[ John is never really happy. Chyler knows, because she knows the feeling. She hasn't been happy for a long time. Not consistently. It comes in fits and starts, odd moments, arguments with Tom or their talks late at night, and now when John tells her about Atlantis. He lights up then, too, comes to life in a way she thinks he might have in the past, before life was too much to smile through.
But he's never really happy. Which is why Chyler notices when he suddenly is. It's a lightness she's not used to seeing from him, a calm that comes with smiles that reach his eyes.
She also notices the way he tracks that pilot of his whenever they're in the same room, ever since both of them showed up one day looking like they'd been beaten half to hell.
Chyler sets John's morning coffee on his desk, her other arm full of folders. ]
[John mid-sip when the question hits. He almost sprays the coffee onto Chyler's uniform and the folders, but keeps it in his (ballooned) cheeks through sheer force of will, and successfully chokes it down.]
Where the hell did that come from?
[John hadn't told Chyler about Poe. He hasn't told anyone. She knows they work together, and 'hang out' in their off-time, but he's never mentioned the fact they're anything more than comrades and friends. Has he been that obvious? If his face wasn't red from the coffee, it is now.
Teen-terminator from Planet Terror is the last person John expected call him out.]
[ Okay that reaction makes Chyler bite her lip to try and keep from smiling. It was way better than she was hoping for. It also completely and totally confirms her suspicions. ]
You moon at him.
[ She sorts through a few files, a smile still twitching at the corners of her lips as she puts two next to his coffee. ] And now he's mooning at you.
[ A RAISED EYEBROW. ] I'm concerned about it interfering with work.
[John leans back in his chair, kicking both booted feet up onto the corner of his desk, coffee in hand.
Poe moons at him. He smiles, takes a long drink of his coffee, and closes his eyes.
Just another morning in RR-1.]
Because it's dangerous, that's why. Distraction. Conflict of interest. Whatever you want to call it.
I know I might seem all-knowing and all-powerful, but I'm human too, y'know. It's hard enough making calls with the lives of my team on the line. The last thing I need is to make those calls any more difficult, or to give anyone reason to question my judgement.
When push comes to shove, you guys have to trust I'll make the right decision for the mission, and for everyone, not just for me.
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early feb, pre-mission
Date: 2018-02-27 07:03 am (UTC)But he's never really happy. Which is why Chyler notices when he suddenly is. It's a lightness she's not used to seeing from him, a calm that comes with smiles that reach his eyes.
She also notices the way he tracks that pilot of his whenever they're in the same room, ever since both of them showed up one day looking like they'd been beaten half to hell.
Chyler sets John's morning coffee on his desk, her other arm full of folders. ]
Did he kiss you?
(no subject)
Date: 2018-02-27 10:57 pm (UTC)Where the hell did that come from?
[John hadn't told Chyler about Poe. He hasn't told anyone. She knows they work together, and 'hang out' in their off-time, but he's never mentioned the fact they're anything more than comrades and friends. Has he been that obvious? If his face wasn't red from the coffee, it is now.
Teen-terminator from Planet Terror is the last person John expected call him out.]
And what's it to you?
(no subject)
Date: 2018-02-28 06:00 am (UTC)You moon at him.
[ She sorts through a few files, a smile still twitching at the corners of her lips as she puts two next to his coffee. ] And now he's mooning at you.
[ A RAISED EYEBROW. ] I'm concerned about it interfering with work.
(no subject)
Date: 2018-02-28 06:53 am (UTC)[John can't help that stupid, lop-sided grin. It's the same stupid, lop-sided grin he gets when Poe calls, texts, or visits RR-1's tiny office.
He picks up the nearest file, a thick one, and swats her with it.]
And there's a reason I didn't ask him to be part of this team. That's called fraternization, and it's probably illegal here.
(no subject)
Date: 2018-02-28 07:05 am (UTC)[ As though either man has been remotely subt--rude? ]
I know what it's called! [ Wait. ] That's why you didn't ask him to be part of the team? Because you wanted...
[ AN AIRY GESTURE that could mean anything from kisses to canoodling but Chyler will be damned if she says any of the above out loud. ]
(no subject)
Date: 2018-02-28 07:22 am (UTC)[John leans back in his chair, kicking both booted feet up onto the corner of his desk, coffee in hand.
Poe moons at him. He smiles, takes a long drink of his coffee, and closes his eyes.
Just another morning in RR-1.]
Because it's dangerous, that's why. Distraction. Conflict of interest. Whatever you want to call it.
I know I might seem all-knowing and all-powerful, but I'm human too, y'know. It's hard enough making calls with the lives of my team on the line. The last thing I need is to make those calls any more difficult, or to give anyone reason to question my judgement.
When push comes to shove, you guys have to trust I'll make the right decision for the mission, and for everyone, not just for me.
(no subject)
Date: 2018-03-02 07:15 am (UTC)[ Still, there's a small smile on her face, a warmth in her chest that's fragile and new. She trusts him. She trusts him completely.
That doesn't mean she'll go easy on him.
Chyler smacks his booted feet with one of her own files. ]
You're going to get dirt on your desk.