All Hallows...Something by sajinn (NC-17)
Sep. 14th, 2009 12:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
danceswithgary posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
stargateficrecRec Category: Sheppard/McKay
Pairing: Sheppard/McKay
Category: Action-Adventure, Horror, Humor, First Time
Warning: Slash
Author on LJ:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sajinn
Author's Website: http://sajinn.com/
Link: All Hallow's...Something
Why This Must Be Read:
The author plays with perceptions in this story; how we perceive ourselves and others, how others perceive us. John and Rodney are sent on a dangerously frivolous mission by Elizabeth on Halloween and, along the way, they learn important things about themselves and each other.
Oh, and there's candy and scary monsters.
And a clown, but he's not scary. Honest.
Excerpt:
Teyla and Ronon were nowhere to be seen, but John wasn’t worried. Both of them were quite capable of taking care of themselves and he figured they’d stick together, circle back around, and meet them near the ‘gate. Meanwhile he and Rodney pushed their way deeper into the woods, struggling to see as daylight faded. John cursed planets with short days and abundant trees; at the rate the light was disappearing they’d be in utter darkness within the hour.
“Slow down,” Rodney pleaded as he tried to keep up with John. “They’re not behind us anymore.”
“They’re not right behind us,” John corrected. “But we’re not exactly operating on stealth mode, Rodney. They’ll be able to track us.”
Rodney bit his tongue and continued on, dodging thorns the size of machetes and vines that looked a little too much like snakes. John led him around an enormous tree, its trunk easily as big as the biggest Sequoyah on Earth.
Then the ground disappeared. Rodney flailed helplessly at the dirt and roots flying past him as he fell, feeling John just below him as his booted feet struck the man’s back. There must’ve been some kind of cliff, he thought, hidden underneath the tree’s root system. They slid steeply down, long enough that Rodney almost hoped they didn’t land. When they did, it was going to hurt a lot.
Or not, Rodney corrected when his descent was halted by a surprisingly soft mass of springy whiteness. He plopped down right next to John, who was half-buried in a cloud of spongy, fragrant stuff. “Ow?” Rodney whispered, rubbing his forehead.
“Ow,” John confirmed as he heaved himself up. “Wow, too.”
Rodney looked around. “Oh yeah, wow,” He whispered back. They’d landed in an enormous growth of mushrooms, bigger than any he’d ever seen. The cap he was currently embedded in was larger than his bed, as was the one cushioning John. All around them towered thick stalks and glowing, orb-like buttons.
“Can you see out?” John asked, peering at the numerous stalks. “Because I can’t see anything but mushroom.”
“Shh,” Rodney hissed as he heard footsteps. Both men stilled, listening as a group of heavy feet stomped around them. Voices murmured and seethed in a language they didn’t understand but that eliminated Teyla and Ronon as possible rescuers.
John pressed a finger to his lips and Rodney nodded. Being stuck with the universe’s biggest mushrooms wasn’t nearly as bad as getting shot and it didn’t appear as though their pursuers knew they were hidden beneath the snowy fungi.
The only thing Rodney had to look at besides John and the mushrooms was the small spot of forest canopy and darkening sky left from their descent. He decided that the mushrooms had a pleasant aroma, not nearly as earthy as the ones he was used to. Chances were, of course, that the things were highly toxic and they couldn’t haul them back to Atlantis for supper. It was just as well; Rodney wasn’t a big fan of mushrooms in the first place. They didn’t can well and Rodney wasn’t fond of fresh food. Not fond of it at all.
While Rodney was silently pondering their landing pad, John was staring at the night sky. All he could see now was a couple of stars—or maybe planets, he couldn’t tell—and the occasional dark silhouette of a tree branch waving in the breeze. The others were still outside the mushroom growth, although they weren’t as close. He couldn’t tell how far away, though, because the thick fungal material provided a great deal of soundproofing. They must’ve been shouting when they first arrived, for them to have been heard so clearly. What bothered John was that the people weren’t moving away, either.
After about an hour of waiting, Rodney rolled over to John, who was still half-covered in mushroom bits. “Are they gone?” Rodney asked, voice barely audible.
John shook his head and pointed towards his feet, mouthing ‘four’. Rodney grimaced and settled into the broken-mushroom bedding, wiping his hands of its slight moistness. John reached out and caught his hand, frowning at the sound of Rodney’s skin brushing fabric.
Rodney shot John a curious glance. “What?” He mouthed, trying to jerk his hand away.
John edged closer to Rodney, trying to move as quietly as possible. He bent his head to Rodney’s ear, trying to ignore the scent of aftershave and sweat. “They know we’re here,’ He said softly. “They’re waiting.”
