“And when we lived in that tent, we had no light. Just the light of the stars reflecting off my mother’s tears. And my brother caught the plague so we had to sell my sister to the doctor for medicine, but the medicine was really just sand and spit in little pills.”
Rodney couldn’t see Zelenka’s face, he was too far underneath the gateroom console to see much of anything, but it didn’t stop him from fantasizing about killing Zelenka. He was sure it was possible, even if the whole of the Czech Republic hadn’t been able to do it.
“And then the we had to leave the tent, because the elk needed pasture. My other brother fell in love with one of the elk and had to leave him. He never loved again. But then we moved to a new house, which blew down and we had to move into another tent, which was made of dirt and tears.”
But, Rodney reminded himself, he had to be nicer to Zelenka. He had saved his life, after all, and that warranted amnesty from a boot in his face.
“Hey.” And a boot almost slammed into Rodney’s face. Rodney slid out from under the console with a sputter.
“What! You almost killed me.” Rodney could feel his mouth turning downward and his forehead creasing. He closed his eyes. Blue sky, endless black.
“You’re fat.” Rodney opened his eyes again to look at Ronon, who had his eyes narrowed and his hand on his neck.
Rodney gaped at him. “You, you hugged me! Even after I wasn’t about to die! That is - that – you love me!”
“Your ass looks huge in those pants.” Ronon said, putting his hand on his gun. “You probably can’t fit into a chair!”
And then Ronon laughed, really laughed, which Rodney hadn’t every heard before. It sounded kind of like a wounded donkey.
“Like your mom!” Ronon choked out, and scratch that, his laugh sounded like a wounded, retarded donkey.
If Ronon would take his hand off of his gun, Rodney might have laughed along, because this was the stupidest thing he had every seen. Even stupider than that time Sheppard had tried to wear man makeup to impress the ladies. As it was, Rodney was just trying to figure out if Ronon had switched his gun from stun back to kill. The man might be unfunny, but he knew his weaponry.
No one said anything, but Ronon kept laughing to himself and muttering ‘fatty’ as Rodney stooped back down under the console.
*
Of course Elizabeth heard about it, which was terrible, because next thing John would hear about it and that would mean John would try to convince him to try anorexia with him. Or lend him his cutting razor to dull the pain. Or offer to keep watch when Rodney went to throw up every meal.
But Elizabeth just called Rodney into to find out if he needed to cry it out. He didn’t, but he took her up on her offer of a hug and pretended not to notice she sighed ‘Stephen’ as she lay her head on his shoulder.
Ronon was coming in to the office as he was leaving.
“Hey Rodney McFat.” Ronon jabbed his finger into Rodney’s side as he passed, leading Elizabeth to purse her lips and blink at Rodney as she closed the door to her office.
*
Rodney was leaving his second favourite lab when Ronon found him again. Rodney was trying to juggle three laptops, a data pad and a powerbar and he really wanted to get back to his rooms before John found him eating.
Ronon crowded Rodney into the corner, eyes focused levelly at Rodney. For the second time that week, Rodney was certain he was going to die.
Ronon cleared his throat. “It doesn’t matter if you’re fat, because fatness or non-fatness is just a tool of the patriarchy.”
Rodney nodded his head mutely, because maybe, for a second time that week, he’d somehow been granted a reprieve.
“Even if you are fat, it only matters what you are on the inside. It is important that we stick together and judge each other on appearances because that is the only way women will gain equality and we will defeat the wraith.”
Ronon backed up a step and gestured at Rodney. “You have to bloom like a flower and release your inner beauty.”
Rodney finally found his voice. “I’ll do that. Just – just” he wanted to laugh and check Ronon’s brainwaves and eat his powerbar all at the same time.
Ronon nodded and turned to leave. As he walked out the door, Rodney collapsed into a chair. He pinched his stomach with his fingers, considering.
Just then, John walked into the room. He walked over to Rodney and knelt, putting his hand beside Rodney’s on his stomach. He looked up at Rodney “It’s okay, buddy. Just more of you to love.”
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Date: 2006-12-13 07:30 am (UTC)Awww.