More Besides Joyrides

Rush looks at Young in consternation. "Last time I tried to compliment someone, I accidentally triggered a PTSD flashback," he says. "So I don't do that any more."

"You said you were sorry and that was good enough for me," John comments idly, inspecting Rodney's arithmetic.

Young looks from Rush to Sheppard, confused. "Didn't you two just meet, like, yesterday?"

"Yep," Sheppard says.

It’s hard to tell behind Rush’s six-day beard scruff, but Young is pretty sure he’s turning red. “It was an accident,” he says shortly.

“What did you say?” Young asks incredulously.

“Well, if I say it again, it’s going to happen. Again,” Rush says. “And I’m not doing that.”

Zelenka flops down on the couch next to Lorne. He’s already complaining loudly about something else that McKay’s done, and Lorne hides a smile at the familiar rhythm of Czech curses and English tech jargon. They have a regular meeting set for every other night, either in Lorne’s quarters or Zelenka’s. Lorne brings blankets and junk food, Zelenka brings moonshine.

Tonight they’re watching Radek’s favorite movie. It’s in Czech, so Evan doesn’t understand most of it, but the main characters seem pretty cute, so he stays awake long enough to watch them solve the mystery. When he drifts off, he leans into Radek’s side and doesn’t notice the fond smile the scientist aims his way.

-

Radek Zelenka is not a proud man. He’s smart, and he knows it, but he doesn’t make a point of it like Rodney McKay. He appreciates the intelligence of others, and he likes to listen to other people talk.

He especially likes to listen to Evan Lorne talk. Evan’s voice is musical, and he makes an effort to understand Radek’s mother tongue.  His Czech is slow, accented, and clumsy, but improving fast.

Right now, Evan’s complaining about the latest bullshit that’s gone down with AR-1. Of course, Radek’s already familiar with the sordid details, but they all have the right to bitch about their bosses’ tendencies to get into trouble.

-

Lorne kisses him on a Friday. Zelenka remembers this because the Daedalus had just left, and with the Daedalus came the news that America’s idiotic rules against homosexuality were void.

Zelenka kisses him back, and then takes him out for a candlelit dinner in the mess hall.