slashing_lorne | Fiction - In Our Own Time - AU

Title: In Our Own Time
Fandom: Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, Crossover
Rating: PG-13 (maybe!)
Main Characters/Pairings: Evan Lorne, Cameron Mitchell, Evan/Cameron.
Spoilers: All of SG-1 and SGA, including the SGA audiobook “Impressions.”
Warnings: Alternate Universe
Length: 1500+ words

Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis belong to MGM. This is a work of fiction and lest we forget Fiction = False, Fake, Not Real (and any of those other handy dandy synonyms found in Webster’s big book.)

Beta: A big thank you to the ever lovely, thrace_adams and brneyestx .

A/N: This actually takes place in a larger, epic-length AU that I’m working on. I needed to see this scene from another angle, hence the one-shot. I’ve never posted anything in the Stargate fandom before, even though I’ve been a lifelong fan….so please be gentle. Sorry to anyone who caught the post while I was having LJ-cut issues. *kicks LJ* :)

His feet pounded along the pavement, heart beating a steady rhythm, keeping time as he wove through the last block of their country neighborhood. Cam made a regular habit of running each day, whether it was at home or somewhere within the walls of Cheyenne Mountain. Or even off-planet, as he tended to do on a normal basis during missions with SG-1.

Those missions as part of Stargate Command’s elite team were one of the reasons he kept himself in such good shape.

The other was sitting at home, immersed in painting as he tended to do on one of their rare days off. Cam rather enjoyed watching Evan paint, he’d often curl up on the loveseat in the screened-in porch that Lorne used as a studio, a book on his lap…but his partner would get antsy after a while, having Cam watching him (which is what Cameron would do in time, the book completely forgotten.)

It’s not like Cam could help it. Evan was beautiful, even though he himself would never admit to such a thing. He always blushed and bowed his head mumbling something about Cameron being crazy anytime he made a comment about his looks. But, Cameron would never back down; he could see what Evan could not.

The strong line of Lorne’s shoulders, a well-muscled back that tapered to his military-fit waist, sturdy legs, powerful arms…a complete package that Cam rather enjoyed. And couldn’t believe was his and his alone.

They’d been together officially for close to two years, unofficially to Cam for what felt like a lifetime. Not a bad lifetime, one of those that you never want to end. The kind where you wished there were 30 hours in a day and even more if you could have them.

Only two years officially because the military had fraternization regulations to consider and for a while they’d been different ranks. At least their military didn’t have a problem with couples of the same sex being together, like some of the other countries of their world.

Cameron didn’t know what he would do if Evan were to suddenly disappear from his life. Hoped…no, he knew that Evan felt the same way.

As their small two story house came into view, Cam slowed down a little, cooling off. He loved their house; it was a much better home for them than either of their apartments had ever been. Plus, it was theirs. Well, technically it was Evan’s as he’d paid for it. However, Cam more than paid his share in cooking, cleaning, and giving Lorne the best sex either of them had ever experienced.

Cam chuckled at that thought, his smile brightening up his sweaty features and crinkling the corner of his blue eyes.

He'd always had a fondness for men, moreso than women, although he liked them too. Loved everyone. Wasn’t at all surprised when he had fallen head over heels, body and soul, for Evan Lorne. They fit well together, the two missing pieces of each other’s life puzzles.

Smiling to himself again as he reached the driveway, he could see their German Shepherd, Striker, sitting inside the front door, waiting for him to return. Sometimes he took the dog with him, other times, the dog would refuse to leave Evan’s side. Standing guard over his family, their four-legged bundle of protection.

As he opened the door, he knelt to ruffle Striker’s ears, the dog rewarding him with a lick on the cheek.

“Let’s go find, Ev,” he said, rising to his feet and heading towards the quiet of his partner’s studio.

Evan liked to work in silence, the less to distract him the better- his whole focus on the swirls of color and the canvas in front of him. Cameron found him standing a few feet from his easel; brush clenched between his teeth, hands on hips, staring at his most recent work.

