Or Something Like It

Fanfiction
Title:	Or Something Like It
Author(s):	semivowel
Date(s):	12 November 2008
Length:	~7700 words
Genre:	slash
Fandom:	Stargate Atlantis
External Links:	Or Something Like It, Archived version
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

Or Something Like It is a Sheppard/McKay story by semivowel.

Reactions and Reviews

2008

I have to caveat this one by saying I kind of wish I could beta the end, but all the points leading up to it are pretty fucking brilliant, and the Rodney voice is one of the best I've read: Or Something Like It, is John and Rodney from [livejournal.com profile] semivowel, in which truth serum (or the Pegasus equivalent of it) works shockingly well on John and doesn't wear off before the rescue arrives. Just the idea of one of the John/Rodney duo of uncommunicativeness compulsively talking about his feelings is pretty hilarious. But then when Rodney resorts to spreadsheets to solve the problem, I don't know how you manage to not snort whatever you were drinking. Not worksafe (largely due to the snorting of drinks problem, but for other reasons too.)

2009

The One Featuring John Sheppard's Worst Nightmare. No, Really; It's This and Killing His Own Team. And Maybe Clowns. Everyone Fears Clowns. Or Something Like It, by semivowel. Stargate: Atlantis, Rodney McKay/John Sheppard.

I think we can all agree that some secrets and lies are necessary for a happy, functional life. But even more, they're necessary for our characters; some of them construct their entire lives around their secrets. (And then we give them additional extra secrets in fan fiction. Often these secrets involve blowjobs, which at least is a good kind of secret to have.) So the question becomes: what happens when you take the secrets away?

Terrifying things, obviously. And, more to the point, things that would trigger my embarrassment squick. So let me say, right up front: this story does not hit my squick. (And I have an embarrassment squick so exquisitely sensitive that I am currently writhing in horror over the Michael Jackson auction, not just because of the super-creepy (and oddly gilded) nature of the items, but because people are seeing this. He is showing people his creepy, slimy id! OMG ACK. The joke, of course, being that we all already knew about his creepy, slimy id, but still: I am embarrassed for him.) This story is more about - oh, teams, and the things they will do for you, and also how secrets and lies really are very integral to John's existence.

Which isn't to say that the truth serum isn't key. (And, oh, the way this story must look from John's PoV. I will tell you a secret: I actually wrote part of that out. I do that. Really more often than I should.) It's just an awesome use of truth serum, and an awesome, sweet story.

It kind of makes me want to see other truth serum stories, though. Clark on truth serum! LEX on truth serum! Benton Fraser on truth serum, which would give new and horrible meaning to "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth," so help us god! Everyone in the entire court of Camelot on truth serum (hide the swords, the axes, and all means of making fire)!

But most of all, I just love and want and cuddle this story. John. Truth serum. No embarrassment. I could not ask for more.

2014

John Sheppard has an unusual reaction to the truth serum he's dosed with on an away mission. Rodney steps in to save him from himself.

Rodney realizes John can't stop himself from talking about his feelings and appoints himself and the team to run interference and salvage as much of his privacy as they can. It's laugh out loud funny (because Rodney as a champion of boundaries steamrolling everyone in his path who's not being sensitive enough is never going to not be funny). It's also touching, because Rodney is trying to protect John by not letting him speak, and it turns out there are some things John would really like to say.

I love this story. I couldn't believe it hadn't been recced already, but I couldn't find it. So, enjoy :)