SGA fic: Gaijin, part 38/40
Dec. 26th, 2008 10:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sam_gamgeeGaijin, Part 38/40
The complete header can be found in part 1.
Previous parts can be found here.
“I hate you both,” Evan said as he took the car keys from the rental employee. “I don’t know why I let you talk me into this.”
“Because you know that deep down you kind of want this too,” Chuck told him. “I thought I wanted it with my family and I’m glad I went back, even if it didn’t turn out the way I had expected.”
“And on the other side, I didn’t want to see Jeannie when we reconciled before I was stranded on Lapras, but I’m glad I did,” Rodney added.
“And so are we,” Evan replied. “Things weren’t good the last time I saw my family and I doubt absence has made any hearts grow fonder.”
“You did call them, didn’t you?” Chuck asked as Evan started the car.
“Yes I did and I got Stephanie’s voicemail. I left a message but haven’t heard anything back yet.”
They were quiet as Evan navigated them through the outskirts of Portland, Oregon. He finally turned into the parking lot of a small church that had an adjacent cemetery. Chuck and Rodney wordlessly followed his lead as he got out of the car but shot each other a confused look and shrugged before following him into the cemetery.
Evan led them to a pair of graves and Rodney and Chuck flanked him, standing shoulder-to-shoulder but not quite touching. Evan stood there for a long moment, hands in his pockets, staring at the headstones without saying anything. Rodney noticed that the family name on the graves was ‘Lorne’ and he assumed that they were his parents.
Evan confirmed it when he finally spoke, his eyes still on the gravestones. “My dad died right after my sister was born. I was three at the time, so I don’t really remember him. My mom died a few years ago – right after I joined the Air Force.” There was a slight pause before Evan continued. “I think my mom would have liked you two. She was a free spirit and loved anything that wasn’t quite ‘normal’. So she would have really enjoyed that I decided to be involved in an ‘alternative relationship’. My dad – not so much, from what my mom said. He would have been proud that I went into the Air Force and I think he would have been proud that I made lieutenant colonel.”
“But I thought –” Rodney started.
“My mom wasn’t so keen on the fact that I joined the Air Force,” Evan explained, his gaze unmoving. “She understood the idealism and honor behind it, but didn’t like the whole war and fighting aspect. My sister blamed me for our mother’s death. She died of a heart attack after I left for basic training.”
“Oh, for cry-” Rodney cut himself off. “I’m sorry, but that’s one of the most idiotic things I’ve heard. Your mother didn’t have a heart attack because you went to basic training.”
“I know,” Evan replied. “And I tried reasoning with her, but she wouldn’t have it and after a while I stopped trying.”
“What are you doing here?” an angry female voice asked.
The three men’s gazes snapped up to see a woman stalking towards them, pulling two boys behind her.
“It’s good to see you too, Stephanie,” Evan told her. “We were passing through and I thought I’d stop and pay my respects since it’s been so long.”
“Damn right it has. Where have you been the past few years?”
“I told you before I left – out of the country on a classified mission. I would have kept in touch if you’d have let me.” Evan crouched down. “Hi, Greg. Hi, Jeff. You boys are getting big.”
“Hi, Uncle Evan,” the boys chorused shyly from behind their mother.
“They’re what? Nine and seven?” Evan asked, looking up at Stephanie. “How do you boys like school? Are you playing any sports?”
“Soccer,” Jeff said as Greg replied, “Little League.”
“They’re doing fine in school,” Stephanie told him. “Don’t do this.”
“Do what?” Evan asked as he stood up, deliberately keeping his arms to his sides.
“Be nice to them. You’re not going to be around long enough to –”
“I could be! I could have been!” Evan replied. “But you shut me out after the funeral! What happened to Mom wasn’t my fault!”
“She hated that you joined the military! You have no idea how much she hated that!”
“But that didn’t cause the heart attack! And she’d love what I’m doing in the Air Force! It was totally up her alley!”
Rodney and Chuck glanced at each other before unobtrusively ushering the two boys away from Evan and Stephanie to look at some of the other graves, but they both kept an eye on their lover and his sister.
Stephanie crossed her arms over her chest. “Are you still painting? Mom thought you could have done something with that.”
“Yes, I’m painting again, as well as drawing. And I love it, but that was always just a hobby for me – not like you. Not like her. I want to fix things between us, Stephanie,” he told her, a note of pleading in his voice. “I miss you and the boys.”
Stephanie tightened her grip on her arms. “I don’t think I can do that. Not when you’re gone for months, or maybe even years, at a time with no contact.”
“I think where I’m at now’s going to be pretty permanent,” Evan replied with a smile. “And I can have contact. I could come visit some times. I can’t talk fully about my job yet, but I could tell you something and we can still talk about things. Like the boys.”
“I’ll have to think about it,” she told him. “It’s a big risk.”
“Everything’s a risk, sis,” Evan told her as he carefully moved closer.
“I’ll just –.” She blew out a breath. “I’ll let you know. Email still the best way to get in touch with you?”
“Yeah, it is and it’s still the same.” He looked at his watch. “We’d better get going. We need to catch a plane in a few hours. It was good seeing you, Stephanie.”
He moved forward to hug her, but she held up a hand, stopping him. “Not yet. You still have to earn that. And I haven’t even decided yet if I’m going to let you do that.”
“Okay,” Evan replied with a quick nod of his head and a small smile. He joined Chuck, Rodney, and the boys. “Bye, Jeff and Greg,” he told the boys. “We’ve got to go now, but hopefully I’ll talk to you two soon, okay?”
“Okay, Uncle Evan,” Greg said with a smile as he jumped off the top of a stone bench and Jeff nodded.
Once they were out of earshot, Chuck asked, “So, what do you think?”
“I don’t know,” Evan replied. “It’s resolved, but it’s not resolved. I’ve had my chance. It’s up to her now.” He let out a slow breath. “I can’t wait to get to San Francisco.”
When they reached the hotel in San Francisco, Rodney breathed a sigh of relief.
Their flight had been delayed, so they had sat in the plane for forty minutes before they were able to take off and there had been a baby behind him who had cried almost the entire time. He had realized then how spoiled he had become with puddlejumpers and Stargates. Even having to walk back and forth between Lapras and its ‘Gate on a regular basis was starting to look good. Any thoughts he had once had about coming back to Earth on a permanent basis were now completely gone.
John and Carson appeared from the elevators as Rodney, Chuck, and Evan entered the hotel’s lobby and headed directly for them.
“How did things go?” Carson asked as they entered the elevators.
“My family sucks,” Chuck said.
“Jeannie forgave me and loves them. Thank you for that,” he said to John.
“You’re welcome,” John replied. “It was the least I could do for you.”
The elevator was quiet for a moment before Carson prompted, “And what about you, Evan?”
Evan shrugged. “My sister and I might be reconciling? I don’t really know.”
The doors opened and John led the way down to the end of the hall. “We got a two-room suite,” he told them. “It was the only thing they had left, since there’s a couple of conventions in town this week. We hope you don’t mind.”
Rodney shrugged, not really caring as long as he was with Chuck and Evan, as Chuck and Evan responded in kind. They went into the room and they sat their bags down immediately. Looking around, he said, “Wow, this is really nice. I’m surprised it wasn’t taken.”
“It was probably just a matter of time,” Carson replied. “The three of you can get set up in the bedroom. John and I will sleep out here on the sleeper sofa.”
“Are you sure?” Evan asked, looking concerned. “What about your leg?”
“My leg will be fine, son. Besides, I have a certain amount of incentive not to complain.” He grinned as he glanced at John.
