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crack_van2011-11-22 11:25 am
mf_luder_xf) wrote in crack_van2011-11-22 11:25 am
Entry tags:
Bar Harbor's Best by wojelah (R)
Fandom: Stargate: Atlantis
Pairing: John/Rodney
Length: ~8,100
Author on LJ:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
wojelah
Author Website: Woj's Fic
In the third and final of the boating!AUs, John Sheppard has been living in Bar Harbor, Maine, for seven years, hearing of Rodney McKay only through his sister. Suddenly, McKay decides to buy a restaurant in town and comes back to the surprise and gossip of most in town.
What I like about this is the unusual way John and Rodney meet. Based on McKay and Mrs. Miller, John and Jeannie got along fairly well, and it's nice to see the idea that they could be friends fleshed out. I also like the subtle references to John missing flying despite loving the sea. It's got great characterization, humor, hurricanes, John and Madison being all adorable, John and Rodney both being socially awkward, and Ronon is a chef. With knives. What else could you want? More? Well, the art made bybeeej which inspired the story is stunning.
Rodney McKay had been a consternation in Bar Harbor for nearly a decade, having left a good three years before John had ever set foot in the place. Nobody talked about him much, and when they did, it wasn't with anything like the mixture of pity and affection that usually accompanied a mention of his sister.
The little John knew had been picked up from Teyla and Elizabeth, who'd moved up to start Atlantis not long after Rodney disappeared - and who'd taken to Jeannie like ducks to water. He'd met Jeannie not long after stumbling into town, a barely honorable discharge at his heels, thankful for the sight of the water after the endless dust and desert of Afghanistan.
"Nice to meet you," had been all Jeannie had said when they first met, a three-year old Maddie screaming bloody murder in her stroller as Jeannie stood under the office awning, waiting to meet Elizabeth for a late lunch.
"Um," John had answered, hoping she hadn't noticed his rather dubious glance at the kid. He'd stuck out his hand. "You too."
She'd looked at him sharply, then laughed, not unkindly. "It's more fun when they're not yelling," she confided, and then Elizabeth showed up and they hurried off to lunch. He'd liked her laugh - had mentioned it to Teyla, after.
Teyla had known John since high school and had learned to read between the lines, thus sparing John the need to actually articulate certain questions, for which he remained intensely thankful. "She should laugh more," she had said. "But it has been a difficult few years." John had looked at her, and she'd continued. "Jeannie's parents owned McKay Vineyards; they moved here when she and her brother were young, to follow her father's dream. But her mother never was happy here, and left when Jeannie was in high school. Her father is growing old and her brother, Rodney - he ran the winery for several years before, but then - well, there was an argument. He left just after Madison was born, and Jeannie has had the running of things ever since. It has been hard work - her father had great plans, but the wrong climate, and the vines only began to succeed once they changed grapes - another argument," Teyla had added, frowning.
"Ah," John had said, knowing something about arguments.
Teyla's mouth had quirked. "Yes," she'd agreed. "But Kaleb is good for her, and she is herself very stubborn. And I think she has taken a shine to you."
At that point John had muttered something about needing to check the boat for the next tour and left. He saw Jeannie when she came to meet someone for lunch - or occasionally, just to sit and chat - and they got to know each other in bits and pieces. Later that year when both Teyla and Elizabeth had left town for Thanksgiving, he'd come home on Wednesday night to Jeannie's peremptory message on his answering machine commanding him to appear for Thursday dinner or else. He'd gone.
Seven years later, John hadn't learned much more about her brother and hadn't really felt the need to push, but he had met the elder McKay on multiple occasions. He wasn't an easy person, and John, who knew something about having difficult parents, thought maybe he could fill in a few blanks.
Bar Harbor's Best
Pairing: John/Rodney
Length: ~8,100
Author on LJ:
wojelah Author Website: Woj's Fic
In the third and final of the boating!AUs, John Sheppard has been living in Bar Harbor, Maine, for seven years, hearing of Rodney McKay only through his sister. Suddenly, McKay decides to buy a restaurant in town and comes back to the surprise and gossip of most in town.
What I like about this is the unusual way John and Rodney meet. Based on McKay and Mrs. Miller, John and Jeannie got along fairly well, and it's nice to see the idea that they could be friends fleshed out. I also like the subtle references to John missing flying despite loving the sea. It's got great characterization, humor, hurricanes, John and Madison being all adorable, John and Rodney both being socially awkward, and Ronon is a chef. With knives. What else could you want? More? Well, the art made by
beeej which inspired the story is stunning. Rodney McKay had been a consternation in Bar Harbor for nearly a decade, having left a good three years before John had ever set foot in the place. Nobody talked about him much, and when they did, it wasn't with anything like the mixture of pity and affection that usually accompanied a mention of his sister.
The little John knew had been picked up from Teyla and Elizabeth, who'd moved up to start Atlantis not long after Rodney disappeared - and who'd taken to Jeannie like ducks to water. He'd met Jeannie not long after stumbling into town, a barely honorable discharge at his heels, thankful for the sight of the water after the endless dust and desert of Afghanistan.
"Nice to meet you," had been all Jeannie had said when they first met, a three-year old Maddie screaming bloody murder in her stroller as Jeannie stood under the office awning, waiting to meet Elizabeth for a late lunch.
"Um," John had answered, hoping she hadn't noticed his rather dubious glance at the kid. He'd stuck out his hand. "You too."
She'd looked at him sharply, then laughed, not unkindly. "It's more fun when they're not yelling," she confided, and then Elizabeth showed up and they hurried off to lunch. He'd liked her laugh - had mentioned it to Teyla, after.
Teyla had known John since high school and had learned to read between the lines, thus sparing John the need to actually articulate certain questions, for which he remained intensely thankful. "She should laugh more," she had said. "But it has been a difficult few years." John had looked at her, and she'd continued. "Jeannie's parents owned McKay Vineyards; they moved here when she and her brother were young, to follow her father's dream. But her mother never was happy here, and left when Jeannie was in high school. Her father is growing old and her brother, Rodney - he ran the winery for several years before, but then - well, there was an argument. He left just after Madison was born, and Jeannie has had the running of things ever since. It has been hard work - her father had great plans, but the wrong climate, and the vines only began to succeed once they changed grapes - another argument," Teyla had added, frowning.
"Ah," John had said, knowing something about arguments.
Teyla's mouth had quirked. "Yes," she'd agreed. "But Kaleb is good for her, and she is herself very stubborn. And I think she has taken a shine to you."
At that point John had muttered something about needing to check the boat for the next tour and left. He saw Jeannie when she came to meet someone for lunch - or occasionally, just to sit and chat - and they got to know each other in bits and pieces. Later that year when both Teyla and Elizabeth had left town for Thanksgiving, he'd come home on Wednesday night to Jeannie's peremptory message on his answering machine commanding him to appear for Thursday dinner or else. He'd gone.
Seven years later, John hadn't learned much more about her brother and hadn't really felt the need to push, but he had met the elder McKay on multiple occasions. He wasn't an easy person, and John, who knew something about having difficult parents, thought maybe he could fill in a few blanks.
Bar Harbor's Best