SGA fic: Breaking Up in Three Easy Clichés (+ challenge)

[xparrot]

Firstly - McShep HappyFic Challenge! I've been waiting for something like this to pop up, since we all need it now. Since I not-so-secretly love unmitigated and absurdly happy endings even more than I love angst, I am all over this one (...whether or not I'll be able to write something for it is another matter, but we'll see...) It's very open-ended, so go! Sign up! Be happy!


Then, changing gears so fast that I apologize for the whiplash, a new fic:

This is...okay, I don't like the McKay/Keller pairing. My reasons range from my fairly levelheaded disinterest in seeing any romance in the show, to the increasingly emotional and irrational. But I don't want to take out that dislike on Keller, not when we have so little show left to enjoy; I don't especially like the char as she's been written anyway, but I'm trying. So really, this is less an actual fic and more me working to come to terms with the pairing, such as it is. Such as I see it, so I can move on and see Jennifer in her own right. Any McKeller OTPers will probably want to give this one a pass, for your own good.

(And next I will return you to your regularly scheduled Rodney/TEAM/McShep squee, before gnine has my head for straying!)

SGA: Breaking Up in Three Easy Clichés {~3,300 words}
PG, McKay/Keller, spoilers for "The Last Man" and "The Shrine"

Read it on AO3

Comments

[tiddletaddle.livejournal.com]

Hi. I've been lurking for a while, and I really love your fics. This one was brilliant (as usual) and really believable. I like Keller, but the idea of mckay and her in a relationship...no. I can't handle it, no matter how hard tptb push it. I also found it interesting in the ep. how rodney seemed to say everyones name but jennifers. You'd think, considering he's in 'love' with her, he'd have been calling for her?
Anyhow, I'll stop there, cause I can argue my mcshep view all night if I get going. :) just wanted to say that I love your work! and maybe ask if you're ever going to continue the dragon fics? Please?? *puppy eyes*

[ariadne83]

Oh wow, it's like you climbed inside my brain - just Wednesday I was hoping someone would write a story like this :)

Perfect

[mezzo-cammin.livejournal.com]

You really. really, have the characters and their voices down so well...I love when that happens. And I loved this story, because most of us have had that conversation, one end or another of it, and it's never fun and it's always awkward, and you did such an excellent job portraying that. And I love the little ellipsis after Ronon's name, because sure, maybe that relationship could have a chance, now, eh? Jennifer has to be wondering what if...? Anyway - I friended you, hope that's okay. I really enjoy your work! :o)

[droolfangrrl.livejournal.com]

Hah! I love it when fans "fix" episodes, fill in the missing places as it were.

[jujuberry136.livejournal.com]

I am with you 100% on the not liking Keller/McKay as a pairing (though I love them both individually). Using Keller's POV here was a great choice- it really gave us a chance to see what's going on in Keller's mind about her relationship with Rodney.

I really liked the story and the title was just plain awesome.

Thanks for sharing with us!

This is not going to fit in one comment

[naye]

Since I promised you favorite lines and such... (Oh, this is probably going to kill LJ's comment character limit!)

The thing with clichés is that they're cliché for a reason. Because sometimes there's nothing else to say.

Because - yes. I mean. Yes. Even things you don't say - cliché situations are cliché because they really do happen like that. And I love how the title is a play on this! You do such good titles. I'm jealous. ♥

"Yes. Um. Could we...wait? Until after dinner? Or another week or two? A month? Forever?

Oh, RODNEY. This is what really broke my heart, because - um, yeah. When you've been there, and you have that moment of your heart plunging through your stomach and all the way down to your toes, you really would give anything to stop it falling. Even if you know it will; it has to, it's all given way... But you want it to stop, before it's too late - even after it already is.

mistaking a crush for something more, mistaking friendship for romance, mistaking loneliness for desire

Especially the last one of these - oh, yes. This is so... human. And I'm right there with Jennifer. It's such an easy mistake to make, such a pleasant mistake to make. I don't blame her for one minute, and I think she's doing an absolutely fabulous job of righting her mistake (and his, too - because like she says, it's not him, or her, it's both of them and John, of course).

It's a shame she's never been good at holding grudges, because she could get a spectacularly satisfying one out of this.

This made me giggle. Oh, yes. Another feeling I know so well. But I'm glad she doesn't hold a grudge against John. That'd be sad.

salutatorian

I'm being totally lazy and asking you to explain this instead of Googling it. Also, this way I can confess that I keep thinking that Jennifer is actually Canadian. XD (What? She sounds Canadian! When even the Swede can tell, it's got to be pretty obvious.)

He's awfully cute when he's vulnerable. That, at least, is too fundamentally true for her to feel guilty about it.

Eeee, yes! Oh, Rodney. ♥

"You weren't interested in me until John told you we hooked up in an alternate timeline,"

And I'm with Jennifer on her reaction to this line. It's kind of hysterical and twisty and weird and oh, Pegasus. Life in a different galaxy is so interesting. Plus, I am so very on board with the idea that John told Rodney, and that's why he started crushing on Jennifer...

Ronon Dex!