“Okay,” John said, clapping his hands together once to get their attention. “Why don’t you guys get settled in? Then we’ll go get some dinner and see if we can figure out what we want to do this week.”
“Were you a camp counselor in another life?” Rodney asked as they obeyed.
John raised an eyebrow but didn’t respond as they headed past him and into the bedroom.
“I’ve got to admit,” Evan said as he put his bag down on the bed, “that it feels pretty good to be here. Nothing against Jeannie and her family, Rodney, but at least now we don’t have to worry about ‘little eyes and ears’.”
The three of them laughed. “On the upside, I think we’ve definitely given Jeannie and Kaleb enough fodder for ‘the talk’ for years to come,” Chuck added.
“Will you two please stop?” Rodney asked, making a disgusted face as he opened his bag and began transferring clothes into one of the drawers. “I don’t want to think about my sister and sex in any capacity.”
“What made you decide not to bring any of your Lapran clothing?” Evan asked.
“You mean aside from Elizabeth expressly forbidding it? There was the whole threat of decreased lab time.” Rodney sighed at what was still a sore subject for him. “I know it’s more about me fitting in and not drawing attention to myself, but still – the clothing isn’t that different.”
“Not if you live in the Orient,” Chuck replied. “But, I have to admit,” he gave Rodney a very blatant once-over, “I am enjoying seeing you in casual Earth-wear.”
“You enjoy looking at me period, so I doubt that’s an honest opinion,” Rodney shot back.
“Very true, but Evan will agree with me that that’s not a bad thing, whatever you might think about yourself.”
“Chuck’s right,” Evan replied, squeezing Rodney’s upper arm and smiling at him as he passed.
Rodney rolled his eyes, but smiled, as he finished putting his things away. It still took him by surprise that he hadn’t screwed things up royally with Chuck and Evan and that the three of them were still together. Things had been different with Jaelyn – maybe even a little easier, considering the way Lapran society was set up. He had been more than worried when he started going out with Evan and Chuck that he would crash and burn spectacularly, but, to his amazement, that hadn’t happened and slowly his fears were allayed and the necessary effort had come easily to him. True, he still worried from time to time that he would screw things up, or that they’d come to their senses and see that he wasn’t worth it. But time and again they proved to him that they still wanted him as much now as they had when they got together a year ago.
That thought startled him and his head shot up to look at Chuck and Evan. Had it really been a year? He quickly calculated and realized that their first anniversary of officially getting together would be in a few days.
“I just suddenly had a thought,” he said quietly as he sat down on the bed and began fingering his necklace. Both Chuck and Evan looked at him questioningly, but waited for him to elaborate. “It’s been almost a year since we got together. I mean, it will be on Wednesday. I don’t know if you two want to do something for it or not. Or how you want to handle our Lapran wedding ceremony.”
“I think we should do something,” Chuck replied, sitting down on one side of Rodney as Evan sat down on the other. “If only to celebrate that we’ve been together this long without spectacularly screwing things up.”
“And I think we should celebrate on our Lapran wedding day too,” Evan told him as he pulled his own necklace out from underneath his shirt. “We did get married that day, didn’t we?”
He leaned in and kissed Rodney’s neck before kissing along his jaw and capturing Rodney’s mouth. After a deep kiss, he broke it off and kissed Chuck just as passionately. While they were kissing, Rodney leaned in and nuzzled Chuck’s neck, causing him to moan softly into Evan’s mouth. Chuck pulled away dazedly from Evan and kissed Rodney languidly.
There was a knock on the doorframe. “Come on, boys,” John’s voice interrupted them. “We’ve got to get going if we want to get dinner any time soon.”
“There is such a thing as room service, *sir*,” Evan replied as he looked at John with an impish grin and a light tone in his voice.
“Be that as it may, *Lieutenant Colonel*,” John replied with a raised eyebrow and just as much amusement, “Carson and I will not be giving you guys the penny tour tomorrow. It’s a now-or-never option.”
Chuck’s stomach growled. “I’m voting for food,” he said. “And I do want to see more than just our hotel room.” He pitched his voice low for only Evan and Rodney, “Not that that would be much of a hardship, either.”
“Let’s go,” Rodney said, squeezing their thighs before standing. “John’s driving a car in an unfamiliar city. That in and of itself might be a highlight of the trip and something we can blackmail him with for months.”
“I resent that remark,” John told him with a scowl. “I’m a great driver.”
“Just as long as you remember that it’s a car and not a puddlejumper,” Rodney told him as he patted him on the shoulder as he passed by.
The advice had proved to be useful on more than one account, much to John’s chagrin and everyone else’s amusement. They meandered around the city, not heading in any particular direction and gazing out the windows at the buildings and people. Rodney had to admit that after being in Atlantis and Lapras for so long, it was overwhelming and he got the same sense from the rest of the group, even though none of them actually said it. He knew for certain that he was a Lantean now, much more than he had ever been an Earther.
They had a subdued dinner at a fifties-esque burger joint. As good as it was to eat an actual hamburger, Rodney had to admit that he missed the fake burgers and weird vegetables he would have eaten in the mess hall.
When they got back to the hotel, they were quiet as they got ready for bed. Chuck, Evan, and Rodney curled up together on the couch and watched TV in the living room while John and Carson used the bathroom first. When they came out, the trio disappeared into the room and went through their own evening ablutions before curling up together in bed and contentedly falling asleep.
“What do you mean ‘we need bathing suits’?” Rodney asked indignantly.
“Exactly what I said,” Evan replied. “We’re in San Francisco in early June. We need bathing suits to go swimming. And I think John said something about surfing.”
“I am not surfing,” Rodney practically squeaked.
“Then you can help me mock them when they crash spectacularly,” Chuck told him, spooning against Rodney’s back, wrapping an arm around his waist and kissing his neck. “I think it’s a great idea. We’ll actually be able to do something we haven’t done on Atlantis – go swimming.”
“We go swimming when we visit the Mainland,” Rodney told him.
“True. But we haven’t done it *on* Atlantis. John should really talk to Elizabeth about that.”
“You could,” Rodney told him. “I think she’d listen to you.”
Chuck shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve been thinking about that – I don’t know if I want to be on the Expedition for the rest of my life.”
“What are you talking about?” Rodney asked, turning onto his back so he could glare at Chuck. “You *love* being on Atlantis.”
“I do,” Chuck agreed. “But I love you more. And if you still want to come back to Earth….”
“I feel the same way,” Evan added, running a hand lightly over Rodney’s chest and stomach.
“You both can’t be *serious*,” Rodney huffed.
“Oh, we definitely are,” Evan told him. “We’ve talked about it and we’d rather be with you on Earth and have you be happy than staying on Atlantis and either splitting up or having you stay, too, and resent us.”
Rodney’s eyes narrowed. “Is this about what I said months ago? I may have meant it then, but I totally don’t now. You should both know me well enough by now to know when I’m actually serious and when I’m just saying things out loud to work them out in my head.”
“*Now* we do,” Evan replied, exasperated. “But back then we didn’t. And then you didn’t say anything more, so we didn’t know if you had abandoned the idea or if you just weren’t saying anything so we either wouldn’t try to dissuade you or wouldn’t worry.”