Rodney’s eyes shot around their hideout, frantically looking for weak spots. “Why not just come get us?” He asked John as he shifted even closer.
John shrugged helplessly. He wanted to get his flashlight out; the last flickers of light were gone now and all he had to see by was the barest glimmer of light reflecting off the mushrooms surrounding them. If he wasn’t mistaken, they were glowing slightly—but it could’ve just been his imagination.
Once again Rodney relaxed into their shelter, resting this time against John’s side. He hated waiting like this, feeling trapped even though no one was holding a gun to his head. Somewhere out there, Ronon and Teyla were on the run—unless they’d been captured.
A quiet popping sound caught both men’s attentions and as one, they turned their heads upwards. One of the mushroom caps was opening, wispy tendrils of tissue fluttering down as inky-dark gills were exposed. One after another the caps expanded, until they were shadowed by a canopy of black and eerily-luminescent white.
“Um, John?” Rodney murmured, unconsciously clenching his fingers in John’s vest. “You know what happens when mushroom caps open, right?”
John opened his mouth to reply just as a slight breeze kicked up. The entire mushroom clump trembled, causing a cloud of fine, dark particles to fall. He shut his mouth, turning in towards Rodney’s chest. Rodney tucked his head as well, twitching when the spores hit his skin.
Rodney tried to hold his breath, knowing that his immune system was no match for alien fungus spores. John would laugh at him, but Rodney was scared shitless. On Earth he’d have just dusted himself off, but this wasn’t Earth and these weren’t fairy-ring mushrooms. He could smell the spores, though; they were perfumed like the mushrooms themselves but slightly stronger.
John pressed his mouth against Rodney’s vest, using it as a filter. The spores irritated his bare skin and he wanted to scratch the backs of his hands. He couldn’t move, though, not without breathing in the fine dust. Instead he held onto Rodney, praying his team member wouldn’t move away.
He didn’t move, not until some of the spores got on his face. When his cheek began to burn, though, Rodney couldn’t help reaching up to wipe the spores off. When he shifted, John curled in tighter, digging his fingers painfully into Rodney’s ribs. The piercing sensation made Rodney gasp and he rolled onto his back to escape.
John felt his protection disappear just as he took a breath. On the inhale he felt a dull ache spread through his lungs. By the time John breathed out, however, he couldn’t feel a thing.
•••
...
Pairing: Sheppard/McKay
Category: Action-Adventure, Horror, Humor, First Time
Warning: Slash
Author on LJ:
sajinnAuthor's Website: http://sajinn.com/
Link: All Hallow's...Something
Why This Must Be Read:
The author plays with perceptions in this story; how we perceive ourselves and others, how others perceive us. John and Rodney are sent on a dangerously frivolous mission by Elizabeth on Halloween and, along the way, they learn important things about themselves and each other.
Oh, and there's candy and scary monsters.
And a clown, but he's not scary. Honest.
Excerpt:
Teyla and Ronon were nowhere to be seen, but John wasn’t worried. Both of them were quite capable of taking care of themselves and he figured they’d stick together, circle back around, and meet them near the ‘gate. Meanwhile he and Rodney pushed their way deeper into the woods, struggling to see as daylight faded. John cursed planets with short days and abundant trees; at the rate the light was disappearing they’d be in utter darkness within the hour.
“Slow down,” Rodney pleaded as he tried to keep up with John. “They’re not behind us anymore.”
“They’re not right behind us,” John corrected. “But we’re not exactly operating on stealth mode, Rodney. They’ll be able to track us.”
Rodney bit his tongue and continued on, dodging thorns the size of machetes and vines that looked a little too much like snakes. John led him around an enormous tree, its trunk easily as big as the biggest Sequoyah on Earth.
Then the ground disappeared. Rodney flailed helplessly at the dirt and roots flying past him as he fell, feeling John just below him as his booted feet struck the man’s back. There must’ve been some kind of cliff, he thought, hidden underneath the tree’s root system. They slid steeply down, long enough that Rodney almost hoped they didn’t land. When they did, it was going to hurt a lot.
Or not, Rodney corrected when his descent was halted by a surprisingly soft mass of springy whiteness. He plopped down right next to John, who was half-buried in a cloud of spongy, fragrant stuff. “Ow?” Rodney whispered, rubbing his forehead.
“Ow,” John confirmed as he heaved himself up. “Wow, too.”
Rodney looked around. “Oh yeah, wow,” He whispered back. They’d landed in an enormous growth of mushrooms, bigger than any he’d ever seen. The cap he was currently embedded in was larger than his bed, as was the one cushioning John. All around them towered thick stalks and glowing, orb-like buttons.
