accomplishedAuthor: Leia/Camshaft22
Fandom: Stargate SG-1/Atlantis
Rating: PG
Notes: For
sg1_smooch . I don't own anything, not even my car.Pairing: Cameron Mitchell/John Sheppard
Word count: 2, 395
Cameron Mitchell, decorated Air Force Colonel, had faced bigger odds than this. So, why was he here, nervous and unable to speak to John Sheppard? He was being foolish. But after hiding it for so long... he just didn’t know how to say the words. Cam exhaled and knocked on the door to Sheppard’s temporary quarters, hoping for the best.
“Come in,” John Sheppard sat crosslegged on the bed, a ringbook on his knees, working through the tight scribbles. Making sense of this was always a challenge.
Cam entered the room and smiled. “Hi. Hey, so, uh, you busy? I was thinking we might go out to dinner, together.”
John put away the ringbook and grinned. “Actually... I could do with some food. I haven’t been in the mess hall since... yesterday, I think.” Sitting around and awaiting General O’Neill’s decisions and Woolsey’s decisions.... he smiled broadly at Cam. At least he’d have Cam’s company, and that was something he always enjoyed. So he hopped off the bed and grabbed his leather jacket. “Where do we go?”
“I was thinking something a little... more out of the way than usual. You feel up to leaving the Springs?” Cam asked, taking a chance.
“Sure,” John grinned. “Now you have me curious about the place you’ll drag me. Is that getback for all the times you complained I was making you eat “weird food”?”
Cam chuckled. “Maybe,” he teased. “I was thinking Denver. I know it’s a bit of a drive, but...” he said, shrugging.
“Denver, okay... but you are driving. I’ll even squeeze into your Mustang.” John replied as they walked up to the exit of the base and signed out.
Cam grinned at him. “C’mon. I got us reservations even,” he told him, wanting to do this right.
John followed him, getting curious. Not that he did mind, he had always liked Cam’s company, his friendship something very precious to him. And... how often had he used the excuse of a long ride, letting Cam drive and just look at him? So, Denver was absolutely fine by him.
“I think you’ll like this,” Cam told him as they left, heading towards the elevator.
Cam walked in with Sheppard, glancing at him. He really hoped this went well. Cam spoke to the Hostess, telling her that they had a reservation and then waited patiently with Shep. “There’s a few minutes wait... but she said it wouldn’t take too long.”
John glanced around the place, Cam had chosen a really nice one for them. But he seemed tense somehow. “You okay?” he asked. “No worries about the wait...”
“Oh yeah, yeah, definitely ok,” Cam assured him. “Just wanted to have a nice dinner with you...” he explained awkwardly.
“Thanks, I’ve missed hanging out with you...” John replied as the waitress came back to show them to their seats.
Cam’s ears flushed red, smiling once Sheppard said that. He let Sheppard take a seat then sat down, slipping off his jacket. “So, what’s new?”
“On what end?” John asked. “I am probably re-assigned to Cheyenne Mountain, but for what is not said yet. The family is good. Dave is doing well I hear.”
“Any end,” Cam told him. “I’m sorry. I wish... It’s not right, you know? Oh, good to hear. That’s good, right?”
John smiled at Cam. “I... I will miss Atlantis, but... being back here might have it’s perks as well.” He had known it was coming, the mission was changed and restructured. “How about you?” He asked, wanting to hear more about Cam.
“Still don’t know about my team. It’s me, T, Vala and Jackson. Which is good, but I miss having Sam. It’s been like a year, but I still sometimes feel like we’re one step away from being blown up or something,” he said wryly.
“Sam will be amazing on the Hammond,” John said with a grin. He had served under Carter for a year and respected her. “But you still have a good team... good linguist, guy to kick all the ass you want, and a thief to find what was never lost...”
“Yeah. I kinda feel like the guy on Leverage,” he joked. “Sorry, have you seen that yet? Vala’s into it so we’ve been having team night so she can watch.”
“Na... the last few times I was around for TV either Rodney was there or the big guy,” John admitted. “The last time I annoyed the hell out of Rodney asking him about the Canadian cricket team..”