Cameron recognized the scene, he should, it was of him after all. The two of them had gone back into the woods behind the house a couple weeks ago, to take a walk, to find peace, to remind them of the things they fought for every time they strapped on their tactical vests and ventured through the Stargate. Evan had found a beautiful opening in the trees, the sun shining down in scattered rays. There were a couple of large rocks in the area, along the top of a ridge that led down into a small valley and the river below. Cam had leaned on one of the rocks to look down when Evan had told him to stop. Thinking that Evan was worried he might fall, which wasn’t a likely reality, he had frozen in place. He should have known that in the backpack Evan had been carrying, was a sketchbook.

They had stayed in the clearing for about an hour, Evan making quick work of Cameron’s image, recording notes about the rich colors surrounding them in order to transfer the likeness from paper to canvas.

It wasn’t the first time Evan had painted him; it was of course, the most recent.

“You stink.”

“Hello to you too,” Cameron said, sliding up behind Evan and placing a kiss to the base of his hairline, right above the edge of the soft gray t-shirt Lorne liked to paint in. “Looks good so far.”

Cam wasn’t an art aficionado or anything, but by being with Evan, he’d learned a lot more than he ever thought he would. And most of it was interesting…well, Evan found it interesting and therefore Cameron wanted to know about it. They’d even talked numerous times about taking a trip to Europe so Cameron could see some of the things Evan could only point out in books.

Lorne was a chemistry geek, that was his specialty, but painting and art in general were a release, a break from the stress of the real world. Cameron had his car and motorcycle, Evan had his brushes and charcoals.

“It’s missing something…just not sure what it is yet,” Evan finally replied, placing his brush down on the easel after cleaning it off.

“It’s missing you.”

Turning around, Evan let Cam put his hands on his waist and draw him close. “I am not painting myself. I draw the line at self portraits.”

Their lips met briefly, softly caressing, before Evan pulled back, “You really do stink.”

“Might have pushed myself a little harder than normal.”

Cocking his head to the side, Evan questioned, “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, just felt like I needed a bit more today. And now I feel like I need a shower.”

“I agree with that.” Evan wrinkled his nose, to punctuate his point. Cameron was dripping with sweat, his sleeveless t-shirt soaked. The outline of his ID tags could clearly be seen resting below the drenched cotton.

“You wanna…?” Cam asked, brushing a stray fleck of paint off of Evan’s cheek, hoping he could convince Evan to join him for some morning fun. They hadn’t had sex for a couple of days and Cam was more than ready.

“Think I’m going to stay here, put some more thought into this. Join you for breakfast after you get cleaned up?”

Cam tried to hide his disappointment, but he knew how Evan was when he got into artist mode. There wasn’t much that could deter his partner away from a work in progress.

“Sounds good. What’cha want me to make?”

“Pancakes?” Evan asked hopefully, Cameron’s blueberry pancakes were his favorite breakfast treat.

“Sure. See you soon,” Cam replied, kissing Evan again, before turning away, stripping his t-shirt off as he headed back into the house.

~~*~~*~~*~~

Evan watched Cam’s bare back leave before returning his focus to the canvas in front of him. As he retreated to sit on the edge of the loveseat, still staring at the image he’d been creating, he could hear the shower turn on in the master bedroom above him.

Knowing Cameron like he did, it was only a matter of moments before he’d also hear the radio flip on as well. Of all the things his flashy, cocky, former fighter pilot partner was good at, singing in the shower wasn’t one of them. It was highly amusing though and was one of Cam’s most endearing qualities. One of the reasons Evan loved him.

He should have said yes. Should have accepted Cameron’s offer to join him in the shower.

The painting of Cameron could wait; Evan would have time to finish it in the days to come. The real, flesh and blood version was up the stairs waiting for Evan right now.

And there was no other place that he could think of being.