Bridges (by busaikko) (E)
Feb. 24th, 2022 04:36 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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stargateficrecShow: SGA
Rec Category: Alternate Universe
Characters and Pairings: John Sheppard/Rodney McKay, Jeannie Miller/Kaleb Miller, Teyla Emmagan/Kanaan, Rodney McKay/Katie Brown, Jack O'Neill/Daniel Jackson, Ronon Dex, Elizabeth Weir, Radek Zelenka
Categories: M/M
Words: 52,003
Warnings: no AO3 warnings apply
Author on DW:busaikko
Author's Website: busaikko on AO3
Link: Bridges on AO3
Why This Must Be Read: This is a non-Stargate, Earth-based AU in which Rodney's a structural engineer and John's a charter helicopter pilot. It's well known but has never been reccd here before that I can see, so I figured that needed to change. Rodney comes to Athos Island off North Carolina's Crystal Coast to help Jeannie design and build a series of bridges to link several offshore islands, and the task is symbolic of him slowly becoming part of the community there, finding an extended family, and eventually becoming close to John - despite the baggage in both their pasts, of course! It's got loads of plot, satisfying character development and great dialogue, and it's an excellent read. Very much recommended.
Companion art by antares
"You hate me, don't you," Rodney said, staring at the latest frustration, a red flight suit being held out towards him.
John Sheppard, the helicopter pilot he'd had the misfortune to be assigned, smiled tightly. Rodney just knew he wanted to say something scathing but was afraid Rodney would have him fired. Rodney wasn't sure that he shouldn't be fired: the man had terrible people skills. He was tall and thin, short-tempered and impatient. When Rodney arrived in North Carolina, he had been put in communication with the owner of O'Neill's Aerial Imaging, who had been breezily confident that Rodney would have no problems collecting data for the survey of the proposed sites for the Pegasus Bay Bridges.
Rodney planned to have words with Jack O'Neill when he eventually showed up. He suspected the man was hiding, well aware that Rodney would not be easy to work with. Rodney set a high bar for unquestioning obedience to his demands, and he'd made sure O'Neill knew those demands, through detailed daily (sometimes twice daily) e-mail updates.
In contrast to O'Neill's absence, Sheppard had spent the whole morning with Rodney, propping his chin up with the palm of his hand during the mission briefing, asking annoying questions that showed more interest in maintaining the integrity of the company equipment than in meeting Rodney's needs, and now insisting on protective outerwear when Rodney was already starting to sweat in his shirt and khakis. Rodney had no doubts that once he gave in Sheppard would try and make him wear a helmet as well. Which was why they were currently butting heads in Hanger One instead of getting on with things.
"I'm not asking you to make a fashion statement," Sheppard said. "You can stay on the ground." He'd been saying all morning that he could make the flights alone once he plugged the memory card with the flight lines into the airborne system.
"Ha," Rodney said, sullen. He was fairly sure that everyone at the SGC knew that he had been hired because Jeannie had pulled strings; he could just imagine the humiliation of her having to apologize for him not being a team player.
Rodney grudgingly decided that he could put up with the annoying helicopter pilot for Jeannie's sake, and grabbed the flight suit with as much ill-grace and ire as he could muster. Sheppard grinned and leaned up against the wall to watch Rodney stuff his arms and legs in and zip the front up.
"There, now you're fireproof," Sheppard said, way too cheerfully. He probably crashed helicopters all the time. Rodney swallowed down a biting remark on the flammability of Sheppard's hair, which stuck up as if he wanted to create the impression that belonged to a slacker hippie cult that didn't believe in combs. Sheppard opened a locker and took out a life vest, which he handed over and Rodney accepted with resignation.
"This is your way of telling me that you're a really bad pilot, isn't it?" he muttered, trying to figure out the straps and the latches and where the light and whistle were. "We're going to end up on some deserted island and I won't even be able to vote you off."
Sheppard nodded. "Happens all the time around here. Excuse me." He took a step forward and quickly checked that Rodney had everything right, tightening the belt and adjusting something that pulled Rodney's shoulders back, not unlike his grandmother's supportive corset. "You need help with this stuff?" he asked, hefting Rodney's computer case and carrying it off towards the helicopter with long, impatient strides. Rodney had to chase after him, shouting threats about what would happen if it got dropped, or jostled, or set down too hard, or breathed on wrong.
"Right," Sheppard said, waving at Rodney to get in the back of the helicopter where the Lidar operator's station was, and then handing the case in. "Because you're going to bring something that delicate with you on a helicopter."
