aesc: (Default)
aesc ([personal profile] aesc) wrote2007-04-28 11:57 am

.ficlet: Lenses - McKay/Sheppard

McShep. Totally [livejournal.com profile] dogeared's fault for making me fangirl over Rodney in glasses.

For which, see also this.

Part of Nantucket!verse. Featuring bespectacled!Rodney and dirty!John.


John's spent the last two hours gardening. Not so much "gardening" as "weeding," because their backyard is a haven for every dandelion seed in on the Atlantic coast. He's also spent the last three hours not seeing Rodney, two of those because Rodney had gone into town and one because Rodney's been in hiding since returning.

Rodney had refused, flatly and incontrovertibly, to let John go with him to the optometrist's that afternoon, and when he had gotten back, had vanished somewhere--not easy, considering how big (or not-big) their house is.

John had tried to point out that Rodney really only needs glasses for reading, but Rodney had looked at him and said "Yes, and that's like saying I only need my lungs for breathing," which is true enough, John supposes. A book, a journal, his laptop... If it has words or numbers on it, Rodney will probably read it. Even in bed John feels like text, Rodney's eyes blue and bright and focused, reading him while his fingers track over John's body to mark his place.

There's a lot more tied up in Rodney's new pair of glasses than resentment over growing older. John's seen one picture of Rodney's parents, both of them wearing hideous (even by seventies standards) clothes and glasses with formidable black frames, a reminder in faded colors that Rodney has a set of genes without happy memories attached. Rodney's five in that picture, as pugnacious and irritated then as he is now, but with a lot more hair.

Clicketyclicketyclickety comes from the kitchen, which means Rodney's come out of hiding, probably driven to it by boredom. John gives him a few minutes before stripping off his gloves and wandering, very casually, inside.

Bright spring sun gives way to the shade of their kitchen, a moment to adjust and when John blinks away shadows, there Rodney is, bent over his laptop and typing away like a man possessed, and light from the screen catches and bounces off the lenses, limns the slim metal frame.

John swallows.

Rodney looks up. The patterns of light change, bending to match the curvature of glass.

"What?" Spiky and impatient, and Rodney's mouth is thin with it.

"They look nice." John gestures vaguely at Rodney's glasses.

"Oh." Spikiness and impatience vanish as Rodney blinks at him, takes a second to assess John's sincerity, and then turns back to his laptop with a shrug and satisfied nod, as though he knew all along how good he looks in glasses, which is so profoundly untrue. "Well, thank you."

"You're welcome." He does look good. John takes the six steps necessary to cross the kitchen and bends over Rodney, hands sliding along the broad, flat arc of Rodney's shoulders, down his arms to brace his weight on the tabletop, bracketing Rodney's suddenly-stilled fingers. There's dirt in John's fingernails, despite the gloves, bracelets of it around his wrists. Rodney points this out.

"Hm." John noses the small, soft place behind the fold of Rodney's right ear, pushing at the temple piece where it hooks over. Rodney makes a humphing noise that might have been "Sweaty," or something else entirely. "They make you look smart," he says to the curve of Rodney's neck, the hint of vein and tendon riding beneath the skin.

"I don't need the help," Rodney tells him, but tilts his head and leans back anyway, and the sun through the kitchen window catches in metal and glass, in Rodney's smile.



ETA: And I have added "rodney mckay's glasses" to my interest list. Yes, I am that obsessed. Don't look at me like that.

[identity profile] dogeared.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 04:29 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh my god, oh my god *keeeeens* oh this is so my kryptonite. :">

Even in bed John feels like text, Rodney's eyes blue and bright and focused, his fingers tracking over John's body like marking his place AFSDA:FSLSKF:JLSF *flails* oh that's completely beautiful, and Rodney's five in that picture, as pugnacious and irritated then as he is now OH WEE RODNEY, and weeding, and John's dirty hands, and sliding along the broad, flat arc of Rodney's shoulders eeeeeeeeee.

Oh, I have SUCH love for them getting older (I was just gazing happily at Joe's gray hairs the other day)—asdf;lsakj *loves this completely*

*goes back to polishing furniture in a daze*

[identity profile] aesc.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 04:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh my God, if there were ever an episode or a photo or SOMETHING with Rodney wearing glasses, his orangefleeceDOOM!vest with a blue shirt underneath, and those lovely butt-enhancing BDUs, I would die. I would just up and die from spontaneous estrogen-related combustion. I WOULD DIE, I tell you.

As it is, I tried to fit in lots of AFSDA:FSLSKF:JLSF kryptonite: glasses, dirt, shoulders, little!Rodney, a dash of angst, domesticity, and sweaty kissing at the kitchen table.

*loves this completely*

*hearts* Yes, well, it's still your fault. :D

[identity profile] ruggerdavey.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 04:39 pm (UTC)(link)
Glasses!fic! Rock!

