stargateficrec | Teenage Kicks by Rheanna (E)

Show: SGA

Rec Category: Time Travel
Characters: Rodney McKay, John Sheppard (and both their immediate families)
Pairings: Rodney McKay/John Sheppard
Categories: slash
Warnings: None
Author on LJ: Not any more - see the AO3
Author's Website: Rheanna's SGA fics on AO3
Link: Teenage Kicks on AO3

Why This Must Be Read: This one's been reccd before, but not for seven years and the old link's a dud, and this is such a great fic everyone should definitely be able to access it. A pesky ancient device sends Rodney back to reinhabit his adolescent body (and the horrors of his teenage life), but with his adult consciousness. Naturally, John's not going to leave him behind back in the past, but in following Rodney, John has to confront his own painful adolescence. It's a great idea, beautifully written, an exploration of both their characters as they have to confront past issues that have, up to now, hampered their adult relationship.

"I have never, ever been so happy to see you," Rodney tells him sincerely, "and I'm including that time in the Wraith hive, and the time I thought you'd been blown up by a nuclear bomb, and the other time I thought you'd been blown up by a nuclear bomb, and the time on that planet where they wanted to sacrifice me to their gods—"

Sheppard holds up a hand, not even trying to hide his smile. "Okay, I get it. You're pleased to see me."

"I'm pleased to see you," Rodney agrees fervently. Then his unfettered joy subsides sufficiently for him to think that through properly. "Wait, wait. How did you get here?"

"Took the train," Sheppard says, sounding slightly smug.

"From where?"

Sheppard slides the backpack off his shoulder and sets it down at the end of Rodney's bed. "San Francisco. Well, first I hitchhiked to San Francisco, and then I took the train."

Rodney pictures this teenaged version of John strolling along the side of a highway, casually sticking out his thumb to attract the attention of every passing axe-murderer and child-molester, with neither the upper body strength nor the automated weaponry to defend himself. "You hitchhiked?" he asks, aghast. "You're fifteen."

"No, I'm thirty-nine, I just look fifteen." Sheppard rubs the back of his neck. The gesture, too adult for his appearance, looks strange, and Rodney wonders if his own body language is off, too. "You know, adolescence was really crappy for me the first time round. I'm not wild about doing it all over again."

"You have my complete agreement on that count, Colonel," Rodney says. It slips out automatically, and Rodney sees his own involuntary wince mirrored in Sheppard's expression.

"Better drop the rank, Rodney. It just makes us sound like we're playing soldiers."