“Can you see out?” John asked, peering at the numerous stalks. “Because I can’t see anything but mushroom.”
“Shh,” Rodney hissed as he heard footsteps. Both men stilled, listening as a group of heavy feet stomped around them. Voices murmured and seethed in a language they didn’t understand but that eliminated Teyla and Ronon as possible rescuers.
John pressed a finger to his lips and Rodney nodded. Being stuck with the universe’s biggest mushrooms wasn’t nearly as bad as getting shot and it didn’t appear as though their pursuers knew they were hidden beneath the snowy fungi.
The only thing Rodney had to look at besides John and the mushrooms was the small spot of forest canopy and darkening sky left from their descent. He decided that the mushrooms had a pleasant aroma, not nearly as earthy as the ones he was used to. Chances were, of course, that the things were highly toxic and they couldn’t haul them back to Atlantis for supper. It was just as well; Rodney wasn’t a big fan of mushrooms in the first place. They didn’t can well and Rodney wasn’t fond of fresh food. Not fond of it at all.
While Rodney was silently pondering their landing pad, John was staring at the night sky. All he could see now was a couple of stars—or maybe planets, he couldn’t tell—and the occasional dark silhouette of a tree branch waving in the breeze. The others were still outside the mushroom growth, although they weren’t as close. He couldn’t tell how far away, though, because the thick fungal material provided a great deal of soundproofing. They must’ve been shouting when they first arrived, for them to have been heard so clearly. What bothered John was that the people weren’t moving away, either.
After about an hour of waiting, Rodney rolled over to John, who was still half-covered in mushroom bits. “Are they gone?” Rodney asked, voice barely audible.
John shook his head and pointed towards his feet, mouthing ‘four’. Rodney grimaced and settled into the broken-mushroom bedding, wiping his hands of its slight moistness. John reached out and caught his hand, frowning at the sound of Rodney’s skin brushing fabric.
Rodney shot John a curious glance. “What?” He mouthed, trying to jerk his hand away.
John edged closer to Rodney, trying to move as quietly as possible. He bent his head to Rodney’s ear, trying to ignore the scent of aftershave and sweat. “They know we’re here,’ He said softly. “They’re waiting.”
Rodney’s eyes shot around their hideout, frantically looking for weak spots. “Why not just come get us?” He asked John as he shifted even closer.
John shrugged helplessly. He wanted to get his flashlight out; the last flickers of light were gone now and all he had to see by was the barest glimmer of light reflecting off the mushrooms surrounding them. If he wasn’t mistaken, they were glowing slightly—but it could’ve just been his imagination.
Once again Rodney relaxed into their shelter, resting this time against John’s side. He hated waiting like this, feeling trapped even though no one was holding a gun to his head. Somewhere out there, Ronon and Teyla were on the run—unless they’d been captured.
A quiet popping sound caught both men’s attentions and as one, they turned their heads upwards. One of the mushroom caps was opening, wispy tendrils of tissue fluttering down as inky-dark gills were exposed. One after another the caps expanded, until they were shadowed by a canopy of black and eerily-luminescent white.
“Um, John?” Rodney murmured, unconsciously clenching his fingers in John’s vest. “You know what happens when mushroom caps open, right?”
John opened his mouth to reply just as a slight breeze kicked up. The entire mushroom clump trembled, causing a cloud of fine, dark particles to fall. He shut his mouth, turning in towards Rodney’s chest. Rodney tucked his head as well, twitching when the spores hit his skin.
Rodney tried to hold his breath, knowing that his immune system was no match for alien fungus spores. John would laugh at him, but Rodney was scared shitless. On Earth he’d have just dusted himself off, but this wasn’t Earth and these weren’t fairy-ring mushrooms. He could smell the spores, though; they were perfumed like the mushrooms themselves but slightly stronger.
John pressed his mouth against Rodney’s vest, using it as a filter. The spores irritated his bare skin and he wanted to scratch the backs of his hands. He couldn’t move, though, not without breathing in the fine dust. Instead he held onto Rodney, praying his team member wouldn’t move away.
He didn’t move, not until some of the spores got on his face. When his cheek began to burn, though, Rodney couldn’t help reaching up to wipe the spores off. When he shifted, John curled in tighter, digging his fingers painfully into Rodney’s ribs. The piercing sensation made Rodney gasp and he rolled onto his back to escape.
John felt his protection disappear just as he took a breath. On the inhale he felt a dull ache spread through his lungs. By the time John breathed out, however, he couldn’t feel a thing.
•••
...