I love the way you transcribed it to sound exactly like Rodney was saying it! Aww. Ronon Dex! :D

[facetofcathy.livejournal.com]

Now if TPTB want to write Jennifer/Rodney like this, well I'm in. Yes, I can see them dating, yes I can see her liking Rodney at first and yes I can see him liking her (not a spontaneous declaration of love, I mean really).

But..... It cannot last.

The story though, I love the way you twist those three cliches. I love the way she's got some anger that she doesn't quite know where to put. I love the way she's genuinely resentful of Rodney usurping her biggest brain in the room status and genuinely contrite for feeling it.

Great story, and I say that not just because I agree with your premis.

[water-soter.livejournal.com]

Veeeerrrrryyyyyyy interesting. I love your take on the situations that brought them together. Like I said, very interesting.

[horridporrid.livejournal.com]

I... yeah, I liked this. :) I'm highly impressed with how well, how sympathetically you wrote Jennifer, especially as she's not your favorite character. And I really like your take on her relationship with Rodney, as one of those, looks better on paper than in reality things. Which is one way I think it could turn out. (Honestly, I feel like that was what was going through Jennifer's mind when she watched that tape in the last scene of The Shrine. Does she want to go there? Is this a relationship she actually has an interest in and wants to pursue?)

In my personal take on Jennifer (and I say "my" because I'm not full on confident saying my view jells definitively with canon -- I mean, I hope it does, because I like my Jennifer *g*, but...) she's a lot more confident in her own intelligence. But, other than that, I liked how you wrote her. You caught her warmth and her courage, so in the end, I liked this. :)

FYI, I was recced this by ariadne83.

[astridv.livejournal.com]

Rodney/Jennifer isn't my OTP (I like him with John or with Sam at least as much) but the pairing definitely appeals to me. Still I like this fic a lot. While I like the thougth of them together, their relationship and breakup here feel really plausible. If they manage writing something like this on the show itself, I'll be happy.

Hm, I realized I'm happy to read believabe interaction of any kind between the two; doesn't have to end in romance or happily ever after.

I like how sympathetic you wrote her, especially in light of the fact that you don't like the ship all that much (which you can't tell from the story.) I wouldn't have clicked on the link had this been a random author at fanfic net, but I trust you. :)

[dragojustine.livejournal.com]

I'm actually startled by how much I liked this. There's such a really bad trend in fandom of ship-trashing fic that just exists to make one side look bad, and this... ISN'T that. It's an incredibly insightful look at both of them, and their motivations, and what would actually draw them together and why those things aren't enough. They're both so sympathetic and sincere and genuine, and there's no fault to be placed, and Keller is being so very very wise.

*loves*

[greyias.livejournal.com]

OMG yes! Thank you for this! You managed to put into words what really bugged me about that last bit in "The Shrine" and the inevitable relationship that's going to result from it. It's all so... more than plausible, it just clicks, makes so much sense.

Am I allowed to take all of naye's snipped bits and say "Yeah, that"? Because, really, that. (Torren time! Squee!) Okay, I won't snurch, but everything she said, as well as:

Rodney had been blunted, his sharp mind and his sharp tongue alike. -- because that's really how I felt about that scene, he's Rodney, but he's not Rodney. And I love the thought that Keller would realize this (maybe in hindsight, but still realize it nonetheless.)

-- John's smart, she thinks. Too damn smart, and he takes care of his team too well. -- Because it's so true, and says so much about Keller's view on John (part compliment, part consternation, and a teensy bit of jealousy?)

I'm not radically opposed to McKay/Keller, but I would really prefer it to not happen for a lot of the same reasons. But is it horrible that the thought of McKay and Keller having sex gives me the heebie jeebies? However, if it has to happen canonically, I'd love for it to be like this, where the friendship is something that stands out more than OTPness.

And "Torren time" is still making me grin like a loon. Everyone on Atlantis wants to play with the baby! :D

[propinquitine.livejournal.com]

Oh, thanks for this. I almost didn't read it, since I pretty vehemently dislike the McKay/Keller pairing, but between the title and the author, I decided to give it a shot, and boy am I glad I did! I think you articulate all of the (exceedingly rational) reasons why this pairing grates, and I really liked how you wove in so many standard break-up lines, but used them to develop the characterizations and achieve a pretty non-standard break-up.

I like your Keller, and that's a nice change of pace from recently on the show. Even though the line about her not minding it if his genius faded made me gasp in horror, I still felt sympathy for her, and found myself rooting for both of them to find some kind of happy (separate) ending. (And I loved that part of her calculus for whether to go to dinner was that she'd been missing her "Torren time". &hearts ) In short: this was great, and helped me get a better handle on how to regain some of my Keller love! Thanks!

[calcitrix.livejournal.com]

Fantastic. You made me realize what's been off about Keller for me this whole time. I know she must be smart...really really smart for her to be the head of medicine in Atlantis...but that never really comes through on the show. Carson developed the ATA therapy, the virus that changes the Wraith, figured out how to save Bug!John... Keller? Didn't save Weir, hasn't cured the Hoffan disease, didn't quite heal Carson, and couldn't save Rodney. They've just written her as competent, not brilliant. Your take on her--liking Rodney more when he wasn't as smart, yeah. That. Made me go, "Oh!" and realize all of the above.

