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omg_wtf_yeahTitle: The Long Engagement (5/16)
Rating: NC-17
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Pairing: McKay/Sheppard (McShep)
Secondary Pairings: background McKay/Keller (predating McShep), Teyla/Ronon
Words: about 51,222
Summary: McShep Steampunk!Atlantis AU. Acrobat John Sheppard of Sheppard Circus Co. unintentionally navigates his troupe into Lantean territory and runs afoul the mistrustful leader of Atlantis, Dr. Rodney McKay. While the troupe plays shows for the Lanteans, Rodney proposes that he and John's adopted sister, Jennifer, get engaged. To get his way and John's blessing, Rodney has to convince John that he's good for John's sister, but his plans go awry as the men get closer and what Rodney wants begins to change.
Notes: My SGA Big Bang entry. Thank you, my superawesome betas:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
ishie and teenygozer, my friends: kay_greatness, mad_lynn, and murderdetective, and my artists: fractalreality, saldemonium, and cynicatlantis.
Art: I was fortunate to get three artists who created amazing companion art for the story. I was blown away by what they came up with, it was so perfect and amazing. I completely, totally love them. So, please, check them out!
Full Story on the SGA Big Bang server
Five
The visit to Atlantis broke a dam of Lantean reserve and produced a flood of interest in their party. Though access to the city was still largely restricted and the guards remained at their posts around the camp, the Lantean Council agreed to allow members of the troupe to visit under the supervision of Elizabeth, John, McKay, or Nola.
Elizabeth put John in charge of subsequent visits to the city and curious bystanders began to cross the plain from the mountains to peer in on the troupe.
McKay was at the camp nearly every day, supposedly seeing to whatever the troupe needed. John thought it seemed more like a kidnap than an engagement but kidnappers were scarcely ever so accommodating.
Before they'd set out, Elizabeth had had four hundred posters sent ahead to Arliss for the canceled shows, the last of the posters they'd printed in Germany. The posters were lost by then, weathering in the elements, announcing a show that wasn't going to happen. So they needed more printed up.
Atlantis had a printing press. Apparently, they had a newsletter of some kind. So John and Teyla went to Atlantis with McKay (Rodney, actually, though he didn't mind being called by his first or surname) to print posters for the shows.
Lorne designed the original copy, hand drawn and inked, and the skilled Lantean printers reproduced it, painstakingly loyal to every detail rendered. The words "Sheppard Circus Co." arched over a panorama of exotic sights – Ronon Dex lifting a woman one-handed over head with his heavy dreadlocks falling over his bare shoulders, Teyla curved into a loop like a snake biting its tail and Zelenka juggling burning clubs high over his head in grease paint. Everyone was there, and over them were John and Jennifer, arms outspread as they soared on the trapeze. McKay snapped the first copy off the press, ignoring the printer's quiet warning about wet ink and his pale eyes scanned over the page thoughtfully.
John came close at his elbow, peering over his shoulder at the print. The machines hissed and soughed, large cogs turning. "Not bad," he conceded, his voice a cool drawl.
For a moment, McKay's gaze didn't leave the page then he looked up, narrowing his eyes as he smiled smugly. "Oh, please. Don't act like you're not impressed."
John returned his statement with a sarcastic smile. "It was my guy who actually designed it, you know."
McKay's pale eyes rolled skyward and he flicked the paper out to Teyla with a snap. "Details, details," he replied. Then, over his shoulder, he said, "Nola, I want these posted everywhere in Atlantis."
Nola straightened in the doorway and hurried over to take the copy from his hand. "I'll get it done," she said.
Teyla smiled, nodding to the other woman then to John. "Shall I go along?" she asked.
John waved a hand at her, leaning over the press as a printer pulled another copy out. The presses looked like looms. "Yeah. You go on," he said, propping an elbow on the tabletop. The printer eyed him with narrow curiosity and Teyla smiled, nodding to the blonde as she gestured to the door.
"After you," she said.
McKay watched them disinterestedly as they left before slowly saying, "About your lights…."
John glanced over. The gears of the printing press pumped smoothly behind him, black as the mountains that surrounded them. McKay's eyes were pale, blue like the sky in spring. "Yeah?" John asked leadingly.
McKay's hand curved around his elbow and he towed John toward the door. "I have some ideas," he said. John arched a brow and followed his lead.
