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Rec Category: Sheppard/McKay
Pairing: Sheppard/McKay, (Weir/Zelenka/Lorne/Dex), (Cadman/Beckett)
Category: Angst, Futurefic, Romance, Apocafic
Warning: Slash, minor character deaths (references to suicides)
Author on LJ:
mirabile_dictu
Author's Website: http://mirabile-dictu.slashcity.net/
Link: History of Atlantis, Part II, The City as Recording Angel
Why This Must Be Read:
After contact is permanently lost with Earth, the Atlantis survivors must build new lives in the Pegasus Galaxy. In a collection of stories from different POV's, the details of their trials and triumphs are beautifully told, with starring roles for our heroes, McKay and Sheppard. Their relationship threads throughout the stories building slowly to a sweet ending.
A quick note, don't go searching for Part I - the author notes that would be the unwritten story of when the Ancients lived in the city.
Excerpt:
After another cider, or maybe it was two, John noticed that the negotiating team settled across the fire from him and Rodney. Now that was a weird combination of personalities, John thought, staring at them. Elizabeth, as always, was in the center; she was the center of that team. Though Ronon still traveled through the gate with John, Rodney, and Teyla, he clearly loved his new teammates. Ronon straddled a log dragged out onto the beach for the bonfires; between his legs sat Radek, red-faced and laughing. Next to him, practically on him, sat Elizabeth, and draped around her was Lorne. The four whispered and laughed and teased one another constantly; high on hard work and their own cider, they looked happier than John could remember seeing them. Happier than he remembered being.
He glanced at Rodney, who was watching them just as closely as John. His wide mouth was curved in a satisfied smile, as if he'd had something to do with their arrangement. John looked back, wondering how people slipped into relationships like that. He couldn't imagine it. How did Lorne, of all people, end up in a foursome? Did Lorne just wake up one day and turn to Ronon or Radek? How did he react the first time one of them touched him with intent? Lorne was laughing, his arms wrapped around Elizabeth but his hands on Radek, while Ronon kissed Radek's ears, tickling him.
John looked at Rodney again, his profile vivid in the firelight. He knew Rodney so well now. The first words out of Rodney's mouth spoken to John still reverberated in his mind: Major, think about where we are in the solar system. And the solar system had opened up to John like a Faberge egg. Even he, in his ignorance, had recognized the significance of the moment, but if he hadn't, the look on Rodney's face as glimpsed through the hovering star field would have told him.
He remembered that look, too, of awe and shock and delight and jealousy. Because everything about McKay was tinged with jealousy, John had learned. He even thought he understood why, and respected Rodney's struggles to control his rivalry toward other scientists.
John turned back to watch the others. They were singing now, their faces intent. Ronon had the best voice, John thought; deep and pure. Elizabeth's was very light, a bit wavery, but pleasant floating above the men's voices. Radek and Lorne stared at each other as they sang, and John had to close his eyes at their intensity. He didn't recognize the music at all; what he could hear sounded alien. He wondered if it was a modern composer from Earth, or if they'd learned this song in one of their trips through the gate.
Beside him, Rodney began to hum, finding his way through the melody. John watched him watch the others, his eyes glistening with reflections from the fire. Rodney learned forward, trying to get closer to the singers, John assumed, and then he turned his head to smile at John.
How, John wondered, did you get from where John and Rodney were to where the other team was? This was the question that he carried with him. What would happen were he to rest his hand on Rodney's shoulder? Or his knee? Would he even notice, wrapped in the music as he was? Would he be offended? Flattered?
John sighed and sat back, staring into the fire now. Knowing Rodney, John thought he probably wouldn't notice. For being one of the most astute observers of natural phenomena John had ever met, Rodney could be astounding blind to social nuances. And yet, John berated himself, this is who you want to work with. To be with, to spend a life in Atlantis with. He shook his head, half in amazement and half in dismay.
Well, he thought, leaning back to stare at the stars above them, still unnamed and largely unknown, it looked like he'd get his wish. Neither he nor Rodney were going anywhere soon. If the Wraith or disease or accident didn't take one or both of them, they might have a few years together. He promised himself to pay attention, as Leo Parrish was always saying; to practice mindfulness. And if the object of his meditations was Rodney, well, nobody had to know. He smiled at that thought.