[trishkafibble.livejournal.com]

Wonderfully well done. Absolutely spot-on in every way, to the point where I can feel this scene taking up residence in my personal fanon and making itself entirely at home there! I especially liked the presentation, with lots of waffling bits (i.e., it's not like that, except that it is), because that's exactly how it is in a situation like this!). Thanks so much.

[raiining.livejournal.com]

Oh! Yes!

I really really love this because it articulates everything I see in this pairing, and everything the Shrine showed us about it, too.

He DID say he loved her on day 6, but after that she was only his doctor, and then he forgot her completely, when he remembered everything else. And it seems like he WOULD be stretching for a future that did happen, could happen, but isn't - thankfully - because their neither of them alone yet.

And I love how you wrote this because it was KIND and nice and lovely, but utimiately truthful. I can see this as canon, because it fit so perfectly well with our characters.

And maybe the show will go further with it, but in my mind this is what makes the most sense.


Lovely - absolutely lovely. :)

[runpunkrun]

This is just the sort of fic I needed to read. My crazy irrational side has been drowning out the side that's trying to be sane about this whole McKay/Keller thing. (I'm not a fan of it, obviously.)

I liked seeing Rodney through Keller's eyes, watching her note the differences in Rodney's behavior, realizing all the things about him that she's missed since they started dating, like his smile.

And if this ain't the truth: He's awfully cute when he's vulnerable. That, at least, is too fundamentally true for her to feel guilty about it.

[velocitygrass.livejournal.com]

Yes, I can really see this happening. And I'm glad that Jennifer got that it's not working and told Rodney and asked the right questions.

sgafic: breaking up in three easy cliches

[fish-echo.livejournal.com]

Lovely little story reflecting on a relationship that wasn't working. I like that you managed to be nice to both characters-- you didn't slam either of them. Keller's too timid of a character for me to feel that she would match well with Rodney-- he needs someone who would push back at him.

(I wandered over here after clicking on your name in the sga_flashfic, so don't mind me, I'm just surfing the internet)

[beth-green.livejournal.com]

Yes, yes, YES! This is how it should be. Rodney trying to make things work because if John said it, it must be true. And Jennifer, initially thinking that it was okay to settle for Mr. Right Here, Right Now instead of waiting and hoping Mr. Right would come along. Sooner or later, they both would have realized the error of their ways.

Actually, no, I take that back. Poor Rodney, clueless when it comes to relationships (Remember Katie?), needed Jennifer to be the one to point out the truth regarding their relationship. Because this was you writing, I decided to read McKay/Keller (not a pairing I favor despite TPTB), with the hope that it would lead to McShep. I couldn't have asked for a better break up. Thank you.

[gaffsie.livejournal.com]

I've been putting off reading this ever since it was first posted, because despite the very promising title and author notes I just didn't think that I'd be ready to acknowledge Rodney and Keller as a couple (even as a failed one). After seeing those damn spoiler pictures for the finale and angsting over them for a while, I was finally ready though. ;)

Thanks for writing this. I can't really see a future together for these two characters, and you've verbalized *why* perfectly.

[delphia2000.livejournal.com]

I love this and I am your dedicated fangurl forever! (Not that I wasn't already!) I'm here via astrivd's stargateficrec post and I'm so happy to start the day this way. Yes, I'm a McShep OTP and a noromo in canon (because the writers on that show just can't manage to write a believable romance for me!) but that's not why I love this. I love it because it resonates so true for both characters. I do like Keller, just not with Rodney and for all the reasons you have here. I wish I could march into the writers' bullpen at the Bridge and make them read this because it has all the right reasons why those two just don't work together.

[brasslizard.livejournal.com]

I realized during Quarantine that the only kind of relationship that could EVER work out for Rodney is with someone who is assertive. Someone who won't let him lie down. But at the same time, they'll let Rodney be himself in his full snarky genius splendor.

Katie was downright BAD for Rodney. I never saw Rodney be himself around her and she enabled some of his more regrettable tendencies.

Sam on the other hand would be exactly the opposite extreme. She'd push and he'd push and everything in that relationship would be big and large - the passion and the fights. All too hot to last for long.

Keller. I haven't been able to get a good read on her character, yet. I can't decide if she's good at her job or not. I can't decide if she's timid or stead-fast. So it's hard for me to view her in a relationship when I can't even view her. Especially when that relationship is with Rodney.

I really, really want to like Keller. But I haven't been given a reason to, yet. So. Right now? I'm inclined to agree with your interpretation of things. I just can't see Keller and Rodney going long term. She's not the balance that he needs. At least, not yet.

Thank you!

[michelel72.livejournal.com]

This is so very nicely done. Both characters feel true, and honest, and sympathetic. Thanks for this. (Especially since I'm first reading it after watching "Brain Storm". Gah!)

And this broke my heart: [...]Because—I can try, I will, whatever you want [...] Oh, my poor Rodney. I entirely believe that he might react this way, and this very instinct is what should tell him it's all so wrong.

Anyway: love it, thank you!

[chocolatecoffee.livejournal.com]

Loved it.