“Or, you know, do something *stupid* like not ask me and offer to give up what you have on Atlantis for me,” Rodney replied in a huff. “But you’re right – I stopped saying things. But I stopped saying things because I stopped thinking about it because I realized I was happy on Atlantis. I’m happy with the work I’m doing. I’m even happy I’m not the Head of Science any more – and who would have thought I’d ever say that? I feel like I fit in there with the eclectic, crazy group that’s been assembled. And no one else in this galaxy would be able to fathom even a small part of the things we’ve seen and done. Then there’s the two of you. I don’t want to take away the best thing that’s ever happened to either of you career-wise. And, even with all of my new-found skills from Lapras, I doubt I would be able to completely suffer in silence if I was unhappy with our arrangement – so you would have known if I was unhappy.”
“So we’re not going to be picking out china patterns and looking at houses with white picket fences?” Chuck asked, sounding crestfallen.
“Do you remember what I said about not moving my stuff again?” Rodney asked him. “I was completely serious.”
“You could always do the painting while we did the moving,” Evan told him with a laugh.
“You two are evil,” Rodney told them with a small smile.
“So, you’re serious about coming back to Atlantis?” Chuck asked.
“Completely, 100%, deadly serious with no qualms, reservations, or hints of uncertainty,” Rodney told him before giving him a peck on the lips. “Are we clear?” he asked.
“Crystal,” Evan replied before Rodney kissed him as well. “So, about those bathing suits….”
After they got up and prepared for the day, they still hadn’t heard anyone stirring from the outer room, so Chuck quietly opened the door and they peeked out to find John and Carson were still asleep.
“Think we should wake them up?” Evan asked quietly, after they watched them for a few moments. Carson rolled onto his back and John easily accommodated the movement without stirring and stayed wrapped around him protectively.
“Might as well,” Chuck replied. “If we don’t, who knows how long we’ll be here.”
“Oh, like that would be a hardship,” Rodney replied. But he found himself striding across the distance and pulling the covers off of the sleeping couple. “Rise and shine, sleepyheads.” There was some muffled grumbling from the bed as Rodney then opened the curtains, which allowed a bright shaft of sunlight to hit John and Carson squarely on the face. “No sleeping the day away while we’re on vacation.”
Carson grimaced and John tried to burrow his head into Carson’s shoulder. “You’re evil, Rodney McKay,” Carson told him gruffly.
“That may be the case, but you two can sleep on the beach if you want, now chop-chop. We’re going down for breakfast and we expect you to be ready when we get back.”
“That really was kind of evil,” Chuck told Rodney with a grin as they headed down the hallway towards the elevators.
“I know,” Rodney replied, pleased with himself. “But John’s done that to me numerous times when we were off-world and I’ve always wanted to get him back.”
John and Carson joined Evan, Chuck, and Rodney before they finished eating, freshly showered and looking mostly awake. “Vacation is supposed to be for relaxing, Rodney,” John told him.
“I know,” Rodney replied, grinning, as he ate a piece of cantaloupe. “But consider us even now, John, for all the times you’ve done that to me – and for interrupting us last night.”
John glared at him before shaking his head and smiling as he dug into his eggs. “And to think I missed this when you were on Lapras.”
They stopped on their way to the beach to buy the necessary supplies – bathing suits, towels, sunscreen, and some snacks. When they got there, they changed in the bathhouse before renting an umbrella and John rented a surfboard. They headed to a more secluded part of the beach and set up camp. Rodney played mother hen and made sure everyone had been liberally slathered in sunscreen before allowing them near the water. Then John was running down towards the water with his surfboard and Carson was watching him with an amused smile and shake of his head.
“Come on, Rodney,” Evan said, tugging at Rodney’s hand. “We’re going in.”
“We’re doing what?” Rodney asked in surprise. “There’s no way in hell I’m going in. The water has to be freezing and there’s seaweed and jellyfish and sharp shells and riptides and who knows what else in there.”
They heard a whoop coming from the water and looked to see a grinning, soaking wet John sitting astride his surfboard and waving them in. “Come on, guys! It feels great!” he called.
“Well, I for one am going,” Carson told them and headed down to the water.
“Me too,” Chuck told them.
Evan tugged Rodney’s hand. “We’re not going to let you drown,” he said.
“I *can* swim, thank you very much,” Rodney told him sarcastically.
“Then let’s go. We don’t have to be in very long.”
“Fine,” Rodney sighed and let Evan drag him down to the water.
They pushed their way through a few low breakers to join Chuck and Carson in waist-deep water where the waves still swelled, but wouldn’t crash on them. Rodney had to admit that the water felt good under the hot sun – cooler than the air, yet still comfortably warm. And there were none of the dangers that he had feared either.
As soon as they got out there, Chuck splashed Rodney and Evan with a mischievous grin on his face. Evan immediately splashed him back, partially hitting Carson as well, and the fight was on. The four of them splashed each other until they were dripping wet and laughing. Then they swam and floated in the water, simply enjoying themselves. John swam by a few times and each time gracefully caught the wave and rode it into the beach before swimming back out, a huge grin on his face. After a few times, John ditched the board by their towels and joined them in the water, hugging Carson from behind before pulling him into the water with him. They both came up sputtering and laughing and Carson was squirming to get out of John’s grasp. As he did so, he splashed Chuck in the face and the splash war was on again.
When they got out of the water, the five of them were grinning madly and dripping all the way back their things. John and Evan threw themselves down onto their towels with a sigh of contentment. Carson laughed and shook his head as he wiped himself off, then settled on his towel.
Rodney did the same while Chuck rummaged through their bags and pulled out a bottle of water. He took a drink and handed it to Rodney, who gratefully took a drink as well. When he held the bottle in Evan’s line of sight, Evan just opened his mouth and Rodney carefully poured some in. By unspoken consent, they started divvying up the food and ate quietly.
As the day wore on, they went out in the water a few more times and John took Carson out on the surfboard and taught him some of the basics, to Carson’s hesitant pleasure. The beach also filled up with more people. There were a few families, a number of groups, and some couples. And, as far as Rodney could tell, they were almost all gay. It felt weird to be surrounded by this many out couples. Sure, a few more had come out on Atlantis since John had started hammering home the fact that intolerance wouldn’t be tolerated and couples found that Elizabeth had been serious about the change in policies, but given the size of the population, there was still a much smaller presence there than even here on the beach. A few people greeted them warmly as they passed by and they replied in kind, a bit stymied by the openness.
“Don’t get me wrong,” Carson said out of the blue, “I’ve enjoyed being back and I loved seeing my family, but I miss Atlantis. I doubt I could willingly move back here permanently.”
“Me too,” John added from where he had been dozing, an arm thrown over his eyes. “It just feels ‘off’ here. I know it sounds weird, but I miss the connection to Atlantis herself.”
“We said that the other day,” Evan told him from where he was laying on his stomach, as he propped himself up on his elbows. “I miss the weird vegetables.”
“I miss the craziness,” Chuck admitted. “Not just the big end-of-the-world Wraith craziness, but the little craziness too.”
“You mean like playing paper football during meetings?” Evan asked, squinting at him.
He nodded. “Exactly.”
“I just miss everything, I think,” Rodney replied. “And the easy – well, easier than here – access to Lapras.”
They were all quiet for a few moments, lost in their own thoughts, before Chuck broke the silence with, “Well, that was surprisingly random and maudlin. I don’t know about you guys, but I’m ready for some real food.”
The rest of the group agreed and they gathered their things and headed out, stopping along the way to return the umbrella and surfboard. They stopped at the hotel long enough to shower and change before heading out to a local Mexican restaurant that had been recommended by the concierge.
As they ate, they started to plan the rest of their week with the help of some pamphlets that Chuck had snagged from one of the stands in the hotel, but then they decided to just take it day by day and see where they ended up. John and Carson also tactfully agreed to make themselves scarce on Wednesday and that they’d leave the car for Evan, Chuck, and Rodney if they wanted to go out.
