MVP by Speranza

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

Title: MVP (74k)
Author: Speranza
Pairing: Sheppard/McKay
Postcard: here
Summary: "All right, all right, nothing to see here," he heard Sheppard say. "You've seen one giant snake, you've seen 'em all."

Comments

[barely-bean.livejournal.com]

You know I was going to write you this long drawn out comment on how much I love this even though it made me all grr towards Elizabeth in this, and how hot it was, and how sad reading John's file was, and understanding the way Rodney couldn't stop thinking about it, and his almost nervous breakdown, and and finally the scene where he's telling John how invaluable John is to him, but then I got to this

"Dude!" Rodney said, and hugged him.

And all I could think of was OMG I would kill to see Rodney do that on the show!

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

It's funny, because I wrote that and loved it, and there was question about it in beta, as to whether or not it was in character, but everyone admitted that they laughed out loud at it--so I was like *smug* it's so in. And now half my feedback is "dude!" *hug* and I will never let anyone question my comic timing again!

Meanwhile--I feel bad for Elizabeth in this story, because it's really not her fault, and Rodney's so projecting his own guilt and fear onto her. And John's projecting his own desperation and loneliness onto Rodney. As someone once said, half of what I say means nothing, and the other half means something else! *g*

Anyway--thanks for commenting!

[runpunkrun]

What a wonderful look at John's recklessness through Rodney's frantic, worried eyes. Rodney's frustration and directionless anger felt very real. And of course the sex was fantastically hot, but the few moments of emotional honesty were, somehow, even hotter.

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

Thank you--and I don't have to tell you that emotional honesty (particularly from me) is the real sex. *g*

[malotte.livejournal.com]

I've just finished reading this, I have 36 more science notebooks to grade tonight and I must reread it right now. Loved your John, loved your Rodney.

I've been a fan of your fiction for years, so I hope it is okay if I friend your LJ.

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

Yes, of course; welcome! And good luck with your grading--I just finished mine and so I feel your pain!!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_swallow/]

AWWWW.

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[porntestpilot.livejournal.com]

This was wonderful and horrible, because it I kept wanting to cry, because I felt so bad for both of them, but the ending saved it all AND FUCKING ROCKED HARD. So yeah, brilliant.

Shep as St. Patrick. *nods* If anyone a giant metaphor for getting pagans to follow him...wait. No. That's not what I meant. Black Irish, yeah, that's what I meant.

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

This was wonderful and horrible, because it I kept wanting to cry, because I felt so bad for both of them, but the ending saved it all

Thanks! Dumb as this sounds, I'm really delighted that people kind of got the bad here--even though I'm happy ending girl and made sure to put it right!

[scififreak.livejournal.com]

Dude! (lol) There was nothing I didn't absolutely love about this. Nothing. The ending cracked me up, especially. Everything was pitch perfect. I had chills for many diff reasons as I read this. Fear, anticipation, lust (cough), you name it.

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

Chills of all kinds are good things--happy the story worked that well for you!

[(Anonymous)]

The first thing I thought when I read John's file is "OMG! John is Hannibal Lecter!"

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

He is SO NOT!!! *Ces pictures John eating Rodney with fava beans and a nice Chianti, and shakes that off*

[trixiesfic.livejournal.com]

Fabulous! This is definately a John I can see and I love that he jumped to the gay conclusion immediately and they kind of oopsed their way into a relationship. I loved it!

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

Oooped is exactly the word--I mean, obviously Rodney was more surprised by the sex, but John was surprised by the relationship! I'm so glad you liked it!

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much!

[crysothemis.livejournal.com]

::loves::

Oh, man. John's personel file just slayed me dead. And the misunderstanding was amazing and wonderful, and I loved how it all came to a head in the end.

But the best part was the voices. You have John 's voice down and that is such a rare and impossible feat that I bow to your power of language.

Also? One of the hottest stories I've read in ages.

::happy sigh::

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

Eee--I'm so glad you liked! Especially John's voice, because, um, if you haven't figured it out, and I know I can confide in you, omg, I'm so totally a Johnbabe I mean, don't get me wrong, I love Rodney, I feel great great love for Rodney, but it's John who comes whispering into my ears all the time, who just, you know, owns me. So, um, yeah. *cough*

[claire.livejournal.com]

Dude!

[not-sally.livejournal.com]

I have just seen this but... *dies*

[not-sally.livejournal.com]

Oh god!! This fic was like Christmas and birthdays and valentines all wrapped together: so freaking awesome and full of gifts.
I honestly loved it, entirely. Your Rodney was amazing (but I always think Rodney is amazing, still I loved you basically described his entire character in two lines), but I loved most that you wrote a version of John I hope we'll get to see on the show. It was so amazingly easy to feel every scene as if you were actually there.

this lines:The Berkeley student hopped a little, apparently delighted by John's response. "No! We're totally not!" and he grinned, and John grinned back, for a terrifying moment, Rodney thought that they were going to be all, "Dude!" and maybe hug or something. (...)
"--a ZPM!" Rodney blurted (...)
Kartus looked confused. "Which one?"
"Dude!" Rodney said, and hugged him.
killed me. Your fic was perfect, but this was like a bonus and now I can't grinning.