Cam laughed. “Oh, I imagine that went well,” he said as their drinks were delivered. He ordered an appetizer then watched Sheppard.
“It did... he spluttered half the evening,” John grinned, adding some more fun stories. it was a good topic and always brought that grin on Cam’s face.
“How are Ronon and Teyla settling in?” Cam asked, enjoying the stories about John’s team.
“They aren’t staying on Earth,” John said. “but they liked the visit a lot. Teyla has great plans for the Athosians and Ronon... he’ll either help them, or help Atlantis, or both. Things are changing.”
“I thought you were being reassigned... You belong there, Sheppard,” Cam told him, shocked on his behalf.
“I am being reassigned, transferred back to Earth, not my team.” John told him. “Ever since Atlantis was here... they are restructuring the mission, prioritizing and downsizing too.” Vividly he recalled Holo-Rodney’s voice from his trip to the future. We were under a new management. Strangely, in this timeline he was one of those to leave, due to reassignment.
“That’s not right. Do you... Have you talked to General O’Neill?” Cam asked, wondering why he was so eager to get rid of him when all he wanted was for him stay.
“The General said he’d see what he could do... but that I should expect being transferred to Cheyenne Mountain,” John replied. “with all that mess with the Destiny, the General has taken a more firm hand with who gets into the SGC,” meaning the project had proven that too many civilians could become a problem and General O’Neill was strengthening the SGC as the military arm of the program. “and I guess he wants some people able to handle Ancient stuff at hand...”
Cam frowned. “It’s... I know how much it meant to you. I’m sorry,” he told him.
“Stop saying that,” John said. “I can see his point. The whole Destiny mess should never have happened.”
“Oh, I agree on that. I guess I just... It just doesn’t seem right. Who’s going to be in command?” Cam asked.
“In command of what? I have no clue what I’ll be assigned to, so no clue whatsoever.” John admitted. “I am kinda curious what the General will decide on me.”
“The base,” Cam said, giving him a meaningful look. “I am too.”
“Woolsey got another year and I guess they will promote Lorne. He deserves it... he has a good career ahead of him.” And he’d make General one day. John could so see that.
“Want to join my team?” Cam asked. “You’re smart as hell,” he told him, knowing this was such a bad idea. “Maybe swing a promotion? You deserve Colonel.”
John laughed. “If I ever make Colonel some people have to be on crack to ever sign that document,” he told him. “they nearly went into cardiac arrest when Weir talked them into making me light bird. But your team... is full, much as I’d love it. And you’d actually get to order me about.”
“Good point. It might be better if you have your own team. But maybe a better one than the last time. I know some good people...” Cam suggested quickly. “I think you should be Colonel. I’ll write a letter if you want.”
“Cam, forget it! It’s a waste of paperwork,” John told him. “my own team... I might look, maybe this time will be better. So I have some good people to haul your ass out of the fire.”
Cam touched his hand. “It’s not a waste, John,” he told him.
John did not mind the light touch the least. “It is... and I don’t mind. The higher up you get the more paperwork you have to do.”
“It’s not so bad,” Cam said, pulling his hand away as the appetizer arrived. “So are the rumors that you had Lorne do your paperwork true?”
The appetizers came at a stupid time, John sighed. “I did not make him do it,” John replied. “but after I got shot by... well, when we found those lifepods and played goodbye forever, when I was in medical Lorne needed some list for the Daedalus and found my stacks of files. When I got out of medical he had done it all, and ever since stole my paperwork,”
“Likely excuse,” Cam teased him. “But he’s a good man,” he said.
“He did!” John insisted. “and he’s a good man, one of the best. He deserves that command. Atlantis will be in good hands with him.”
“It was in better hands with you,” Cam told him.
“It would not be fair to stay,” John said. “look, Evan deserves his own command, he’s been deserving it for quite some time now. There’s at least three team leaders who’d deserve a rung up. The point is: if we don’t move on and make room, they’ll always stay down. And Atlantis will be fine with Lorne, he’s good.”