[identity profile] aesc.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 05:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Hurrah for glasses!fic! Because you can never have enough hot four-eyed men XD

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[identity profile] jmchau.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 04:43 pm (UTC)(link)
thanks for that

[identity profile] aesc.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 05:04 pm (UTC)(link)
Hee! You're welcome :)

[identity profile] chebonne.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 05:00 pm (UTC)(link)
*flails*

*flails some more*

yeah, I got nothin'

*flails yet again*

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[identity profile] solvent90.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 05:10 pm (UTC)(link)
*weak noise* Oh, that just has everything. I'm caught, right now, on five year old pugnacious Rodney - *explodes with awww* - but also, also spiky impatient Rodney in glasses adgkjfkhjfdk and John nosing at glasses and just your phrasing, The patterns of light change, bending to match the curvature of glass, the hint of vein and tendon riding beneath the skin. Lovely.

[identity profile] aesc.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 06:52 pm (UTC)(link)
*explodes with awww*

Hee! I can't imagine Rodney as being anything other than pugnacious and impatient *g*

And thank you! *wibbles happily*
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[identity profile] tharaist.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 05:17 pm (UTC)(link)
Mmm... Glasses!

[identity profile] aesc.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 06:50 pm (UTC)(link)
Mmmmmohmygodyouricon.

I really need screencaps of that episode, yesyes I do.

[identity profile] sloganeer.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 05:19 pm (UTC)(link)
OH, I have a long-standing boys-in-glasses kink, and this. Oh, and Rodney with his "I don't need the help" and John with his nosing and Nantucket! I am done for the day.

[identity profile] aesc.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 07:01 pm (UTC)(link)
I am done for the day.

Yes! I have rendered another person unproductive. Slothfulness loves company :D

long-standing boys-in-glasses kink,

Is that an official interest? Because it should be.

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[identity profile] lilithilien.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 05:43 pm (UTC)(link)
Even in bed John feels like text...

I feel like such a geek because this line KILLED me! As does the thought of Rodney at five, pugnacious and irritated with lots more hair. Heh!

Fantastic story!

[identity profile] aesc.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 06:54 pm (UTC)(link)
I feel like such a geek because this line KILLED me!

It is for geeks everywhere :D

*snargle* Thank you!
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[identity profile] lamardeuse.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 05:58 pm (UTC)(link)
Even in bed John feels like text, Rodney's eyes blue and bright and focused, his fingers tracking over John's body like marking his place.

My god, that's an utterly beautiful sentence. Love this.

[identity profile] aesc.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 06:54 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you so much! I like the image of "reading" bodies, especially when they're poetry, like John's.
siria: (Default)

[personal profile] siria 2007-04-28 06:06 pm (UTC)(link)
Rodney's five in that picture, as pugnacious and irritated then as he is now, but with a lot more hair.

Oh, this is possibly the best description of a wee Rodney I've seen yet. And Rodney in glasses! ♥

[identity profile] aesc.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 07:03 pm (UTC)(link)
*smee!* Thank you! I can't picture Rodney as anything else but pugnacious and irritated. The hair is really the only variable :D

And Rodney in glasses! ♥

*love!*

[identity profile] beadattitude.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 06:20 pm (UTC)(link)
You have the most beautiful turns of phrase. :;squeals softly::

[identity profile] aesc.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 06:50 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! It helps, writing about beautiful things :)

[identity profile] lucythedragon.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 06:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Specs!fic! XD

I really enjoyed this.

[identity profile] aesc.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 06:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you so much! And yay for teh specs!

[identity profile] madeline871.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 06:48 pm (UTC)(link)
Leave it to John to make Rodney feel better. *sighs*

[identity profile] aesc.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 07:02 pm (UTC)(link)
Hee! John = Rodney's best medicine :)

[identity profile] cameragirl88.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 07:03 pm (UTC)(link)
mmm lovely
reminds me of that one sg-1 episode where rodney wore glasses the whole episode
yum yum

[identity profile] aesc.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 07:13 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you kindly!

reminds me of that one sg-1 episode where rodney wore glasses the whole episode

That's where the inspiration came from :D I came into possession of a screencap from that episode (linked at the top of this post), and [livejournal.com profile] dogeared has an icon I made of it... And she was commenting on Rodney's adorableness last night, I continued it this morning, looked at that screencap for a good fifteen minutes, and had to write something :D

[identity profile] mckayfan.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 07:22 pm (UTC)(link)
Glade to see i am not the only one who thinks that Rodney looks good in glasses.

[identity profile] aesc.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 07:28 pm (UTC)(link)
i am not the only one who thinks that Rodney looks good in glasses.

Oh, we are LEGION! :D

[identity profile] psyko-kittie.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 07:48 pm (UTC)(link)
OMG! I love glass!Rodney... (just finished SG1 episode with glass!Rodney in it-- I almost died when I saw him)!!

[identity profile] aesc.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 08:17 pm (UTC)(link)
(just finished SG1 episode with glass!Rodney in it-- I almost died when I saw him)!!

Man, I have got to get me some of that.