Part Six
Rating: NC-17
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Pairing: McKay/Sheppard (McShep)
Secondary Pairings: background McKay/Keller (predating McShep), Teyla/Ronon
Words: about 51,222
Summary: McShep Steampunk!Atlantis AU. Acrobat John Sheppard of Sheppard Circus Co. unintentionally navigates his troupe into Lantean territory and runs afoul the mistrustful leader of Atlantis, Dr. Rodney McKay. While the troupe plays shows for the Lanteans, Rodney proposes that he and John's adopted sister, Jennifer, get engaged. To get his way and John's blessing, Rodney has to convince John that he's good for John's sister, but his plans go awry as the men get closer and what Rodney wants begins to change.
Notes: My SGA Big Bang entry. Thank you, my superawesome betas:
ishie and teenygozer, my friends: kay_greatness, mad_lynn, and murderdetective, and my artists: fractalreality, saldemonium, and cynicatlantis. Art: I was fortunate to get three artists who created amazing companion art for the story. I was blown away by what they came up with, it was so perfect and amazing. I completely, totally love them. So, please, check them out!
The visit to Atlantis broke a dam of Lantean reserve and produced a flood of interest in their party. Though access to the city was still largely restricted and the guards remained at their posts around the camp, the Lantean Council agreed to allow members of the troupe to visit under the supervision of Elizabeth, John, McKay, or Nola.
Elizabeth put John in charge of subsequent visits to the city and curious bystanders began to cross the plain from the mountains to peer in on the troupe.
McKay was at the camp nearly every day, supposedly seeing to whatever the troupe needed. John thought it seemed more like a kidnap than an engagement but kidnappers were scarcely ever so accommodating.
Before they'd set out, Elizabeth had had four hundred posters sent ahead to Arliss for the canceled shows, the last of the posters they'd printed in Germany. The posters were lost by then, weathering in the elements, announcing a show that wasn't going to happen. So they needed more printed up.
Atlantis had a printing press. Apparently, they had a newsletter of some kind. So John and Teyla went to Atlantis with McKay (Rodney, actually, though he didn't mind being called by his first or surname) to print posters for the shows.
Lorne designed the original copy, hand drawn and inked, and the skilled Lantean printers reproduced it, painstakingly loyal to every detail rendered. The words "Sheppard Circus Co." arched over a panorama of exotic sights – Ronon Dex lifting a woman one-handed over head with his heavy dreadlocks falling over his bare shoulders, Teyla curved into a loop like a snake biting its tail and Zelenka juggling burning clubs high over his head in grease paint. Everyone was there, and over them were John and Jennifer, arms outspread as they soared on the trapeze. McKay snapped the first copy off the press, ignoring the printer's quiet warning about wet ink and his pale eyes scanned over the page thoughtfully.
John came close at his elbow, peering over his shoulder at the print. The machines hissed and soughed, large cogs turning. "Not bad," he conceded, his voice a cool drawl.
For a moment, McKay's gaze didn't leave the page then he looked up, narrowing his eyes as he smiled smugly. "Oh, please. Don't act like you're not impressed."
John returned his statement with a sarcastic smile. "It was my guy who actually designed it, you know."
McKay's pale eyes rolled skyward and he flicked the paper out to Teyla with a snap. "Details, details," he replied. Then, over his shoulder, he said, "Nola, I want these posted everywhere in Atlantis."
Nola straightened in the doorway and hurried over to take the copy from his hand. "I'll get it done," she said.
Teyla smiled, nodding to the other woman then to John. "Shall I go along?" she asked.
John waved a hand at her, leaning over the press as a printer pulled another copy out. The presses looked like looms. "Yeah. You go on," he said, propping an elbow on the tabletop. The printer eyed him with narrow curiosity and Teyla smiled, nodding to the blonde as she gestured to the door.
"After you," she said.
McKay watched them disinterestedly as they left before slowly saying, "About your lights…."
John glanced over. The gears of the printing press pumped smoothly behind him, black as the mountains that surrounded them. McKay's eyes were pale, blue like the sky in spring. "Yeah?" John asked leadingly.
McKay's hand curved around his elbow and he towed John toward the door. "I have some ideas," he said. John arched a brow and followed his lead.
