mayachain

Title: Beating Holidays
Characters: John/Rodney, Jeannie/Kaleb, David, Madison
Rating: PG
Word Count: ~800
Summary: New Year's Eve.
Notes: This is the Christmas sequel to Beating Hearts, to be concluded within the next 3 days.

Special end-of-the-year treat: I wrote the same snippet from both John's and David's point of view. Feel free to pick which one you'd like to read first!

- John -

Is that really safe? Dave asks, eying Rodney bent over the pyrotechnics to let loose around midnight, and John can't help the grin that spreads over his face as Dave doesn't shy away more than a fraction when Rodney turns to ream him out. You should go help Dad, Madison pipes up, cutting short her uncle's tirade before it goes on too long, We're having chocolate fondue; making Dave bow to her and retreat inside, As you wish, Ma'am.

Smooth, Mads, John compliments her, and she beams, distracting John from how weird this is, expecting his brother to go where food is being made. Dave never used to cook before, and John's convinced that as much as they both adored Martha, young Dave also resented her for the low status of her job.

We should have a chess tournament, Rodney decides when everyone has overdosed on chocolate sauce, glancing around to include all of them in the suggestion, flushing at the kiss John plants on him for being magnanimous. They use three chess sets at once, and Kaleb makes his first move against John with a laugh, knowing he'll lose, although he manages to win against Dave in the second round. John suspects that if they hadn't added the pressure of the clock to it, Jeannie might have won.

Let us thank the Ancestors for their guidance during the last year, John says, lighting a candle and trying to remember more of the ceremony so often conducted by Teyla. You know the Ancients are a bunch of idiots, Rodney scoffs, but it's not about that, and John smiles as Rodney teaches Madison to hum the Regeneration Song.

Is it strange that Lantean New Year isn't before another two months, Jeannie asks when it's almost midnight and they're putting on their coats, and John has to think about it, A bit, but the party is a lot less stressful here. All our neighbors will be so jealous, Madison grins, dancing around her uncle excitedly, before ducking inside and telling Curie, It's okay, you don't need to be scared.

Three, two, one, HAPPY NEW YEAR! they chant together, glasses of champagne in their hands, and John leans in to kiss Rodney like Kaleb is kissing Jeannie, but it's him and Rodney who have to hold their arms up for protection, spluttering against the shower of rice Madison and Dave are throwing at them.

- David -

Is that really safe? David asks upon seeing Rodney bent over the pyrotechnics to let loose around midnight, opting for vindication at the grin spreading over John's face instead of offense as Rodney spits furious words in his direction. You should go help Dad, Madison pipes up, cutting short her uncle's tirade before David has to give in, We're having chocolate fondue; so he bows to her and retreats to the kitchen, As you wish, Ma'am.

We should have a chess tournament, Rodney decides when David cannot take one more drop of chocolate sauce, glancing around to include all of them in the suggestion, flushing at the kiss John plants on him, fast and warm. Do you think they'll kiss at midnight, David whispers to Madison as Jeannie locates three chess sets, and Rodney's niece tilts her head, eying the two of them in speculation.

This should be quick, Kaleb laughs when he moves a knight, expecting to lose as he lost against John, and they're not evenly matched, but David isn't too surprised when Kaleb moves in on his king. Check mate, Rodney declares next to them, but David suspects that if they'd had more time on their hands, it's far from clear who would have won.

Let us thank the Ancestors for their guidance during the last year, John says, lighting a candle in imitation of some sort of ceremony he must have learned from Teyla. You know the Ancients are a bunch of idiots, Rodney scoffs, but David doubts this is about any ancestor or even God, and he finds himself rubbing his left arm as Rodney and Madison hum something called the Regeneration Song.

All our neighbors will be so jealous, Madison grins while her parents watch the clock, dancing around her uncle excitedly, before ducking inside and telling Curie, It's okay, you don't need to be scared. Do you have it, David whispers when she rejoins them back at the porch, trying to look harmless and inconspicuous as she sneaks a small packet into his hand.

Three, two, one, HAPPY NEW YEAR! they chant together, glasses of champagne in their hands, and David takes aim as John leans in to kiss Rodney like Kaleb is kissing Jeannie, not letting up as they break apart and hold their hands up for protection, hoping John gets everything he means to say, throwing handful after handful of rice at them.

"Einen guten Rutsch" to all my readers!
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