Disclaimer: Nothing's mine, just playing with them! Please don't sue me, I don't have money...

Season: Somewhere late season 2 or early season 3, it's up to you

Spoilers: None really...I'll give you a heads up if that should change

Warnings: The pairing is McShep so there will be Slash, albeit nothing too graphic

Status: WIP but the first few chapters are already written and updates should occur every few days

A/N: Okay this is my first fanfiction ever, and to top that, it's not even written in my native language. I read this over and over but I'm quite sure I couldn't catch all mistakes so I'm asking you to be gentle and if you find any MAJOR mistake, please let me know! *begs* I will also try to do my best to stay in character. If I should fail too hard please let me know. So, here is the rather short (more a long prologue) chapter of SoF

1. The Wonderous Technique of 'Accept and Pass On'

"Oh, what now?"

Every head in the science department turned towards the familiar voice and the even more familiar tone of barely concealed annoyance which almost always accompanied Dr. Rodney McKays words.

Most of them already knew the reason for McKays little outburst and tried to pretend that they were working on something marvelous while listening very closely as Radek Zelenka made his way towards his obstinate friend and colleague.

No one missed the mischievous grin on his face.

"Well Rodney, shouldn't that be my question?"

McKay just grumbled something unintelligible as he picked up the card which was secured to the bunch of flowers that were lying prone on his desk.

He immediately recognized them as flowers from the mainland. The extraordinary shade of purple had intrigued him from the first time he'd seen them.

The Athosians had etablished some kind of mushy tradition when they'd decided to welcome every visitor with a bunch of these flowers. They were apparently spreading on an open field nearby their settlement.

Cautious of his allergies, Rodney'd made his own little tradition and had always immediately given his share to Teyla as soon as they reached the Puddle Jumper. She always accepted them with a genuine smile, grateful that the often difficult man had waited until they were out of sight of her people.

So even though he found them quite pretty, he had never felt the urge to plaster his environment with them. And now some imbecile had decided to use his own technique of 'Accept and Pass on' against him.

'Well' Rodney thought, while he began to read the hand written message, 'don't think I won't find out who you..'

And that's when it that he would deny for the rest of his life: Rodney McKay, self-proclaimed genius of two galaxies stopped thinking all together and couldn't bring himself to form any coherent line of thoughts while his face turned into a rather unhealthy shade of red in front of his whole science staff.

Almost every scientist misplaced the sudden turn of colors for the sign of an upcoming burst of good ol' McKay rage and rather comically tried to reach all at once the farthest end of the lab, even harder trying to convince themselves and their boss that the work they did would change the world as they knew it.

Only Zelenka noticed the wide open, rapidly blinking blue eyes and the slightly O-shaped mouth which let the head scientist appear not so much angered as...embarrassed?

No longer able to fight his own curiousity the Czech took some hestitant steps and began to read the note over McKay's shoulder, positiv that Rodney wouldn't mind, not to mention notice what he was doing.

Already after the first few lines he too felt the heat creep onto his cheeks.

*~*~*

'My Precious,

I'm glad to see that your last mission went quite well again and I'm once more able to admire your piercing blue eyes and fine ass while you walk down the halls. I tried to fight the urge to let you know how much I desire your mind and body but I'm no longer able to do so. So don't worry my precious this sign of my love won't be the last one.

Yours truly,

Scientist's lover'

*~*~*

Rodney seemed to snap out of his stupor when Zelenka reached the last few words.

Oddly enough, he only shot a few daggers at Zelenka for reading this rather personal note without his permission and crumpled the piece of paper to throw it roughly the way the bin was supposed to be.

"Why would you do that? There seems to be a lady out there who would like to get to know you." Zelenka asked with a raised eyebrow, banishing the doubt if a 'lady' would mention something like a "fine ass" in a love letter.

McKay seemed to think in rather similar ways.

"Are you kidding?" he hissed in a harsh whisper, more alert to all the eavesdropping ears in the room than he let on, "This is nothing more than a stupid joke. Not even the most dumb and lovesick woman would write something like this and place it in an open lab where everyone can see it."

And almost like an afterthought Rodney added: " And even if it was the real thing, I'm not interested."

Zelenka was a little taken aback by his friends outright rejection of the mysterious admirer, real or not, and an idea formed in his mind.

"Is there already someone else?"

He had fully expected Rodney to freak out and yell at him to mind his own buissness. But surprisingly he just stared with distant eyes at an imaginary point a little bit above Zelenkas shoulder and looked honestly thoughtful for a moment before he gave a little shrug as if to dismiss his own thoughts only to answer seconds later with an uncharacteristically soft and hestitant "Maybe... there really is."

Suddenly he snapped out of it and once again put on his mask of annoyance and superiority.

"But maybe you could begin work on the calculations I asked of you hours ago instead of standing here and asking me stupid questions. So unless you have something productive to say, which I doubt, I'd say you go back to work before I have to do everything on my own as usual."

Something about the tone warned Zelenka to ask more questions or to remind Rodney that he had ordered the calculations just half an hour ago.

So he just watched when his difficult friend walked away with not so much as a backward glance at the flowers and oblivious or simply not caring for the glances he received from various of his colleagues.

Zelenka though did notice them and bent down to pick up the crumpled note to put it in his pocket.

'We don't need more gossip here', he thought when he picked up the flowers and searched for something like a vase.

Near the door, just out of earshot, a tall man was smiling fondly at the retreating back of his precious scientist while his friend picked up the flowers.

He hadn't expected for his love to react all happy and touched by his little gesture because he knew this had to be a little bit overwhelming for the good doctor, considering that not everyone here on Atlantis showed him the affection and respect he deserved.

'But' the man promised silently while he retreated into the dark 'you will soon understand how much I love you.'

Please R&R (even though there is not much to review about, just tell me what you think). Nevertheless there should be the next chapter tomorrow or the day after.

InsaneMelon