When they got back to the hotel, the five of them watched a movie together before calling it a night. As Rodney drifted off to sleep, Chuck in his arms and Evan’s arm under his hand on the other side of Chuck, Rodney didn’t think he had ever been so content in his life.
The next few days passed by in a blur. In honor of the weirder aspects of their lives on Atlantis, they shied away from some of the more normal touristy things and checked out some of the more bizarre things and cuisine San Francisco had to offer. Rodney couldn’t help but laugh at some of the questions they peppered the concierge with, if his perplexed look was anything to go by.
On Wednesday morning, Rodney was vaguely aware of John and Carson creeping into the bathroom and the sounds of them getting ready for their day before creeping out again. He stayed contentedly wrapped up in his lovers’ arms, enjoying the peace that surrounded them.
When he finally did wake up fully, Chuck was already awake and languidly running his fingertips along Rodney’s arm, chest, and stomach, as well as Evan’s arm and side.
“Happy anniversary,” Chuck whispered with a smile.
“Happy anniversary,” Rodney parroted back with a goofy grin. Who would have ever thought that he would have lasted a year with not one, but two guys in an alien outpost in another galaxy?
Evan’s arm tightened around Rodney’s waist and he breathed in sharply before letting it out slowly. He rubbed his nose against Rodney’s shoulder before kissing it softly. “Morning,” he said sleepily.
“Morning,” both Rodney and Chuck replied.
“Happy anniversary,” Chuck told him.
“Happy anniversary to you too,” Evan told him. “Happy anniversary,” he said to Rodney.
“Happy anniversary,” Rodney replied. He stretched slowly and carefully, not wanting to disturb his lovers.
“So, what should we do today?” Chuck asked, resuming his slow mapping of Rodney’s torso.
“I know a few things *I* want to do today,” Evan replied with an impish glint in his eyes as he leaned over to kiss first Chuck, then Rodney. As he and Rodney broke apart, his stomach growled. “But first things first.”
He got up to retrieve the menu off the table in the outer room. And both on the way out and coming back in, Rodney watched him with a mix of love, lust, affection, and a myriad of other emotions and he knew that the same look would be mirrored in Chuck’s expression if he looked. Evan looked up from perusing the menu as he reentered the room and the intensity of love that Rodney saw there took his breath away.
“Thank you,” Evan said when he got back into bed with them.
“For what?” Chuck asked.
“For this year. For loving me so much and letting me love you in return. I never believed that I could love anyone else so much.”
“I should be the one saying that,” Rodney told him, looking between the two men. “And for everything you’ve done for me since I came back from Lapras, and for giving me an anchor.”
Chuck laughed. “I guess I’ll add my two cents too, then. Thank you both not only for loving me so much and letting me love you in return, but for letting me share in your lives and for pushing me to be better in my own.”
“We’re really a bunch of saps, aren’t we?” Evan asked.
“But I wouldn’t trade this for anything else,” Rodney replied seriously before his stomach growled. “So, food would be good,” he said, steering them back onto their previous topic.
They quickly made their decisions and called for room service before settling back into bed. They slowly stoked their ardor as they waited with feather-light touches and soft kisses all over each other’s bodies.
When the knock on the door came, all three of them groaned and Evan got up to answer it, pausing along the way to pull on a pair of Chuck’s pajama bottoms, as Chuck and Rodney sat up. He took the food and tipped the waitress before heading back into the bedroom. Rodney took the tray from him, and Evan stripped again and joined his partners on the bed.
They slowly fed each other, using their fingers as much as the utensils and simply enjoyed themselves.
Chuck dispensed with the tray after they finished. He knelt on the bed when he returned and said expectantly, “Okay, now what?”
“I’d like to fuck you,” Rodney told him as he ran a hand up the side of Chuck’s thigh and over his ass. He pushed his fingers into the crack in Chuck’s ass and stroked over the opening to his asshole.
Chuck shivered and his half-hard cock twitched. He let out a shuddered breath and licked his lips as he nodded. They both looked expectantly at Evan, who stretched languidly back against the pillows and his own erection tented the sheet.
“I personally don’t care,” he told them, “as long as we’re all happy by the end of it.”
Rodney rolled his eyes and said, “You always say that.” As Chuck said, “Not a valid answer – please try again.”
Evan nodded as he propped himself up on a few pillows. “I do, but it’s true. Okay, then I want Chuck to suck me while Rodney’s fucking him.”
“Now we’re getting somewhere,” Rodney said as he grabbed the lube off of the nightstand and Chuck settled himself on his hands and knees between Evan’s now bare and spread legs.
Evan caressed Chuck’s face, neck and shoulders as Rodney slowly prepped him, slowly fucking him first with well-lubed fingers to stretch him. Chuck responded by pushing himself back onto Rodney’s fingers to meet each thrust. Even without seeing Chuck’s face, Rodney could picture it easily in his mind – eyes closed, lips slightly parted, and a look of utter joy on his face.
As Rodney pulled his fingers out of Chuck for the last time, he looked up at Evan and took in the blatant arousal and love in his expression. Rodney gripped Chuck’s hips and slowly pushed his cock inside Chuck’s now pliant body. Chuck shuddered with a gasp and pressed back, easily taking Rodney in up to the hilt. When he was completely seated inside of Chuck, Rodney nodded to Evan and Evan guided Chuck’s head down to his waiting cock.
Rodney took his time as he slowly thrust in and out of Chuck’s body, enjoying the way Chuck’s ass gripped his cock every time he entered him and followed him as he withdrew. He also enjoyed the sound of soft moans escaping from both Chuck and Evan as Chuck matched the rhythm of his mouth with the one Rodney had set on his ass. And he couldn’t take his eyes away from the sight of Evan spread out on the pillows in front of Chuck, his hands in Chuck’s hair, eyes closed and mouth open, body writhing beneath the pleasurable torment Chuck was conducting on his cock.
Like always, Rodney wished this could go on forever, but soon enough Evan was shuddering, then going completely still as he came in Chuck’s mouth. Chuck’s ass clamped down on Rodney’s cock as he swallowed and the combined sensation of Chuck’s ass and the sight of Evan coming pushed Rodney the last few feet over the edge and he came as well.
Relaxing against Chuck’s back, Rodney reached beneath Chuck and took his still hard cock in hand. He stroked him slowly and surely, teasing his cock as he did so. Chuck released Evan’s cock with a gasp and let his head drop against Evan’s thigh as he fucked himself between Rodney’s cock and his hand. Soon enough, he came in Rodney’s hand with a groan.
They collapsed onto the bed in a heap and Evan immediately engaged Chuck in a kiss as Rodney wiped his hand on the edge of the sheet before joining them. The three men continued to kiss and touch each other until their physical arousal caught up with their desire.
During their second round, Chuck fucked Rodney with such shattering slowness, as Rodney and Evan rubbed their cocks together, that Rodney’s world focus narrowed to the body below him and the body above him and the cock inside of him. When Chuck came, Rodney felt his world shatter around him as he bit down on Evan’s shoulder and he came hard against Evan. Evan gasped and arched against Rodney as he came.
They spent the rest of the day in bed, letting their bodies’ desires and wants dictate what they did. And when John and Carson came back late that evening, they were eating a late supper at the table in the outer room, clad only in boxer shorts or pajama bottoms that weren’t their own and completely sated and happy. And when John and Carson kicked them back into the bedroom so they could have some private time of their own, Rodney, Chuck, and Evan didn’t mind in the least and happily went with various plans for their own encore anniversary celebration.
