New SGA story: Undoing

[resonant]

I've posted a new SGA story to my website.

Undoing
McKay/Sheppard -- NC-17 -- 4,700 words
The risk, the lying, the inevitable discovery: he'd just been handed a chance to undo it all.

With beta thanks to cesperanza, giglet, and julad.


Also, a favor to ask: I just started using a new site counter from Statcounter, and so I had to re-upload a bunch of pages. If you load anything of mine and the code is screwed up, can you let me know? (I already had to re-code Term of Service because I'd done something weird to it.)

Comments

[fiamaya.livejournal.com]

FOr a story with a happy ending, that was amazingly sad -- not tragic, not depressed, just gently sad. Poor John, telling himself not to look, not to think about it, that they were better off erasing it, even trying to erase his own memory. This bit particularly got me:


The worst things to remember, though, were the things he'd only imagined, the things that hadn't happened yet. Not the lying and the fighting, but the lazy downtime mornings, the frenzied post-mission nights, the things they'd do to each other once they knew each other's bodies as well as their own.

He'd never exactly dated a guy before, and there were things he'd never tried because they weren't something you did with strangers. He'd been kind of looking forward to seeing what they were like.


I'm astonished at how much genuine feeling you evoke in such a small amount of space.

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

It was sad, wasn't it? I think the inside of this John's head is a pretty sad place, where only risks count.

Usually in my stories I have one person freaking out while the other person is oblivious; this is the first time I've had one person freaking out while the other person was memory-wiped!

Thanks.

[swanswan.livejournal.com]

Nice!! And weirdly believable for a story about a memory-erasing machine in a far-flung galaxy. I mean, a lot of people would chicken out at the same point John did, I think, and you dramatised the moment of his decision not to tell really well. Heh, you know it's a new version of the don't-ask-don't-tell rule when you're not even 'tell'-ing the person you had sex with. Oh, Atlantis, the crazy situations you make seem so normal! (with the help of some excellent wrting by Resonant, of course)

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

weirdly believable for a story about a memory-erasing machine in a far-flung galaxy

This is one of the things I love about SGA fandom: it makes the impossible plausible!

[shara50.livejournal.com]

That was very interesting scenerio. I adore John and Rodney in this.

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad! Thanks.

[cat-latin.livejournal.com]

Hooray, it's like Christmas morning! A resonant story! And it was all kinds of hot and sweet and awesome!

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

Aww. Well, thanks; it's not much, after all this time, but something's better than nothing!

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

Yay posting yay!

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

Thanks to you!

[fairestcat]

OK, so sometimes I read a story sort of from behind my hands, unable to stop but sort of afraid of where it's going. I was totally doing that with this fic. And really, I should know by now to trust you to make it a happy ending, but for some reason this particular scenario had me all paranoid. I was so afraid John would just keep being so DUMB and erase his own memory too or never say anything to Rodney or god, I don't know, some other stupid John thing to do.

And that's actually a GOOD thing, because it's actually really rare these days for a story to leave me guessing like that for so long. Usually I can tell from pretty early on where the story's headed and what kind of ending's in store and even though I know your writing and know that you don't go in for the non-happy endings, I was still wary and paranoid and reading through my fingers.

And, ok, reading back up, that might be the oddest feedback I've ever left. Um, sorry. I really like the story, in case that's not clear from my rambling *g*

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

Wow -- no, this is really great, because it means there was actual suspense. I'm happy to hear that.

Sometimes I have trouble seeing where a story's going to go while I'm writing it; in this one, I did know that John was going to cave, but getting him from point A to point B was tricky at times.

[purelyironic.livejournal.com]

Now that he knew what the room was for, it was pretty easy to confirm the settings. The dial's two arrows were to set the start and end of the erasure, and then there was a big Do It button.

I was so afraid that John would erase his own memory. I ♥ angsting John.

Wonderful story.

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

Several people have said that, which makes me think I should have made it a stronger possibility -- made it so he could actually do it without help. But anyway, I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[kimberlite.livejournal.com]

I really enjoyed this story -- that they would go exploring together, the bracelet kink, John not telling and then having to deal with the consequences, the happy ending (especially since I was afraid they would somehow both lose their memories after they'd worked things out) -- all yay. :)

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

I'm afraid the bracelet was pure kink for me; I was just hoping I could induce others to share my Rodney hand kink. Glad you liked it!

[troutkitty.livejournal.com]

The bracelet was quite a nice visual touch. I really like the in character voice to this. Especially with the questionable ethics bit that John couldn't live with.

I really, really liked your Rodney-voice. Thanks for this!

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

That's great! Glad you liked it. I had way too much fun with that bracelet. I wish I could bejewel Rodney's hands and arms for real; I can't see him with other jewelry, but a bracelet or a big heavy ring would be so ... guh.

[scribblinlenore.livejournal.com]

Wow! What a great story. It's so incredibly hot, and yet the fact that John's first thought after having great sex with Rodney is how he'll have to lie and hide and bribe to keep this...man, that's such a gut punch. As is his conflict about whether to accept the do-over of Rodney's memory loss or not. Thanks for the wonderful story!

