Little Storms (Must Be Dreaming challenge) by Chandri MacLeod

[chandri.livejournal.com]

Title: Little Storms
Author: Chandri MacLeod
Pairing: McKay/Sheppard
Characters: Just about everyone, mainly the Team, Teyla/Rodney friendship.
Rating: PG for... language? I suppose.
Spoilers: Through Season 4
Word Count: ~17,850. Uh. Oops?
A/N: Oh my god, I did not mean to make it this long, but it sort of… got away from me. The next one, I swear, will be shorter. Hosted on my website due to being enormously, stupidly long. Beta by mik100, faster than light.
Summary: None of them like to admit it, but sometimes John’s wrong. Usually it’s Rodney who has to say so.

(So that’s what it comes down to, of course. John thinks everything is his own fault, but in this case it’s no one’s, and in this case, in a lot of ways, it looks like Rodney’s.)

Comments

[acari.livejournal.com]

That was very sweet. I loved the description of the festival. I can readily believe John would be an asshole like that without even trying. Thanks for the enjoyable read!

[chandri.livejournal.com]

Yes, I think mostly when John's an asshole it's without trying to be, or even knowing he is. Not that Rodney's that much better. Poor boys. :)

Thanks!

[chandri.livejournal.com]

I think he underestimates himself in that whole courage/heart/kindness department.

Oh, so do I. But he's still not comfortable with it, so it's good he's got the team to give him incentive. :)

I spent this entire story wanting to smack John repeatedly upside the head. I'm glad it wasn't just me. *sheepish*

[spike21.livejournal.com]

that was just so perfect and lovely it made me cry and cry. I love the sound of that festival. We have something like that here in Vancouver called Illuminares and the story was really evocative of that whole atmosphere. (You can read about Illuminares here if you're interested: http://www.publicdreams.org/event_details.html?day=28&month=07&year=2007 ) Anyway, I really loved this story.

[chandri.livejournal.com]

I was half-thinking of Illuminaires when I came up with cel unal, honestly, though I didn't make it to the real thing last year. I'm going to make a better effort this year, though. So happy you enjoyed! It's weird to be in a place writing-wise where "you made me cry!" is a compliment. ^.^

[mecurtin.livejournal.com]

Oh, you made me cry, and happy, and, and *heart clenches & explodes*!! Sometimes ya need some Rodney!angst, ya know? especially

John smiling like a kid, Rodney staring at him as he watches the shower of falling stars and thinking, god, god, I love you.

and

“I’m sorry,” John offers, quietly, like a little boy who’s stolen money from his mother’s purse to buy candy at the corner store and isn’t sorry at all.

because of course it's in character for John to sulk first, before he *really* says he's sorry.

And how much awesomesauce is Teyla?!? Totally! And Ronon?! More totally! Because John & Rodney need taking care of, no doubt about it.

Enormous bouquets of flowers shall be yours!

[chandri.livejournal.com]

*heart clenches & explodes*!!

Eee! Thank you! :D

John & Rodney need taking care of, no doubt about it.

Oh, christ, yes, the sweet idiots. *fond eye-roll*

[mellyna.livejournal.com]

Wonderful story. Thanks for sharing.

[chandri.livejournal.com]

Thank you for reading! ^.^

[sheafrotherdon.livejournal.com]

Oh, oh, what a beautiful story! My heart ached for poor Rodney, and I was so GLAD when he got mad at john, kicked him, told him he hated him sometimes. A beautiful apology, totally in character for both of them, and such a fond resolution. *sighs happily*

[chandri.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you liked it! By the time I got to that part I was so mad at John that I seriously considered having the fight be more physical - I certainly wanted to punch John a little. But I figured, being that miserable for that long is exhausting, hence the precipitous cuddle/nap. ;)

[looking4tarzan.livejournal.com]

Thank god,” Ronon says loudly from the grass to their left, and then there’s the smack of a palm hitting a bare shoulder and he says “ow!”

Ronon and Teyla for the win!

God i can just see them all sitting in the grass watching those parachutes go up.

[chandri.livejournal.com]

They'd be pretty much lost without those two, wouldn't they?

Thanks!

[mckayfan.livejournal.com]

God i really hated John part of me wanted Mckay not to forgive him and moved on and live happy ever after with out John.

[chandri.livejournal.com]

Right there with ya. :)

[dogeared.livejournal.com]

Oh gosh, this is so, so lovely—I think the back and forth works so well, and oh, I love the details of the festival (and all the time Rodney spends looking at the stars), and the exploration of Team dynamics, especially Teyla's place in them, what she means to all of them. And of course Rodney just broke my heart, and I wanted to kick John too, and it resolves just the way it has to. I got sucked in right away, and when I got to the end, I immediately wanted to start over again. So lovely!