Continue in Part 39
The complete header can be found in part 1.
Previous parts can be found here.
“I hate you both,” Evan said as he took the car keys from the rental employee. “I don’t know why I let you talk me into this.”
“Because you know that deep down you kind of want this too,” Chuck told him. “I thought I wanted it with my family and I’m glad I went back, even if it didn’t turn out the way I had expected.”
“And on the other side, I didn’t want to see Jeannie when we reconciled before I was stranded on Lapras, but I’m glad I did,” Rodney added.
“And so are we,” Evan replied. “Things weren’t good the last time I saw my family and I doubt absence has made any hearts grow fonder.”
“You did call them, didn’t you?” Chuck asked as Evan started the car.
“Yes I did and I got Stephanie’s voicemail. I left a message but haven’t heard anything back yet.”
They were quiet as Evan navigated them through the outskirts of Portland, Oregon. He finally turned into the parking lot of a small church that had an adjacent cemetery. Chuck and Rodney wordlessly followed his lead as he got out of the car but shot each other a confused look and shrugged before following him into the cemetery.
Evan led them to a pair of graves and Rodney and Chuck flanked him, standing shoulder-to-shoulder but not quite touching. Evan stood there for a long moment, hands in his pockets, staring at the headstones without saying anything. Rodney noticed that the family name on the graves was ‘Lorne’ and he assumed that they were his parents.
Evan confirmed it when he finally spoke, his eyes still on the gravestones. “My dad died right after my sister was born. I was three at the time, so I don’t really remember him. My mom died a few years ago – right after I joined the Air Force.” There was a slight pause before Evan continued. “I think my mom would have liked you two. She was a free spirit and loved anything that wasn’t quite ‘normal’. So she would have really enjoyed that I decided to be involved in an ‘alternative relationship’. My dad – not so much, from what my mom said. He would have been proud that I went into the Air Force and I think he would have been proud that I made lieutenant colonel.”
“But I thought –” Rodney started.
“My mom wasn’t so keen on the fact that I joined the Air Force,” Evan explained, his gaze unmoving. “She understood the idealism and honor behind it, but didn’t like the whole war and fighting aspect. My sister blamed me for our mother’s death. She died of a heart attack after I left for basic training.”
“Oh, for cry-” Rodney cut himself off. “I’m sorry, but that’s one of the most idiotic things I’ve heard. Your mother didn’t have a heart attack because you went to basic training.”
“I know,” Evan replied. “And I tried reasoning with her, but she wouldn’t have it and after a while I stopped trying.”
“What are you doing here?” an angry female voice asked.
The three men’s gazes snapped up to see a woman stalking towards them, pulling two boys behind her.
“It’s good to see you too, Stephanie,” Evan told her. “We were passing through and I thought I’d stop and pay my respects since it’s been so long.”
“Damn right it has. Where have you been the past few years?”
“I told you before I left – out of the country on a classified mission. I would have kept in touch if you’d have let me.” Evan crouched down. “Hi, Greg. Hi, Jeff. You boys are getting big.”
“Hi, Uncle Evan,” the boys chorused shyly from behind their mother.
“They’re what? Nine and seven?” Evan asked, looking up at Stephanie. “How do you boys like school? Are you playing any sports?”
“Soccer,” Jeff said as Greg replied, “Little League.”
“They’re doing fine in school,” Stephanie told him. “Don’t do this.”
“Do what?” Evan asked as he stood up, deliberately keeping his arms to his sides.
“Be nice to them. You’re not going to be around long enough to –”
“I could be! I could have been!” Evan replied. “But you shut me out after the funeral! What happened to Mom wasn’t my fault!”
“She hated that you joined the military! You have no idea how much she hated that!”
“But that didn’t cause the heart attack! And she’d love what I’m doing in the Air Force! It was totally up her alley!”
Rodney and Chuck glanced at each other before unobtrusively ushering the two boys away from Evan and Stephanie to look at some of the other graves, but they both kept an eye on their lover and his sister.
Stephanie crossed her arms over her chest. “Are you still painting? Mom thought you could have done something with that.”
“Yes, I’m painting again, as well as drawing. And I love it, but that was always just a hobby for me – not like you. Not like her. I want to fix things between us, Stephanie,” he told her, a note of pleading in his voice. “I miss you and the boys.”
Stephanie tightened her grip on her arms. “I don’t think I can do that. Not when you’re gone for months, or maybe even years, at a time with no contact.”
“I think where I’m at now’s going to be pretty permanent,” Evan replied with a smile. “And I can have contact. I could come visit some times. I can’t talk fully about my job yet, but I could tell you something and we can still talk about things. Like the boys.”
“I’ll have to think about it,” she told him. “It’s a big risk.”
“Everything’s a risk, sis,” Evan told her as he carefully moved closer.
“I’ll just –.” She blew out a breath. “I’ll let you know. Email still the best way to get in touch with you?”
“Yeah, it is and it’s still the same.” He looked at his watch. “We’d better get going. We need to catch a plane in a few hours. It was good seeing you, Stephanie.”
He moved forward to hug her, but she held up a hand, stopping him. “Not yet. You still have to earn that. And I haven’t even decided yet if I’m going to let you do that.”
“Okay,” Evan replied with a quick nod of his head and a small smile. He joined Chuck, Rodney, and the boys. “Bye, Jeff and Greg,” he told the boys. “We’ve got to go now, but hopefully I’ll talk to you two soon, okay?”
“Okay, Uncle Evan,” Greg said with a smile as he jumped off the top of a stone bench and Jeff nodded.
Once they were out of earshot, Chuck asked, “So, what do you think?”
“I don’t know,” Evan replied. “It’s resolved, but it’s not resolved. I’ve had my chance. It’s up to her now.” He let out a slow breath. “I can’t wait to get to San Francisco.”
When they reached the hotel in San Francisco, Rodney breathed a sigh of relief.
Their flight had been delayed, so they had sat in the plane for forty minutes before they were able to take off and there had been a baby behind him who had cried almost the entire time. He had realized then how spoiled he had become with puddlejumpers and Stargates. Even having to walk back and forth between Lapras and its ‘Gate on a regular basis was starting to look good. Any thoughts he had once had about coming back to Earth on a permanent basis were now completely gone.
John and Carson appeared from the elevators as Rodney, Chuck, and Evan entered the hotel’s lobby and headed directly for them.
“How did things go?” Carson asked as they entered the elevators.
“My family sucks,” Chuck said.
“Jeannie forgave me and loves them. Thank you for that,” he said to John.
“You’re welcome,” John replied. “It was the least I could do for you.”
The elevator was quiet for a moment before Carson prompted, “And what about you, Evan?”
Evan shrugged. “My sister and I might be reconciling? I don’t really know.”
The doors opened and John led the way down to the end of the hall. “We got a two-room suite,” he told them. “It was the only thing they had left, since there’s a couple of conventions in town this week. We hope you don’t mind.”
Rodney shrugged, not really caring as long as he was with Chuck and Evan, as Chuck and Evan responded in kind. They went into the room and they sat their bags down immediately. Looking around, he said, “Wow, this is really nice. I’m surprised it wasn’t taken.”
“It was probably just a matter of time,” Carson replied. “The three of you can get set up in the bedroom. John and I will sleep out here on the sleeper sofa.”
“Are you sure?” Evan asked, looking concerned. “What about your leg?”
“My leg will be fine, son. Besides, I have a certain amount of incentive not to complain.” He grinned as he glanced at John.
