New SGA story: Cred

[resonant]

My birthday present for astolat, only one day late!

Cred
McKay/Sheppard -- NC-17 -- 20K
What it takes to get Rodney's attention

Beta thanks to cesperanza, julad, merryish, and terrio.

Comments

[verstehen.livejournal.com]

*giggles* Dork cred. Cute!

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Glad you liked.

[astolat]

*jumps up and down in mad glee and runs to read!!!!*

*wanders back in post-story daze, smoking cigarette*

Eee!

From the direction of the door, he heard five separate clicks, and then a sliding thunk. After a little pause, there was one last click for good measure.

The helpful doors! And the D&D! *gloats over present joyfully*

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

The helpful doors!

You know, as much as I love the door thing, is there any evidence that John, or anyone with the ATA gene can do that? I've seen it used in fics before, and I get a real kick out of it. Plus it works wonderfully here. Five locks, LOL.

[astolat]

Do you mean specifically control doors, or control Ancient tech from afar? The doors I'm pretty sure no, but we've seen him mentally affect physical technology -- the panel sliding open and pushing out the lifesigns-detector in Rising, for one. I don't think it's a big step to doors.

Anyway, I guess for me it just doesn't matter -- as I see it, the ATA gene is just a plot device to give people distinct roles and to set Sheppard apart in particular. If an episode plot had a need for Sheppard to be able to lock a door from across the room by thinking at it, and they could illustrate that happening visually, I can't see any reason why they wouldn't do it; it doesn't give him any kind of special power that he doesn't already have or that would mess up the balance of forces in the universe of the show. It's just our plot device needs are slightly different from the ones they have on the show itself. ;-)

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

It's just our plot device needs are slightly different from the ones they have on the show itself. ;-)

::sighs:: More's the pity.

Good point on the lifesigns-detector, though. He really was just sitting there in the jumper thinking about it, wasn't he? I wish they'd go more into that on the show, exploring just what he's capable of with the gene. And not just because it would give a great opportunity for him and Rodney to play together. Nope, that's not it at all.

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad! I looked over your LJ interests and decided that geeky was the way to go.

[misspamela.livejournal.com]

Anyone who complains about John's characterization in a story this sweet and hot is just plain wrong. *g* I loved it!

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

I'm glad! Thanks. I just decided, hey, for a change he can be my fantasy instead of the screenwriters' fantasy.

[cathexys.livejournal.com]

this was just so wonderful! and i'm not sure the characterization is wishful thinking, b/c he *works* it, he tries on these different roles in order to try to become attractive to rodney. in fact, it even explains part of his fascination with rodney, b/c rodney doesn't respond to the stuff he's used to people responding, so he has to work harder, try differnt hings. loved the various things and rodney's reactions... loved john's repeated attempts to impress and his realization that they are in a group where the hierarchy dynamics are different. loved the way the atlantis crew has a higher proportion of people responding to shepard's charm :-) and that kiss and john's running dialog--perfect! not sure in the end whether john really claims the geek label or wants to claim it, b/c that's attractive to mckay or b/c that's a role he wants to inhabit or used to or...

anyway, what a perfect little story to wake up to. i think manipulating himself! sheppard may push aside even mathy geek! sheppard in my affections--b/c it works with the easy charm and the chameleon nature and yes....

thank you for a great story!!!

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

I'm really glad it was convincing for you. In my head (at least for the purpose of this story), John was a high school dork, maybe one of those guys who was five-foot-three until the month after graduation, and then he learned to pass, but you never really get over whatever you were in high school.

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

Yum! I love it. Because John so clearly is angling for Rodney's attention in every ep, isn't he? All that verbal sparring is the equivalent of tugging on Rodney's sleeve and whining "pay attention to me!".

And I'm so glad Rodney finally did. *g*

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you liked it! He totally does seem to want Rodney's attention.

For a minute there/I lost myself

[http://users.livejournal.com/_inbetween_/]

I fucking love you for writing this. You made me happy for a few seconds. Every word, line, gesture was perfect, the constant balance between funny, sexy and sweet was perfect. I still don't know much about Dungeons+Dragons but 2nd hand knowledge is also useful - although I realise now I really do miss the whole cultural upbringing no internet and TV can replace - I fear I would not get the nuances right and am intimidated now and reconsidering ever writing a SGA fic.
John being a dork/geek is very believable to me; people grow up, move to other places. I love how both of them become even better and more interesting and loveable than they already seem, without either suffering (John is not stupid; Rodney is a slow hypnotic kisser) or the overall effect being unbelievable.
And now it is my turn to shut up :)

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

I"m so glad you liked it! (Confession: I never played D&D, either, and I had to go ask for help to come up with the right language. Damned boys in my high school wouldn't play with a giiiiirl.)

am intimidated now and reconsidering ever writing a SGA fic

Nonononono! Definitely don't back out. Remember that they're in a whole new galaxy now; they're all way out of their context.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_inbetween_/]

Heeee ... well I keep learning bits and bobs just by always having read a lot (example: Tardis) and knew about the dice but that D-minus-something still went right over my head :)

I agree, but yesterday for the first time I thought there is so much that cannot be put into words ever about the experience of growing up in a specific country/culture that even by watching and reading for decades the resulting words I would put into their mouths ... ok, no, pffft, I won't back out.

[nestra.livejournal.com]

Oooh, nine kinds of awesome. They're just both so cute.

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much! They're adorable.

[frostfire-17.livejournal.com]

Oh, wow. That was so cool. With the D&D, and the dork badge of honor (I want one! can I have one? please?), and John's obsession thingy...have I mentioned I have a thing for obsession stories? ...*long pause*...um. Yes. Good. Do it again! ^_^

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad! Thanks.

I want a dork badge of honor, too. It would probably be made of some uncommon metal with amazing properties.

[frostfire-17.livejournal.com]

...and a weird science fiction name like neutronium. And it'd probably be sort of a greenish purple, too...

Man, if I had *any* manip skills whatsoever, this would be an icon.

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

Oh, someone should. I'd love to have an icon of that.

[springwoof.livejournal.com]

This was my favorite line:

Rodney was grinning.

"You always do this to me," Rodney said, his mouth going even more crooked. "Just when I've decided you are exactly what you appear to be."

Both what he says and the image of Rodney's crooked smile are very vivid. I love how you captured his pleasure and surprise.

my second favorite line was:

"That's just here," John said drowsily. "You only know me here. If you'd known me back there, you'd understand."

It hints of whole realms of history untold.

That would be nice, wouldn't it? A Young!John story, just waiting to be told....maybe you could tell it in flashbacks?

Thanks for a lovely story. "Dork: it's the new Cool"

wags,

springwoof

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you liked it! It was a lot of fun to imagine John as a teen-age dork.

I'm not reading McShep I'm not I'm not

[lorem_ipsum]

(but I totally loved Cred).

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

Hee! Well, I'm glad.

[sulien77.livejournal.com]

unrequited_rain recommended this on stargateficrec, and I'm very glad that I checked it out. I didn't even pay attention to the cut tag for the snippet of this fic she posted and did a double take when John told Rodney he'd rolled his charisma using the four D-six minus one method, then laughed my ass off. I absolutely loved this story, it was funny and hot (the best combination, in my opinion). Thank you for sharing this, it was fantastic!

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you liked it! I love the idea of John as a geek.