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you enjoyed it! It's probably a good thing that real-life relationships don't come with Undo buttons; many of them would be wiped out.

[lamardeuse.livejournal.com]

Oh, it's wonderful to see another SGA story from you! Especially one that starts out oh, John, and then progresses to nggguhhhh and swiftly moves into OHNOES! and then concludes with a big 'ol awwww. Thanks for vastly improving my Monday. :)

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

It's been a while, hasn't it? I'm hoping I won't wait this long before the next one. And I'm really glad you enjoyed this!

Your icon is particularly lickable.

[farwing.livejournal.com]

This is *wonderful*. And very hot.

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you liked it!

[wychwood]

Awww. I like that. I do like the tension between what John wants and what he knows he ought to want. Rodney's obliviousness was lovely, too.

(and although I think you were right to take that path rather than the "multiple wipings and lots of bad sex" idea you talk about in your notes, that would have been hilarious *g*)

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you liked it! I had a good time thinking about the funny version, too, but I couldn't resist the chance to put John on the spot like this.

[geeklite.livejournal.com]

♥

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[toft-froggy.livejournal.com]

YAY that was great. You're right, John angst is always good, although I laughed out loud at the bad sex idea in the notes. I really love fics that play with the weird dissonance to John's thought processes, the way he more experiences the stupid things he does than makes decisions, and yet at the same time there was a definite process of choice here, although it wasn't necessarily conscious.

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you liked it!

the weird dissonance to John's thought processes, the way he more experiences the stupid things he does than makes decisions

That's so well put! Because he does some things that you just can't see someone deciding to do, you know?

[toomuchplor.livejournal.com]

Hell yeah!

I love the physicality of this story -- very appropriate for a John POV fic, I think, that it's all about the weight and solidity and breadth of John and Rodney.

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

Hey, that's cool to hear; I hadn't even noticed that. (But I totally did it on purpose, just, you know, with the other lobe of my brain.)

[lim.livejournal.com]

This makes me so happy. Thank you!

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

I"m so glad! Thanks!

[runpunkrun]

Yikes. Things were really tense there for a while. I could almost believe that John was never going to tell Rodney what had happened. Good thing he caved!

Also, I'm with John, Rodney in a medic-alert bracelet is strangely hot.

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

I'm glad they were tense; I was afraid that the choice would be too obvious. (I mean, Rodney wasn't even being especially obnoxious here.)

And I'm so happy people are sharing my bracelet kink. Perhaps TPTB will take note!

[honkytonkgirl.livejournal.com]

Today went from being an ho-hum regular old Monday to a QUALITY Monday.

This bit espcially struck a chord with me:
"Strange that this was all it took to change his life forever:"

YAY, a reward for having to work on a holiday. Thank you!

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

Aww. I'm so glad you liked it!

[engenda.livejournal.com]

This was lovely. Poor John, angsting over Rodney's lack of memory. The hot, hot sex.

So many good things.

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad!

[firesprite1105.livejournal.com]

Oh, John! I'm a little obsessed with Rodney's bracelet now, myself.

And also, your "bad sex draft #1" made me laugh like a crazy person. :)

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

Oh, me too. And I'm glad you liked Plan B as well!

[sage]

Awww, that was fabulous! And the version in the notes is fun, too. ♥

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed them both.

[dogeared.livejournal.com]

asdfl;jk John—I love his focusing on the details that make up Rodney, in spite of himself, Rodney's fingers, the way the bracelet slides around on his wrist . . . And I kept anticipating (in spite of myself) what was going to happen: WOULD Rodney remember? OR, did he remember all along and was giving John an out? But you make it okay for them, oh. ♥

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad there was some suspense here! I'm a bit obsessed with the bracelet myself.

[darkhavens.livejournal.com]

Silly John, thinking he could forget Rodney, and after discovering a new kink too! LOL! I did worry that he was going to keep trying to forget, but our Rodney is addictive. Lovely!

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

Happy to have worried you! Glad you liked it.

[jamethiel]

Okay. Just... wow.

I am now going to give you a random serve of my brain because your story has made me incoherent!

"Yes, because Americans using the word 'detained' makes me feel so much safer."
SO MUCH LOVE for this. I can HEAR Rodney's voice, and it is also so true!

And this!
He idly counted down the ways his life would have to change.
I... you had me doing the crinkly eyebrow thing going "Nooo!" because I could see it! That John was freaking out and borrowing trouble, and then when Rodney's memory got taken away he was all "Oh, wow. Out of trouble" only he wasn't because he was so emotionally attached already and OH JOHN.

And the bravery it took to do it all again, and let Rodney know what he had done and, and and...

I LOVE THIS STORY! *fangirls your brain*

[resonant8.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm so glad you liked it! The 'detained' line was sort of self-indulgent, but I couldn't resist. And I really wanted people to worry, so I'm glad you did.

Poor John. We torment him so.