“Okay,” John said, clapping his hands together once to get their attention. “Why don’t you guys get settled in? Then we’ll go get some dinner and see if we can figure out what we want to do this week.”
“Were you a camp counselor in another life?” Rodney asked as they obeyed.
John raised an eyebrow but didn’t respond as they headed past him and into the bedroom.
“I’ve got to admit,” Evan said as he put his bag down on the bed, “that it feels pretty good to be here. Nothing against Jeannie and her family, Rodney, but at least now we don’t have to worry about ‘little eyes and ears’.”
The three of them laughed. “On the upside, I think we’ve definitely given Jeannie and Kaleb enough fodder for ‘the talk’ for years to come,” Chuck added.
“Will you two please stop?” Rodney asked, making a disgusted face as he opened his bag and began transferring clothes into one of the drawers. “I don’t want to think about my sister and sex in any capacity.”
“What made you decide not to bring any of your Lapran clothing?” Evan asked.
“You mean aside from Elizabeth expressly forbidding it? There was the whole threat of decreased lab time.” Rodney sighed at what was still a sore subject for him. “I know it’s more about me fitting in and not drawing attention to myself, but still – the clothing isn’t that different.”
“Not if you live in the Orient,” Chuck replied. “But, I have to admit,” he gave Rodney a very blatant once-over, “I am enjoying seeing you in casual Earth-wear.”
“You enjoy looking at me period, so I doubt that’s an honest opinion,” Rodney shot back.
“Very true, but Evan will agree with me that that’s not a bad thing, whatever you might think about yourself.”
“Chuck’s right,” Evan replied, squeezing Rodney’s upper arm and smiling at him as he passed.
Rodney rolled his eyes, but smiled, as he finished putting his things away. It still took him by surprise that he hadn’t screwed things up royally with Chuck and Evan and that the three of them were still together. Things had been different with Jaelyn – maybe even a little easier, considering the way Lapran society was set up. He had been more than worried when he started going out with Evan and Chuck that he would crash and burn spectacularly, but, to his amazement, that hadn’t happened and slowly his fears were allayed and the necessary effort had come easily to him. True, he still worried from time to time that he would screw things up, or that they’d come to their senses and see that he wasn’t worth it. But time and again they proved to him that they still wanted him as much now as they had when they got together a year ago.
That thought startled him and his head shot up to look at Chuck and Evan. Had it really been a year? He quickly calculated and realized that their first anniversary of officially getting together would be in a few days.
“I just suddenly had a thought,” he said quietly as he sat down on the bed and began fingering his necklace. Both Chuck and Evan looked at him questioningly, but waited for him to elaborate. “It’s been almost a year since we got together. I mean, it will be on Wednesday. I don’t know if you two want to do something for it or not. Or how you want to handle our Lapran wedding ceremony.”
“I think we should do something,” Chuck replied, sitting down on one side of Rodney as Evan sat down on the other. “If only to celebrate that we’ve been together this long without spectacularly screwing things up.”
“And I think we should celebrate on our Lapran wedding day too,” Evan told him as he pulled his own necklace out from underneath his shirt. “We did get married that day, didn’t we?”
He leaned in and kissed Rodney’s neck before kissing along his jaw and capturing Rodney’s mouth. After a deep kiss, he broke it off and kissed Chuck just as passionately. While they were kissing, Rodney leaned in and nuzzled Chuck’s neck, causing him to moan softly into Evan’s mouth. Chuck pulled away dazedly from Evan and kissed Rodney languidly.
There was a knock on the doorframe. “Come on, boys,” John’s voice interrupted them. “We’ve got to get going if we want to get dinner any time soon.”
“There is such a thing as room service, *sir*,” Evan replied as he looked at John with an impish grin and a light tone in his voice.
“Be that as it may, *Lieutenant Colonel*,” John replied with a raised eyebrow and just as much amusement, “Carson and I will not be giving you guys the penny tour tomorrow. It’s a now-or-never option.”
Chuck’s stomach growled. “I’m voting for food,” he said. “And I do want to see more than just our hotel room.” He pitched his voice low for only Evan and Rodney, “Not that that would be much of a hardship, either.”
“Let’s go,” Rodney said, squeezing their thighs before standing. “John’s driving a car in an unfamiliar city. That in and of itself might be a highlight of the trip and something we can blackmail him with for months.”
“I resent that remark,” John told him with a scowl. “I’m a great driver.”
“Just as long as you remember that it’s a car and not a puddlejumper,” Rodney told him as he patted him on the shoulder as he passed by.
The advice had proved to be useful on more than one account, much to John’s chagrin and everyone else’s amusement. They meandered around the city, not heading in any particular direction and gazing out the windows at the buildings and people. Rodney had to admit that after being in Atlantis and Lapras for so long, it was overwhelming and he got the same sense from the rest of the group, even though none of them actually said it. He knew for certain that he was a Lantean now, much more than he had ever been an Earther.
They had a subdued dinner at a fifties-esque burger joint. As good as it was to eat an actual hamburger, Rodney had to admit that he missed the fake burgers and weird vegetables he would have eaten in the mess hall.
When they got back to the hotel, they were quiet as they got ready for bed. Chuck, Evan, and Rodney curled up together on the couch and watched TV in the living room while John and Carson used the bathroom first. When they came out, the trio disappeared into the room and went through their own evening ablutions before curling up together in bed and contentedly falling asleep.
“What do you mean ‘we need bathing suits’?” Rodney asked indignantly.
“Exactly what I said,” Evan replied. “We’re in San Francisco in early June. We need bathing suits to go swimming. And I think John said something about surfing.”
“I am not surfing,” Rodney practically squeaked.
“Then you can help me mock them when they crash spectacularly,” Chuck told him, spooning against Rodney’s back, wrapping an arm around his waist and kissing his neck. “I think it’s a great idea. We’ll actually be able to do something we haven’t done on Atlantis – go swimming.”
“We go swimming when we visit the Mainland,” Rodney told him.
“True. But we haven’t done it *on* Atlantis. John should really talk to Elizabeth about that.”
“You could,” Rodney told him. “I think she’d listen to you.”
Chuck shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve been thinking about that – I don’t know if I want to be on the Expedition for the rest of my life.”
“What are you talking about?” Rodney asked, turning onto his back so he could glare at Chuck. “You *love* being on Atlantis.”
“I do,” Chuck agreed. “But I love you more. And if you still want to come back to Earth….”
“I feel the same way,” Evan added, running a hand lightly over Rodney’s chest and stomach.
“You both can’t be *serious*,” Rodney huffed.
“Oh, we definitely are,” Evan told him. “We’ve talked about it and we’d rather be with you on Earth and have you be happy than staying on Atlantis and either splitting up or having you stay, too, and resent us.”
Rodney’s eyes narrowed. “Is this about what I said months ago? I may have meant it then, but I totally don’t now. You should both know me well enough by now to know when I’m actually serious and when I’m just saying things out loud to work them out in my head.”
“*Now* we do,” Evan replied, exasperated. “But back then we didn’t. And then you didn’t say anything more, so we didn’t know if you had abandoned the idea or if you just weren’t saying anything so we either wouldn’t try to dissuade you or wouldn’t worry.”
“Or, you know, do something *stupid* like not ask me and offer to give up what you have on Atlantis for me,” Rodney replied in a huff. “But you’re right – I stopped saying things. But I stopped saying things because I stopped thinking about it because I realized I was happy on Atlantis. I’m happy with the work I’m doing. I’m even happy I’m not the Head of Science any more – and who would have thought I’d ever say that? I feel like I fit in there with the eclectic, crazy group that’s been assembled. And no one else in this galaxy would be able to fathom even a small part of the things we’ve seen and done. Then there’s the two of you. I don’t want to take away the best thing that’s ever happened to either of you career-wise. And, even with all of my new-found skills from Lapras, I doubt I would be able to completely suffer in silence if I was unhappy with our arrangement – so you would have known if I was unhappy.”
