I Told You So- John.Rodney..John.Ford :SGA:

"Ford has a crush on you," Rodney said, voice muffled in John's shoulder.

Still in a bit of a post-coital haze, John let out a snort of laughter. "I'll admit he seems to have a bit of a hero worship thing going on, but a crush?" He shook his head, smiling somewhat self-deprecatingly. "I don't think so."

Rodney frowned at the tone of John's voice but decided it wasn't the right time to bother with that particular issue. "Whatever, don't bother listening to me. I'm sure you'll have to deal with it sooner or later anyway."

John didn't reply and they both soon drifted off to sleep. The team had a mission the next day and they needed their rest. Besides, John was sure what Rodney had brought up wasn't an issue.

***

"Colonel!"

John turned at the shout to see Ford following him out of medical bay. "What can I do for you, Lieutenant?" he asked, feeling his gut clench with something like dread. He quickly pushed it aside.

Nothing particularly interesting had happened on the mission they'd just returned from, so there shouldn't have been anything to discuss until debriefing, so John was a little confused. Ford must have rushed through his own medical evaluation to have caught up with him.

Ford stopped in front of him, a strange, shy smile on his face. John pushed the rising feeling of dread down further. "I was wondering if you wanted to, uh get dinner with me sometime, sir."

"Well, sure," he drawled, a flash of panic gripping him which he tried to ignore. He hoped Ford wasn't asking what he was afraid he was asking. "The team usually eats together." That was an out for both of them and he hoped Ford would take it.

Unfortunately, the lieutenant just shook his head slightly. "No, sir. I didn't mean it like that." His voice was strong, but John could tell he was nervous. That made two of them. "I meant just the two of us, like a date."

John felt his face flush but tried to keep his cool, though he knew from the look on Ford's face that he was failing. "It's not that I'm not flattered," he said, trying for reassuring instead of panicking, "but I'm already seeing someone."

"Of course, sir, I should have known. I'm sorry," Ford replied quickly, sounding thoroughly embarrassed. "Who-" he began, but cut himself off as he seemed to realize what he was asking and to who.

John hoped Ford wouldn't continue that line of thought and he could just escape. He knew he wasn't going to be that lucky when Ford's eyes suddenly widened, his mouth falling open. "McKay?" he asked, incredulously. John stiffened, drawing himself up to defend Rodney as a lover, but Ford held up a hand.

"Not that I'm trying to say anything bad about McKay," he said earnestly. "Just... well, he sure talks a lot." John let out a braying laugh, joined after a moment by Ford.

"That," he said, relieved smile still on his face, "is an understatement."

***

That night, John lay in bed next to Rodney, thinking about the extremely awkward and uncomfortable conversation he'd had with Ford. And the warning he'd had which he'd refused to accept. Finally he sighed. "You were right, Rodney."

Rodney turned, but John refused to look at him. "Of course I was," he scoffed. There was a pause. "About what?"

"Ford," John replied somewhat sourly, still not looking at his lover. He could feel the smug smile beginning to form on Rodney's face.

"Well I don't want to say 'I told you so'..." he began, and John grit his teeth, knowing that wouldn't last. "Who am I kidding? Of course I do. I told you so!" he crowed.

John couldn't help a smile at the sound of Rodney's exuberance, though he didn't want Rodney to know that. His ego was big enough as it was. Instead, he buried his face in the other man's neck, taking a deep breath. "Yes, yes. You're always right and I should listen to you more often. Can we sleep now?"