[chandri.livejournal.com]

Secret: I kind of had to put the laptop down and walk away when I got to the last scene, because I was so mad at John by that point I had to go count to ten and come back and write cuddling and forgiveness. :)

Thank you so much! ^.^

[eleveninches.livejournal.com]

I really enjoyed this story. I didn't expect it to be about the differences between Rodney now and Rodney in SG-1/early SGA, and his having a hard time recognizing the differences, but I was pleasantly surprised.

[chandri.livejournal.com]

God, I'm glad that worked out, too. There were so many things about this story that were basically unstated and implied and I kept having to go back and twitch things around so they were implied better, and gah, headache. But success = yay! Thanks.

[amberlynne.livejournal.com]

Oh, that was lovely.

“I know,” he says. “I know. I was… I got sca-- I got mad when I couldn’t…”

I wanted to be mad at John but the fact that he even almost said the word scared makes me understand his reaction a little bit better. I think he was more mad at himself than Rodney the whole time anyway, just completely incapable of recognizing it.

Which makes Rodney's introspection so wonderful. To see how much he's changed, how much the Team has changed him. That he felt safe enough to get mad and say what John deserved to hear.

Plus, I love Teyla and Ronon in this, with the quiet way they manage both John and Rodney.

Just wonderful all around!

[chandri.livejournal.com]

I wanted to be mad at John but the fact that he even almost said the word scared makes me understand his reaction a little bit better.

Gods, I know, it's a very near thing, there, wasn't it? I'm still feeling a little ticked-off with him. But thank you! :D

[hestia-lacey.livejournal.com]

There is so much pure, unadulterated amazing in this story I barely know where to begin.

The 'now' and 'then' structure of the whole piece was lovely; I especially enjoyed the scene between Rodney and John on the pier their first real night in Atlantis, and then back at the SGC when Rodney is being grilled by the higher-ups. My perception is that the original Altantis personnel are looked down upon by others within the SGC and the way you wrote it was just... perfect. The near-kiss was lovely too :)

Although the I was focussing on John and Rodney, Teyla and Ronon were fabulous here. Teyla's insights into the situation and our insights into her relationship with Rodney and the others were lovely. The exchange between Ronon and John was just right too. The team interaction here was absolutely gorgeous to watch.

The Athosian festival was beautiful. I used to do something similar but with floating lanterns on water, but reading this makes me want a flying storm lantern of my own.

Oh, and you should know this made me cry. Like, a LOT. It started fairly early on, with me getting misty-eyed over Rodney being hurt and John hurting, and by the time I got to the end I'd gone through silent tears to outright sobs. My fingernails were aching for them both by the last few hundred words. It was kinda cathartic *blushes*

In conclusion, you are amazing and I adore this fic. Thank you so mcuh for writing it!

[chandri.livejournal.com]

Wow... thank you so much. I don't really know what to do with that much praise, so I think I'll just sit over here and... blush? ^.^

I actually wrote the bit in the SGC first - months ago, and it was an orphan scene with no story until suddenly I thought: "hey, somebody should address that Rodney's changed," and then there was... a ridiculously enormous story.

And I made you cry! I would apologise but I think I'm starting to take that as a compliment. Okay, no, I lie, I always took that as a compliment. Thanks! :D

[pixieboots.livejournal.com]

Absolutely gorgeous!

[chandri.livejournal.com]

Thank you! ^.^

[darkhavens.livejournal.com]

I'm another one you reduced to tears. I also wanted to give John a swift kick somewhere squidgy, but that would have ruined their fun for a while. *g*

Beautifully done.

[chandri.livejournal.com]

Wow, this is becoming a trend, all the weeping. ;)

(You are absolutely not alone in the kicking impulse, but if it helps, I think Teyla may have taken care of it.)

[ailurophile6.livejournal.com]

oh, wow, my favorite, angst with a happy ending :)

thanks for a lovely read!

[chandri.livejournal.com]

Mine, too. Thanks for reading! :D

[linziday.livejournal.com]

Holy cow! I think this is one of the most heartbreaking paragraphs ever:

And usually it's a thought he keeps underneath a multitude of interweaving threads, reminders of why not. He's never had many friends. He has family, here. John doesn't... he wouldn't... and even if he did, Rodney has yet to know that kind of affection unmetered by ambition or utilitarian motive. It isn't that he doesn't trust John, so much as it's that he knows himself well enough to know nobody ever wants that. Wants him. Not on his own. Not for no reason. Usually he doesn’t care. Usually it’s enough to find release in another living breathing human being, if only for a little while.

*whimper* Poor Rodney!

[chandri.livejournal.com]

My betas have been accusing me of being unnecessarily mean to Rodney. I'd feel bad, but it's so much fun!

