Addicted to SGA

hey I really like your fics and it's my birthday today! do you think you could write a little snippet where Rodney takes John to the symposium in brain storm instead and they're tag team bitchy 🥺🥺🥺 pretty pretty please 🥺🥺🥺

happy birthday!!!!! i hope you had an absolutely wonderful day and i apologize that this took so long! i hope you enjoy 🥰💜

"Rodney McKay?"

John immediately felt giddy when he recognized the voice as The Bill Nye. John turned in excitement to see him and Neil DeGrasse Tyson approaching, but his excitement dropped as soon as he saw the look on Rodney's face.

"We had it on good authority that you were... dead," Nye continued, and John suddenly understood why Rodney looked so bothered.

"Nope, he's actually very good at keeping himself and others alive. Been doing it for a few years now, even. Hi, Lt. Colonel John Sheppard," John said, and if he maybe looked a little bit scarier than he usually did when he introduced himself, well, he could hardly be blamed for that.

"Lt. Colonel? How do you know Rodney?" Tyson asked, looking surprised, and maybe a bit nervous, and that certainly made John feel a little smug.

"We work together," Rodney said quickly, glancing at John.

"You work with the U.S. military?" Nye questioned.

"Yeah it's uhh, it's-"

"Confidential. Pretty cool though," John answered in his casual drawl, smirking at Nye and Tyson. They exchanged a look.

"Right... Uhh, well... It was good to see you, McKay. And uhh, nice to meet you?" Tyson said, backing up a few steps before turning and pulling Nye back to whoever they were previously talking to.

"Thanks. That was... actually kind of bearable," Rodney said with a sigh of relief. John smiled at him.

"Come on, let's go get our seats early," John said, throwing an arm protectively around Rodney's shoulder as they made their way into the auditorium.

--

"That's- that's my bridge!" Rodney whispered harshly, and John clenched his teeth.

"I thought it looked familiar. It's the one you and Jeannie built, isn't it? John asked quietly. Rodney nodded as that Tunney guy continued spouting off how he was going to save the planet- and John almost scoffed, because Rodney had saved the planet- multiple times- and even he didn't feel the need to brag to everyone about it.

At least not this arrogantly.

"Okay, I've heard enough," John said, sliding out of his seat. Rodney followed on instinct.

"Where are we going?" Rodney whispered as they made their way through the seats. John turned back to answer when he was interrupted.

"Doctor McKay, leaving so soon?" Tunney called, and suddenly every face in the auditorium turned to John and Rodney. John's hand instinctively twitched for the gun he didn't have.

"Yeah, sorry, that's my fault. I forgot about some... important business we need to urgently take care of," John called back, his casual drawl masking the anger vibrating through him.

"Well, I'm sure it can wait until the presentation is over," Tunney shot back, a smug grin on his face. "I'm sure McKay would be fascinated by my discovery."

John clenched his fists as he glanced at Rodney, who was looking equal parts furious and embarrassed. He opened his mouth, and John shot him a look.

"Well, considering this work is shockingly similar to work he did with me and the U.S. military two years ago, I don't think it'll be that exciting to him. Thanks for the hospitality, but we need to go," John said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Come on Rodney, we're leaving."

"You... you stood up for me," Rodney said when they got back into the lobby, and John was so busy looking for a phone it took him a second to process what Rodney said.

"Of course I stood up for you, that asshole was stealing your work. And he clearly isn't going to be able to prevent the issues we had last time with Rod, and I really don't need another alternate version of us showing up here of all places. We need to get to a phone so we can call the SGC, get this guy shut down." John was moving through the lobby again, looking for a landline, when he noticed Rodney was still just standing there. "What?"

"You didn't even hesitate. You just... thank you," Rodney said, and John was so taken back by the genuine sincerity he almost forgot about the matter at hand.

"Tell you what, if you help me find a phone so I can call Landry, you can make the announcement to everyone that Tunney is getting arrested for stealing top secret work that you came up with, okay? But we really need to call Landry before that machine gets started up."

Rodney beamed.

"I think I love you," Rodney said, like it was the most casual thing in the world, before pointing and leading John down the hallway to what must have been office space. Johns heart fluttered in response.