All Plans Fail, by wliberation (NC-17)

[darsynia.livejournal.com]

Rec Category: Rodney McKay

Characters: Rodney McKay, Carson Beckett
Pairing: Rodney McKay/Carson Beckett

Category: slash, pre-Atlantis, first time

Warning: slash

Author on LJ: wliberation

Author's Website: Fic journal: dustyoldbrown 

Link: 

All Plans Fail

Why This Must Be Read:

This was recced in 2006 for the McKay/Beckett rec category, but that's a long time ago and I think this story deserves some fresh scrutiny. Essentially a PWP, there's so much unexpected emotion packed into it that I really hesitate to characterize it that way. One of the reasons this resonated so much with me was the undercurrent of loneliness and self-denial in the story that we sense from Rodney. Here is a man who as we know is very passionate and strong-willed, yet he's alone, and he lacks the patience and social skills to really do anything about it. It's just a glimpse into a moment of his life, but the story stayed with me just as the event stays with Rodney. The last line is particularly poignant. A brief line that explains the gist of the story:

So they reach an understanding. And it's not complicated and it's not going to end ugly because this? This is perfectly simple. Just a dim room, a bed, and two friends. Nothing more. It really is a brilliant idea.