Pure Bodies and Clean Hearts by Speranza (Virgin Challenge)

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

Title: Pure Bodies and Clean Hearts (26k)
Author: Speranza
Pairing: McShep
Summary: John gets a do-over.

Thanks to shalott, giddy, and res for beta beyond the call of duty.

Comments

[of-fkilter.livejournal.com]

Making my way through your lovely works, I gotta comment on this one too. Such a nice little snapshot, sigh ....

John glanced over at Rodney, but his back was to them, and he said nothing. The woods grew silent except for the crackling of the fire, the whisk-whisk of Ronon's knife against the strap, and John tucked his arms behind his head and lay back thoughtfully.

Teyla set her glass down and seemed just about to speak when Rodney said, in a low, hurried-sounding voice, "I went to university at fourteen." John thought that sounded like the beginning of a story, but Rodney looked away and didn't say anything else.

"That must've been tough," John offered finally. "Being younger. Hard to get a date."

Rodney looked over in relief, like he was grateful that John understood. "Yes, exactly. Nobody wants to sleep with a kid," and John was nodding when Rodney surprised him by adding, "and those who do? You don't want those who do," and John felt a sudden sick twinge; it hadn't occurred to him that a child prodigy at a university would be a magnet for every pederast and pervert in the place. "Better to just--do your research, focus on your experiments, stay out of trouble," Rodney said, biting his lip. "And then the years pass and--you know. The years pass."

I know it's much more natural to be a Johny-girl, but little snippets like this make me *heart* Mister NoSocialSkills Rodney. Gives my thumper a big ole wrenching to hear how isolated and lonely Rodney must have been by being so advanced. Backpedaling from your sexuality so hard and furious because it's dangerous, and then, by the time it's safe, you have no idea how to approach it--or *anyone* for that matter--anymore. How sad.

Not that being a virgin is a problem, it's more the underlying realization that Rodney considers his ignorance a bit abnormal and kind of ... embarassing. Love that Teyla and Ronon accept it without a blink, and John is upset about the implications of Rodney's childhood, but touched that Rodney would share such a revealing thing. Love that John found Rodney so appealing that he broke his newfound serenity to jump Rodney's contrary bones.

Why do I always have to like the difficult ones?

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

I know it's much more natural to be a Johny-girl, but little snippets like this make me *heart* Mister NoSocialSkills Rodney.

Uh, what fandom are YOU in *g*--I think a lot of people are with you! I admit, it took longer for me to warm up to Rodney than to John, but boy oh boy, I think most of the fandom started the other way, and seriously, how can you NOT heart Rodney! He's SO lovely, really; I mean, I was talking to somebody and we decided that John is written warmly, but Flanigan kind of chills him down a little (on purpose, I think); and Rodney is written meanly, but Hewlett just warms him up wildly, doesn't he??

[of-fkilter.livejournal.com]

What fandom have I been in? Well, I'm a newbie to the fandom and have only been in it for the fanfic as I've seen nary an epidosde yet. Guess the people I've read so far seem to be very upfront about being partial to the cowlicked-wonder, but maybe I've just hit an unusual streak of Johnphiles. Not that the stories haven't been pretty darn tasty so far--and both boys are pretty darn hot in their own way and as a pair, it's just a bias I seemed to have stumbled on.

Eh, hey, I'm all for the wider viewing audience sharing my particular taste as that means more fics will skew towards my kinks, you know? When a person gets fixated on a particular character or pairing that's not the majority vote (like Teal'c/Daniel or OriginalRay/anyone--Ray/Ray is always a lovely thing!), it makes hunting through the crap to find the nugget of gold all that much more harder, though possibly more rewarding. (I'm lazy though)

Oh, and I want to let you know that though I've only recently come to SGA, I've been a fan of your works for a while now and plan on writing my sadly delayed appreciation of individual works ASAP. You are not a nugget or a vein of flashy fool's gold, you're one of the biggest motherloads of pure precious metal in any of my various fandoms!!

I've, uh, only recently matured enough in my insatiable fanfic gluttony to actually start providing feedback for those authors that really touched me with their stories. You've hit that button so many times that I'm really ashamed that I hadn't gotten around to platonically worshiping at the altar of your talent in a public manner. I am ashamed.

Of course, I did mention that I'm horribly lazy, right? Will strive to overcome to give you the more-than-deserved feedback and strokes.

[cesperanza.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm a newbie to the fandom and have only been in it for the fanfic as I've seen nary an epidosde yet Ohhh. Man. So much pretty ahead of you!!! *g* (It's a very pretty cast; have you seen the photos??)

maybe I've just hit an unusual streak of Johnphiles.
Hm--I do think it's like other classic slash fandoms, where often there's a strong attraction for one and then the other grows on you. My own perception was that, in a weird way, Rodney was the main BSO, because--you know, he's basically fannish: sort of snappy and asocial and smart but basically really warm as a person. So a lot of people identified strongly with him, I think. OTOH, that strong Rodney identification has resulted in a lot of Shep-worship, so I see where that could sound really really loud to someone getting in (and Flanigan is just so stupidly pretty.)

Oh, and I want to let you know that though I've only recently come to SGA, I've been a fan of your works for a while now and plan on writing my sadly delayed appreciation of individual works ASAP.

Hee--well, thanks; that's very kind of you--I appreciate it! I'm tempted to change my LJ title to "Big motherload" now *g*--hee, say what you want of me, but I'm no flash in the pan, anyway. *g* But don't stress out about it; I'm totally of the "fandom is fun and free" school of thought, and while I totally appreciate comments (I'm not proud; who doesn't like to be complimented?) I don't like people to feel bad or lazy or guilty--lazy is GOOD. Be LAZY. Real FIC. *

Cheers & thanks!