Careful by tielan (PG)

[asugar.livejournal.com]

Rec Category: John Sheppard & Teyla Emmagan friendship
Pairing: an allusion to Teyla Emmagan/Kanaan
Category: John Sheppard & Teyla Emmagan friendship, Episode related, Gen, John Sheppard, Teyla Emmagan, Character sketch, Angst, John Sheppard/Teyla Emmagan
Warning: Spoiler for episode end
Author on LJ: http://tielan.livejournal.com/
Author's Website: http://www.thedragonborn.net/fanfic/ficindex-tiel.htm (most of her fic is in her LJ or on FF (http://www.fanfiction.net/u/813239/tielan) instead of here)
Link: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4980203/1/ or http://tielan.livejournal.com/326118.html

Why This Must Be Read: In the aftermath of the climactic struggle in "Prodigal," John and Teyla share a moment of reassurance. This brief character sketch is fraught with repressed emotion and tension. Their friendship is complicated and very three-dimensional here: John admires Teyla's strength, longs for what he can't have, and resents yet is grateful what little he is allowed of her. tielan skillfully shows how new loves can affect a friendship and elicit jealousy, whether friends' feelings are completely platonic or not (and that is left entirely up to the reader's interpretation for those who shy from anything that smacks of John/Teyla).

There is so much tangible longing, love, trust and respect in their interaction. The author perfectly captures their innate bond and how each knows what the other will say even before they can say it. She cleverly flips that gift into a curse to show how hard they must work to keep from communicating too much to the other, never more than either thinks is wanted or allowed.

As always, tielan excels in the filling the gaps of everything unsaid but very much felt with just a handful of words, providing an excellent snapshot of John and Teyla's relationship and coda to "Prodigal."