stargateficrec | Discreet Arrangements, by brumeier [PG-13]

Show: Stargate Atlantis
Rec Category: Alternate Universe
Characters: John Sheppard, Rodney McKay, Female OC
Pairings: John Sheppard/Rodney McKay
Categories: Slash, first time, kid!fic
Warnings: None
Author's Journal: N/A
Author's Website: Ao3 Account
Link: Discreet Arrangements

Why This Must Be Read: I have read this fic at least five times. John is a single parent struggling monetarily to raise a rambunctious, sweet teen who is struggling with mental health issues. Cadman sends him a link to a website where you can sign up to communicate electronically with a "sugar daddy/momma", though the relationship doesn't have to be sexual. Through it, John meets Rodney, and a friendship is formed. It's not a long fic, clocking in at just under 7k, but it's fun and super charming.

“Dad?”

“Okay. I have this…friend. He needs someone to talk to. And when I do, he sends money for us.”

Rory’s face squinched up as she thought about that. “He pays you to talk to him? Like a verbal prostitute?”

John wondered how many beers he had left in the fridge. “This is not a prostitution scenario.”

“But all he wants to do is talk? Dad, that’s really sad. Doesn’t he have any friends?”

“Not really.” And yeah, the same thought had occurred to John more than once.

Rodney never talked about friends or family. Just work, and sometimes his cat Tycho. It was sad that Rodney had to pay a perfect stranger to be his friend, but it hadn’t stopped John from accepting the money. Which didn’t make him feel very good about himself, either.

“Does he ask you to send naked pictures?” Rory asked. “Because that’s really gross and you shouldn’t do that.”

“It’s just talking. Mostly about work.” Also fast-paced games of Prime/Not Prime when Rodney was stuck in boring meetings.