...
Pairing: Sheppard/McKay, (Weir/Zelenka/Lorne/Dex), (Cadman/Beckett)
Category: Angst, Futurefic, Romance, Apocafic
Warning: Slash, minor character deaths (references to suicides)
Author on LJ:
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
Author's Website: http://mirabile-dictu.slashcity.net/
Link: History of Atlantis, Part II, The City as Recording Angel
Why This Must Be Read:
After contact is permanently lost with Earth, the Atlantis survivors must build new lives in the Pegasus Galaxy. In a collection of stories from different POV's, the details of their trials and triumphs are beautifully told, with starring roles for our heroes, McKay and Sheppard. Their relationship threads throughout the stories building slowly to a sweet ending.
A quick note, don't go searching for Part I - the author notes that would be the unwritten story of when the Ancients lived in the city.
Excerpt:
After another cider, or maybe it was two, John noticed that the negotiating team settled across the fire from him and Rodney. Now that was a weird combination of personalities, John thought, staring at them. Elizabeth, as always, was in the center; she was the center of that team. Though Ronon still traveled through the gate with John, Rodney, and Teyla, he clearly loved his new teammates. Ronon straddled a log dragged out onto the beach for the bonfires; between his legs sat Radek, red-faced and laughing. Next to him, practically on him, sat Elizabeth, and draped around her was Lorne. The four whispered and laughed and teased one another constantly; high on hard work and their own cider, they looked happier than John could remember seeing them. Happier than he remembered being.
He glanced at Rodney, who was watching them just as closely as John. His wide mouth was curved in a satisfied smile, as if he'd had something to do with their arrangement. John looked back, wondering how people slipped into relationships like that. He couldn't imagine it. How did Lorne, of all people, end up in a foursome? Did Lorne just wake up one day and turn to Ronon or Radek? How did he react the first time one of them touched him with intent? Lorne was laughing, his arms wrapped around Elizabeth but his hands on Radek, while Ronon kissed Radek's ears, tickling him.
John looked at Rodney again, his profile vivid in the firelight. He knew Rodney so well now. The first words out of Rodney's mouth spoken to John still reverberated in his mind: Major, think about where we are in the solar system. And the solar system had opened up to John like a Faberge egg. Even he, in his ignorance, had recognized the significance of the moment, but if he hadn't, the look on Rodney's face as glimpsed through the hovering star field would have told him.
He remembered that look, too, of awe and shock and delight and jealousy. Because everything about McKay was tinged with jealousy, John had learned. He even thought he understood why, and respected Rodney's struggles to control his rivalry toward other scientists.
John turned back to watch the others. They were singing now, their faces intent. Ronon had the best voice, John thought; deep and pure. Elizabeth's was very light, a bit wavery, but pleasant floating above the men's voices. Radek and Lorne stared at each other as they sang, and John had to close his eyes at their intensity. He didn't recognize the music at all; what he could hear sounded alien. He wondered if it was a modern composer from Earth, or if they'd learned this song in one of their trips through the gate.
Beside him, Rodney began to hum, finding his way through the melody. John watched him watch the others, his eyes glistening with reflections from the fire. Rodney learned forward, trying to get closer to the singers, John assumed, and then he turned his head to smile at John.
How, John wondered, did you get from where John and Rodney were to where the other team was? This was the question that he carried with him. What would happen were he to rest his hand on Rodney's shoulder? Or his knee? Would he even notice, wrapped in the music as he was? Would he be offended? Flattered?
John sighed and sat back, staring into the fire now. Knowing Rodney, John thought he probably wouldn't notice. For being one of the most astute observers of natural phenomena John had ever met, Rodney could be astounding blind to social nuances. And yet, John berated himself, this is who you want to work with. To be with, to spend a life in Atlantis with. He shook his head, half in amazement and half in dismay.
Well, he thought, leaning back to stare at the stars above them, still unnamed and largely unknown, it looked like he'd get his wish. Neither he nor Rodney were going anywhere soon. If the Wraith or disease or accident didn't take one or both of them, they might have a few years together. He promised himself to pay attention, as Leo Parrish was always saying; to practice mindfulness. And if the object of his meditations was Rodney, well, nobody had to know. He smiled at that thought.
...