“So we’re not going to be picking out china patterns and looking at houses with white picket fences?” Chuck asked, sounding crestfallen.
“Do you remember what I said about not moving my stuff again?” Rodney asked him. “I was completely serious.”
“You could always do the painting while we did the moving,” Evan told him with a laugh.
“You two are evil,” Rodney told them with a small smile.
“So, you’re serious about coming back to Atlantis?” Chuck asked.
“Completely, 100%, deadly serious with no qualms, reservations, or hints of uncertainty,” Rodney told him before giving him a peck on the lips. “Are we clear?” he asked.
“Crystal,” Evan replied before Rodney kissed him as well. “So, about those bathing suits….”
After they got up and prepared for the day, they still hadn’t heard anyone stirring from the outer room, so Chuck quietly opened the door and they peeked out to find John and Carson were still asleep.
“Think we should wake them up?” Evan asked quietly, after they watched them for a few moments. Carson rolled onto his back and John easily accommodated the movement without stirring and stayed wrapped around him protectively.
“Might as well,” Chuck replied. “If we don’t, who knows how long we’ll be here.”
“Oh, like that would be a hardship,” Rodney replied. But he found himself striding across the distance and pulling the covers off of the sleeping couple. “Rise and shine, sleepyheads.” There was some muffled grumbling from the bed as Rodney then opened the curtains, which allowed a bright shaft of sunlight to hit John and Carson squarely on the face. “No sleeping the day away while we’re on vacation.”
Carson grimaced and John tried to burrow his head into Carson’s shoulder. “You’re evil, Rodney McKay,” Carson told him gruffly.
“That may be the case, but you two can sleep on the beach if you want, now chop-chop. We’re going down for breakfast and we expect you to be ready when we get back.”
“That really was kind of evil,” Chuck told Rodney with a grin as they headed down the hallway towards the elevators.
“I know,” Rodney replied, pleased with himself. “But John’s done that to me numerous times when we were off-world and I’ve always wanted to get him back.”
John and Carson joined Evan, Chuck, and Rodney before they finished eating, freshly showered and looking mostly awake. “Vacation is supposed to be for relaxing, Rodney,” John told him.
“I know,” Rodney replied, grinning, as he ate a piece of cantaloupe. “But consider us even now, John, for all the times you’ve done that to me – and for interrupting us last night.”
John glared at him before shaking his head and smiling as he dug into his eggs. “And to think I missed this when you were on Lapras.”
They stopped on their way to the beach to buy the necessary supplies – bathing suits, towels, sunscreen, and some snacks. When they got there, they changed in the bathhouse before renting an umbrella and John rented a surfboard. They headed to a more secluded part of the beach and set up camp. Rodney played mother hen and made sure everyone had been liberally slathered in sunscreen before allowing them near the water. Then John was running down towards the water with his surfboard and Carson was watching him with an amused smile and shake of his head.
“Come on, Rodney,” Evan said, tugging at Rodney’s hand. “We’re going in.”
“We’re doing what?” Rodney asked in surprise. “There’s no way in hell I’m going in. The water has to be freezing and there’s seaweed and jellyfish and sharp shells and riptides and who knows what else in there.”
They heard a whoop coming from the water and looked to see a grinning, soaking wet John sitting astride his surfboard and waving them in. “Come on, guys! It feels great!” he called.
“Well, I for one am going,” Carson told them and headed down to the water.
“Me too,” Chuck told them.
Evan tugged Rodney’s hand. “We’re not going to let you drown,” he said.
“I *can* swim, thank you very much,” Rodney told him sarcastically.
“Then let’s go. We don’t have to be in very long.”
“Fine,” Rodney sighed and let Evan drag him down to the water.
They pushed their way through a few low breakers to join Chuck and Carson in waist-deep water where the waves still swelled, but wouldn’t crash on them. Rodney had to admit that the water felt good under the hot sun – cooler than the air, yet still comfortably warm. And there were none of the dangers that he had feared either.
As soon as they got out there, Chuck splashed Rodney and Evan with a mischievous grin on his face. Evan immediately splashed him back, partially hitting Carson as well, and the fight was on. The four of them splashed each other until they were dripping wet and laughing. Then they swam and floated in the water, simply enjoying themselves. John swam by a few times and each time gracefully caught the wave and rode it into the beach before swimming back out, a huge grin on his face. After a few times, John ditched the board by their towels and joined them in the water, hugging Carson from behind before pulling him into the water with him. They both came up sputtering and laughing and Carson was squirming to get out of John’s grasp. As he did so, he splashed Chuck in the face and the splash war was on again.
When they got out of the water, the five of them were grinning madly and dripping all the way back their things. John and Evan threw themselves down onto their towels with a sigh of contentment. Carson laughed and shook his head as he wiped himself off, then settled on his towel.
Rodney did the same while Chuck rummaged through their bags and pulled out a bottle of water. He took a drink and handed it to Rodney, who gratefully took a drink as well. When he held the bottle in Evan’s line of sight, Evan just opened his mouth and Rodney carefully poured some in. By unspoken consent, they started divvying up the food and ate quietly.
As the day wore on, they went out in the water a few more times and John took Carson out on the surfboard and taught him some of the basics, to Carson’s hesitant pleasure. The beach also filled up with more people. There were a few families, a number of groups, and some couples. And, as far as Rodney could tell, they were almost all gay. It felt weird to be surrounded by this many out couples. Sure, a few more had come out on Atlantis since John had started hammering home the fact that intolerance wouldn’t be tolerated and couples found that Elizabeth had been serious about the change in policies, but given the size of the population, there was still a much smaller presence there than even here on the beach. A few people greeted them warmly as they passed by and they replied in kind, a bit stymied by the openness.
“Don’t get me wrong,” Carson said out of the blue, “I’ve enjoyed being back and I loved seeing my family, but I miss Atlantis. I doubt I could willingly move back here permanently.”
“Me too,” John added from where he had been dozing, an arm thrown over his eyes. “It just feels ‘off’ here. I know it sounds weird, but I miss the connection to Atlantis herself.”
“We said that the other day,” Evan told him from where he was laying on his stomach, as he propped himself up on his elbows. “I miss the weird vegetables.”
“I miss the craziness,” Chuck admitted. “Not just the big end-of-the-world Wraith craziness, but the little craziness too.”
“You mean like playing paper football during meetings?” Evan asked, squinting at him.
He nodded. “Exactly.”
“I just miss everything, I think,” Rodney replied. “And the easy – well, easier than here – access to Lapras.”
They were all quiet for a few moments, lost in their own thoughts, before Chuck broke the silence with, “Well, that was surprisingly random and maudlin. I don’t know about you guys, but I’m ready for some real food.”
The rest of the group agreed and they gathered their things and headed out, stopping along the way to return the umbrella and surfboard. They stopped at the hotel long enough to shower and change before heading out to a local Mexican restaurant that had been recommended by the concierge.
As they ate, they started to plan the rest of their week with the help of some pamphlets that Chuck had snagged from one of the stands in the hotel, but then they decided to just take it day by day and see where they ended up. John and Carson also tactfully agreed to make themselves scarce on Wednesday and that they’d leave the car for Evan, Chuck, and Rodney if they wanted to go out.
