Godzilla vs. Tokyo, by sundancekid (PG-13)

[michelel72.livejournal.com]

Show: Stargate Atlantis
Rec Category: Rodney McKay
Characters: Rodney McKay, John Sheppard, Atlantis
Pairing: McKay/Sheppard
Het/Slash/Gen: Slash
Warning/Spoilers: None | 4x13 "Quarantine"
Author on LJ: sundancekid
Author's Website: sundancekidfic
Link: Godzilla vs. Tokyo

Why this must be read:
Summary: In fact, the most serious challenge seems to be the city itself. Herself? Himself? The city does appear to be gay for Sheppard. (2.4k words)

[ETA: Given the timing, the title of this story is ... unfortunate, but it is used only as a metaphor. As far as I can tell, the story itself should have no unpleasant resonance for current events.]

Once Rodney's relationship with Katie evaporates, he and John fall together, to their mutual surprise. There are surprisingly few obstacles, but when Atlantis starts acting up, Rodney is certain he knows the reason. Rodney may be a scientist, but he's also a flawed human, and seeing him interpret events as inevitably being about him (while John laughs at him in the background) is fun ... especially when Rodney has decided he's going to fight back.

Excerpt:
The first time Rodney voices this suspicion, John (sometimes he's John now, usually postcoital) just laughs. "The city's not alive, Rodney," he drawls.

And look, Rodney's not exactly on the AI train either -- those guys were the nerdiest ones in college, and even worse in grad school -- but still, four years in Atlantis and you start to feel like something's going on. The city's always locking itself down, over real and imagined threats, and, well, after a couple years you start to get a feel for the city's hissy fits. And the city is most definitely having a hissy fit over Rodney and John.

For one thing, there are a number of unexplained power outages during makeout sessions, always on the opposite side of the city from wherever they are. The fourth time it happens, Rodney rolls off John and asks the ceiling, "Seriously? Seriously? Why are you doing this to me?"

John pulls his T-shirt back on. "This isn't happening to you, it's just happening. Buck up, dude."

"Oh no, this is happening to me," Rodney insists, struggling to lace up his boots. "The city is doing this on purpose because it wants you all to itself. Atlantis is jealous that I get to make out with you."