Rec Category: Alternate Universe
Characters and Pairings: John Sheppard/Rodney McKay, Jeannie Miller/Kaleb Miller, Teyla Emmagan/Kanaan, Rodney McKay/Katie Brown, Jack O'Neill/Daniel Jackson, Ronon Dex, Elizabeth Weir, Radek Zelenka
Categories: M/M
Words: 52,003
Warnings: no AO3 warnings apply
Author on DW:
busaikko Author's Website: busaikko on AO3
Link: Bridges on AO3
Why This Must Be Read: This is a non-Stargate, Earth-based AU in which Rodney's a structural engineer and John's a charter helicopter pilot. It's well known but has never been reccd here before that I can see, so I figured that needed to change. Rodney comes to Athos Island off North Carolina's Crystal Coast to help Jeannie design and build a series of bridges to link several offshore islands, and the task is symbolic of him slowly becoming part of the community there, finding an extended family, and eventually becoming close to John - despite the baggage in both their pasts, of course! It's got loads of plot, satisfying character development and great dialogue, and it's an excellent read. Very much recommended.
Companion art by antares
"You hate me, don't you," Rodney said, staring at the latest frustration, a red flight suit being held out towards him.
John Sheppard, the helicopter pilot he'd had the misfortune to be assigned, smiled tightly. Rodney just knew he wanted to say something scathing but was afraid Rodney would have him fired. Rodney wasn't sure that he shouldn't be fired: the man had terrible people skills. He was tall and thin, short-tempered and impatient. When Rodney arrived in North Carolina, he had been put in communication with the owner of O'Neill's Aerial Imaging, who had been breezily confident that Rodney would have no problems collecting data for the survey of the proposed sites for the Pegasus Bay Bridges.
Rodney planned to have words with Jack O'Neill when he eventually showed up. He suspected the man was hiding, well aware that Rodney would not be easy to work with. Rodney set a high bar for unquestioning obedience to his demands, and he'd made sure O'Neill knew those demands, through detailed daily (sometimes twice daily) e-mail updates.
In contrast to O'Neill's absence, Sheppard had spent the whole morning with Rodney, propping his chin up with the palm of his hand during the mission briefing, asking annoying questions that showed more interest in maintaining the integrity of the company equipment than in meeting Rodney's needs, and now insisting on protective outerwear when Rodney was already starting to sweat in his shirt and khakis. Rodney had no doubts that once he gave in Sheppard would try and make him wear a helmet as well. Which was why they were currently butting heads in Hanger One instead of getting on with things.
"I'm not asking you to make a fashion statement," Sheppard said. "You can stay on the ground." He'd been saying all morning that he could make the flights alone once he plugged the memory card with the flight lines into the airborne system.
"Ha," Rodney said, sullen. He was fairly sure that everyone at the SGC knew that he had been hired because Jeannie had pulled strings; he could just imagine the humiliation of her having to apologize for him not being a team player.
Rodney grudgingly decided that he could put up with the annoying helicopter pilot for Jeannie's sake, and grabbed the flight suit with as much ill-grace and ire as he could muster. Sheppard grinned and leaned up against the wall to watch Rodney stuff his arms and legs in and zip the front up.
"There, now you're fireproof," Sheppard said, way too cheerfully. He probably crashed helicopters all the time. Rodney swallowed down a biting remark on the flammability of Sheppard's hair, which stuck up as if he wanted to create the impression that belonged to a slacker hippie cult that didn't believe in combs. Sheppard opened a locker and took out a life vest, which he handed over and Rodney accepted with resignation.
"This is your way of telling me that you're a really bad pilot, isn't it?" he muttered, trying to figure out the straps and the latches and where the light and whistle were. "We're going to end up on some deserted island and I won't even be able to vote you off."
Sheppard nodded. "Happens all the time around here. Excuse me." He took a step forward and quickly checked that Rodney had everything right, tightening the belt and adjusting something that pulled Rodney's shoulders back, not unlike his grandmother's supportive corset. "You need help with this stuff?" he asked, hefting Rodney's computer case and carrying it off towards the helicopter with long, impatient strides. Rodney had to chase after him, shouting threats about what would happen if it got dropped, or jostled, or set down too hard, or breathed on wrong.
"Right," Sheppard said, waving at Rodney to get in the back of the helicopter where the Lidar operator's station was, and then handing the case in. "Because you're going to bring something that delicate with you on a helicopter."