Seriously, this has become one of my all time favourites. Astounding -not in the least surprising, considering you wrote it- fic.

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you liked it--though you make me curious about the two lines you think are Rodney! And I do think this is pretty canonically John...or at least, parallel with the John who came to Atlantis with no notice and wrote home to nobody at all.

[kaizoku.livejournal.com]

oh holy shit. this story is killing me and i haven't even finished reading it yet. killing in the good way. :-) god, that's *totally* what happens when you find out something you shouldn't have about someone. i just got to the hand-cuff sex (hot!) and waking up together and breakfast part. and i kind of want to wring all their necks (especially Elizabeth's!) or hug them or something. i'm amazed at how you took those two lines on the postcard and turned them into *this*...

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

Aw, poor Elizabeth--she's getting a bum rap, really, because Rodney's SO PROJECTING his guilt and anger onto her. It's really not her fault! And the postcard, I confess, was made afterwards--or rather in tandem with: I had that idea for the postcard, and this story in my head kind of simultaneously--actually, the story idea was really first, but it was really suited to be bent toward this post-secret challenge.

Anyway, thank you for liking!

[no-detective.livejournal.com]

I... I have no words. This story? Is as brilliant as this reply is dumbstruck and inarticulate. PERFECTION.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

You are so, so welcome! I appreciate this comment more than I can say.

[scribewraith.livejournal.com]

I really love the way you've used a mix of styles in this and the mix of missions and the way they build their relationship through everyday incidents.

This was the bit that really made it for me:
He was exhausted, and knew he ought to just go to bed, but John would be coming; John always came to him after missions, as reliably as a cat scratching at the door. For a guy who supposedly couldn't form relationships, John was as predictable as clockwork, and Rodney found himself wondering if John's "weak family ties" were entirely his fault.

thank you!

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

You're welcome! and nindulgence noted that Rodney loves cats--with their fierce indepence and their nine lives. *g*

[diluvian.livejournal.com]

Dude!

Heh.

This was wonderful.

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

Dude! *hug*

[saba1789.livejournal.com]

That was really fabulous Speranza - thanks for writing and sharing it :-) .

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

You're so very welcome! Delighted that you liked it!

[sjkasabi.livejournal.com]

That was great. I loved your Rodney POV-voice, but I think it was the portrait of John's emotional disconnection that rang most true for me.

Thanks!

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

Thank you--I'm so gratified that so many folks see John the way I do!

[saturn92103.livejournal.com]

Oh, yay! This was so great!

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much!

[janet-carter.livejournal.com]

Yes. Dude. *hugs Rodney and John*

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

Dude! *hugs all of you!*

[saffronhouse.livejournal.com]

Right, what do you do with a really smart soldier? Watch him very carefully (and despair if you happen to fall in love him).

Except -- hurrah -- even John can be saved by the love of a good man! I believe it completely and this story makes me just idiotically happy. It's just too lovely to read a John who, of course, couches the profound truths of his life in sports metaphors.

OK, and dear Rodney with his naked, naked face.

Just gorgeous.

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

even John can be saved by the love of a good man! Absolutely, he can--you can see it happening in the story!--and yes, yes, there's really a ton layered into to that "MVP", so much that isn't said about who they are. And I die at your description of Rodney's naked, naked face--thank you!

[umbo.livejournal.com]

Finally got a chunk of time to read this this morning, and I adored it--it's gone up there with Eight Sessions as one of my favorite stories of yours. Great job!

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

Hee--like the psychiatrist fic, do ya? (I guess I do, too! I've written enough of them!) Isiscolo said this story reminded her of Scrabble, and now you're mentioning 8 Sessions--of course, the gimme here is the story where John had a wife who died (he seems to me quite likely to have that kind of background) but I really can't run through my ENTIRE DS repertoire. (Rodney the Angry Clown? Not even!)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_bettina_/]

This was great :-).

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much!

[the-shoshanna.livejournal.com]

Oh, this made me happy. Rodney trying to remember the things people said about him to say them to John, and the characterization of both of them (I love Rodney's rage at all the people who take John for granted and don't understand what they're risking), and the sex is hot, too. Loved it.

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

This means a lot coming from you!--and yeah, it's a deeply ironic story; Rodney no sooner gets the gratification of finding out that he's number one than that he learns the pain of that position vis a vis John. That's love, baby!

[mecurtin.livejournal.com]

I love this story, but there's things about it I don't get; more details here (http://mecurtin.livejournal.com/310102.html). I wonder to what extent it's meant to be the inverse of shalott's "Oblivious".

I love the nucleosynthsis number theory (Geeks R Us!) and the snakes (Sheppard-->Han Solo-->Harrison Ford-->Indiana Jones reference, right?) -- though I kept wondering where the rope & pulley came from and when it would bite them on the ass. And you always get an extra cookie for stories where they show love, but don't tell. *offers cookies*

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

I just surfed by your LJ discussion of my story--(thank you muchly for hosting that!)--and I see that you got there without me. *g* There are a couple of really, really smart readers on that page!

And I'll take my cookie! I don't think anyone's said "I love you," in one of my stories for a couple of years. Except, okay, Josh Lyman, but he doesn't count!