Thank you. :)

[surranndie.livejournal.com]

Oh. This was so painfully gorgeous it hurts. I loved every little thing about this story, from how painstakingly well-structured it was to the breathtaking detail of the celebration planning. The storm lanterns were perfect and so very easy to picture.

The way the relationship between John and Rodney took so many turns and was dragged through hell, only to be flawlessly brought back to its proper place with more strength than before was stunning. How keeping it in Rodney's perspective on the entire fight made it that much more intense and heartbreaking.

I can't tell you how much I loved this story, there just are no words to describe how it made me feel. Thank you for writing it!!!

[chandri.livejournal.com]

keeping it in Rodney's perspective on the entire fight made it that much more intense and heartbreaking

It also had me all twitchy for days, because I think I was possibly feeling sympathy-misery for Rodney while I was writing it. But I'm glad it was worth it. ;)

Thanks. ^.^

[rinsbane.livejournal.com]

Aw, this made me feel really good. I love seeing the development of Rodney, seeing John be wrong and Rodney know that intellectually but still not be able to shake the effects viscerally, not because he's weak or a woobie but because our intellect and emotions don't always reconcile, esp when Rodney's been one person and become another.

[chandri.livejournal.com]

Yes yes yes, that's it exactly! Emotion vs. Logic crises are so ridiculously complicated and twisty and I was so worried that wasn't going to come through. Thanks! :D

[xylohypha.livejournal.com]

I liked this a lot: Rodney's introspection about how he's changed and what it means to him, the lanterns, Teyla's touches (specific to each member of the team, oooh, nice), looking at the stars--on top of that miserable drawn-out silent tantrum of John's, and then a perfect resolution. I'm glad Rodney told him off and kicked him (not too hard!), and also glad they got to share a cuddle/hug and some kissing. *happy sigh*

Thanks for sharing this. Oh, and I like longer stories--more for me to get my figurative teeth into while I read!--so I gloated to myself when I saw the word-count!

[chandri.livejournal.com]

It's funny, but I'm starting to notice that most of the little person-related details I write are about Teyla, or if not most, then quite a few.

I like longer, too. I'm just kind of exasperrated by my apparent inability to write short things. *headdesk* But I suppose it all works out. Thanks. :)

[boniblithe.livejournal.com]

This is now one of my favorite stories ever, ever, ever, ever in the history of ever. Thank you for writing it. John was being SUCH an ass, I hurt for Rodney, and I was so happy that you gave me the payoff I needed at the end :D That was an emotional roller coaster and worth every second!

[chandri.livejournal.com]

This is now one of my favorite stories ever, ever, ever, ever in the history of ever.

And now this is my favourite feedback in the history of ever. ^.^

[unaccompanied-g.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I loved this!

[chandri.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :D

[rusty-armour.livejournal.com]

I absolutely love this story! It's wonderful! It's so like Sheppard to feel responsible for a situation he couldn't control. Although he acted like a jerk towards McKay, I could understand why he was having trouble accepting what had happened. It's great that both Teyla and Ronon try to help McKay patch up his friendship with Sheppard, especially when Teyla tells McKay that confronting Sheppard is something he'll eventually have to do on his own. And that confrontation is emotionally-charged and very moving. It was so satisfying to see McKay being forced to face his feelings and Sheppard finally getting a clue! *g*

Another thing that I love about this fic is the flashbacks showing the evolution of McKay and Sheppard's friendship and the process of McKay changing and becoming a better person. I especially like that scene at the SGC when Sheppard tells McKay that he's not the same man who was banished to Siberia.

I'll definitely be saving "Little Storms" in my hard drive collection and adding it to my list of SGA fic recs next time I update it. :-)

[chandri.livejournal.com]

Awww, thank you! ^.^

[clear-as-blood.livejournal.com]

Oh, this was just hurty and angsty and gorgeous. I really felt for Rodney and almost wish that he hadn't forgiven John as easily as he did because John really deserved to suffer a bit for he put him through. I also love the team dynamic and how Ronon and Teyla help the boys along.

[chandri.livejournal.com]

Oh, I know. I came very close to putting in a gratuitious Kick John In The Shins scene. Thank you! ^.^

[hermitsoul]

Awesome, awesome story! *bookmarks* Thanks for sharing it with us!

[chandri.livejournal.com]

Hee, I'm glad you liked. Thanks! :D

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Very lovely - Rodney has come so far, and I like how he's able to understand what's going on with John even when he's stymied as to how to fix it, knows that it's not himself John is really mad it but can't help but be hurt by it. John owes him big for this...

My favorite scene was the flashback to their post-Siege stay at the SGC, because I love how much Rodney has changed from the first time we met him, and having John there to reassure him of this was beautiful.

[chandri.livejournal.com]

It's so weird that so many people liked that scene, when that was the one that was fighting with me! Weird world. :)