When they got back to the hotel, the five of them watched a movie together before calling it a night. As Rodney drifted off to sleep, Chuck in his arms and Evan’s arm under his hand on the other side of Chuck, Rodney didn’t think he had ever been so content in his life.
The next few days passed by in a blur. In honor of the weirder aspects of their lives on Atlantis, they shied away from some of the more normal touristy things and checked out some of the more bizarre things and cuisine San Francisco had to offer. Rodney couldn’t help but laugh at some of the questions they peppered the concierge with, if his perplexed look was anything to go by.
On Wednesday morning, Rodney was vaguely aware of John and Carson creeping into the bathroom and the sounds of them getting ready for their day before creeping out again. He stayed contentedly wrapped up in his lovers’ arms, enjoying the peace that surrounded them.
When he finally did wake up fully, Chuck was already awake and languidly running his fingertips along Rodney’s arm, chest, and stomach, as well as Evan’s arm and side.
“Happy anniversary,” Chuck whispered with a smile.
“Happy anniversary,” Rodney parroted back with a goofy grin. Who would have ever thought that he would have lasted a year with not one, but two guys in an alien outpost in another galaxy?
Evan’s arm tightened around Rodney’s waist and he breathed in sharply before letting it out slowly. He rubbed his nose against Rodney’s shoulder before kissing it softly. “Morning,” he said sleepily.
“Morning,” both Rodney and Chuck replied.
“Happy anniversary,” Chuck told him.
“Happy anniversary to you too,” Evan told him. “Happy anniversary,” he said to Rodney.
“Happy anniversary,” Rodney replied. He stretched slowly and carefully, not wanting to disturb his lovers.
“So, what should we do today?” Chuck asked, resuming his slow mapping of Rodney’s torso.
“I know a few things *I* want to do today,” Evan replied with an impish glint in his eyes as he leaned over to kiss first Chuck, then Rodney. As he and Rodney broke apart, his stomach growled. “But first things first.”
He got up to retrieve the menu off the table in the outer room. And both on the way out and coming back in, Rodney watched him with a mix of love, lust, affection, and a myriad of other emotions and he knew that the same look would be mirrored in Chuck’s expression if he looked. Evan looked up from perusing the menu as he reentered the room and the intensity of love that Rodney saw there took his breath away.
“Thank you,” Evan said when he got back into bed with them.
“For what?” Chuck asked.
“For this year. For loving me so much and letting me love you in return. I never believed that I could love anyone else so much.”
“I should be the one saying that,” Rodney told him, looking between the two men. “And for everything you’ve done for me since I came back from Lapras, and for giving me an anchor.”
Chuck laughed. “I guess I’ll add my two cents too, then. Thank you both not only for loving me so much and letting me love you in return, but for letting me share in your lives and for pushing me to be better in my own.”
“We’re really a bunch of saps, aren’t we?” Evan asked.
“But I wouldn’t trade this for anything else,” Rodney replied seriously before his stomach growled. “So, food would be good,” he said, steering them back onto their previous topic.
They quickly made their decisions and called for room service before settling back into bed. They slowly stoked their ardor as they waited with feather-light touches and soft kisses all over each other’s bodies.
When the knock on the door came, all three of them groaned and Evan got up to answer it, pausing along the way to pull on a pair of Chuck’s pajama bottoms, as Chuck and Rodney sat up. He took the food and tipped the waitress before heading back into the bedroom. Rodney took the tray from him, and Evan stripped again and joined his partners on the bed.
They slowly fed each other, using their fingers as much as the utensils and simply enjoyed themselves.
Chuck dispensed with the tray after they finished. He knelt on the bed when he returned and said expectantly, “Okay, now what?”
“I’d like to fuck you,” Rodney told him as he ran a hand up the side of Chuck’s thigh and over his ass. He pushed his fingers into the crack in Chuck’s ass and stroked over the opening to his asshole.
Chuck shivered and his half-hard cock twitched. He let out a shuddered breath and licked his lips as he nodded. They both looked expectantly at Evan, who stretched languidly back against the pillows and his own erection tented the sheet.
“I personally don’t care,” he told them, “as long as we’re all happy by the end of it.”
Rodney rolled his eyes and said, “You always say that.” As Chuck said, “Not a valid answer – please try again.”
Evan nodded as he propped himself up on a few pillows. “I do, but it’s true. Okay, then I want Chuck to suck me while Rodney’s fucking him.”
“Now we’re getting somewhere,” Rodney said as he grabbed the lube off of the nightstand and Chuck settled himself on his hands and knees between Evan’s now bare and spread legs.
Evan caressed Chuck’s face, neck and shoulders as Rodney slowly prepped him, slowly fucking him first with well-lubed fingers to stretch him. Chuck responded by pushing himself back onto Rodney’s fingers to meet each thrust. Even without seeing Chuck’s face, Rodney could picture it easily in his mind – eyes closed, lips slightly parted, and a look of utter joy on his face.
As Rodney pulled his fingers out of Chuck for the last time, he looked up at Evan and took in the blatant arousal and love in his expression. Rodney gripped Chuck’s hips and slowly pushed his cock inside Chuck’s now pliant body. Chuck shuddered with a gasp and pressed back, easily taking Rodney in up to the hilt. When he was completely seated inside of Chuck, Rodney nodded to Evan and Evan guided Chuck’s head down to his waiting cock.
Rodney took his time as he slowly thrust in and out of Chuck’s body, enjoying the way Chuck’s ass gripped his cock every time he entered him and followed him as he withdrew. He also enjoyed the sound of soft moans escaping from both Chuck and Evan as Chuck matched the rhythm of his mouth with the one Rodney had set on his ass. And he couldn’t take his eyes away from the sight of Evan spread out on the pillows in front of Chuck, his hands in Chuck’s hair, eyes closed and mouth open, body writhing beneath the pleasurable torment Chuck was conducting on his cock.
Like always, Rodney wished this could go on forever, but soon enough Evan was shuddering, then going completely still as he came in Chuck’s mouth. Chuck’s ass clamped down on Rodney’s cock as he swallowed and the combined sensation of Chuck’s ass and the sight of Evan coming pushed Rodney the last few feet over the edge and he came as well.
Relaxing against Chuck’s back, Rodney reached beneath Chuck and took his still hard cock in hand. He stroked him slowly and surely, teasing his cock as he did so. Chuck released Evan’s cock with a gasp and let his head drop against Evan’s thigh as he fucked himself between Rodney’s cock and his hand. Soon enough, he came in Rodney’s hand with a groan.
They collapsed onto the bed in a heap and Evan immediately engaged Chuck in a kiss as Rodney wiped his hand on the edge of the sheet before joining them. The three men continued to kiss and touch each other until their physical arousal caught up with their desire.
During their second round, Chuck fucked Rodney with such shattering slowness, as Rodney and Evan rubbed their cocks together, that Rodney’s world focus narrowed to the body below him and the body above him and the cock inside of him. When Chuck came, Rodney felt his world shatter around him as he bit down on Evan’s shoulder and he came hard against Evan. Evan gasped and arched against Rodney as he came.
They spent the rest of the day in bed, letting their bodies’ desires and wants dictate what they did. And when John and Carson came back late that evening, they were eating a late supper at the table in the outer room, clad only in boxer shorts or pajama bottoms that weren’t their own and completely sated and happy. And when John and Carson kicked them back into the bedroom so they could have some private time of their own, Rodney, Chuck, and Evan didn’t mind in the least and happily went with various plans for their own encore anniversary celebration.
Continue in Part 39
