Read My Lips by nagi_schwarz (mostly M, with some E)

[brumeier.livejournal.com]

Show(s): Stargate Atlantis/Stargate SG1

Rec Category: Crossovers
Pairing(s): John/Rodney, Evan/Jonathan (clone!Jack)
Characters: John, Rodney, Evan, Radek, Carson, etc.
Categories: emotional hurt/comfort, physical impairment, pining, angst
Warnings: John’s violently tragic backstory, Patrick Sheppard being awful
Author on LJ: ficsco_and_nagi
Link: Read My Lips

Why this must be read: This is an Atlantis-based AU that has one major difference from canon: John Sheppard is a deaf mathematician. He and Rodney have the best meeting ever, he proves himself just as necessary to the expedition as he did when he was a Major, and he has a terrible, horrible backstory. (Spoiler: he wasn’t born deaf)

I love how John’s physical impairment alters canon events, and changes the way the expedition members relate to him. And I love that at the core of himself John is just the same as he always was, ready to do what’s necessary to protect the people he loves.

As always, nagi_schwarz does a wonderful job with the variety of POVs she employs to fill out this 'verse and make it work so well. She's especially adept at writing Evan as John's put-upon translator, and Jonathan as the tortured clone who has to build a whole new life for himself. Is there anything she can't write in this fandom? Answer: no! ::grins::

Rodney found the room where the music was emanating from and swiped his hand over the lock.

The first person he saw was Lorne, sitting in the corner with a sketch pad on one knee, drawing, completely oblivious to the music.

He was wearing noise-canceling headphones, but how could those cancel everything?

And then Rodney saw John. He was barefoot in low-slung jeans and a flannel shirt he hadn't bothered to button, and he was dancing. In time with the music, properly on beat, which Rodney was able to register above the blood rushing in his ears and his heart pounding.

Because damn, but John looked good. Rodney glimpsed the trail of hair leading from John's navel to somewhere beneath the waistband of his jeans, the way John's muscles shifted as he danced. And the way he moved his hips...

No wonder the music was so loud. John couldn't hear it, but this loud, he could definitely feel it. Rodney had felt it.

John was many things, but uninhibited wasn't one of them. He wore his charm like a cloak, his grin like a shield, and every insouciant toss of his head, quirk of his brow was calculated to set people at ease so they never noticed they were fully at arm's length.

To see John like this, totally uncaring, was beautiful. Rare. Precious.

Comments

[squidgiepdx]

Nagi has created one of my absolutely favorite AUs in the SGA fandom here. I need to catch up on it!

[brumeier.livejournal.com]

I love this one, too. She's so good at writing these characters, whether they're fully canon or not.

The snippet I included is one of my fave scenes. John, barefoot and free, dancing. ::happy sigh::

[popkin16]

*moves this up the list of things to read*

I WILL GET TO IT SOMEDAAAAY. It sounds really good :)