[identity profile] sulien77.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 08:18 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, you paint such lovely, lovely word pictures! *flails and guhs at the things this makes me feel* &hearts

[identity profile] aesc.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 08:30 pm (UTC)(link)
*wiggle!* Thanks so much! It's easy when the things being written about are so pretty :)
aurora: (Default)

[personal profile] aurora 2007-04-28 08:23 pm (UTC)(link)
Eeeeeeeee, glasses!

Even in bed John feels like text, Rodney's eyes blue and bright and focused, his fingers tracking over John's body like marking his place.
I love this line A LOT.

[identity profile] aesc.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 08:31 pm (UTC)(link)
Eeeeeeeee, glasses!

Eeee! I know! And I added "rodney mckay's glasses" to my interests list because I cannot possibly love them enough. Seriously, oh my God.

I love this line A LOT.

Yay! Thank you! A lot of people did :D

[identity profile] foxxcub.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 09:00 pm (UTC)(link)
John takes the six steps necessary to cross the kitchen and bends over Rodney, hands sliding along the broad, flat arc of Rodney's shoulders

Um, YES. I'll take that. *meebles*

This is gorgeous, thank you for the happy iamges!

[identity profile] aesc.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 09:20 pm (UTC)(link)
Um, YES. I'll take that.

Hee! Thank you! I'll take two :D
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[identity profile] beeej.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 10:57 pm (UTC)(link)
Awwww. Another lovely chapter. They're so sweet together! And you have a wonderful way with the wordsmithing. :)

[identity profile] aesc.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 11:17 pm (UTC)(link)
*snuggle* Thank you! Their sweetness is kind of a funny sort... sweet, but with snark and sarcasm mixed in, and I like that.

And your icon... So true! So very, very true. So pretty.

[identity profile] melagan.livejournal.com 2007-04-28 11:42 pm (UTC)(link)
You had me at
He's also spent the last three hours not seeing Rodney,..

because John counting down the time until he sees Rodney again will never get old for me.

As for Rodney in glasses.... *whimper*

[identity profile] aesc.livejournal.com 2007-04-29 01:32 am (UTC)(link)
because John counting down the time until he sees Rodney again will never get old for me.

Hee! I tried to cram in as many fangirl-button-pushy things as I could, but this one didn't occur to me :D

As for Rodney in glasses.... *whimper*

Oh, yes, yes indeed.

[identity profile] peapods42.livejournal.com 2007-04-29 01:01 am (UTC)(link)
Seeing Rodney in glasses was like the first time I saw my friend Dylan in his glasses. I flailed a little and said "WHY THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN WEARING CONTACTS?!"

This fic was full of wonderful and sea breeze and linen and "I Only Have Eyes For You". You have an excellent talent for word choice and turn of phrase and I agree with everyone. these are excellent:
He's also spent the last three hours not seeing Rodney
Rodney's five in that picture, as pugnacious and irritated then as he is now, but with a lot more hair.

But my favorite:
"They make you look smart," Glasses make everyone who doesn't usually wear them look smart...and sexy. This is especially true for David Hewlett. And oh dear lord I just imagined John in a pair of black rims, riding low on his nose and as looks up at someone over them...probably Rodney, one eyebrow cocked....

Wow I got WAY off topic. Needless to say it was lovely. I love finding writers who have an interesting grasp of the lexicon.

[identity profile] aesc.livejournal.com 2007-04-29 01:44 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, wow, thank you so much!

Glasses make everyone who doesn't usually wear them look smart...and sexy. This is especially true for David Hewlett.

So very true. So very, very and unfairly true.

And oh dear lord I just imagined John in a pair of black rims, riding low on his nose and as looks up at someone over them...probably Rodney, one eyebrow cocked....

*brain.short.out*

Oh my goodness. Ohhhhh my goodness. You can't say things like that if you're not going to produce John in black-rimmed glasses on my doorstep in the next thirty seconds. Just... *brain.short.out.again*

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[identity profile] stillwaters11.livejournal.com 2007-04-29 02:12 am (UTC)(link)
So lovely! And that last image just glows in my mind's eye. :)

[identity profile] aesc.livejournal.com 2007-04-29 02:36 am (UTC)(link)
Smee! Thank you so much! :D

[identity profile] zing_och.livejournal.com 2007-04-29 06:16 am (UTC)(link)
Mmm, Rodney in glasses is so very, very good. But I think you called his reaction to them pretty good, too. Nice story!

[identity profile] aesc.livejournal.com 2007-04-29 02:37 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! Now that he knows John thinks the glasses are sexy, he's definitely not minding as much :D

[identity profile] le-mot-mo.livejournal.com 2007-04-29 09:01 am (UTC)(link)
YESYESYES! This is so perfect! Rodney in glasses-- mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. I love the fic, and the last two paragraphs are my favourites. John can't resist Rodney in glasses-- who can? *g*

Great fic. :o)

[identity profile] aesc.livejournal.com 2007-04-29 02:37 pm (UTC)(link)
John can't resist Rodney in glasses-- who can? *g*

Hee! Not many :D

*snuggle* Thank you, as always!

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