“I know. But still. Take a compliment!” Cam told him with a shake of his head as the waitress came around, refilled their drinks and they ordered their dinners.
“But they go to my head,” John teased him a bit. “what about your plans for the future?”
“Stick around, maybe make General. I don’t know. Maybe... Maybe get a personal life,” he told him with a smile.
“They’ll need someone with sense when Landry quits,” John said with a broad grin, Cam had that kind of letter perfect career that might just get him the job one day. “and a personal life? I thought the SGC had regs against that?” his teasing hid a faint sadness. Cam would probably find himself some nice blondie girlfriend, home, picket fences, kids...
“Maybe... Maybe not. But I think I just took a step in the right direction tonight,” he told him with a smile.
“You did?” John asked, not quite sure what Cam was trying to say. Or... was he?
Cam looked at him. “I’d like to think so,” he said, lowering his eyes briefly then looking up into his green eyes.
Their eyes met and suddenly John felt his heart in his throat. He lightly put his arm on the side of the table, his hand coming to rest on Cam’s arm. “Might be a good time...” he replied.
“I definitely agree,” Cam told him with a smile, his heart fluttering in his chest. “So, what does John Sheppard like to do?”
“Does SOCOM IV ring a bell?” John asked, reminding him of some of their XBOX matches of the past. He tilted his head. “aside of ferris wheels of course...”
“I like Ferris Wheels,” Cam told him as their dinner arrived.
John nearly scowled as dinner was served, he withdrew his hand. “Next best thing to flying. What about you? What does Cam Mitchell like to do? Except saving the world every other Tuesday.”
“Oh, we moved that to Wednesday,” Cam joked. “It was messing with Vala’s... whatever she does,” he teased as he started eating. “But I like games... cooking. I love to bake. Driving fast and doing stuff.”
“Driving fast is good,” John loved fast cars and bikes. “doing stuff... hm... what stuff? And cooking, cooking is amazing.”
“All sorts. I fix cars, like to ride motorcycles, I like football.”
“Maybe I should teach you golf?” John suggested. “football is so cliche...”
“Says the man who brought a football video to Atlantis,” Cam said dryly. “But sure. We can play golf.”
“I also brought War and Peace with me,” John reminded him. “and I didn’t say I did not like football...”
Cam scoffed. “You’re calling me cliche now?” he asked. “I’m hurt.”
John could have kicked himself. He had not meant it like that, more like that every good looking guy had to be some football player. “No,” he said. “more that I can see you being a football person.”
Cam chuckled. “I’m teasing. But I’m middle America. Football is a religion where I come from,” he told him.
“Beats bible thmuping grannies,” John teased him back. “I have to watch you worship some time.”
Cam laughed. “I have one of those too. She makes the best macaroons possible,” he told him. “I’ll tell Teal’c. Maybe round up Ronon and Teyla too. Make an event out of it.”
“Ronon will like it, Teyla is very patient with us when it comes to “fun”. But she could kick your ass with her banto sticks. Too bad she and T never sparred, him and Ronon fighting was really really impressive.”
“So I’ve heard,” Cam told him with a grin. “I’m sorry I missed it. So very sorry. I’ve been sparring with Teyla. She didn’t mention it?”
“No, she only mentioned that she sparred with someone on Earth less clumsy than your’s truly.” John grinned at him.
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Cam told him.
“It is one,” John’s eyes laughed at him. He put aside the fork, having eaten enough. He reached over to put his hand on Cam’s. “and I’d like to make a dozen more to see you blush again.”
Cam waved for the waitress, holding John’s hand as she boxed up the leftovers and gave Cam the check. He pulled out his credit card and handed it to her, reaching for John again. They stood up and left the restaurant, hand in hand.
John’s heart was behaving like a fluttery bird or something, as they went outside. Cam’s hand holding his was enough to make most words vanish from his brain. In the darkness outside at least his blush was not as visible. They stopped beside the car, and John was suddenly all aware that he had not been saying a single word...
Cam stopped with him, not knowing where to start but knowing what he wanted. He pulled John close as they started kissing.
Fin