For seven years Todd had waited. He had the life span and patience to have been capable of waiting longer, but even so, it wasn't easy; and it was gratifying when every second of waiting turned out to have been worthwhile.

John felt like an aging hunter, alternately wiry with muscle and soft where his years prevented muscle forming, and it was delicious.

Todd had plans to map out every last inch of skin when the opportunity presented itself, but for the moment, it was easier to let John sleep.

.

If asked - well, if asked, Todd would likely kill the asker - but if asked, he would have had to say that with John, it was always the defiance in him that both infuriated and attracted him; the refusal to let go, to accept, to give in or let others do the same.

Every other human Todd ever knew played the odds. But not John. There was something almost wraith-like in that - as if there was a hunger that drove him past limits that would cripple other humans. Or like a wild-fire; starting out quiet and calm and bursting forth as something more than the sum of its parts.

John was not typical of his kind, or of any kind; Todd had suspected this much early on. From his refusal to be cowed by imprisonment, even by being fed upon, it was clear John's survival instinct took a path less travelled, and went a long way toward explaining why he had been prepared to form any sort of alliance with Wraith-kind.

The friendship between them, if it could be called that, was tenuous at best; even so, Todd could not and would not deny his interest in the human. It had been decidedly satisfying to see the stunned shock on John's face when he returned the favour for helping him escape, the disbelief that a wraith was capable of more than taking life away.

And John had surprised him too. He had not honestly expected the human to allow him to live.

.

Years later and they had each danced in and out of the other's life, usually with explosive consequences, but there had never particularly been a chance for anything more than dramatics. Not that there was anything unusual, or even particularly regrettable in that - it certainly lent a certain spice to proceedings, and their's was never going to be an easy friendship. All too often had they wound up near killing one another, tempers suited for leadership at odds over disasters and plagues, but still; he had found sense enough to wait, to watch John come to terms with relationships that would go no further.

The weddings changed nothing. The children did.

That and one too many beers.

.

Strange after years of waiting to be surprised in the middle of the night by John stumbling into his quarters, announcing "Ooh, chair," as if he had not expected Todd's room to be equipped with the same furniture as everywhere else, and slumping down in said chair. "Rodney's had himself two, a John, and she's gonna have a girl, isn't that awesome?"

Todd figured it would be best to pretend John was speaking in something that resembled complete sentences. "I believe so."

"Smartest kids in the whole galaxy," John confirmed. "Will be. Watch this space."

Todd cocked his head, faintly amused by John's dilated pupils and lack of focus, the mixed scent of sweat and a cloying sweetness from the alcohol leaving the air with a damp scent. "How much have you had to drink?"

"Ah, buddy, Todd, no need to be concerned, I'm fine! I'm -" He swayed a little, looking anything but. "I'm really, really fine." A hiccup, then, before John looked around the room, blinking slowly. "This isn't my room."

"No," Todd agreed pleasantly. "It is not."

"Huh." John laughed before leaning forward and pushing himself back up, using the arms of the chair for leverage. "Can I tell you a secret?"

"Of course."

"Good, good." John grinned, clamping a hand onto Todd's shoulder and gripping tight, as if the fact Todd was capable of standing still meant he was a perfectly acceptable support. "My secret, 's if you weren't a wraith, I -" He seemed to lose his balance for a moment, but half-swinging from Todd's shoulder seemed enough to keep him from falling.

"You would do what, John Sheppard?" Todd prompted.

"Ah, forget it," John announced, following immediately by pressing his lips to Todd's and swearing when he accidentally nicked his tongue on teeth he had clearly forgotten were sharp.

.

The remainder of the night passed much as expected; Todd guided John over to the bed, John rubbed himself against Todd's leg in a vague attempt to orgasm, and when intoxication rendered the attempt futile John gave up and decided sleep would be a better idea. Meaningless, if entertaining.

In the morning, however, John woke with skin that had turned pale and cool as it tried to rid itself of toxins, and for once seemed at a loss for words. Todd had no intentions of letting him leave, decided to find answers for him, and tightened his grip on John's morning erection, stroking lazily.

"I d- did we-" John seemed to stumble for words, as if still a little intoxicated.

"Attempts were made," Todd replied. "You were not in suitable condition."

"I su- I- oh God, that's -" John swallowed, moving in time with Todd's hand, seemed to give up on common sense.

That moment on, it was just a question of waiting until John broke; until sweat slicked the back of his neck, until his thighs spread without encouragement, until he swore and cursed, demanding release. And then waiting a little longer; waiting for the demands to die down, until the only words on John's lips were "Todd", "come on", and "please".

To his credit, John kept eye contact as he came, shuddering and wrung out, limbs going heavy.

.

Todd remained quiet afterwards, drawing wraith markings in slick white on John's stomach as he waited for him to recover, letting the sheet slide off when John pulled at it to take a look at the bed's owner and infrequent occupier. "Huh," John managed after a long while - hadn't the breath or energy to try beforehand, anyway - before concluding, "So. This is weird."

"Mmm," Todd grumbled non-commitally.

"Do I - do I owe you a favour or something?"

"Not this season."

"Huh," John repeated before frowning, looking ever more perplexed by the second. "So this means... I mean... wow. You know, I always thought you were just hungry."

"Sometimes," Todd replied, flexing the hand settled on John's stomach for emphasis. "Sometimes both."

"That's gross."

"To you, perhaps." Even out of season there was something stirring about the thought. "You are not the first human to have struggled with the concept."

"Yeah, well, some of us don't really like the idea of getting eaten. Ate. Whatever." A hand gesture then that with a little more enthusiasm could have been one of Mckay's. "Is this a... I don't know. A thing?"

"I would hope so. I haven't met a human like you before in all my years, John Sheppard."

"Oh, thanks," John replied, looking slightly startled, before relaxing a little against the bed. "Really?"

"Bearing in mind I spent many of them in prison. Yes."

"Yeah, kind of forget about that sometimes."

"I do not."

John looked down at Todd's hand where it rested before taking hold and moving it to the side. "I, um, I don't - cuddle."

"Good," Todd replied, rolling to lie on his back. "I would prefer not to."

Another moment before John sat up again. "You're serious about this, aren't you?"

"Yes." It was hard to keep a civil tongue at the repetition, but Todd managed.

"That's - weird." John frowned, grinned, frowned again and lay back down with a little encouragement in the form of Todd's hand on his shoulder. "Uh, Todd?"

"Mm?"

"What do you mean, season?"

Todd grinned despite himself. "You will see."

Apprehensive or otherwise, John settled at last, letting the need to sleep off the last of his intoxication take over and leaving Todd to his own thoughts.

.

Seven years, Todd had waited. And in another two months he would have John in all the ways he had pictured when restoring his life at the start of all this.

In the meantime?

In the meantime he would simply have to hope they did not drive each other to homicide yet again.

.

The End