifestyle, or lack of what they considered an 'acceptable' one. Rodney grinned widely.

"Why are you smiling, Uncle Rodney?" Madison asked now that she'd finished her child's portion.

"I'm just happy, Little One." He looked over and caught Ronon looking at him knowingly. "What?"

"Nothing," said his teammate.

And dinner continued.

***

"Oh, that's... Ooooh, that's... Oh.... Oh..." Rodney chanted as Ronon pounded into him from behind. This was only the fourth time they'd had intercourse this way, and it was fast becoming Rodney's favourite. Ronon just had a way of fucking you that made you feel safe even as he drove you completely out of your mind.

"Come on, McKay," his Satedan lover growled, his voice low and dangerous- sounding. To Rodney it was the sexiest thing he'd ever heard.

"I'm right... oooh, don't stop... right there... that's..." Rodney just mumbled whatever came to mind as he was thoroughly fucked into next week.

"Come on, do it," Ronon growled, never once slowing his pace.

"Just... just keep... oh, doing that... oooh!" Rodney said in a long groan, and came, his cock pulsing over the sheets without even having been touched. As his body clamped down on Ronon's cock, Ronon grabbed him by the hips, hard enough to bruise, thrust in hard, and then Rodney could feel the pulsing of Ronon's cock inside him.

They sort of collapsed sideways onto the bed as their bodies parted, completely exhausted.

"Wow," said Rodney. He would never get used to this, never.

"Yeah, wow," Ronon agreed.

They lay there for a while in silence. A companionable, happy silence. Since it was still early, they didn't sleep, but drifted.

Eventually Ronon said, "You're good in bed, McKay."

Rodney snorted. "Of course I am. I'm good at everything."

"Not so much," Ronon said, an expression he'd picked up from Sheppard. "Running, shooting, flying, not-whining. Not so good at those."

"I'll have you know my flying and shooting are coming along nicely," Rodney sniffed. "The whining sort of comes with being me. And running? I'm a scientist."

"You're MY scientist," said Ronon sincerely.

Rodney stiffened slightly. Now was a perfect time to ask about the future. "Am I really? Yours? As in, you and me?"

"Of course."

"Even when we get back to Atlantis? You're saying this is a permanent kind of thing?"

"I wouldn't have accepted your invitation otherwise."

Rodney just grinned, even though Ronon was spooned behind him and couldn't see it. It was on the tip of his tongue to explain that inviting someone to stay with you on Earth was not the same as an invitation on Sateda. He even opened his mouth before he thought better of it.

No, he hadn't meant to ask Ronon to engage in a romantic relationship with him. But he wouldn't change it for anything. That misunderstanding had made him happier than he could ever remember being.

"I'm so glad I invited you," Rodney said sincerely. He wondered if Sheppard had known what he was doing when he'd stated to Ronon that Rodney was *inviting* him.

Rodney decided that he definitely owed John Sheppard one.

END